For this company of men, the next 24 hours would be the worst of their lives. It would be absolutely brutal! The One in whom they had placed complete trust and for whom they had utterly abandoned most everything -that same one would be betrayed, beaten, mocked and finally crucified before the next day had ended. They had devoted their lives to the One who would lose His life. Their world was about to turn upside down and in only a matter of hours. They couldn't have seen this coming...
There is no way, in fact, they could have prepared for this but Jesus took the opportunity to help prepare them for what was about to transpire. He said to the gathered disciples, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me" (John14:1).
What's interesting to me is what Jesus chose to say, in advance, to ease their troubled minds once the storm blew through over the next few hours. Think about it. He could have selected to calm their fears the fact of His resurrection on the third day. Though that would be true that's not what He chose to say. He might have predicted the coming of the comforter in a matter of days. He did speak of this later and promised the ministry of the Holy Spirit at other times. But in this moment of time, in the upper room, when He sought to ease their minds and calm their fears, He spoke of Heaven.
He encouraged them before anything happened with the brilliant truth of Heaven. Jesus said, "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 to prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that where I am there you may be also (John 14:2-3).
Jesus encouraged them with Heaven! The Apostle Paul did the same. He wrote to the Corinthian Church and spoke of the overwhelming circumstances surrounding his ministry. He said, "We are hard pressed on every side...struck down...always being given over to death." Then he added, "(yet) we do not lose heart." But why? "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all" (2 Corinthians 4:8-9, 11, 16-17).
The writer of Hebrews does this as well. He writes to those who have suffered persecution for their faith. How does he encourage them? He speaks of Heaven. In a chapter of the book in which he lists a roll call of faithful heroes of the faith who sacrificed much for their faith he shares what enabled them to keep going despite the opposition and travail. He says, "They were longing for a better country-a heavenly one" (Hebrews 11:16).
Maybe what we find here we need to hear. There is something about the promise of Heaven tomorrow which inspires us to face the trials and tribulations of today. I think the Apostle Paul had this in mind when he wrote, "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above not on earthly things" (Colossians 3:1-2).
Let the promise of Heaven serve to lift you, inspire you and encourage you to face the challenges of today. Now that's a heavenly thought!
Blessings today (and tomorrow),
Pastor Ron
P.S. Sunday's sermon is Longing for Heaven from Hebrews 11:8-16.