John 14:1-21 Untroubled in this world

Trouble. Everywhere. Just when you think we have an all clear, more trouble.

I’m talking about more than COVID stuff. The Lord has blessed us in this matter. We have had a total of 5 cases over the past number of weeks. No one hospitalized. Only a few lingering issues, without any real harsh symptoms – pretty much a bad case of the flu at worst. And all are either over it or getting there – nothing just starting. In fact, our canceling church was more a precaution to be extra careful than anything. Unless something else happens we will likely be ready to return next week. The 150 anniversary is also still on – at this point.

Trouble was here before COVID and will continue long after it is gone. Trouble is part of this broken world. External trouble will continue. We can’t avoid it. But we can deal with the inner turmoil. The inner trouble. Through scripture people face external trouble, but often people of faith come to a place of living without inner struggle / without inner trouble.

But how does this happen? Let’s look at one of the examples from scripture. Jesus is facing crucifixion. The disciples are about to be left on their own. Trouble will arise on every hand. Yet Jesus tells them, ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled.”

Let’s look at what He says. His desire is for us to live with untroubled hearts. In spite of the external trouble that we will constantly face.

We will look at John 14 in a passage that often is used at funerals. But it applies to all of life. Whenever trouble comes, let us hear what Jesus says.

(NKJV) John 14 1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many dwellings; 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.

An Untroubled heart in this world John 14:1-21

Pray

I. An Untroubled heart in the world: Because we have a place of belonging

A. In times of uncertainty

(NKJV) John 14 1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.

1. Disciples troubled at Jesus’ sayings. Death crucifixion trouble – inner turmoil / uncertainty about the future

2. Judas had left to betray Him. Jesus talked about going away. Peter “Where are you going” / Confusion in their minds. Uncertainty about the future.

B. A place for you

(NKJV) John 14 2 In My Father’s house are many dwellings; 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.

1. Vagabonds / will never really have a place / in a culture of security

2. Christ coming for you – His going away will cause pain / trouble but it is the very thing that will provide hope (He is not up in heaven doing construction work – it is the going to the cross that He prepared a place for us)

3. Not mansion – dwelling places

4. Big enough for all His disciples (not only 144,000 – JW funeral)

5. Temple – most well known multiperson dwelling / apts for priests / But living in the house with God

C. A place with Him

(NKJV) John 14 2 In My Father’s house are many dwellings; 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.

1. Receive you to Myself (not just to the place)

2. Belonging / fellowship

Mission visit locations: Stay in motel or with people / luxury and quiet or deep fellowship – with people the first might be preferred / with God the latter

Went to Amman Jordan – marble everywhere 5 star international hotel

Went to Obninsk Russia – translator and I slept in the living room – four other family members in two bedrooms and kitchen ---- precious memories

An Untroubled heart in the world: Because we have a place of belonging

II. An Untroubled heart in the world: A Person(s) to be with

A. A Person(s) to be with - With the Father

(NKJV) John 14 8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

1. Philip “Show us the Father?”

2. Possible to be around Jesus and not yet really know Him

3. A desire to know God (the Father) – created with this need

4. Come to Jesus and you experience the Father / the true longing of our soul

B. A Person(s) to be with - With Jesus

12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

1. His presence

2. A promise of ability in Christ as we live in His presence

a. Greater works in the Christian – not quality or quantity but scope / reach the multitudes / preach a fuller message that Jesus was only able to do as a shadow of what was to come

3. Through the means of prayer

a. In His name

1) To ask in his name might mean to ask in a way that is in accordance with his character / For His sake / According to His will / For His glory

b. He will answer

4. He is not present physically, but not forever

18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. 19 “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. 20 At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.

5. He makes Himself know to those following Him

15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments…21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

a. Demonstration of love by following

CONT

C. A Person(s) to be with - The Holy Spirit

John 14 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

1. Another helper/comforter of the same kind as Jesus

2. ‘comforter’, ‘teacher’, ‘advocate’, ‘counsellor’, ‘helper’ and ‘guide’.

a. Comfort – encourage – provide inner strength to deal with the difficult situations we find ourselves

b. Defender/advocate – take our side / pleads our case/ give grace in the eyes of others / support us with others / support us in the eyes of God

3. The Spirit in you

Father reaching out to them – the one that they have been hardwired to know

Son ministering to them – making the way to fellowship

Spirit living within them – empowering / experience within

An Untroubled heart in the world: Because we have a place of belonging

An Untroubled heart in the world: A Person(s) to be with

III. An Untroubled heart in the world: A peace that is real

A. Inner well being

(NKJV) John 14 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?”

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.

1. How will you reveal yourself but not to the world? / What will this look like?

2. Not like anything the world knows – real peace – in spite of circumstances

B. Sure of His presence and support – and Their care and support

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. 24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.

1. Intimate relationship with God brings peace

C. Because of the ministry of the Spirit

25 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

1. Ministry of the Spirit brings peace

2. Helper

3. Teacher / give perspective

An Untroubled heart in the world: Because we have a place of belonging

An Untroubled heart in the world: A Person(s) to be with

An Untroubled heart in the world: A peace that is real

IV. An Untroubled heart in the world: A Life with understanding

A. Rejoicing in trouble when you understand

28 You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I. 29 “And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.

1. has purpose

B. In spite of knowing trouble awaits

30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. 31 But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.

C. Obeying to prove your love of the Father

30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. 31 But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.

1. He expressed his desire to obey the Father.

a. He was not hindered by expected suffering.

b. His Father’s forsaking him.

c. Death was in near prospect.

d. Make all heaven and earth know how entirely he yielded himself to the Father.

e. And be rewarded in the end ---

f. the very definition of faith

An Untroubled heart in the world: Because we have a place of belonging

An Untroubled heart in the world: A Person(s) to be with

An Untroubled heart in the world: A peace that is real

An Untroubled heart in the world: A Life with understanding

V. An Untroubled heart in the world: A need to personalize these truth by faith

A. A demand for faith

(NKJV) John 14 1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.

1. Both imperatives (could be other)

2. Trust in the Father/Son

B. A Faith in Jesus

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. 7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”

1. Thomas “How can we go too? We don’t know the way.”

2. The way – via His death of the cross He is enabled to be the way

3. The truth –is the living truth concerning the Father and the way to the Father

4. The life – Is the means of life itself

5. No other means to the Father except through Christ / no one else provides a way, no one else provides the truth / no one else can provide life