I. Situation: The Evening before Jesus died. (This was Thursday evening; Jesus died on Good Friday.)
Of course the disciples were troubled and anxious and fearful of the future. Jesus reassured them that though He was going away, He would not leave them alone. He was going to send "Another Comforter," the Holy Spirit who would always be with them. For the disciples, their whole world seemed about to fall apart. They didn’t understand what was happening or what they would do when Jesus was taken away from them. So Jesus wants to prepare them for the sorrow and turmoil that is about to come.
Can you imagine Jesus’ attitude here? He is fully aware of the terrible and excruciatingly painful experience awaiting Him as "his hour" had come. He was facing the most significant events in all of human history: his death and resurrection. And what was He thinking about? What was He preoccupied with? Looking after His disciples after His departure. This is amazing and it teaches us how to live and what our attitude should be–not so preoccupied with ourselves but with God’s glory and others’ needs.
Here are some of the most comforting words and blessed promises that Jesus ever spoke. The disciples are with Jesus in the Upper Room celebrating the Last Passover together just hours before Jesus went to the cross to die for our sins. He had told them that He will be going away and return to the Father and they are, of course, sorrowful. Why should He leave them after such a few short years of ministry and teaching? He had told them this was necessary. Otherwise their sins would not be forgiven. He was to bear the sins of the world that we might have eternal life.
"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." John 14:1-2
They had heard but didn’t really understand. Now He tells them that they do not have to allow their hearts to be troubled. You believe in God even though you don’t see Him. Believe also in me even when you do not see me. I will still be present with you just as God the Father is now.
Many times in your life you have had reason to be "troubled." In fact, we presently live in "troublesome times." You may be troubled, but you don’t need to stay that way. The Lord tells us the reason for these difficult trials: "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 1:7 God has a reason for the suffering. They are producing for us "a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." 2 Cor. 4:17 Think of what Jesus achieved through the suffering of the cross! Without Him and His death on the cross we would be eternally lost. Then Jesus told them that in "my Father’s house" is room for all who are in Christ and that Jesus was going there to heaven "to prepare a place for you." It’s wonderful to have a place of your own, but how much more wonderful when it is "in my Father’s house." And Jesus’ Father is our Father because we are children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Heaven is pictured in scripture as a country, the celestial city, the kingdom of God. It’s called paradise because of its beauty. But here Jesus calls heaven His Father’s home, the dwelling place of God. It’s our home, too. We’re going home; we’re on our way there now–it’s quite a journey to the Celestial City, isn’t it? We’re not going to an unfamiliar place where we’re not known. We’re going home. We will not be guests there; we’re children of the King. "It’s home like home has never been."
From time to time here on earth we experience the joy of genuine worship of God, and realize that it is our highest joy to be giving him glory. But in heaven this joy will be multiplied many times over and we will know the fulfillment of that for which we were created. Our greatest joy will be in seeing the Lord Himself and in being with Him forever. Very often in our travels, we might be in Hong Kong, or Taiwan or Australia, or Europe, far from home and perhaps ready to go home then, I would tell my wife, "Honey, my home is where you are." And she understood and I understood. She was so dear to me that my home was wherever she was. When we get to heaven, we are going to realize that heaven is what it is because Jesus is there! And we are going to find perfect satisfaction and joy in His Presence. ". . . In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." Ps. 16.11
Of course the disciples were troubled and anxious and fearful of the future. Jesus reassured them that though He was going away, He would not leave them alone. He was going to send "Another Comforter," the Holy Spirit who would always be with them. For the disciples, their whole world seemed about to fall apart. They didn’t understand what was happening or what they would do when Jesus was taken away from them. So Jesus wants to prepare them for the sorrow and turmoil that is about to come.
Can you imagine Jesus’ attitude here? He is fully aware of the terrible and excruciatingly painful experience awaiting Him as "his hour" had come. He was facing the most significant events in all of human history: his death and resurrection. And what was He thinking about? What was He preoccupied with? Looking after His disciples after His departure. This is amazing and it teaches us how to live and what our attitude should be–not so preoccupied with ourselves but with God’s glory and others’ needs.
Here are some of the most comforting words and blessed promises that Jesus ever spoke. The disciples are with Jesus in the Upper Room celebrating the Last Passover together just hours before Jesus went to the cross to die for our sins. He had told them that He will be going away and return to the Father and they are, of course, sorrowful. Why should He leave them after such a few short years of ministry and teaching? He had told them this was necessary. Otherwise their sins would not be forgiven. He was to bear the sins of the world that we might have eternal life.
"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." John 14:1-2
They had heard but didn’t really understand. Now He tells them that they do not have to allow their hearts to be troubled. You believe in God even though you don’t see Him. Believe also in me even when you do not see me. I will still be present with you just as God the Father is now.
Many times in your life you have had reason to be "troubled." In fact, we presently live in "troublesome times." You may be troubled, but you don’t need to stay that way. The Lord tells us the reason for these difficult trials: "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 1:7 God has a reason for the suffering. They are producing for us "a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." 2 Cor. 4:17 Think of what Jesus achieved through the suffering of the cross! Without Him and His death on the cross we would be eternally lost. Then Jesus told them that in "my Father’s house" is room for all who are in Christ and that Jesus was going there to heaven "to prepare a place for you." It’s wonderful to have a place of your own, but how much more wonderful when it is "in my Father’s house." And Jesus’ Father is our Father because we are children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Heaven is pictured in scripture as a country, the celestial city, the kingdom of God. It’s called paradise because of its beauty. But here Jesus calls heaven His Father’s home, the dwelling place of God. It’s our home, too. We’re going home; we’re on our way there now–it’s quite a journey to the Celestial City, isn’t it? We’re not going to an unfamiliar place where we’re not known. We’re going home. We will not be guests there; we’re children of the King. "It’s home like home has never been."
From time to time here on earth we experience the joy of genuine worship of God, and realize that it is our highest joy to be giving him glory. But in heaven this joy will be multiplied many times over and we will know the fulfillment of that for which we were created. Our greatest joy will be in seeing the Lord Himself and in being with Him forever. Very often in our travels, we might be in Hong Kong, or Taiwan or Australia, or Europe, far from home and perhaps ready to go home then, I would tell my wife, "Honey, my home is where you are." And she understood and I understood. She was so dear to me that my home was wherever she was. When we get to heaven, we are going to realize that heaven is what it is because Jesus is there! And we are going to find perfect satisfaction and joy in His Presence. ". . . In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." Ps. 16.11
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