5th Sunday 0f Easter
“A Reserved Place in Heaven”
Fifth Sunday of Easter, May 10, 2020
Submitted to the church website due to Coronavirus outbreak
Scripture: John 14:1-4
John 14:1-4 NKJV "Let not your heart be troubled; you 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 to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. (4) And where I go you know, and the way you know."
Summary: Christians are troubled in heart, mind and soul, even though we are commanded to NOT be troubled. Our ultimate comfort is found in the promise of heaven.
Introduction:
I’d like to begin by taking an inventory of our faith (or lack thereof) and of our Christian joy by having you answer these four questions honestly to yourself:
First question: Are you troubled by the events, people, or circumstances in your life? I mean, do events happen that upset you, that you can’t get out of your mind, and that keep you from experiencing peace? Are there people who make you angry or cause you pain, or frustrate you? Do you remain calm in the face of the unexpected or the unexplainable? Do you harbor anger, jealousy, or envy? Are you free from conflict between what you want and what you sense God wants? Do have trouble wiping out the memories of past failures or sins?
Second question: Are you worried about the events, people, or circumstances in your life? In other words, are you overwhelmed by stress, agitation, and nervousness? Are you free from tension, a churning stomach, tight muscles, or high blood pressure? Do you have a sense of calm? Do you have trouble sleeping at night? Do you spend a lot of time thinking about situations you can’t control or fix?
Third question: Are you fearful because of the events, people, or circumstances in your life? Do your thoughts lead to negative thinking or fear-filled words or concerns? Do your thoughts about the possibilities of what might happen cause you to be over-protective or to spend an inordinate amount of time distressing? Are your relationships with others ruined by these thoughts? Are you hesitant to try new things, to step out in faith in some new venture, or to pray fervently for your desires? Do you have trouble making decisions or commitments?
Fourth question: Is your heart at peace? Can you face the events, people, or circumstances in your life with peace and confidence, knowing that God is still ultimately in control of everything, even though it might not seem so at the time? We are, if we’re honest, prone to being troubled, worried, and fearful.
Christians, of all people, should be untroubled people. I don’t mean to say that we wake up each morning with a smile, go through each day without a worry or care, twirling around like a mental patient on a flowery hillside (like Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music), then go to bed to sleep the sleep of the untroubled. I don’t mean to minimize our own suffering and heartbreak. But we do have a deep belief that, whatever happens to us during our time on this earth, we are sure to be with Jesus Christ and with those who have gone before us in a real place called heaven.
I. Don’t Be Troubled
This chapter of John begins with words that have been a comfort to all people throughout Christian history: “Let not your heart be troubled” [vs. 1]. Jesus said this because it was obvious that the disciples’ hearts were troubled. But Jesus’ own heart had also been troubled. I think that we tend to limit Jesus’ anguish to His interrogation by Annas, Caiaphas and Pilate, His scourging, and finally, His crucifixion. But the same word translated as “troubled” in verse 1 also appears in events leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion.
In fact, In John 12, in light of all He was facing, Jesus had declared:
John 12:27 NKJV "Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came to this hour.
Earlier during the Last Supper, when Jesus had foretold His betrayal, John writes:
John 13:21 NKJV When Jesus had said these things [see vv. 7-20], He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me."
Then, after Judas left to arrange his betrayal, Jesus foretold Peter’s three denials:
John 13:37-38 NKJV Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake." (38) Jesus answered him, "Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.
We can only imagine how troubling this was to Jesus. Jesus was thinking about all of the things He would suffer, the most bitter becoming the object of God’s judgement for the sin of the world. Then He faced the betrayal of one of His own chosen disciples. On top of that, one of His closest followers would deny Him. Of course, this troubled Jesus! Just as we are troubled by fears, personal betrayals, and disappointments, Jesus in His true humanity was troubled in His heart.
The disciples were troubled, too, which is why Jesus said what He did. They were still trying to come to terms with the prediction of Judas’s betrayal [vv. 13:21, 26-27] and Peter’s denials [vs. 13:38]. They were confused and completely uncertain about what was happening and what would happen in the their own foreseeable future. Then in the middle of all this, Jesus told them that He was leaving them and that they couldn’t follow Him. Think about how devastating that would have been. Their lives had been entirely focused on Jesus for three years, and the sudden prospect of His leaving must have been devastating.
It was in this chaotic, depressing scene that Jesus told His disciples, “Let not your hearts be troubled…”
II. Believe in God and in Me
Then Jesus began to give them the tools to fulfill this seemingly impossible commandment to not be troubled:
John 14:1b NKJV "…you believe in God, believe also in Me.”
Both phrases can be interpreted in the original Greek language as either the indicative mood (as a statement) or the imperative mood (a command). That would leave us with four possible English translations:
“You believe in God (a command), believe also in Me (a command).” This rendering seems to be harsh and, at times, difficult.
