The Promise of Being with Christ

Scripture Reading

John 14:1–3 NASB95

1 “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 “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.

This was the greatest promise ever made because …

I. The Person

Who made the promise?

A. Jesus’ life determined the course of history

1 John 3:5 NASB95

5 You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin.

B. His life was totally unselfish

Philippians 2:5–8 NASB95

5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

2. The Purpose

Why did Christ speak the words that he did to his disciples?

A. Provides comfort now—“Let not your heart be troubled”

Jesus is seeking to provide comfort.

B. Provides comfort after death—“I go to prepare”

John 13:33 NASB95

33 “Little children, I am with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’

John 13:36 NASB95

36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.”

3. The Place

The Greatest Place ever imagined

“In my Father’s house are many mansions” (v.2)

A. Man’s greatest efforts pale in comparison

B. It is Beyond the grave

C. Description—Rev. 21:10–23

Revelation 21:22–23 NASB95

22 I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb.

D. No more sorrow, pain, or death

Revelation 21:3–7 NASB95

3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” 5 And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” 6 Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. 7 “He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.

4. The Prerequisite

John 14:1 NASB95

1 “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.

A. This prerequisite is founded upon the “grace of God”

B. It is a promise to all who believe

Romans 3:21–22 NASB95

21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;

5. The Preparation

Galatians 4:4: “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son …”

Galatians 4:4 NASB95

4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,

A. “Fulness” refers to preparation on earth

B. Jesus had to live, die, rise from the dead, and ascend

2 Corinthians 5:17–19 NASB95

17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

6. The Prospect

"I will come again, and receive you”

A. Prospect for the living and the dead

B. Paul’s verification—1 Thess. 4:15–18

1 Thessalonians 4:15–18 NASB95

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 not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

C. We have no reason to doubt—“If it were not so, I would have told you”

Conclusion

We are reminded of the brevity of life

We are reminded of the very real pains and hurts of this life.

We are reminded through Scripture of the purposes of God…

Lena has reached a point of union with Jesus Christ.

She is rejoicing in the presence of her Saviour in paradise.

As we grieve as a result of our own loss, let us rejoice for her, that she ran the race to the finish line, and has been called home by her wonderful, merciful Saviour.

Is this your joy and your hope?