Pastor Slaughter

Easter 5

May 7, 2023

Theme: Do Not Let Your Hearts Be Troubled

Text: John 14:1-11

During this Easter season, in the gospel accounts we saw Jesus’ resurrection appearances to his church. With the start of this Sunday the focus of the season shifts. We have lessons that anticipate the Ascension of our Lord and the start of Pentecost. In other words the readings point us to his upcoming departure and our relationship with him.

Today’s gospel takes place on Holy Thursday, the night that Jesus would be betrayed. Jesus had a lot of troubling things to tell his disciples that night. One of the disciples was going to betray him. Peter was going to deny him not once, not twice, but three times before the rooster crowed. Jesus is talking about leaving them. Can you imagine all the things are troubling them that night? Betrayal, denying, and grief that someone you love and care about is going to be dying? And yet Jesus says to them in the opening verse of our lesson, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.”

Think about being in their shoes for a moment. Have you felt betrayed by a friend, guilt over something you have done, grief watching someone you care about dying? And someone comes to you and says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” How could someone say that? Why  would someone say that? It is like we would immediately doubt their words and would want proof in order to believe such an outlandish statement and yet that is what Jesus tells us today and is our theme for today, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.”

It is almost like the disciples are saying in our lesson, “Jesus, give us a reason that our hearts are not to be troubled!” Just like how you might be tempted to read the last chapter of book to see if it is worth reading or tempted to jump ahead when something is upsetting and you want to know how it will work itself out. Jesus does that in our lesson. He confidently tells them how everything is going to end.

Then comes a familiar passage often used during funerals to give comfort to families grieving. “In my Father’s house are many mansions.” The reason why I have to go? To prepare them for you. And if I go and prepare a place especially for you. Guess what you can be assured of? If I prepared a place for you, I am coming back to take you to be with me.

What comforting words spoken to troubled hearts! That Jesus has gone to prepare a home for us, a place to dwell with him for all eternity. A place where we can be WITH him forever. We may physically not see Jesus now but that is only for a time. He is preparing a place specifically for you. So that you can be with him.

Thomas wasn’t understanding what Jesus was saying. He still didn’t understand where Jesus was going. Are you going to another town? House? Location? And because he didn’t understand where Jesus was going he didn’t know the way. And so Jesus says one of his I AM statements, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes the Father except through me.” Here is the core of the Christian Faith. That Jesus is the only way of salvation. There is no other god that we can believe in, there is no other work that we can do. Believing in Jesus is the only way that are saved.

If I was to ask all of you hear today, “How are you saved?”  I am sure you would respond. Jesus. Jesus is the only way that we are saved. As Christians who have heard this message for a long time, when we hear that Jesus is way the truth and the life, do we almost think that it more applicable to someone else? Someone who doesn’t know Jesus. Someone who is new to the faith. This is more applicable for them. I don’t need to hear this. I already know it.

Who is Jesus talking to? His disciples…believers. This isn’t just some evangelistic tool that Jesus is using to convert someone, but he uses this to bring comfort to believers who are struggling whose hearts are troubled. Do not let your hearts be troubled…why? Because I am the Way. I am the Truth. I am the Life. Jesus is trying to bring the focus back to him. “Believe in God; believe also in me.”

Why would Jesus need to remind the disciples to believe in him? Why does Jesus need to remind you and me that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through him? What happens when our hearts are troubled? Where does our focus shift? The very real temptation is to take our eyes off of Christ and focus on what troubling us. Our sins… our guilt… our shame… The pain we are experiencing, the situations we are struggling with… the grief. When we begin to focus, when we begin to obsess on the things that trouble us, we forget or maybe doubt what Jesus is doing for us, preparing a home in heaven for us.

Philip struggled with this. He is a believer. He is one of the 12 disciples. He was the one who told Nathaniel, come and see Jesus. But here in our lesson Philip says, “Lord show us the Father, and that is enough for us.” Doubt. The devil loves to plant those seeds of doubt in us especially when our hearts are troubled. Jesus essentially told his disciples, “Focus on me. When you see me, you see the Father. I will give you a place in heaven. I am the way the truth and the life.” It is like Philip looked right past Jesus, doubted what Jesus said, and was looking for another way. Jesus you are not good enough for us, just show us the Father.

We as sinners focus on other things that are not important at all where it causes us to look past Jesus. Your way isn’t the way I want. Philip I want to see the Father and not look to you. We, well-meaning Christians like Phillip, do this too. Fix the pain… that will be enough. Fix the country… that will be enough. Give me more free time, more money, then my heart won’t be troubled and that will be enough. It’s like we try to find peace, contentment, happiness by looking past the one, the only one, that can give it.

So what did Jesus do for Philip and what does Jesus do for us? He brings our focus back to him. He brings our attention back to him. Jesus said to Philip, “Have I been with you so long and you still do not know me, Philip? The one who has seen me has seen the Father.” Everything that we need now, we have in the person and work of Christ. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and Life. Salvation is found in only one place—the person of Jesus Christ. It was through his suffering and death we stand forgiven. By his resurrection, we have a future, a place prepared for us in heaven. Jesus says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.”

My family in Christ, what more do we have to search for? What more do we need in life to give us true peace, contentment, happiness then what Jesus gives to us? Jesus doesn’t leave us guessing about what path to take. He doesn’t allow for a path that inferior. He did it all for us. Stop and rejoice that you know what so many are searching for, forgiveness, peace, comfort, contentment. Keep your eyes on Jesus and enjoy the walk as you are heading to the end of the book, the salvation of your souls.  Amen.