Jesus: The Name You Can Trust Series

Anxiety in our culture is pervasive. Anxiety is now the most common mental health disorder in the U.S. About one in five people you’ll see on any given day deal with anxiety.1

Find John 14 if you will.

In a time where there are rising crime rates, rising costs of living, international crises, political corruption, and escalating violence, Jesus speaks to us about how to experience peace.

Did you know that the night before Jesus died, Jesus gave a long, intensive teaching session? John 13–17 is the longest piece of teaching we have in the Bible from Jesus. Jesus has this training session as He is about to send them out into the world. Jesus speaks to the disciples’ fears.

Today’s Scripture

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves” (John 14:1-11).

Sermon Preview

1. Trust, the Antidote to Anxiety

2. Home, the Antidote to Despair

3. Jesus, the Antidote to Separation

4. Jesus, the Antidote to Doubt

1. Trust, the Antidote to Anxiety

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves” (John 14:1,11).

1.1 The Setting

Jesus dropped the bombshell that one of the group was going to betray Him. And He had told them He was going somewhere that they couldn’t follow him. They all knew the Jewish leaders were looking to arrest Jesus and His disciples. The eleven disciples were stressed out —anxious, confused, and afraid.

1.2 Who Needs Emotional Support?

Remember, it’s Jesus who is only hours away from His own death. It’s Jesus whose both heart and soul are troubled (John 12:27, 13:31). It’s Jesus who is looking down the barrel of agony unimaginable. Wouldn’t you think the Disciples would be giving emotional support to Jesus at a moment like this?2 Yet, Jesus is thinking of others. It’s Jesus who says, “Let not your hearts be troubled” (John 14:1a). In fact, when Jesus said, “Let not your hearts be troubled,” He used a picturesque word.

1.3 The Disciples’ Emotional State

The Disciples are on the brink of a catastrophic failure at this very moment. Judas just walked out the door, intent on betraying Jesus. Jesus told Peter that his faith would fail in a matter of hours. If Peter is the leader and his faith collapses, what does that mean for the rest of the Disciples? If their anxiety could be converted into caffeine, you’d have enough to keep every coffee shop in Seattle running for a month. These men needed the calm assurance of the One could command waves.

1.4 Jesus Commands Fear

Jesus commands the eleven, “Don’t be afraid,” before then saying, “Trust in God and trust in me.” He then commands them to replace their fear with faith in God and faith in Jesus in its place. Jesus commands an emotion. This is remarkable. We don’t think of emotions like fear and anxiety as something that could be commanded. Jesus did. He offers us something powerful to remove our anxiety – trust, belief, faith in God and Jesus. Jesus says, “Trust in God and trust in me.” “Believe in God; believe in me, too.” Jesus said in effect, “Take your eyes off yourselves for a minute, off even your shortcomings. My Father is here, alive and well; He is trustworthy; I am here, too, and you can trust me.”3