Jesus, our only joy, be thou,
as thou our prize will be. Jesus, be thou our glory now
and through eternity. Lovely words, they are. Very appropriate for the day.
Just going to check that it's still streaming okay. Okay, well, if you'd like to
turn to Psalm 16. Let's begin our service by reading
this together. Mitchum of David, preserve me,
O God, for in thee do I put my trust. O my soul, thou hast said
unto the Lord, Thou, my Lord, my goodness extendeth not to
thee, but to the saints that are in the earth, and to the
excellent, in whom is all my delight. Their sorrows shall
be multiplied that hasten after another God, their drink-offerings
of blood I will not offer, nor take up their names into my lips. The Lord is the portion of mine
inheritance and of my cup. Thou maintainest my lot. The lions are fallen unto me
in pleasant places. Yea, I have a goodly heritage. I will bless the Lord. Who hath
given me counsel? My reigns also instruct me in
the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before
me. Because he is at my right hand,
I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and
my glory rejoiceth. My flesh also shall rest in hope,
for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer
thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of
life in the presence in thy presence is fullness of joy. At thy right
hand there are pleasures evermore. But like all scripture, we know
that the grand object of this psalm is the Lord Jesus Christ.
And here he is praying to his Heavenly Father, Preserve me,
O God, for in thee The Lord, in the days of his
flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications and
strong crying, with tears under him that was able to save him
from death, was heard in that he feared. He was upheld, and
he was preserved by his Father, preserved all the days of his
life. He was preserved as an infant. You remember, from the fury of
Herod, he sought his life. He was preserved in the wilderness. He was preserved from his enemies
who would seek his life. You remember how those enraged
Nazarites took him up to the top of the hill in order to throw
him down. But he walked right through the
midst of them and went his way. They sought his life, but they
could not take it before his time. He goes on to pray in verse
2, O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, thou art my God,
my goodness extendeth not to thee. What a wonder is the goodness
of our God. Praise my goodness extendeth
not to thee. The Lord our God is perfectly
good. He is essentially good. He is
eternally good. There is no want, of goodness
in our God. Perfect goodness already resides
in the triune God. My goodness, the Lord Jesus prays,
extendeth not to thee. The goodness of Christ is extended
to those who are in need of his goodness, specifically to his
church. In verse three, his goodness
extends to the saints that are in the earth. Saints that are
in the earth. They are saints. They are saints.
Not because of any goodness in them. Not because of anything
they've done. That's the world's definition
of a saint. Saints are saints because of what the Lord has
done. Sanctified, set apart by God
the Father according to election, redeemed by the blood of Christ,
by his doing and dying. They are recipients of free grace. recipients of His goodness purely
by grace. And so well does the psalmist
say in verse 6, the lions are fallen unto me in pleasant places,
yea, I have a goodly heritage. Therefore my heart is glad, and
my glory rejoiceth. My flesh also shall rest in hope,
for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer
thine Holy One to see corruption. Lord willing, I want us to look
together at John 14 in a little while. The Lord Jesus knew that
his hour was come. And he needed to tell his disciples
of his departure. He was about to be betrayed,
according to the Scriptures. He was about to be handed over,
according to the Scriptures. And he was about to be put to
death, according to the Scriptures. And had the Lord Jesus remained
in that grave, we would have no hope. But look at these glorious
words in verse 10, And Peter quotes this very portion
of the Scripture in Acts chapter 2. In speaking of the resurrection
of the Lord Jesus, he says, This is the one whom God hath raised
up, having loose pains of death, because it was not possible that
he should be holden of it. Remember when those women came
to the tomb where the Lord Jesus had been laid, and two men were
standing there in shining garments, and they said, why seek ye the
living among the dead? He's not here, but he's risen. Remember how he spoke unto you
when he was yet in Galilee, saying, some man must be delivered into
the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day
rise again. and they remembered his words. We worship a living saviour,
a living saviour, one who holds the keys of hell and death, a
saviour who has extended his goodness to his saints, to the
saints that are in the earth and to the excellent in whom
he says, is all my delight. necessary to bring them safely
home to God. May he be pleased to grace us
with his presence today as we worship him together. We're going
to have another song, the other one on your sheet. He was worded
for our transgressions. Can everybody hear me okay? Is
that alright? He was wounded for our transgressions
