Lent 2023: John 14:1-14

The Way to the Father

14 “Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also. 4 You know the way to where I am going.”

5 “Lord,” Thomas said, “we don’t know where you’re going. How can we know the way?”

6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Jesus Reveals the Father

8 “Lord,” said Philip, “show us the Father, and that’s enough for us.”

9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been among you all this time and you do not know me, Philip? The one who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who lives in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Otherwise, believe because of the works themselves.

Praying in Jesus’s Name

12 “Truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.[f]

—John 14:1-14

Read & Journal

Read John 14:1-14 in your Bible. Spend some time truly pondering and meditating on what you’ve read. The following prompts can help:

• What does this passage teach you about Jesus—his identity, purpose or character? Explain.

• In the Gospel of John, Jesus’ “I am” statements depict Jesus’ identity and ministry. What does “I am the way, the truth, and the life” reveal?

• How does this passage comfort you? Encourage you? Challenge you?

• As the way, Jesus is our only means of a relationship with God the Father, As the truth, he is the reality of all God’s promises. As the life, Jesus is the source of life. Ponder each of these, then journal a prayer reflecting your praise for who Jesus is as the way, truth and life.

• Jesus said that no one can come to the Father except through him. Why is that an important truth to recognize?

• In this passage, Jesus tells us that if we have seen him, we have seen the Father. Through Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, God has taught us about his character. As you ponder this, journal about what Jesus reveals to you about God’s character.

• How has Jesus proven himself to be the way, truth and life in your life, both in the past and today? Journal a prayer thanking God for how he has and is working in your life.