John 14:1-3 - Jesus Delivers Troubled Hearts

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Introduction:

*In this passage, Jesus has finished what is commonly called the Last Supper with His disciples. 

Supper’s now over and He has predicted that one of the disciples is going to betray Him.  And then He identifies that disciple as Judas Iscariot and He sends him on his wicked task. 

Now Jesus begins to talk to His disciples and (John 13:33) he says "Little children, I am with you a little while longer.  You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come " (John 13:33)

Jesus went on to say "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (Jn13:34-35)

However, Peter is stuck on the previous statement “I am with you a little while longer.  You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come" (John 13:33)

·         Peter’s heart is very troubled: Example-my kids if they cant come with me, they get bummed out.

·         And so Peter asked a question and this is the beginning of a question/answer session with the disciples.

·         It actually begins here in chapter thirteen, it’s after the dinner, and Jesus is sharing things with them.

Having said that He’s going to go away, in a little while they can’t come where He is going, then Peter said to Him, Lord, where are You going? 

First question.  Where are you going, Lord?  And Jesus answered Him, Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow me afterward.  Peter questioned again, “Why can’t I follow You now?  I will lay down my life for You.”  And then Jesus predicted Peter’s denial before the rooster would crow in the morning.

So Jesus went on to say…  “Let not your heart be troubled” (John 14:1)


!! A.                 Troubled hearts are delivered through belief (v.1).

1.                  “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me…”  (v.1a).

a)                  Deliverance from troubled hearts comes through belief in Jesus.

(1)                 Believing in Jesus Christ will deliver you from trouble (John 14:6) – He is the only way
(2)                 Continuing to believe in Jesus Christ while you are in the midst of trouble will carry you thru.
(a)                 When a sinner believes in Jesus Christ he has peace with God

Paul put it this way "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1, NASB95)

(b)                When we continue to believe in Jesus Christ and pray when we are anxious, we have the peace of God

When bad times or situations come we are to "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  (Philippians 4:6-7, NASB95)

(3)                 | We all have a tendency to borrow trouble & to imagine things worse than they really are |

The Lord does not want us to have troubled hearts but hearts of peace…

(a)                 What is it today that your heart is troubled about?  Child, work, finances, marriage…
(b)                In the world, peace is something you hope for or work for; but to the Christian, peace is God’s wonderful gift, received by faith.
(c)                 Unsaved people enjoy peace when there is an absence of trouble; Christians enjoy peace in spite of trials because of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.

That is why Jesus said "“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.  Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful."  (John 14:27)

In Chapter 16 of Johns Gospel He said "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."  (John 16:33, NASB95)

Loving God’s Word brings peace, in Psalm 119 we read "Those who love Your law have great peace, And nothing causes them to stumble."  (Psalm 119:165, NASB95)

Having our thoughts fixed upon God brings peace "You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You" (Isaiah 26:3, NKJV)

(4)                 “Troubled” means to to stir up, to trouble, agitate and is figuratively used of the mind, to disturb with various emotions such as fear.
(5)                 Jesus knew their hearts, seeing right into them knowing they were troubled.
(6)                 Illustration: A raging storm on the sea is intense, but go down under the water 200 ft, its calm!

b)                  Deliverance from troubled hearts comes through the example of Jesus (Heb.12:1-4).

(1)                 Think about this: John 13 is a really intense chapter…
(a)                 now Jesus says that His time has come to depart from this world to the Father…
(b)                the devil puts into the heart of Judas to betray Jesus…
(c)                 the disciples argued over who was the greatest, no one took the initiative to wash feet, therefore, Jesus gives them an example of serving one another…
(d)                the disciples were constantly asking Him questions…
(e)                 Jesus tells them that one of them is going to betray Him…and after that John tells us that Jesus’ spirit was troubled… remember Jn.14:1-let not your heart be troubled”?
(f)                  then Satan literally enters into Judas!
(2)                 Think about this: Jesus is the one going to the cross and the disciples should be supporting Jesus but Jesus is supporting them spiritually as well as emotionally. 
(a)                 Even when we are going thru tough times, the Lord wants us to minister to others!
(b)                In another passage Jesus was sorrowful and deeply distressed (Matt.26:36-46).
(c)                 Many times we want people to leave us alone but God wants us to minister to them.


