We're entering a section, the next three chapters of John is what is referred to as the upper room discourse or his farewell address. Everything that we see in chapter 14, 15, 16, and 17 are things that Jesus said at some point during the Last Supper or on their way to the Garden of Gethsemane where he will pray and then Judas will come with those to arrest him. So only John records this section. Matthew, Mark, and Luke don't. So that's why it's important. As you'll see, I'll go in from time to time looking at the other gospel writers to try to get the full picture of what was going on. So as we look at chapter 14 here, we've got to understand that this was a discourse that Jesus gave during the Last Supper. And as verse one says here, is that, notice how he starts it, by telling his disciples, let not your heart be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. Now, everything that was transparent, they were troubled. Now, why were they troubled? Well, first of all, while he was at the supper, he says, one of you is gonna betray me. Now, that really bothered them. And they began to question among themselves, well, is it me, Jesus? Am I gonna be the one who's gonna do this? So the text, it says, and Jesus could see by their questioning one another, is it me? And also remember, Jesus is God. He could see into the hearts of men. He knew what their hearts were like. He could read people's minds. We know that from the scripture from John already. He knew what people were thinking. He knew what the scribes and the Pharisees were thinking. That's why he knew they were scoundrels. He knew exactly the condition of their heart. He knew his disciples were very troubled over several things. Well, first of all, someone was gonna betray them and Also, the fact that Jesus had been telling them, now look, I'm going to, the Son of Man has to go to Jerusalem. He's going to be delivered up to the religious leaders and he's going to suffer and he's going to die. Now he will be raised from the dead. So he's already told them that this would happen. And so that would be another reason for them to be very troubled in heart. And after all, Luke records this, and he's the only one who records this. In Luke 22, verse 37, Jesus has, he tells them, he says, look, it is written of the Messiah that he must be reckoned with the transgressors. And he's quoting Isaiah 53, 12. I can't help but encourage you, you probably already know this anyway, but Isaiah 53 is probably foremost the greatest messianic chapter in all of the Old Testament. In fact, it is even the liberals for the longest time realized When you read Isaiah 53, he says, well, that's things that happened to Jesus. And for the longest time, the liberal says, well, it had to be written after the fact. Had to be written in the first century, second century. And that was a common thought. Until this boy in Israel was throwing a rock and threw it into a cave and heard a crack. Went in to investigate and found these scrolls that had been in there for over three or four centuries. And in those scrolls was almost the entire chapter of Isaiah 53. And they had to admit, well, I guess it was written before that time. So it is a magnificent passage. And Jesus has twice referred to Isaiah 53 at the Last Supper. And of course he's referring back that Judas would betray him. He says it was said that a close friend in Psalm 49, he's quoting Psalm 49, would betray him. Jesus recognizing that his disciples are troubled by what he had said about Judas, what he had said about his impending arrest and death. But here's the great thing. What Jesus seeks to say about to comfort his disciples is still true today for you and me. In other words, how are we to deal with disappointments? Now we know from Psalm 90 that that great and wonderful passage there talks about all our days are filled with sorrow. The 70 years that God gives to us, and if due to strength, maybe 80 years, We all understand that this life has its troubles. It has its disappointments. And we all realize that we are but dust, that our bodies begin to break down as we get older. We lose friends. We lose loved ones. We lose family members. We lose spouses. It's life. And that's why the psalm says our lives are filled with great sorrow the few years that we got. And those are few years because the scripture says we're like the grass of the field. It rises up in the morning, but by the evening it's fading. We're like the vapor of the air, the vapor that you see rising up, but then it dissipates. That's our life. And so we realize life has its discouragements, doesn't it? That we all have to face. And so that's what Jesus is telling his disciples is carries true for us today, most assuredly. And to compound the fact that we begin to break down physically as we get older, Paul informs us in 2 Timothy 3 verse 12, he says, yea, all those who live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Not maybe, shall. And we're gonna see in John 15, Jesus says, don't think that the servant is greater than the master. If they've persecuted me, they're gonna persecute you. So you and I, we need to realize, and those of us who've been Christians longer, We realize people just don't like us because we're Christians. It's hard to make sense, but they don't. We have our trials. It's been that way since for the last 2,000 years. People have hated Christians, believe it or not, simply because we're Christians and we're going to suffer persecution. So we got, we have those trials we got to deal with that we're gonna be troubled. And you know, and Jesus said in Matthew six, he told us not to be anxious about tomorrow. I was just mentioning Jason here just a moment ago about a painting business and over the years, had to trust God to bring in the work. I mean, Aubrey understands that as well, that type of business. And that we don't know what tomorrow will hold, and we have to live by faith, but here's the thing. God has made promises to us. Jesus says, you know, I've made these promises. Don't be anxious about tomorrow, what you're gonna eat or drink, what you're gonna wear. God provides for the birds of the air. They don't gather into barns. but he provides for them. Are you not worth more than the birds of the air? Jesus said. And of course we are. Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added to you. That's the promise of the word. And so Jesus says, he's looking to the disciples, they're troubled, and here's how he's seeking to comfort them. He said, you believe in God? continue to believe in God. Now the thing about it here is, the Greek grammar brings this out very good for us. In that verb tense, for be troubled, he says there in verse one, he says, let not your heart be troubled. In other words, that's a present imperative. In other words, it's a command, quit being troubled. Quit being troubled. You believe in God? Then believe in me, because I am God. That's what he's been telling his disciples. And in other words, quit being anxious in the face of life's challenges. And we're going to see when he tells them don't be troubled, Not only were they concerned that someone was gonna betray them, but when they go out and when the party from the Sanhedrin arrives, Jesus did also tell them, you know what? In fulfillment of prophecy, he says, when the shepherd is struck down, the sheep will scatter. He says, you all, you all will forsake me. And they were shook up. When Jesus was arrested, That was very troubling to the disciples. And so, the thing about it is, he says, you believe in God? Continue to believe in him. Continue to believe in me. And the thing about it is, you and I have got to trust the promises of God. When he makes that promise, like I've said numerous times, when God makes a promise, it doesn't matter how long it takes. Remember several weeks ago, we talked about Isaiah 9. Did I not? Did I not? And mentioned how many centuries went by before Messiah showed up? Seven centuries. 700 years. But God made a promise, and he'll bring it to pass. God's made a promise to you, and he's gonna keep it. Don't continue to be troubled. And so he said the disciples, they were trusting in Jesus, but their hearts were beginning to waver. And they will greatly waver once Jesus is arrested. But here's the thing. Jesus knows that the only remedy for a troubled heart is the fact that he is their savior. and being their savior, he has to suffer and he has to die. So for me to bring real comfort to you, I'm gonna have to suffer and I must be delivered up and I must die in order to bring you the real comfort that I'm going to bring to you. So that Jesus had been telling them, as I said, Numerous times, but it just wasn't clicking with him that he had to be delivered up. You got to continue to believe in me. And as scripture teaches, this life that you and I live is filled with sorrow, whatever years that we have, and we will pass into eternity. We will go the ways of all men. It's inevitable. Well, take a look at verse two. 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. You know what, we must realize that you and I, we are pilgrims passing, as the scripture says, through this world, headed towards eternity, that's what. That's where we're headed. And you know the real tragedy for unbelievers is that this life is all that they have. This is it. And I'm telling you, if this life is all that you have, that is tragic. Because I don't care who you are, you're gonna have those difficulties. And They have no hope for the future. The unbeliever has no hope. Many of them believe, well, we'll just die and that's just it, it ends. Is that comforting? That's kind of discouraging. I remember when, as a teenager, when I was still an unbeliever, the major problem that I had was a lack of meaning in life. I thought, if this is all there is, why bother? Why bother? I mean, it's depressing if this life is it. And that's why, by the way, the unbelievers will cling to this life with such tenacity and they will spend a fortune financially. And what's sad is I know of families who spent their whole life savings because one of their spouses got cancer and they spent their life savings to give them three or four more months. Why would you do that? You think from a financial point of view, why would you do that? Why would you spend your life's fortune? There's no inheritance to pass on. It's all gone just for three more months. But they do it all the time. But you see, for the unbelievers, This is all they have, and that explains what they do. That's why they do what they do and the way they live. Now, what Jesus wants his disciples to focus upon is, he says, when I go away, I'm going to prepare a place for you. And he's departing from this world, and Jesus is going away, he says, to prepare an eternal dwelling place But he doesn't give a whole lot of specifics here of just what that is. You know, these mansions. Of course, it's figurative in many