John 14:1-14
There are a couple of interesting things about the intertwining of Christian faith with the monarchy, and is part of our constitution; in the Coronation service yesterday the King was handed a Bible with the words, ”Our gracious King: to keep your majesty ever mindful of the law and the gospel of God as the rule for the whole life and government of Christian princes, we present you with this book, the most valuable thing that this world affords. Here is wisdom; this is the royal law; these are the lively oracles of God.”
And when he was handed the Orb and sceptre, he was also told, ““Receive this imperial robe and orb, and the Lord your God endue you with knowledge and wisdom, with majesty and power from on high. And when you see this orb set under the cross, remember that the whole world is subject to the power and empire of Christ our Redeemer. No man can reign happily, who derives not his authority from him, and directs not all his actions according to his laws.”
This is a reminder under whose rule WE live - the King of kings, the Lord of Lords, Christ Himself.
We are still in the Easter season just as the disciples were 2000 years ago: they met the risen Jesus on multiple occasions, as Paul records in 1 Corinthians 15, and Luke records in Acts 1, when He appeared to them “speaking about the kingdom of God” – what it was, how to enter it, what were the manifestations of the presence of the kingdom, and the tension between what was for now and what later.
Today we look at Jesus’ words in John 14.Some “P”s
1.The source of true peace in trouble. Jesus said to his disciples, as they were coming to the final crisis of his ministry –crucifixion. “Let not your hearts be troubled.” There are many who are troubled across the world - unrest and war, destabilising of all we have known, corruption and wickedness increasing, and what seems like an insanity descending on common sense and moral values, sexuality and family life, even invading the Church with bishops denying the Bible.
Jesus speaks into these turmoils, especially at times of bereavement. Life in this world is finite – our lives will end one day. Jesus tells us as He did His disciples, “Let not your hearts be troubled” BECAUSE we are to focus on Him. “Trust in God, Trust also in Me.” Christian faith is a relationship with a person, not a set of rules to obey. You and I have the opportunity to know Jesus for ourselves so that when the calamity comes –and it will, Jesus is with us, for us, and within us if we’ve invited Him. Troubles take on a different perspective when we walk with our Saviour; He has promised never to leave us nor forsake us. “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Second, He has given us a promise of a place to go. When death comes, we have a destination. It is dependent on whether we’ve received Jesus’ offer of the fullness of life. “In my father’s house are many rooms; I am going to prepare a place for you. I will come back and take you to be with me.” Where will you spend eternity? We all must decide – although most of you have already settled your destination when you surrendered your life to Christ – You know, you have assurance of faith.
Third, We have the pathway – How to get there. In Hebraic thought, if you ask for directions, you might find the person responding, “I am the way” meaning, “I will accompany you and show you, not just be telling you how to get there, but by coming along with you.”
That’s the promise of accompaniment – “I am with you.- come with me.” A few weeks ago when out walking I met a family in Hawley Woods with their children on their first visit – they were not originally from this country, and were not sure where they had left their car. I asked them for anything they could remember, and once they’d described that, I was able to say, “I know how to get there – follow me. I will accompany you to that place.”
Too many people think everyone’s going to heaven, but Jesus made it abundantly clear the conditions for entry need to be fulfilled: “I am the way, the Truth, the life; no-one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus isthe way – he is the Way to life, the doorway to eternity, He is the light to show us, the great healer so when we arrive, there will never be any more sickness, pain or sin.
What is God like? There is the story of a youngster drawing a picture; when asked what he was drawing, he replied “a picture of God.” The repost was “But no one knows what God looks like” “they will when I’ve finished! “ he said triumphantly!
We do know what God is like, for Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God. To know Jesus is to know God – Philip said, ”Show us the father..” “He who has seen me has seen the Father.” Look into the life of Jesus; listen to His every Word – this is GOD speaking. Don’t be deceived by those who want to reduce Jesus to just another religious teacher; no-one spoke like Jesus; no-one but Jesus died on a cross like for our sins. No religious teacher rose from the dead other than Jesus. Bhuddha, Mohammed, Guru Nanak, may have had some interesting philosophical ideas, but they are dead. Jesus is alive and living in our hearts by His Holy Spirit; the uniqueness of Christ shines through and above the rest.
And fourth, the promise of power in prayer. “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”
Why do so many Christians have poor prayer lives? Because they don’t believe in the power of prayer. “Ask anything in my name and I will do it.” If you are walk in the Spirit, spending time seeking the Lord and knowing Him in prayer, you will know the mind of Christ and will be able to pray and ask Him that which He has laid on your heart, and He will answer. What’s your prayer life like? Do you know spend time alone with the Lord and know His presence with you? Do you have assurance of Him hearing you? To ask in His name is to be surrendered to Jesus and His will, repentant, humble, filled with and overflowing with the Holy Spirit. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. I’ve never seen God with my eyes but I know he exists and as Hebrews says, “He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”
1 John 5:14-15 “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us, whatever we ask —we know that we have what we asked of him.”
We may have many troubles to face today –yet Jesus is with us; HE will help us He will give us peace; and help us rise above our troubles; He has prepared a place; He is the pathway. He gives us power in prayer. He is the resurrection and the life. He lives. Alleluia, Christ is risen. He is risen indeed, alleluia!
