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“Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled”
This chapter is based on John 13:31-38; 14-17.
Judas had left the upper room, and Christ was alone with the
eleven. He was about to speak of His approaching separation from
them, but before this He pointed to the great purpose of His mission.
He always kept freshly in mind His joy that all His humiliation and
suffering would glorify the Father’s name. This is where He first
directed the thoughts of His disciples.
Their Master and Lord, their beloved Teacher and Friend, was
dearer to them than life. Now He was going to leave them. Dark
forebodings filled their hearts.
But the Savior’s words were full of hope. He knew that Satan’s
craftiness is most successful against those who are depressed by
difficulties. So He turned their thoughts to the heavenly home: “Let
not your heart be troubled. ... 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.” When I go away, I will still work earnestly for you. I go to the
Father to cooperate with Him on your behalf.
Christ’s departure was the opposite of what the disciples feared—
it did not mean a final separation. He was going to prepare a place
for them so that He could receive them to Himself. While He was
building mansions for them, they were to build characters in God’s
likeness.
Thomas was troubled by doubts. “‘Lord, we do not know where
You are going, and how can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him,
‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father
except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known
My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen
Him.’”
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