John 14:1-6
Our Heart (v1)
First of all, Jesus speaks about Our Heart. Notice in verse 1, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.”
Jesus gives tells them not to let their hearts become troubled. The Greek word for troubled here is “tarasso”. It means to stir up, or, to agitate. Tarasso is like the water in a hot tub when the jets are turned on. It’s like a bottle of pop that is shaken and all the fizz comes gushing out. It is like boiling water that boils over.
The opposite would be a calm lake in the morning when the water is like glass. Annie and I were up on a lake last month at someone’s cottage. I got up early to watch the sunrise and the lake was just like that. It is completely undisturbed – peaceful, at rest.
But by noon-time there were boats and jet-ski’s driving all over the lake and the water was no longer quiet. Waves were everywhere and the water was all stirred up. It was agitated. The water was tarasso. It was troubled waters.
The disciples felt like that. Their hearts were being stirred up and becoming troubled. The world they knew for the last 3 years was coming undone. The anticipation of Jesus becoming the king of a new and glorified Israel was zapped when Jesus told them He had to die. They argued over which of them was going to be the greatest in this kingdom but Jesus told them to wash each other’s feet like slaves. The camaraderie could break up knowing that one of them was a traitor. Jesus told them that their natural leader and spokesman, Peter, was going to deny Him that night. The order of things was shaken up when Jesus washed their feet. They admired Him and looked up to Him as the Son of God – they should be washing His feet.
They didn’t know what to expect. They didn’t know what was going to happen now. Maybe you feel that way today. Maybe your world has been flipped upside down. Maybe what you once knew you no longer know; what you used to be able to rely on you no longer can. Maybe you used to look forward to something and now that something is a lost hope.
If so, what Jesus speaks to His disciples applies to you too.
First He says, “Don’t let your heart become troubled.” Here Jesus is telling us that we have a choice when we are troubled. Isn’t that what we do though? We let ourselves become troubled. We start to worry and become anxious. We look at our circumstances and we easily fall into fear and doubt.
But Jesus says “Don’t let it happen”. Don’t let your heart be troubled.
And then He tells us how to do that. He immediately says, “Trust in God; trust also in Me.” This is what is called an imperative. An imperative is a command. It is something that we are supposed to do. The other thing is that this command is in the present tense, which means that this trust is to be an ongoing trust. It doesn’t stop. It might read like this: “Continue to keep on trusting in God and Me.”
Trusting in God is the remedy for a troubled heart. In Psalm 25:1 the psalmist says, “To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; in you I trust, O my God.” And then Psalm 31:14, “But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’” Or Psalm 56:3, “When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid…” In all these Psalms the writer is in the worst of circumstances. But His eyes transcend the turmoil around him and he looks to God and finds peace. He puts his trust in the Lord and his fears go away. He does not let his heart continue to be troubled because of his trust in God.
Now notice that Jesus says to trust in God, and, then trust in Him also. This is another staggering statement by Jesus. Here we see Him again making Himself equal with God. If He would have said this in public they would have stoned Him right there for blasphemy. Realize that when you trust in Jesus Christ you are trusting in God. There is no one higher or greater that you can trust.
That Jesus is equal with God is the theme of the Scriptures. Colossians 2:9 says, “For in Christ all the fullness of Deity lives in bodily form”. Hebrews 1:3 says, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory, the exact representation of His Being”.
The statement “trust in God, trust also in me” is something no mere-man should ever say. Jesus was saying that whatever you trust in God for, trust in me for. Vine makes a good point when he says, “It is a faith that goes much further than acceptance of a truth, it cleaves to the speaker.”
Are you looking for salvation? Cleave to Me. Are you looking for wisdom? Cleave to Me. Are you looking for love? Cleave to Me. Are you looking for peace? Cleave to Me. I am the One who will keep your heart from becoming troubled. Do not let your heart be troubled. Instead, trust in Me.
Our Home (v2-3)
First we need to look to Our Heart, and second we need to look to Our Place. Notice verses 2-3, “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so I would have told you. 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.”
***Tie this in with the disciple’s concern about Jesus’ leaving them
The place here is the Father’s house. The place is heaven. And Jesus says that there are many rooms there. The word for rooms is the Greek word, “monai”. It means an abode, a staying-place, a dwelling-place.
