‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 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? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.’ (John 14:1-7)
Lesson: In the troubles of life, knowing and believing that Jesus has prepared a place for us beyond the grave, helps us to live with peace.
Do not let your hearts be troubled
This was going to be a very difficult time for the disciples. Jesus has told them, ‘do not let your hearts be troubled’ because He is about to be crucified; Peter will deny knowing Jesus; Judas will betray Him; they will all become fearful and doubtful and all ‘be scattered’ (Matt 26:31). During these events of Easter, it will look like darkness is overcoming the light! In preparation for that time of trouble, Jesus teaches them that He has gone to prepare a place for them in the Father’s house. In times of fear, why is this promise able to keep our hearts from trouble?
Peace comes through Believing Jesus
Firstly, Jesus commands them to believe Him as they believe in God. In the midst of the storm they were to believe Jesus. They were to hold firm to His promises and that He has things under control.
This is the first step to peace in this life - trust in Jesus! It’s that simple!
Peace comes by knowing that we have a place beyond death
Secondly, this is a promise of eternal life with God. Jesus wanted those first disciples to know, and He wants us to know, that they have life beyond the grave. No matter how troubled and stormy life becomes. No matter how much we struggle and even fail, we have a room prepared for us where there is perfect joy in God’s presence.
This is the second step to peace - See your glorious hope beyond the grave.
Peace comes by knowing our place is prepared by Christ
Thirdly, Jesus wanted His disciples to know that His betrayal, suffering and death were the way that He was preparing a place for them. Jesus’ death for our sin is ‘the way’ to the Father’s house. He is telling ‘the truth’. His death is ‘the life’ that we can have in Him. In their darkest days, they were to see the love of God in the suffering of Christ;
This is another means of peace - In our darkest days, we are to see that He has suffered for us and nothing can take us out of His love. And no accusation or failure can bring us into condemnation and judgement!
Peace comes by knowing that He will take us to that place
Fourthly, Jesus promised them: ‘if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.’ This is a promise, principally, of Jesus’ ‘Second Coming’. Without going into detail, it is a promise that the Jesus who has died for us to prepare a place with the Father, will certainly take us to be with Him in the Kingdom of God. He will never let us go. He will complete His work in us!
Finally, we can have great peace when we are tempted to feel lost and weak as we stand on the truth that He will take us to be with Him - it doesn’t depend on us!
Response
In the troubles of life, knowing and believing that Jesus has prepared a place for us beyond the grave, helps us to live with peace.
Jesus says to us, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms…” Have we allowed our hearts, or do we know others who are filled with trouble and worry?
Jesus wants you to know His peace and to help others to know His peace. We come to know this by believing Him - He gives us hope for this life and the next!
Together in September
In September, we are having two Together Evenings, on Wednesday the 6th and Wednesday the 13th from 7p.m. (When there will be a light meal provided).
We will be using this time to come together for worship, teaching and prayer with a view to re-launching community groups afterwards.
Please put these dates in your diary, we would love to see as many people there as possible.