Highlights: Chairs – “Buy the Seat of Your Pants”; Sanctity of Life Sunday – Jan 19th / Baby Bottle Drive

– Do as I done… Serve… I have given you an example, blessed are you if you do them…

– Love as I have loved… By this all will know that you are my disciples …

– Obey as I have obeyed… Glorify God through Obedience…

As we dive into Chapter 14, lets us keep in context of the Upper Room Discourse (13-17) Dialogue…

Sermon Title:

“He is Coming Again”

31 So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. 32 If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately. 33 Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

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.”

John 13:31–38 NKJV

31 So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. 32 If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately. 33 Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” 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.” 37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.” 38 Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.

37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.”

38 Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.

***JESUS’ FOCUS IS ‘WHERE HE IS GOING’… & THEY CANNOT FOLLOW AT THE MOMENT, But

14 “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.”

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.

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.

CONSIDER THE HEART OF WHAT HE IS SAYING WITH OUT THE OTHER PIECES OF THE PARTS

13 33 Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come*,’ so now I say to you. (signifying death*) 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.” 14 “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.

Jesus is telling them, “I am leaving…” (Your understanding of the OT Prophecies of Messiah, … Messiah shall be cut off…” This is immediate…) Where I am going you cannot come now… Where I am going… My Father’s house… I go to prepare a place for you… (Interesting allusion and imagery here, that of a Jewish wedding [again]…

all through the Gospels, Jesus relied on the ancient Jewish wedding pattern for many of His parables, climaxing in His promise in the Upper Room discourse of our text in

Rem. in the 3 Synoptic Gospels… (; ; … Q’d about Fasting

Then the disciples of John came to Him, asking, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?" And Jesus said to them, "The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

Matthew 9:14–15 NKJV

14 Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

Jesus is here returning to this allusion or imagery of the pattern of the Jewish wedding… I go to prepare a place for you… I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

JEWISH WEDDING PATTERN

The Ketubah, or Betrothal

was the establishment of the marriage covenant,

The Mohair

when the prospective bridegroom took the initiative and negotiated the price he must pay to purchase her.

The Betrothal

once the bridegroom paid the purchase price, the marriage covenant was established, and the young man and woman were regarded as husband and wife. From that moment on, the bride was declared to be consecrated or sanctified - set apart - exclusively for her bridegroom. As a symbol of the covenant relationship that had been established, the groom and bride drank from a cup of wine over which the betrothal had been pronounced.

The Bridegroom’s Departure

after the marriage covenant was established, the groom left his bride at her home and returned to his father's house…

The Bride’s Preparation

From the Betrothal the bride was declared to be consecrated or sanctified - set apart - exclusively for her bridegroom.

The Apostle Paul refers to this time in 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

The Dwelling Place Prepared

During this period of separation, the groom prepared a dwelling place in his father's house to which he would later bring his bride.

The Bridegroom’s Return

at the end of the period of separation (Determined by the bridegroom’s Father – when the work was completed) the bridegroom came - usually at night - to take his bride to live with him.

The “Shout” of the Herald

“The Bridegroom is coming”… The groom, the best man, and other male escorts left the father's house and conducted a torch-light procession to the home of the bride, Although the bride was expecting her groom to come for her, she did not know the time of his coming. As a result, the groom's arrival was preceded by a shout, which announced her imminent departure to be gathered with him.

The Return to the Father’s house

after the groom received his bride, together with her female attendants, the enlarged wedding party returned from the bride's home to the groom's father's house, where the wedding guests had assembled.

The Bridal Chamber

(Bema seat – Rewards/Gifts) Shortly after their arrival, the bride and groom were escorted by the other members of the wedding party to the bridal chamber (huppah). The members of the wedding party returned to the wedding guests and announce the consummation of the marriage. It is in the bridal chamber that the Bridegroom would give gifts to his bride for seven days.

The wedding guest

remained in the groom's father's house for the next seven days, celebrating with a great wedding feast.

The WEEK of Feasting

(The WEEK, , the 70th Seven, Jacob’s Trouble) During the seven days of the wedding feast, the bride and groom remained hidden in the bridal chamber for the seven days of the huppah.

The Marriage Supper Consummation

afterwards, the groom came out of hiding, bringing his bride with him – The Marriage Supper is completed when the Bridegroom and Bride join the feast.

The allusion to the Jewish wedding again here by Christ in this last discourse with His disciples and His emphasis in that “pattern” emphasizes our understanding of eschatology… end times theology…

, 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.

Three Promises of the Bridegroom, Jesus:

· I am Preparing a place for you (At My Father’s House)

· I will come again and ‘receive you to Myself’ (, But you shall follow me afterward)

· You will be with me where I am (In My Father’s House)

Parlambano- to take to, to take with one's self, to join to one's self; to receive something transmitted

- to take to, to take with one's self, to join to one's self; to receive something transmitted

Harpazo- to seize, carry off by force; to seize on, claim for one's self eagerly; to snatch out or away

- to seize, carry off by force; to seize on, claim for one's self eagerly; to snatch out or away

Paul refers to this event in

13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 NKJV

13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 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. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 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. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

What do these three Promises of Jesus mean to me?

· I am Preparing a place for you (At My Father’s House)

· I will come again and ‘receive you to Myself’ (, But you shall follow me afterward)

· You will be with me where I am (In My Father’s House)

1. God has a place prepared for me! I have a future permanent residence! –

I HAVE HOPE

2. He is coming back for me – Paralalambano / Harpazo

2.1 What is my ‘sanctified’ (Betrothal) to look like?

3 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

· Do I have this Hope?

· Am I PURIFYING myself?? What standard, just as others are pure? Or, as He is pure?

I HAVE PURIFYING

3. WE will follow Him to be with Him where He is in His Father’s House…

Meet the Lord in the air and thus we shall always be with the Lord…

I HAVE ASSURANCE

Do you know the Lord?

Are you needing to get about the purifying business?

Altar Responses