John 14:1-14

Happy New Year Gramazin family! I hope that you all had a relaxing holiday season, full of worship and fellowship. Every new year, people across the world make a list of things they would like to change about their life. We call these resolutions a firm or unchanging decision to make something new. However, when Christ discusses change, we get a picture of something that is transformative and adaptive. I want us to look at a passage in John in order to help us adopt a healthier view of goals and personal change.

Open your Bibles to John 14:1-14 and grab your copy of Take Every Passage to Prayer, Volume 2- The Gospels by Charles Wagner, pages 642-647, for a deeper study of this passage.

In our story, Jesus and the disciples are sitting and eating during the Last Supper. Jesus delivers a profound last message to inspire the disciples before His departure. Jesus knows that He is to be arrested soon, so His words carry a sense of grief, as well as hope for the future. When we approach our new year’s resolutions, we can feel similarly to the disciples at the Last Supper; hoping for the best, expecting the worst. How in the world will the disciples be able to continue their goal of spreading Jesus’ message? What happens to their “resolution” in the face of something as serious as death? Their old methods of evangelism would no longer include Jesus, so how can they achieve their mission? Well, Jesus preaches about a transformative faith that comforts the disciples. 

Verses 1 through 4 tell the disciples that although Jesus is not able to enlighten them on His intended destination, the disciples will surely have a place ready for their arrival. Thomas speaks up saying that he has no idea where Jesus is going or how to get there and so it is impossible for them to be reunited after Jesus’ death. Jesus responds with a famous quote, saying, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you really know Me, you will know My Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him” (John 14:6-7). Jesus says that because the disciples know the Father, “whoever believes in Me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12). 

I think this passage has two major implications when we talk about New Year’s Resolutions. Firstly, achieving our goals is never a linear track. The disciples had a dream to spread the message of Christ to the world, and they were facing a major roadblock in their mission. Their Lord was getting murdered! However, Jesus’ words assure the disciples that His plan is greater than theirs. His plan will succeed despite the setbacks, and some might argue His plan succeeded because of the setbacks. When we look at the things we want to change in our life, the missions we want to accomplish this year, and we see major roadblocks, maybe we need to consider whether these roadblocks are part of Someone Else’s plan? 

The second implication of the “I am the way and the truth and the life” passage is that faith in Christ is inherently transformative. The Holy Spirit is living and active in our hearts, and as we encounter these roadblocks in life, the Holy Spirit molds our hearts to lean towards Christ. This “way” of “truth” that we use to live our “life” is not static, like the nature of the universe. This “way” describes a relationship with Christ that is in flux with sin. Our nature as humans draws us to sin, and the Holy Spirit’s assistance continuously transforms our hearts to desire the kingdom of God. Page 644 of Wagner’s commentary discusses the transformative work of the Holy Spirit as a result of Jesus’ words in John 14, saying that the Holy Spirit was “coaching them [the disciples] in various situations what is the right course of action.”

Let us pray to our Father in heaven, asking Him to bestow the fire of the Holy Spirits on our hearts, transforming our souls and empowering us to accomplish our resolutions.

Dear Lord Father,

We bow before your throne requesting a gift that you have already freely given to us, the Holy Spirit. We accept the Holy Spirit, asking that it would transform our hearts to seek your kingdom. Let us approach our New Year’s Resolutions, if it is of your will, with confidence in your plan, as well as a sense of adaptability when we face roadblocks. We pray for a hedge of protection around those experiencing distress and displacement due to severe weather around the country.

In your son’s name we pray, Amen.