!!!!! (3)                 Jesus even ministered while on the cross.

(a)                 He prays for forgiveness to those who “no not what they do”
(b)                He granted eternal life to a dying sinner who believed in Him (Luke 23:26-43)
(c)                 He didn’t overlook the responsibility to make provision for His mother (John 19:25, 26)
(d)                He take’s upon Himself the sins of the world (Matt.27:45)

B.                Troubled hearts are delivered through hope for God's house (v.2a).

1.                  “In My Fathers house are many mansions… a permanent dwelling place” (v.2a).

a)                  The Preparation of Heaven.

(1)                 Imagine how thrilled the disciples were to hear that Christ was going to the Father to prepare a place for them.
(2)                 That promise gave them a whole new perspective.  Christ wasn't going away to leave them; He was going away to get heaven ready for them, and this promise is for us as well.
(3)                 Think about this: Christ went to prepare a place for us, not willing that any should perish, wanting all to spend eternity with Him, plenty of room in heaven…

But when he was born, Luke says that Mary "brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."  (Luke 2:7)

(4)                 I love the way He addressed God as Father.  Jesus, who had dwelt eternally in the bosom of the Father, came forth to reveal the Father; He was busy about His Fathers business.  Now that His work would soon be done, He was planning to return to full glory with the Father.

b)                  The location of our future home.

(1)                 What was Christ talking about when He referred to His Father's house?  He was speaking about heaven.
(a)                 In the New Testament, heaven is called a country (Heb. 11:16)…  It’s called a city (Heb. 11:10)…  It’s called a kingdom (Matt. 4:17)… and it is called paradise (Luke 23:43) because of its beauty.
(b)                But what I like best is when Christ calls heaven "My Father's house."  As a child, whenever I traveled away from home for football games in Arizona, I always thought the best thing I could possibly do was go back to my father's house.
(c)                 Going to heaven won't be like going into a giant palace where we have to be formal.  When we go there, it'll be like going home:
(2)                 In John 2:16, Jesus called the Temple in Jerusalem His Father's house.
(a)                 When He cleansed the Temple of merchants and moneychangers in (Matt.21:12-13), He said, “It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of thieves’” (v.13).
(b)                The Temple was the Father's house until (Matt.23:38), where Jesus wept over Jerusalem and said, "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.”  From then on, heaven became the Father's house


!!!! c)                  The layout of our future home.

(1)                 Jesus said that in His Father's house "are many dwelling places" (John 14:2; NASB).  Some Bible translations use the phrase "many mansions" as the NKJV, however, that gives the incorrect idea:
(a)                 We tend to visualize a new real estate development with an agent who shows us a map and says, "Your mansion is two blocks down and four blocks to the left" but heaven won't be like that.
(b)                The phrase "dwelling places" refers to how the Israelites lived:

(i)                   When a son became married, the father would add a wing to his house.  When another son married, another wing was added onto the house.

(ii)                 Eventually the original dwelling would become a set of dwellings that enclosed a patio in the middle.  All the relatives lived around that patio.

(iii)                So Jesus wasn't talking about a apartment building, but a complete dwelling place surrounding a central patio.  We will be in dwellings attached to the Father's house--right in the same house with the Father!

(2)                 Revelation 21:16 tells us how large the city in heaven will be:

John says that "The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth.  And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs.  Its length, breadth, and height are equal…  "Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel" (Rev.21:16-17).

(a)                 The length is as long as its breadth and heights, 1500 miles on each side, this means that each foundation stone is 1500 miles long on each side.
(b)                The thickness of the wall and gates is 144 cubits or 266 feet thick (Rev. 21:17).
(c)                 The walls are made of jasper: a crystal-like rock that is green in color.  The crystal green walls sparkle with the most beautiful color as the reflection of God’s glory strikes them.
(d)                Can you imagine the light (the glory of God), penetrating through a wall which is made of jasper (21:18) and is clear as crystal (21:11), and which goes through a wall (1500 miles long and cubed) with a wall 216 feet thick!!!