Or, “You believe in God (a statement), believe also in Me (a statement).” If Jesus was simply making a statement without any emphasis behind it, then what was the point?
Or, “You believe in God (a command), believe also in Me (a statement).” This rendering harshly commands the disciples to believe in God, yet only makes a statement of belief in Jesus Christ (as somehow less important). Since this doesn’t make sense theologically, let’s forget about this one.
Or, “You believe in God (a statement), believe also in Me (a command).” I tend to think this is the best rendering. The commandment to have faith in Jesus (the command) was based on the fact of their pious belief in God (the statement).
In John 3, Nicodemus, a member of the Sanhedrin, a ruler of the Jews, came to Jesus by night. I have to believe that Nicodemus was being honest when he spoke these words to Jesus:
John 3:2b NKJV …”Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."
We don’t know whether Nicodemus had seen Jesus change the water into wine or some of His other miracles, or whether he had simply heard about these signs. But, for one reason or another, he had become convinced that Jesus had performed several miracles, and that He couldn’t accomplish those things unless God Himself had empowered Him.
Imagine you were one of Jesus’ disciples. You’ve seen much more than Nicodemus dreamed of seeing. You were there when Jesus changed the water into wine. You were there when He healed a lame man at the pool of Bethesda. You were there when five thousand men, plus women and children, were hungry, and Jesus took five loaves of bread and a couple of fish and multiplied them to feed all of those people. You were there in the boat that night on the Sea of Galilee when Jesus walked on the water. You were there when He gave sight to the man who had been born blind. You were there when He raised Lazarus back to life after he had been dead and buried in his tomb for four days.
If any group of men in human history ever had reason to believe that a man was sent by God, it was these disciples who were assembled there in the upper room that night. So, the imperative (believe also in Me) shouldn’t really surprise us. Jesus was telling them to act on what they had seen: “Believe in Me.” Faith in Jesus as the Son of God is the beginning for preventing our hearts from being troubled.
Like the disciples, we need to listen to Jesus’ challenge to believe in God and in Him. It’s the ultimate cure for troubled hearts. To believe in one is to believe in both because Jesus says we can’t come to the Father except through Him. We must trust by faith that He is the only begotten Son of God. It involves a willingness to repent of our sins. He is the only one capable of curing the sin problem in our life.
Beyond the initial experience of trusting Him as our Savior, it becomes a daily thing for us. This involves placing our lives under His complete control. He must be Lord of every area of our life. Whatever circumstances befall us, we must trust Him to do what’s best. This kind of faith will go a long way toward relieving the anxieties of life. Our belief in Him will, in turn, demonstrate itself in believing His word, in prayer, in supporting the work of His church, and sharing His love with others.
III. Consider the Reservation Jesus Christ Made for Us
Immediately after foretelling Peter’s denials, Jesus encouraged the disciple with a comforting answer to His question, “Where are you going?” [vs. 13:36]. Jesus was going to His Father’s dwelling place, which was already a spacious house to prepare rooms for the disciples to inhabit later.
Regarding the place reserved for the disciples, Jesus said:
John 14:2 NKJV In My Father's house are many mansions [literally “dwellings” or “rooms”]; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
The New King James Version as well as the King James Version use the word “mansions” here. That’s not a very good translation. There are several reasons why I say this. The NKJV provides a text note that tells us the Greek word literally means “dwellings.”
The Greek word μονή (pronounced “mo-nay’,” Strong’s G3438) literally signifies a “dwelling place”.
Second, the use of “mansions” doesn’t work grammatically. Verse 2 talks about God’s “house” – singular. It makes more sense to find “rooms” in a house. If there were multiple mansions, the verse would indicate multiple dwellings.
Third, because St. Jerome translated the Greek work μονή as “mansiones” in the Latin Vulgate (Vetus Latina) Bible, the translators of the King James Version, the New King James Version, and the Revised Version continued the use of “mansion”. Since heaven is pictured here as the “Father’s house,” it is more natural to think of “dwelling-places” within a house as rooms, suites, or apartments within the building. The only other place the word occurs in the New Testament is in 14:23 where it is rendered “home” or “abode”:
John 14:23 NKJV Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home [μονή] with him.
Fourth, when we read about “mansions” in heaven, we tend to conjure up medieval castles (keeping the flavor of the King James) or large, stand-alone estates. Consider the audience of Jesus’ words – the disciples, living in the ancient middle east. Jesus would have used an illustration that they could easily visualize. The original recipients of these words – the disciples – would have had no concept of a castle or a mansion the same way we might. That’s not how society worked at that time and in that culture.
Symbolically, “rooms” or “dwelling place” communicates membership in the “household” or family of God, similarly to Jesus’ dwelling in the Father and the Father in Him [vs. 10] and to the mutual indwelling of Jesus and the disciples through the Holy Spirit, the Helper [“Advocate”] who will never leave them (vv. 16, 20). But the metaphor grows out of the physical “house of the father,” the family dwelling to which the patriarch kept adding rooms to accommodate an ever-growing extended family. Sons, slated to inherit the estate, normally brought their wives to live in the family home and raised their own children there.
