I’m sure you all have heard the great news this week. WHO has declared that the COVID-19 pandemic is over. Some localized incidents may still occur, but it’s no longer a global crisis. We hope nothing like this will happen again in our lifetime or in the future generations. We don’t know how long it will take for us to recover from the trauma of these three years.
Now is the time for us to heal the wounds and strengthen our spirits to handle any future challenges that may be on the way. We must rejoice for the relief, but we cannot coast because life is a series of peaks and valleys. When we are at a peak, prepare for the valley; when we are in a valley, be ready for the peak. That’s the wise way to live in this fallen world.
One thing we can learn from this past pandemic is how fragile human lives can be despite our amazing inventions and incredible evolution in science, medicine, technology, and education. People used to think our growth in knowledge would save us from evil. But this pandemic reveals how little we know.
A Chinese proverb says, “When morality grows a foot, evil grows a yard.” (道高一尺魔高一丈). It means evil evolves faster than morality, warning us not to believe that we will outgrow evil, not on this side of eternity. We must grasp this harsh reality without letting our hearts be troubled.
The good news is Jesus has taught us how to handle hardship. The first century Israel was not better, but maybe worse, than our society today. His disciples thought since they had found the Messiah, they had secured their future, including the future of their nation. However, things were about to get worse before getting better.
When their master told them that even the Son of God was about to suffer crucifixion by the evil power, they were extremely discouraged. Their hearts were troubled when their only hope was about to explode.
How many of you have experienced the feeling of losing your last hope? We live in a fallen world, and the only thing that keeps us going is hope. We need hope to cope. When we lose hope, we suffer from all kinds of problems—depression, distress, desperation, despair, disorder, and you name it. Our hearts are troubled during hardship.
The good news is that Jesus taught us a secret that will keep our hope alive during trying times and turn us into instruments of hope for others. He began by saying, “Do not let your heart be troubled,” then revealed the secret to maintain hope to cope. Let’s begin!
[Hi, in case we haven’t met yet, I am Sam Stone, the Lightkeeper—you are the light of the world, and I am the keeper! (No pun intended). It’s my calling to help you shine your brightest so that God is glorified in you and you are satisfied in God.]
The Scripture lesson for today, on this Fifth Sunday of Easter, is from the Gospel According to John 14:1-14. [Listen to the Word of the Lord!]
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And you know the way to the place where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. 12 Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.” (Jn 14:1–14).
[Blessed are those who delight in God’s word. Thanks be to God!]
The first verse contains everything we need to handle a troubled heart.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.” (John 14:1).
Everything is contained in this second sentence, “Believe in God, believe also in me.” To believe in God, we must believe in Christ. Have you noticed when I give the benediction, “May the grace of Christ, the love of God, and the power of the Holy Spirit be with you now and forevermore!”
Years ago, Cassy, my daughter, asked me, “Dad, I think you say your benediction in the wrong order. I should be ‘May the love of God, the grace of Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit. God should come first, but you put Christ first.” I was so proud of her attention to detail.
Why don’t we follow the order of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in the benediction? Some of you know the answer, and others might also think I slip my tongue every week.
I simply follow Paul’s benediction in the Bible—Christ first, then God, then the Holy Spirit. The reason is that without Christ, there is no way to know God. John said,
“No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.” (John 1:18).
It says though God the Son, we know God. Theologian Jurgen Moltman said, “Thank God for Jesus Christ. Without him, I would never have known God.” Don’t ever try to figure out what God is like. The only way to know God is through the grace of Christ. Jesus said in verse 7,
“If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:7).
Even though the logical order is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, we humans have access to everything only through the Son. That’s why Paul put Jesus Christ first, and that’s why the benediction begins with the grace of Christ. That explains why Jesus said,
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.” (John 14:1).
Believing in God will calm your troubled heart, but how do you believe in God? The answer is to believe in Christ because he is God in flesh, blood, and bones. He took the human form to make God knowable, accessible, and relatable. Then Jesus said,
In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. (John 14:2-3).
The word “dwelling places” is translated from Greek, μοναὶ (monai), literally meaning “permanent places.” Sometimes, it’s translated as “mansions.” A mansion is strongly built for long-term residence. Jesus is talking about our eternal homes.
