Let Not Your Hearts Be Troubled

Let Not Your Hearts Be Troubled!

June 3, 2007

Introduction

""Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. {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. {3} "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 14:1-3 NKJV)

These are words of comfort and encouragement from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. What is the background of these words? John’s gospel is different in many ways from the other three. Almost half of this gospel is devoted to the hours before and after His crucifixion. Let’s go back to (John 12:23-32 NKJV)

"But Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. {24} "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. {25} "He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. {26} "If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor. {27} "Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came to this hour. {28} "Father, glorify Your name." Then a voice came from heaven, saying, "I have both glorified it and will glorify it again." {29} Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to Him." {30} Jesus answered and said, "This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake. {31} "Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. {32} "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.""

Body

I. Why the words to the disciples?

Their world was falling apart,

(Mat 19:27-29 NKJV) "Then Peter answered and said to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?" {28} So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. {29} "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life."

1. We have left all -- what shall we have?"

2. They were in anticipation of the kingdom coming soon.

(Mat 20:20-22 NKJV) "Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him. {21} And He said to her, "What do you wish?" She said to Him, "Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom." {22} But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to Him, "We are able.""

3. But instead of a kingdom soon coming, He is telling of his death.

4. He had told them of the problems, but they were not listening.

(Mat 20:22 NKJV)Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to Him, "We are able.""

They did not know, nor understand what they would go through before they realized the glory of His coming kingdom -- the regeneration of Matt. 19:28

Christ words did not turn things around for them. They were troubled.

1. Jesus had said it would happen.

(Mat 26:31 NKJV) "Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: 'I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'"

2. They were scattered.

(Mat 26:56 NKJV) ""But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled."

II. Why did the disciples fail?

Their eyes were fixed on the here and now—even after His resurrection.

(Acts 1:6-8 NKJV) "Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" {7} And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. {8} "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.""

They had failed to pray at a critical hour.

(Mat 26:38-40 NKJV) "Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me." {39} He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." {40} Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and said to Peter, "What? Could you not watch with Me one hour?"

1. They let Jesus down, and they failed at a critical hour.

(Mat 26:56 NKJV) " Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled."

2. Peter seems to have decided to go back to his old life.

(John 21:3 NKJV) "Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We are going with you also." They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing."

3. They forgot the “with persecution” part and “the age to come.”.

(Mark 10:29-30 NKJV) "So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, {30} "who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time; houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life."

III. What about us?

Do Jesus words apply to us? “Let not your hearts be troubled”?

Do we hear Jesus words, “Go preach the word!”

(Mat 28:19-20 NKJV) ""Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, {20} "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen."

1. We live in a mission field where the gospel is sorely needed.

2. We need to take the message next door, and across the street.

“Pray without ceasing”

1. Pray for the lost.

2. Pray for those who are Christians, but unfaithful in attendance.

3. Pray for me, and for the leaders of this congregation.

4. Pray as if your soul depends on it. I believe it does.

5. Lift up your eyes—“look up.”

(Luke 21:25-28 NKJV) ""And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; {26} "men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken. {27} "Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. {28} "Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.""

a. Even when things are going wrong in this world, we are to lift up our heads.

b. Our hearts and our treasures need to be toward things eternal.

(Mat 6:19-21 NKJV) ""Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; {20} "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. {21} "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Conclusion

I. Let not your heart be troubled – Believe in God, believe in Christ.

II. Is Christ the Lord of your life?

III. Have you put Him on in baptism?

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