Heaven Guaranteed

Jesus Christ is God is totally trustworthy and reliable. And if you lives forever. Which he does promise to come and take us to live with him that our future is according to his own words forever and forever and forever is guaranteed permanently. Whether you are weak or strong price this morning. Whether you are mature or immature in Christ as his disciple. Whether your faith is large or little whether you have been a Christian for decades or just last week you came to faith in Christ you are guaranteeing absolute lifetime say if someone offered you an eternal guarantee. Well, that's exactly what God offers and Stephen Davies going to teach us more about this today.

This is wisdom from the heart. With this broadcast. Stephen begins a series entitled healing for troubled hearts.

This first lesson is called heaven. Guaranteed.

Our age has been called the age of anxiety.

The crying of society is probably best summed up by John Margolis of the Chicago Tribune who once penned these words tongue-in-cheek. He said I have seen the future and it doesn't work. Even Charlie Brown got another foray with a little cartoon he announced when data was little friends he said I have a new philosophy in life.

I will now begin dreading only one day at a time when our last discussion we left the disciples in that upper room where they were in the process of becoming extremely trouble they had seen the future they had heard it from the lips of their Savior and it was not working like they thought it was supposed to for the sake of review. We need to understand why they were so trouble before we dive in the John chapter 14, so if you have your your notes. This may be helpful, especially if you work with us last Lord's day. The disciples were trouble they were anxious for a number of reasons. First of all because Jesus had just announced that one of them would be a traitor. All of the gospel accounts give us the record that all of the disciples responded by saying, Lord, is that I Lord is at eyes that I Lord is it really me except Judas Iscariot for Matthew records that Judas looked at the Savior in the eye and he said Lord shortly. It is not. I the second reason the disciples would be troubled is that Jesus had just warned Peter that he would deny him three times. I will look at it closer later but for now look at what John Orton John records for us in chapter 13 verse 37 remember this conversation taking place. Peter said, Lord, why can I not follow you. Right now I will lay down my life for you. Jesus answered, will you lay down your life for me. Truly, truly, I say to you, a cop shall not throw into you deny me three times just as Peter is beginning to talk like a hero. Jesus announces that he will become a casualty by means of fear and this, in and of itself would strike fear to the other disciples as they heard the snow.

Peter one.

Abandon ship. I read this past week of the Potomac light infantry was supposed to fight nearly outside of the Civil War, but as the skirmishes broke out this band of men by unanimous vote decided to go AWOL and there on the banks of Sunriver historians record price that one man proposed a toast that is sort of become famous toast is the Potomac light infantry invincible in peacetime invisible in wartime. Peter you talk a good talk and you're talking tough, but when the war breaks out, you will be invisible not sure that his prediction of Peter's denial then we shock Peter, but the other men, why because Peter had been the one most likely to succeed. He was the only one willing to risk death by walking on the water you member no one else climbed out after him. He would become one of Christ's closest confidantes and friends. Here is the bald one.

He's the courageous one if if he is going to abandon Jesus than what will the rest of us do. Their hearts are troubled by the thought room is filled with deniers, then in the betrayers among them a foreboding moment. The third reason I think by far the most devastating factor that would rip the disciples heart apart was the message that Jesus was going to leave them look at verse 33 little children, I am with you a little while longer. You shall seek me, and as I said to the Jews now say I do. You also where I am going, you cannot tell me remember our last discussion. Jesus use that word Technion refer to his little sweet little babies.

His little children. The only time use the term in reference to his disciples why because he was about to give them a message that would be terrifying to the heart of any child, and that is I'm going to leave you alone and you can go where I'm going and it indeed would strike fear into their hearts. 20 talk so tenderly for them because at this moment in their little hearts as little children, there is this creation of confusion and fear.