respects. What it's mentioning is it is going to be magnificent. And it's a permanent place. It's a dwelling house where we permanently are going to be forever. And it's going to be magnificent beyond our imaginations. I want us to take a look at two passages. Turn with me over, first of all, to 1 John chapter three. And look at verses two and three. Well, start at verse one. 1 John 3, verses one through three. See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God, and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that when he appears, we shall be like him because we shall see him just as he is. You know, the glorious thing about it here is Jesus talks about when he does appear, it's referencing the second coming at the last day of history. And Jesus says, when he comes back, he says, we shall see him as he is, as the children of God. Do you remember when Jesus rose from the dead? And one of the disciples, namely Thomas, says, I'm not gonna believe it. I'm not gonna believe he's risen from the dead until I put my hand on his side, look and see the scars on his hands. And you know when Jesus shows up in a, just shows up in the inner room, Thomas, come here. You wanna feel my hands? Take a look at me. Beside, he says, I'm for real, Thomas. And then Thomas falls down and says, my Lord and my God. He says, Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are they who have never seen and yet have believed. And that's us. But you know what? One day, we are going to be able to see face to face. the scars in his hands. You know, as far as I know in the scriptures, Jesus may be the only one who in the perfected body carries the scars of his crucifixion, because remember, when he shows up to Thomas's, and he's got the resurrected body already, but he's got the scars there. Now, I don't think, you know, if we got some horrible scar, I don't think in eternity we're gonna have that. But with reference to the Son of Man, I think it will be a visible reminder to us through all eternity, this is what it took to save you. This is what I went through to save you from your sins. But we're gonna see him as he is. Turn with me to 1 Peter chapter one. So when Jesus says, I'm going to go to prepare a place for us, here's what he's preparing for us. Let's start at verse three, 1 Peter 1, verse three. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope, not a dead hope, a living hope, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to obtain an inheritance. Now he's gonna describe what this inheritance is. Imperishable. It's untarnished. It will never grow old. It's undefiled, it's perfect. It will not fade away, it will always be beautiful. reserved in heaven for you. By the way, that word reserved there is a military term, meaning God is, who are protected by the power of God, verse five says. God says, I've got you. No one's gonna come in. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, on that day, what we have, no thieves will break through to steal. And it says, God's protected it, and he says in verse six, in this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, and that can be whatever the trial is, some physical ailment, persecution, doesn't matter what it is. that the proof of your faith being more precious than gold, which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. And though you've not seen him, you love him. And though you do not see him now, but believe in him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory. So when Jesus says, Don't be discouraged. Don't be troubled. I'm going to go prepare a place for you. A place so great, it's hard to even express, you will hardly be able to express how glorious it's going to be. And Jesus says there in John 14, if it were not so, I would have taught you. But guess what? I have told you. I'm going to prepare a place. You can bank on it. It's real. You don't see it now, but you should see it by faith. You've seen it with the eyes of faith. So in other words, what Jesus is saying to his disciples, are you going to continue to believe in my promises or not? Now, I've told you I've gone away to prepare a place and for you not to be troubled. You gonna believe that? Or are we gonna believe all the promises in the Word of God? Yea or nay? I hope we all say, well, yeah, that's the way it ought to be. You know, it's harder, I think, for younger people to think on the eternal, because there's a tendency when you're young to think, I've got all these years ahead of me. I mean, that's the tendency. Although, there's no assurance for anybody. But there is a tendency of the younger, and the older that we get, those of us that have arrived at that 70 mark and those who do the strength have arrived at the 80 mark. We realize it's closer than we realize. That's the reality. Where's our hope? You know, I should have read verse four in 1 John 3, because it says everybody who has their hope fixed on the revelation of Jesus Christ to come purifies himself, purifies himself. So as you and I meditate on the glory to come, that is to provide a sanctifying influence in our life. First of all, it should sanctify us because we realize You know, there's no guarantee on anything. I don't care how young you are. We could die. I've told this story before. A young girl, 16-year-old girl, went to see her grandmother. Had a wonderful time. They talked about what she looked forward to in her life. She wanted to, you know, get married, have children, all this, and