Our text: John 14:1-4 (NIV)
1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Let’s take a closer look at John 14:2, “My Father’s house has many rooms…”
Now let’s consider a couple of important points about this particular verse:
A) Here the NIV uses the word, “rooms” which comes from the Greek word, mone which correlates with the word meno, these words translate, “to stay, to remain, and to dwell” they signify a “dwelling place.” (“rooms” = “dwelling place”)
B) The only other time this word for “rooms” is used is in John 14:23, “My Father (and I) will come to him and make our home with him.” The believer indwelt by the Spirit, becomes the “dwelling place” or the “home” of God.
Our text refers to Jesus going to heaven to prepare a place for us, it also refers to us, (in verse 2) as God’s dwelling place here on earth. This is the perspective we will be drawing from this morning as we talk about God’s house and more specifically the “Front Door.” (attn. to door on stage)
2) We Are His Front Door
John 14:4-6 (NIV)
4 You know the way to the place where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Verse 6 is the most controversial passage of scripture because Jesus is declaring that He is the ONLY WAY. This goes against the popular notion that all roads lead to heaven. It is troubling for many of us when someone accuses us of being narrow minded about the Christian faith. How can a loving God insist that the only way to heaven is through Christ?
Christ is the only One who provides a direct route to God the Father.
Perhaps one of the biggest reasons others find this arrogant is that the Church as a whole has struggled at times to represent the One who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Jesus himself is the way. We are talking about the Jesus who served others. He washed his disciples feet and commanded them to follow his example. He gave his life as the final sacrificial lamb to take away the sins of the world! This is not arrogant; this is true love and service. When we as the Church, follow Christ’s example, we will be able to stand on our claim that truly He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
How can we demonstrate this to others? As believers we are the dwelling place of God, let’s look at the entrance to that dwelling place, the front door.
The front door represents the entrance to the dwelling place and how it can be used to live out Christ’s example.
Here are 2 specific ways we can represent Christ’s example:
A) We must guard what we allow into our house (literally and spiritually)
(Literally) It’s important and safe to lock our doors. It is necessary to look through the peephole before opening the door. It is wise to not let random strangers in the house. These seem like no brainers, but how often do we vigilantly guard the front door, and yet allow other potentially harmful things into our home through media? What we read, watch, listen to, and view online are just as important to guard as who we allow to enter through our front door.
(Spiritually) How we talk to our loved ones, what we say on the phone, how we serve Christ in the privacy of our homes is just as important as how we live in public. When we are at home behind closed doors it is so easy to “loosen up” and not be vigilant, but it is just as crucial, to be careful what we say and do. Our families are watching, our kids are watching, but most of all God sees what we do in private.
Proverbs 4:23 (The Message) Guard your heart
23-27 Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that's where life starts.
Don't talk out of both sides of your mouth;
avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip.
Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions.
Watch your step, and the road will stretch out smooth before you.
Look neither right nor left; leave evil in the dust.
We follow Christ’s example by guarding what we let into our house and
also by being open to people and relationships.
B) We must be open to people and relationships (hospitality as individuals and as a congregation for the purpose of glorifying Him)
This is exactly how Christ intended the Church to reach people with the Gospel. Relationships are what it is all about. For the extraverts this may be a confirmation of what comes more natural to you. For the introverts, like me, “God will not give us more than we can handle.” J Relationships are at the center of the heart of Christ. He loves people and wants to love them through you and me. “He is not willing that anyone die without knowing the truth.”
2 Cor. 5:20
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his
appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
We are His ambassadors, the front door, the first impression
Acts 2:42-47
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the
breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the
many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers
were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and
possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued
to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes
and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and e
enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number
daily those who were being saved.
Community, openness, sharing lives together. Hospitality.
Matthew 5:14-16 (The Message)
“Be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven."
“Only when his followers are themselves continuing to do what Jesus did may they be believed when they speak the earth-shattering truth that he spoke.” N.T. Wright
We have this hope to offer to others, so let’s not barricade our front door by not letting anyone in embrace the people God puts in our lives and offer to them what we have – Jesus!
We know the way home… (v4) this challenge today may seem daunting. How can we change what we have allowed into our homes? Jesus assures us that we know the way “home” in verse 4. The “Way” is through Jesus. He is the way, the truth and the life….
We can weigh every decision against this truth. Does what I am doing or allowing into my home point to the way of Christ?
Jesus told his disciples that he was going to prepare a place for them so they
would be comforted. He will not require more of us than we can handle. He will
stretch us to trust in Him, He will ask us to take leaps of faith, He will prompt us to
reach out to someone when we are tired but He will provide what we need to do
anything he asks of us. He doesn’t ask us to do things beyond our God-given
ability. Yes, beyond our human ability, but not beyond His ability to do it
through us.
He loves when our front door is open and porch light is on welcoming others into
our lives. He is not asking us to wait until our lives are perfect to invite others in –
he is asking us to invite others to journey with us.
This is not aimed only at the extraverted –
this is a God-given command that Jesus gives to all believers. Matt 28:19-20. This
was Christ’s mission here on earth – to be the Light, to invite people to get to
know his father.
Part of following Christ is continuing to embrace others, not shutting down or
barring the front door because of past hurts.
Oh that we would let our lives be used like that! How different our relationships
would be! How different our schedules would be!
Questions to consider:
Am I willing to:
... be God’s dwelling place
... forgive those who have hurt me in the past
... be intentional & vigilant on what I allow into my home
... follow Jesus’ example to serve others openly
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