(3)                 The Heavenly City Is Worth Any Price To Enter.  No matter what a person has to sacrifice, he is a fool if he does not give up everything he has to enter the heavenly city of God.

The Parable of the hidden treasure, & the pear of great price.  "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field" (Matthew 13:44)…  "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”  (Matthew 13:45-46, NKJV)

Are you laying up treasure in heaven, our Lord said “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”  (Matthew 6:20, NKJV)

Jesus said to the rich young ruler, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”" (Matthew 19:21, NKJV)

Paul himself said "What things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.  Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death," (Philippians 3:7-10, NKJV)


!!!! d)                  The life-style in our future home (Revelation 21:1-4).

(1)                 The greatest thing about heaven is that God will dwell with us and us with Him (v.3):

Christ’s words to His disciples will be answered "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.”  (John 14:1-3, NKJV)

Christ’s prayer to the Father will be answered "Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world."  (John 17:24, NKJV)

(2)                 God will wipe away every tear from our eyes: the absence of anything to be sorry about.
(3)                 No more electric bills (Rev.21:22-23).
(4)                 When we are in the Father's house, the Lord will take care of all the hurts and needs of His children.  He will drive away all pain. 
(5)                 We should already feel bound to heaven.  Our Father is there, as well as our Savior, our home, our names, our future lives, our affections, our hearts, our inheritances, and our citizenship.  And the great promise of John 14:3 is that Christ is in heaven now preparing it for us!

2.                  “If it were not so, I would have told you…”  (v.2b).

a)                  Nothing but the Truth.

(1)                 Jesus was saying, "Trust Me!  I've always told you the truth.  I'm not saying this just to try to make you feel good."

In John 18:37, we read Jesus saying to Pilate, "To this end was I born, and for this cause came I unto the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth."  Christ always speaks the truth. 

C.                Troubled hearts are delivered through Jesus' work (v.2b).

1.                  “I go to prepare a place for you…”  (v.2c).

a)                  This is the key element to our comfort.

(1)                 Ladies, when you have guests over your homes, don’t you lovingly prepare it for them?  You may set our flowers and books, maybee light candles… you make it ready for them, right!
(2)                 Jesus is preparing a special place for us
(a)                 I suppose my room will have a 48 channel mixing board (with the latest technology of course) all digital… a wall full of Marshall Stacks, guitars gallor… maybee not.
(b)                The point: Jesus is preparing a place for us & that brings comfort in our troubles world
(3)                 When we plan for a family vacation or trip of some sort, do we just drive off with no prior preparation?  We obtain brochures, talk to our friends, pack our bags, and examine maps. 
(4)                 How much more should we prepare for eternity in our heavenly home

b)                  Where is He to go?

(1)                 Jesus went to the cross to prepare redemption for us.

Speaking of Himself, Jesus said that "the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28, NKJV)

Think about what Jesus did for us, Paul said "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich."  (2 Corinthians 8:9, NKJV)

(2)                 Jesus went to be raised from the dead to prepare a new life for us.

We have the power to live a life of victory, "that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."  (Romans 6:4, NKJV)

(3)                 Jesus ascends into heaven to prepare access into the presence of God for us.

Because Jesus prepared access for us into the presence of God we can “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace in time of need" (Heb.4:16)


!! D.                Troubled hearts are delivered through Jesus' return (v.3a).

1.                  “I will come again and receive you to myself…”  (v.3a).

a)                  The Lord’s promise of coming again.