He bore our sins in his body on the tree For our guilt He gave us peace
From our bondage gave release And with His stripes And with
His stripes And with His stripes our souls are healed He was numbered
among transgressors ? Forsaken by his God ? ? As our
sacrifice he died ? ? Let the law be satisfied ? ? And all
our sins ? ? And all our sins ? and who our Savior was laid on
the hill. We had wandered, we all had wandered
far from the foe, of the shepherd of the sheep. And he sought us where we were,
on the mountains we can bear, and brought us home and brought us home and brought
us safely home to God. Who can number His generation? shall declare all the triumphs
of his cross. Millions dead, now live again. Myriads follow in his train. Victorious Lord, victorious Lord victorious Lord
and coming King. If you'd like to attend with me to John chapter
14. Let's just ask our Heavenly Father
for some help. Heavenly Father, thank you for
your word which is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our
path. to see your truth. Illuminate
that truth, Heavenly Father, in the person of your precious
Son, the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. Heavenly
Father, may he be lifted up before us, and may we see more of the
wonderful things he has done for his people, what he's doing
and dying. Be with us, we pray, Heavenly
Father. For Christ's sake, amen. Okay, well, I'm going to read
from John 14. My text is in John 14, but we'll
read for some context from John 13, verse 18. I speak not of you all, I know
whom I have chosen. but that the scripture may be
fulfilled, he that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel
against me. Now I tell you before it come
to pass, that when it come to pass, ye may believe that I am
he. Verily, verily, I say unto you,
he that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me, and he that
receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. He was troubled in spirit, and
testified and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you
shall betray me. Then the disciples looked one
on another, doubting of whom he spoke. Now there was a leaning
on Jesus' bosom, one of his disciples whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter
therefore beckoned to him that he should ask who it should be
of whom he spoke. He then, lying on Jesus' breast,
said unto him, Lord, who is it? Jesus answered, He it is to whom
I shall give a sop when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped
the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. And after the sop, Satan entered
into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That
thou doest, do quickly. No man at the table knew for
what intent he spake this unto him. But some of them thought,
because Judas had the bag that Jesus had said unto him, buy
those things which we have need of against the feast, or that
he should give something to the poor. He then, having received
the sock, went out immediately, and it was night. Therefore,
when he was gone, Jesus said, Now is the Son of Man glorified,
and God is glorified in him. If God be glorified in him, God
shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify
him. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You shall
seek me, and as I said unto the Jews, whither I go you cannot
come. So now I say to you a new commandment. A new commandment I give unto
you, that ye love one another, as I have loved you, that ye
also love one another. By this shall all men know that
ye are my disciples, if ye have love for one another. Simon Peter
said unto him, Lord, whither thou goest? Jesus answered him,
Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now, but thou shalt
follow me afterwards. Peter said unto him, Lord, Why
can I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy
sake.' And Jesus answered him, Will thou lay down thy life for
my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto you,
The cock shall not crow till thou hast denied me thrice. Let
not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also
in me. In my Father's house are many
mansions. If it were not so, I would have
told you, and I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go
and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive
you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. Well. And as we glimpse into this wonderful
passage, it is my hope that we would see something of the glorious
person of our Lord Jesus Christ. John the Baptist said of him,
I'm not worthy to unloose the latchet of his shoe. He is a
glorious savior, a victorious savior, a triumphant savior. You might recall when the Lord
Jesus came riding into Jerusalem in that triumphant entry. Matthew records the event for
us in chapter 21. A very great multitude spread
their garments in the way. Others cut down branches from
trees and strolled his path in honor of him. Multitudes went
ahead of him and behind. And they cried out in a loud
voice, to the Son of David, that word Hosanna means save, we beseech
thee. Blessed is he that comes in the
name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. In that event, fulfilling the
words of the prophet Zechariah in chapter nine, he says, rejoice
greatly, O daughter of Zion. Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem.