In discussing dwellings with multiple rooms, Fred Wright’s book, Manners and Customs of Bible Lands:
Among the Arabs of Palestine villages and towns, houses of more than one room are owned by those who are more or less prosperous. The Arabic word meaning "house" also means "a room." The same thing was true of the houses belonging to the ancient Hebrews. As a rule, the houses of one room were in the villages, and those of more than one room were in the cities.
Building a House of Two, Three, or More Rooms
If a house of two rooms is to be built, the Oriental does not place them side by side, as the Occidental builder would do. Rather the breadth of a room is left between the two rooms, and a wall is constructed between the ends, and as a result of this arrangement, the house has an open court. If the builder expects to have three rooms, then a room would be substituted for the wall at the end of the court, and there would be three rooms around a courtyard. If there are to be more than three rooms in the house, the additional rooms are added to those at the side, making the court of greater length
The purpose of Jesus’ departure ensures His return to take the disciples to their new home as members of God’s household. Jesus reminded them that, in the meantime, they know both where He was going and how to get there, namely, by believing in Him [v. 6].
So, the simplest explanation is best: my Father’s house refers to heaven, and in heaven are many rooms, many dwelling-places. The point is not the lavishness of each dwelling place [room, apartment, etc.], but the fact that such ample provision has been made that there is more than enough space for every one of Jesus’ disciples to join Him in His Father’s home.
As I just said, the kind of “dwelling place” we find in heaven will not be the most important consideration.
Let me illustrate with a short story. Tami and I were married on April 6, 1979. We were both part of the staff at Cloverdale Baptist Church in Cloverdale, Indiana. Our first house left something to be desired. I remember hanging blankets over some of the windows in the winter months to stop the wind from blowing the curtains. Shortly after that we moved to Wetumpka, Alabama to work at the First Baptist Church of Wetumpka. For the first few months we lived in an old, battered trailer behind the church (euphemistically called the “prophet’s chamber”). Since then we’ve lived in other places, some better than others, until we bought our present house. I was happy to be in all those places because I was in the presence of my wife – the person I love, the person who makes home home. The size and quality of the house where I lived was a secondary consideration as long as she was there. Here’s the point of the story: I’m not going to be concerned with whether I live in a room, an apartment, or a mansion in heaven. What will make heaven heaven will be the fact that Jesus – the Lover of My Soul, my Savior – will be there.
Jesus said, “I am going there to prepare a place for you.” The words presuppose that the ‘place’ existed before Jesus got there. It’s not that He arrived on the scene and then began to prepare the place. And if He takes such trouble, all to prepare a place for His own, it’s inconceivable that the rest shouldn’t follow: “I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am.”
The first tool Jesus gave the disciples to overcome a troubled heart was the ability to trust in God and in Himself. The second was the belief that a place has been prepared for them in heaven. Then Jesus added, “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you.” [vs. 14:2].
If we understand what He has taught us about our future in heaven, Jesus states, this belief will overcome other troubles that beset us in life. This highlights a great problem in the modern-day Church: Christians spend so little time thinking about heaven and in many cases don’t understand the Bible’s teaching about it.
Sometimes I think Hannah missed her true calling. Part of me believes she’d thrive as a travel agent. When our family goes on vacation, it’s only after Hannah has researched everything about our intended destination. She investigates all the hotels, their rates, amenities, etc. She studies what’s available at all the attractions. She studies the menus of all the local restaurants. She’ll be sure to make appropriate reservations and then confirm the reservations to make sure we will be able to do what we are planning to do. When we are moving to a new city or even vacationing somewhere new, most of us will do extensive research. We’ll pore over maps and books, we’ll study the geography, the history, and the culture because we want to know all about the place we’re about to visit. If this is how we respond to places on earth where we’ll briefly live or visit, how much more interested should Christians be about heaven! Isn’t it strange that so few Christians seem to have an interest in the place Jesus Christ has reserved for us – the place where they hope to live forever with Christ?
IV. Consider All the Wonderful Things About Our New Home
I find it interesting that the Bible really doesn’t talk a lot about heaven. But the details given in the Bible will bring us joy amid the troubles of this temporary life.
We can glean four truths about heaven from Jesus’ teaching in this passage, truths that will replace the anxiety in our hearts with great joy. The first teaching is that heaven is the beloved home for the family of God (God’s household). This is why Jesus refers to heaven as “my Father’s house” [vs. 14:2]. J. C. Ryle wrote:
“[Home is a place] where we are generally loved for our own sakes, and not for our gifts or possessions; the place where we are loved to the end, never forgotten, and always welcome… Believers are in a strange land and at school in this life. In the life to come they will be at home.”
