"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE FOR THOSE WITH TROUBLED, ANXIOUS, AND FEARFUL HEARTS"
John 14:2 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
John 14:2 “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 14:3 “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.
Some explanatory thoughts/application/questions and a prayer:
Jesus was in the process of saying some of the very last things He would say to His disciples who loved Him very much. He had just told them that He would be leaving them ( after 3 1/2 years of being with them day by day ) and that they would not be able to go with Him. This was very troubling to His followers. In fact, the word troubled, means, to be agitated, to cause inward commotion, take away calmness of mind, disturb a person's equanimity. to disquiet, to stir up, to strike one's spirit with fear and dread. To render the mind anxious or distressed. What Jesus did was to give them a Divine prescription to ease their troubled minds, and hearts.
1. Jesus has a remedy for the troubled, anxious and fearful heart.
John 14:2 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
It's actually a 3 fold remedy. Here's the first one.
(1) Let not your heart be troubled. Or, don't let what I've just told you about the future trouble you. Or, You must not let yourselves be distressed. Or yet again, You must hold on to your faith.
Now, in Jesus giving this instruction to His troubled disciples, He was not asking them to do something they could not do, but rather something they could do.
It's the same with us today. We who know the Lord have the God given capacity, ( it's called faith ) to exercise that faith or trust in God, and thereby find relief for what is ailing our hearts and minds. Trusting God rather than looking at and pondering our own feelings is the way God would have us live our lives.
Trust in God is always rewarded by God. Faith in God, puts us in contact with God as it were. It brings us into fellowship with Him, and He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly more than we can ask or think. So, the first part of Jesus's prescription for the troubled and anxious heart, "Trust in God"
And, just as a specific clarification here. Jesus was affirming their faith in God, but, here, He was specifically drawing their faith towards Him. Don't stop trusting in God the Father, but I also want you to believe in Me. Put your trust, your faith, in Me.
2. Jesus is preparing a place for you.
John 14:2 “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.
There are several important things said in this verse.
(1) Jesus refers to the place called heaven, as His Father's house. That's a nice way to think about Heaven, it's where our Father lives, and it's where we are going someday.
(2) Jesus says there are many mansions in His Father's house. Or to put it another way. There is plenty of room for you in Heaven. There are many rooms, or dwelling places in His Father's house. We don't know for sure about a lot of things regarding heaven. But, 2 things we do know. We will have new bodies, and their is plenty of room for us up there. Many believe that each of us will have our own individual homes or dwelling places in heaven.Our own mansions if you will.
(3) Jesus is currently in heaven preparing a place for His followers. I'm leaving here, to go to heaven, and when I arrive, I'm going to get a room ready for you. Isn't that something. We don't often think about what Jesus is doing in heaven, but He is not only praying for us, and waiting to come back, but He is also working or preparing a place for each of us. And, since we already have evidence of His creative abilities, ( just look around and up in the skies and in the seas, ) to see what a skilled creator He is, imagine what your dwelling place will be like. Wow, It's going to be wonderful for sure.
3. Jesus is coming back to get you and to take you with Him to heaven.
John 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.
Again several things are said here.
(1) Jesus may be in heaven, but He is coming back. Just as true as it is that He was leaving for heaven, it's true that He is coming back from heaven. He was there to begin with, He came here, died on the cross for our sins, was buried, rose from the dead, and then ascended to heaven. But, He is planning on coming back here again.
(2) Jesus is going to receive you to Himself. Or, I'm coming back to welcome you into my own home. I'm coming back to get you. When Jesus comes back, it's with one thing in mind as far as His church is concerned, and that is to get them and take them to heaven. That is our future. Jesus is going to come and get us, and take us to heaven.
(3) Jesus is going to receive you, so that You can be with Him in heaven.
The emphasis here, is that of "so that You can be with Him in heaven" He wants you to be with Him in heaven.
Imagine that. We often think about the future, and think about heaven. And so does the Lord. He is doing more than thinking about it. He is fast at work, getting everything ready for us. He desires that we would be with Him.
He must be anxious to have us there don't you think. Because He loves us so much. That's why He died for your sins, it's so that you could believe in Him, and wind up in heaven with Him forever. And, once we arrive in heaven, we will be with Him forever and forever.
Some questions:
1. Is your heart troubled and anxious and fearful today?
2. Is it something to do with you health, your family, Your job, Your church, Your finances, Your future?
3. The teaching of Jesus is just for you. Would you please take just a moment to slowly and carefully re-read what Jesus said to troubled hearts?
4. It's important to do several things with God's Word. One, is to know it, two is to believe it, and three is to submit to it. Will you do those things? Are you doing those things?
5. Will you ask Jesus to help you with your troubles? Will You ask Him to help You understand His teaching?
Will You ask Him to help you believe His Word? He will help you.
6. Do you know some other troubled people? I'm sure you do. Would you please think about sharing these truths with them, and help them be comforted by them.
A prayer:
Father, You made it clear to us, that in this world and life we would have tribulation. Things that are hard and difficult for us. But, You also have made it clear that Your Word has been given to us so that we might have peace ( John 16 ) So, thank You for both things, telling us the truth, and that Your truth is what gives us peace.
How exciting it is for us to know that we are on our way to heaven, and that You are personally sending Jesus to come and get us, to take us there. And, thank you for the work He is doing in making things ready for us in heaven. It's hard to imagine it now, but, one day we will see all that Jesus has done to prepare a place for us.
We love You Father, In Jesus name. Amen.
Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia.
