A Place For You

Scripture: John 14:1-14 (Click link for scripture in Bible Gateway)

1 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” (John 14:1-4 NLT)

Don’t worry! Don’t be discouraged at the changes that are coming hard and fast over the next few hours and days! Up to now you’ve been thinking about the Kingdom of God only in terms of the “here and now.” You’ve been expecting (in spite of all my efforts to expand and adjust your perspective) that we’re in some magical way going to overthrow Rome, overturn the corrupt Sanhedrin system, and establish God’s Kingdom right here in Good Old Dusty Palestine, with our headquarters in the Temple. Not gonna happen like that, friends!

First, I need you to trust God! When everything seems to go to hell in a handbasket in about six hours, trust God! And I need you to trust me, too! When you see the soldiers and the mob in the Garden, when you see me beaten and mocked and spat on tomorrow morning, when you see the Romans drag me out of town and nail me to the cross tomorrow, when you see my dead body hanging there by tomorrow sunset, you gotta trust me! This is something I’ve got to do. I’ll be going away, but I’ll be back!

We’re dealing with a very real “here and now” friends, but we’re also dealing with an even more real “there and then”!  And the “there and then” lasts for eternity! You will be with me always in my Father’s home. You don’t need to worry about how it’s all going to work and whether there’s enough room for everyone and whether you’re gonna get in or not. We’ve got a plan and I’m going to go and get everything ready. And you don’t need to worry about how to get there, just keep following me and I’ll take you there. I know, that doesn’t make any sense, but just keep following me and you’ll understand someday!  OK, any questions?

Prayer:

Father, When I think through the things Jesus said to them (and to us), on one level it makes perfect sense! I mean, we’ve been hearing this for two thousand years! But on another level, yes, I have a lot of questions. But I trust you, and I trust Jesus. So I guess I’ll just leave it at that. I’ll do my best to stay busy with the “here and now” part and leave the “there and then” part entirely up to you! In Jesus’ Name. Amen!