The Crux • Chapter 5 • One Way

Opener

Have you ever had a friend or a family member who you thought you knew, but then a positive experience with them or new discovery changed the way you viewed them?

Backdrop

In a way more direct than almost anywhere else in the Bible, Jesus elaborates in this passage on who He is. In doing so, Jesus presents a clear message that calls for a response from the reader. Who do we say that He is? And what does that mean for our lives?

John 14:1-17

1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. 2 In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. 4 Where [I] am going you know the way.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” 8 Philip said to him, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. 12 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.

15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, 17 the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you.

Questions

  1. If you could ask one question about what is beyond this world, what would it be?
  2. If someone claims to be with Jesus and does not know Him, what would that life look like?
  3. What do you think Jesus means when He says, “Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it”?
  4. If what Jesus said were true, how would it change the way we live our lives?

*Adapted from FOCUS