A Place Prepared

We're taking another look at Jesus' comforting words to His friends in that upper room. He is trying to explain to them what the next three days will hold. He wants to help them deal well with His leaving them. Remember, that's the issue. He needs to go somewhere where they cannot come. Today, we're going to focus on Jesus' explanation of one of the results of His leaving them. Our text is John 14.1-3.

Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

There are two questions that I'd like to pose of these words of Jesus. Here's one: What is this place that Jesus is going to prepare? And then, the other: What does it mean that He is going to prepare it?

Let's take that second question first. What is this preparing? Jesus is talking about the Cross. Without Jesus' death it doesn't matter how great this promised place will be. Without Jesus as our sacrifice for sin, our atonement, we're not going there. If Jesus had not dealt with our sin, our future would be very different from what it is. We'd be facing an eternity of God's angry justice. So, Jesus is talking about His dying for sinners so that there would be a place prepared for us. In saying this, Jesus is trying to explain to these men why He must leave them and go to the Cross.

Now, let's consider the other question. What is this place that Jesus is going to prepare? The label that most would give this is 'heaven'. And that's fine. But it's important to understand that Jesus is talking about where we will be after He returns. Remember what He said.

I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

When Jesus returns all sorts of good things will happen. We will be given resurrected bodies. And all of creation will be restored to its original beauty and perfection. So, there will be no more sin anywhere. We will live with perfect bodies and holy souls in the new heavens and new earth. And that will be so good. This is the place that Jesus is talking about. So, Jesus goes to die so that we might have a beautiful forever.

With this in mind, I'd like to consider a question. What's so good about this new heavens and new earth? I'm going to split my answer into two parts. The first will be about why it will be so good to be there. The second will be about why it's good to hope to be there while we're still here.

So, what will be so good about being there? To be sure, there will be lots to do, lots of very enjoyable and satisfying things to do. But there is a way of thinking about that so that the beauty of the place does not shine. There are lots of very enjoyable and satisfying things to do here. So, what will be so different about there? I want to talk about childhood. And I want to talk about a carefree childhood. Not every child has a carefree childhood, but I'm going to guess that most of you did. So, consider the carefree life of a young child. He is unaware of so much. He doesn’t think about making sure that there will be something for dinner. He doesn't think about the need to provide a place to live. He doesn't think about any bills. A young child getting up some sunny, summer day simply thinks about what fun things he wants to do. And as he does these fun things he can be quite carefree about it all. So, there is no to-do list that taps him on the shoulder from time to time to remind him of something waiting to be done. There is no sense of being responsible for someone else. There are no important long-term goals that need to be planned for and achieved. He's a young child simply enjoying his world. Adults are not like that, even when they escape for some vacation time. There seems to always be that weight of responsibility and those reminders of things to do. That weight and those reminders will be gone in the new heavens and new earth. Gone. So, what's left? A carefree life. Imagine, every day: no deadlines, no obligations, no to-do lists. Just a life of enjoying people and doing fun things. A carefree life. A very satisfying life. So, the very character of life then will be so different from what it is now. And that, it seems to me, is one thing that will be so very good about being there.

And now the second part of our question. Why is it good to hope to be there while we're still here? First, let's deal with an objection. As you may know, there have been those who have criticized the idea of some future hope in heaven. Some have labeled it 'pie in the sky bye and bye' or 'the opium of the people'. And the point of these criticisms is that people are told to hope for a wonderful forever to help them accept and submit to a horrible now. But, according to the critics, what they should do instead is work hard to change that horrible now.

So, what do we say to this? For one thing, there is nothing wrong - and much good - if someone works hard to change a horrible now. In fact, this is something that every Christian should be doing for himself and for others. However, a few things should be kept in mind. As good as now can get, it will never match later. Good is better than horrible, but it will never be best. And it needs to be said that there are some horrible things about now that can never be changed. Some wounds, both physical and emotional, may heal, but they will leave scars. And those scars will never be removed - not in this life. Holding on to a future hope can help you deal with the scars. So, critics notwithstanding, it's good to hope to be there while we're still here.

Here's another reason why hoping for that future is a good thing. It frees you. And it frees you in several ways.

