Temple Baptist Church - 2-28-2024
John 14:1-4
Introduction:
A. Last week, we dissected the first part of verse 1: “Let not your heart be troubled.” The Lord is leaving, and the apostles are going to have to “step up” and take on the work of the ministry. Introduction over!
B. We find several things in the verses that will help us in the last perilous times. I want to look at these 4 verses tonight so as to encourage our people during these discouraging days. Six things I want to look at tonight to encourage your hearts.
1. A Fear to Overcome. “Let not you heart be troubled.”
a. We live in the worst spiritual time in history. There is so much sin and confusion today that many if not most have troubled hearts.
b. Disappointing times, discouraging times, deluding times, defiling times.
c. Sin is rampant and accepted as the norm; confusion comes at us from every side; voices of every kind to hear. It is of no wonder that the believers is exhorted to assemble “so much the more” as we see the world set up for both the realization of Antichrist and the acceptance of his philosophy which is totally anti-God.
d. The “falling away” is in its last stages. There have always been good men of God and good churches in which to find the preaching, exhorting, and help that we need. Now, they are about as scarce as “hens’ teeth!” Another young pastor resigned his church this week to go into evangelism. Another church will be trying to find someone willing to come pastor the flock and hopefully stay!
e. We find few believers who will buck the status quo and live in such a way to make a difference. Most are too worldly minded to be of any heavenly good.
f. Today, we find rejection by the masses, spiritual defeats, and multiple failures that all of us have experienced. These inward, negative feelings can destroy us.
g. It is here that we must be very careful! Often the most painful wounds are not the scars that are outwardly seen, but the hidden wounds deep in the heart. Being hidden, they are often the most dangerous.
g. These things cause spiritual discouragement and troubled hearts. When our faith is weakened, we tend to stop pressing toward the mark and finishing our race for Christ.
2. A Faith to Believe. “Ye believe in God, believe also in me!”
a. These disciples had no problem believing in the Jehovah God of the Old Testament but needed to have that same faith in Christ Jesus.
b. Christ had always provided their every need from the physical to the spiritual. They had been eye witness to all His miracles but these physical miracles were not enough to inspire them to trust Him wholly.
Matthew 8:26-27 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. (27) But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
“What manner of man is this” was not the faith needed to calm the heart.
c. Notice that Jesus said, “Believe also in me!” Here we find the faith that will cure the troubled heart.
1 John 5:4-5 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. (5) Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
3. A Future that is Secure. “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you!”
a. Our future is secured through the promises of God. Our heavenly homes are await us and they are not “rooms” or “little cabins over in the corner of Glory Land.” They are beyond our comprehension, and they are there! “Are”
b. They are not being built as we speak, they are already there and have been from eternity past.
c. We are not “sending up timbers” because they are “ivory palaces.” “Home sweet home!”
Psalms 45:8 All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.
Revelation 21:1-4 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. (2) And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (3) And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. (4) And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
4. A Foundation to Stand Upon. “And if I go and prepare a place for you.” The Blood of Christ! The blood to be applied to the Mercy Seat in heaven. There were two Ascensions of Christ back to heaven. This was accomplished in two parts:
a. The First Ascension as High Priest with His Own Blood – John 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
Hebrews 9:11-14 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; (12) Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. (13) For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: (14) How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
b. The Second Ascension - Acts 1:9-11 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. (10) And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; (11) Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
5. A Fellowship that Awaits. “I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
a. We will be with Him. 1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
b. We will be like Him. 1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
6. A Fight to Finish. John 13:36-37a Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards. (37a) Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now?
a. There is a work to be done. Matthew 9:36-38 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. (37) Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; (38) Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
b. There is a race to be run. Hebrews 12:1-2 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, (2) Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