You know, if Jesus would have stopped there and just said, “there are lots of rooms in My Father’s house”, it would have been terrible. You know why? Because what would that have to do with the disciples? What would that have to do with us? If He only told us about some wonderful heaven that existed, but, didn’t give any indication that it would ever be a place for us, it would have been mocking humanity.
But, Jesus didn’t stop there and He certainly didn’t mock His disciples. The place He described to them was not a wonderful place they could only dream about, it was a real place that was where they would finally arrive someday. In other words, it’s the final and ultimate place where you will arrive and stay for all of eternity to enjoy fellowship with the Father and the Son and all who others who are a part of the family of God.
This is very personal. This is the place where we belong. Have you ever struggled with belonging? People have a heart-need to belong. People want to belong in a variety of relationships. Single people want to belong to a spouse. Kids want to belong to a group of friends. Christians want to belong to a church.
But nothing we belong to can compare to the wonderful hope of belonging to God and having a place in His heavenly house. Jesus told the Jews back in John 8 that a slave, although he is in the household does not have a permanent place in the family, but, a son belongs to it forever. When we put our trust in Jesus we become children of God and members of His household.
Turn with me to Hebrews 11 please. In Hebrews 11 we find the “Faith Hall of Fame.” This is the chapter that lists the heroes of faith from the Bible. But, in verses 13-16 there is an incredible passage describing the attitude of these people. Read passage…………..
These people knew that they belonged to the heavenly city. They knew that their place was in the Father’s house. And therefore they always felt like a stranger and alien in this world. Listen, when you belong to heaven you can never feel like you belong to this world. There is nothing offered in this world that can ever really satisfy you. There is nothing here that can ever really make you feel at home. There is always a kind of restlessness. We’re transient here. We’re spiritual vagabonds. Don’t take root here Christian. Don’t build a home, only set up a tent. The place where you really belong is where you will ultimately arrive.
Now this word is only used twice in the NT, and both times are in this chapter. The other time monai is used is in verse 23 where Jesus says, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” The word “home” is the same word. Jesus says that He and the Father will come and make their home, their dwelling place, their staying place the place where they remain with us.
So in the beginning of the chapter Jesus is telling us about the final place where we will be and belong forever. And then at the end of the chapter He is telling us about the place where He and the Father will be forever: with us.
Your Homecoming (v3)
Then notice the Homecoming in verse 3, “And if I go to 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 the first passage in the NT that references the Rapture of the Church. The Rapture is the teaching that Jesus is going to come back and snatch away the Church from the earth and bring it to heaven. (The Church is not the buildings, but, the people who are children of God who by faith in Jesus Christ have had their sins forgiven).
The Rapture is different than the 2nd Coming of our Lord. As the NT is studied we see that there are differences between the two.
First, there is no judgment associated with the Rapture, but, there is with the 2nd Coming of Christ.
Second, at the Rapture believers are moved from earth to heaven whereas at the 2nd Coming believers come with Jesus to the earth from heaven.
Third, the Rapture can happen at any moment, but, before the 2nd Coming there must be a 7 year period of catastrophic events that comes first.
Fourthly, in 1 Thessalonians 4 we see that at the Rapture Jesus returns in the air, not to the earth, but, at the 2nd Coming His feet will come down on the Mount of Olives and He will split that mountain in two.
Fifth, here in John 14, and, in 1 Thessalonians 4 we learn that at the Rapture Jesus comes back personally for believers only, whereas, at the 2nd Coming He is going to come to judge the nations and set up His earthly millennial kingdom.
There are too many differences in the NT between descriptions of the Rapture and the 2nd Coming to consider them the same event at the same time. But Jesus is encouraging His disciples in John 14. Even though He was leaving them He would come back for them. That should affects the disciples in two ways – and us today.
First, the Rapture assures us of His love for us. He is going to heaven to make room for us. And if He makes room for us He is coming back to get us so we can go and be there with Him and the Father.
Secondly, the Rapture keeps us accountable. Since it is imminent, meaning that it can happen at any moment, we realize that we ought to live upright and blameless lives. There won’t be any notice before the Rapture so there won’t be any “getting ready”. No quick asking forgiveness for wrongs. No quick confessions. No nothing.