Most of us will admit that our hearts long for home. We long for a place where we fully belong, where we’re safe and secure, where we’re loved, and a place where we love in return. In our mobile society today, how many people are troubled by the absence of anywhere that is truly home?
The Bible’s story begins with our first parents, Adam and Eve, falling into sin against God the Creator. The result was that they were expelled from their home in the garden of Eden, where they had formerly enjoyed the blessing of God’s presence [Gen. 3]. When their son Cain fell into deeper sin by murdering his brother, God cursed him by making him “a fugitive and a vagabond… on the earth” [Gen. 4:12]. Later, his descendants tried to make a home and a name for themselves in rebellion against God. But God cast down the Tower of Babel and scattered rebellious humankind across the face of the earth [Gen. 11:1-9). So, it has been throughout human history that men and women feel a longing to be home. Augustine prayed that “thou hast created us for thyself and our heart cannot be quieted till it may find repose in thee.” Jesus tells us that this longing for home will be met in His Father’s house in heaven.
Second, we should know that heaven is our permanent and eternal dwelling. This means that heaven is a real place. Too many Christians think of heaven as a place where we’ll float around from cloud to cloud (sort of like ghosts) carrying harps. But since Jesus ascended back into heaven in a recognizable human body, heaven must be a material location. Jesus didn’t describe heaven’s physical details, but He said that “in my Father’s house are many rooms” [John 14:2]. But the Greek word in John’s text simply means “lodging places.” Heaven is the place where our eternal lodging will be.
C. S. Lewis wrote a book, The Great Divorce, about our wrong ideas of heaven. A group of English tourists were taken on an imaginary bus trip to heaven. Once they arrived there, the tourists got off the bus, only to realize that they appeared as ghosts. They were stunned at how solid and real everything in heaven was compared to earth. The grass was so real that it hurt their feet to walk on it, and they learned that while people in heaven are “solid people,” it’s those on earth who are ethereal.
Heaven is filled with dwelling places that will endure for all eternity. This is what Abraham was looking forward to.
Hebrews 11:8-10 NKJV By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. (9) By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; (10) for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
As a sojourner in Canaan, Abraham longed for a real home. By faith, we are told that he was looking forward to heaven, described as “the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God” [Heb. 11:10].
Third, Jesus’ main point here about heaven is the spacious provision made there for Christ’s people. The Father’s house, Jesus said, has “many rooms.” Remember what we discussed earlier. In ancient Palestine, a patriarch would often live in a large villa, with wings and rooms constantly being added on for children, grandchildren, and their families. The image is that of “a large compound centered around a communal courtyard.” Likewise, there is plenty of room in heaven for all of God’s family. J. C. Ryle comments that
“there will be room for all believers and room for all sorts, for little saints as well as great ones, for the weakest believer as well as for the strongest. The feeblest child of God need not fear there will be no place for him. None will be shut out but impenitent sinners and obstinate unbelievers.”
Fourth, heaven is where Jesus went to prepare a special place for us. He told the disciples that He would depart for His Father’s house “to prepare a place for you” [John 14:2]. Chiefly, Jesus prepared a place for us in heaven by removing the obstacle of our sin. Jesus entered into heaven after shedding His blood on the cross for our purification. The Old Testament priests would sprinkle the altar in the temple with the sacrificial blood, and the book of Hebrews tells us:
Hebrews 9:11-12 NKJV But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. (12) Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
The point is, as Charles Simeon said, “heaven would have been defiled … by the admission of sinners into it; he therefore entered into heaven to sanctify it by his blood.”
Conclusion:
A woman who was approaching the last days of her life lay in her hospital bed. Now she had time to think about life – about all the things she had experienced, both good and bad. She also remembered the special times in her life spent with special people. She remembered bits of conversations that had stuck with her over the years – like what Grandma said about heaven, she thought. When Dad wasn’t around, Grandma told me a story about death that was different than anything I had ever heard before. She said it was a beginning. Of a new life where we’d live with God in heaven. The way Grandma talked about heaven made me think that one day I’d like it even more than any place on earth.
Do you plan to go to heaven? Then we must realize that only those for whom Christ has made this preparation may dwell in that wonderful and joyful place, that is, those who have trusted in the blood He shed for the forgiveness of our sins.
For years, Tami and I made trips to Indiana with the kids to visit her parents. When we arrived, her mother and father were always waiting at the door to greet us. It was as if they had been looking out the front window for hours, waiting for our arrival. Her mother usually prepared a meal (or at least the fixings for sandwiches) for us and rooms had already been made ready for our visit. Her father helped us carry things from the car to the house. We were made welcome. How wonderful it is to find a room prepared for us after a long journey.
Every person who believes and trusts in Christ can know that heaven has been prepared for their arrival. Our Mediator and Savior has carried our names into heaven and made a reservation there for us. No Christian will ever appear in heaven either unknown or unexpected, because Jesus has prepared a place there for each and every one of His own. Knowing and trusting in our prepared home in the Father’s house is Jesus’ antidote to the troubles and anxieties of life.
