Please open your Bible to the gospel of St. John.  I will begin at verse one.  These famous words of Jesus carry a wonderful message for us in this hour of trial.  If your heart is troubled, you especially need to listen and take heed to this message. 

     No one can journey through this life without a season of trouble.  With that said, I am not referencing the common problems we all experience, rather I am now speaking about those seasons of trouble which possess the power to upend life as we know it.  Ultimately, for many the last earthly experience we call death is the most troubling of all.

     Yet, in the face of every season of trouble there is an answer.  The answer lies in personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who speaks into our lives with these powerful words, “Let not your heart be troubled, put your trust in me.”
 
 Look with me now at our text from John 14:1-3:

     Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  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 unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
 
     As you may recall, the setting our Lord’s teaching in John chapters 13-17 is his private interaction with the twelve just prior to his betrayal, arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, his trial, and then his subsequent crucifixion.

     The words of our text follow the revelation to the disciples that one among them would betray Jesus.  Not only that, but Jesus said he would soon leave, and they could not follow him.  Peter, unwilling to accept what Jesus said, proceeded to say to Jesus, “Lord, why can I not follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.”

     To which Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for my sake?  Verily, Verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow twice until you have denied me three times.”

     Now, as our general habit is, we tend to read through these verses quickly without inserting our self into the setting.  Could you pause for a moment and try to capture the impact of our Lord’s words to these men.  He is alone with them after the Last Supper and the washing of their feet.  They are interacting with him for the last time after a long journey of some three and one-half years.  And now the stark revelation that everything is about to change.

     No more public ministry.  No more serving by his side.  Instead one of them will betray him and Peter will deny him.  Everything is about to change.  In the remainder of his time before entering the Garden of Gethsemane to pray, Jesus has a lot to say to these men.  However, in light of the great trial about to engulf them and before he proceeds to say he would not leave them comfortless, he speaks into their lives this powerful statement, “Let not your heart be troubled.”

     The Greek language here is communicating the idea of troubled in the sense of the heart being stirred up and disturbed.  Troubled in the sense of being thrown into confusion.  Jesus fully understood what these men faced, yet he said to them, let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in me.

     Change comes.  Like the disciples we can be suddenly thrust into a season of life never experienced before.  We can, in short order, see the world we are accustomed to upended.  However, Jesus would likewise say to us, “let not your heart be troubled, trust in me.”

     My friends, there is only one answer for a troubled heart and that answer is faith in the Savior, faith in the living God.  Faith in the living God settles a troubled heart!  Now hear this well:  Jesus did not shelter his men from the hour of trouble.  However, he did say the trouble on the outside did not have to trouble them on the inside!

     My friends, when the storm is raging on the outside those who put their trust in the Lord will experience peace on the inside.  The Word of God says, “The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee” (Psalm 9:9-10).

     Again the Word of God says, “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock” (Psalm 27:4-5).

     Again, the Word of God says, “For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come near unto him. Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance” (Psalm 32:6-7).

     Again, the Word of Gods says, “But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble. And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him” (Psalm 37:39-40).

     Again, the Word of God says, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust . . .

     Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling . . .

     Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation” (Psalm 91:1-2, 9-10, 14-16).

     Now I ask, do you understand the faithful character of your God?  Do you understand the character of the one who says, “Let not your heart be troubled, ye believe in God, believe also in me?”

     My friends, he is the Good Shepherd that gave his life for the sheep.  He loves his own and makes them to lie down in green pastures and leads them beside still waters.  And though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, he is with us.  Therefore, we will fear no evil.  His presence, his rod, and his staff they comfort us.

     Even as we face a great national trial and days of uncertainty, yet he speaks powerfully into our life today with these reassuring words:  let not your heart be trouble; I will never leave you, nor forsake you; not one of my promises will fall to the ground; trust me and call upon my name.

     When Jesus taught his disciples to believe upon him, to keep their trust in him through their trial, of necessity they needed to pray as the trial unfolded.  Today if we are going to experience a peaceful heart through our storm, then we must pray.

     You see, the Word of God is teaching us to put our trust in him.  We are taught to seek him. We are taught to call upon his name.  We are taught to turn to him in the day of our trouble.  And when we do so, He will hide us in the shelter of his arms.  He will speak peace to our heart.  He will carry us through the storm.  He will be our refuge.  We will experience peace in the midst of the storm.  Instead of a troubled heart, the peace of God that passes understanding will rule our hearts!

