My Father's House

Where We’ve Been

Over the last few week we have been Going through the Upper Room Discourse, Jesus’ private farewell conversation with His disciples. In week one I talked about the depth of washing one’s feet and the example of servitude and in Jesus’ case serving in Love.

Week two, Priscilla, walked us through the moment that Jesus told Judas to do what he was to do, the depth of sharing a meal with someone, how we never know who is saved yet to serve with grace and that ultimately Jesus is in control of all things.

Week three, Marcos walked us through the new commandment, Love one another as I have loved you and how this charge is for the believer. Where we see loving God and one’s neighbor as universal commands, to love one another is specifically aimed at believers with the result being that “ALL PEOPLE WILL KNOW THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES.”

Last week, Nohan helped us try to understand Peter’s mindset, zealous, prideful and passionate. He also helped us understand that “the beauty of this story of betrayal is that we also see forgiveness and restoration.” Jesus forgives and restores.

Don’t be troubled.

John 14:1–14 ESV

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

Today we’re going to split up the passages into a few sections.

I really appreciate the beauty and simplicity of the first sentence. It points directly at the fact that Jesus knows us. He knows how we feel and how we will react. Jesus spends the first part of His farewell discourse Teaching His disciples how to act and how to represent Him. His direct conversation with Peter gives Jesus the segue He needs to turn the conversation. From this is how to love and serve one another to, This is who I Am and This is where I am going.

As adults we probably do not remember the anxiety we felt as children to be separated from our parents. First days of school, first time spending the day with our grandparents and so on. We don’t remember these days. As a parent you have the opportunity of feeling the other side of that anxiety. If you’ve been with someone or have had a sibling go out of state, or anyone else you’ve cared about and been close to. There is a separation anxiety and a question of “what am I going to do without you?” Jesus here gives a word of peace and affirmation. As simply as he calmed the storm, “be still” (Mark 4:39), he speaks to calm our hearts and give us peace.

But, Jesus, knowing our weakness, supports his encouragement with “believe in God, Believe also in me.” Many believe that a better translation of that sentence is “ you believe in God, believe also in me.” and this sets up his next words. He is basically saying, “hey, be still. Since you believe in the I Am and have trusted in his work and have seen his work through me, and since you trust in his Word, trust that what I am about to say is true.”

Last week we saw how jesus tells his disciples that he is leaving, here he tells them where and for what reason, to the Father and to prepare a place for them. In ancient Jewish tradition, some believed in heaven as the paternal house of God. Also, some extra-biblical sources hint at multiple living places with the father.

Reading John: A Literary and Theological Commentary on the Fourth Gospel and the Johannine Epistles The Way, the Truth, and the Life (13:31–14:31)

The Fourth Evangelist reinterprets this tradition in Christological terms. John 2:16’s reference to “my Father’s house” is to the Jerusalem temple. In Johannine Christianity, however, Jesus is the new temple (John 2:19, 21; Rev 21:22). (Kerr) So when the Johannine Jesus says the disciples will be in “my Father’s house,” this is an alternate way of saying they will be “in him “and “in the Father” (17:21; Rev 21:22). The reference to the many abiding places, then, means there is room for all to be “in the Son.” Those who abide in him now will abide in him in the future. (3) To what does “I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (12:26; 17:24) refer? The language is similar to that in 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 (cf. Mark 13:24–27):

What is this commentary saying? There is room for us all, despite our color, ethnicity, height, weight, financial status, what have you. There is no qualifier to faith. “believe in God and also in me and the place I have prepared for you, with my father, is yours.”

John 3:16 NASB95

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

I remember a long while back this section of scripture came up, to which I responded, “I’ll take a park bench in heaven.” I know abner brings it up from time to time, but looking back I feel so dumb…In expressing this false humility I was effectively rejecting what Christ had prepared for me. We do that sometimes, try too hard to be humble that we negate what God has created us for or what God has done for us; but that’s another sermon.

The Way, the Truth, the Life

On May 16th, we started a three part series on these verses, so I am not going to spend really any time here. I quick recap in these two quotes from separate authors:

John 14 (SB:CSNT):

Jesus is the way—let us follow him. Jesus is the truth—let us build with confidence upon the precious truths of his comforting promises. Jesus is the life—let us learn to abide in him, the source of spiritual life, until he comes back to receive us to the prepared mansions above.

