John 13:31-14:14 Jesus shared with His disciples that He was going away. They did not understand Him. He told them to not be troubled in their hearts because He was going to prepare a place for them.
When someone we love tells us they are leaving, there is always that fear that we may never see them again. Think of a little child crying when his mother drops him at the church nursery. There is the fear that once mother is out of sight, she may never come back. This fear of permanent separation overwhelmed the disciples, and Jesus knew their hearts were very troubled. The fear of abandonment, the fear of loss, the fear of the unknown, the fear of the future and all kinds of fear tormented them.
It is important to understand that God’s goal is always to guard our hearts with His love, peace, joy, mercy and grace. The enemy’s goal is to attack our hearts through fear or to break our hearts through rejection. Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled.” Just prior to this admonition, the Lord had shared with Peter that he would deny Him three times before the cock crowed. Knowing their many fears, Jesus tried to comfort them with these words: “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. 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 to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 13:1-3).
It was the custom in the ancient Jewish culture for the bridegroom to build a home for his future bride. There was usually a year in which the couple was espoused to one another, and during that time the father of the groom kept a careful watch over his son’s construction of a home. Only when the father felt the house met all of the specifications exactly did he then tell his son he could go and fetch his bride. Jesus said that only the Father in heaven knows the day or the hour when He will return to earth. The Father is watching carefully, and when all the living stones (those who have entered His kingdom) are gathered and placed in position, then He will tell Jesus to return for us (His bride).
Jesus was telling His disciples that the earth was not their home. We are all just passing through this earth; our final destination is our home in heaven. I heard the testimony of Betty Maltz, who had a vision of heaven, and she said that Jesus oversees all the building of the mansions. He is the master builder or the foreman of heaven. It was my privilege to lead a homosexual young man to the Lord just three months before he died. He was a talented decorator, and I often feel that he is helping decorate my mansion. No matter how my mansion looks, I know I will be eternally satisfied with my home in heaven because Jesus will be there. He is with me now in the spirit, but the day will come when I will see His resurrected body and look into His face. What a day that will be when my Jesus I will see! Even so, come quickly, Lord!
READ: 2 Samuel 4:1-6:23; John 13:31-14:14; Psalm 119:17-35; Proverbs 15:31-32
Michael Snyder 
James Lasher 
Rabbi Eric Tokajer 
