!
Good morning, everybody.
Great to see you all.
I've been away the last five Sundays.
I was on placement
in Washington, D.C.
for two Sundays and then in
Grosvenor Road Baptist for three Sundays.
I'm very thankful for the church supporting
me to do those placements.
It's so good to be back
today with you all.
Look forward to telling you more about
those experiences away in time.
But thank God for them.
Returning to
John chapter 14
verses 1 to 14
and we're
going to read
from there. That's on page 1082
of the church
Bible.
John chapter 14
and
verse 1 to 14.
Just
before Louise comes up to read that.
It's a little bit of context.
These
are some of the last words that Jesus
says to his disciples
before he goes to the cross.
After three years
of life
alongside
Jesus,
he's just told
these men that he's about to die.
But worse than that,
he's just told them that
one of them
is about to betray him
to his death.
And
Peter
is going to disown him
three times
before the morning.
So the disciples
are reeling.
It's like the rug's
been pulled
from under their feet.
Their hearts
are troubled
in this moment
as Jesus speaks.
So Jesus speaks
these words
into their
troubled hearts.
Thanks, Louise.
Do not let your hearts
be troubled.
You believe in God,
believe also in me.
My father's house
has many rooms.
If that were not so,
would I have told you?
that I am going there.
Sorry,
if that was not so,
would I have told you
that I am going there
to prepare a place
for you?
And if I go
and prepare a place
for you,
I will come back
and take you
to be with me
that you
may also
be where I am.
You know
the way
to the place
where I am going.
Thomas said to him,
Lord,
we do not know
where you are going,
so how can we
know the way?
Jesus answered,
I am the way,
the truth
and the life.
No one comes
to the father
except through me.
If you really
know me,
you will know
my father as well.
From now on,
you do know him
and you have seen him.
Philip said,
Lord,
show us
the father
and that
will be enough
for us.
Jesus answered,
don't you know me,
Philip,
even after I have
been among you
for such a long time?
Anyone who has
seen me
has seen the father.
How can you say,
show us the father?
Don't you believe
that I am in the father
and that the father
is in me?
The words I say to you,
I do not speak
on my own authority.
Rather,
it is the father
living in me
who is doing
his work.
believe me
when I say
that I am
in the father
and the father
is in me
or at least
believe on the
evidence of
the works
themselves.
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.
Well,
Jesus just
told us
in verse 1,
he says,
don't let
your hearts
be troubled.
Believe in
God.
Believe
also in
me.
You know,
I think we
can resonate
with the
disciples in
this situation,
can't we?
We can
resonate with
their troubled
hearts.
We all
walked in the
door this
morning with
our own
unique set
of various
troubles and
difficulties.
For some
of us,
those troubles,
well,
they can
begin to
overwhelm
us.
we don't
know what
to even
say to
God or
what to
do next.
Some
days we
just feel
like curling
up in a
ball.
Maybe it's
a relationship
that's broken,
seems beyond
repair.
Maybe it's
an illness
that you
never
expected.
Maybe it's
times of
change and
uncertainty.
maybe it's
stress at
work or
at school
or college
or saying
goodbye to
somebody that
you never
wanted to
say goodbye
to.
Our hearts
are troubled
today.
What Jesus
is about to
say to us
is not
easy.
It's not
a trite,
quick-fix
thing.
You know,
three steps
to not
having any
troubles
anymore.
No.
But God
the Son
stands before
us today
in his
word.
And he
speaks
three reasons
for real
comfort
in the
middle of
our
troubles.
and
God
So before
we look
at those
reasons,
let's
pray and
ask for
God's
help to
really hear
what he
has to
say.
Our
loving
Father in
heaven,
you know
our troubled
and weary
hurts.
Meet us
here by
your Spirit.
Help us
to hear
your Son's
words to
us.
That we
would not
fear,
but that we
would feel
your profound
comfort
in the
deepest
places
of our
hearts.
For your
Son's sake,
we pray.
Amen.
Well,
here's the
first reason
for comfort
in our
text.
Jesus
says,
do not
let your
hearts
be
troubled.
Your
home
is with
the
Father
forever
through
Jesus.
Have a
look at
verse 2.
My
Father's
house
has many
rooms.
If that
were not
so,
would I
have told
you that
I'm going
there to
prepare a
place for
you?
and if
I 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.
What a
comfort
to our
hearts.
We've
already been
thinking about
that this
morning,
haven't we?
Jesus
has gone
to prepare
a place
for us
where we
will live
with him
and the
father
forever.
You know,
there was a
Jewish custom
in the time
of Jesus.
The groom
would leave
to prepare
a place
for his
bride in
his father's
house,
usually by
building on
an addition
to the
house.
And
following
the wedding,
he would
take his
bride back
with him
to his
father's
house
where they
would live.
