The apostles heard a lot of things they didn’t want to hear in the verses at the end of John 13. This daily devotional looks at the comfort Jesus gave them beginning in John 14: 2-3.
Nuggets
- Jesus’ description of Heaven should comfort us.
- Jesus is preparing Heaven for us, so that He can come back to take us home.
Devotions in the Living Life Connected to Christ series
The apostles really weren’t having a good night on the night of Jesus’ last Passover meal. After the feet washing, everything seemed to go downhill.
Jesus was telling them a lot of things they really didn’t want to hear. Judas was going to betray Jesus. Peter was going to deny Him.
Then Jesus dropped the bombshell that He was going away – and they couldn’t go with Him.
Finally, in John 14: 2-3, the apostles get a little comfort. Let’s see what Jesus had to say.
Let's Put It into Context
Here is a running list of nuggets for the series.
Description of Heaven
“In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” (Jn. 14: 2 ESV)
Jesus’ description of Heaven should comfort us.
Have you ever really thought about verse 2? We are the family of God, so God has a house for us to come home to.
After I moved to the city, I always enjoyed going home for the weekend to visit Mom and Dad. I’d go home and feel loved and comforted.
We should never forget that Jesus was going home to Dad. We have that to look forward to when we go home to Dad, too.
We will be loved and comforted. We will join our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Jesus was saying here that there is going to be enough room for everyone who believes in Him. No genuine believer will be turned away.
When we hook this to the “let not your hearts be troubled …” (Jn. 14: 1 ESV) from the last verse, we get that we shouldn’t stress about death — ours or anyone else’s.
Yes, it is still hard to give our loved ones up. But if they are children of God, we know where they are going and that we will see them again.
Glossary
Jesus was telling the apostles that it was okay that He was going to die. They shouldn’t worry.
But what Jesus had been addressing in John 13: 36-38 was His leaving and the disciples staying. Here, He was describing where He was going.
Jesus was reinforcing with the apostles that He would not and does not lie. If He said He was preparing the place, He is preparing the place. He wasn’t leading them astray.
What Jesus was doing was laying it all on the line here. He wasn’t veiling it in big words. They were nice simple words that the distraught men could understand.
The tone Jesus chose was one of authority. He wasn’t being apologetic. He wasn’t being wishy-washy.
Jesus was being real.
It was going to happen exactly as Jesus said. With those words, He continued to give the apostles the comfort they needed.
We have to remember, though, that many — if not all — of the disciples were expecting a military Messiah. They were looking for Jesus to smash the Romans.
One of the things Jesus could be saying here is, “I’m not going to do that. If I was, I would have told you.”
Preparing Heaven for Us
“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (Jn. 14: 3 ESV)
Jesus is preparing Heaven for us, so that He can come back to take us home.
The if in this sentence generally throws me. To me, it isn’t if. Jesus was going.
To me, it is when I go.
I guess Jesus said if because it wasn’t a done deal yet. He knew the outcome, but I guess He said it in the wording that the disciples would understand.
I like the wording of this translation — take. Jesus may be telling the apostles that He wasn’t taking them right now, but He is saying that He will take them later.
But what is Jesus actually preparing? Was Heaven not built before Jesus’ death?
I don’t think that was what was meant. Pastor Chad preached on this once.
Heaven was all ready even before Jesus got back home. It wasn’t something that was just slapped together because a lot of bedrooms were needed.
What Jesus’ death was doing was preparing the way for us to get to Heaven.
Before Jesus was the sacrifice, Israel had to keep sacrificing animals to keep the blood going to cover their sins. But Hebrews 10: 4 says, “It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (NIV).
Because Jesus was the perfect Sacrifice, His blood covered our sins once and for all. He was the way to make Heaven accessible.
So, Jesus flipped the whole concept of death. It is no longer something to be feared. It shouldn’t be seen as a loss.
It is a wonderful gain.
I love what Bradley had to say. He wrote,
“Had we been asked what He was going to heaven for, we should have said — To get away from this evil world; to enter into His joy, etc. But He says, No; “I go there to prepare a place for you.” He left His Father’s house for us; He now returns to it for us. By this we must understand, not His creating heaven for us, or enlarging or adorning it, but removing out of the way all things which would prevent our entering into it. He goes there to prove our title to it; to show, in His wounded hands and pierced side, that He has paid for us its stipulated price. He goes to claim it on our behalf; to take possession of it in our name and stead.”
Resource
All Jesus did was for us. He loves us so much He died for us — even though it meant leaving us.
The best part — Jesus is coming back for us. One day, He will return and take the apostles — and us — to Heaven. There, we will live with Him in our rooms forever.
Making the Connections
I like how Raleigh described Heaven. He wrote,
“So as there are ‘many mansions,’ the adorning of them will be very various. One will not be as another. We do not go to heaven to lose our natural tastes, our sinless preferences, but rather to have all these gratified in a far higher degree. Otherwise heaven would be plainer, poorer, and less interesting than earth. And unless our own nature were pressed down into some kind of mechanical exactness and shape, weariness would ensue. There would be a sighing for the lost seasons of the earth, its withered flowers, its light and shade, its many countries, and its encircling seas. But no! There will be places, pursuits, and enjoyments for all.”
Resource
Hamilton had an interesting sermon. He reminded us that our rewards will be different. He used II Corinthians 9: 6 as evidence. “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (II Cor. 9: 6 ESV).
This is because our gifts and spiritual graces are different. This leads to different missions, which lead to different rewards.
What will be the same is that we will all be blessed.
Resource
How Do We Apply This?
We need to be ready when Jesus returns. We need to search for God and ABCD.
The ABCDs of Salvation
If you have not become a believer in Christ, please read through the
Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.
A – admit our sins
B – believe His Son Jesus is our Redeemer
C – confess God as Sovereign Lord
D – demonstrate that commitment by making any changes needed in our lives to
live the way in which God has called us
The Disciple’s Job Description
Once we do that, we need to be actively seeking God. We need to be growing in grace and knowledge.
Searching for and Seeking God
Hearing His Word (Rom. 10: 17).
Reading His Word (Rev. 1: 3).
Praying to Him (Heb. 4: 16).
Studying His Word (Ac. 17: 11).
Meditating on His Word (Ps. 1: 1-2).
Memorizing His Word (Ps. 119: 11).
Remember, the only ones who will be going home to Heaven are the children of God. They are those who believe in Him and have submitted their lives to serving Him.
Eternity will be worth it.
Father God. We thank You that You sent Your Son to be our Messiah. We praise You that He was not a military Messiah, but a saving Messiah. We didn’t need saving from worldly bondage – even though that is difficult and painful. We needed saving from our separation with You because of our disobedience to You.
What do you think?
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