So, for one thing, a lively hope about your future frees you to work hard now.  It frees you to work hard at changing the world. Remember that Jesus told us to pray, 'Thy kingdom come.' The kingdom of God comes through our efforts to change the world. Some are called to very public venues in which to bring about change. So, think about a Chuck Colson or a Francis Schaeffer or a John Piper. But most of us will bring about change by doing things that are, for the most part, unseen. So, think about things like raising kids to be pious disciples, getting up day after day to go to your job to support your family, thinking and doing in such a way that you become wise. And think about the details of such things. Building pious disciples covers everything from changing diapers to advice about finding a good husband or wife. Getting to the job may include working at a job you don't like and working at it with a good attitude. Thinking and doing to become wise takes time and energy and that as a part of an already full day.

Whether seen or unseen, doing things that will change the world is hard. And that's why Paul wrote, 'Let us not grow weary in well-doing for in due season we shall reap.' Some of the reaping will occur in this life. But so much of that reaping will have to wait for later, much later. Having that hope - the hope of a later when the fruit of your wearying work will be reaped - will keep you at it. A lively hope about your future frees you to work hard now. 

Having a lively hope for later frees you to take risks now. There are different reasons why people don't take risks. Here's one that trips up some folk. Taking risks means possibly missing out on something good. And who wants to miss out? But can someone be a faithful disciple without taking some risks? Consider Peter and his brother Andrew. What did Jesus say to them? 'Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.' Or to translate, 'Guys, I want you to quit your jobs and wander the countryside with Me for a few years.' Life is more challenging without the promise of a steady income. Risk. Some might think that's okay if you don't have a family. But we know that Peter had, at least, a wife as, probably, all those first disciples did. And didn't Jesus say,

For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

What is that if it isn't about taking risks? 

Listen to how Jesus answers one of Peter's bold questions.

'See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?' Jesus said to them, 'Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.  And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.'

Peter and his friends took risks for Jesus' sake, and Jesus promised it would be worth it. You might be called to risk losing, or never even having, lots of the good things of this life. But you will not miss out. Whatever was not enjoyed in the here and now will be enjoy a hundred times more then. Jesus promises. Having a lively hope for later frees you to take risks now.

Third, having a lively hope of the future frees you to deal wisely with the sorrows of this life. There are many good things to enjoy in the here and now. We in America have more of that than many in our world today. And the Scriptures are clear. Enjoy them as gifts of God. But at the same time, we need to recognize that there are also many bad things in the here and now. So, how do we deal with them? Some will tell you to do your best to ignore them. And some try to do that by telling themselves something like, 'Oh well, what are you going to do?' That might work on little things, but not the big sorrows.

Then, there are those who attempt to compensate in one area of life for the bad things they have experienced in another area. So, for some, the way to deal with the bad in this world is to treat yourself to the good. 'Spend! Buy! Enjoy as much of the good life as you can! That will help you forget all the bad.' That's one way they compensate for the bad they experience. And it's also one reason why so many are drowning in debt. What most don't understand is that worshipping at that idol won't work.

But a lively hope in the future provides a way to deal wisely with the bad now. So, Paul wrote,

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

We have sorrows in this life. We grieve - and that for many things. But we do not grieve like those who have no hope for the future. We deal wisely with the sorrows of this life by having a lively hope of the future where all the bad is swallowed up and only good remains.

So, why is it good to hope to be there while we're still here? It frees you to work hard. It frees you to take risks. It frees you to deal wisely with the sorrows of life.

One last thought about our future hope. And this is about the best part of what awaits us. Listen again to what Jesus said.

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

Jesus isn't trying to establish some doctrine in our text. He's talking to some friends and trying to help them deal with what will be a very hard time. He is trying to help them deal with a necessary separation. He has to go where they cannot. And that's why He talks about how, one day in the future, they will be re-united. They will once again be with Him. The friendship will not be broken. The best part of the age to come is that we will be with Jesus. Now, for some, that is merely a doctrine they are supposed to believe. But to those for whom Jesus is now a friend that is a great hope. The separation, the necessary distance now, will be removed. We will be with Him.

So, what do you do to gain a lively hope of heaven? How about this? Lift your eyes. If your attention is always focused on the here and now you will never develop a lively hope of heaven. Lift your eyes and consider what awaits you. Second, work at your friendship with Jesus. As that happens your natural desire will be to be with Him. Neither of these things will happen without prayer. So, pray that the Father would open your eyes to the glories of your future and that He would reveal Jesus to you as the best friend that you could ever have.