Let me put it this way: Is the way you are right now the way you want to be found by Jesus when He comes back? Paul said that he prayed the Philippian’s “love would abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that they may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ.” So if you knew Christ was going to come back before you got to Cracker Barrel today how would you change? Christians live not for the here and now, but, for the return of Christ. That is our beat of our hearts
(v4-6)
Lastly, notice verses 4-6, “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’”
Thomas is asking two things here: where are you going and what is the way to where you are going. Jesus’ answer is one of the most powerful statements ever made. It is the sixth of Jesus’ “I Am” statements in John’s gospel.
First He says that He is the way. People look for their own ways. They spend their lives trying to find their own paths. But the way is not a lifestyle or a spiritual journey. It’s not one of many ways. It is the only way, and that way is a person. He is the only Son of God and that is why He is the only way.
The Father will not receive a man who tries to come to Him through Allah, or Buddha, or through meditation or through works of penance. He doesn’t accept anyone who comes to Him through Mary, or baptism, or church attendance, or charity. He does not accept anyone who comes to Him through any of these ways. Proverbs says that there is a way that seems right to a man but in the end it leads to death and that is where every way leads to, except the one way that Jesus is talking about here.
He is the way because first of all He is the truth. He is the only truth of God. He is the perfect revelation of God the Father and in Jesus is all divine reality. He is all that we can ever know about the truth of God. Colossians 2:9 says, “In Christ all the fullness of Deity lives in bodily form.” A couple verses earlier it says, “The mystery of God is Christ, in Him are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge of God.” Jesus Christ embodies not only what men can know of God, but, what men ought to know and believe about God; what they should do as children of God; and what they should be.
He is the truth of who God is, and, also, He alone possesses the life of God. I am the way, the truth, and the Life. John 5:26 says, “For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself.” A man who wants to have life must go to the only One who has it and can give it. I have that life, but, I cannot give it to you. I can only tell you where to get it. Only Jesus Christ, who is Himself Life can give it to you and you must go to Him to get it.
The Bible says that anyone who will call on the name of the Lord will be saved. That means you believe in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and your sins will be forgiven. There is no other way. Acts 4:12 says, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” There is no other name. There is no other way. There is no other truth. There is no other life.
Let me ask you a question: Is there a place for you? Is Jesus preparing a place for you in His Father’s house? If you don’t know for sure then come and see me after the service. I want to talk more with you about having your sins forgiven by believing in Jesus Christ, and, the place that He will prepare for you if you do that.
Our Heart (v1)
First of all, Jesus speaks about Our Heart. Notice in verse 1, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.”
Jesus gives tells them not to let their hearts become troubled. The Greek word for troubled here is “tarasso”. It means to stir up, or, to agitate. Tarasso is like the water in a hot tub when the jets are turned on. It’s like a bottle of pop that is shaken and all the fizz comes gushing out. It is like boiling water that boils over.
The opposite would be a calm lake in the morning when the water is like glass. Annie and I were up on a lake last month at someone’s cottage. I got up early to watch the sunrise and the lake was just like that. It is completely undisturbed – peaceful, at rest.
But by noon-time there were boats and jet-ski’s driving all over the lake and the water was no longer quiet. Waves were everywhere and the water was all stirred up. It was agitated. The water was tarasso. It was troubled waters.
The disciples felt like that. Their hearts were being stirred up and becoming troubled. The world they knew for the last 3 years was coming undone. The anticipation of Jesus becoming the king of a new and glorified Israel was zapped when Jesus told them He had to die. They argued over which of them was going to be the greatest in this kingdom but Jesus told them to wash each other’s feet like slaves. The camaraderie could break up knowing that one of them was a traitor. Jesus told them that their natural leader and spokesman, Peter, was going to deny Him that night. The order of things was shaken up when Jesus washed their feet. They admired Him and looked up to Him as the Son of God – they should be washing His feet.
They didn’t know what to expect. They didn’t know what was going to happen now. Maybe you feel that way today. Maybe your world has been flipped upside down. Maybe what you once knew you no longer know; what you used to be able to rely on you no longer can. Maybe you used to look forward to something and now that something is a lost hope.
If so, what Jesus speaks to His disciples applies to you too.
First He says, “Don’t let your heart become troubled.” Here Jesus is telling us that we have a choice when we are troubled. Isn’t that what we do though? We let ourselves become troubled. We start to worry and become anxious. We look at our circumstances and we easily fall into fear and doubt.
But Jesus says “Don’t let it happen”. Don’t let your heart be troubled.