     Dottie Rambo once penned these words in a song which came to my mind as I prepared this message.  It talks about prayer, the power of prayer, the peace prayer produces, and the simplicity of prayer.  She wrote:
 
          You can make your biggest dream come true
          Miracles can happen now to you
          Everything your soul is searching for
          It’s all there, in just a simple prayer
 
          When you’re lost and when you’re down and out
          You don’t know what life is all about
          There’s a lot of love to overflow your doubt
          It’s all there in just a simple prayer
 
          Just one prayer, a simple little prayer
          You can move a mountain, calm a sea
          Drive away the troubles of the world
          It’s all there, in just a simple prayer
 
          You can find a reason now to live
          If you have a lot of love to give
          And Jesus has a love he’d like to share
          It’s all there in just a simple prayer
         
          Just one prayer, a simple little prayer
          You can move a mountain, calm a sea
          Drive away the troubles of the world
          It’s all there, in just a simple prayer
 
 
     Amen!  As David says it, “I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears . . . This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.”  Without doubt this life presents us with many situations of such character the heart can be deeply troubled.  However, it is in the secret place of prayer we cast our burden upon the Lord. 

     It is through prayer we exchange of care for His peace.  Prayer calms the troubled waters of the soul and lays hold of God’s provision, protection, and peace.  Fervent prayer drives away the troubles of this world.  Indeed, let not your heart be trouble—trust in the Lord.  He is our way maker and our mountain mover!  He is the master of the sea and he will calm you, steady you, and bring you through the storm.  TRUST HIM TODAY!
 
     I came across a story in the news this past week from a TV personality.  If I called her name most of you probably would know who she is.  She was talking about her own struggles during this coronavirus pandemic.  She said, "These are weird times we’re in, and I’m trying to find a way to navigate it all. I haven't been out of the house in 14 days. As I sit here today, I believe I am coronavirus free. But I'm so afraid."

    She went on to say that stories of COVID-19 patients dying alone in hospital beds were "haunting" her. She admitted telling close family members to never let that happen.  She said, "If something happens to me, and I end up in the hospital, suit up and come on into the hospital room. I do not want to lay there by myself. And I know it might be selfish because I would be exposing you, but I'm saying, come on in, and hold my hand as I go to the other side.”

     Without doubt, the thought that potentially can cause the most trouble in the heart is the fear of dying.  Now listen to Jesus again in our text: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  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 unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:1-3).

     Perhaps it seems strange the Lord would skip over further discussion of the earthly trial the disciples soon faced and instead turn their minds toward heaven.  However, there is a lesson here.  The ultimate reason our hearts can find a place of rest and peace in this troubled world lies in the assurance we are travelling toward the Father’s house.

     It is good to know we are safely aboard the old ship of Zion.  It is good to know the old ship can sail through the storms of this life, but better yet is the deep, abiding assurance the old ship will arrive home one day.  One day we will say good-bye to this world and when that day comes our heart will not be troubled, nor will it be afraid.  We are ready to depart and to be with Christ which is far better.

     Like the apostle who was caught up to the third heaven, we will see and hear things not lawful to utter as we enter glory.  To be with Christ in the place he is preparing for us cannot compare to any trial we face here or any trouble we are called upon to endure.

     As we travel through the troubled waters of this world there is a deep, abiding hope that sustains us.  It is a blessed hope.  The Savior says, “Let not your heart be troubled.”  Why?  Because he has gone away to prepare a place for his people, and he will come again to receive them unto himself.  He is preparing a place he describes as “his Father’s house.”

     And in his Father’s house there are many mansions, many dwelling places.  One day the redeemed of the Lord will settle down in their eternal inheritance.  The land in which they are destined to dwell is free from all the former things.  No police patrol the streets of the homeland.  No one is wearing a face mask and no ambulances hurry off to an emergency room.  Worry is not etched on the face of any who dwell there.  There is not a cloud in the sky, and no one is full of care or anxiety about tomorrow.  As a matter of fact, in the homeland there are no tomorrows, just one glorious eternal day!

     There are no “stay at home” orders there, rather in the Father’s house loved ones are moving about freely renewing old acquaintances.  Why, mothers are greeting sons and daughters they have missed for a long time.  There is no social distancing protocol in the Father’s house.  Instead, like Jacob who feel upon the neck of his beloved son Joseph when at last he seen him again, those in the Father’s house are embracing as they experience joy unspeakable in the homeland.

     Indeed, let not your heart be troubled, rest in the Lord.  Christ is coming and this blessed hope is the source of our inner strength.  Soon we will be home in the Father’s house!
 
Conclusion

     I know you all are aware of the “shelter at home” guidelines the nation has followed in recent days.  Did you know there was a day in history when the Lord told his people to “shelter at home?”