Fifth Sunday of Easter, May 10, 2020
Submitted to the church website due to Coronavirus outbreak
Scripture: John 14:1-4
John 14:1-4 NKJV "Let not your heart be troubled; you 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 to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. (4) And where I go you know, and the way you know."
Summary: Christians are troubled in heart, mind and soul, even though we are commanded to NOT be troubled. Our ultimate comfort is found in the promise of heaven.
Introduction:
I’d like to begin by taking an inventory of our faith (or lack thereof) and of our Christian joy by having you answer these four questions honestly to yourself:
First question: Are you troubled by the events, people, or circumstances in your life? I mean, do events happen that upset you, that you can’t get out of your mind, and that keep you from experiencing peace? Are there people who make you angry or cause you pain, or frustrate you? Do you remain calm in the face of the unexpected or the unexplainable? Do you harbor anger, jealousy, or envy? Are you free from conflict between what you want and what you sense God wants? Do have trouble wiping out the memories of past failures or sins?
Second question: Are you worried about the events, people, or circumstances in your life? In other words, are you overwhelmed by stress, agitation, and nervousness? Are you free from tension, a churning stomach, tight muscles, or high blood pressure? Do you have a sense of calm? Do you have trouble sleeping at night? Do you spend a lot of time thinking about situations you can’t control or fix?
Third question: Are you fearful because of the events, people, or circumstances in your life? Do your thoughts lead to negative thinking or fear-filled words or concerns? Do your thoughts about the possibilities of what might happen cause you to be over-protective or to spend an inordinate amount of time distressing? Are your relationships with others ruined by these thoughts? Are you hesitant to try new things, to step out in faith in some new venture, or to pray fervently for your desires? Do you have trouble making decisions or commitments?
Fourth question: Is your heart at peace? Can you face the events, people, or circumstances in your life with peace and confidence, knowing that God is still ultimately in control of everything, even though it might not seem so at the time? We are, if we’re honest, prone to being troubled, worried, and fearful.
Christians, of all people, should be untroubled people. I don’t mean to say that we wake up each morning with a smile, go through each day without a worry or care, twirling around like a mental patient on a flowery hillside (like Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music), then go to bed to sleep the sleep of the untroubled. I don’t mean to minimize our own suffering and heartbreak. But we do have a deep belief that, whatever happens to us during our time on this earth, we are sure to be with Jesus Christ and with those who have gone before us in a real place called heaven.
I. Don’t Be Troubled
This chapter of John begins with words that have been a comfort to all people throughout Christian history: “Let not your heart be troubled” [vs. 1]. Jesus said this because it was obvious that the disciples’ hearts were troubled. But Jesus’ own heart had also been troubled. I think that we tend to limit Jesus’ anguish to His interrogation by Annas, Caiaphas and Pilate, His scourging, and finally, His crucifixion. But the same word translated as “troubled” in verse 1 also appears in events leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion.
In fact, In John 12, in light of all He was facing, Jesus had declared:
John 12:27 NKJV "Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came to this hour.
Earlier during the Last Supper, when Jesus had foretold His betrayal, John writes:
John 13:21 NKJV When Jesus had said these things [see vv. 7-20], He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me."
Then, after Judas left to arrange his betrayal, Jesus foretold Peter’s three denials:
John 13:37-38 NKJV Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake." (38) Jesus answered him, "Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.
We can only imagine how troubling this was to Jesus. Jesus was thinking about all of the things He would suffer, the most bitter becoming the object of God’s judgement for the sin of the world. Then He faced the betrayal of one of His own chosen disciples. On top of that, one of His closest followers would deny Him. Of course, this troubled Jesus! Just as we are troubled by fears, personal betrayals, and disappointments, Jesus in His true humanity was troubled in His heart.
The disciples were troubled, too, which is why Jesus said what He did. They were still trying to come to terms with the prediction of Judas’s betrayal [vv. 13:21, 26-27] and Peter’s denials [vs. 13:38]. They were confused and completely uncertain about what was happening and what would happen in the their own foreseeable future. Then in the middle of all this, Jesus told them that He was leaving them and that they couldn’t follow Him. Think about how devastating that would have been. Their lives had been entirely focused on Jesus for three years, and the sudden prospect of His leaving must have been devastating.
It was in this chaotic, depressing scene that Jesus told His disciples, “Let not your hearts be troubled…”
II. Believe in God and in Me
Then Jesus began to give them the tools to fulfill this seemingly impossible commandment to not be troubled:
John 14:1b NKJV "…you believe in God, believe also in Me.”
Both phrases can be interpreted in the original Greek language as either the indicative mood (as a statement) or the imperative mood (a command). That would leave us with four possible English translations:
“You believe in God (a command), believe also in Me (a command).” This rendering seems to be harsh and, at times, difficult.
Or, “You believe in God (a statement), believe also in Me (a statement).” If Jesus was simply making a statement without any emphasis behind it, then what was the point?