And then He tells us how to do that. He immediately says, “Trust in God; trust also in Me.” This is what is called an imperative. An imperative is a command. It is something that we are supposed to do. The other thing is that this command is in the present tense, which means that this trust is to be an ongoing trust. It doesn’t stop. It might read like this: “Continue to keep on trusting in God and Me.”
Trusting in God is the remedy for a troubled heart. In Psalm 25:1 the psalmist says, “To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; in you I trust, O my God.” And then Psalm 31:14, “But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’” Or Psalm 56:3, “When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid…” In all these Psalms the writer is in the worst of circumstances. But His eyes transcend the turmoil around him and he looks to God and finds peace. He puts his trust in the Lord and his fears go away. He does not let his heart continue to be troubled because of his trust in God.
Now notice that Jesus says to trust in God, and, then trust in Him also. This is another staggering statement by Jesus. Here we see Him again making Himself equal with God. If He would have said this in public they would have stoned Him right there for blasphemy. Realize that when you trust in Jesus Christ you are trusting in God. There is no one higher or greater that you can trust.
That Jesus is equal with God is the theme of the Scriptures. Colossians 2:9 says, “For in Christ all the fullness of Deity lives in bodily form”. Hebrews 1:3 says, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory, the exact representation of His Being”.
The statement “trust in God, trust also in me” is something no mere-man should ever say. Jesus was saying that whatever you trust in God for, trust in me for. Vine makes a good point when he says, “It is a faith that goes much further than acceptance of a truth, it cleaves to the speaker.”
Are you looking for salvation? Cleave to Me. Are you looking for wisdom? Cleave to Me. Are you looking for love? Cleave to Me. Are you looking for peace? Cleave to Me. I am the One who will keep your heart from becoming troubled. Do not let your heart be troubled. Instead, trust in Me.
Our Home (v2-3)
First we need to look to Our Heart, and second we need to look to Our Place. Notice verses 2-3, “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so I would have told you. 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.”
***Tie this in with the disciple’s concern about Jesus’ leaving them
The place here is the Father’s house. The place is heaven. And Jesus says that there are many rooms there. The word for rooms is the Greek word, “monai”. It means an abode, a staying-place, a dwelling-place.
You know, if Jesus would have stopped there and just said, “there are lots of rooms in My Father’s house”, it would have been terrible. You know why? Because what would that have to do with the disciples? What would that have to do with us? If He only told us about some wonderful heaven that existed, but, didn’t give any indication that it would ever be a place for us, it would have been mocking humanity.
But, Jesus didn’t stop there and He certainly didn’t mock His disciples. The place He described to them was not a wonderful place they could only dream about, it was a real place that was where they would finally arrive someday. In other words, it’s the final and ultimate place where you will arrive and stay for all of eternity to enjoy fellowship with the Father and the Son and all who others who are a part of the family of God.
This is very personal. This is the place where we belong. Have you ever struggled with belonging? People have a heart-need to belong. People want to belong in a variety of relationships. Single people want to belong to a spouse. Kids want to belong to a group of friends. Christians want to belong to a church.
But nothing we belong to can compare to the wonderful hope of belonging to God and having a place in His heavenly house. Jesus told the Jews back in John 8 that a slave, although he is in the household does not have a permanent place in the family, but, a son belongs to it forever. When we put our trust in Jesus we become children of God and members of His household.
Turn with me to Hebrews 11 please. In Hebrews 11 we find the “Faith Hall of Fame.” This is the chapter that lists the heroes of faith from the Bible. But, in verses 13-16 there is an incredible passage describing the attitude of these people. Read passage…………..
These people knew that they belonged to the heavenly city. They knew that their place was in the Father’s house. And therefore they always felt like a stranger and alien in this world. Listen, when you belong to heaven you can never feel like you belong to this world. There is nothing offered in this world that can ever really satisfy you. There is nothing here that can ever really make you feel at home. There is always a kind of restlessness. We’re transient here. We’re spiritual vagabonds. Don’t take root here Christian. Don’t build a home, only set up a tent. The place where you really belong is where you will ultimately arrive.
Now this word is only used twice in the NT, and both times are in this chapter. The other time monai is used is in verse 23 where Jesus says, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” The word “home” is the same word. Jesus says that He and the Father will come and make their home, their dwelling place, their staying place the place where they remain with us.
So in the beginning of the chapter Jesus is telling us about the final place where we will be and belong forever. And then at the end of the chapter He is telling us about the place where He and the Father will be forever: with us.
