Bible Study, 26 July 2020

NBC SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

JULY 26, 2020

TOPIC: WISDOM: THE WAY, TRUTH AND LIFE

Devotional Reading: Proverbs 3:13-18

Background Scripture: Proverbs 3:17; 8:32-36; John 14:1-14

Lesson Scripture: John 14:1-14

GOLDEN TEXT
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him.” John 14:6

INTRODUCTION
From time immemorial, the last words of elders are usually believed to be very important words that should not be trivialized. A dying father invited all his children to his bedside foe an important discussion. Every effort he made to share some important words of wisdom with them proved unsuccessful. According to his first son, their father’s lips were only moving but the voice was not loud enough to hear him. Eventually, the father died without his children hearing what he had to say. So, whenever his children remember the experience, they are pained that despite their father’s effort to counsel them on his death bed, they missed the opportunity.
Our lesson today seeks to examine some of the last words of Jesus in His interaction with His disciples before His crucifixion. Chapter 14 of the gospel of John is known as the farewell discourse of Jesus with His disciples. After the washing of the disciples’ feet, Jesus predicted His betrayal two times in chapter 13. The message of His departure did not go down well with His disciples so, they became worried and upset with the thought of Jesus leaving them. Nevertheless, He reassured them of two important things: His plans to go and prepare a place for them and His return to make them to be where He is (vv1-3). He added that He is the Way, Truth and Life. He promised to do whatever they ask in His Name so that He would bring glory to His Father who is in heave.


THE LESSON EXPLAINED

A. JESUS COMFORTS HIS DISCIPLES. JOHN 14:1-7
Jesus’ third prediction of His betrayal was followed by a command to His disciples to love one another as He had loved them (John 13:31-35). In His response to Thomas’ question of where He was going and his desire to follow Him, Jesus comforted them with these words, “Do not let your heart troubled. Trust in God and trust also in me.” (v. 1) According to verse 3, Jesus revealed His plan to go and prepare a place for them in His Father’s house and return to take them so that they would be together. Even though Jesus affirmed that they knew the way to where He was going in verse 4, Thomas surprisingly replied, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus’ reply was startling and it formed the foundation of the relationship between His and His Father. He declared, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus meant that He is the way that leads to God, the truth about Him and His will for humanity. He further explained that since the disciples had known Him, they had also known the Father and had seen Him (v.7).
Jesus had worked closely with His disciples and had taught and prepared them to continue with the ministry after His ascension. Over time, He had built a relationship and developed emotional ties with them. Therefore, they became worried and frightened probably of their safety when He announced His death. This, of course, necessitated the words of comfort in verses 1 and 3. He admonished them not to be troubled but that they should put their trust in Him (Jesus) and also in God. More so, He promised them an abode in His Father’s kingdom where He was going, and made them know that He is the Way, Truth and Life. Jesus is not one among many ways but the only Way and without Him, no one can get to the Father. Jesus’ words of comfort to His disciples are also applicable to all believers in this present-day world in which Christians are being persecuted. Despite the tribulation, we should not be troubled because Jesus has prepared a place for us in His Father’s kingdom where we shall reign with Him eternally.

DISCUSSION TIME
Identify some things that can easily cause one’s heart to be troubled, especially with the situation in Nigeria today and how to overcome such troubles according to today’s passage.
Jesus said that no one could go to God except through Him, what is the fate of other religions and who do not believe in Him?

B. UNITY BETWEEN THE FATHER AND SON         JOHN 14:8-11
Jesus’ declaration in verse 7 prompted Philip to ask Him to show them the Father. In verse 9, Jesus expressed surprise at Philip’s ignorance of the unity between Him and His Father, having been together for some time. He said, “…anymore who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us’”? Jesus became more specific and explained to Philip about the unity between Him and His Father. He said to him, “Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father living in me who is doing his work.” (v. 10) He made a categorical statement that they should believe the existing union between Him and the Father because of the miracles when He had wrought among the people.
The unity of the Father and Son is a recurrent theme in the gospel of John. Repeatedly, Jesus stressed the intimate relationship between Him and His Father but unfortunately, even though He had been with the disciples for long, they did not recognize the union. His statement in verse 10 suggests that He expected the disciples to have seen the Father in Him. To further convince them of the unity between Himself and His Father, He made reference to the miracles He had performed as proof of their union. Jesus’ expectation is that anyone who has found Him should not look for the Father anymore because He and His Father are one. This same emphasis is made when John said, “No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.” (John 1:18) Even in our modern-day, many people are in doubt of the deity of Jesus. Some see Him as a common carpenter’s son whose personality is not different from everyone else. Little wonder He was disregarded in His hometown. Every Christian is reminded today that Jesus and His Father are One and anyone who has seen Him has seen the Father.

DISCUSSION TIME
Why did Philip and the other disciples not recognize the intimate relationship between Jesus and His Father, despite the long time they had been together?
Identify some areas of Jesus’ ministry some Christians have doubt about Jesus and how to overcome it.

C. A PROMISE OF ANSWERED PRAYER. JOHN 14:12-14
Jesus made adequate preparation as well as gave useful information to His disciples before His departure to the Father. Having explained the intimate relationship between Him and His Father, He made some categorical statements about those who have faith in Him. He said they will do greater things than He has done because He is going to the Father on the basis of the power of the Holy Spirit, which He promised to send (v. 16). He assured them in verse 13 that He will answer their prayers is repeated in verse 14 with a condition that they must ask in His Name (Jesus). In other words, the Name of Jesus is the key to receiving answers to prayers. It is prayer offered in faith and in accordance with the will of the Father. Jesus’ departure to His Father was to go and prepare eternal home for His disciples. His ascension also affords us the opportunity to pray to God through Jesus’ Name. According to the passage, three things are vital to receiving answers to our prayers: to pray in the Name of Jesus, faith, and the intention to bring glory to the Father. In contrast, unbelief, lack of faith and failure to pray in the Name of Jesus can hinder us from receiving answers to our prayers. Therefore, Christians should celebrate the promise of Jesus to prepare a place for His followers and answer us when we pray.

DISCUSSION TIME
Are there still miracles today like in the days of Jesus? If no, what are the reasons, especially when we consider Jesus’ statement in verse 11?
Praying in the Name of Jesus is one of the conditions of receiving answers to our prayers. What then is the fate of other Christians who pray through Holy Mary, angel Gabriel etc.? How can this be corrected?


*Prayer Points
Lord, help me not to miss the opportunity of reigning with You in heaven.
Teach me to pray in Your Name and in accordance with Your will so that my prayer will receive answers.
Help me, Lord, to know and relate with You as the Way, the Truth and the Life.

*Fellowship and Ministry Building Activity
Lead members to renew their hope in the promise of the mansion that Jesus has gone to prepare for believers in His Father’s kingdom.

*Take Home
 -  Jesus is the Way to God.
 -  Jesus is the Wisdom of God.
  -  Those who know Jesus also know His Father.
  -  Jesus has prepared a place for those who believe in Him.
  -  When we pray in faith, God hears.

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