RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2020-04-13	Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled
		Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled (Jn.14:1-3) Joh 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. Joh 14:2 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. Joh 14:3 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. When Jesus said these words it was after mentioning that He was going to go away (Jn.12:35; 13:33), and particularly, to die (Jn.12:32-33). The disciples were discouraged by these things. Jesus begins by telling them to not let their heart be troubled. The point is that we can allow our hearts to be troubled. It is our responsibility for the condition of our hearts (Pr.4:23). Pro 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. In verse ONE Jesus shows us how He and the Father team up to overcome our unholy turmoil. How would this assurance of going to heaven help to calm the disciples’ troubled hearts? The assurance of a heavenly home at the end of life’s road enables us to bear joyfully with the obstacles and battles along the way. Jesus said to “believe” twice in verse one. Faith is the opposite of our hearts being troubled. Jesus wants us to live by faith, and gives us assurance for the future. You either believe in Jesus or you do not! In verse TWO Jesus is in context saying, He is going somewhere the disciples cannot go. That is, to the cross (Jn.13:33,37). This is the first time we see where God prepares a place for believes to go to. This was not the hope of the Old Testament saint. God never promised Abraham to take him off planet. God told him He would make his offspring as numerous as the stars, but the promise to Abraham was to give him an eternal home on this earth. The hope of the Old Testament was for a kingdom down here on this earth in which would dwell peace and righteousness. In verse THREE the place Jesus is preparing is for us. No one can occupy it but us! That Jesus speaks of coming again implies He is going away. This refers to when Christ returns for His sheep at the rapture (1Th.4:13-18), when we will be “with him” (Jn.17:24). Joh 17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am… The prospect of us being in the very presence of Christ should give us strength to handle the troubles of today. We as believers should not respond to difficult times the same way unbelievers respond to them. Jesus said He was going to “receive” us, and that we would always be with Him. The unbeliever has no such assurance. The word “receive” is paralambano which is the same word for the one “taken” in Matthew 24:40,41 and Luke 17:34,35,36 in contrast to “the other left”. Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

An Evangelical Free Church of America

23304 E Wellesley Ave. Otis Orchards, WA 99027 Church Office: 509.926.9552 Church Cell: 509.342.9145 Pastor Cell: 509.828.8843 tomelseroad@gmail.com