This is the manuscript of the second sermon in the series "Lessons from the Upper Room". In this sermon series I want us to look at the lessons that Jesus taught in the Upper Room.
I know that we have celebrated the resurrection of our Savior and the birth of the church at Pentecost, but I want us to go back to a time before Jesus’ crucifixion. I want us to go back to the time that Jesus spent in the Upper Room with His disciples, that last night with them before His arrest trials and crucifixion.
The first lesson that Jesus taught, and they needed to learn was the meaning of love—Jesus’ love and their love. The next lesson they needed to learn was that Jesus was going to prepare a place for them where they would be with Him forever. That place is heaven so the lesson we are going to talk about today is heaven, and eternal life.
The question of whether there is a life after death, and of what quality is that life is one of vital concern to us. Without a knowledge of eternal life we cannot understand God's purpose in creating us, and without this we cannot grasp the nature of His Love, or the nature of His will with us.
Scripture Reading:
John 14:1-15 NIV “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 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.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and 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 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 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. “If you love me, keep my commands.
Introduction
Text:
John 14:1–4 NIV “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 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”
Remember as I started this new series on the “Upper Room Lessons, last week, I said that knowing the time was fast approaching for Him to depart this world, Jesus spent His final hours before His death with His disciples, His closest friends and in that Upper Room Jesus served them, He taught them, and He prayed for them.
The first lesson that Jesus taught, and they needed to learn was the meaning of love—Jesus’ love and their love. The next lesson they needed to learn was that Jesus was going to prepare a place for them where they would be with Him forever. That place is heaven so the lesson we are going to talk about today is heaven, and eternal life.
We often face the age-old questions of life after death.
Questions like:
Is the spiritual world a real place? Are there lands and cities, mountains, oceans and forests there?
Does our personality survive the death of the natural body?
Will we look the same?
Will we have the same loves and thoughts?
Does everyone go to heaven?
Is there really a hell?
Do we see God there?
The question of whether there is a life after death, and of what quality is that life is one of vital concern to us, especially when we are confronted with the death of those who we love or with our own death. Without a knowledge of eternal life we cannot possibly understand God's purpose in creating us, and without this we cannot grasp the nature of His Love, or the nature of His will with us.
It is a mistake to view eternal life as simply an unending progression of years. In the Greek language a common New Testament word for “eternal” is aiónios, which carries the idea of quality as well as quantity. In fact, eternal life is not really associated with “years” at all, because it is independent of time. Eternal life exists outside of and beyond time, as well as within time. The believer is already living an eternal life. We have the very presence of God in our bodies now and we will be in the presence of God forever.
The story is told when the gospel was first carried into Britain. Someone said "Man comes out of the mystery of eternity, passes through the light of this world, and disappears into the mystery of eternity beyond. Does this new religion tell us what lies beyond death?”
Job kinda asked this same question.
Job 14:14 NIV If someone dies, will they live again? …
Jesus’ disciples were also troubled about what happened after death, because Jesus had been telling them that he was going to die.
Matthew 16:21 NIV From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
He also told them that He was going somewhere but that they couldn't come with Him then.
John 13:31-33 NIV When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.
Well of course Peter asked Him where He was going.
John 13:36-37 NIV Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”
Jesus answers him in John chapter 14, as He seeks to comfort his disciples about what was soon to take place. He wanted to strengthen them for the difficult times in their future.
John 14:1–4 NIV “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 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”
He promised them a home with him forever.
Let's look at 5 simple facts in Jesus' lessons on heaven.
Jesus wanted His disciples to trust Him
Jesus pointed out His function
Jesus encouraged His disciples by telling them of His ultimate triumph
Jesus promised His disciples that he would be with them forever
Jesus told His disciples that He is the way to heaven.
Jesus wanted His disciples to trust Him.
Jesus never promised his disciples an easy way of life. In fact, he told them that following him would bring many difficulties.
Matthew 10:16-22 NIV “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
He also told them that they had to deny themselves if they wanted to follow Him.
Matthew 16:24 NIV Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
But at the same time, Jesus told them that their trials would
be worth it.
Matthew 16:25-27 NIV For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.
In Bible Study we are studying the life of Joseph. He had been mistreated, sold into slavery, wrongly accused and put into prison, he had been forgotten. He had two choices: he could become embittered, and disillusioned, or he could use that difficulty as a platform for putting his hope and trust in the living God. We have the same two choices as we go through hardships in this life, we must keep our eyes on Jesus and completely trust him.
John 16:32-33 NIV “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Jesus wanted His disciples to trust Him
Jesus pointed out his function.
Jesus was blazing the way for the disciples. He cleared the way so they could follow in his steps.
John 14:1-3 NIV “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 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.
The Greek word used for the word forerunner in this scripture is
prodromes. In the Roman army, the prodromoi were the reconnaissance troops. They went ahead of the main body to blaze the trail and make it safe for others to follow. Jesus was telling his disciples that he was blazing the way to heaven so his disciples could follow in his steps. And his resurrection and ascension prove his point.
Hebrews 6:19-20 NIV We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
Jesus encouraged his disciples by telling of his ultimate triumph.
You remember the famous line from the “Terminator” movie. “I’ll be back”, well that’s what Jesus said.
John 14:3 NIV 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.
Jesus will have the final victory.
History will have an end and that end is Jesus’ final victory.
Revelation 1:4-8 NIV John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. “Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” So shall it be! Amen. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Revelation 1:18 NIV I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
Jesus promised his disciples that they will be with him forever.
Let's look at some of those promises
John 14:3 NIV 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.
Matthew 28:19-20 NIV says Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
John 14:16-21 NIV says And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
And here is what it says in Revelation 21:1-4 NIV Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
And finally Jesus told his disciples that He is the way to heaven
John 14:5-6 NIV Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Jesus is the way—the only way. Jesus is the truth—the only truth. Jesus is the life—the only life. Jesus alone is the way to the Father.
There is a scripture that is known worldwide it is John 3:16. It says “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life”. To perish means to be utterly destroyed, with no hope of eternal life with Christ. A person who refuses Christ may know the passage, but has not accepted its message. He will perish.
Jesus is the only one who can lead us into God’s presence without shame or fear.
Conclusion
Jesus’ promise to prepare a place for us is made certain by his resurrection. In a way, Jesus’ resurrection is the pledge of our own resurrection. We are linked to him forever.
1 Corinthians 15:20-22 NIV But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 NIV For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us, and he is preparing us for the place.
Psalms 16:11 NIV You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
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