MISSIONARY SUNDAY SERVICE @TACN LTS, AYEGBAJU, ILESA, OSUN STATE (15th September, 2024)
B/Text: John 14:5-6
Topic: HOW CAN WE KNOW THE WAY?
Refs: John 14:6, John 8:12, Hebrews 10:20, Psalm 24:3-4
INTRODUCTION:
Traditionally, the belief is that the Gospel of John was authored by one of the 12 disciples, John the Beloved. But the internal and external evidences corroborate the gospel of John.
The gospel is very peculiar, but looking at the Synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), they were chronologically arranged but the gospel of John had 95% difference from them. Instead of writing about miracles, he wrote about signs, rather he wrote to his readers on a settled face on the words and works of Jesus Christ.
So, he purposely authored the book about the life, works and ministry of Jesus Christ.
We have about seven sayings of I am, that I am, of Jesus Christ in the book of John, which doesn’t exist in others.
- I am the bread of life (John 6:35).
- I am the light of the world (John 8:12).
- I am the door of the sheep (John 10:7).
- I am the good shepherd (John 10:11).
- I am the resurrection and the life (John 11:25).
- I am the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6)
- I am the true vine (John 15:1).
POINTS TO NOTE:
The topic for this sermon was the question, one of the disciples, Thomas, asked Jesus Christ and an answer was given in verse 6 of the Bible text.
We have two types of ways, and these are:
- The Bad way, and
- The Good way
Examples of People Who Trend the Bad Way
i. Cain: He was the brother of Abel, and he murdered his brother because his sacrifice wasn’t accepted by God, whereas his brother own was accepted. Instead of him to go before God and asked for his misdeeds but rather jealousy made him murdered his brother. This is a bad way he trended (Jude 1:11)
ii. Balaam: He also trended a bad way, as a prophet, when Balak asked him to curse the Israelites and because of he wants wages of unrighteousness (2 Peter 2:15).
iii. Bad Fathers: This is as a result of walking in the bad ways of our fathers to do the unpleasant things before God. This happened to Nadab the king of Israel, making the people of Israel to sin (2 Kings 15:26).
iv. Ways of Fools: A fool believed in his own ways, and will never listen to the advice or counsel of others, and at the end will fall (Proverbs 12:15).
Examples of the Good Ways
i. The Narrow Way (Jesus Christ) – Matthew 7:14
ii. The Holy Way/Life: It is also known as the fine way or the living way (Isaiah 35:8, Hebrews 10:20).
CONCLUSION: HOW CAN WE KNOW THE WAY?We need to know the way, who is Jesus Christ, we don’t need to exhibit ourselves before the people, rather we need to exhibit Jesus Christ unto them, we need to let them know the length, breadth and height of whom Jesus Christ is.
We need to go back to the world and make them know whom the way (Jesus) is and let them be aware of truth and the life, as no man comes unto the father, but through the way (John 14:6).
May Almighty GOD help us all. Amen
SERMON BY: PASTOR. N.O WHESIN (DEPUTY PROVOST)