Behold, thy king cometh unto thee. He is just. and having
salvation, lowly and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the
foal of an ass. What a marvellous picture of
the Lord Jesus in his humility. entering that city, receiving
the praise and honor and glory he so rightly deserves. The scripture
records that the city was moved and they all said, who is this? Who is this? But his triumphant
entry into Jerusalem was but an earthly picture of that which
was to come. The Lord Jesus here in our passage in John 14 is
returning to his father's house. Can you picture in your mind
must have accompanied his return. Having successfully completed
the work of redemption, he ascends back to his father, all of heaven
resounding with praise." I've often thought that Psalm 24 is probably speaking of this
glorious return. Let me just read it to you, a
few verses. Lift up your heads, O ye gates, even lift them up,
ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in.
Who is this King of Glory? The Lord of Hosts. He is the
King of Glory, Selah. The Lord Jesus is the King of
Glory. He's the King of Glory, strong
and mighty, successful in everything he ever did. I love that truth
that Matthew speaks in Matthew 1.21. Matthew 1.21, thou shalt
call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. The Lord Jesus Christ accomplished
the work that the Father gave him to do in every minute detail. Our God doesn't take chances
with the salvation of his people. This glorious church is far too
precious for that. Salvation was never an offer
placed into the hands of fickle men. The salvation to be successful,
for it to be accomplished, it must be placed into the hands
of one who cannot fail. He shall save his people from
their sins. If he loses some, he has failed. If he loses even one, he has
failed. Our Saviour is not a failed Saviour. The scripture says that of all
the Father gave him, he should lose nothing. Nothing. I trust you find that a comfort.
The title of my message today is Comfort for Troubled Hearts.
Comfort for troubled hearts. And the Lord Jesus here in our
passage in John 14 is speaking to his disciples. You and I who
believe God, his disciples. Words that have been a particular
blessing and a comfort to the saints throughout the ages. I'm
sure there have been many troubled hearts comforted by these words
of the Lord. And here the Lord is speaking
to his disciples at a time he is about to leave them. having
spent three and a half years with them as their teacher and
as their companion, as their dearest friend and as their master,
walking with them, instructing them, protecting them and sustaining
them, now his departure is at hand and he says, you can't follow
me. The knowledge that he must leave
them troubles them greatly. And so the Lord gives them these
words of consolation. Chapter 14, verse 1, let not
your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also
in me. What is the comfort for a troubled
heart? Faith in Christ. Faith in Christ
is the comfort for a troubled heart. None of us are exempt
from trouble. None of us are exempt from a
troubled heart. Rich and poor, old and young, men and women,
the journey of life is full of trouble. We all know this. We
all have had experiences of trouble, haven't we, in our life to some
degree. And God's saints, like all men,
have bitter cups that they must drink. But we know that our Heavenly
Father mixes the cup. Our Heavenly Father always knows
what is best for us, and He always does what is best for us. He
mixes it for us. Be it joy and gladness, be it
sadness and pain. He knows what is required to
keep us to Himself, to keep us from self-reliance, to keep us
in remembrance of what we are. We're just flesh. We're familiar with that verse
in Romans 8. 828, all things work together
for them, for good for them that love God, to them that are the
call according to his purpose. The gospel is the message of
good news to the troubled heart. It is the message of Christ and
him crucified. It is good news. because this
one who came from heaven stood in our place. He performed everything
before God that we could never do for ourselves. He lived a
perfect life and fulfilled all that the law of God demanded. He went to the cross where the
father laid on him the iniquity of his people, putting away the
sin that would have condemned us. And the scripture says, by
his own blood, He entered once into the holy place, having obtained
eternal redemption for us. We don't put our hand to that
work. It is a work of grace. The Lord doesn't need our help
or our assistance or our permission to save us. It is a work of sovereign
grace that our Lord did all by himself. Believers rest in that
finished work. it is to trust Christ. We cease
from working, and we cease from trying to commend ourselves to
God by our own works, and we rest in His perfect work, the
works He performed on our behalf. Works that are always pleasing
to the Father. I trust that that gospel is good
news to you. Still, we are subject to the
troubles of this life. But all things come from the
hand of our Heavenly Father, by His purpose and by His divine
design. There is nothing random in this
world. There is nothing random in the
circumstances of our lives. The operations of God do not
rely on chance. All the circumstances of this