Reading John: A Literary and Theological Commentary on the Fourth Gospel and the Johannine Epistles The Way, the Truth, and the Life (13:31–14:31)

As bread of life, he nourishes people; as the resurrection and life, he gives life; as the life, he gives life. To be given life is a part of the way to the Father. As the truth, Jesus reveals it (1:17) and bears witness to it (18:37). Knowing the truth is also part of the way to the Father. One might then paraphrase: “I am the way to the Father, that is, the revealer of truth and the giver of life.”

The Father and I

Here we begin to see something emphasized that John the Gospel writer said at the beginning of this book:

John 1:1 NASB95

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

These verses are foundational to why we believe in a Trinitarian God. One God, three persons. It is complicated thing to understand. Its a mystery and I love that scripture leaves room for that. My favorite unknown quote says this, “If you could fully understand God, would he be God?” That’s not to say don’t be curious, or leave it there. Be curious, look into the trinity! I have 2 books alone on the trinity that I’ve yet to read. But I will say this, God is one in substance, three in persons. God is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. So when we read in the OT that the “Lord your God is one.” (Deuteronomy 6:4) That is true. And when we see in Genesis 1:2 That the Spirit of God moved over the waters, Then in Genesis 1:26 it says to let us make man in our image, that’s true. What we just read in John 1:1 is true and our verses here where Jesus says Who ever has seen me has seen the father, this is true. This is what we in English peaking world call a paradox. Something that seems self-contradictory, but when you explore it you find it holds water.

The disciples have been seeing the power of God in Jesus’ works and words and yet they haven’t seen the father? This points us to a certain truth, that without the work of Holy Spirit on our lives we cannot perceive and accept the truth.

Matthew 16:16–17 ESV

Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

The Spirit of Truth as we will see next week.

In My Name

Reading John: A Literary and Theological Commentary on the Fourth Gospel and the Johannine Epistles The Way, the Truth, and the Life (13:31–14:31)

Jesus not only reveals the Father; he also empowers the disciples because he goes to the Father (vv. 12–13). Verse 12 says, “the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father.” This has sometimes been taken to mean miraculous works (cf. Mk 16:17–18), sometimes missionary successes (cf. 4:35–38). Because v. 10b includes Jesus’ words as part of his works, v. 12 cannot be reduced to miracles. Because Jesus’ works in John include miracles, the greater works cannot be taken to exclude the miraculous. The disciples’ total work (of which words and miracles are both parts) will be greater in scope than that of the incarnate Jesus. It will not be independent of or even on the same level as that of Jesus, however. Verses 13–14 say, “Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it.” This is the other side of the coin. The disciples’ greater works are dependent on Jesus’ glorification and his answers to their prayers.

Since Jesus ministry was multi-faceted, then we can say with certainty the function of the church is too! We get to serve in that power and capacity because Jesus will mediate for us. The work we do for God is dependent on prayer. Many people take these verses to mean anything anything, but here the context is specifically in reference to the works of God. The efficiency of our ministry does not rely on our abilities, but Jesus mediation. As we minister in this world we have to rely on Christ and his promises.

What Am I Saying

In summary what we have before us truly peace giving, hope inspiring and faith assuring.

Believer, In this world, do not be troubled. Believe in Jesus. When he says that he goes to prepare a place for you, you can rest assured that as he goes he is making the way in his life, death and resurrection, that through these things he has purchased our place. Since he is the way, we know that our path is secure, Since he is the truth we can rest assured that what he has said is true. Faith in Jesus is what gives us life, not the quality of our faith, but just having faith and this life grants us access to the father whom Jesus perfectly reflected in his earthly ministry by his miraculous deeds, prayerful life, truthful and life giving words, and that as believers these thing are ours in prayer and by the promises of Jesus. One of the greatest aspects of Jesus ministry is his love for the father and his love for us. Time and time again in this farewell discourse Jesus points to these things. We need to pray to love each other more each day. May that be our greatest prayer.

1 John 4:20 ESV

If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.

Unbeliever, these promises are true and life giving. Hear these words that the Son of God has lived, died and resurrected to make us righteous before the father, pay for our sins and prepare a place for you. There are no deed that can redeem except what Christ has done for the sinner. Believe in Jesus and turn to him for your every need, there is a place with the Father waiting for you.