On a Place Prepared-Lent 11, 2015

NIV John 14:1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

With Christ in the Upper Room, Jesus is in the midst of His farewell address we often call the Upper Room Discourse. Consider all the confusing things He’s been saying:

• He’s just finished telling the disciples that one of them is going to betray Him, but they don’t know who and He doesn’t tell them.
• He’s told them confusing stuff about glory and how they’re going to look for Him but they will not find Him.
• He gives them a new command that’s actually really old.
• Then Peter asks Jesus where He’s going and Jesus doesn’t give him a destination, only a process.  He just simply says “You can’t follow now” and predicts that even Peter will deny Him.

Could it get much worse?

They’re sad and confused.  Just when they should be comforting Jesus who is about to go to the Cross to die for the sin of all humanity, they’re like deer in the headlights.  Confused.  Worried. 

So Jesus tells them not to let their hearts be troubled. The solution to a troubled heart is to trust in God.

The process is this:  Jesus (who definitely trusts the Father) will go ahead of the disciples.  While He’s gone, He will prepare a place for them and other God-trusters to be. Then, He’ll come back to take them to be with Him in the mysterious place He is.

The destination is still not a location.  Instead it’s “with me” and “where I am.”  He gives them a final instruction on a place prepared, even if He still doesn’t name a geographical place.

Give it Up for Lent: Troubled hearts needing a map

Put it On for Lent: Trust in God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)

For further thought:

• If you’re with Jesus and you are where He is, does it matter where the location actually is?  Why or why not?
• If Jesus had spelled out a location, do you think the disciples would have understood?
• Jesus knows that in His Father’s house there are many rooms.  How does Jesus know that?
• Jesus is not working overtime at Hotel Heaven making beds and sweeping rooms.  How was He going to prepare a place?
• Read Matthew 7:21-23 and  Matthew 25:31-34.  When do we get to come to the place Jesus prepares for us?
• Read also Romans 10:9″ That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”  Is doing good stuff for others enough to earn our way to where Jesus is?
• Read Hebrews 10:12-14, 35-39.  Jesus rose from the dead, but then went away, ascending into heaven.  When is Jesus returning to take us to be with Him?  What do we do until then?

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