Troubled Or Trusting

Troubled or Trusting John 14: 1 - 14

Intro: Let’s have a show of hands this morning of all those here today who are only children. Of those who raised their hands, raise your hand if you got everything you ever wanted or asked to receive.

John’s mother was a single divorced parent who worked for her father in his business. She saw that John got the best of everything: the best clothes, the best toys, and he ever attended a private school. Because she was divorced and had plenty of money, she didn’t want John to feel deprived. --- John has the best of everything! Yet, when he was an adult, he would spend the rest of his life in prison for murdering a friend after a fight over a woman.

I When most people discover you are an only child, they immediately assume that you were spoiled as a child. I am an only child who was not spoiled. I was just smart.

A I have been guilty of saying, “If you really loved me, you would get me . . . You see, I had 2 aunts who often fulfilled my wishes b/c I was good at dropping hits at the appropriate place and time.

B VS. 14 “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” This sounds to me like an “open checkbook” statement. Is Jesus really saying He will do whatever we ask or give us whatever we want? Have you ever asked God for something? Did you get it?

C The key phrase here is “in my name.” Jesus says he will do, not simply whatever we ask; but, he will give whatever is comfortable and compatible with His character, purpose and plan for us.

II This passage and what follows is commonly known as the “Farewell Discourse.” It contains much of the theology of John’s gospel.

A The first 4 verses are often used to bring comfort at funerals. The first sentence in VS 1 are “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” The GK. for “troubled” is tarasso / ta???o which bears many meanings such as “to stir / agitate / or trouble.”

B You probably know people who like to stir things up. Are there people who just agitate you just for a reaction? Perhaps you are a person who lives in a constant state of agitation or trouble.

C The command comes from Jesus: “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” And he goes on in that same verse to tell you HOW to do it. “You believe in God, believe also in me.” The GK word for “believe” is pisteuo / p?ste?? which can be translated as “to have confidence in” / or “to give credit to” We need not be troubled because we can have confidence in God.

III As believers in Christ Jesus, we should have confidence in His ability to be present with and support us. We must believe having confidence in Christ Jesus to be with us and support us.

A Why have confidence? The answer is in VS. 2 “My father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?”

B Most people believe that God’s house is heaven. But, that is NOT the case. The GK word used here for “house” is oikia (oi-kee-ah) / ????a. Using the word “house” does not fully convey the meaning. We tend to think of a building or a dwelling place. However, a broader meaning is household / family.

C There is plenty of room in the family of God. There is room for you to be received as a member of God’s family. There is always room in God’s family for one more. God’s house is about relationship and not exclusively about location. God’s promise in Christ Jesus is to love us, to make room for us, to know and to be known by us in a way that never ends.

Concl: Because God has a place for us in God’s family, we have no reason to be troubled. You and I can trust that God has a place for us no matter how unreliable, proud, unfinished or troubled you may be.

Trusting is believing that God will keep His Word,

And trusting is believing your every prayer is heard.

And trusting is letting God know that you’re depending on Him

It’s feeling His forgiveness within.

Trusting is believing that God could care for you,

And trusting is believing just as a child would do.

It’s like giving your hand to Jesus and knowing

He won’t let go. I’ll trust Him because He loves me so.

(words and music by Flo Price)