And that's
a picture
of Jesus
and us.
He has
committed
himself
to us
in love
as our
bridegroom.
And we,
the church,
are the
bride.
He has
gone ahead
of us
to prepare
a place
to live
with his
bride
forever
in his
father's
house.
Revelation
speaks of
the wedding
supper
of the
lamb,
when Jesus
will be
fully and
finally
married to
his bride.
The church
and when
that time
comes,
he will
return
and take
us to
be with
him
forever
in his
father's
house.
See the
double
comfort
that that
is.
On the
one
hand,
married
to
Christ
forever.
Every
good
marriage
on this
earth
is just
a shadow
pointing
to that
true
marriage
to come
where we
will be
satisfied
and
comforted
in
Christ's
perfect
love
forever.
On the
other
hand,
we will
be with
the
father
forever.
In
his
union
with
us,
Jesus
shares
everything
he has
with
us,
including
his
father.
We
have the
right
to be
sons
and
daughters
of
God.
What
a
comfort
that the
father
who has
loved
and
delighted
in
his
son
for
all
eternity
calls
you
his
son
or
daughter
in
Christ.
Can you
just imagine
that moment
when we
will reach
that eternal
home?
Can you
see
the
father's
open
arms?
Can you
see a
smile
on his
face?
he is
not
reserved
in
his
love
for
us.
Jesus
has
prepared
a
place
for
you
to
be
with
him
and
his
father
forever.
So
take
heart.
Now
notice
what
Thomas
asks
in
verse
five.
Thomas
said
to
him,
Lord,
we
don't
know
where
you
are
going.
So
how
can
we
know
the
way?
Now
it's
a
bit
of
funny
question,
isn't
it?
because
Jesus
has
literally
just
told
them
where
they're
going
to
heaven
and
the
way
to
get
there.
He's
going
to
take
them.
Jesus
is
patient
with
Thomas
here
and
he's
patient
with
us
in
our
doubts
and
our
failure
to
hear
and
understand
as
well.
So
Jesus
says
it
even
clearer
and
I'm
thankful
that
he
does.
Verse
six.
Jesus
answered,
I
am
the
way
and
the
truth
and
Christ.
There
is
no
true
source
of
life
that
lasts
forever
outside
of
Christ.
You
see,
you can
never
know
the
comfort
of
being
with
the
Father
unless
you
come
through
faith
in
the
Son.
That
means
believing
what
Jesus
did
for
you
on
the
cross
to
reconcile
you
to
the
Father.
Because
Jesus
was
the
only
one
who
never
sinned.
He
was
the
only
one
who
could
pay
the
penalty
our
sins
deserved.
That
is why
he
says
no
one
comes
to
the
Father
except
through
me.
We
may
be
offended
by
that
claim.
We
might
say
that's
very
exclusive
Jesus
for
you
to
say
that.
But
it
is
the
truth.
And
Jesus
says
it
for
our
ultimate
comfort.
So that
in the
heartache,
in the
trouble that
we experience
in our
lives,
we would
know that
Jesus
has gone
to prepare
a place
for us
with his
Father.
So he
calls out,
believe in
me.
And I
will take
you there.
The bridegroom
has promised
to return
for his
bride.
Let us
take
comfort
in that
in the
midst
of our
trouble
today.
Here's
the next
truth
of Jesus
to comfort
our hearts.
And it
has to
do not
with
something
in the
future,
something
right here
in the
present,
our
present
experience
of the
Father.
Jesus
says,
don't let
your hearts
be troubled.
You
will see
and know
the
Father
right now.
in Jesus.
Now the
disciples were
devastated that
Jesus was
going away.
In their
minds,
the future
promise of
being with
the Father
just wasn't
enough.
What about
the meantime?
Have a look
at verse 8.
Look what
Philip asks.
He says,
Lord,
show us
the Father
and that
will be
enough for
us.
Now I
think we've
all been
there.
thinking,
you know,
if I
could just
see God
now,
if I
could just
sit across
the table
from him
and talk
to him
and hear
him speak
to me,
and if
I could
just know
what he
was like,
who he
really is.
And yet
Jesus has
actually already
answered this
question
beforehand
in verse 7.
And his
answer is
this,
we have
already
known and
seen the
Father in
Jesus.
So,
Jesus says
it again.
Have a look
in verse 9.
He says,
don't you
know me,
Philip?
Even after
I have been
among you
such a long
time,
anyone who
has seen
me has
seen the
Father.
How can
you say,
show us
the Father?
Don't you
believe that
I am in
the Father?
and that
the Father
is in
me?
The words
I say to
you,
I do not
speak on
my own
authority.
Rather,
it is the
Father living
in me who
is doing
his work.
Believe
me when
I say
that I
am in
the Father
and the
Father is
in me.
