14 1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 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. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? 10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
= As we travel down Highway one
Watch out for warning signs
We must follow forgiveness = as Christ has forgiven us
We must cross the bridge of Trust
We must realize that detours comes
there will come a day for all of us when we will exit off this Christian life - This life will be over (We will take our last breathe upon this earth)
James 4:14 (KJV)
14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
One day when life is over
this world will fade away -
we will see our Saviour
in life's eternal day -
What a joy that day will be
we'll look upon his face
thankful for His goodness
and thankful for His grace .
= All of us that know the Lord Jesus Christ will see Him face to face - we will meet the Lord Jesus Christ. --> So will we ever be with the LORD! -
= Paul said that our "SALVATION WILL BECOME SIGHT"
= All that we have walked by "FAITH" and not by sight = all that we could not see the outcome ---> but just trusted the LORD in ======>> We will see the LORD! AND ALL WILL MAKE SENSE
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Jesus is telling His disciples that He is going away :: The destination => The CROSS!
Jesus is reassuring the disciples that of who HE IS "You believe in GOD believe also in me" => We must understand that Jesus Christ is God.
Jesus Christ was going to a cross = The Creator God was clothing himself in human flesh
Philippians 2:7
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: [Humbled himself = why would a prophet have to humbleself to be a man = why would a good teacher have to humble himself to become a man = there is only one reason ---> Jesus was more than all of these ==> HE WAS JEHOVAH GOD]
Obedient unto death = When the Lord Jesus Christ “was on the cross” He gave UP THE GHOST. HE CHOOSE TO DIE = HE BECAME OBEDIENT UNTO DEATH!
Jesus told his disciples = trust the one that knows tomorrow; trust the one that knows the past; the one that controls the nature; and the universe = Jesus said "You believe in God (trust in God) you can also believe in me!
He is giving these disciples confidence
He is giving these disciples help in time of need
He is giving these disciples a final destination
I. THE TROUBLED HEART
Jesus said “Let not your heart be troubled”
As we consider the course of life.
When we consider the trying times that we all face.
When we consider the sorrows and the hurts that come our way
Harasio Spafford “When sorrows like sea billows roll"
All of us many times lay victim to a troubled heart!
All of us are tempted to have a troubled heart
Jesus Christ looking to his disciples = and what would lay ahead for them :: the challenges and course that they would take = don’t let your heart be troubled
=> The Troubled heart in their failures
Peter would deny the Lord Jesus Christ = The Lord knew the troubled heart in failure
=> In John 21 (after Jesus is raised from the dead) Peter says I go a fishing = he quit the ministry = he quit the service of the Lord
= He denied the Lord
= He wept bitterly = Jesus comes looking for HIM
John 21:18-19 (KJV)
18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.
19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.
(god can use the one that Has a repentant heart = and a heart to grow)
=> The Troubled heart in the future
-> All of these disciples would die for Jesus Christ (except for John--exciled to the island of Patmos= The book of revelation)
-> All of these men would face great tribulation = all of these men would face trials
[Jesus was going away – how do you think they felt]
= The future was unknown
= The future was scary
= The future was hard to understand
“Let not your heart be troubled” Believe in Jesus Christ
=> The Troubled heart with foes
:: The disciples would face much opposition
:: If you don’t believe that – just read the book of Acts
:: Jesus said – they hated you because they hated me
:: Christ new that they would be opposition in the proclamation of the GOSPEL~
A troubled heart is the absence of faith in your life.
o A night of worry
o A night of tossing and turning
o A burdened heart – a troubled soul!
Jesus said “don’t have a troubled heart” believe God
One night a house caught fire and a young boy was forced to flee to the roof. The father stood on the ground below with outstretched arms, calling to his son, "Jump! I'll catch you."
He knew the boy had to jump to save his life. All the boy could see, however, was flame, smoke, and blackness. As can be imagined, he was afraid to leave the roof.
His father kept yelling: "Jump! I will catch you." But the boy protested, "Daddy, I can't see you." The father replied, "But I can see you and that's all that matters."
Jesus was saying “As you travel down this |Christian life = know that I . . . .
a. When you don’t understand – I understand
b. When you can’t see – I can see
c. TRUST ME --- A NEW PEACE!