Or, “You believe in God (a command), believe also in Me (a statement).” This rendering harshly commands the disciples to believe in God, yet only makes a statement of belief in Jesus Christ (as somehow less important). Since this doesn’t make sense theologically, let’s forget about this one.
Or, “You believe in God (a statement), believe also in Me (a command).” I tend to think this is the best rendering. The commandment to have faith in Jesus (the command) was based on the fact of their pious belief in God (the statement).
In John 3, Nicodemus, a member of the Sanhedrin, a ruler of the Jews, came to Jesus by night. I have to believe that Nicodemus was being honest when he spoke these words to Jesus:
John 3:2b NKJV …”Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."
We don’t know whether Nicodemus had seen Jesus change the water into wine or some of His other miracles, or whether he had simply heard about these signs. But, for one reason or another, he had become convinced that Jesus had performed several miracles, and that He couldn’t accomplish those things unless God Himself had empowered Him.
Imagine you were one of Jesus’ disciples. You’ve seen much more than Nicodemus dreamed of seeing. You were there when Jesus changed the water into wine. You were there when He healed a lame man at the pool of Bethesda. You were there when five thousand men, plus women and children, were hungry, and Jesus took five loaves of bread and a couple of fish and multiplied them to feed all of those people. You were there in the boat that night on the Sea of Galilee when Jesus walked on the water. You were there when He gave sight to the man who had been born blind. You were there when He raised Lazarus back to life after he had been dead and buried in his tomb for four days.
If any group of men in human history ever had reason to believe that a man was sent by God, it was these disciples who were assembled there in the upper room that night. So, the imperative (believe also in Me) shouldn’t really surprise us. Jesus was telling them to act on what they had seen: “Believe in Me.” Faith in Jesus as the Son of God is the beginning for preventing our hearts from being troubled.
Like the disciples, we need to listen to Jesus’ challenge to believe in God and in Him. It’s the ultimate cure for troubled hearts. To believe in one is to believe in both because Jesus says we can’t come to the Father except through Him. We must trust by faith that He is the only begotten Son of God. It involves a willingness to repent of our sins. He is the only one capable of curing the sin problem in our life.
Beyond the initial experience of trusting Him as our Savior, it becomes a daily thing for us. This involves placing our lives under His complete control. He must be Lord of every area of our life. Whatever circumstances befall us, we must trust Him to do what’s best. This kind of faith will go a long way toward relieving the anxieties of life. Our belief in Him will, in turn, demonstrate itself in believing His word, in prayer, in supporting the work of His church, and sharing His love with others.
III. Consider the Reservation Jesus Christ Made for Us
Immediately after foretelling Peter’s denials, Jesus encouraged the disciple with a comforting answer to His question, “Where are you going?” [vs. 13:36]. Jesus was going to His Father’s dwelling place, which was already a spacious house to prepare rooms for the disciples to inhabit later.
Regarding the place reserved for the disciples, Jesus said:
John 14:2 NKJV In My Father's house are many mansions [literally “dwellings” or “rooms”]; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
The New King James Version as well as the King James Version use the word “mansions” here. That’s not a very good translation. There are several reasons why I say this. The NKJV provides a text note that tells us the Greek word literally means “dwellings.”
The Greek word μονή (pronounced “mo-nay’,” Strong’s G3438) literally signifies a “dwelling place”.
Second, the use of “mansions” doesn’t work grammatically. Verse 2 talks about God’s “house” – singular. It makes more sense to find “rooms” in a house. If there were multiple mansions, the verse would indicate multiple dwellings.
Third, because St. Jerome translated the Greek work μονή as “mansiones” in the Latin Vulgate (Vetus Latina) Bible, the translators of the King James Version, the New King James Version, and the Revised Version continued the use of “mansion”. Since heaven is pictured here as the “Father’s house,” it is more natural to think of “dwelling-places” within a house as rooms, suites, or apartments within the building. The only other place the word occurs in the New Testament is in 14:23 where it is rendered “home” or “abode”:
John 14:23 NKJV Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home [μονή] with him.
Fourth, when we read about “mansions” in heaven, we tend to conjure up medieval castles (keeping the flavor of the King James) or large, stand-alone estates. Consider the audience of Jesus’ words – the disciples, living in the ancient middle east. Jesus would have used an illustration that they could easily visualize. The original recipients of these words – the disciples – would have had no concept of a castle or a mansion the same way we might. That’s not how society worked at that time and in that culture.
Symbolically, “rooms” or “dwelling place” communicates membership in the “household” or family of God, similarly to Jesus’ dwelling in the Father and the Father in Him [vs. 10] and to the mutual indwelling of Jesus and the disciples through the Holy Spirit, the Helper [“Advocate”] who will never leave them (vv. 16, 20). But the metaphor grows out of the physical “house of the father,” the family dwelling to which the patriarch kept adding rooms to accommodate an ever-growing extended family. Sons, slated to inherit the estate, normally brought their wives to live in the family home and raised their own children there.