Just as it would be in the life of a little child he's telling them he's going to leave them and they are immediately filled with question questions that rippled through the next several verses question answer question answer question answer, just like a child this past week Marsha and I celebrated our wedding anniversary were little late but we took a trip to Wilmington where they got this wheel driven ferryboat like the old-fashioned is the only only place in North Carolina so the commercial says where there's a will driven boat like this and and when I dated her in college I took her on a dinner like that and she never forgot it and I thought well want to score some points here and I want to take her on a dinner cruise and so we we went in the course we had to leave at about 12 o'clock in the afternoon and we would be back until midnight or so we had to stages of of babysitters lined up one for the afternoon shift and then one for the evening shift. We were explaining the store little kids in my little six-year-old daughter immediately began asking is lectured within passes wire but anyhow she starts asking question after question, the one that stuck with us and we kind of chuckle all the way to Wilmington was the question now my what happens if the boat shrinks were not sure what would be worse for the buck to sinker for the boat to shrink. That was in her little mind a concern well look again at verse 36 Lord previous chapter, chapter 13 where you going verse 37 Peter said to him, Lord, why cannot I follow you right now get to chapter 14 verse five Thomas chimes in with question Lord, we do not know where you're going, how do we know the way, eight is really the form of a request, Lord, will you show us the father and I will be sufficient to verse 22 Judas Iscariot said to him, Lord, what is happened that you're going to disclosure Santa was not to the world question question question and John chapter 14, is nothing more than a series of answers to their childlike question. You can leave us alone. What we do now. They have troubled hearts.

We don't explain the first phrase of chapter 14 where Jesus says let not your heart be troubled. See, we can read our way glibly through the New Testament and we can sort of thing ourselves into the big deal Peter. Don't don't don't worry about it.

Matthew don't sweat it. We know the ending. It's all gonna work out wonderfully well. If we do that when it comes to interpreting and applying the Scriptures we are imposing on her mind blindness in our hearts unless we are willing, for the moment to crawl back into this upper room is one professor used a pound into us see what they saw.

Feel what they felt smell what they smelled where they wore you get back in there to try to discover why, because unless you and I really understand the problem. We will not appreciate the solution in chapter 14 is nothing but a series of solutions in the first statement is very powerful now as we traveled to Wilmington and has been storming in and that we are with another couple that we were doubling the other fella one makes a points to so I city go along with.

So when you were traveling to Wilmington and we could see up ahead. These billowing clouds driving right and it was quite a display powers as of the lightning shattered the darkness repeatedly and we drove into that ensure enough finally arrived in torrential rain began sweeping us in sheets in the wind kind of pushed our van from one side of the lane to the other and I I've had to slow down the 65 just to be safe. 5555 but when we arrived in Wilmington.

The weather was absolutely beautiful just what we had and we can appreciate why because we just driven through this very terrific storm. The point is, ladies. John, unless we understand storm we don't appreciate the solution and they were in the mix. In this upper room right now filled terrifying storm like feelings. So let's go to John chapter 14. With that in mind, in verse one as Jesus says let not your heart be troubled, you could translate this phrase with the words stop. Stop letting your hearts be troubled. The word trouble terrazzo means to be distressed it means to be filled with anguish and fear. It is, it's a troubling that Jesus says stop being troubled.

You will tell a child to stop crying right now unless you give them a good reason this and that's exactly what the Lord will do if I get your pen out because I want to write into your text too! It's in the phrase there in verse one. He says let not your heart be troubled, and here's the first imperative in the original language believe in God!

Believe also in me! You could very easily translate this verse. Stop letting your hearts be troubled. Keep on believing in God!

Keep on believing in me! I remember this continual believing here is nothing to do with salvation. Keep on believing in you might make it. I have done labor alone. No, absolutely not. This this believing is nothing to do with making it to the shores of heaven and has everything to do with making it through the storms of life keep on trusting in me. Why, because you can see the billowing black cloud and you can see the fireworks of lightning. Jesus is suggesting here something interesting believe in God!

As if to assume that's easy. He says then keep on believing in me that he taught them that he was God incarnate, but he's reminding them in an interesting way. I believe this way.

Keep on believing in God and you have never laid your eyes on him and keep on believing in me got in the flesh because what you will see is going to trouble you even more for you will see God drug through the streets brought before a mock jury flogged, beaten, abused, jeered and ultimately nailed across to believing God you've never seen and keep believing in me, even though what you say is unbelievably confusing! Jesus says stop agonizing in your hearts. Verse one in the first principle is this item completely trustworthy in the next few verses have been considered for the ages to be the most comforting words and all of the Bible wise that because were all little children and we all struggle with hurting hearts troubled hearts interrupted by brief periods of calmness may be the trouble of some terminal illness or some doctors report you haven't yet heard it might be trouble that comes from the loss of family members that might be the trouble that comes from a marriage on the rocks. Might be trouble to come from a child that's away from God or a parent is never placed their faith in Christ.