(1)                 Not only is Christ preparing heaven for us, but He will also come back and take us there.
(2)                 The Lord is not going to send someone else to get us.  He will take us home personally AND that tells us how precious we are to Him.
(3)                 Illustration:      I heard of a story about a father who dropped off his little boy at a street corner, and told him he would be back in twenty minutes after taking care of some business.  The father's car broke down, and he wasn't able to get back to his son for four or five hours.  The son waited on the corner by a store that whole time, and the panicky father had no way of phoning him.  He didn't get back until eleven o'clock at night, and the boy was rocking back and forth on the sidewalk whistling a tune.  The father pulled up to the curb, hugged his son, and said he was very sorry.  The boy replied, "What are you sorry about?  You said you were coming."
(4)                 That's the kind of trust we can put in the Lord.  He said He was coming back.  It may look like its becoming dark around us but we can still trust His promise to return. 

Paul said that "the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ," (Titus 2:11-13, NKJV)

(5)                 Important application (John 21:19-22): many time we take our eyes off of the Lord and His promises and put them on others… very dangerous.  The Lord told Peter to “follow Me” and immediately, Peter began to follow Jesus.  However, for a moment Peter took his eyes off the Lord Jesus, a mistake he had made at least two other times.
(a)                 Rememeber that first great catch of fish, Peter took his eyes off his Lord and looked at himself.  “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”  (Luke 5:8).
(b)                When he was walking on the stormy sea with Jesus, Peter looked away from the Lord and began to look at the waves; and immediately he began to sink (Matt. 14:30).
(c)                 Here, Peter takes his eyes off the Lord and looks back at John following them.  Beware when you get your eyes off the Lord and start to look at other Christians! (Hebrew 12:1-2) looking unto Jesus


!!! 2.                  “I will come again and receive you to myself…”  (v.3b)

a)                  The Lord’s promise of receiving us to Himself.

(1)                 The Lord promises to receive us to Himself, however, there is a difference between the believer meeting Jesus in death and meeting Jesus in the air at His return.
(2)                 The believer does meet Jesus at death: One moment he is in this world; the next moment he is in the presence of the Lord.

Stephen, while being stoned to death, "saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God" (Acts 7:59, 55).

Paul said: "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord" (2Cor.5:8).

Paul, "he had a desire" to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better" (Phil. 1:23).

Jesus had even promised the thief: "today you shall be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43).

(3)                 The believers who are alive and remain at His coming, meet Him in the air: Jesus will come one day to gather His own who are alive and raise the bodies of those who have died to take them all to heaven – the Rapture.
(a)                 1 Corinthians 15:51-58 esp. (v.58) 
(b)                1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

I LOVE WHAT PAULS SAYS TO TIMOTHY…  "But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear.  Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.  And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom.  To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!”  (2 Timothy 4:17-18, NKJV)

Because we will meet the Lord one day & not knowing the day or hour, we ought to be "those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching."  (Luke 12:37)

E.                 Troubled hearts are delivered through an eternal habitation with Jesus (v.3b).

1.                  “That where I am, there you may be also…”  (v.3b).

a)                  The very reason, according to John, Jesus is returning.

(1)                 We shall be with our Lord forever who has, saved us, forgiven us, delievered us from the bondage of sin, death and hell… with the one who has cared for us day by day.
(2)                 This should be the very thing that our heart longs for, because this is the very longing of His heart, ther very thing which He prayed so intensely for to the Father:

In John 17, Jesus prayed "Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me."  (John 17:24)

(3)                 How do we know that Christians go to heaven? 

Because of the price that Jesus paid, Paul said For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him."  (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10, NKJV)

Because of the promise that Jesus made (John 14:1–6):

And because of the prayer that Jesus prayed (John 17:24).

(4)                 The Father always answers His Son’s prayers, so we know that believers who die do go to heaven to behold the glory of God.

I.  Jesus' Death Delivers Troubled Hearts, 14:1-3

 

A. Troubled hearts are delivered through belief (v.1).

 

B. Troubled hearts are delivered through hope for God's house (v.2a).

 

C. Troubled hearts are delivered through Jesus' work (v.2b).

 

D. Troubled hearts are delivered through Jesus' return (v.3a).

 

E. Troubled hearts are delivered through an eternal habitation with Jesus (v.3b).

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