THE GOSPEL SETTLES THE TROUBLED HEART
John 14:1-6
You don’t have to look hard,
or far, to find a discouraged
or troubled person today.
Whether it’s due to……
Loss
of employment
Health
issues which are unresolved or recurring.
Death
of a loved one, or even a family pet that has died.
Lack
of finances to do some of things you would like to do.
Bills
taking a majority of your income.
The
tragedy of divorce or children dealing with divorce parents.
The
rising crime rate, rising costs of living, whether it’s housing, gas or food.
Wars
and rumours of wars both here and overseas.
The
major rise of porn exposure at such young ages.
Political
corruption and the effects it has on Canadians.
The
killing and celebration of innocent life in the womb.
The
massive breakdown of the family unit.
The
fighting amongst genuine Christians, over none eternal things.
Complacency
and apathy or lack of Biblical understanding in the church today.
And
the list is endless to a troubled heart in any generation of any age group.
In the book of Job we read something that could be classified as depressing and hopeless, "Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.” Job 14:1. Because of the fall of man, being born in sin; sin and trouble go together. So in other words, “Where there is sin, there is trouble” J C Ryle said “Heart trouble is the commonest thing in the world. No rank, or class, or condition is exempt from it. No bars, or bolts, or locks can keep it out.” Heart trouble is common, with the rich, the poor, the educated, and uneducated, the healthy and unhealthy. It has no preference of colour or ethnicity, everywhere you go, trouble is around every corner.
Kent Hughes calls our society “The Cardiac age” And though the “Heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick…” Jer 17:9. The heart can be a wonderful thing through the lenses of Christ. “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Prov 17:22
Proverbs 10:8 says, “The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin.” And Psalm 73:26 reveals this reality and promise if we rest in the God, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Unfortunately, many of us in this sanctuary have troubled hearts today, equally to those outside this church!
The question is what are you
doing about?
Better yet who are you turning to?
I am not at all surprised to why our hospitals are busting at the seams with so many patients. It’s no wonder we have so many health problems in our culture today, and in the church. Studies show according to Harvard Health Publication wrote “Anxiety has now been implicated in several chronic physical illnesses, including heart disease, chronic respiratory disorders, and gastro-intestinal conditions.” A troubled and anxious heart can really play on the heartstrings of our heath. (I can attest to that this past few weeks as my anxiety levels went off the charts). When we constantly worry about something, we tend to cause ourselves to worry about things that haven’t even happened yet. We sometimes, even make up worry; we even have the tendency to borrow worry from other people, or family members. Worry can have negative effects on our health and well-being. “Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down…” Prov 12:25. Worry can seize a person’s spirit; it depresses them, and keeps them down. The fear and dread of adversity, or sorrow and grief, on account of some calamity and distress can get into a man's heart.
This brings me to the text this morning! Look what Jesus says to His disciples here in John’s gospel. (v1)
Life in this fallen,
sin-cursed world is packed
with trouble and trials.
So instead of pretending these things don’t exist, the Scripture reveals the hardships of life. By comforting the disciples with the precious remedy against an old disease. He says “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.”
“Troubled” means: “uncertain affinity; to stir up or agitate” Jesus knew the hearts of His disciples; He understood their concerns and struggles of life. These 11 men must have been so undoubtedly confused, baffled and filled with great anxiety. Why? They have been told there is one who is a betrayer among them. John 13:21-30. Then Jesus says He’s leaving them in a little while, and they can’t follow Him until later on. John 13:33 And if that wasn’t enough! Jesus exposes future events, when He confronted Peter with the truth that he is going to deny Him three times. John 13:36-38
This was a troubled room
filled with men of anxiety
who left everything to follow
Jesus, and
now He is leaving them.
Jesus knew how disturbed and upset they were, and He knew exactly what was causing it…. Sinful men who are in fear of the unknown and what lies next. Jesus also knew the remedy for these frightened sinners. The very first thing Jesus says is a phrase of encouragement "Let not." There is only one remedy for a troubled and sinful heart! The Lord Jesus and the promise He brings. This passage is one the most comforting passages in all of scripture! It has been said that F.B. Myers of England had a Bible that had been passed through many generations. Many of the pages were clean just like the day it came from the printing press. But the pages of John 14 were worn, spotted with tears of the people who had read it and found the comfort of God. That is so true for many of us these past few years! George Mueller said "The only way to learn strong faith is to endure great trials." Even the holiest of saints find the world a valley of tears. We can find comfort throughout the Scriptures, but we find great comfort here in this passage of John’s letter. This is why Jesus says what He says, “Don’t let this world and the coming days worry or trouble you! You trust in God, trust also in Me.”
Faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ is the only sure medicine
for a troubled heart.
See the problem is our sin nature of disbelief, or unbelief at times! We tend to think of the worst; we tend to get ourselves so worked up when we’re faced with challenges, disappointments and confrontations. We tend to shut down, and curl up in the fetal position, waiting for things to pass or get better. Or worse! We tend to explode in the midst of trouble, like a child does when they don’t get what they want.
John MacArthur said “The Worrier Strikes Out at God, The Worrier
Disbelieves Scripture, The Worrier Is Mastered by Circumstances, The Worrier
Distrusts God, Worry Is Unwise Because of Our Future”……He went on to say
“Worrying paralyzes you, making you too upset to accomplish anything
productive. It will seek to do that to you by taking you mentally into tomorrow
until you find something to worry about. Refuse to go along for the ride. The
Lord says you have enough to deal with today. Apply today's resources to
today's needs or you will lose today's joy.”