life, though we may not comprehend it, though we may wonder why,
though we see no good in it, though we just can't get a grasp
of it, They are all for the good of every child of God, ultimately. Circumstances and events now
facing the disciples cause them to be deeply troubled. But how remarkable that the Lord
Jesus should think so carefully of his companions now at this
time. The Lord Jesus was about to endure
crushing sorrow on behalf of all the elect, He knew full well
that he was about to be exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death, and
he knew that he would soon be bearing the chastisement of our
peace. And with his suffering drawing
nearer by the hour, here is our Saviour, mindful of the comfort
of his brethren. Let not your heart be troubled. I can't help but admire the tenderness
of our Lord Jesus Christ to his people. At the beginning of chapter
13 we read Jesus knew that his hour was come, that he should
depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his
own which were in the world. He loved them to the end. This discourse of the Lord Jesus
begins in chapter 13 and it concludes with the Lord's high priestly
prayer in John chapter 17. In chapter 13, as we've read,
the Lord Jesus had washed the disciples' feet. Satan had put
into the heart of Judas to betray the Lord. And the Lord, knowing
full well who would betray him, he said to his disciples in verse
11, you are not all clean. The 12 were chosen men, chosen
men by the Lord. But one of them was a devil. Reading from verse 18 of chapter
13, I speak not of you all, I know whom I have chosen, but that
the scripture may be fulfilled, he that eateth bread with me
hath lifted up his heel against me. Now I tell you before it
came, that when it come to pass, you may believe that I am he.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, that he that receiveth him, so
ever I receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that
sent me. When Jesus had said thus, he
was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say
unto thee, that one of you shall betray me. Then the disciples
looked one on another, doubting of whom he spoke. Trouble was
coming, and the Lord Jesus had always been fearless in the face
of his adversities, never troubled by any circumstance. disciples
are witnessing their master being troubled in spirit. His betrayal
was imminent. His hour had come. And to add
trouble upon trouble to the hearts of the disciples, they have this
revelation from their master's lips, that one of them is to
betray him. Can you imagine it? The mere
suspicion would no doubt have troubling them greatly, and the
disciples looked on one another, doubting of whom he spoke. Judas
may well have feigned astonishment to avoid suspicion. In all regards,
Judas was just as one of the others. He was in the company
of the Lord continually, just as the others. Had he witnessed
the miracles and heard the Master speak, if no man had spoke, he
had experienced the kindness of the Saviour. And here in this
account, He had had his feet washed by the Saviour and had
the supper with the Master, and so the others couldn't determine
who it was that would betray the Lord. But the Lord would identify him
to John and to Peter as the one to whom he would dip the sock
and give it, but the others weren't informed yet. And so when the
Lord said to Judas in verse 27, thou doest do quickly, the others
thought he was instructing him to go buy supplies. And in verse
30 of chapter 13, we read, he then having received the sock
went out immediately and it was not. Well, that was trouble enough. But now there was more troubling
news. In verse 33, the Lord Jesus says
to them, little children, yet a little while I am with you. You shall seek me, and as I said
unto the Jews, whither I go you cannot come. So now I say to
you. In verse 36 of chapter 13, Simon
Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him,
Whither I go thou canst not follow me now, but thou shalt follow
me afterwards. Peter said unto him, Lord, why
cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy
sake. Jesus answered him, Wilt thou
lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
the cock shall not crow till thou hast denied me thrice. But
it seems almost immediately that the Lord follows with these comforting
words we read in John 14, verse 1. Let not your heart be troubled. These are the words to Peter
and to the disciples, and they are words to us. Let not your
heart be troubled. Don't let this be cause for despair. Don't let this shake you. This is according to my sovereign
will. This is also according to my purpose. This is necessary
for your good and the glory of God. The Lord Jesus had previously
said to Peter that Satan has desired to have you, that he
may sift you as wheat. And he knew, didn't he? He knew
that the Lord Jesus always spoke truth. And Peter, just Peter
could not reconcile these words of the master who tells him plainly
that he will deny him, and very soon, Jesus was everything. They had
found the Messiah. The disciples had literally left
everything to follow the Lord. When the Lord Jesus appeared
to Andrew and Peter by the Sea of Galilee they were casting
their nets and the Lord Jesus said to them, And the scripture says, they
straightway left their nets and followed him. No hesitation.
