In the year 2000 the world was turned upside down with new TV shows like Survivor, Big Brother, and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? These shows were firsts of their kind and ushered us into the era of reality TV. Never before had we seen people do some of the crazy things they had to do just to stay on an island with strangers on Survivor. Never before had we watched the live broadcast of people living in one house going through everyday situations like on Big Brother. And never before had we seen a talk show personality offer people $1 Million. It has been possible to win thousands of dollars on game shows in the past but never one million! That was an amount that was simply unheard of outside of the lottery. Now ABC has dared the unthinkable, put contestants in the hot seat at the mercy of fourteen grueling questions about common sense, pop culture, music, theatre, and virtually everything you could ever imagine, in an attempt to acquire one million dollars. Although these questions are multiple choice, some can be extremely tricky or flat out off the wall unknown to common people. Fortunately, contestants are not left high and dry in the hot seat. They are offered the use of three lifelines. If a contestant does not know the answer to a question, they may ask for 50/50, the computer takes away two of the four answers leaving only the right one and another wrong one. They may ask for a polling of the audience in which the audience interacts and shows their intelligence by choosing an answer. The majority then rules as the suggestion the contestant should use. Or, they may have ATT connect to a previously selected individual on the phone where they can receive live help. These are all called lifelines on the show--the last resort for a contestant before losing the game.
Well, as it turns out, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Might be new to us for TV but Jesus has been playing this game with us for a long time now! Since the beginning of time God has been giving us multiple choices, and its just our luck that we always pick the wrong one, leaving us to wallow in self-pity, disappointment, and anxiety. We made our choices and when God asked us “is that your final answer?” we gave the wrong response. That cost us the game! And you know that on game shows, when you lose, you lose! There are no continues in game shows! However I thank God for giving us a lifeline! I’m talking about a lifeline more definite than 50/50! I’m talking about a lifeline better than ask the audience! It’s a lifeline even more assuring than phone a friend! We have a lifeline in Jesus!
Jesus is our lifeline! He gives us deliverance for our troubled hearts! We can hold on for dear life through a belief in Jesus! We won’t sink as long as we have hope in God’s house! We have a lifeline through Jesus’ work! And through his return! And even through an eternal habitation with him!
The disciples’ hearts were mighty troubled. All at once they had to stop what they were doing, take on a new life, adopt new principles, and live a different way. They were called to believe and teach about Jesus the Messiah! And now this! Now Jesus, the disciples’ newfound best friend would leave them and they couldn’t follow him?
This is what he aid a few verses back in the thirteenth chapter, 36-38 verses. Wither I go, thou canst not follow me now! Peter was puzzled! The rest were distraught! And why wouldn’t they be? But Jesus said no need to be troubled, just believe in me! If you believe in God, then believe in me because I am the revelation of God! I am the reflection of God! I am the son of God himself! Believing in me, that I am the son of God, will deliver you from all your trouble! It will be your get out of jail free card!
We need to understand that deliverance from troubled hearts comes through a belief in not just God but also his son Jesus! Jesus said “believe in God; believe also in me!” Continuing to believe even while you are in the midst of trouble will carry you through. Believing in God and his son will deliver your troubled hearts. Yes believing in Jesus is a lifeline! The Word says “these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name!”
Deliverance from troubled hearts comes through the hope for God’s house! Do you see how Jesus called God “my father?” No coincidence! Jesus knew God as his father just like we know our own! He knew the truth: his father is! Is what? Oh well is love! Is life! Is liberty! Is local! Is powerful! Is knowledgeable! Is merciful! Is good! Is truth! Is wonderful! Is marvelous! Is peace! Is God! Is fill in the blank!
Jesus knew his father’s house, the truth and reality of it. God’s house is real! It does indeed exist! It is a real world that exists in another dimension of being, a spiritual dimension! It is named heaven because its his father’s house! This world, the physical and material world, is the property of God! Heaven is the spiritual world of dimension of being, the home of God where the mansions for believers exist!
Somebody oughta say “thank you Lord for my mansion!” The word “mansion” comes from the Modern English word mansioun from the Old French word mansion from Latin mansio which is a sojourn, a dwelling. Mansion means abiding place! It means places, residences, rooms for living! In fact in other versions of the Bible like the NIV, Amplified, and New American Standard, this verse says “in my father’s house there are many rooms!” I don’t care that it’s a room! If all I get is a room I say “thank you Lord for my room!” If all I get is a little corner I say “thank you Lord for my little corner!” If all I get is a hole in the wall! Somebody say “thank you Lord for my hole in the wall!” The issue at hand is not how big, how wide! Its that its in My father’s house!
I’ve done some traveling in my time and had the chance to stay at some ritzy and very comfortable hotels! I’ve stayed in some cozy homes of friends and relatives! I’ve even rented some nice apartments before! But I ain’t never felt as comfortable as I do over on Trotwood! That’s my father’s house!
You know, there’s no comfort like your own home! At home I find shelter, a place to lay my head, unlimited supply of food, and undying love from my family! That’s over on Trotwood! You just wait til I get to Jesus’ My father’s house!
Yes there’ll be shelter! God said “I will cover you with my feathers and underneath my wings you can safely abide!” What about that place to lay my head? I heard the voice of Jesus say “come to me and rest, lie down the weary one lie down, thy head upon my breast!” And there’s unlimited food up there in Father’s house! Its called the bread of life! If you feed on it, you will be satisfied to the fullest! And as far as love is concerned! Plenty of that in John 3:16!
And note that there is no shortage! There are MANY rooms or mansions! If it weren’t the truth I wouldn’t tell you so! Jesus told no lies! He only told the truth! Believe is all you have to do! That’s the difference between lock and key! One of those mansions can belong to you if you just believe!
Deliverance from troubled hearts comes through Jesus’s work. Picture Jesus seated in the upper room surrounded by his disciples. He said “I go to prepare a place for you!” Where do you go Jesus? Jesus went to the cross! Jesus went to the tomb! Jesus went to hell! Jesus went to rise again! Jesus went to sit at the right side of God to prepare houses for all those who could fix their mouths to say “I believe!”
Deliverance from troubled hearts comes through Jesus return! He’s only coming back to receive us unto himself! Receive: the Latin prefix re- means again, the Latin verb capere means to take! Take again! All our burdens, take again! All our heartaches, take them again! All our disappointments, take them again! Failures! Losses! Problems!
Jesus return give both himself and his people a glorious reunion and a march of triumph over sin, death, and hell. A reunion and march so glorious it explosively exceeds all that a man can think or dream! A reunion and march of indescribable feelings of perfection and joy, a march when all of the dear followers of Christ shall be gathered before him for the very first time! Each shall experience the presence and joy of all the saints, those who have gone before and who have come after! The multitudes who have been unknown to men, but are well-known to God- known to the first because they labored in the insignificant spots of the world as God directed and were ever so faithful! There before the Lord Jesus Christ we will all stand for the very first time every believer who has ever lived!
Deliverance from troubled hearts comes through an eternal habitation with Jesus. Note the very reason Jesus will return to earth: “that where I am, there ye may be also!” Where is Jesus? Wherever he is, the very place he is, is exactly where we shall be! That’s where I wanna be, rooted and grounded in him! We shall be with him forever! With him who saved us! With him who raised us! Him who forgave us! Him who loved us! Him who cared for us! Him who delivered us! Him who has guided us! Him who has shared with us! He who has given to us! Oh, in his presence is where I wanna be! Jesus, grant me a closer walk with thee!…