Your Homecoming (v3)
Then notice the Homecoming in verse 3, “And if I go to 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 the first passage in the NT that references the Rapture of the Church. The Rapture is the teaching that Jesus is going to come back and snatch away the Church from the earth and bring it to heaven. (The Church is not the buildings, but, the people who are children of God who by faith in Jesus Christ have had their sins forgiven).
The Rapture is different than the 2nd Coming of our Lord. As the NT is studied we see that there are differences between the two.
First, there is no judgment associated with the Rapture, but, there is with the 2nd Coming of Christ.
Second, at the Rapture believers are moved from earth to heaven whereas at the 2nd Coming believers come with Jesus to the earth from heaven.
Third, the Rapture can happen at any moment, but, before the 2nd Coming there must be a 7 year period of catastrophic events that comes first.
Fourthly, in 1 Thessalonians 4 we see that at the Rapture Jesus returns in the air, not to the earth, but, at the 2nd Coming His feet will come down on the Mount of Olives and He will split that mountain in two.
Fifth, here in John 14, and, in 1 Thessalonians 4 we learn that at the Rapture Jesus comes back personally for believers only, whereas, at the 2nd Coming He is going to come to judge the nations and set up His earthly millennial kingdom.
There are too many differences in the NT between descriptions of the Rapture and the 2nd Coming to consider them the same event at the same time. But Jesus is encouraging His disciples in John 14. Even though He was leaving them He would come back for them. That should affects the disciples in two ways – and us today.
First, the Rapture assures us of His love for us. He is going to heaven to make room for us. And if He makes room for us He is coming back to get us so we can go and be there with Him and the Father.
Secondly, the Rapture keeps us accountable. Since it is imminent, meaning that it can happen at any moment, we realize that we ought to live upright and blameless lives. There won’t be any notice before the Rapture so there won’t be any “getting ready”. No quick asking forgiveness for wrongs. No quick confessions. No nothing.
Let me put it this way: Is the way you are right now the way you want to be found by Jesus when He comes back? Paul said that he prayed the Philippian’s “love would abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that they may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ.” So if you knew Christ was going to come back before you got to Cracker Barrel today how would you change? Christians live not for the here and now, but, for the return of Christ. That is our beat of our hearts
(v4-6)
Lastly, notice verses 4-6, “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’”
Thomas is asking two things here: where are you going and what is the way to where you are going. Jesus’ answer is one of the most powerful statements ever made. It is the sixth of Jesus’ “I Am” statements in John’s gospel.
First He says that He is the way. People look for their own ways. They spend their lives trying to find their own paths. But the way is not a lifestyle or a spiritual journey. It’s not one of many ways. It is the only way, and that way is a person. He is the only Son of God and that is why He is the only way.
The Father will not receive a man who tries to come to Him through Allah, or Buddha, or through meditation or through works of penance. He doesn’t accept anyone who comes to Him through Mary, or baptism, or church attendance, or charity. He does not accept anyone who comes to Him through any of these ways. Proverbs says that there is a way that seems right to a man but in the end it leads to death and that is where every way leads to, except the one way that Jesus is talking about here.
He is the way because first of all He is the truth. He is the only truth of God. He is the perfect revelation of God the Father and in Jesus is all divine reality. He is all that we can ever know about the truth of God. Colossians 2:9 says, “In Christ all the fullness of Deity lives in bodily form.” A couple verses earlier it says, “The mystery of God is Christ, in Him are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge of God.” Jesus Christ embodies not only what men can know of God, but, what men ought to know and believe about God; what they should do as children of God; and what they should be.
He is the truth of who God is, and, also, He alone possesses the life of God. I am the way, the truth, and the Life. John 5:26 says, “For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself.” A man who wants to have life must go to the only One who has it and can give it. I have that life, but, I cannot give it to you. I can only tell you where to get it. Only Jesus Christ, who is Himself Life can give it to you and you must go to Him to get it.
The Bible says that anyone who will call on the name of the Lord will be saved. That means you believe in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and your sins will be forgiven. There is no other way. Acts 4:12 says, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” There is no other name. There is no other way. There is no other truth. There is no other life.
Let me ask you a question: Is there a place for you? Is Jesus preparing a place for you in His Father’s house? If you don’t know for sure then come and see me after the service. I want to talk more with you about having your sins forgiven by believing in Jesus Christ, and, the place that He will prepare for you if you do that.
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