Relief and Refreshment

Text: John 14:1-3

Introduction

Good evening

It wonderful to see each and everyone of you here with us tonight

As you probably could tell, pastor is not here with us tonight

He was feeling a little under the weather today Lord willing, he will be back with us this Sunday

I encourage each of you to be praying for him tonight and to continue to pray for him

Speaking of prayer - tomorrow we are having a Day of Prayer

This time it will be a City-Wide Day of prayer

Doors will be open at 7am - 7pm

I encourage you to invite some people and join us as we pray

There’s much to be praying for - city, state, country, needs in our church, etc.

If you will, please open your Bible’s to John 13

We’ll be specifically looking at John 14:1-3 tonight, but we’ll begin in chapter 13

(Q) How many of you would agree with the statement, Every problem demands a solution?

This is true in your personal life, in a business, in your workplace, in the church, in a state, country, and across the world

I think we are all well aware of the fact that in life, problems arise

We’re equally aware of the fact that when a problem arises, there is a need for a solution

(Q) But where do you turn to for a solution?

Medical: Turn to a doctor

Financial: Turn to a financial advisor

Work: Turn to the boss

And so on…

Here’s the point: When it comes to the issues of life, people turn to a variety of things for a solution

(Q) But where or who do you turn to for relief from your burdens and refreshment for your soul?

You know what I mean by that?

The inner turmoil that you experience at times

The burden that weighs you down and can cause you to be anxious and restless

We all have faced, are facing, or will face times or circumstances such as this in our lives

In John 13, we find that the disciples of Jesus Christ faced such a thing

The setting here is the upper room, where Jesus shared the last supper with His disciples

This evening, unknown to His disciples, would be the end of Jesus’ ministry and the final hours of His life

As He sat and ate with them, He revealed to them that one of His followers would betray Him

If this betrayal wasn’t alarming enough, Jesus said in John 13:33 (look with me - READ)

Jesus was describing here His imminent departure

Now, if you stop and consider everything the disciples experienced while walking alongside of Jesus for three years, the significance of Him no longer being present in their lives is realized even more

They witnessed Him perform miracles

They sat under His leadership and teaching

They observed Him confront error

They were recipients of His love, mercy, grace, and even rebuke

They had a deep affection for Jesus, so to hear Him say that He would no longer with them disturbed them greatly and left them troubled

They were troubled because they did not know what the future held for them

(Q) Have you ever been there?

Their troubled hearts is evident by a series of questions that were asked immediately following this news and that was recorded in ch. 14

The disciples were clearly in a saddened, bewildered state, and in need of relief

This brings us to John 14:1-3

Aim: Tonight, let’s look at three ways that you can find relief from your burden and refreshment for your soul

READ John 14:1-3

Trusting in God and His Word (v. 1)

Jesus began by telling His disciples, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.” (Don’t let your heart be troubled…)

When He said “troubled,” He was describing an inner agitation or distress Jesus’ instruction was in the shadow of an upcoming event - a crisis to them, His death

This reminds us that troubled people need peace and affirmation and Jesus providing that in this passage

To emphasize His instruction He commanded them to believe in Him

Again, He said in verse 1, “ye believe in God, believe also in me.”

The word “believe” means “to have faith in” or “trust in.”

The object of faith in picture here is God - “You trust in God….”

Faith needs adequate grounding

Jesus stated the fact that His disciples had trust in God, but He continued on by urging them to also trust in Him

This was not something that was beyond their ability to do, after all, they knew that He was in fact the Son of God

In Mark 8:29, Peter identified Him as the Christ In John 1:1 - “the Word…was with God… was God”

In John 6:68-69, again, Peter confessed that He was the holy one of God

Then, in John 20:28, Thomas identified Jesus as God

There are many places in Scripture that affirm Jesus’ deity

Here’s the point, Jesus told His disciples to place their trust in Him

Notice, Jesus did not encourage them to trust in the world and any power, person, or position found therein - He told them to trust in Him…but why?

