The Bible App is completely free, with no advertising and no in-app purchases. Get the app
Summit Church
Hear The Claims Pt 5 | The Way, the Truth, and the Life | Jim Ladd
Locations & Times
Summit Church
7200 S Clinton St, Centennial, CO 80112, USA
Sunday 9:00 AM
Sunday 10:45 AM
Big Idea: When you have Jesus, you have everything you need for an extraordinary life.
Three Callings And Three Resources:
1. DO NOT LET YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED
Resource: Know the Plan, and Know the Lord.
The word translated troubled (tarassō) carries the idea of being agitated, stirred up, disturbed. Jesus isn't saying, “Don't feel anything.”
Don't surrender the control of your heart to what is happening around you.
You cannot always control what troubles you, but you can decide where your troubled heart goes.
Jesus gives them two anchors.
Anchor #1: Know the Plan
Chaos says: “Everything is out of control.”
Jesus says: “There is a plan unfolding that you cannot yet see.”
The disciples see: Jesus' Departure → loss → uncertainty and instability
Jesus sees: Cross → resurrection → Father → Spirit → mission → reunion.
Their interpretation of the moment is incomplete because they are standing in the middle of the story.
Anchor #2: Know the Lord
“I am the way and the truth and the life.”
Christianity is a Person you follow.
The Way
The Truth
The Life
The invisible God has made Himself known in the Son.
1. DO NOT LET YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED
Resource: Know the Plan, and Know the Lord.
The word translated troubled (tarassō) carries the idea of being agitated, stirred up, disturbed. Jesus isn't saying, “Don't feel anything.”
Don't surrender the control of your heart to what is happening around you.
You cannot always control what troubles you, but you can decide where your troubled heart goes.
Jesus gives them two anchors.
Anchor #1: Know the Plan
Chaos says: “Everything is out of control.”
Jesus says: “There is a plan unfolding that you cannot yet see.”
The disciples see: Jesus' Departure → loss → uncertainty and instability
Jesus sees: Cross → resurrection → Father → Spirit → mission → reunion.
Their interpretation of the moment is incomplete because they are standing in the middle of the story.
Anchor #2: Know the Lord
“I am the way and the truth and the life.”
Christianity is a Person you follow.
The Way
The Truth
The Life
The invisible God has made Himself known in the Son.
2. DO THE WORKS JESUS DID
Resource: Access to the power and authority of Jesus.
“Whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these.”
Do not interpret “greater” as more spectacular miracles.
A significant redemptive-historical shift is happening.
His work will explode outward through His people.
Acts becomes the sequel.
The greater works are possible because Jesus is going to the Father.
His departure isn't the end of His work.
It is the beginning of His work through us.
We aren't simply people who believe things about Jesus. We are people through whom Jesus intends to continue His work.
Where you live, work, study, and play.
“…so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”
Prayer “in Jesus' name” isn't adding Jesus' name to the end of my agenda. It is bringing my life into alignment with His agenda.
“Jesus, do something through me today that I could not accomplish without You.”
The Christian life becomes an adventure when you stop merely asking God to bless your plans and start asking Him to involve you in His.
Resource: Access to the power and authority of Jesus.
“Whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these.”
Do not interpret “greater” as more spectacular miracles.
A significant redemptive-historical shift is happening.
His work will explode outward through His people.
Acts becomes the sequel.
The greater works are possible because Jesus is going to the Father.
His departure isn't the end of His work.
It is the beginning of His work through us.
We aren't simply people who believe things about Jesus. We are people through whom Jesus intends to continue His work.
Where you live, work, study, and play.
“…so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”
Prayer “in Jesus' name” isn't adding Jesus' name to the end of my agenda. It is bringing my life into alignment with His agenda.
“Jesus, do something through me today that I could not accomplish without You.”
The Christian life becomes an adventure when you stop merely asking God to bless your plans and start asking Him to involve you in His.
3. OBEY HIS COMMANDS
Resource: Christ lives in you by the Spirit
Notice Jesus doesn't say: “If you want me to love you, obey me.”
Jesus says: “If you love me…” Obedience is the fruit of relationship, not the price of admission.