Or at
least believe
on the
evidence of
the works
themselves.
and the
God is
now here
we see
something of
the beauty
and glory
of the
Trinity.
Our
God
has revealed
himself
as being
one God
with three
distinct
persons.
Father,
Son,
Holy Spirit.
They share
the same
divine nature.
They are
totally one
in will
and purpose.
And yet,
they have
distinct
roles
in creating
us,
in saving
us.
For example,
the Father
sends the
Son to
be the
sacrifice
for our
sin.
And he
sends him
in the
power of
the Spirit.
These
persons relate
to each
other in
different ways.
For example,
as a
father and
a son.
This is
what Jesus
says.
He says,
the Father
is in
the Son
and the
Son is
in the
Father.
Think about
this with
me for
a second.
Equally,
we could
say the
same thing
about the
Spirit
being in
the Son
and in
the Father.
The
persons of
the Trinity
mutually
indwell
each other.
That means
if you
see one
person of
the Trinity,
you see
all the
others
also.
now,
when we
hear
Jesus
say this
first,
we could
think,
I don't
know if
I believe
this.
I don't
understand how
it works.
Does it
matter if
I believe
it?
Well,
yes,
it does.
Even though
it's hard
to understand,
Jesus
asks us
repeatedly
to believe
that it
is true
for our
comfort
in trouble.
And here's
why.
because if
we know
what Jesus
is like
from
reading the
Word,
we can
also say
we know
what the
Father is
like.
We can
also say
that I
have seen
his
Son and
all of
the Father
is in
the Son.
I've seen
the Father.
We are not
left guessing
about the
Father's
character.
Do you
ever think
that Jesus
is like
the warm,
welcoming,
compassionate
member of
the Trinity?
But the
Father seems
to be
different,
more distant
or
inapproachable?
Wrong!
That is not
true.
Jesus
reveals
the Father.
When we
see Jesus,
we see
who the
Father is.
So when
we see
Jesus forgiving
the woman
caught in
sin,
or having
compassion
on the
crowds,
or welcoming
the children
to him,
or being
patient with
the doubter,
or drawing
near to
the outcast,
or weeping
with the
brokenhearted,
we see the
Father's
heart right
there.
And he's
your Father
in Christ.
Oh, the
wonder of
being loved
by such
a Father.
he understands
the troubles
that you
feel.
And more
than that,
he's with
you in
your troubles.
If you
look down
a few
verses in
John chapter
14,
look down
to verse
23.
Jesus says
here,
he says,
anyone who
loves me
will obey
my teaching.
My Father
will love
them,
and we
will come
to them
and make
our home
with them.
So don't
let your
hearts be
troubled.
The
Father
is actually
closer than
your skin.
You know
what he's
like.
You've seen
him in
Jesus.
He has
made his
home in
you with
the Son,
by the
Spirit.
He cares
about your
troubled
heart,
and you
can know
his heart
of love
for you
despite what
you're
going
through.
Believe
in
Jesus'
word to
you today.
Your
home is
with the
Father,
and in
the meantime,
you can
see and
know him
now in
his Son.
Take
heart.
And if
that account
of the
Father sounds
foreign to
you, may
I encourage
you to
read the
Gospels.
And as
you see
Jesus,
remember,
this is
who the
Father
is.
He
perfectly
reveals
the
Father.
There is
one last
thing in
this text
that Jesus
wants to
say to
give us
his
comfort.
And it
may be
the most
surprising
in some
ways.
It is
that you
and I
will do
the works
of the
Father
in Jesus.
Now,
when our
hearts are
weighed down
with trouble,
we can
feel like
we're no
good to
anyone.
And I
think we've
all experienced
that.
That feeling
of just
wanting to
curl up
in a
ball.
Feeling
paralyzed
by pain
or sadness
or worry.
It's like
it's all
you can
think about.
You can't
even do
anything else
it feels
like.
Or at
least you
don't
want to.
Well,
Jesus says
to his
disciples
and to
us,
I know
your
hearts
are weighed
down
with
troubles.
But the
Father has
a real
purpose for
you right
here,
right now.
He wants
to do
his works
in you
whenever you
feel at your
weakest.
Now,
let's look at
what these
works are
in our
reading.
Verse 10,
Jesus says,
the words
I say
to you,
I do
not speak
on my
own
authority.
Rather,
it is the
Father living
in me
who is
doing
his work.
So can
you see
the link
there?
The
words
that Jesus
speaks
are the
works
of the
Father.
That's
what Jesus
says.
Obviously,
Jesus did
other things
than just
speak
God's
words.
But in
Jesus' mind,
the primary
work of
the Father
was speaking
his word.
Now,
keep that
in mind
as we
read
verse 12.
This is
quite
something.
Verse 12,
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.
