Feb 10
8:01 AM
Hope for the Heart
Feb 10
8:01 AM
Feb 10
8:01 AM
Wednesday, February 10, 2021
John 14
Thanks for joining me for Life Lifters. I'm here on stage after football Sunday, but I was on this very spot right here on Saturday morning, doing a funeral for a great member, a man named Roger. He became a Christian at 68 years of age which is pretty rare. He was a wonderful man and if you come to our church, you probably knew of Roger. He served on our security team and one of the most gracious human beings you've ever met. He passed away and I did his memorial service here on Saturday. It struck me that when I do a memorial service, and then an internment, which is the graveside ceremony, I always turn to a classic passage, and that's John 14:1-4 and I want to share that with you today.
This devotional for today is called Hope For The Heart. Our hearts are the place where hope resides, or where hope doesn't reside. And we need that for our heart. I don't know where you're at. But some of you may need an infusion of hope, a little hope encouragement blast, a little energy, a little love, a little affection for that hope. I want to share it with you today from John 14. The disciples needed comfort. Jesus predicted that he would die, he predicted that Peter would deny Him. The disciples were confused, they were a mess. They knew that Jesus would leave them. They didn't fully comprehend that he would leave them and come back one day.
John 14, gives them that comfort that even though Jesus would leave them, he'll come back. I believe the very comfort he gave the disciples 2000 years ago, is the same comfort he extends to us. Now, look at what it says, Jesus speaking to the disciple says in John 14:1, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me." Why? Because he is God. It continues, "In my father's house, are many rooms. If it were not, so I would have told you, I am going there to prepare a place for you? And ifI 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. You know the way to the place where I am going." Then jumping to John 14:6, it says "I am the way, I'm the truth, I am the life. And no one come comes to God the Father except through means of me".
John 14, gives them that comfort that even though Jesus would leave them, he'll come back. I believe the very comfort he gave the disciples 2000 years ago, is the same comfort he extends to us. Now, look at what it says, Jesus speaking to the disciple says in John 14:1, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me." Why? Because he is God. It continues, "In my father's house, are many rooms. If it were not, so I would have told you, I am going there to prepare a place for you? And ifI 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. You know the way to the place where I am going." Then jumping to John 14:6, it says "I am the way, I'm the truth, I am the life. And no one come comes to God the Father except through means of me".
Life can get you down. Life can zap your heart of hope, it can really really drain you. I want to encourage you - you need to fill your heart with hope through the Scriptures. But this promise says this, even when you're discouraged, you need to comfort, life has just drained you, never forget that Jesus is preparing a place for you. If you have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, and you are a Christian, he's preparing a place for you. Notice the text didn't say he's just preparing a place. He said he's preparing a place for YOU. It makes me wonder if God will do something unique for each individual to make our part in the great house of God even more special? I think just being with Jesus is everything I need, and it's everything you need, but he's going to make it special by his mere presence.
The disciples were confused and he says, "I'm coming back for you". Here's the good news - Jesus is coming back for the church. We don't know when he's coming back for the church. If he doesn't come back in my lifetime or your lifetime, when we die in our faith in Jesus Christ, if we have it, we will be with him and we have a great place. And here's what I know, when the future is going to be tremendous and heaven I can endure the challenge of life on Earth. When I know heaven is great, I can understand and I can make it through Earth not being great because it fills me with hope. So I want to give you hope for the heart. This life isn't everything. God will help you get through this life, no doubt, but I hope that you will place your hope in the fact that in heaven, God is preparing a place for you.
Are you prepared for the perfect place that God has prepared for you? Think about it. Have you ever heard the saying, "so heavenly minded, you're no earthly good"? I think you're the most earthly good when you're the most heavenly minded because when you think about heaven you want as many people there and you start giving your life away. I'll tell you what, when you give your life away to other people, God blesses you back and he'll bless you back with hope.
So what kind of hope do you need? For what do you need it for? Jesus said, these words will comfort you and I pray that the hope of heaven will get you through the hurt of life on Earth.
So what kind of hope do you need? For what do you need it for? Jesus said, these words will comfort you and I pray that the hope of heaven will get you through the hurt of life on Earth.
Let me pray for you. Father, we all need an infusion of hope. We all get discouraged and I pray whatever it is that, even now, the thought of being with you in heaven will give people hope, a hope to cope. Thank you, Lord, that you'll come back for us, if it is our privilege to be here when you come back at the rapture, that next great event in the future. But regardless of how, when we die and stand before you as Christians, we will be in heaven. Thank you for this, in Jesus name. Amen. I pray that fills you with hope and I hope you have a fantastic day.