It may be the trouble of finance worries over debt and the mounting pile of bills. There may be this troubling in your heart related to hundred thousand thing we do not know what the future holds doing. We don't know what tomorrow holds doing 64 E. As I travel home to Virginia to my parents home. We did recently. We passed through this little community that's made up of the homes in old cars.

We have to make our way through that on 64 E. headed for the coast of Virginia and I've been doing that now with my family for almost 8 years now as we travel home from Kerry and the end. I was first drawn to this little shanty by a crude wooden sign with hand-painted letters that sister Maria could read your palm, she could read the stars.

She could tell you your future.

I noticed as we recently drove through that little community again now on that same lot.

Is this large palatial brick, with beveled glass doors, a driveway filled with new automobiles and now professionally designed sign declaring the success so to speak of a woman who is tapped into the resource of troubled hearts who want to know the future who want to guarantee I've read that New York telephone alone handles just over 1 million calls a month on his horoscope line. The truth is every human heart craves and answer the only difference is where people look for the one is going to look here with me this morning. One of the wonderful things about John 14 as it tells us her future.

Here's the real story that John chapter 14 verse one begins this chapter of answers with this one.

Premise this basic underlying principle that is Jesus Christ is completely trustworthy.

If you believe that the rest of the chapter falls in the light. Here's the second principle that can bring healing like nothing else. Number two. Not only is Christ completely trustworthy, but are future home in heaven is a promised reality it's not pie-in-the-sky is not a crutch.

It's not a copout. For those of you that really need some help. When you look at the future. This is reality. Just as Jesus Christ is completely trustworthy home in heaven with him is as well. I was enjoy reading poll results in Gallup poll recently revealed that more Americans than ever believe in heaven or something like it.

78% of those polled, 88% of those polled felt like they had a good to excellent chance of getting hit you talk to people about heaven and you get a variety of impression is no one a little group of children from Ohio wrote. They were asked what they thought heaven was like little Eric said this. It's a place where there's a lot of money lying around and just pick up by lots.

Scott said heaven is up in the sky and you can look down it at circuses for free if you want to subject as God for permission first one. One little girl wrote heaven will be that happy. As part of my dead life. Tommy got a blurted out as his feelings and I didn't really appreciate this.

But as a kid lives in Ohio. He said I know it heaven is but I don't want to go up there.

I want to go down to North Carolina and I thought it was heaven or hell. This kid thinks it's heaven or North Carolina. David David said heaven is kind of big and you sit around playing harps. I do not play hard but I suppose I have to take some dumb heartless increase so modest kids out there.

There are a lot of misconceptions about heaven and the we can clear them all up. I think to misconceptions from verse two have to be cleared up with read it first. John 14 two in my father's house are many dwelling places. If it were not so I would've told you, for I go to prepare a place for you, but answer to misconception number one. Heaven is filled with mansions. The old King James translation would read in my father's house are many mansions sparked many imaginations along the same kinds of lines as if I win the. The sweepstakes kind of thinking gospel songs of course have it helped a lot either of the talk about the great mansion up there in the sky are mentioned was to be like truth is, we've grown up with this impression that heaven is like this great huge real estate development and when we die. Some angelic person is going to direct us to our mansion easy to say that you go down the street for about 3 miles and he turned left and that that stoplight you turn right there they'll be just past the lake and you think, oh boy my own mansion. Jesus refers in this verse to his father's house. Word is white, and it's made up of many Monet rooms dwelling places now to the original hearers. It made a lot of sense because that's how they live. Jesus was saying something that they completely understood.

We don't because we live in a totally different culture. Although the principal is no different. While our culture is different. Jesus is basically saying that God's house has many rooms just as a Jewish father in that they would have a son.

The son would go and marry the son would bring his bride back and the father would add on a little wing or little room and that's where they live. Most of the sons group to work with their fathers and their trade. Just as Jesus worked in the trade of Josephus's stepfather as a carpenter and if they had two or three sons.

They build on and in fact they would typically build in a circular shape and or be a little patio in the middle and that's where they would all live they would literally be living in the father's house, but they each have their little dwelling. Now I misconception of of these mansions has us living miles away from the father. If were bad for good. We we live within the limits and maybe we can see father's house if were really good. We might live next door.

The proper picture is the fact that you and I are the bride of his son and he's taking us home to his father and the father's built on a wing he's put on some rooms, as it were. We live under the same roof with the father in the father's house.

