John 14:1-3 – “Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many homes. If it weren’t so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will receive you to myself; that where I am, you may be there also.“
We are entering into a part of John that holds so much truth that applies directly to us today, that it is important for us to pay very close attention and take it to heart so we get everything that Jesus has for us.
This passage today gives us a message of hope for our future. Before Jesus left to return to our Father, He made these things very clear:
- He was going to His Father’s house.
- He would prepare a place for us
- He would come again to us
- He would take us up
- We would stay where He is
Some have claimed that Jesus is not going to come back to get His Church and take them back up to heaven. They only believe that Jesus will come again and rule on the earth like He said He would. When people do this, they show disregard for these very clear words. It is true, Jesus did say that He would return and rule on the earth and set up His kingdom here, but Jesus also said what we read here today. We would do well to not pretend it doesn’t exist, or attempt to “read into it” so much that we act as if it doesn’t talk about His “Father’s house” and it’s “dwelling places.” This is different than Jerusalem on earth.
Jesus only said this to His disciples who He had already pronounced “clean” and only after He knew that His time had come to return to the Father. The rest of John is an important study in God’s direction for our churches today in that they were focused on the disciples who were to preach after Jesus left and were not focused on the preaching that Jesus had prepared primarily for the Jews who were looking for their Messiah.
To these men, he promised in these very clear simple words that He would leave and if He leaves He will come again to receive them unto Himself. These were very clear, plain words. This is said in context to the fact that He was going to a place that was not on earth, but in His Father’s house. This is one of the main passages that tells us about “The Rapture.” I also call it “The Great Receiving” because Jesus will receive us unto Himself. This event is what we see in the movie: “Left Behind.” I highly recommend the movie and book.
This is not the only mention of this event. Here’s where Paul talks about it later in the Bible. Turn to 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18.
I also want to encourage you today with these words. Don’t be ignorant about those who have died who believed that Jesus died and rose again. Know that when Jesus comes to pick us up and take us home, He will bring those who already died, and they will also receive their new bodies first, after that, anyone who is still alive will be “caught up” with them for a huge reunion in the clouds. Isn’t that an amazing thing? So much for the “curse” of death! What a huge resurrection that will be!
There is much more about this that I plan to save for another study, but please feel free to do more study on this on your own. I hope that these words comfort you.