In discussing dwellings with multiple rooms, Fred Wright’s book, Manners and Customs of Bible Lands:
Among the Arabs of Palestine villages and towns, houses of more than one room are owned by those who are more or less prosperous. The Arabic word meaning "house" also means "a room." The same thing was true of the houses belonging to the ancient Hebrews. As a rule, the houses of one room were in the villages, and those of more than one room were in the cities.
Building a House of Two, Three, or More Rooms
If a house of two rooms is to be built, the Oriental does not place them side by side, as the Occidental builder would do. Rather the breadth of a room is left between the two rooms, and a wall is constructed between the ends, and as a result of this arrangement, the house has an open court. If the builder expects to have three rooms, then a room would be substituted for the wall at the end of the court, and there would be three rooms around a courtyard. If there are to be more than three rooms in the house, the additional rooms are added to those at the side, making the court of greater length
The purpose of Jesus’ departure ensures His return to take the disciples to their new home as members of God’s household. Jesus reminded them that, in the meantime, they know both where He was going and how to get there, namely, by believing in Him [v. 6].
So, the simplest explanation is best: my Father’s house refers to heaven, and in heaven are many rooms, many dwelling-places. The point is not the lavishness of each dwelling place [room, apartment, etc.], but the fact that such ample provision has been made that there is more than enough space for every one of Jesus’ disciples to join Him in His Father’s home.
As I just said, the kind of “dwelling place” we find in heaven will not be the most important consideration.
Let me illustrate with a short story. Tami and I were married on April 6, 1979. We were both part of the staff at Cloverdale Baptist Church in Cloverdale, Indiana. Our first house left something to be desired. I remember hanging blankets over some of the windows in the winter months to stop the wind from blowing the curtains. Shortly after that we moved to Wetumpka, Alabama to work at the First Baptist Church of Wetumpka. For the first few months we lived in an old, battered trailer behind the church (euphemistically called the “prophet’s chamber”). Since then we’ve lived in other places, some better than others, until we bought our present house. I was happy to be in all those places because I was in the presence of my wife – the person I love, the person who makes home home. The size and quality of the house where I lived was a secondary consideration as long as she was there. Here’s the point of the story: I’m not going to be concerned with whether I live in a room, an apartment, or a mansion in heaven. What will make heaven heaven will be the fact that Jesus – the Lover of My Soul, my Savior – will be there.
Jesus said, “I am going there to prepare a place for you.” The words presuppose that the ‘place’ existed before Jesus got there. It’s not that He arrived on the scene and then began to prepare the place. And if He takes such trouble, all to prepare a place for His own, it’s inconceivable that the rest shouldn’t follow: “I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am.”
The first tool Jesus gave the disciples to overcome a troubled heart was the ability to trust in God and in Himself. The second was the belief that a place has been prepared for them in heaven. Then Jesus added, “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you.” [vs. 14:2].
If we understand what He has taught us about our future in heaven, Jesus states, this belief will overcome other troubles that beset us in life. This highlights a great problem in the modern-day Church: Christians spend so little time thinking about heaven and in many cases don’t understand the Bible’s teaching about it.
Sometimes I think Hannah missed her true calling. Part of me believes she’d thrive as a travel agent. When our family goes on vacation, it’s only after Hannah has researched everything about our intended destination. She investigates all the hotels, their rates, amenities, etc. She studies what’s available at all the attractions. She studies the menus of all the local restaurants. She’ll be sure to make appropriate reservations and then confirm the reservations to make sure we will be able to do what we are planning to do. When we are moving to a new city or even vacationing somewhere new, most of us will do extensive research. We’ll pore over maps and books, we’ll study the geography, the history, and the culture because we want to know all about the place we’re about to visit. If this is how we respond to places on earth where we’ll briefly live or visit, how much more interested should Christians be about heaven! Isn’t it strange that so few Christians seem to have an interest in the place Jesus Christ has reserved for us – the place where they hope to live forever with Christ?
IV. Consider All the Wonderful Things About Our New Home
I find it interesting that the Bible really doesn’t talk a lot about heaven. But the details given in the Bible will bring us joy amid the troubles of this temporary life.
We can glean four truths about heaven from Jesus’ teaching in this passage, truths that will replace the anxiety in our hearts with great joy. The first teaching is that heaven is the beloved home for the family of God (God’s household). This is why Jesus refers to heaven as “my Father’s house” [vs. 14:2]. J. C. Ryle wrote:
“[Home is a place] where we are generally loved for our own sakes, and not for our gifts or possessions; the place where we are loved to the end, never forgotten, and always welcome… Believers are in a strange land and at school in this life. In the life to come they will be at home.”
Most of us will admit that our hearts long for home. We long for a place where we fully belong, where we’re safe and secure, where we’re loved, and a place where we love in return. In our mobile society today, how many people are troubled by the absence of anywhere that is truly home?
