Study in John’s Gospel

Study in John’s Gospel Presentation 54

Anxiety Chap 14v1-4 Presentation 54

Introduction What is a Christian to do when his world collapses? What is he to do in a day of great trouble? Life is full of troubles and disappointments. We are disappointed with ourselves, for we are not always what we want to be. We want to be strong, but we are weak. We want to be successful, but we experience many failures. We want to be liked, but often people are indifferent towards us. We are also often disappointed with other people, with a husband, wife, son, daughter, friend, employer, partner, employee, or whatever the case may be. Presentation 54

Introduction Circumstances, too, are a source of troubles. In some cases we can do something about our circumstances. We can try to change them but this is not always possible. Poverty cannot always be changed, and poverty is troubling. The loss of a loved one is also beyond our control, and can be devastating. The loss of a job, sickness, or even uncertainty about the future, all can cause anxiety levels to soar. And what about spiritual troubles, when it seems to us that the Lord's presence has been withdrawn and we are plunged alone into what has been described as “the dark night of the soul”? Presentation 54

Introduction What are we to do in such circumstances? How do we address despair? Jesus speaks into that situation, “Let not your heart be troubled….” 14v1. We are called to take ourselves in hand and by a deliberate exercise of the mind, strengthen our faith. We can overcome our troubles, by reminding ourselves of, and trusting in, the power and promises of God. Jesus’ words call us to confident discipleship [2Cor.4v8-9]. It is easier to be a people who weep and wail and expect everyone to pity us, but God can equip us to be strong in the faith, a people who in turn become a source of strength and encouragement to others. Presentation 54

Cause to be Troubled There are two important things about this passage, and the first, paradoxically is that we often have good cause to be troubled. There is a kind of Pollyanna Christianity around today that seeks to deny that. It exponents regularly cite Rom. 8v28 “all things work together for good to them that love God”yet they fail to realise that the text teaches that evil will indeed come but that God will accomplish his own good purposes through and in spite of it. Therefore, we must begin with a realistic recognition of trouble. Jesus is addressing his disciples, whom he knew to be agitated. Jesus himself had been troubled 13v21. Indeed, that may have intensified their anxiety? Presentation 54

Cause to be Troubled The One who had always breathed calm into their storms had expressed his own agitation of mind and heart. Then he had spoken about being taken from them when they had sacrificed so much to follow him. Are we surprised that they were in turmoil? If they were separated from Jesus what could fill the void left in their aching hearts? In addition, Jesus had told them that one of their number, would betray him, and another deny him. Did the disciples have cause to be troubled? Absolutely! From this we learn that it is not wrong to be honest about our circumstances and to recognise and even analyse our problems. Presentation 54

Cause to be Troubled Nor is it wrong to recognise and openly acknowledge things that trouble others. Sometimes, when people come to us with problems, we want to minimize their problems and say, "Well it’s not so bad, it could be worse." We think we can make them feel better by telling them of people in worse situations than their own. But we must not do this. Nothing is gained by minimising their problems. Instead, we need to hear what is being said and acknowledge that in many cases we understand why they are troubled. We are to be realists about all of life's problems Presentation 54

More Cause not to be At the same time, however, we must also be realists about the power of God and his promises. So although there is cause to be troubled, nevertheless, there is even greater cause not to be! This is the second important point. Jesus provides his disciples with five reasons why we should not be troubled! The first, concerns their knowledge of Jesus. Jesus knows about all our circumstances and is able to equip us to deal with them. Therefore, there is every reason to trust him. Jesus says, "You believe in God, believe also in me." Presentation 54

More Cause not to be Why should the disciples be urged to believe in God in this situation? They did not really doubt that God would take care of them in some far off, general sense. But they do not understand how Jesus could apparently abandon them. Jesus is saying, “believe that I know what I’m doing and that I will again return to you so that we can be together." This he said in the face of his own execution. “Don’t be anxious because you know me and therefore, have every reason to trust me .” A child will throw itself from the top of a wall into the arms of its father but not into those of a stranger. Why? Because he knows the character of his father.Trust rests upon experience and knowledge. Who knew Jesus better than his disciples? Presentation 54

