The ascension promise of Jesus

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God   ; believe also in me.  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?  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.  You know the way to the place where I am going.”   John 14:1-4 NIV

Jesus predicted his ascension giving us hope, not only of his life, but also of our future place with him and the Father that he went to prepare for us who believe.

The assurance

He starts off with putting our hearts at rest – do not let your hearts be troubled. It is a characteristic of Jesus to always reassure his disciples – his followers.  He often tells his disciples not to fear. And if he who holds us in his hands tells us not to fear then it would be foolish to continue fearing. He who rose from the grave defeating death itself, the root of all fears, assures us that ultimately everything is going to turn out well.

The condition

Believe in God, believe also in Jesus.

Without faith it’s impossible to please God. Faith isn’t blind assumption, but an absolute trust in the faithfulness of God and his word. What he says is always right and true. His promises always come to pass. He wants us to believe that he isn’t merely ascending into heaven to wait to return a second time. He wants us to believe that he went to prepare our place where we will be with him for eternity. It’s only for those who believe. If a prisoner was told that he could walk out of prison a free man but didn’t believe it so sat in his prison cell fearing the consequences of walking out that would be a tragedy. His unbelief keeps him a captive to his fears. So I exhort you, as Jesus did, to believe in God and all that Jesus has accomplished for us in his death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven.

The promise

He has not only gone to prepare a place for us, but he promised that he will come back for us. He has given us the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of what is to come. What we have of him now is only a taste of what is to come. Our bodies are tents whereas he has gone to prepare rooms for us in his Father’s house. We are sojourners, wanderers through a barren land, whereas we will be accommodated as sons and daughters of the King of Heaven.

The way

You know the way to the Father’s house. What is the way? we may ask. It’s the question that Thomas had asked.  Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”  Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.   John 14:5-6 NIV

Is your heart at rest? If not, then ask yourself if you believe in God and in Jesus whom he sent.

Have you taken hold of his great and wonderful promise of an eternal room with him in the Father’s house? He desires you to have it. That’s why he’s preparing it for you. Do you believe that he hasn’t left you, although you might feel that he has? That he will be coming back to take us to our eternal home. What a sure and absolute hope!

_________

Because he lives

God sent His son, they called Him, Jesus

He came to love, heal and forgive

He lived and died to buy my pardon

An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

 

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow

Because He lives, all fear is gone

Because I know He holds the future

And life is worth the living

Just because He lives.

 

How sweet to hold a newborn baby

And feel the pride and the joy he gives

But greater still the calm assurance

This child can face uncertain days because He Lives.

 

And then one day, I’ll cross that river

I’ll fight life’s final war with pain

And then, as death gives way to vict’ry

I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He reigns.

 

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow

Because He lives, all fear is gone

Because I know He holds the future

And life is worth the living

Just because He lives

Because he lives

Because he lives

 

1 Comment

  1. Merle Jubber

    This is a beautiful devotional and so well written.
    Amen.

    Reply

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