Heaven (2)

John 14:1-6

John 14:1–6 NKJV

1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 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. 3 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. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.” 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Heaven is Place of Peace v. 1

John 14:1 “1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.”

The Upper Room discourse must have had so many mixed emotions for Jesus. Time of duress over the near hours what was facing Him with betrayal, assault, crucifixion. It was a time of rejoicing for Jesus as His time was short to be rejoined with His Heavenly Father.

But there were greater concerns and insecurities for the disciples. As Jesus is washing their feet, He shares that there was a betrayer in the midst. There sat Judas Iscariot that would be handed bread and take off quickly in the night. There was Peter who was clueless that before the cock crowed he would deny Christ three times. And then Jesus was speaking of being with them only a little longer.

There love for Jesus was deep and they really did not know how deep until He left them and went to the cross and came back and ascended to heaven. It was not until that time and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost that they really became in touch with their emotions. I imagine at this point of following Jesus it was tenuous all the time. There was always a crowd, there was always a confrontation, there was always hype over His miracles.

And Jesus has a moment when He is overtaken with excitement as to what was in store for those disciples when they are rejoined with Jesus in heaven. And dear church, this text should put us on shouting ground.

Jesus makes another “I am” statement in this section.

What is it?

I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father but by me.

Jesus reiterates in verse 1 that belief in Him is their salvation.

That belief is our peace.

Our faith in God and specifically in Jesus is what calms your hearts with what you are facing.

The birth of our peace is a belief in Jesus as our Savior. He is the doorway to that peace.

And Heaven that He quickly speaks of will be a place of peace.

Let me ask you the question, what will

Romans 10:13 “13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.””

Revelation 3:20 “20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”

Heaven is a n open door policy for the believer

Romans 4:3 “3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.””

Peace

Luke 10:5-6 “5 But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you.”

John 14:27 “27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

Peace over your Estate

2 Corinthians 5:1 “1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”

John 16:7 “7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.”

Revelation 21:4 “4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.””

Heaven is Place of Plenty v. 2

John 14:2 “2 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.”

“many mansions”-Residence, abode, NASB “many dwelling places”

OT-nomadic, the NT persecution was nomadic-that is what spread the gospel.

Fox News Story

Kensington has gained international infamy for its excessive public drug consumption. The area has become a hotspot for xylazine — a veterinary tranquilizer known as the zombie drug or tranq — which was found in over 90% of drug samples tested in Philadelphia in 2021, according to city data.

Jesus Himself experienced a nomadic life on earth.

Luke 9:58 “58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.””

I’ve never known what it is like not to have plenty.

What are you looking forward to the plentifulness of heaven?

Matthew 25:34 “34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:”

John 13:36 “36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.””

There’s Room at the Cross for You lyrics

The cross upon which Jesus died Is a shelter in which we can hide And its grace so free is sufficient for me And deep is its fountain as wide as the sea.

There's room at the cross for you There's room at the cross for you Though millions have come, there's still room for one Yes there's room at the cross for you.

Though millions have found him a friend And have turned from the sins they have sinned The Savior still waits to open the gates And welcome a sinner before it's too late.

Heaven is a Place Prepared v. 3

John 14:3 “3 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.”

Prepare

A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible 2090. ἑτοιμάζω

2090. ἑτοιμάζω hĕtŏimazō, het-oy-mad´-zo; from 2092; to prepare:—prepare, provide, make ready

Matthew 25:34 “34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:”

God has prepared a place for you “from the foundation of the world.”

He has prepared your place for a long time.

The question you want to ask me and I will beat you to the punch is to guess what He has prepared?

Matthew 7:11 “11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”

Hebrews 11:16 “16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”

A place of communion

Heaven is a Place of Permanence v. 3b

John 12:26 “26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.”

Psalms 33:13-14 “13 The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men. 14 From the place of His dwelling He looks On all the inhabitants of the earth;”

1 Thessalonians 4:17 “17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”

“I am”-present active verb, am personal pronoun active singular

John 14:23 “23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.”

Heaven is a Place of Perfection vv. 4-6

John 14:4-6 “4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.” 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Perfection in Righteousness and Holiness

Isaiah 6:1-6 “1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!” 4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar.”

Perfection of our Bodies

1 Corinthians 15:50–58 NKJV

50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Perfection in Newness

Revelation 21:1-2 “1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”

Has anyone ever seen an ugly bride?

I have performed many weddings and gain a real understanding as to how long the bride spends getting ready.

Revelation 21:5 “5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.””

Revelation 21:7 “7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.”

Acts 1:11 “11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.””

Hebrews 10:20 “20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,”

John 10:9 “9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.”

I made a comment yesterday as Jane and I was driving home from going over to Prattville.

I saw some horses acting as content and normal with all types of lightning and bad winds blowing and I thought about this text.

Luke 12:22–34 NKJV

22 Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. 23 Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? 25 And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 26 If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith? 29 “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. 30 For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. 31 But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. 32 “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

John 11:25 “25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.”

1 John 5:20 “20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.”