So you
and I
are called
to do
the same
works
that Jesus
did,
the works
of the
Father,
speaking
his
word.
What a
comfort this
is in
our trouble.
That gives
us a
surpassing
purpose.
We are
ambassadors
of the
Father.
In our
workplaces,
schools,
housing
estates,
clubs,
in our
families,
we are
the
Father's
mouthpiece
and
masterpiece
too.
We speak
the true
words about
Jesus to
others,
so they
also can
hear and
believe and
be reconciled
to the
Father
forever.
and just
think about
this.
Isn't it
often through
our times
of suffering
and pain
that the
best
opportunities
arise to
speak of
Christ?
You know,
as people
see us walk
through real
struggles,
they are
much more
likely to
take notice
of what
makes us
tick.
They can
see a
peace
beyond
our
circumstances.
They can
see a
hope beyond
the current
pain.
They can
see a
faith that's
steady
through
hard times.
People
begin to
ask,
how is
this so?
Why are
you like
this,
given your
circumstances?
And the
door is
opened to
speak about
Jesus.
One
example of
this is a
lady named
Johnny
Erickson
Tata.
Some of
you may
know her
story.
She was
paralyzed in
all four
limbs in
a tragic
diving accident
when she
was 17
years old.
For the
last 50
years, she
has struggled
with chronic
pain,
depression,
grief, and
questions about
why God
allowed this
to happen
in her
life.
and as
more and
more people
began to
hear of
her story,
she had
more and
more
opportunities
to speak
of Christ,
especially
to those
who are
also going
through
intense
suffering
and pain
or coping
with a
disability.
Now,
Johnny
doesn't
downplay
the reality
of pain,
of her
ongoing
disability,
but she
does speak
of how
Christ has
been enough
for her
all the
way through
it.
Countless
people have
come to
faith in
Christ
through
listening to
her story.
She was
someone who
very easily
could have
given way
to despair
and just
done
nothing,
but she
believed
the word
of Christ
to her,
that despite
her troubled
heart,
the Father
had given
her his
own works
to do,
even
there in
that place.
She found
immense
comfort in
the fact
that God
has given
her purpose
in her
struggle.
And for
you and
I today,
Jesus says,
don't let
your hearts
be troubled,
I've got
to work
for you
right here,
the Father's
work.
The Father
is sending
you to
the people
around you
who are also
suffering and
struggling.
What an amazing
comfort that is.
It doesn't
erase the
pain,
it doesn't
fix all
our problems,
it doesn't
just magic
our troubles
away,
but it's
a real
comfort as
we walk
through it.
We have
a purpose
right here
as an
ambassador
of the
Father,
and Jesus
empowers us
for this
task.
Just look
what he
says next,
verse 13.
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.
Now we do
need to be
careful here.
We could
really run
with those
words and
do a lot
of damage
with that.
What is it
exactly that
we are to
ask Jesus
for and
that he
will give
us?
Well,
Jesus said,
it's whatever
we ask
in Jesus'
name.
Here's what
one author
said.
A request
in the name
of Jesus
is a
request
in keeping
with the
character
and mission
of Jesus.
I'll say
that once
more.
A request
in the name
of Jesus
is a
request
in keeping
with the
character
and mission
of Jesus.
So we
don't ask
for something
that Jesus
wouldn't want,
clearly,
and expect
him to give
that to us.
No.
But he
wants us
to ask
him for
things that
align with
his will.
What is
his will?
Well,
actually,
Jesus said
that in
verse 14,
13.
It's that
the Father's
name will
be glorified
more
and more.
So,
do we
ask in
our
struggles
for
opportunities
to share
Jesus?
That's a
good question.
Do we
persist
in praying
for friends,
family,
co-workers
to have
open hearts
to listen
to the
word of
Christ?
Jesus
loves
to answer
such
prayers.
He loves
to show
his mighty
power
in us.
Ask
in his
name
and watch
him work.
Just
try him.
We all
have our
own unique
set of
troubles.
Jesus,
you'll be
glad to
know,
does not
downplay
them.
He does
not brush
them under
the carpet
or give
us a
pat
answer.
He says,
don't let
your hearts
be troubled.
Believe
in me.
And he
gives us
real
reasons
for comfort.
Number
one,
we have
a home
with the
Father to
look forward
to in
heaven.
number
two,
right now,
right here,
we will
see and
know the
Father in
Jesus.
And
lastly,
we'll
even do
the
Father's
works.
In the
meantime,
in our
struggle and
pain,
what an
amazing
comfort
Jesus
brings to
us today.
and it's
all
through
him.
Jesus
has brought
us into
this position
as sons
and
daughters
of this
Father.
Let's
take comfort
today
in who we
are as
sons and
daughters
of him.
Let's
pray.
谢谢大家