St. John Chapter 14
Jesus had just told his team of disciples of his own departure from them, that he should not only go away, but go away in a cloud of sufferings.
Also they were told that where He was going they could not come just yet.
They must shortly hear him loaded with reproaches, and these will be as a sword in their bones; they must see him barbarously abused and put to death, and this also will be a sword piercing through their own souls, for they had loved him, and chosen him, and left all to follow him.
They will think themselves shamefully disappointed; for they looked that this had been he that should have delivered Israel, and should have set upon his kingdom in secular power and glory, and, in expectation of this, had lost all to follow him.
Plus, I am sure they were quite disturbed concerning the circumstance surrounding the last supper, in which Jesus predicted that one of them will betray him, and another would deny Him, not once, but three times.
That they should go out as homeless wanderers without the presence of their Lord and be subjected to persecution was also in their thoughts.
I think Jesus must have seen the fear and anxiety in their faces and began to give them words of comfort beginning here in chapter 14.
Jesus said, in verse one, “Let not your heart be troubled.”
The word “heart” here is taken from the Greek word, “Cardia” (kar-dee-ah) which means the thoughts or feelings (mind). So, He said, “Don’t let your minds be troubled,” or don’t be upset in your mind. Don’t allow your minds to be worried concerning these things I have told you.”
“You believe in God, believe also in me.”
They had believed in him, but they were so confused over the prospect of his death and departure, they stumbled.
He bids them to believe in him as they believed in God; to trust him even if they did not comprehend; to walk by faith rather than by sight through the darkness of that hour.
Jesus said, “Ye believe in God, “Absolutely” then you should believe in me also.
Do you trust God? Then you should trust me also.
Verse 2
Jesus gives them outstanding words of comfort and hope here in verse 2.
Don’t worry about what is going to happen.
Don’t be filled with anxiety and fear.
Don’t act as if though you are to be forsaken.
Because, “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.”
Or, in my Father’s oy-kee-ah (Greek for house), or in my Father’s abode, dwelling place, are many, or plenteous mansions.
The word mansion was taken from the Greek word, mon-ay, which means a residence, or a place to stay.
If it were not so, I would have told you. I would not have said there are dwelling places in heaven if there weren’t any.
Listen, He said, “I go to prepare a place for you.”
Or, I go to make ready a place for you!
My, my, my! What a comfort! What a consolation! What a hope! What a confidence!
Don’t be troubled! Don’t be perplexed! Don’t be filled with anxiety! Don’t worry about what you may face.
For it will be worth it all when we see Jesus!
He has gone to prepare a place for you my friend! He is making it ready! What a joy it will be when we walk into our mansion for the first time!
Listen to verse 3.
“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”
Paul said in 1 Thess. 4:17, “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
Acts 1:11 says “Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”
So yeah! He is coming again! Coming to receive us unto Himself, that where He is, (heaven) there we will be also.
He said, “I will come again.”
Listen devil, He said “I will come again!”
Listen sinner, He said “I will come again.”
Listen backslider, He said “I will come again”
Listen Child of God; He said “I will come again.”
To all those agnostics out there, He’s coming again!
To all those atheists out there, He’s coming again!
He’s gone to make ready a place for us to live for eternity.
So don’t be weary in well doing, for in due season ye shall reap if you faint not. Or, don’t be weary of the trials and temptations that come your way.
Don’t be weary of the persecutions you may face.
Don’t be weary of the job God has given for you to do.
For in due season………………at the appropriated time, or at the anticipated time period that God has pre-ordained, you shall reap, or you shall have a harvest, if you faint not.
If you will be faithful! If you will overcome! If you hold out to the end!
Now, Jesus knew something these disciples did not know yet.
He knew after He was gone these men would face terrible persecutions and tribulations.
He knew their faith would be tried and put to the test.
He was right!
Andrew was crucified.
Bartholomew was beaten, then crucified.
James, son of Alphaeus was stoned to death.
James, so of Zebedee was beheaded.
John was exiled for his faith on the Isle of Patmos.
Judas, not Iscariot, was stoned to death.
Matthew, killed with a spear.
Peter, crucified upside down.
Philip, was crucified.
Simon, crucified.
Thomas, killed with a spear.
Matthias was stoned to death
But Jesus had already told them, “Don’t let your heart be troubled, I go to prepare a place for you!”
Eternity in heaven far outweighs anything you will suffer down here, my Christian friend!
Remember, Jesus said, “I will come again, and I will receive you unto myself, that where I am there you may be also.”
Listen my friend, you may have to face criticism. Your family may make fun of you for serving the Lord.
People may call you all sorts of names. Your friends may turn against you.
You may have to serve God all alone.
You may lose all your friends.
But don’t let your mind be troubled! Don’t let it be afraid. Don’t let it get discouraged.
Remember what Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there ye may be also!”
Verse 4
Jesus says, “You know where I am going. And you now know the way.”
Verse 6 gives us the way!
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”
John 11:25, “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:”
Jesus is the way! Jesus is the truth! Jesus is the life! There is no other name given among men whereby you must be saved”
Can Budda save you? He couldn’t even save himself!
Can religion save you? Religion is just an analogy of sorts.
Can the pope save you? He has no authority to save anyone!
Can the church save you? No! The church has no power to save!
Can Jesus save you? He is the only way!
What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
He is the way! If any try to climb up some other way, he is the same as a thief and a robber.
He is the way! John 1:4 says, “In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Christ is the WAY:
1. By his doctrine, Joh 6:68.
2. By his example, 1Pe 2:21.
3. By his sacrifice, Heb 9:8,9.
4. By his Spirit, Joh 16:13.
He is the truth!
Pilate said, “What is truth?”
Jesus is the truth! Meaning He is the author and revealer of truth.
He is the TRUTH:
1. In opposition to all false religions.
2. To the Mosaic law, which was only the shadow, not the truth or substance, of the good things which were to come.
3. In respect to all the promises of God.
And He is the life: He is life. He gives life. He is the eternal life.
He is the source or fountain of life.
He not merely made the material worlds, but he also gave life.
The new creation, or the renovation of man and his restoration from a state of sin, is often compared with the first creation; and as the Logos was the source of life then, so, in a similar but higher sense, he is the source of life to the soul dead in trespasses and sins, Eph 2:1.
If any man be in Christ he is a new creature.
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