John 13: 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.36 Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards. 14: 4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Thomas asked a good question. Peter did too. Jesus was talking to the disciples around the supper table. He mentioned that he was leaving several times. He told them soon they wouldn’t see him. They would seek him but wouldn’t find him. Peter asked Jesus where he was going. Jesus told him that where he was going he couldn’t go then. He would afterward. He assured them that he was going to the Father but would be back. He said and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
Thomas asked an honest question. He didn’t understand. We call him doubting Thomas, but how often do we doubt? We look at Peter sideways for denying the Lord, but how many times do we deny him? This was a legitimate question because they were confused. Their expectation of what would happen was far different from God’s plan. They knew how hated Jesus was. They knew the Jews wanted him arrested. They felt the danger and wanted to protect him. They knew he was the Messiah, the Christ, and the Savior. They thought his earthly life would save souls and set the entire world in order. They thought the devil would be defeated and Jesus would sit on David’s throne. They forgot God’s requirement of a sacrifice. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins. They didn’t accept it when Jesus talked about his death.
We get disillusioned and confused when things don’t work out how we think they should. That’s what happened to the disciples. The plan of God was far more reaching in scope than they realized. We live in confusing times. We have views of things. We have expectations. When things don’t go our way or by our timetable, we get confused or disheartened. Thomas was honest. He didn’t understand how Jesus would be gone from them. How could he leave them? The Lord doesn’t want us to try to figure out everything. We must trust him for what we don’t understand.
Jesus’ answer to Peter should have been good enough. Even when we don’t understand, accept. We don’t see the big picture. Don’t worry about where God is leading. The dangers of this world are great. Life is increasingly complicated. The simple times are gone forever. The unexpected crops up. Something may come our way this week. We just don’t know. Thomas echoed the thoughts of the disciples. They believed but couldn’t understand the getting from here to there part.
The answer for them is the answer for us now. Jesus said I am the way, the truth, and the life. For a person who has never accepted Jesus as Savior, here he sees that Jesus is the only way to be saved and go to heaven. Jesus’ way is THE way, the only way. He had to die our death on the cross. He is alive forevermore. His life is our life. When we trust him, we are born again. The way may look hard and confusing. There may be twists and turns that you didn’t predict. Don’t worry. Jesus is the way through it all.
He said I am he that lived and was dead BUT he is alive forevermore. He went to Calvary for us. He went to the tomb for us. He rose from the dead for us. He ascended back to heaven for us. How can he be there and here at the same time? He can do more than we can. He sees more than we see. If we trust Jesus, there will be a way because he is the way. Life may not go how we want. It may not go in the direction we think it should. Paul said our life is hid in Christ with God. No matter what goes on externally with health, work, family or friends, Jesus said don’t worry. You know the way.
Thomas said no, Lord, we don’t know the way. Every one of us is a Thomas with our own ideas. Jesus speaks plainly. Life smacks us this way and that. Jesus said in this world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. Jesus told them they knew the way because they knew him. Even in our worst time, we know the way. Through Jesus we find the way from here to there. He is at the end, but he’s here with us every step of the way. If we trust him, we have the roadmap. When we know Jesus, we know heaven. When we know the Father, we know Jesus. Let him do the driving. You won’t go down with the ship if you go with Jesus.
I’m looking forward to seeing Jesus one day. It will be wonderful to actually see him. I think it will dawn on me that I’ve known him all along. That’s what the Emmaus disciples said after they met Jesus on the road. Their hearts burned within them all the while this “stranger” walked with them. They knew it deep down.
When you don’t know the way, trust Jesus. He is the way. He’ll make sense of it all. He will be your life. Without Jesus, we can’t get to heaven. Without Jesus, we can’t get through this life. Others run off the road. We’ll cruise on the roughest of roads if we trust Jesus as our way, our truth, and our life. He will clear the way for us to make it home.
Thomas asked a good question. Jesus gave a good answer. Let’s go onward with it.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 