Resource: Christ lives in you by the Spirit
Notice Jesus doesn't say: “If you want me to love you, obey me.”
Jesus says: “If you love me…” Obedience is the fruit of relationship, not the price of admission.
The Greek word is paraklētos- para = beside; kaleo = to call
“I will not leave you as orphans.”
The disciples hear: Jesus is leaving us.
Jesus says: You will not be abandoned.
He is God present with and within His people.
You are not alone.
“I will not leave you as orphans.”
The disciples hear: Jesus is leaving us.
Jesus says: You will not be abandoned.
He is God present with and within His people.
You are not alone.
When your heart is troubled — TRUST JESUS.
When the world is hurting — JOIN JESUS.
When obedience is difficult — LEAN ON THE HOLY SPIRIT.
You have a KING to trust. You have a MISSION to live. You have a PERSON to depend upon.
You've got this, because You've got HIM.
When the world is hurting — JOIN JESUS.
When obedience is difficult — LEAN ON THE HOLY SPIRIT.
You have a KING to trust. You have a MISSION to live. You have a PERSON to depend upon.
You've got this, because You've got HIM.
Response:
- Rule over your troubled heart with Jesus
- Join Jesus where you live, work, study, and play
- Make obedience your love language to God
- Rule over your troubled heart with Jesus
- Join Jesus where you live, work, study, and play
- Make obedience your love language to God
Discussion Guide
John 14:1–21 — The Way, the Truth, and the Life
Icebreakers
1. When life gets stressful, what is your natural response—fix it, worry about it, avoid it, talk about it, pray about it, or something else?
2. Who is someone you trust when life gets confusing? What have they done to earn that trust?
Discussion Questions
1. Why do you think Jesus begins with, “Do not let your hearts be troubled”?
2. Jesus doesn't tell His disciples that nothing bad will happen. Instead, He gives them reasons to trust Him. What is the difference between trusting Jesus and simply hoping everything will work out the way you want?
3. Thomas admits, “We don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” What questions or doubts would you ask Jesus if you knew He wouldn't be offended by them?
4. Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” He doesn't just offer directions; He points to Himself. What do you think Jesus is claiming about Himself here?
5. Read John 14:8–14. Jesus says, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” If you understand what God is like by looking at Jesus, what stands out to you about Him?
6. Jesus says His followers will continue the work He began. How does that change the way you think about being a Christian?
7. Think about where you live, work, study, and play. Give one example of what it might look like to “join Jesus” there this week.
8. Jesus promises His followers the Holy Spirit, whom He calls the Advocate or Helper. What questions do you have about the Holy Spirit? If you've followed Jesus for a while, how have you experienced His help?
9. Jesus connects loving Him with obeying Him. Jim made an important distinction: obedience is “the fruit of relationship, not the price of admission.” What's the difference between obeying God to earn His love and obeying God because you trust and love Him?
Icebreakers
1. When life gets stressful, what is your natural response—fix it, worry about it, avoid it, talk about it, pray about it, or something else?
2. Who is someone you trust when life gets confusing? What have they done to earn that trust?
Discussion Questions
1. Why do you think Jesus begins with, “Do not let your hearts be troubled”?
2. Jesus doesn't tell His disciples that nothing bad will happen. Instead, He gives them reasons to trust Him. What is the difference between trusting Jesus and simply hoping everything will work out the way you want?
3. Thomas admits, “We don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” What questions or doubts would you ask Jesus if you knew He wouldn't be offended by them?
4. Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” He doesn't just offer directions; He points to Himself. What do you think Jesus is claiming about Himself here?
5. Read John 14:8–14. Jesus says, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” If you understand what God is like by looking at Jesus, what stands out to you about Him?
6. Jesus says His followers will continue the work He began. How does that change the way you think about being a Christian?
7. Think about where you live, work, study, and play. Give one example of what it might look like to “join Jesus” there this week.
8. Jesus promises His followers the Holy Spirit, whom He calls the Advocate or Helper. What questions do you have about the Holy Spirit? If you've followed Jesus for a while, how have you experienced His help?
9. Jesus connects loving Him with obeying Him. Jim made an important distinction: obedience is “the fruit of relationship, not the price of admission.” What's the difference between obeying God to earn His love and obeying God because you trust and love Him?