What If…?
“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going.”
“No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!”
Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”
Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do.
I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!
If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”
Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name) said to him, “Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large?”
Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them.
Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me.”
As you have read through the Bible, (and I am hoping you have at least once), have you noticed how many times people question God?
In the Book of James, he warns us not to doubt or waiver in our belief. When we do, we become unstable in all our ways. Many times in our own lives, we find ourselves questioning God with “But, God, what if…?” (give some examples)
I am not saying that we can’t have questions. We need to take that original question “But, God, what if…?” and pose it as “What if…? But God can!”
In our scripture reading today, we find the disciples with Jesus at the Last Supper, the last Passover meal that they will share with Him. He has been with them for over three years, and He was making sure that they were ready for what was coming next. He had already served them by washing their feet and telling them how no one who is a believer is better than anyone else, slave or free. He was assuring them of the promise of a heavenly home with the Father.
SMH Question from Thomas in verse 5: “How do we know the way?”
My response: Come on, man! Where have you been last 3 years?
Jesus’ response: I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one
comes to the Father except through me.
SMH statement from Phillip in verse 8: “Show us the Father, and then we will be satisfied.”
My response: Come on, man! Where have you been last 3 years?
Jesus’ response: Have you not seen Me? Heard what I said?
Now just believe it!
Are we any different? Have we been asking the “I should already know this” type questions? We need to take God at His word! We do that by doing asking ourselves the following questions:
- What if we have FAITH?
- What if we show LOVE?
- What if we live by the SPIRIT?
1. What if we have FAITH?
“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. 13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. 14 Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!”
John 14:12-14
Additional Scriptures: Matthew 17:20; Matthew 21:21; Mark 11:22-23; Luke 17:6
Song Illustration: “I Speak the Name” (Katy Nicole)
(V1). I speak the name of Jesus over you
In your hurting, in your sorrow, I will ask my God to move
I speak the name ’cause it’s all that I can do
In desperation, I’ll seek Heaven, And pray this for you
(V2). I speak the name of all authority
Declaring blessings, every promise He is faithful to keep
I speak the namе no grave could ever hold
Hе is greater, He is stronger, He’s the God of possible
2. What if we show LOVE?
John 14:15
“If you love me, obey my commandments.”
John 13:34-35
“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
Difference between world and believers:
Not just being good/loving person, but it comes from a personal relationship with Him.
John 14:23
Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them.”
Cannot please man & truly serve God
Galatians 1:10
“Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.”
3. What if we live by the SPIRIT?
The Promise of the Holy Spirit and what He will do in our lives.
John 14:26-27
“But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”
Galatians 5:16-17
“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.”
Galatians 5:24-25
“Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.”