More Cause not to be We have even more cause to trust Jesus concerning the future than those first disciples! Why? They stood on the far side of the resurrection and did not know, as we do, that he would triumph over death and that resurrection would follow. Did Jesus know what he was doing? Yes! Could he be trusted? Certainly! Then let us also trust him. Whatever the circumstances, whatever the hardship, let us believe that he has a purpose in those circumstances and is most certainly working them out for our own spiritual good. Presentation 54

A Home in Heaven Secondly, we should not be anxious for there is a place prepared for us in heaven. Jesus said, "In my Father's house are many mansions if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you" v2. For some this describes a "pie-in-the-sky" religion and smacks of escapism. It is true that some Christians have tried to run away from the harsh realities of life, like a number of those who were involved in the early monastic movement! But others, who are not escapists, have gained great comfort from these promises. The death of a Christian is not like the death of an unbeliever, for the Christian knows where he is going. He is sure of his heavenly home. Presentation 54

A Home in Heaven The Christian who knows his destiny seeks to live for Jesus in the here and now! Paul writes: "Join with others in following my example, … live according to the pattern we gave you… our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ" Phil. 3.17, 20. And John writes in his epistle, "we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure." 1Jn. 3v2-3. Knowing our destiny provides peace in the midst of turmoil and an incentive for godly living. Presentation 54

Our Personal Dwelling Thirdly, Jesus made it clear that he was going to prepare a place for them. Is this not the same point as was made before? No there is something more. He tells them that there a work that he is going to do for them. When we read, "I go to prepare a place for you,"move the focus from the word "prepare” to the words "for you". Do not think in terms of building construction but of changes that are being made for you as an individual. In other words, in the Father’s home there is a place - a niche - being tailor made just for you, if you are a believer; something that will be ideally suited to you. A perfect fit! Presentation 54

Our Personal Dwelling Have you ever decorated a room for someone special? Then, you know how to make a room suit one particular personality. If it is a daughter pink may well be the dominant colour. You hang up her pictures arrange her dressing table. If it is a son, the room might have a sailing boat or model car theme. If it is for Grandma, then you have a bedside-table to hold a glass for her false teeth! We take care in such preparation. Are we to think that Jesus will take less care for those whom he loves, who are to spend eternity with him? No. And the cost of this preparation… the cross. Presentation 54

With Jesus The fourth and fifth points can be taken together. They are: Jesus is returning again for those whom he has left behind and from that point on they will be with him forever. Paul writes, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord” 1Thess. 4v16-17. Paul realises that this is a truth of great comfort for he immediately follows it up in v18 saying; "Therefore, comfort one another with these words." Presentation 54

My Response We now return to opening question, “What is a Christian to do in the day of trouble, when his world seems to be collapsing?” He is to bring all five truths to his remembrance and process these truths. There are those for whom this will not sound very spiritual. They want to close themselves in a darkened room and wait for some great shaft of light to break through. But this was not Christ's teaching. He did not say, "Retreat from the world and wait for a bolt from the blue" He said, "Do not be troubled; do not let your present troubled state continue." If Jesus said it then surely our hearts need not be troubled! Presentation 54

My Response Advances are not made by those who fear that the battle is lost, that all is over and that nothing can be done. If such a demoralising viewpoint ever creeps over a battalion of field soldiers, then even the most terrifying of sergeants will move them to successful and vigorous action. But if, you tell them that the outcome is certain and that victory is sure, then the troubles of the moment will soon be largely forgotten. Every effort will be made to win a quick and total victory. Presentation 54

My Response Does life seem precarious? Then we need our eyes opened to enable us to see that the kingdoms of this world will indeed one day be the kingdoms of our God and of his Christ. From such a perspective our troubles will appear as mere fleabites in that great struggle. Peace in the midst of dark circumstances is not produced by burying our heads in the sand, or by playing feverishly with a set of worry beads but by allowing our minds and hearts to be gripped by the glorious truths that Jesus unpacks in these verses. We need to process these truths to experience their power! Presentation 54

Study in John’s Gospel