Please Note That Most Messages Follow
The Revised Common Lectionary

Liturgy Based on Psalm 31:
Minister: In you, O LORD, I seek refuge; do not let me ever be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me.
People: Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily. Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me.
Minister: You are indeed my rock and my fortress; for your name's sake lead me and guide me,
People: take me out of the net that is hidden for me, for you are my refuge.
Minister: Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.

People: My times are in your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.
Minister: Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your steadfast love.

Minister: This is the Word of the Lord!
People: Thanks be unto God!

"Let Not Your Hearts Be Troubled!"

St. John 10:1-14

If my sermons could be compared to a swimming pool I would say that usually at the beginning I do my best to help us "wade into" the deeper parts of the text. But not this morning. This morning we are going to dive straight into the deep part of the pool of Theology - the deep part of the pool of the Character of God - the deep part of the Nature of Christ - the deepness of the pool of Christianity that is filled with love and assurance.

Jesus was preparing to die. He was trying to prepare his disciples for that day. These were men whom he loved. Men whom he had walked with and talked with. Men in whom he had instilled the principles of God. Men who had seen Him heal the blind, the deaf, and the lame. They had been with Him as He had resurrected the dead into life. They loved Jesus. He loved them. And He had just told them He was going to die. Naturally their hearts were deeply troubled.

Remember those times when your heart becomes troubled? It may even be so right now - this very moment. I know that as we gather in this sanctuary each Sunday we all come with different types of baggage. Our hearts are filled with concerns. Our hearts are troubled. We come to this place crying - yearning to be comforted.

Listen to what Jesus says to those He loves: "Let not your hearts be troubled." Let me repeat those six powerful words and as you hear them let the words sink deep into you life. "Let - Not - Your - Hearts - Be - Troubled." Six of the most powerful words in the entire Bible. Those six words speaks volumes to you and I about the character of God, about the Nature of Christ, about yesterday, today, and forever!

At the very moment of need - when we need to hear it most, Jesus leans over and whispers into our ear "Let - Not - Your - Hearts - Be - Troubled." Time and time again He whispers into our ear: . "Let - Not - Your - Hearts - Be - Troubled."

When a child is sick or hurt. . "Let - Not - Your - Hearts - Be - Troubled." .When somebody we love dies - "Let - Not - Your - Hearts - Be - Troubled." When loneliness becomes unbearable - "Let - Not - Your - Hearts - Be - Troubled." When a marriage falls apart - . "Let - Not - Your - Hearts - Be - Troubled."

To the survivors and families of the incident at Columbine High School in Colorado He says "Let - Not - Your - Hearts - Be - Troubled." To the refugees fleeing from Kosovo He says "Let - Not - Your - Hearts - Be - Troubled."

Ladies and Gentlemen those six words bring goose bumps from the top of my head to the bottoms of my feet! What powerful words of reassurance! When we think the bottom is about to fall out of our lives the Risen Savior leans over and whispers to us: . "Let - Not - Your - Hearts - Be - Troubled."

That’s what Jesus was doing for His Disciples. He was comforting them. "Do not let your hearts be troubled about my death. You believe in God don’t you? Well just as you believe that Yahweh - that God is with you - I too shall be with you. And I will come back and gather you up and you - will - be - with - me - -forever!"

Then Jesus tells them that he will not be setting idly beside the Father but that He was going to be busy preparing a place for them. For you. And for me also!

"I go to prepare a place for you!"

Do you realize this morning that Heaven is a very REAL Place? I’ve heard some say they didn’t believe in Heaven as a "real place." That’s okay. I’ve heard some even say Jesus was a "good man" but not God incarnate. It’s hard for me to believe that just a "good man" lives in my heart. It’s hard for me to believe that just "a good man" has changed my life. Some have said Heaven is nothing more than "a figment of man’s imagination." Other’s have said it is a "state of mind." While yet others have said "it is nothing more than a theological thesis thought up by man in order to give those individuals a job who can’t do anything else."

Well I am thankful this morning that Jesus did NOT say "I go to prepare a figment of man’s imagination." Nor did He say "I am going to prepare a state of mind." Nor did He say "I am going to prepare a theological thesis . . . to give those individuals a job who can’t do anything else." Jesus said "I go to prepare a P-L-A-C-E!" Heaven is Real! It exists!