My knowledge of that life is small,
The eye of faith is dim,
But it's enough that Christ knows all,
And I shall be with him.
II. THE TREASURED HEAVEN
John 14:2-3 (KJV)
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.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
the Old Testament has little to say about heaven
o Paradise and Abraham’s bosom gives us a very dim light about this amazing place
o Jesus talked more about hell than heaven = He warned so many of that dreadful place.
Only one other occasion is recorded in which the Lord used the expression "my Father's house" and that was when he first cleansed the temple. He said, "Make not my Father's house an house of merchandise."
With its courts and chambers, its pillars and porches, its wide spaces for the throngs of worshipers, the temple was a shadow, in a sense, of that even more home on high.
There are those who would write books about seeing Heaven with their eyes and returning to earth. (Lazarus = no doubt saw the glories of Heaven) I do not think God wants us to know totally all that Heaven is like:
2 Corinthians 12:2-4 (KJV)
2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. (first heaven clouds – 2nd – space – 3rd – Paradise)
3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
i. The place described
a. Witness
Most of us can remember our childhood days, when our parents' house was home, a place where we were loved, cared for, and protected, where we could be ourselves, where we enjoyed warmth and fellowship and stored up a thousand precious memories. It is home.
Someone said “Home is where the heart is”
The Bible calls Heaven: The father’s house
Heaven is the dwelling of God
Heaven is the real HOME for every Christian
Philippians 3:20 (KJV)
20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
Psalms 23:6 (KJV)
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
b. Wonders
John 14:2 (KJV)
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.
:: Heaven is a wonderful place
:: Heaven is a place of majesty, beauty and wonder beyond words
Acts 7:55 (KJV)
55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
2 Corinthians 5:1 (KJV)
1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
C. Worship
Revelation 19:1-4 (KJV)
1 And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:
2 For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.
3 And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.
4 And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.
I don’t understand why people who only attend a service here and there – are not more faithful to Church
o Heaven is not about bringing your boy to baseball
o Heaven is not about entertainment or the next business deal
o Heaven is about “WORSHIPPING GOD”
In an article title, "Are We Ready for Heaven?" Maurice R. Irwin points out that only 34 percent of the American people who call themselves Christians attend church at least once a week. He says, "We sing, 'When all my labors and trials are o'er, and I am safe on that beautiful shore, just to be near the dear Lord I adore will through the ages be glory for me.' However, unless our attitudes toward the Lord and our appreciation of Him change greatly, heaven may be more of a shock than a glory."
Heaven is a place of Witness: our Home –Wonders: mansions – Worship: sing to the God of Heaven
ii. the promise delivered
14 1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 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. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
:: Heaven is more than a promise – Heaven is a reality
:: Jesus said --) your final destination is with me!
2 Corinthians 5:6-8 (KJV)
6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
Promise is this = We will see the Lord
We will be with Him forever
We will walk the streets of Gold
We will stand by that celestial sea
We will be with the LORD!
III. The TRUTH ABOUT HEAVEN
Don’t let Hollywood teach you about heaven
Don’t let people be your guide about Paradise
Let the Bible be your teacher
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
i. The way to Heaven (V6)
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
The father is in Heaven “paradise – dwelling place of God”
Jesus said – if you are going to go to heaven = you must come through me!
Jesus said I am the WAY – “THE WAY” means the way of all that claim to be the way (there are those who claim to be the way)
Jesus said I am the TRUTH – “THE truth” means the truth of all that claim to be the truth (there are those who claim to be the truth)
Jesus said I am the LIFE – “THE life” means the life of all that claim to be the life (there are those who claim to be the life)
ii. The witness of the disciples (V10)
7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
-> Philip said “Lord show us God and I will be satisfied”
People want a salvation of works – because it is something that they can see
Salvation is by faith = Trusting Jesus Christ as your Saviour
“for the just shall live by faith”
iii. The Works of the Christian (v12)
John 14:12-14 (KJV)
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Jesus is with them to help them = to finish the work of God
The work of God is lost souls
That others may “go to heaven”