In other words, our homes on earth are temporal, but our eternal home is in heaven. So, don’t dwell on it! Don’t let your heart be troubled over the temporary home on earth. Rejoice over the permanent homes Jesus is preparing for us. Then Jesus said,
“And you know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:4-6).
Thomas must have forgotten what Jesus had told them. For example, Jesus said previously, “I am the gate.” (John 10:7). “I am the life and resurrection.” (John 11:25). He had repeatedly mentioned to them that he is “the way, the truth, and the life.” Everything centers on him.
So, when you feel lost, look at him, and you will see the way. To look at him is to read the four Gospels written about him. Of course, the entire Bible is about him, but the four Gospels give us the correct lens to interpret the rest.
Now, another disciple is still stuck on his desire to know God without Christ.
Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? (John 14:8-9).
I think it’s human nature to bypass what God has revealed to us to see God directly. Philip felt unsatisfied, maybe because Jesus didn’t appeal to him as God. After all, Jesus said that he was about to be crucified. If Jesus was God, how could he allow sinful humans to kill him? How could he not avoid the cross?
It didn’t make sense to Philip. God should not function the way Jesus did. God should not die the shameful death as Jesus told them. So Philip asked Jesus to show him the Father to satisfy his logic.
Philip was not alone. For two thousand years, many have debated whether Jesus was merely a Jewish revolutionist in history. Some think he was a glorified philosopher like Plato, Socrates, or Confucius. People are still searching for God, circumventing Jesus because Jesus didn’t look like God in our imagination and conception. Jesus asked him to look at the evidence,
“Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves.” (John 14:10-11).
Jesus proved his divinity through his words and works. Many scholars say Jesus’ words are the most profound words that have ever come from the lips of human beings. His words reveal his divinity. His works were the miracles his disciples have witnessed. For us, on this side of Easter, his greatest work that proves his divinity is the resurrection.
Then the question is how we can believe in the resurrection that took place two thousand years ago. Many scholars have investigated it and proven it to be true using modern forensic science.
Psychologically, those wimpy disciples would not have risked their lives witnessing it if the resurrection were untrue. According to psychology, people would spread a lie, but no one would die for a lie. The fact that the disciples were willing to endure the harshest persecution and even crucifixion upside down, like Peter, is a solid testimony to the resurrection.
Finally, the proof is in the pudding. Jesus said,
“Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:12).
We have touched on this verse lately, discussing, “We have greatness thrust upon us.” Jesus wants us to see the works of the believers.
Jesus is a healer, but he has never built a hospital, but when you travel around the world, you see Christian hospitals at every corner of the world established in his name. Jesus is a great teacher, but he has never built a school, but you see schools at every corner of the world established in his name.
Jesus loves children, but he has never built an orphanage, but you see orphanages at every corner of the world established in his name. Jesus cares for abused women—like Mary Magdalene—but he has never built a shelter for women, but you see shelters at every corner of the world established in his name.
Those are the best hospitals, the best schools, the best orphanages, and the best shelters. Those are evidence that his believers have done greater works than he did.
Again, the proof is in the pudding. Jesus wants us to believe in him and see the greater works of our faith. Sometimes, we might have done great things but don’t realize it. (Matthew 25 is a good example.) Then Jesus reveals how we can do greater things despite our weaknesses,
“I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.” (John 14:13-14).
That is a big promise. Jesus promises to give us anything we ask in His name to do greater works, not for our selfish desires. To ask in his name means to ask in his authority. It doesn’t just mean ending our prayer with the phrase “in Jesus’ name.” Jesus said that the purpose of our request is to glorify the Father in the Son.
Jesus explains this further in the next chapter. In this passage, Jesus tried to convince us that believing in him is equivalent to believing in God. Don’t try to circumvent Christ to find the elusive God. Everything we need to know about God is in Jesus Christ. Therefore,
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.” (John 14:1).
This passage could be misinterpreted as believing in him could make us invincible. It just means to trust in his power despite our weaknesses. We know Paul went through many troubled times, and his heart was troubled by torment at one point. When he asked the Lord for relief, the answer he got from the Lord was:
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Co 12:9).
Don’t let your heart be troubled. Let’s remember the grace of Christ is enough for us.
That’s it for today. I hope you find this message illuminating as much as I enjoy receiving it from the Head Office. Until we meet again, keep your light shining brighter and broader, and harvest the fruit of profound freedom, purpose, and happiness.
Amen!
Bye now!
