HOPE FOR OUR HEARTS!

JOHN 14: 1-6 -

14 “Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also. 4 You know the way to where I am going.”,

5 “Lord,” Thomas said, “we don’t know where you’re going. How can we know the way?”

6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Jn 14:1–6). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

MOMENTS LIKE THESE LEAVE US “LITERALLY” SPEECHLESS.

WE FIND OURSELVES VACILLATING BETWEEN A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING AND A LACK OF FAITH.

LORD, WHY DID THIS HAPPEN, AND HAPPEN NOW?

LORD, WHERE WERE YOU?

COULDN’T YOU HAVE STEPPED IN?

THESE FEELINGS ARE NORMAL AND PERMISSIBLE.

FAMILY, AT THIS MOMENT, I DO NOT HAVE AN ANSWER TO WHY. BUT I CONFIDENTLY HAVE AN ANSWER TO WHOM.

HERE’S WHAT I KNOW: THE GOD WHO PERMITS PAIN ALWAYS PROVIDES COMFORT.

THE GOD WHO GIVES LIFE ALWAYS PROVIDES HOPE.

AND THE GOD WHO DEMONSTRATES PERFECT LOVE NEVER TAKES ALL.

IN FACT, OUR PASSAGE FOR TODAY HIGHLIGHTS AN INSTANCE WHEN SEPARATION WAS INEVITABLE - WHEN DEATH WAS UNAVOIDABLE - WHEN PAIN WAS ALMOST UNBEARABLE.

JESUS HAD INFORMED HIS DISCIPLES THAT HIS EARTHLY ASSIGNMENT WAS COMING TO FULFILLMENT WITH HIS DEATH ON CALVARY’S CROSS.

AND THIS REALITY BROUGHT EXTREME GRIEF TO HIS FRIENDS AND FOLLOWERS:

DON’T LET YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED. BELIEVE IN GOD; BELIEVE ALSO IN ME.

AWWW BELOVED, WHEN TROUBLE TROUBLES YOU, BELIEVE GOD!

JESUS IN THIS VERSE IS DECLARING HIS DEITY (THAT HE, IN FACT, IS GOD), AND IN SO DOING, HE IS AFFIRMING THAT WHAT HE’S ABOUT TO SAY IS TRUSTWORTHY, BECAUSE GOD HIMSELF IS SAYING IT:

IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE ARE MANY ROOMS. IF IT WERE NOT SO, WOULD I HAVE TOLD YOU THAT I AM GOING TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU? IF I GO AWAY AND PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU, I WILL COME AGAIN AND TAKE YOU TO MYSELF, SO THAT WHERE I AM YOU MAY BE ALSO. YOU KNOW THE WAY TO WHERE I AM GOING.”

JESUS NEEDED HIS DISCIPLES (AND US) TO KNOW AND BELIEVE THAT ALTHOUGH HE HAD TO GO, THEIR BELIEF ASSURED THEM THAT THEY WOULD MEET AGAIN!

BELIEVE GOD!

THIS IS WHERE THE FACTS AND OUR FAITH HAVE TO PARTNER:

JESUS IS LEAVING, AND BY WAY OF CRUCIFIXION (FACT) - YET HE PROMISES TO COME AGAIN (FAITH).

ON THIS SIDE, WE LOSE THOSE WE LOVE (FACTS).

ON THE OTHER SIDE, WE ARE CONFIDENT WE’LL SEE THEM AGAIN (FAITH).

BRO TIMS SERVED HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN WITH EXCELLENCE (FACTS). WE MUST FIND STRENGTH TO KEEP HIS LEGACY ALIVE (FAITH)!

IS THERE ANYBODY UP IN HERE WHO CAN SMILE THROUGH THEIR TEARS AND DECLARE, “I BELIEVE!”

WHEN TROUBLE TROUBLES YOU, BELIEVE GOD.

WHEN UNCERTAINTY OVERWHELMS YOU, WAIT ON GOD!

THE DISCIPLES WANTED ANSWERS. IN THE PRECEDING CHAPTER, PETER WAS ADAMANT ABOUT GOING WITH JESUS.

JESUS AFFIRMS THAT OUR BEST POSTURE, WHEN UNCERTAINTY OVERWHELMS US IS TO WAIT!

THIS WAS HIS COMMAND AND PROMISE: WAIT ON ME - I’M COMING FOR YOU!

FAMILY, AS WE WAIT ON HEALING - COMFORT - EVEN PEACE, WE MUST WAIT IN FAITH!

WE MUST WAIT, BELIEVING THAT GOD IS ABLE TO FULFILL HIS DIVINE WILL FOR OUR LIVES.

WE MUST WAIT, BELIEVING THAT GOD IS CONCERNED WITH OUR WELL-BEING AND OUR FUTURE!

WHEN UNCERTAINTY OVERWHELMS YOU - WAIT ON GOD!

WAITING ISN’T WEAK, IT’S POWERFUL! WAITING DEMONSTRATES THAT YOU’RE RELYING ON THE INTERVENTION OF ONE WHOSE POWER IS GREATER THAN YOURS...

WAITING DEMONSTRATES THAT YOU HAVE HOPE BEYOND THE MOMENT. AND WHILE YOU CAN’T SEE IT - YOU CHOOSE TO BELIEVE IT!!!

IS THERE A WITNESS IN THE HOUSE WHO CAN TESTIFY: I’M HURTING, BUT I’M WAITING!

WHEN TROUBLE TROUBLES YOU, BELIEVE GOD!

WHEN UNCERTAINTY OVERWHELMS YOU, WAIT ON GOD.

FINALLY, WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW WHICH WAY TO GO, FOLLOW GOD!

I’M PARAPHRASING, AS THOMAS SPEAKS UP: LORD WE DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT - WHAT YOU’RE ABOUT TO DO, OR WHERE YOU’RE ABOUT TO GO! TO WHICH JESUS REPLIES: FOLLOW ME!

JESUS HELPS ME CLOSE THIS FEEBLE MESSAGE WITH A COMMAND TO FOLLOW HIM!

IN FACT, JESUS HELPS THOSE OF OF US WHO HAVE NEVER BELIEVED OR FOLLOWED TO KNOW THAT THERE IS NO ETERNAL LIFE WITHOUT THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE.

THERE IS NO CLARITY FOR LIFE WITHOUT THE SON OF MAN!

JESUS SAYS, “FOLLOW ME - GET TO KNOW ME, AND YOU’LL KNOW THE FATHER, WHILE EXPERIENCING LIFE-ETERNAL!”

FAMILY, YOU CAN’T MAKE IT THROUGH MOMENTS LIKE THESE WITHOUT A SOLID AND SECURE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD.

IT’S SIMPLY NOT POSSIBLE.

I’VE DISCOVERED THAT GOD TAKES THOSE WHOM WE LOVE TO GET OUR ATTENTION, SO THAT WE CAN BE ESTABLISHED OR REESTABLISHED IN OUR FAITH.

HAVE YOU TRULY FOLLOWED THE LORD?

ARE YOU IN RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM?