"Don't Be Troubled; Do Trust Christ'"
Sermon on John 14:1-6
Weekend of November 22, 1998
Saint Mark's, Watertown
Pastor Karl Walther
Introduction: Loved Ones' Departure Leads Us
To Words From Jesus' Departure
Jesus promises: I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Amen.
Dear fellow Christians-- for whom Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life:
Today is Memorial Sunday at Saint Mark's. On this last weekend of the church year every year, we remember the departure by death of dozens of members of Saint Mark's. Some of these were the husbands or brothers or fathers that you relied upon so many times in your lives. Some of these were the godly, gracious grandmas that meant so much to you. Others were younger-- husbands or wives or even sons or daughters of yours: whose death seemed particularly tragic because of their young age.
And some of your hearts are understandably troubled over your loved one's departure by death. This was your dad, who had done so much for you. This was your grandma, who was so good-hearted. This was your spouse, with whom you were united in every way until death parted you. Or this was your child, whom you were supposed to precede in death. And it troubles your heart.
My dearest friends, troubled hearts are not new to God's people. In fact, in God's Word to us today, the hearts of Christ's disciples were troubled as they contemplated Jesus' departure by death. Jesus took the opportunity to comfort their troubled hearts.
Theme: Don't Be Troubled; Do Trust Christ
In God's Word to us today, Jesus urged his disciples-- and he urges us: • DON'T BE TROUBLED; DO TRUST CHRIST. And Jesus gives us two really good reasons to trust him. Do Trust Christ, first of all, (1) BECAUSE HE HAS PREPARED YOUR PLACE WITH THE FATHER. And Do Trust Christ, secondly, (2) BECAUSE HE HAS REMAINED YOUR WAY TO THE FATHER.
Part One: Jesus Urged His Disciples To Trust Him
Because He Was Preparing Their Place With The Father
It was almost two thousand years ago. It was getting to be late on a Thursday evening early in the springtime. Jesus was (unbeknownst to most) with the eleven in the upper room of a house in Jerusalem.
For the past year Jesus -- their beloved Friend and Lord -- had spoken to his disciples about his death. Three times specifically he had said: We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!
And that death of his was getting to be imminent. Already that evening Jesus had said: I tell you the truth-- one of you will betray me. Already that evening Jesus had said: My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. Already that evening Jesus had said: Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.
Well, all of this obviously bothered the disciples. That's why Jesus took the opportunity to say (and this is our sermon text): "Do not let your hearts be troubled."
Why not? Why shouldn't the disciples' hearts be troubled over Jesus' impending departure? Jesus urges them: "Trust in God; trust also in me." More exactly translated: "Keep trusting in God; (that is:) In me-- keep trusting." It's as if to say, "You trust in God. You trust in me. I am God. Keep trusting God. Keep trusting me. We'll take care of you, won't we?"
Already, that ought to have alleviated much of the disciples' anxiety. But in order to bring them even more comfort, the Lord Jesus raises their eyes to their everlasting comfort. He says literally: "In my Father's dwelling place are many dwelling places"-- "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you-- because I am going there to prepare a place for you." Jesus is suggesting, "By my blood and by my resurrection to life, I am purchasing and preparing for you an eternal dwelling place in paradise." So: he's saying: "Don't be troubled; do trust Christ."
And Jesus makes another promise: "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." Jesus is suggesting, "Not only am I preparing for you and eternal dwelling place, I'll also provide your transportation to heaven." In short: he's saying: "Don't be troubled; do trust Christ."
Application One: Do Trust Christ
Because He Has Prepared Your Place With The Father
Now, brothers and sisters in Christ: you can relate to the disciples. Your hearts get troubled, too. Maybe it's that it bothers you to be picked on constantly at school. Maybe it's that it bothers you to be lonely every day at home. Maybe it's that the rules or procedures at work have you agitated every day. Maybe it's that some situation in your family has you feeling under assault at all times. Or-- or maybe you're missing a loved one, departed by death.
To you Jesus says: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Keep trusting in God; in me-- keep trusting." To you Jesus says: "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you-- because I have gone there to prepare a place for you. And since I have prepared a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."
To you Jesus is saying, "Look, your life in this world is very temporary. School will cease. Loneliness will be left behind. Work will cease. Even families will come to an end. But at the end of it all, I'm taking you to be with me. You have a dwelling place in my Father's dwelling place. And life will be different there."
"I myself will see to it you have enough sleep. I myself will wake you up in the morning. You and I will do breakfast together, along with all of our friends. Your learning will be easy. Your work will be productive and filled with joy. Your family members and loved ones who died with faith in me will accompany us. Each evening we'll banquet together-- the best of foods, the finest of wines, the greatest company on earth. All the while I will love you with perfect love and with the perfect excitement that a perfect groom has for his perfect bride. And I myself will lay you down to sleep."
Friend, that's why Jesus bids you: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Keep trusting in God; keep trusting in me"-- because after school and after work and after friends and after family (after these couple, little minutes of earthly life), we have life with Christ absolutely eternally.
Part Two: Jesus Urged His Disciples To Trust Him
Because He Was Remaining Their Way To The Father
Or do we? I mean: do we know how to get there-- to get to that fabulous dwelling place? After all, Jesus assured his disciples: "You know the way and the place where I am going." But Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" And give Thomas credit for being candid here. I mean: these days almost everybody figures he knows the way to heaven-- but if you ask anybody about it, he says, "Ah, duh, what do you think?"
So, listen carefully to what Jesus says about the way to heaven. Jesus answered Thomas, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
Application Two: Do Trust Christ
Because He Has Remained Your Way To The Father
Now, brothers and sisters in Christ: I believe that these days there are two very prevalent attitudes regarding the pathway to heavenly glory. And both attitudes are absolute dead ends.
First of all, there are lots of people -- maybe the majority of people now -- who just figure everybody is going to heaven. They figure God is just too loving to let anybody head to hell.
But I've got to ask: What kind of a God is that? What kind of a God would tolerate our lies, our greed, our lust, our anger, our rebelliousness, and our complete lack of concern for him? What kind of a God would tolerate our perjuries, our thefts, our adulteries, our murders, our crimes, our blasphemies? And what kind of a heaven would it be with all that stuff still there?
In contrast-- the God of the Bible, the true God, has David write: You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell. The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong. You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the Lord abhors. So clearly not just everybody is heading to heaven.
Well, secondly, I think there are lots of people -- many of them quite religious -- who just figure they're simply good enough for God as is. They figure God is just too tolerant to send to hell anybody who's trying pretty hard.
But again, I've got to ask: What kind of a God is that? What kind of a God would be satisfied with our half-truths, our paltry gifts, our grudging acknowledgment of his mercy in marriage, the very little we really go out of our way to help other people, our obedience compelled by threats, and our tiny concern for him? And what kind of a heaven would it be with that little good?
In contrast-- the God of the Bible, the true God, has Paul write: Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! So much for the Lord being satisfied with the paltry efforts we can render to him.
So then, to believe that everybody somehow makes it to heaven is a dead end. And to believe that you and I are hot enough stuff to make it to heaven on our own is a dead end in the other direction. But Jesus says to your heart and mine: I am the way and the truth and the life. You come to the Father through me.
I am the way, Jesus insists first of all. "You won't reach God on the highway 'everybody' travels. And you won't reach God by cutting 'your own' pathway. If the street says 'Mohammed' or 'Buddha' or 'Zen', it's going the wrong direction. I am the sole street to paradise!"
And that's because I am the truth, Jesus insists secondly. "Examine my life. I always told the truth. My life was truly pure. I had a zeal for the truth. And my relation to my Father was true. Not only so, but I truly transferred my perfect life to you, and I truly transferred your damnable sins to me."
So, I am the life, Jesus insists finally. "By the eternal life that resides in me, I raised myself to life-- even though I was dead. And I promise to do the same for you. And in the meantime, I promise to give to you the earthly life that is truly life."
Friend, that's why Jesus bids you: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Keep trusting in God; keep trusting in me"-- because Jesus is the way to God, the truth of our salvation, and the life everlasting.
Conclusion: Jesus' Departure Leads Us To
Comfort Over Our Loved Ones' Departure
And on Memorial Sunday, we've got to remember that our loved ones, departed by death to head toward the Lord-- they know all this in all fullness: just as we will someday. Amen.
Jesus promises: "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand." Amen.