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By Kathy Smith
In John 14:1-14, the disciples are at the end of their time with Jesus and they are not having a great day. We might say that it's only the end of junior year, but Jesus just told them they're graduating and heading off to disciple grad school – and he won't be going with them. They were probably more desperate to know what the future held than you are.
Jesus offers the disciples some great encouragement that is relevant for the transition graduation brings. First, in the face of their worry, Jesus says, "Don't be troubled – trust me" (v.1). Before he's laid out any plan, Jesus calls the disciples to trust and follow him. That's the big issue, isn't it? Do you trust Jesus to take care of you? Look how Jesus shows himself trustworthy – he knows their hearts, their concern, and speaks into it. He even cares enough for them to promise that he's going to get a room ready for them – an appealing thought if your parents turned your bedroom into their new exercise room! There is something pretty scary here though: Jesus is asking you to hand over your future without knowing what it is.
Following someone is all well and good when you know where they're going. But what happens when you get stuck at a red light and lose sight of the person you're following? That's Thomas' concern – he asks "we don't know where you're going so how can we follow you?" In one sense, of course Thomas knows where Jesus is going – to be with the Father. What Thomas isn't sure he knows is exactly how to find God. He's asking for the "MapQuest" directions – but Jesus didn't provide that for the disciples, and he doesn't provide it for us. We wish it was that clear don't we? If the directions only said, "Take job 1 for 2.5 years, then go left at grad school A…" But Jesus offers something even better: himself. In verse 6, he makes an astounding statement: "I am the way, the truth and the life." I love the reassurance here that during times of transition, we cn be unafraid because our call is to follow a person, not a formula. It's not accidental that Jesus uses the name God gives himself here "I AM" – the unchanging, all sufficient one. At a time when everything seems to be changing, what a comfort that the one we are following remains the same.
Thomas and Philip want more proof: they ask to see the Father. In response Jesus says another astounding thing – "Don't you know me…even after I've been among you so long?" (v.9) Jesus has been "among you" in some amazing ways during your college years. For some of you, college may be the only context in which you’ve known and experienced Jesus. That "knowing" won't change because of his promise that he’s the way, truth and life.
Jesus lays out his relationship with the Father as a picture of what discipleship can look like for us: speak his words (v. 10), do his miracles (v.11) and do his works (v.12). In other words, look at what I've been doing during the time we've been together, and go do those same things, even when you can't see that I'm with you. The disciples should know what the work is –they’ve been watching and partnering with him in it for three years. What has Jesus done in your midst, in the midst of your fellowship over the past 4, or more, years?
As we near the end of this passage, Jesus gives the most astounding promise of all. In verse 12 Jesus tells the disciples that because he's going away, they will do even greater things than what they've been doing already! The first disciples certainly did – the inclusion of Gentiles in the kingdom, the spread of the gospel beyond Palestine, the amazing unified body of believers (Greek, Jew, male female) seen in Acts 2 & 4, all happened when Jesus was no longer physically present with his followers. "Greater things" might even include something better than the life you think "best" – the perfect job, house or spouse.
How could it have been possible that greater things would happen "post-Jesus?" Because Jesus sent a helper – the Counselor-Spirit who enabled the disciples to move out in power. This same Spirit follows you off campus and into your job, your grad school, your church, your neighborhood and elsewhere. In fact, the same Spirit is already there. Why not ask him to show those things to you? This desire to do great things isn't odd or selfish – it's actually at the center of God's will.
Kathy is a wife, mom of two daughters, and a former teacher. She helps InterVarsity alumni stay connected in her current InterVarsity staff role.
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