John 14:1-6 He’s Prepared A Place !
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2In 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. 3And 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. 4And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 5Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. [KJV]
The Bible describes his preparation
Rev. 21:1-3
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. [KJV]
If you read history you will find that the Christians who did the most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.
C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity.
Philip. 1:23 PAUL SAID
I’m torn between two desires: Sometimes I want to live, and sometimes I long to go and be with Christ. That would be far better for me, [NLT]
We are too busy looking at the worldly things to realize that eternity is the real treasure !
Matthew 6:20
"But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; [NASB-U]
I. The Benefits:
1. Jesus & The Father are there !!
( 2. In my Father’s house )
In one of his books, A.M. Hunter, the New Testament scholar, relates the story of a dying man who asked his Christian doctor to tell him something about the place to which he was going. As the doctor fumbled for a reply, he heard a scratching at the door, and he had his answer. "Do you hear that?" he asked his patient. "It’s my dog. I left him downstairs, but he has grown impatient, and has come up and hears my voice. He has no notion what is inside this door, but he knows that I am here. Isn’t it the same with you? You don’t know what lies beyond the Door, but you know that your Master is there."
A.M. Hunter,
Christian Theology in Plain Language, p. 208.
2. Man had no part in designing it !!
( I go to prepare )
Often when you ask someone what heaven is like they will tell you their fantasies.
This in fact is their inability to deal with the absolute reality of God.
A sinful person will hope that heaven resembles their sinful life.
God is not a senile old man.
We can’t even control our life how do we expect to have any control of the afterlife!
This is a great benefit.
3. It is the winner’s circle for this life !!
( I will come again, and receive you unto myself )
Paul compared his life to a race.
One of my favorite songs talks of heaven, it says:
" One of these days I’m gonna finish all the races that I’ve run, but I’ve never won"
I can relate to running a race
Often fatigued
Often falter
Often in need
Sometimes lag behind
But I know that it is all in stride with the ultimate goal – So I press toward the mark of the high calling
If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.
C.S. Lewis,
Mere Christianity, New York, Macmillan, 1960, p. 119.
Hebrews 13:14
For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.
[NASB-U]
A widely respected man known as "Uncle Johnson" died in Michigan at the incredible age of 120. Perhaps his advanced years could be credited in part to the cheerful outlook that characterized his life. One day while at work in his garden, he was singing songs of praise to God. His pastor, who was passing by, looked over the fence and called, "Uncle Johnson, you seem very happy today." "Yes, I was just thinking," said the old man. "Thinking about what?" questioned his pastor. "Oh, I was just thinking that if the crumbs of joy that fall from the Master’s table in this world are so good, what will the great loaf in glory be like! I tell you, sir, there will be enough for everyone and some to spare up there."
Hebrews 4:9
So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. [NASB-U]
4. It’s not hell !!
Following a campaign speech, a young man rushed up to Senator Everett Dirksen and said, "Senator, I wouldn’t vote for you if you were St. Peter!" Dirksen eyed the young man for a moment, then said: "Son, if I were St. Peter, you couldn’t vote for me, because you wouldn’t be in my district."
Mark 9:43
"If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire, [NASB-U]
Often man looks to his own fashioning of eternity for hope but we know that our own fashioning is only a perversion of the truth of our sinfulness.
vs.6. I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. [KJV]
II. The Qualifications:
Matthew 18:3
"Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. [NASB-U]
Romans 10:9-10
9that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
It’s as easy as A, B, C:
1. Admission
Romans 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [NASB-U]
We must come to grips with our humanity.
you can never be saved until you allow God’s image to be the judging factor in your life.
When you do you will see that you cannot measure up-
However God will forgive and reconcile-
This is His GRACE
Luke 19:10
For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. [KJV]
You’re the reason he came, lived a perfect life, died to be our sacrifice, & defeated our sin in His resurrection!!
The Bible says " If we confess our sins, He is is faithful and just to forgive them"!!!
In hearing this you must:
2. Believe
"believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead"
Faith is essential, you’re saved through your faith
3. Confession –
(Servitude: Willingly Giving of Yourself)
includes:
1. Repentance
2. Giving all you are to him
" if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord...believe...you will be saved"
III. The Timing:
1. At Death
2 Cor. 5:8
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. [KJV]
The Lord’s people shall also enjoy light in the hour of death. Unbelief laments: "the shadows fall, the night is coming, existence is ending." "Ah no," cries faith, "the night is nearly over; the true day is at hand." Light is come, the light of immortality, the light of a Father’s countenance. Gather up thy feet in the bed, see the waiting bands of spirits! Angels waft thee away. Farewell, beloved one, you are gone.
Ah, now it is light. The pearly gates are open, the golden streets shine in the jasper light. We cover our eyes, but you behold the unseen! Farewell, brother, you have light at even-tide, such as we have not yet seen.
From Morning and Evening ( Charles H. Spurgeon )
2. At The Rapture
1 Thes. 4:17
Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. [NASB-U]
III. The day that you change direction:
1. If its already happened, -
live like you’re going !!
Matthew 5:16
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. [KJV]
2. If you have never met the qualifications, - make arrangements now !!
For you will acknowledge Him someday !! -
Don’t be too late !!
Philip. 2:10-11
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
