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The Comforts of Home · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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And we'll read again from the beginning.
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I'm going to look at verses 1 to 3.
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They're very familiar words to us, I'm sure.
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John 14, the first three verses.
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Let not your hearts be troubled.
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Believe in God, believe also in me.
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In my Father's house are many rooms.
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If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you.
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And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself.
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But where I am, you may be also.
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So often when you visit folk in hospital, which is always a privilege to do,
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many times they'll say to you, I really wish I was home.
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I'm longing to get home.
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Even if they appreciate as they do, many of them the care that's given.
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But they will also find them often saying, I'd love to be home.
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I don't know when I'll get back home, but I know I need to be in this place just now.
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I'm thankful for the care I'm getting.
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And I know that it's all towards my good and my improvement.
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Something along those lines.
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So you've got the longing to get home and the appreciation of the present circumstances,
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which really are part of what's going on in life at the moment.
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And that's so it is for the Christian as well.
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There is a God-planted longing in the heart, a desire, a looking forward to home in heaven.
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And yet at the same time, a realization through the teaching of God's word that this is a necessity for us now to go through this life as we are,
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to have the providence of God as he has arranged it,
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so that we'll come ultimately as Christians, as believers in Christ,
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all we believe to come to be in heaven at last.
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Jesus here, as you know, is addressing troubled disciples.
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That's evident from the first few words of verse one.
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Let not your hearts be troubled.
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He's not saying to them there, don't begin to be troubled.
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He's really saying, I know you're troubled, but don't let them be troubled.
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Put your troubles aside.
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Here is my antidote to your troubles.
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Let not your hearts be troubled.
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And what's troubling them is what he has told them previously,
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that he is actually going to go back to the Father.
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That he's no longer going to be physically with them.
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That they're not going to have him here as they've had him over these years,
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since he took them and made them his disciples.
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And now he's been telling them that he is going away.
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And what he says, in the previous chapter especially,
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Jesus is saying there, where I'm going, you cannot follow me now,
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but you will follow me afterwards.
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So he's been teaching them about the necessity of his going.
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And in fact, he's been saying to them,
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it's actually for your good that I'm going.
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Knowing himself, of course, what was going to follow
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this time that he spent with them in the upper room, as it's called.
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And that he would actually then go back to the Father,
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having gone to the cross and risen from the dead.
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And as we'll see, all of that is in his immediate future there,
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as he's speaking to the disciples.
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So he's addressing the troubled disciples
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who are thinking of a future without Jesus.
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And sadly, so many people in the world
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don't even have a thought of life without Jesus.
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They don't actually look into the future
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and say to themselves,
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how am I going to manage this without God?
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We're living in a world where unbelief
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is such a constant feature of our experience
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as we meet with people.
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And they don't actually have this perspective,
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this outlook, this forward-looking,
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whereby they know that they're going to be at last with Christ.
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And they face the future without Jesus.
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And it's always a remarkable thing
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when we see people, either we visit them
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or we see them in hospital or whatever,
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and they face sometimes really critical issues
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in their lives.
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Perhaps even it's a bereavement as well
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as a physical illness or whatever.
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And it's always amazing when you actually see,
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how are they able to cope?
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You ask yourself, how can they manage life without God?
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And of course, the answer to that is,
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well, we once did as well.
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Or at least we thought we did.
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It's just part of our fallen condition.
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But here are these disciples,
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and they're troubled because they're thinking
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of a future without Jesus.
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So he's redirecting their thoughts.
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He's redirecting their minds to these things
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that he says here in this chapter,
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in this beginning of this chapter to them here
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as we're looking at it immediately.
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So what he's saying really is,
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not only are they not going to be without him,
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though that will be the case physically,
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but in fact, they are actually,
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eventually and ultimately,
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going to be taken by him to be with them.
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Here they are thinking,
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how can we possibly manage without him?
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What are we going to do?
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How can we go about the business of daily life
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as people who believe in God,
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as people are called by Christ to witness for him,
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but he's not there.
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And he's saying to them,
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don't let your hearts be troubled.
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I'm actually going to prepare a place for you,
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and that's a place to which I will come back,
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to which I will take you when I come back for you.
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And it's interesting if you compare the first verse there,
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and we always refer to these chapters
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as the upper room addresses or discourses of the Lord,
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which of course includes his own prayer in chapter 17.
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But if you compare just now verse one of chapter 14,
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and then let's go forward to the last verse of chapter 16.
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Here we are at the beginning of chapter 14,
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let not your hearts be troubled.
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And here he is finishing chapter 16.
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He's saying,
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I have said these things to you,
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so that in me you may have peace.
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In the world you will have tribulation,
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but take heart, I have overcome the world.
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In other words, what you're finding is that
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prior to his prayer,
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as Jesus taught the disciples and addressed them
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in what we find in these three chapters,
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what you really find is he begins it
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and he ends it with the same note
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of redirecting them towards things
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which will comfort them,
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which will assure them,
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which will give them the perspective
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that he wants them to have
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on a future that he has prepared for them.
