A Place Prepared for Us

Lesson #221

What a meaningful verse we covered in the last lesson: “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me” (John 14:1 ESV). When we find ourselves in those times of “trouble” let’s then think about what Jesus next told his disciples: “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?” (John 14:2 ESV). Many translations replace “many rooms” with “many mansions,” which does not fit well with the eastern context from which this is written. As believers, we make up the bride of Christ and when a son prepares to bring his bride home he first prepares a place for him at his father’s house. A room is added to the original house for her. As each son brings back his bride, there is a room added for her. In this context, Jesus says, “In my Father’s house are many rooms,” but for each one of us who are born again, he will add a room. During the past 2000 years Jesus Christ has been busy adding rooms to his Father’s house for his bride. I don’t believe we can begin to imagine what the Father’s house is like or what our room will be like. How important this concept is, especially for believers who have little covering to protect them from their current harsh living conditions. In any kind of trial, let us not forget the “inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials” (1 Peter 2:4 – 6 ESV).

“If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” The truth of our personal room in the Father’s house is established on who Jesus is; the Son of God. Jesus will, in verse 6, enforce the truth of this statement by referring to himself as “the truth.” Jesus is trying to soften the blow of his announcement of his leaving the disciples behind by giving them a reason for his going away; he is going to his Father’s house to prepare a wonderful place for them. Here is where all believers will be gathered together with Jesus. Now our focus is on this future personal dwelling place, but nothing has yet been said about how we will spend our time in heaven. Here we are introduced to our place of residence, but we have yet to learn much about the fullness of life there. We can’t stop here, but must press on to the next verse.

“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” (John 14:3 ESV). Jesus is going to prepare a place and now he makes the promise that he will come again to take us there because that is where he will be. Let us not be discouraged by our suffering, even if it should lead to death because as we think about what lies ahead we need to be of good courage because it is better to be away from our body and be at home with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). How important it is for us to study the Scriptures and know what lies on the outer side of death and to draw closer to Jesus Christ to know what living with him for an eternity will be like. How easy it is to get sidetracked in our preparation, by life in this world, and not be prepared for life in eternity and to be encouraged by what lies beyond our difficult time here. What hope and encouragement these two verses give us when we face difficult times and our hearts become troubled.

Prayer

Father, I reminded to pray for my brothers and sisters who face serious persecution and are not sure how soon before death might come; I also think of others who face persecution from family members or others who make life nearly unbearable; I think of those going through difficult health issues, difficult relational issues, or many other various trials that stir up life; I see the importance of what Jesus said in these two verses that we need to focus on instead of on how bad our circumstances are now. I pray for these and I pray that my readers will also pray for them and for each other. Lord, thank you for going to prepare a place for us and your promise to return to get us.