Truth For A Troubled Soul Part 1 Series

Alliance Church

Pastor David Welch

“Truth for a Troubled Soul”

II. The Private teaching and ministry of Jesus 13-17

A. Forgive one another with a servant’s humility.

B. Love one another with God’s supernatural love.

INTRODUCTION

In John 13:33 Jesus informed the disciples that he would be leaving them and they could not follow just yet. In light of his absence, they are commanded to continue on reaching a lost world by following His command to love one another as a shining badge of genuine discipleship. In chapter 14, Jesus discerns a troubling of their souls and offers them some powerful points of reference.

Stop letting your heart, the core of your being, be troubled.

“to stir up, disturb, unsettle, throw into confusion, be frightened, terrified, intimidated.”

Jesus himself experienced a “troubled” heart. At the thought of Judas’ betrayal in chapter 13 Jesus’ heart was troubled.

What is the condition of your heart this morning? Is your heart stirred, confused, disturbed, unsettled, frightened? Uncertain future? Loneliness? Confusion? Betrayal, denial? Abandonment, rejection? Failure? Exposure of inadequacies? Jesus offers truth to settle the troubled soul all through this chapter. Jesus offers the cure for a troubled soul even while He himself was experiencing an unsettled soul.

C. Truths that encourage the troubled soul 14:1-31

1. Continue trusting the plan of the Father and the Son

"Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. John 14:1

Whatever our concerns for the future or the present, Jesus lays out some solid truth that we can take to the bank. Most of our fear and unsettled soul trouble comes from ignorance of basic truth; fear of the unknown; confusion, isolation. Jesus provides several basic truths intended to inform, enlighten and calm and reorient the soul.

“Let not your hearts any longer be troubled.”

“Stop letting your hearts be troubled.”

This command implies that we have something to do with the cure for a troubled heart.

This command of Jesus implores them to stop something already in progress. It is a passive verb meaning that the troubled soul is something happening to them.

Circumstances and uncertainty cloud the soul. We can’t stop stuff from coming our direction. We can choose our response. Jesus offers the cure, the proper response.

Trust God! Trust Me too!

My departure need not trouble the soul if you understand it is all part of the master plan. There are several ways to look at this verse.

You continue to trust God. You continue to trust in me too!

You continue to trust God. I urge you to continue to trust me too!

I urge you to continue to trust God and I urge you to continue to trust me too!

I lean toward the double imperative (two commands). It is all about continual trust.

Our level of peace or anxiety fluctuates according to our level of trust.

Illustration: If I am suffering a heart attack and rushed to the hospital, there is a certain relief when a doctor comes to look at you until you find out that the doctor on call is named Kevorkian or a medical student in his beginning year on his first day after a 48-hour shift.

The lesser we trust, the more we struggle. So Jesus calls for a continuation of trust in Him in spite of the circumstances. They had spent their lives putting their faith in Yahweh. Jesus encourages them to continue to trust in the work of the Father. Jesus also encourages them to continue that same faith in Him. But things are unraveling. He is leaving them. Can he be trusted? Is Jesus just another mortal prophet with good words? Jesus urges them to trust Him as they have the Father. None of them have been to the Father’s house. Jesus has not only been there but lives there and must go through with the plan to prepare the Father’s house for a host of other residents -- them. My departure is necessary. We don’t and won’t always understand what God is doing or we would be God. Therefore we must continue to trust Him. It is the first step to a reoriented soul. Center on what is true.

2. A future reality exists beyond this life based on a present relationship

"In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. John 14:2

a) Jesus had to leave to prepare a place for us

I’ve been there and I’ll tell you one thing about the place… Heaven consists of multiple places to stay -- enough for everyone. The word used here is the word “to stay or remain”. It suggests the idea that we now live in corruptible impermanent places but heaven consists of places for everyone to stay permanently. Home in the fullest sense of the word. Jesus assures them, “I am not blowing smoke. If there weren’t such a place I would tell you.” “I must soon leave to get things ready.” Not only do such wonderful actual places exist in the Father’s house but I must soon leave to get them ready for YOU! Jesus physically left this earth to prepare a place for us in the same way God originally “established” or “prepared” the heavens and the earth for inhabitants. The sense here is that Jesus prepares an actual place where the immaterial and the material world exist in glorious harmony. It is interesting that not a great deal is revealed concerning heaven. Jesus exhorted them not to be troubled about His leaving. Trust US (the Father and Me). My departure is necessary to prepare a permanent place for you.