They didn't tidy up before they left. They didn't delay to finalize
their affairs. They straightway left their nets
and followed him. The same with James and John.
Then the Lord found them working in the ship with their father,
mending their nets. And he called them, he says,
and immediately they left the ship and their father and followed
him. And the Lord Jesus soon called
Philip to follow him. Perhaps we can just turn there
just for a moment to John chapter 1. I love reading these accounts. John chapter 1 verse 43. The
day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee and find Philip,
and saith unto him, Follow me. Now Philip was of Bethsaida,
the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip findeth Nathanael, and
saith unto him, We have found him of whom Moses in the law
and the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
This is the one who was foretold. And Nathanael, in verse 46, Nathanael
said unto him, Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Philip
said unto him, Come and see. Jesus saw Nathanael coming to
him, and saith unto him, Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom
is no guile, that is, no deceit. Nathanael said unto him, Whence
thou, whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto
him, Before thou, before that Philip call thee, When thou wast
under the fig tree, I saw thee. And Nathanael answered and said
unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King
of Israel. These modest men, from modest
occupations, had met the King. What a change it was to their
former life. They're now in the company of
the Lord Jesus, and life, as they once knew it, is a distant
memory. Their dedication, is unquestionable,
but now the Lord is warning of trouble. There is a betrayal,
there is a denial, and there is a departure of their Lord. Their hearts are deeply troubled.
The disciples have not yet understood many things. from the lips of
their master. In their ignorance, the disciples
thought that the Lord Jesus would become an earthly ruler. They
imagined their master would take an earthly throne and they imagined
that they would be his companions at their side and that all things
would be well. But now they see their master
troubled in spirit and that he would soon be gone for them.
And Peter, understanding something of the danger that was to come.
It says in verse 37, Lord, I will lay down my life for your sake.
In Luke's account, Peter says, Lord, I am ready to go with thee
both into prison and to death. And Peter obviously is a zealous
man. Remember, this is the same Peter
that we see in chapter 18, a little bit further on. confronting a
band of armed soldiers coming to arrest the Savior. Just look
there with me, verse 10, chapter 18. You see the zealousness of Peter. Then Simon Peter, having the
sword, drew it and smote the high priest's servant and cut
off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.
But what did the Lord say to him then? Then said Jesus unto
Peter, put up thy sword into the sheath. The cup with which
my father hath given me, shall I not drink it? Shall I not drink
the cup my father has given me? The Lord is saying to Peter,
this is my purpose, Peter. This is the work my Father has
sent me to do, to drink that terrible cup, the cup that contains
all the sins of all God's elect. I must drink that cup. I must
put their sins away by the giving of myself. And in Matthew 16,
we read again of Peter's ignorant zeal. The Lord Jesus had been
predicting his death and he'd been telling his disciples that
he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things priests and the scribes, and
be killed and raised again the third day. And Peter took the
Lord aside, the scripture says, and began to rebuke him, rebuke
the Lord. Peter said, be it far from thee,
Lord, that this should not be unto thee. And the Lord Jesus
turned and said unto Peter, get thee behind me, Satan. Satan,
thou art an offense unto me. For thou savest not the things
that are of God, but those that be of men. Saint Peter, don't
resist this great work of redemption. This is the will of God. I must
accomplish this will. I must accomplish this work and
fulfil the will of my Father. Your salvation and my salvation
depends on it. The moment comes. When Peter
denies the Lord, even as the words are exiting his mouth,
the cock crowed and the Lord turned and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word
of the Lord. And the scripture says that Peter
went out and he wept bitterly. But Peter was one who belonged
to the law. He was a chosen one. Just as
all disciples are chosen from the foundation of the world,
here was the position of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus
called him Cephas, which is, by interpretation, a stone. The Lord said in another place,
thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church. And the Lord Jesus had prayed
that Peter's faith not fail, saying, and when thou art converted,
Strengthen thy brethren. This is the same Peter many years
later that we see in Acts Chapter 2 delivering that great sermon
at Pentecost, declaring the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ with
power. Let me just read a couple of
verses to you of what he said. Ye men of Israel, Peter said,
hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved
of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which
God did by him in the midst of you, as you yourselves also know. Him, being delivered by the determinate
counsel and full knowledge of God, you have taken and by wicked
hands have crucified and slain." What a contrast to the Peter
we see here denying his Lord. In Matthew's account, we read
that Peter began to curse and swear that he didn't know. Let's turn to Romans 3 for a
moment. Romans 3 describes the reality,
doesn't it, of sinful men, the real condition of all mankind,
born in sin from our father Adam. Romans 3 verse 10, as it is written,
there is none righteous, no, not one. There is none that understandeth. There is none that seeketh after
God. They are all gone out of the
way. They are all together become unprofitable. There is none that
doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre.
