The following blog is a recent sermon by church member Hilary Grierson.

Our reading from John’s Gospel is frequently used during funeral services. It contains the promise that is meant to bring comfort to loved ones – those who are left behind and grieving.

But – could the words have a deeper meaning – could John’s words have everything to do with our lives in the here and now?

John has set out Jesus’ farewell address to His disciples given at the last meal they shared together. Jesus has explained to the disciples the symbol of washing their feet, and the meaning of the Last Supper and how they should continue to do that in remembrance of him, just as we will share Bread and Wine together later in our Service.

Jesus also told them that one of their own would go on to betray him that night, and how another would deny him not once but three times, which as we know was vehemently denied!

Is it any wonder then that the Disciples are troubled? Their beloved Teacher is leaving them and they have been told that their loyalty will be called into question.

But Jesus responds when he sees their anxiety by saying “Do not let your hearts be troubled, believe in God, believe also in me”. Jesus goes on to assure them that his destination will also be their destination when their time comes.

A place in his Father’s house awaits them, and he tries to reassure them by saying he is going on ahead to prepare a place for them, so that they too will be with him and his Father, and he stresses to them that they know the way to the place where he is going.

But, and isn’t there is always a but – Thomas wants directions, a road map, an A to Z if you will on how to get there. In verse 6 Jesus responds to Thomas saying “I am the way, and the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me”. I am sure at this point from the little we know of Thomas that he is sat scratching his head wondering what to make of these words.

Could this verse be seen as ‘the carrot dangling at the end of the stick?’ Unless people follow Jesus there will not be room for them in His Father’s house?

However, Jesus clarifies his words to the Disciples ‘you do know me. So you know my Father also’.

In verse 8 Philp is still not convinced, he wants Jesus to show them the Father and he will be satisfied.

I wonder if at this point Jesus becomes just a little frustrated when he responds to Philip by saying “Have I not been with you all this time Philip and you still don’t know me?”

If we want to know God we need to look no further than Jesus. Jesus’ whole Mission throughout his Ministry has been to make known his Father, to reveal who God is not only to his Disciples but to all who followed him, all that he achieved throughout his Ministry came from God – to show who God is!

Is it at this point that Jesus is passing on his Ministry and Mission to his Disciples, asking them to carry on in his name, when he says to them -“Very truly I tell you the one who believes in me will also do the works that I did, and will go on to do greater works than those, if in my name you ask me for anything I will do it.”

Personally at this point I would have liked to have been a fly on the wall to have seen the looks on the faces of the Disciples – did their mouths fall open? Did they stare at Jesus in disbelief; I do think they would have been speechless. What thoughts would have been racing through their heads, would they be able to heal the sick, cast out demons, restore sight to the blind – would they, or would they say to Jesus ‘Really Jesus – Really’ we will be able to all you did?

Perhaps today our problem in hearing those promises we expect to do greater works in the same way Jesus did them, we actually expect too much of ourselves. Many throughout John’s Gospel, who actually witnessed the ‘signs’ that Jesus performs struggled with seeing the work of God before their eyes,

if they struggled even seeing first hand, how greater then is our own struggle?

Jesus does promise to be with us through the power of the ‘Spirit’, to work in and through us to accomplish his purpose in the world today, we don’t all have to be brilliant surgeons, inventors, research fellows, teachers or do things in a visible spectacular way, we, each one of us here this morning, have our own gifts and strengths to offer, whatever is done in Jesus’ name is the work of God.

Wherever there is life in abundance this is Jesus’ presence in our midst.

For us to carry on with Jesus’ Mission making God’s name known to others, we don’t need Thomas’s road map – we have all we need right here – each other, our faith and God’s Word – The Bible.

Amen

Written by Hilary Grierson