The point is we are living forever in the immediate presence of God. Misconception number two. Heaven is under construction. Jesus said in verse two.

The latter part look at it again before I go to prepare a place for you that many of unfortunately concluded that in some way. Jesus has a hammer, some blueprints and is in the process of building this new city and that every one of us has a home under construction and the bad news or good news is that he's making it out of the stuff we send on ahead. Some of us can visualize little shanties and other of us can perhaps selfishly consider some wealthy palatial mansion will it's a foolish thought, especially as I have actually read the Jesus was a carpenter on earth, so he would know what to do. Heaven on the think of what he did, according to Colossians chapter 1 verse 16 he was the creative agent of the triune God. He that is was the word of the father. He created all that there is in six days.

Why would he need nearly 2000 years to create heaven know when he ascended the Bible tells us he sat down at the right hand of the father that signified completion at that moment everything was next and Randy and it has been the only thing that's changing is the number of residents are to which Jesus talking bases I go to prepare a place for you sound like instruction to me. One of the great commentators of yesteryear man by the name of William Barclay is is always a help. He did a service to me by pointing out just refreshing my memory as I will yours that often in the New Testament. Jesus Christ is referred to as forerunner that is the one who goes before as the shepherd goes in front of the sheep. In fact, one of the Greek words that used to describe Jesus. I believe explain the statement here.

John 14 two is the Greek word prodromal it's it's translated form and in fact listen to Hebrews 619. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul.

Hope both sure and steadfast, and one which enters within the veil, that is within the presence of God to listen where Jesus has entered as a prodromal as a forerunner for us now in the Army. The Roman army of Christ's day. They just have soldiers called the prodromal way that same Greek word these were soldiers that would blaze the trail sort of his spies or his agent sent out ahead to make sure that it was safe for the Army. That would be traveling along behind. That's the idea here 2000 years ago heaven was ready and waiting, so your heart is hurting you. Just remember, not only is Jesus Christ completely trustworthy, but you're not home yet and when you get there you will not believe what he's created for you and for me. I turned back to John chapter 14 once more. Let me give you the third principal that will bring healing and that is to remember your future is guaranteed permanently. Verse three and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself. By the way to Jesus. Go okay. He said that would be the assigned if I go meet them coming back.

Just as a one is coming right back where I am, there you may be also know you need to know what's important here is being with Jesus Christ were invited not so much to a place as we are to a person, even though that place is magnificent. Jesus is heavens, my father. So in other words, I'm going to be there. I'm going to get you, take you home and you can be with me forever.

I think what Job wrote in chapter 19 he said I know that my Redeemer lives, and I shall one day see him face-to-face. And when I see him, he will not be a stranger to me and I will not be a stranger to him. If Jesus Christ is infinite God, if he's totally trustworthy and reliable.

And if you lives forever. Which he does and he's promised to come and take us to live with him that our future is according to his own words forever and forever and forever is guaranteed permanently. Whether you are weak or strong in Christ this morning. Whether you are mature or immature in Christ as his disciple.

Whether your faith is large or little whether you have been a Christian for decades or just last week you came to faith in Christ, you are guaranteed a place in heaven forever. Do you have unanswered questions you have fears and doubts will according to this word here there's going to come a day when your questions will be forever completely answered your fears will be perfectly put to rest your tears will be completely wiped dry. It's not going to happen now completely but if you want to live in this life if you will be able to walk through the storm with perspective and with joy with her healed heart. You have to remember Jesus said I am completely trustworthy. Your future home in heaven promised reality and your eternal state of living guaranteed permanently as the songwriter wrote just think of stepping on shore finding just think of taking hold of the hand and finding God's think of breathing new air and finding it so last think of waking in the morning finding how. But if you want healing for hurting heart is going to tell us as we study over these next few weeks how to live our salvation is rooted in God and he promises us a home in heaven with him forever. This is wisdom for the heart are Bible teacher for these daily messages is Stephen Davey. Today's lesson is entitled heaven guaranteed and it's part one in a four-part series called healing for troubled hearts. Stephen has taken this series and turned it into a book that resource makes it convenient for you to return to this and be encouraged. Any time you need to call us at 86 648 Bible or visit wisdom online.this three more lessons to go in this series and will continue through it on our next broadcast.

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