With their tongues they have used deceit. The poison of asps
is under their lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Truth is that No amount of polishing
will change the true nature of our flesh. Men really do think
that they can commend themselves by changing their ways. They
can commend themselves to God. I have a so-called gospel tract
which instructs the believer that they should give up bad
habits and take up some new habits to please God. Men think that revising your
life is the gospel. They think that's the gospel
message. Now those changes may well be beneficial, but such
efforts and such things have absolutely no influence on our
God and how he views his subjects. Romans 2 says there is no respect
of persons with God. God is not influenced by outward
appearance. He's not influenced by your best
deeds. The scripture says that even
the righteousness of men are filthy rags. I've used the example
of leprosy before. I think it's a good picture of
our sin condition. In the Lord's day, leprosy was
a terrible, incurable condition. The body would become more and
more disfigured and the skin of those who were infected would
often become covered in lumps and putrefying sores. It was
a horrid thing. Now you could take that man and
wash him as clean as you could do and wrap him up in clean new
bandages, but that corruption, that corruption is going to seep
to the surface eventually. We have a sin problem that only
God can heal. It's not that we have sins or
just do sins. The problem is that we are sin.
That's the inescapable problem we have. We are sin by nature. That is why we have that picture
of the dead stump on our bulletins, on our sign, and the new tree
that grows up. in the middle. Believers are
the only people in this world that have two natures. Two natures,
the old nature and the new nature. The old man and the new man. The old man we are born with. The new man we are born again
with. One is totally corrupted and
the other one is perfectly holy. One is willing, one is always
at enmity with God. That dead stump can never be
made alive. It can never be made perfect
or holy. And that new tree is alive and holy forevermore. The Lord gives his people a new
nature. He is a new man, a new creature, the scripture says. In 2 Corinthians we read, if
any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed
away. become you. And my point is that
in your flesh there is nothing that you won't do if God doesn't
prevent it. We're often surprised, aren't
we, by the depravity in this world, but I'm more surprised
that it's not far worse. Yet our sovereign God reigns
over every millimetre of it. He reigns all the time. fears
of this world and directing the inhabitants. One might think
that such a denial would disqualify But neither of those things make
a difference. Neither is zealousness nor is denial make any difference. Salvation is not by works. That
means you can't win salvation by your works, nor can you lose
salvation by your works. You see, my relationship with
God is not determined by what I do, be it good or bad. My relationship with God is determined
in His Son and only in His Son. For every child of God, Even
when your sin is on full display, even when you've done your worst,
Lord Jesus says to his people, let not your heart be troubled. God is not looking to us for
holiness. He is not looking to us for righteousness.
We've just read, Romans 3, that there is none righteous, no,
not one. Our God mercifully looks to his
Son for everything required of us. Just turn to Colossians chapter
1. Colossians chapter 1. Our confidence is in the person
and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Colossians 1.18, and he is the
head of the body, the church. He was the beginning. The firstborn
from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence.
