February 2, 2025
Morning Service

Chapter 13, was filled with some great lessons for us all, but also with some very disturbing news.  Jesus has revealed some things that has made the disciples very uneasy about what is about to happen.  He has first shown them that to follow Him, we must imitate Him and do as He has shown us to.  By washing their feet, He has shown us that to be great in the kingdom of God, we must become a servant.  Greatness in God’s kingdom is not defined by what amount of authority you have over others, but by the love and humility you display by serving them.  It got worse from there as Jesus told them that one of those in the room with Him would betray Him forcing all of them to ask, “is it I Lord?”  Things continued down the wrong path as Jesus then declared that He would soon be leaving them and they would not be able to follow Him right away.  Peter would not accept that and declared that he would die with Jesus that night to stay with Him.  Jesus’ reply to him and all of the disciples was even more troubling as He told them “all of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night” which would again fulfill scripture.  Zechariah 13:7 prophesies that “I will strike the Shepherd and the sheep will be scattered.”  I can’t imagine the look these men had in their eyes as they absorbed what Jesus had just shared with them.  He told them their world was about to be turned upside down and changed forever.

Have you been there?  Cancer, divorce, miscarriage, loss of job, loss of loved one, or any of the many life changing heart aches that come our way in this life.  In that moment as Jesus looked at us with our heads spinning, it reminds Him of this night that the same thing happened to His disciples.  He sees the anxiety, fear, and uncertainty that this news brings and He comforts us as He comforted them that night.

Joh 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me."
            Jesus knowing, He had just overloaded His disciples with heavy burden to carry, chooses to comfort them by bringing them back to the foundation of their faith. Peter walked on the water as long as he kept His eyes on Jesus, he only began to sink when he looked away at the wind and the waves.  Jesus here is commanding us that in times that our heart is troubled look into the eyes of Jesus and find the stability you need to carry on.  Paraphrasing Jesus is saying something like this: “The future holds some very difficult things, but don’t be afraid remember as you believe in God believe in Me.  Trust Me.  Look over the storms and know who I am and hold on to that.   I know the road I am calling you down is NOT the one you would choose, but trust Me to lead you.”  No matter what it is we are facing; cancer, divorce, loss of job, loss of loved one, or whatever dark road you are called to walk down, Jesus simply says “Believe in Me” and trust that He is on your side.  He then tells us the reward for our faith and endurance:

 

Joh 14:2In 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.

            It is few places outside the Book of Revelations that we see such a clear picture of heaven written out for us.  Remember Jesus speaks to us in terms that we can understand trying to comfort us with hope of things unimaginable.  Jesus tells us when our hearts are troubled hold tightly to the hope of this promise (reread).  We understand that a mansion is a desirable, safe place to live; a home where you are welcome and wanted.  Jesus promises that in His leaving it is to prepare a place for you.  Grab that fast and insert your name there.  _______, I am preparing a room just for you in my Father’s house.  KNOW that, believe it, hold on to it and let it calm your soul.  Though there are troubles ahead, Jesus has a place for you.  It is a call for us to look beyond this moment of pain and difficulty to a future that is beyond a shadow of a doubt worth enduring the moment for.  Paul told the Roman church this:

Rom 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

            Think of all that Paul suffered and yet he is able to make this declaration that no amount of suffering could stop him from holding tightly to the fact that in the end, he will win.  In David Crowder’s song “Come as you are,” he says this: “Earth has no sorrow that heaven can’t heal.”  Think about that and hold onto it the next time a sorrow or heartache comes your way.  But wait, that is only half of this powerful promise.

 

Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

            Now put your mind around that one!  Not only is Jesus preparing a place for us, He promises to “come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”  I will not forget you, I will come and get you and then you and I will be together.

As Jesus sees the disciples (and us) with our hearts troubled, this is the comforting picture Jesus paints for us and promises to make it happen.  First, He is going to prepare a place for you, a place that you can call home for eternity.  A place where you are wanted, welcome and can’t imagine the beauty you will see.  Next, He promises I will not forget you.  When the time is right He promises to come and get us.  We don’t have to find Him; He will find us. Finally, He saves the best for last, “where I am, there you will be also.”  This is the picture of heaven that is most precious to me.  I will be with Jesus.  John tells us this in I John:

 

 1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

          I know we all look forward to heaven to be reunited with our loved ones that have gone on before us, but nothing can take the place of seeing Jesus “as He is” with my own eyes.

 Will anything else matter?

 Will we really need to ask Him the big list of questions we have for Him?

  I think the song Billy sings for us tells us how it will be.  “When Jesus is in the room everything else just becomes shadows in the light of His presence.”

            Do you ever think about the moment the song “I can only Imagine” talks about, the first moment we see Jesus?  It is the moment our faith becomes useless because we see Him with our own eyes.  What do you think you will do?  Andy and Cody will hug Him with the biggest bear hug ever.  I think I’ll cry tears of overwhelming joy to see the One who loves me and gave Himself for me.

            The next time your heart is troubled, think about this.  The trouble you are facing will only make that moment much more sweet and precious.  “You believe in God, believe also in Me.”

 

Heavenly Father, thank You for these words of comfort this morning and help us to be mindful of these promises and to believe as we face the many trouble this life brings our way.