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THE SECRET OF UNTROUBLED HEARTS
The Lord Jesus had often told the disciples of His impending death, resurrection, and His ascension to the Father’s throne. They were very slow to understand Christ’s words, slow to accept, slow to comprehend His leaving. When they did, they were very sorrowful. (Jh 14:1) This world is full of sorrow, heart-ache, and trouble. Christ knew that sorrows would abound in this life.
John 13:36, 14:1-7 “Simon Peter said to Him, Lord, where are you going? Jesus answered, You are not able to follow me now where I am going; but you shall follow Me afterwards. Do not let your hearts be troubled (distressed, agitated). You believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely on God, believe in , adhere to, trust in and rely also on Me. In my Father’s house are many dwelling places (homes). If it were not so, I would have told you, for I am going away to prepare a place for you. And when (if) I go and make a ready a place for you, I will come back again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also. And (to the place) where I am going you know the way. Thomas said to Him, Lord, we do not know where You are going, so how can we know the way? Jesus said to him, I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by or through Me.” -- Amplified Bible
I. WE ARE TO REST IN THE LORD: (John 14:1; 14:27)Disciples were sad, Christ was leaving them; He exhorts them not to be troubled of heart, tempest tossed, agitated of heart, confused or perplexed. You believe (you trust in God) believe (trust) also in Me. He was making himself equal with the Father.
Who was this? (Jh 10:30; Jh 1:14) In John chapter 5, Christ had given a parade of witnesses about Himself - John the Baptist, His Works, The Father, The Scriptures.
Consider the creed as given in I Tim. 3:16
“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”
Let not your heart (innermost being) -- your feelings rule, in word, by action --be not troubled! They were wavering in their faith. They needed to keep on trusting.. keep on believing.. keep on resting.
II. WE ARE TO REST IN HIS PROVISIONS: (John 14:2,3)
I go, literally, to prepare dwelling places, permanent homes, abodes, mansions.
These are real places because -- Jh 3:15-16 and 6:37-40 is real! If this were not so-- I would have told you. I am making ample room for my blood bought children (Eph. 1:7; Rev. 1:5,6) Heaven is not a state of mind, not a state of attitude, or pie in the sky... it is a prepared place for a prepared people. Where is this place? Most Bible scholars believe it is, first of all, this wonderful place called the New Jerusalem... what a wonderful city --
A place of unparalleled beauty; perfection. No night there, no sickness, no sorrow, no death. Since I am preparing a place I am coming again to take you to myself to be with Me. The body of the saved at death is left behind and the spirit has gone to be with the Lord. Those He will bring with Him. (see II Cor. 5:10; Phil. 1:21-23; I Thess. 4:13-18)
III. WE ARE TO REST IN THE HIM-- THE WAY, TRUTH, AND THE LIFE: (Jh 14:6_
Here are three great words-- He is the Way, the Truth, the Live. It is not show me a way... He IS THE WAY; it is not speak a truth to me -- He IS THE TRUTH; it is not tell me about life -- HE IS THE LIFE.
A. He is the WAY:
Christ Jesus is not merely a great man, a great prophet or a great communicator or moralist. He is not merely a teacher, a guide to some truth... but HE IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE.
When we go someplace.. we are interested in the way. He did not come to show us some way; He is the way -- (Jh 10:9,10, 14, 2-29; Acts 4:12; Jh 16:30,31) Do you desire to arrive in Heaven? to know God? To know Him?
B. He is The TRUTH:
Man has always groped for truth, (Jh 8:32... “Ye shall know the truth...”)
Christ came as the God-man.. the one sent from the Father, the only Begotten SON who came to pay for sin. He is the manifestation of the Father’s love to make the way to God, yes, to reveal the Father’s provision. (Jh 1:29; Jh 1:11-13; 3:16-17; 3:36; Jh 5:24)
C. He is THE LIFE:
All mankind are interested in life.. to prolong life. We are concerned about the hear-after, in continuation of things. It is our natural desire that things would not change.
In this life everything is fleeting. There is the glory of the dawn, the sunset.. change, decay all about us. We naturally desire permanence.
We are surrounded by change; we see it on every hand, in every form; life is disturbed. Possessions come and go, worldly hopes increase and diminish, hopes are fulfilled or disappointment comes.
We have a choice -- life or death: “I set before you live and death.. choose life.”
Sin separates -- (Rom. 5:12; 19; Rom 6:23) All mankind is apart from God and from salvation. Man is dead in sins. They must come to Him in whom there is life.
Are there many ways? -- (I Tim. 2:5; II Tim. 1:15; Acts 4:12; John 14:6) Christ declares... “no man comes to the Father but through or by me.” He is just and the justifier who believes... He is the One who gave... (II Cor. 5:21; I Pet 2:24;
read Isaiah chapter 53.) Religion is man’s effort to bind himself to his god. Christianity is God stooping down to bring man to Himself through the merits of
Christ’s death on the Cross. (I Tim. 2:5,6; I Pet. 2:24; Luke 19:10)
Sermon by Dr. Edward Watke Jr.