As a boy growing up there was a hymn that was my favorite! Everyone's face seemed to brighten whenever we'd sing it! The words were:

"How beautiful Heaven must be,
Sweet home of the happy and free
Fair haven of rest for the weary
How beautiful Heaven must be!"

Some people say "I believe in Heaven but there is no way to know what heaven is like." They quote 1 Corinthians 2:9 as there text which says: "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."

And they run into the same problem many other theologians find when we try to develop doctrine from one solitary verse totally ignoring the wholistic approach which is to interpret scripture in light of all of the scriptures. But they don’t need to look any further than the very next verse. "But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. (1 Corinthians 2:10 KJV)

If we turn our attention to the book of the Revelation of John we find a description of the physical appearance of Heaven as well as a descriptive of the atmosphere of Heaven. Can you imagine a place like this?

"And in the spirit he carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. It has the glory of God and a radiance like a very rare jewel, like jasper, clear as crystal." (Revelation 21:10-11 NRSV)

"The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width; and he measured the city with his rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal. He also measured its wall, one hundred forty-four cubits by human measurement, which the angel was using." (Revelation 21:16-17 NRSV)

How many "unreal places" can you think of that can be physically measured by length and width and height?

"The wall is built of jasper, while the city is pure gold, clear as glass. The foundations of the wall of the city are adorned with every jewel; the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates are twelve pearls, each of the gates is a single pearl, and the street of the city is pure gold, transparent as glass. I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.

And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Its gates will never be shut by day--and there will be no night there. People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. (Revelation 21:18-27 NRSV)

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; they will see his face," (Revelation 22:1-4a NRSV)

How Beautiful Heaven Must Be! But what about the atmosphere?

"See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away." (Revelation 21:3-4 NRSV)

Hard to believe huh? Almost too good to be true. You’re in good company. First Thomas questions Jesus. "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" To which Jesus responds "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."

No sooner than Jesus had those words out of His mouth Philip says "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied." In other words Philip went further than Thomas for he said to the Lord "Prove It!"

You and I cannot realize the internal feelings Jesus must have experienced right then. Perhaps a teacher who has tried to get a point across to a child and that child hears it over and over and over and yet never learn it. That teacher’s frustration is probably close to what Jesus was experiencing.

I will never forget my first attempt to drive a MIDDLE BIG truck. Do you know what a "MIDDLE BIG" truck is? It’s that vehicle that gives a person the sensation that they are really driving a "Big Rig" only in reality it’s a Uhaul!

Mom and Dad had decided to come back home to North Carolina after living in Pennsylvania for many years. The moving truck was loaded and I was going to get to drive it. I was so excited! Then about time to leave the little boy next door came over. "Well little buddy we’re getting ready to go." "I know I’m coming too!" "You ARE?" "Yep! I’m ready too! Miss Bessie said I could ride in the truck with you!" Suddenly the joy of driving that truck was gone!

When it came time to go he pulled out one of these old fashioned tape recorders and popped in a tape. Before we ever left Cochranville Pa., I had already heard "Breaker Breaker one-nine. Mercy sakes alive looks like we got us a convoy!" more times than any man ought to have to endure in this life.

After hearing that song for the six thousandth time we were going up the mountain headed for Ashe County when I pointed to the power lines way up on top and said: "Brian look up there! See those powers lines way up there?" "Yeah." "We’re going to go under those power lines when we get to the top of the mountain!" All of a sudden - "Liar Liar Pants on Fire! Lie like a Lilac, Lie like a lilac!" What really bothered me was that after I told him that my Father told him about Daniel Boone starring down a Bear and his response was: "Now THAT I believe!"

The frustration I felt that day may come close to what Jesus was experiencing. But Jesus made it very plain with no room for misinterpret-interpretation when He said:

"Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves.

How about you this morning? Do you believe in Jesus? Do you really believe in Him? Do you believe He has the power to lead you through even the darkest hours of your life? Don’t you just feel His presence right now just a little over your shoulder? Listen. Listen carefully for He’s whispering to you: . "Let - Not - Your - Hearts - Be - Troubled." . . .Amen.

Click Here To Receive FREE Notification When
New Sermons Are Posted

People Have Reviewed This Sermon