all this. Had a wonderful time. Goes down the driveway and goes out. A truck hits her, sends her into eternity, 16 years of age. We don't know when that's gonna come. So we ought to have the eternal perspective. And we ought to fix our minds on what Jesus is preparing for us. And not to be troubled. Don't let the circumstances of life get you down, says Jesus. And my own wife, you heard, is really going through a tough time right now. She's starting to understand why people just say, just get it over with. I mean, she's been in that much pain. And it's hard to comfort her except with the word of God to get through it. But it's what we can hope for and what we long for. And you know what Jesus says? He says, now look, I'm gonna go prepare a place for you and I'm gonna come again to receive you to myself. I'm coming back for you. Oh, what a blessed thought that is. And let that sink in. I'm preparing this magnificent place for you to dwell forever with me. And I personally am gonna come for you, John, and I'm gonna take you there. I'm gonna come for each one of you. I'm gonna come and I'm gonna take you there. You know, what he's talking about has to be with reference to the resurrection at the last day. But you know what, when we do die, that might as well be the coming of Christ because there is no second chance. We are ushered into eternity. You know, the Marines have a saying, leave no man behind. And it is their commitment to rescue a wounded soldier or even to go recover the body of a fallen soldier. We will leave no man behind. That worthy commitment pales in insignificance to what Jesus says, I'm not gonna leave you. I will come and get you. You know, remember Jesus says that he will raise us up on the last day. We already saw that in John six. God's decreed his elect and he says, all that the father has given to me will come to me and I will raise them up on the last day. So when Jesus told his disciples that the son of man must suffer and must die. He also said, I will raise you up. You remember what we saw in John 11 when Jesus's good friend Lazarus died? Of course, we saw then Jesus deliberately waited until he died so that he would do his greatest miracle. And remember how distraught Mary and Martha were over the loss of their brother? And Jesus says to Martha, he says, well, Martha, he will rise again? He says, yeah, on the last day, he will rise. Martha, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, even though he were dead, yet shall he live. and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Martha, do you believe this? You see, Jesus has promised that he will come and he will raise us up on the last day. And you know the greatest thing about it, when he comes back, he says, we get to be with him. We get to be with him. Have you ever thought about this? I don't know how often I think about this, and I have no explanation. You think, okay, there's gotta be millions and millions and millions of people that will be in heaven. How much time will I get with my Jesus? Has that ever crossed your mind? Am I the only one who's ever thought about that? How much time am I gonna get with Jesus? And I realized, I don't know. It could be a constant thing, for all we know. I mean, it would be miraculous, wouldn't it? But of course, who is God but miraculous? But that's the most blessed thing about him going to prepare a place for you. We get to be with our Jesus. You know, the most glorious, as I said, the thing to be with Jesus. You know, in John 13, we saw the disciples, especially Peter, say, he wanted to go, when Jesus said, I'm gonna leave you, and you can't follow me, and that really, see, that troubled Peter, and that troubled the rest of the disciples. Why can't we go with you, Jesus? And Jesus says, well, you can't go with me now, but you will come later. You will come later. What a blessed thought to come and be with Jesus at some point. He will come and get, and bring us to that glorious place that he is storing up for us. And that's why it says, the more often you and I meditate on this, we will purify ourselves. And first of all, again, we will remember life is short. This is where we're headed. What a wonderful place where I'm headed. And it's worth it. You realize that when the Christians were being thrown to the wild beasts in the Colosseum of Rome, John, the apostle, or one of his disciples, Polycarp, witnessed the persecution, the death of many of the saints. And prior to the wild beasts being let out, the Christians were gathered together and they were singing hymns. Why would you be singing hymns knowing that in a few moments these lions and wild dogs would be unleashed upon you to rip you to pieces? Because they knew where they were going. That's why they could sing. So it does purify us, does it not? It does sanctify us so that No matter what we experience, and even when, if the Lord in his providence allows us to be on a deathbed, where we have time to think, and we think about, you know, where I'm going is magnificent. I'm suffering now, but it's gonna be temporary. I will soon be in the presence of my Jesus. It's all worth it. It is all worth it. So Jesus says, don't let your heart be troubled. I'm preparing this place for you and I will come again personally to take you there. What a blessed thought. Let's pray. Lord, drive this precious truth home to us and let us rejoice in the redemption that we have in Christ Jesus. And we pray for his glorious sake. Amen.