     After sending a series of judgments upon Egypt because Pharaoh refused to let his people go, the Lord dealt with Pharaoh one last time.  In preparation for the last judgment upon Egypt the Lord gave his own people a “shelter at home” order.

     He told them the death angel would soon pass over the land of Egypt and for them to be saved they must shelter in a home where the blood was applied.  Here is how the Lord said it to them:  “For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.  And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.”

     That night the children of Israel placed their trust in the Lord and the power of the blood.  Although death fell all around them, the blood of the lamb delivered them.  I do not believe they were afraid that night.  I do not think their heart was troubled.  There was trouble on the outside of the house, but there was no trouble on the inside of their house.

    My friend, are you sheltered where the blood is applied?  Until we trust the Lord Jesus as our Savior the sentence of death hangs over us like an ominous cloud.  However, when you trust Christ as your Savior the blood is applied to your heart in a spiritual sense.  Those who believe upon Christ pass from death unto life (John 5:24).  How glorious it is to be sheltered from the power of the second death.

     Are you trusting the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior?  If not, you are unprepared to cross to the other side.  The only way you can face the day of your death with peace is to trust the blood of Jesus.  Is his blood applied to your heart?  Give Him your heart today and place all your faith in the Lord Jesus.  On the authority of God's Word I can tell you all that believe upon him will never perish (John 10:28).
 

     The bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead is a fact of history. His tomb is empty, and eyewitnesses confirm the reality of his resurrection.  He appeared to over 500 people in the days following his resurrection.  He demonstrated himself to be alive by many infallible proofs.  At his final appearance to a group of people which included his closest disciples, he ascended into heaven leaving the commission to go into all the world and preach the good news of salvation to all nations.

     Now consider with me seven truths clearly established by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.  I begin with a verse of Scripture in Romans 1:4 which says Jesus is “declared to be the Son of God with power . . . by the resurrection from the dead.” 

     The first truth established by the resurrection concerns the person of Christ.  The bodily resurrection of Jesus confirms his identity as the unique Son of the living God.  The man Christ Jesus is the most unique individual in human history.  He was conceived in the womb of Mary without the agency of a human father.  His miraculous conception in the womb of Mary wrought by the Spirit of God clothed the eternal Word with the human nature of the man Christ Jesus.

     In the person of Jesus, (the promised Messiah), God took to himself human nature.  It pleased the Father that in him (Jesus) should dwell all the fullness of the Divine Nature in bodily form.  As such, Jesus is the unique Son of God—truly God and truly man in one person.  Thus, on the cross, as infinite God (the Word incarnate) he could satisfy the Divine wrath against the sin of the world. 

     Remember this, in order to suffer death of necessity a body was prepared for the eternal Son of God.  In order to redeem mankind, he must come as the last Adam.  God the Son stepped down from his throne and took to himself human nature in the person of Jesus the Christ.  As the perfect man and the spotless Lamb of God, he could now taste death as our substitute.  So our Savior, the only begotten Son of God, carried our cross to Calvary where by the grace of God he tasted death for each one of us.  He bore our sins in his body on the tree and as the Divine sacrifice for sin he fully satisfied the wrath of God against us.

​     Of course, if he is the Son of God and if he has defeated the power of death through the work of his cross, then the grave would not be able to hold him.  So it was, early the first day of the week as it began to dawn, suddenly there was a great earthquake for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven and rolled back the stone from the door. 

     Jesus arose and as Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost God raised him up, “having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it.”  Indeed, he is declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead!

     Hear me well, the bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead establishes him as the Son of the living God.
 
     Now let me quickly move on.  Next, the resurrection of Jesus from the dead is God’s declaration he accepts the death of Christ for our salvation.  In Romans 4 the Bible says Jesus was delivered for our offences (our sins), “and was raised again for our justification.”  Justification is an important Bible word connected to our salvation. 

     I ask you today, just how is a holy God going to allow unholy sinners into his heaven?  The truth is, he will not allow unholy sinners into his heaven.  For members of Adam’s race to enter God’s heaven they must be made holy again.

     With that in mind, I must hasten to say there is nothing you can do to make yourself holy.  You are guilty in the sight of God.  All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  In our lost condition we are unclean.  For God to allow any of Adam’s race to enter his heaven a way must be made to clear us of our guilt, wash us from our sin, and present us faultless before his throne.  We must be made holy again.

