Sermon Central
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In My Father’s House Are Many Mansions Series
Contributed by Ps Trevor Bartley on May 18, 2017 (message contributor)
Summary: Many people think and have been taught that when Jesus is talking in John 14:2-3 that they are going to get a great home of brick and mortar, or a mansion. I am investigating this view...
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I would like to investigate a thought about the word ‘dwelling’ as found in 2 Corinthians 5:1-9, this word is also found in John 14. I would like to encourage you to consider, when you are studying something, you need to use more than one scripture to qualify a truth.
Many people think and have been taught that when Jesus is talking in John 14:2-3 that they are going to get a great home of brick and mortar, or a mansion. I believe that in light of the words being used in 2 Corinthians 5:1 (For we know that if the tent which is our earthly home is destroyed (dissolved), we have from God a building, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.) Jesus could be talking about preparing our new resurrected bodies for us to dwell or abide in at the Resurrection or maybe He is talking about an even deeper truth. The thing to remember is that the real you is a spirit and our body on earth is our earth suit or dwelling. Is it not reasonable to consider that we will not need to live in brick and mortar buildings, but we will need to have a new dwelling for our spirits in the everlasting?
In verse 2 of John 14, the word mansion is correctly translated dwelling or abode. In the Amplified Bible, it is translated dwelling place (home). Can we agree that a spirit needs to have a dwelling? I believe that our resurrected body will be a glorious body. It will be magnificent in every way with many facets, much better than the dwelling we have now, I believe that’s why Paul was excited about what was to come. Jesus may have gone to prepare a glorious body for us to dwell in, for an eternity with Him and the Father, Hallelujah! Or there may be a deeper mystery to be revealed?
Let’s read these two accounts in John 14 and also the verses in 2 Corinthians 5;
John 14:1-3, NKJV
“Let not your heart be troubled; you 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. 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.
John 14:1-3, AMP
Do not let your hearts be troubled (distressed, agitated). You believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely on God; believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely also on Me. In My Father’s house there are many dwelling places (homes). If it were not so, I would have told you; for I am going away to prepare a place for you. And when (if) I go and make ready a place for you, I will come back again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also.
We need to remember when Jesus said these words in the book of John He had not risen from the dead yet and the disciples did not know that much about the Holy Spirit and what was to come due to Jesus going to the cross. Jesus goes on for the next few chapters disclosing the person of the Holy Spirit. Whereas what Paul is talking about in 2 Corinthians is the outpouring of the revelation of the truths taught by Jesus after the resurrection. Stay with me as we investigate what the scriptures have to say.
2 Corinthians 5:1-9, AMP
1 FOR WE know that if the tent which is our earthly home is destroyed (dissolved), we have from God a building, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 Here indeed, in this [present abode, body], we sigh and groan inwardly, because we yearn to be clothed over [we yearn to put on our celestial body like a garment, to be fitted out] with our heavenly dwelling, 3 So that by putting it on we may not be found naked (without a body).
4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan under the burden and sigh deeply (weighed down, depressed, oppressed)--not that we want to put off the body (the clothing of the spirit), but rather that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal (our dying body) may be swallowed up by life [after the resurrection].
5 Now He Who has fashioned us [preparing and making us fit] for this very thing is God, Who also has given us the [Holy] Spirit as a guarantee [of the fulfilment of His promise].
6 So then, we are always full of good and hopeful and confident courage; we know that while we are at home in the body, we are abroad from the home with the Lord [that is promised us]. 7 For we walk by faith [we regulate our lives and conduct ourselves by our conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, with trust and holy fervor; thus we walk] not by sight or appearance.