Because of who He is

We just saw from four passages that Jesus was not only fully man, but fully God

This means that He is truth He won’t misguide you or mislead you - contrary to His nature

Because of what He knows

He is omniscient - all-knowing He knows what tomorrow holds - we do not

ILLUST: We’ve seen this illustrated time and time again in the last year when statements were made about what would happen in the future only to find out that what was said ended up being false

This won’t happen if you look to God and His Word

Because He is the source of salvation (verse 6)

He is the way He is the truth He is the life

Because He is the true source of peace (v. 27 - READ)

The world offers fleeting peace, or that which can only provide temporary escape

ILLUST: Bandaid on something that needs deep surgery

Christ provides lasting peace

Peace:

…Experienced deep within …that is not dependent upon your environment or circumstances …that provides unquestionable confidence that your life is in God’s hands

Because of what His Word can do

Psalms 19 is an incredible passage that describes for us how God has revealed Himself to us - through Creation and in His Word

In verses 7-13, David lists 6 benefits of God’s Word (I’m just going to read them to you:

v. 7: Its sufficient for all the needs of your spiritual life

v. 7: God’s Word is reliable and shows what happens when people obey or disobey God

v. 8: God’s Word is medicine for our soul and brings joy/happiness

v. 9: God’s Word directs our lives morally and doctrinally into the light of God

v. 11: As we spend time in His Word, our reverence for Him and hatred of sin increases

vv. 12-13: We learn that what God says about right and wrong is trustworthy and reliable

Here’s what happens…when you trust in God and His Word, you remove your focus off of yourself and your present circumstances and in turn place it upon God

The first way you can find relief from your burdens and refreshment for your soul is by trusting in God and His Word…a second way is by

Maintaining an Eternal Perspective (v. 2)

In a way, this gave meaning to His departure

Jesus was not simply leaving His disciples, rather He was going to prepare a place for them

This is further understood by looking at two phrases in v. 2:

“In My Father’s house,” which is heaven

The place where this preparation was going to be provided

“if it were not so, I would have told you.”

This provided words of certainty

These two phrases solidify not only the reality of heaven, but that they too would have a place there reserved for them

The disciples were troubled and had their eyes on the present moment and the soon departure of Jesus Christ, therefore they lacked an eternal perspective

Rather than looking to what their future held, the disciples were distressed about what they would not have at this current moment

If we’re honest, that’s easy to do - we get captured in the moment and lose sight of the bigger picture

ILLUST: The disciples were so focused on His departure, they missed the significance that His painful death would bring - salvation

Sometimes, we have to go through moments of discomfort but don’t lose sight of the broader picture

Jesus was determined to lift their eyes from the present and to get them to look at the future and its glorious realities

The Bible tells us that we are pilgrims in this world

We may own homes, property, gadgets, positions, and so on, but our citizenship is not here on earth, but in Heaven

Comforting words…Just as we are passing through so are the circumstances and problems we face

When you maintain an eternal perspective, you begin to look at life differently

Rather than only looking at the immediate events you begin to view things from the paradigm of what God is doing in your life now

What you may be going through may not be pleasurable or preferred, but let me encourage you not to dwell on it

If you want to find relief from your burdens and refreshment for your soul, first of all, trust in God and His Word…Secondly, maintain an eternal perspective, and the final way is…

Remembering Christ’s Promised Return (v. 3)

READ v. 3

Jesus told His disciples that He was preparing a place for them, but the phrase I want to draw your attention to is at the beginning of v. 3 “I will come again and receive you unto Myself.”

This is a promise Jesus gave which provides us assurance of two things:

Jesus’ promised return

We have been studying 1-2 Thess for the past several weeks…

One of the things Paul addressed when writing to the believers is their misunderstanding of things to come

They fell for the false teaching that they had missed the Rapture and were living in the tribulation time period

Paul sought to calm their fears by ensuring them that they next event they were to look to was Jesus’s return - the Rapture

When He returned, the dead in Christ would rise first, then all the believers who were alive would experience exactly what Jesus told His disciples here in verse 3 - they would go to be with Him

Their determined destiny

The believer’s destiny is certain, and nothing can ever change that

Whether a believer dies or is alive when Christ returns, we are Heaven-bound

Jesus’ disciples may have been deeply saddened at the news of His soon departure, but the declaration that Christ was going to prepare a place for them and that He was going to return for them could provide them with the strength they needed to whatever was ahead

Regardless what you’re facing, if you shift your focus upon Christ’s promised return, it can provide you with great hope, peace, and comfort

Conclusion

If you’re hear tonight, and you are anxious, worried, troubled, uncertain of your future, John 14:1-3 is a wonderful passage that you can look to for relief from your burdens and refreshment for your soul

Trust in God and His Word Maintain an eternal perspective Remember Christ’s promised return

Pray