For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell. And having made peace through
the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto
himself, by him I say whether they be things in earth or things
in heaven, and you that were sometime alienated and enemies
in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled. in the body of his flesh through
death to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable
in his sight. In his sight, let not your heart
be troubled. You believe in God, believe also
in me. Back to John 14. Do you believe,
what's the Lord saying? What's the Lord saying? Need
not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also
in me. Do you believe that God is holy?
Believe also the same of me. Do you believe that God is sovereign?
That he rules and reigns this universe with omnipotent power?
Believe the same of me. Do you believe that God is omniscient? That he knows all things, including
the thoughts of your heart? Jesus Christ is God. We make
that statement plain and often because that's what the scriptures
teach. And the Lord is teaching this
also to Thomas. We see in this chapter in verse
6, Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life.
No man cometh unto the Father but by me. If ye have known me,
ye should have known the Father also. And from henceforth ye
have known him and seen him. Philip said unto him, Lord, show
us the Father, and let's survive ourself. Jesus said unto him,
have I been so long a time with you, and yet hast thou not known
me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen
the Father. And how sayest thou then, jealous
of the Father? Lord Jesus Christ is God. Let
not your heart be troubled. I am the one who, as I, the prophet,
spoke of. His name shall be called Wonderful,
Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince
of Peace. This is me. Let not your heart
be troubled. He goes on to say in verse two,
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. Well, who amongst us knows the
things of heaven? It is a subject beyond our comprehension,
largely. But perhaps we can learn a few
things from the text. In my father's house are many
mansions. Many. It's not meaning that there
are many degrees of glory. The saints are loved with the
same love. They are bought for the same
price. They are justified with the same righteousness. Equally
sons of glory. There are many mansions. There
is a fullness and a provision. There is an abundance of supply.
There is a sufficiency of room. Many mansions. There is a sufficiency
of room for all his people. And these mansions, the word
really means places of abiding, an abode of rest, an abode of
rest. Now we rest in Christ now, and
we rest in the hope of our heavenly home. And when the Lord Jesus
takes us home, our hope won't be required any longer, will
it? We will receive what we hoped for. Perfect rest in his presence. The scriptures also say that
we are seated now in the heavenly places. Those who are saved are relatively
few, but still they number a multitude that no man can count. There
are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have
told you. This is no pipe dream. Heaven
is no fanciful place. If there was nothing beyond this
life, I would have told you. He says, I go to prepare a place
for you. For you. There is a place for
you, with your name on it. It's called the Lamb's Book of
Life. The names are written. Now when the Lord says, I go
to prepare a place for you, I can't imagine the Lord is somehow spending
his time fixing up those mansions and straightening the pictures
and making it fit for us to live in. No, this is a reference to
the cross, for him going to the cross. I go to the cross to prepare
a place for you. I go to the cross to bleed and
suffer and die. This is how this place is prepared
for you. This is how you're going to get
it. Not because you're worthy, not because of some work you
performed. The reason you're going to receive
this place is because I go to the cross and prepare it for
you. Truth is, this place was already
prepared in eternity. The Lord said, come you blessed
of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation
of the world and when God plans something, It's done, before
it even takes place. Hebrews chapter four, verse three
says, the works were finished, the works were finished, finished
from the foundation of the world. In time, the Lord Jesus kept
the law for me. And in time, he went to the cross
for me, to prepare a place for me, a mansion for me. And for
all those written in the book, it's a book of life. There won't
be any empty mansions in heaven. Everybody that the Lord Jesus
Christ died for must be saved. Everyone he kept the law for
must be saved. Everybody he shed his precious
blood for must be saved. Their complete salvation is an
absolute necessity. And here's the outcome of him.
going to prepare a place for his people. Just turn over to
Revelation 21. Revelation 21. 21 verse 1 says, And I saw a new
heaven and a new earth. So the first heaven and the first
earth were passed away, and there was no more sea. And I, John,
saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. You see, when the
Lord Jesus prepared that place for us, he made us a beautiful
bride. And when the Lord looks at his He's adorned them with the beauty
of His holiness. He's adorned them with the splendor
of Himself. He's given them His own virtue.
