Comforting Troubled Hearts

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Abide-3

 

TITLE: Comforting Troubled Hearts

TEXT: John 14:1-14

TONE: Encouragement

TARGET: Believers

TASK: To encourage believers to cast all their cares upon the Lord.

TEACH: This passage is like a healing salve to an open wound. It is like a cold glass of water on a hot summer day. It is refreshing, encouraging, and comforting. It’s one of reasons this passage is read so often at funerals. Yet, today, will see it fresh and anew. No longer will you see it at as the funeral passage to give comfort to families in their deepest grief, but you will see it for you, right now, in your current situation. What has you troubled this morning? Please hear these words from Jesus and apply them to your situation.

TRUTH: On the night before His death, Jesus addressed His disciples in the upper room. Though His cross was near, Jesus was focused not on his ordeal, but was concerned for His disciples. Of course, Jesus’s disciples would have been hurt and confused by His statements. Notice how Jesus comforts them.

 

First, Jesus said, “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me” (v.1). Troubled indicates the stopping of the action in progress, “do not allow” or “do not permit.” The word believe is a present tense verb pisteuo, which refers to an ongoing trust.

 

Comfort comes when we….

 

I.                             Believe in Christ’s Person (v.1)

a.        The last few days had been an emotional roller coaster for the disciples. Their fervent messianic hopes had reached an apex during the excitement of the triumphal entry – only to be dashed when announces His impending death…Other events in the upper room added to the emotional turmoil. They had felt shame by their prideful refusal to have Jesus was their feet. They were dumbfounded to hear Jesus predict one would betray him. And appalled at the thought of a leader like Peter denying Jesus.[1] 

 

b.       The point being, they were already Troubled. He is telling them to stop. Troubled translates from the root word (tarasso: to shake or stir up). Jesus then adds a second command. He stated, believe in God…believe also in me. Christ has repeatedly throughout John emphasized and affirmed His deity, making Himself equal to the Father. Heart denotes the seat of a person’s will and emotions.

 

c.        What does it mean to believe in the Person of Christ?

 

                                                                                            i.         Belief in the Person of Christ entails affirming the doctrine of the Incarnation.

                                                                                         ii.         Belief in the Person of Christ involves acknowledging Jesus as fully divine.

                                                                                      iii.         Belief in the Person of Christ requires affirming Christ full humanity.

                                                                                      iv.         Belief in the Person of Christ means confessing Christ as the long-awaited Messiah.

                                                                                          v.         Belief in the Person of Christ acknowledges Jesus as the only Savior and Mediator between God and humanity.

                                                                                      vi.         Belief in the Person of Christ means submitting to Him as Lord and Master of your life.

 

Application: Place your full trust in Christ. He is the anchor of your soul.

Illustration: Abraham sacrifice of Isaac.

 

Comfort comes when we….

 

II.                         Believe in Christ’s Preparation (2-3)

a.        After assuring His disciples He was telling them the truth, He tells them He was going away to prepare a place for them. A place where they would be united in heavenly glory. The place to which Christ refers is none other than the new heaven and new earth.

 

b.       The Father’s house is just another name for heaven. “The house Jesus goes to prepare is the new temple, the new Jerusalem, the new heaven and new earth. Jesus assures his disciples that there is room enough for them in the new temple, for there are many rooms in the Father’s house.”[2] It must be like a large country with a vast city, a kingdom. It is referred to as the Father’s house because of its indescribable beauty and the peace of rest.

 

c.        Jesus conveys to His followers a vision of future heavenly living that surpasses even that enjoyed by the most exalted rulers of that day.[3] This issue here, however, is not what heaven will be like, but the fact Jesus will be there. This is what will make heaven a real home. On this point D.L. Moody used to tell of child whose mother was very scik. While the mother was sick one of the neighbors took the child to stay with her until the mother should get well again. But instead of getting well, the mother grew worse and died. The neighbors though that they would not take the child home until after the funeral was over, and that they would not tell her about her mother being dead. So after a while they simply brought the little girl home. At once she went to find her mother. First she went into the sitting room to find her mother; then she went into the parlor to find her mother. She went from one of the house to the other and could not find her. At last she asked “where is my momma?’ When they told her that her mother was gone, the child wanted to go back to the neighbors. Home had lost its attraction for since her mother was no longer there. Moody said, “It is not the jasper walls and the pearly gates that are going to make heaven attractive. It is being with Jesus.”[4]

 

Application: You must have the assurance He is preparing a place for you.

Illustration: Kids at Christmas time.

 

Comfort comes when we….

 

III.                      Believe in Christ’s Promises (2-3)

a.        Jesus said, “…for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go, I will come again and receive you to Myself. This passage in no way alludes to a “secret rapture” of the church. What it does refer to is the Second Coming of Christ.

 

b.       Similar terminology is found in Song 8:2, where the bride says that she will bring her lover to her mother’s house. Here Jesus, the messianic bridegroom. This promise reflects the intimacy of the relationship between Christ and His disciples, emphasizing the persona and close bond that exist between believers and their Lord. It speaks of the future fulfillment of God’s plan, where those who have faith in Jesus will be united with Him in everlasting communion and fellowship in His presence.

 

Application: You must know the promises of God and meditate upon them.

Illustration: When I’m away from Kelly.

 

Comfort comes when we…

 

IV.                     Believe in Christ’s Proclamation (4-11)

a.        Since Jesus had already told them He was going to the Father, He expected the disciples to know the way where He was going. But by this time their minds were rattled. Thomas vocalized his perplexity.

 

b.       Jesus replied, “I am the way the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”  He is the way to God because He alone is the truth about God and He alone possesses the life of God.

 

c.        Thomas was silenced by Jesus’ reply to his question, but Philip was still nor satisfied. He said, “Lord, show us the Father.” He was not content with the knowledge that Christ had given Him.[5]

 

Application: You must participate in His mission.

Illustration: Racing horses

 

TIE-UP: Jesus has applied a healing salve to us all this morning. He loves you dearly and is always available to comfort your troubled heart. You must abide in Him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


[1] John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: John 12-21 (Chicago, Moody Publishing, 2008), 97-98.

[2] James M. Hamilton Jr., Expository Commentary: John-Acts (Wheaton: Crossway, 2019), 228.

 

[3] Andreas J. Kostenberger, Baker Exegetical Commentary On The New Testament: John (Grand Rapids: Baker Pusblishing, 2004), 426.

[4] James Montgomery Boice, An Expositional Commentary: John (Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing, 1999), 1070.

[5] MacArthur, 104.

Location: Edmond, OK, USA

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