The Bible’s story begins with our first parents, Adam and Eve, falling into sin against God the Creator. The result was that they were expelled from their home in the garden of Eden, where they had formerly enjoyed the blessing of God’s presence [Gen. 3]. When their son Cain fell into deeper sin by murdering his brother, God cursed him by making him “a fugitive and a vagabond… on the earth” [Gen. 4:12]. Later, his descendants tried to make a home and a name for themselves in rebellion against God. But God cast down the Tower of Babel and scattered rebellious humankind across the face of the earth [Gen. 11:1-9). So, it has been throughout human history that men and women feel a longing to be home. Augustine prayed that “thou hast created us for thyself and our heart cannot be quieted till it may find repose in thee.” Jesus tells us that this longing for home will be met in His Father’s house in heaven.
Second, we should know that heaven is our permanent and eternal dwelling. This means that heaven is a real place. Too many Christians think of heaven as a place where we’ll float around from cloud to cloud (sort of like ghosts) carrying harps. But since Jesus ascended back into heaven in a recognizable human body, heaven must be a material location. Jesus didn’t describe heaven’s physical details, but He said that “in my Father’s house are many rooms” [John 14:2]. But the Greek word in John’s text simply means “lodging places.” Heaven is the place where our eternal lodging will be.
C. S. Lewis wrote a book, The Great Divorce, about our wrong ideas of heaven. A group of English tourists were taken on an imaginary bus trip to heaven. Once they arrived there, the tourists got off the bus, only to realize that they appeared as ghosts. They were stunned at how solid and real everything in heaven was compared to earth. The grass was so real that it hurt their feet to walk on it, and they learned that while people in heaven are “solid people,” it’s those on earth who are ethereal.
Heaven is filled with dwelling places that will endure for all eternity. This is what Abraham was looking forward to.
Hebrews 11:8-10 NKJV By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. (9) By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; (10) for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
As a sojourner in Canaan, Abraham longed for a real home. By faith, we are told that he was looking forward to heaven, described as “the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God” [Heb. 11:10].
Third, Jesus’ main point here about heaven is the spacious provision made there for Christ’s people. The Father’s house, Jesus said, has “many rooms.” Remember what we discussed earlier. In ancient Palestine, a patriarch would often live in a large villa, with wings and rooms constantly being added on for children, grandchildren, and their families. The image is that of “a large compound centered around a communal courtyard.” Likewise, there is plenty of room in heaven for all of God’s family. J. C. Ryle comments that
“there will be room for all believers and room for all sorts, for little saints as well as great ones, for the weakest believer as well as for the strongest. The feeblest child of God need not fear there will be no place for him. None will be shut out but impenitent sinners and obstinate unbelievers.”
Fourth, heaven is where Jesus went to prepare a special place for us. He told the disciples that He would depart for His Father’s house “to prepare a place for you” [John 14:2]. Chiefly, Jesus prepared a place for us in heaven by removing the obstacle of our sin. Jesus entered into heaven after shedding His blood on the cross for our purification. The Old Testament priests would sprinkle the altar in the temple with the sacrificial blood, and the book of Hebrews tells us:
Hebrews 9:11-12 NKJV But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. (12) Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
The point is, as Charles Simeon said, “heaven would have been defiled … by the admission of sinners into it; he therefore entered into heaven to sanctify it by his blood.”
Conclusion:
A woman who was approaching the last days of her life lay in her hospital bed. Now she had time to think about life – about all the things she had experienced, both good and bad. She also remembered the special times in her life spent with special people. She remembered bits of conversations that had stuck with her over the years – like what Grandma said about heaven, she thought. When Dad wasn’t around, Grandma told me a story about death that was different than anything I had ever heard before. She said it was a beginning. Of a new life where we’d live with God in heaven. The way Grandma talked about heaven made me think that one day I’d like it even more than any place on earth.
Do you plan to go to heaven? Then we must realize that only those for whom Christ has made this preparation may dwell in that wonderful and joyful place, that is, those who have trusted in the blood He shed for the forgiveness of our sins.
For years, Tami and I made trips to Indiana with the kids to visit her parents. When we arrived, her mother and father were always waiting at the door to greet us. It was as if they had been looking out the front window for hours, waiting for our arrival. Her mother usually prepared a meal (or at least the fixings for sandwiches) for us and rooms had already been made ready for our visit. Her father helped us carry things from the car to the house. We were made welcome. How wonderful it is to find a room prepared for us after a long journey.
Every person who believes and trusts in Christ can know that heaven has been prepared for their arrival. Our Mediator and Savior has carried our names into heaven and made a reservation there for us. No Christian will ever appear in heaven either unknown or unexpected, because Jesus has prepared a place there for each and every one of His own. Knowing and trusting in our prepared home in the Father’s house is Jesus’ antidote to the troubles and anxieties of life.