So everything about them has been made beautiful, clothed
in the very righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Is there
any reason why our hearts should be troubled? You who believe,
there is a place prepared for you. And it's certain, because
your sins are normal. You're justified, you're sanctified,
you're glorified. With His glory, why should there
be trouble? The Lord goes on to say in verse
3, And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and
receive you unto myself, that where I am, Heaven is a prepared place for
a prepared people. And the Lord is coming back,
and he will receive us unto himself. Just turn to Thessalonians, 1
Thessalonians. 1 Thessalonians, chapter four,
verse 13. The glorious return of the Lord
Jesus to gather up his people unto himself. We read in verse
13, But I would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning
them which are asleep, but those who have died, that ye sorrow
not, even as others have no hope. Brethren, we have no hope like
this in the world. There is no other hope like this
in the world. The ceasing of our bodies is
just the beginning. Verse 14, For if we believe that
Jesus died and rose again, also which sleep in Jesus will God
bring with him. For this we say unto you by the
word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain under the
coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with
the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and
the dead in Christ shall rise first. then we which 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. Wherefore, comfort one another
with these words. Why should we be troubled? What
a glorious saviour we have. What a glorious future we have. But we don't deny the reality
of trouble in this world, do we? Let me just read a few verses
out of 2 Corinthians chapter 4. Paul says, we are troubled
on every side, yet not distressed. We are perplexed, but not in
despair. We are persecuted, but not forsaken. Cast down, but not destroyed. knowing that he which raised
up the Lord Jesus shall raise us up also by Jesus and shall
present us with you. For all these things are for
your sakes, that the abundant grace might, through the thanksgiving
of many, redound to the glory of God. For which cause? We faint
not, but though our There are those two natures. One is perishing, but the other
one is being constantly renewed. And Paul says, in verse 16, for
this cause we thank not, but though our outward man perisheth,
the inward man is renewed day by day, verse 17, for our light imagine, stoned and beaten, in
prison, shipwrecked, and he speaks of our light afflictions. The glories of heaven will erase
the knowledge of these light afflictions in an instant, in
the blink of an eye. Our light affliction, which is
but for a moment, he says, this is temporary, this ain't going
to last long. worketh for us a far more exceeding
and eternal weight of glory, while we look not at the things
which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things
which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not
seen are eternal. The Lord Jesus has gone by way
of Calvary up to his Father's house, having completed his Father's
business on earth. The redemption, the prize, possession,
here, to heaven is the Father's house. Our Father's house, in
other words, heaven is home. Home for the chosen of God by
the Father. Home for those redeemed by God
the Son. Home for those called by God the Spirit. Heaven is
a place where Christ dwells, forever with his beloved people. In his high priestly prayer,
the Lord Jesus prayed, Father, I will that they also whom thou
hast given me be with me where I am. I don't know anything much
about what heaven is like, but I know this, Christ is there
and that's enough for me. The Lord said to Abraham in Genesis
15, I am thy exceeding great reward. Christ is our reward. In another place, the scripture
says, The Lord Jesus is that pearl of great price. To have
Christ is to have everything. And here is a remarkable thing.
Remarkable. That the Lord Jesus Christ somehow
desires the company of his beloved people. He says, I will that they also,
that's his will, I will that they also whom thou hast given
me, whom the Father has given him, be with me where I am. What will that be like? To behold
the glory of his person, to see him as he is, to see him face
to face, and for us to be like him, The Lord Jesus went to the cross
to prepare a place for us, a place for those whom the Father gave
Him. How did He do it? He poured it
with His own blood. He earned it with His own obedience.
He took possession of it as our forerunner, and He has made us
ready for it. He has given us a new nature.
The near birth he makes us partakers of the divine nature. He took
away our sins of Calvary. He drank that bitter cup. He
gave us the road of righteousness. Those who are in Christ are justified
by the faith of Christ. He did it all. The Lord Jesus
is coming. The glorious bride is coming. take his bride home to be with
him where he is. Maybe this will work.