     Now, are you listening closely?  God raised Jesus from the dead for our justification.  The empty tomb is God’s declaration he accepts the death of his Son for our salvation.  The word justify means to be cleared of one’s guilt and declared righteous.  God raised Jesus from the dead guaranteeing that all who bow the knee to the Lord Jesus, trusting his death on the cross for their salvation, shall be saved. If you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  Saved!

     This means God justifies you in His sight.  Based upon the substitutional work of Christ on the cross for you, God releases you from the guilt of sin.  Furthermore, he imparts to you the gift of righteousness.  This righteousness is the righteousness of Christ.  Here is a good way to picture this gift of righteousness.

     Most of you are aware of certain events that require formal dress.  For example, in some cases you cannot get into an event without wearing a tuxedo.  You simply must be dressed properly or entry into the event is impossible.  May I say to you, if you are going to enter God’s heaven you must be dressed properly.  You must have a robe of righteousness that fits you for heaven.

     You say, where am I going to buy one?  I am sorry to tell you, but this robe costs more than you can afford.  You say, but I must have it, or all is lost.  I am unholy and I must have this robe to be made holy and acceptable to God.  Is there any hope?

     Yes, there is hope.  Look at the empty tomb.  God raised Jesus from the dead for your justification.  He has a robe of righteousness just your size purchased by the blood of his dear Son and there is a place you can be fitted without cost and made ready for entrance into heaven.  That place is the foot of the cross, where you come to Christ and call upon his name!  Thank God he raised Jesus from the dead for our justification.
 
     The resurrection of Jesus from the dead establishes him as the Son of the living God and it establishes the great truth of justification by faith in Christ alone as our only hope of heaven.  Next, I would add this.  The resurrection establishes Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life.

     Considering what I just preached it should be obvious Jesus is the only way of salvation.  Furthermore, he is the truth.  All spirituality that denies Jesus is false.  The resurrection establishes him as the truth and the life.  Only the risen Christ has the words of eternal life.

     Next, the resurrection establishes Jesus as the resurrection and the life.  Jesus says in John 5, “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear (my voice) and shall come forth.”  Jesus will one day raise all the dead from their dusty graves.  Some in the resurrection unto life and others in the resurrection unto judgment.

     The rest of Scripture sets forth the order in which this will happen.  Christ is the first fruit.  Then they that are Christ’s at his coming will be raised incorruptible.  In fact, all the saved are said to be a part of the first resurrection.  But there is also a resurrection unto judgment.  The unsaved must be resurrected to face the Lord Jesus at the great white throne judgment described in the book of Revelation.  All who appear there are lost and must face the full consequences of sin and rebellion.  Sadly, they will be cast body, soul, and spirit into Gehenna, the lake of fire.
 
     This humbling thought brings us to the next truth established by the resurrection, namely that Jesus now holds absolute authority over the realm of the dead.  In Revelation chapter one Jesus says, “Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that lives, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hades and of death.”  The keys speak of the absolute authority of the risen Christ over the realm of the dead.  Jesus Christ has the authority to place the saved in heaven and he has the authority to consign the lost to hell.  He will do both.
 
     Next, the resurrection establishes our Lord’s promise to come again.  The last appearance of our resurrected Savior is recorded in Acts chapter one.  After he gave his last words to those present that day the Bible says he “was taken up.”  As he ascended into heaven that day the angels said to them, “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”

     My friends, just as sure as no power could keep him in the grave, no power can prevent his coming again.  There are two phases to the Second Coming of the Lord.  The first part of his Second Coming has to do with his church, the bride of Christ.  Jesus is coming for his church as described in 1 Thessalonians chapter four where we read, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

     At this great event the church will experience the redemption of the body as our Lord clothes us with incorruptible, immortal bodies.  In that moment when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, “death is swallowed up in victory!”  Amen, because he lives we shall live also!
 
Conclusion
 
     The Resurrection establishes the following:

• Jesus is the Son of God (Rom. 1:4)
• God Accepts the Death of Christ for our salvation (Rom. 4)
• Jesus is the way (salvation), the truth (all other spirituality is false), and the life (only Christ has the words of eternal life)
• Jesus is the resurrection (John 5) and the life
• Jesus stands in absolute authority over the realm of the dead (Rev. 1)
• Jesus is coming again

 
     And finally, the resurrection of Jesus provides hope for all who believe upon him.  Hope is the most important commodity of the heart.  In a troubled world subject to death and uncertainty, Christ imparts a steadfast hope that girds up the mind and brings peace in every storm. The risen Christ is our hope.  What we possess in promise today we shall possess in reality tomorrow!  Indeed, because he is risen, we can rejoice in hope of the glory of God.