Comfort from the Comforter
Notes
Transcript
Read: John 14:1
Read: John 14:1
1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
Jesus wan’t one to waste words. He said what he meant and meant what he said.
So when Jesus says, “Let not your heart be troubled” he was talking to some people who he thought might have troubled hearts.
I don’t believe Jesus was rebuking these men but rather trying to encourage them.
Nor was he just offering up an empty platitude, “cheer up.”
We have a little record of what brought about this troubled feeling. In order to fully understand this one verse we need to gain a little context of what has been taking place.
This verse is only part of a larger section spanning chapters 13-17 covering the final week of Jesus earthly ministry. He will be crucified on Friday, and our verse is Thursday night in the upper room.
The contents are original with John, meaning they are not found in the other Gospels.
Some troubling things that have been happening and said are:
The Jewish authorities were out to kill Jesus
Numerous times Jesus alluded to his soon coming crucifixion, death, and going away.
Jesus had told them that one of the twelve was a traitor and would betray Him.
Predicted Peter would deny or disown Jesus three times
That Satan was working against all of them
That the Disciples, all of them would fall way or leave Him.
No wonder they were feeling troubled -
Jesus Himself was no doubt growing increasingly troubled about the upcoming betrayal and crucifixion. Yet he lays aside his own concerns, burden, and troubles and tries to comfort the disciples, he concerns himself with the distressed disciples.
And He looks at them his eyes brimming with care and love and says those heart touching and comforting sayings:
“Let not your heart be troubled”
To be troubled means “To be or become characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need.”
We too are living in a time that we could easily be troubled - but I think Christ’s Words are as timeless as the Speaker of them:
Let not your heart be troubled:
then we are given two reasons why in this verse - while the chapter goes on to list others.
Believe God: While we don’t go in blind faith - we sometimes have to go where we cannot see -
Sis. Angie Edwards wrote several years ago a beautiful song that says:
I choose to trust, the God I cannot see.
I choose to walk the path He chose for me.
I choose to love the One who gave His life for me.
I choose to put my faith and trust in God.
This is what Jesus is telling His disciples to do - You may not have a full understanding of what is going to happen - it going to get bad - but you can still trust God even in the dark and in the bad.
Believe also in Me: Here Jesus is declaring his Deity. God has never failed - I will never fail you either!!!
to “believe” as used here means “to trust in Jesus”
I’m glad we can trust Jesus!
The hymn writer said: “Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, Just to take Him at His word!!!”
Here we are at a time when all sorts of things can drag us down and cause us to have troubled hearts!
To be afraid, discouraged, disillusioned, frustrated, unsure of what to do next!
But Jesus’ words ring true just as much tonight as when they were first spoken -
1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.