The Psalmist wrote “Cast your cares
on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.”
Psalm 55:22
1 Peter 5:6-8 reveals this, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” In other words, our worry leads us astray, and it opens a door or it allows Satan a foothold into our lives. Since “sin” is, at its core, “missing the mark” to God’s holy standards that God has set for us. So worrying is not living up to God’s standard, we are missing the mark.
So! Jesus
comforts His defeated, deflated, disciples with this promise in (v2-v3).
There are many dwelling
places; there are many beds
for you in My house, is what Jesus is saying.
Jesus says “I go to prepare” an eternal living space for you and me. This is a place that Jesus will not be content to dwell without His people. He is preparing a place for His elect, His called out ones, as John describes in Revelation 21-22 as absolutely AWESOME! We read, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.” Rev 21:1-6
In the next chapter, “….No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. And he said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place." "And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this Book." Rev 22:1-7. This place that Jesus comforts the disciples with is their future home, our future home for those who rest and have been saved by the gospel of Jesus Christ.
A place that …….
Is
filled with the supreme radiance of God and His glory.
Is
the complete removal of the presence, and thought of sin, in my life, for forever!
Has
no more burdens and sorrows to bear.
Has
no more death, fear, or tears to shed, over your own brokenness and the world.
A place that …….
Has
no more pain, trials, and persecution to face.
We
will never have to thirst after again physically or spiritually.
Christ
is sitting on the throne in His entire supreme splendor.
Has
your name written in a book, if you are truly a child of His, through the
gospel confession?
As Jesus told His disciples, “..rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:20. God is going to make us spiritually and morally new and glorious. God is going to make us physically and bodily new and glorious. God is going to make the creation new and glorious. God will make our relationship with Him new and glorious. This is what is He is preparing for the disciples, and for you and me. As He says “Let not your heart be troubled” Heaven is so overwhelming of a place, that it caused the Apostle Paul to pen these words! “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed (it’s like a tug of war at my heart strings] between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.” Phil 1:21-23
Jesus knew the importance of this place! Otherwise He wouldn’t have said this as we face obstacles in this life. Jesus warned us that in this life you will have trouble, but be of good cheer, I’ve overcome them! John 16:33. Jesus even said you will weep when the world system rejoices. “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.” John 16:20-22. See, this is a promise that cannot be taken away from the believer and what’s more amazing Jesus uses four words of comfort for the troubled Christian as you wait. (v3) “I will come again” this is the gospel promise, and this truth is enough to comfort the troubled heart of a child of God. Jesus made the promise that He is coming back, but not only to come back to judge but to “receive” and have us to be with Him.
“Receive or take you to myself” is what the Hebrew writer penned, And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” Heb 9:27-28. Jesus isn’t waiting for you to come up here, but He is coming down to raise us up from the grave, to escort us home. Unfortunately and obviously this didn’t settle the disciple’s hearts because Thomas asks Jesus a question! (v5) Jesus responds with another one of His “I’AM” statements. (v6)
Jesus
says He “is the Way”
Jesus says He “is the Truth”
The root of all knowledge is found in Christ alone. The whole substance of true religion which the mind of man requires, because without Him mankind will continue in darkness. All truth in the Old Testament and into the New Testament all point to Christ. Because Christ is The Truth. The only truth that a soul needs is Him. What Jesus is saying is that…. “He isn’t some form of truth, or a truth to equal with whatever you call truth, He is truth itself, there is no other!” John 1:14-17 we read “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.' "And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” Jesus Christ is the whole truth, and He meets and satisfies every desire of the human mind.
Jesus said He “is the Life”
He is the root, the source and the foundation of all life. He is not a life, but life itself, just as He is truth. He is the giver and taker of life; He is the giver of eternal life to whomever He chooses. In John 11:25-26 we read “Jesus said this to Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" There is no other way of escape to find rest for a weary and troubled heart, other than Jesus Christ. There is no other way for a person to ever stand in heaven apart from Christ and His redeeming love found in the gospel. The sinner’s title to eternal life and pardon, the believer’s root of spiritual life and holiness, the surety for the Christian resurrection. John penned these powerful words of the gospel calling on one’s life. “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” And he even went on to say in the next verse “who [meaning you and me] were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:10-13
The root of all life, for the
soul
and body is Christ.
And Jesus is revealing that God and He alone possess the life of God, and He is the one who saves and keeps you for all eternity. (v6) This is what Jesus promised the disciples and this is what He promises to us for those you put their trust in Christ alone. “Sola Christos” Trials are part of life, but Christ always says to us in the darkness and in our brokenness, “do not let your heart be troubled.” The gospel settles the restless and troubled heart….. Christ is our daily way; Christ is our daily truth, and Christ is our daily life. Let us take comfort in this truth to every part of our days. (Both the good, bad, and the ugly). This message that Jesus shared with His disciples some two thousand years ago is as applicable today. This world is full of false hope and many seek to find peace when there really is no peace. The world and even some troubled Christians are continuing to seek after broken cisterns that “can hold no water.” Jer 2:13
What Jesus said is to bring
comfort not doubt, because He will perfectly
execute all things in His perfect timing. All we need to do is rest, lean into Him, through the Spirit- given assurance of Christ’s continuing presence in our lives. Though, we go through troubles the world will always disappoint, whereas Jesus never fails. The gospel will always settle the trouble heart, because it comes with a promise. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:26-27. And that is so very true by what Jesus shares in this text of Scripture to comfort the troubled hearts of His disciples. The problem for us is our sin and moments of disbelief, the solution for our sin and disbelief is Jesus Christ
Comments