“I am the way, and the truth, and the life.”

All Saints’ Sunday, November 6, 2016


John 14:1-14

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

This afternoon is the dedication of the Okinawa Lutheran Church Cemetery. It was in the planning for about 23 years, so we are happy and thank God that it is finally completed. In the dedication ceremony there is time for a sermon, but since it will be outside, it is hard to hear, and so I thought I would give the sermon now during our morning worship. Today is All Saints’ Sunday, so the theme is very appropriate.

The Words of Scripture on the tomb are the words of Jesus. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.”



★ We could make three sermons out of this.

★ First, “Jesus is the Way.”

★ Then next week, “Jesus is the Truth.”

★ And then on the following Sunday, “Jesus is the Life.”

★ Or we could make one summary sermon entitled, “Jesus is the True Way to Life.”

★ Or, “Jesus is the Way to True Life.”

★ “Jesus is the True way of Living.” 。

★ Or how about, “Living the True Way”?

★ Or, “The Honest Way of Life.”

★ Or: “Jesus Shows us the True Way to True Life.”

Jesus spoke these words to the disciples at the Last Supper. He was preparing the disciples for what would be happening in the next few weeks. Jesus would be captured, tried, and crucified, then he would rise from the grave, ascend into heaven, and send the Holy Spirit. At that time of the Last Supper, the disciples really did not fully understand what Jesus was talking about. Today we can understand because we know what happened. But just as the disciples struggled to understand what Jesus was talking about, sometimes we also struggle to fully understand what it means for us. And so we read the account of the Last Supper and our faith becomes stronger.

Jesus told the disciples that he was going to go and prepare a place for the disciples in his Father’s house. “In my Father's house are many rooms.” [I like the King James Version, “In my Father's house are many mansions.” The rooms seem nicer in the KJV.] Then Jesus said, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Well, the disciple Thomas did not understand where Jesus was going, and he did not know how to get to the heavenly mansion.

I think the best way to understand this is that Jesus was talking about his death and resurrection and also about his ascension and second coming. Without dying and resurrecting, there would be no salvation and so no heavenly mansions for anyone. So, the first step in preparing a place for the disciples is that Jesus must die on the cross. That is the first step on the way to heaven. Only Jesus could die on the cross to forgive the sin of the world. And so only Jesus is the true way to life. He is the Way. Therefore the word and promise of the Gospel is true, the truth. Therefore there is salvation in the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Jesus said, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” When we believe in God we are walking on the true road to life. An unbelieving heart will not walk the road of God because it does not accept that Jesus is the road to eternal life. Or some people just do not know about Jesus and do not know the Gospel. And so we have to point them to Christ. These road-signs are called evangelism and witnessing.

Once on the road, I think Christians have a problem of staying on the road. Sometimes we get lost or wander off the path. Or we take a quick detour into sin and then come back. I think that coming back is the power of faith. We are not always on the straight and narrow path. But because we believe in Jesus, we want to return to the correct way of life. In Lutheran theology this is called “simul justus et pecator, at the same time saint and sinner.” Sometimes we are like the disciples Thomas and Philip. We just do not understand Jesus. We don’t understand God’s laws and God’s ways and God’s methods. We do not know the details of God’s plans. But if we make our own life plans without God, we will not be on the road to heaven.

But Jesus told the disciples “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” That belief becomes our compass and our map. Our life follows Jesus on the true road to life.

And so a Christian cemetery is not just a sign of death, but a sign of faith and hope and the comfort of eternal life.

Amen.





November 6, 2016 Cemetery Dedication, Words at the Gravesite

Is a grave necessary? Yes, it is!

1. It gives us a connection to our loved ones who have died.
2. We remember their love and it gives us a guide for our lives.
3. This grave is a sign of our love and gratitude for them.
4. We see the cross of Jesus and we know that even though they have died that they are alive with Jesus in heaven. This is a great comfort.
5. We read the words of Jesus, and know that we too someday will be with Jesus in eternal life. This gives us hope in the struggles and fears and pains of life.
6. We see this grave today, made of beautiful granite stone and know that the promises of God are even stronger and more beautiful.
7. Finally, a Christian grave is a resting place until we are awakened anew at the Coming of Christ. And so our faith and hope and everyday life is made stronger.
Amen.


Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church


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