Dear Church,
Jesus was about to die, and He knew it. He was about to leave the men He had led and loved for THREE YEARS. These men had left EVERYTHING (homes, work, families). They had sought Christ when everyone else turned away, they loved their Master and were committed to him, but Jesus had been making some troubling statements.
In John 13:21, Jesus said "one of you will betray me." Imagine how they must have felt to hear those words, to wonder “WHO IS IT? Is Jesus serious?
Then in John 13:33, Jesus said "Where I am going you cannot come."
The disciples did not understand this, they were troubled. But Jesus did not say these things to confuse them, he said these things to prepare them for what was to come and he does not leave them hanging.
He tells them, “Let not your heart be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me” (John 14:1).
He does not say “don’t ever be sad … or distressed”. He isn’t telling them “Just get over it”. He himself was troubled (John 12:27, 13:21, NKJV), but He didn’t allow his troubled heart to control him, even as he faced the cross. Even when he was so distressed that he sweated drops of blood, he obeyed God. His troubles did not keep him from doing what God wanted him to do. He didn’t turn away from God, or accuse God, he drew closer to God and obeyed him.
When Jesus says "Let not your hearts be troubled," he is reminding us we are ABLE by God's grace to walk by faith through any & every troubling time he places in front of us.
He goes on to say "Believe in God, Believe also in me."
Jesus was not saying "have two Faith's, one in God and now one in me too." No, he is reminding us thattrue faith in God is to have faith in him. "Trust me," Jesus says to his disciples. "Trust me, walk with me as you have these past years."
What do you do when your heart is troubled? Jesus says, "Trust in me."
This is so vital because this is so often where we stumble. We often think (like the world) that fear or anxiety issues are a self-esteem problem. But that's not true at all. No, we have a faith problem, and the real problem is WHERE you put your faith. If our faith is in ourselves we will never conquer worry, because we are looking to ourselves to solve life's troubles. Jesus reminds us we can trust him.
I love Luke 8:22-25, the story of how Jesus calms the storm.We are not so different. We face the same troubles (storms that arise around and within us), we have the same response (fear and trembling), and the same problem (lack of faith).
We may protest “but I believe … and it’s not helping."
We need to know that faith isn't a one-time thing and our timing isn’t always God’s timing. In every moment we are trusting someone. Saving faith actively looks to God, daily seeks to know and love the Lord. Where is God in your day to day life? Do you thank him? Do you call out to God and confess your sin in those moments you do not trust God?
On that stormy night, the disciple could not clearly see Jesus, but they knew his voice. Is that not parallel to today? Though we do not see him, we can trust His word.
Back to Jesus’ words in John 14:2-6,
He encourages us with the hope of heaven, the joy of being with God forever.
He reminds us to trust his word, “If it were not so I would have told you."
He tells us he is coming back
And he reminds us that we know the way.
He says, “I am the way".
Christians, we must go to Jesus, there is no other way to face our fears, no other way to enter into the joy of God’s presence.The saying is true, “No Jesus, no peace. Know Jesus, Know peace.”
Consider Jesus’ words in John 14:1-6 often. The comfort Jesus gives is an eternal comfort, comfort that doesn't fade like the spring flowers.
Sometime ago, Kelly reminded me of the words to the song, In Christ Alone.
No guilt in life, no fear in death this is the power of Christ in me. From life's first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny.
These are good words for us to meditate upon.
Grace and Peace,
Matt
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