A Place For You

Do we sometimes feel like we don’t belong? We really belong somewhere else, somewhere wonderful. How do we get there? Let’s find the way to the place where we truly belong in John 14:1-14.

John 14:1-2 (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.”

Jacob called Beth El God’s house (Genesis 28:15-22), as were the tabernacle, temple, and the people of God (1 Corinthians 3:8-10). We are promised an eternal abode with God. In Greek µ??a? (monai) is “an abiding dwelling-place.” Our homes here are temporary. There’s room in eternity for all.

John 14:3-6 (NKJV) 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. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Jesus is preparing a place for us. He is the way. God first gave life (Genesis 2:7). Jesus is the way to everlasting life (John 3:16), the prince of life (Acts 3:15), eternal life is in Jesus (Romans 6:23), in God’s Son (1 John 5:11).

Jesus’ exclusive claim to being the way, the truth, and the life is offensive to an inclusive, pluralistic culture. So, liberals try to twist Jesus’ words to fit the culture, rather than teach the plain words of Christ. The words “No one” are pretty clear. Jesus alone is the way.

John 14:7-11 (NKJV) “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

God is portrayed as Father in the New Testament far more than the Old. Is hatred of patriarchy an evil plan to destroy manhood and stop people coming to God? Our world needs fathers and the Father we need most is God. Jesus is the way to God the Father.

John 14:12-14 (NKJV) “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

What did Jesus mean by greater works? Andrew evangelized Constantinople, Ukraine, Romania and Russia. Peter and Paul evangelized Antioch and more. James the Greater evangelized Spain. John preached at Ephesus. Philip evangelized Greece and Syria. Bartholomew (Nathaniel) evangelized India, Ethiopia, Mesopotamia and Armenia. Matthew evangelized Caucasia, Macedonia, Persia and Parthia.

Thomas evangelized Parthia and India. James the Less evangelized Lower Egypt. Judas Thaddeus evangelized Judea, Samaria, Syria, Mesopotamia and Libya. Simon the Zealot pastored Jerusalem and traveled to Africa and Europe. “Greater works” was one of Jesus’ greatest promises. There’s more to do. What does Jesus want you to do?

Our real home is with our heavenly Father and our heavenly mother is Jerusalem above. We will live with our Father in heaven forever in a place so wonderful that words fail. We belong with Him. Jesus came to show us the way home.

New King James Version (NKJV) Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Readings

Acts 7:55-60 Stephen forgave his murderers

Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16 God is our refuge

1 Peter 2:2-10 let’s be living (workable) stones in the master builder’s hands

John 14:1-14 in Rhyme

In My Father’s house there’s much room

I go to make a place for you

I’ll come again and receive you

That where I am, you may be too

And you all know where I’m going

And the way you should be knowing