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And you might say that
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everything in these three chapters
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is directed really in the purpose of Christ,
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and the purpose of God to you
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and to me tonight as you read them,
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that all actually,
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all of these details
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in these three chapters,
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14, 15, 16,
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are directed towards our assurance
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and our comfort as Christians.
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And isn't that a remarkable thing itself,
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that all of the details
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throughout these three chapters
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are all channeled towards
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what he says in 14 verse 1
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and the end of chapter 16.
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Let not your hearts be troubled.
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And if you're troubled tonight,
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as you often are,
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and as I often am,
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if there are things in the world
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that cause you concern,
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in your own life that cause you concern,
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in your family that cause you concern,
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in your friends over which you're concerned,
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here is Jesus always redirecting our minds
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to these things that he speaks of
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to the disciples,
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which really puts the present world
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in perspective, doesn't it?
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And which reminds us that
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actually, ultimately,
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that's what our mind should be focused on.
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Not the immediate presence,
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but what lies ahead,
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the future that God has prepared
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in this house
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that he calls my father's house.
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So here's their address to them,
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his address to them.
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What is he saying?
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How is he actually,
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how is he directing their minds
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for their assurance and comfort?
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Well, he's saying three things.
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He's saying, first of all,
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there is a place awaiting you.
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There is a place awaiting you.
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Let not your hearts be troubled.
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In my father's house are many rooms.
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If it were not so,
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would I have told you
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that I go to prepare a place for you.
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Possible to translate these
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in the older translations as well.
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If it were not so,
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would I not have told you?
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Anyway, let's just stick with what it is.
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If it were not so,
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would I have told you
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that I go to prepare a place for you?
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Taking it in one sentence as question.
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Here's the first thing he's saying to them.
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Don't let your hearts be troubled.
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There is a place awaiting you.
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And the second thing he says,
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connected with that,
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is the place that awaits you
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has been prepared
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or will be prepared by me.
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I go to prepare a place for you.
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This place, my father's house,
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that has many rooms,
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I'm going to prepare that
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as a place, as a residence,
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as a dwelling place for you.
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And thirdly,
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he's saying,
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not only is there a place for you,
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and not only is it a place
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prepared by me for you,
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but I will come back for you.
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I will come again,
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and I will take you to myself
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so that where I am,
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you also will be.
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And these are the three
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great prongs
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of his address here
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in these opening verses,
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where he brings this
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great assurance
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to our hearts tonight
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as to how we face
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the uncertainties of life,
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the troubles of life.
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How do we look beyond them,
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and what do we see beyond them?
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Well, we see,
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as Jesus says here,
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the Father's house.
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So here's the first thing.
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There is a place awaiting them,
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and we can say as believers
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there's a place awaiting us here.
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But of course,
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Jesus means heaven by this.
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Nothing else.
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It's pretty obvious
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that's what he means.
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In my Father's house
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are many rooms.
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He's talking about
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life beyond this world.
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He's talking about
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where God is present
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in a way that is different,
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although it's connected with
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the way that he's present
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among his people.
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Verse 23, for example,
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you'll find as we read
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through that,
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Jesus saying,
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if anyone loves me,
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he will keep my word,
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and my Father will love him,
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and we will come to him
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and make our home with him.
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Wonderful words in themselves,
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because he's talking there
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about how he,
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especially through
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the Holy Spirit
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and the Father,
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will actually come
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in the future
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as he speaks to them
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to make his home with them.
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He's going to live in them.
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He's going to come
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by his Holy Spirit
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to reside in their hearts.
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He's going to make
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a dwelling place
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for himself
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in their souls.
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And now he's developing
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that further,
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and he's saying,
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not only is that through,
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but I'm going to prepare
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a place for you
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in my Father's house
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where there are many rooms.
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In other words,
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we could say that,
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of course,
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God,
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in a sense,
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is present,
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in a real sense,
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is present everywhere.
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There is nowhere
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in the created universe
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in which God is absent.
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And he's present,
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as we see,
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with his people
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in a special way.
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You could say that,
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verse 23,
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we might call that
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his gracious presence.
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He's present graciously
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in your heart,
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graciously in the hearts
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of his people.
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But now he's talking
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about God's glorious presence.
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His glorious presence
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as he is
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in the Father's house.
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That's how he directs them
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against their troubles.
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But he also says,
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in my Father's house,
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there are many rooms.
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In those days,
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as indeed today,
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would be important
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for somebody like a king
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or a prince or ruler
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to make sure
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that those that were invited
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as guests
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to important functions,
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if they were staying over,
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obviously it would be
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embarrassing for him
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if he didn't have
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enough rooms for them.
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So they always made sure
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that the places
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they had and lived in
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were either in the place
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themselves or round about
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and plenty of places
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and rooms
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in which guests
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could actually live.
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And what God is saying
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is,
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in my Father's house,
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there are many rooms.
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It is a residence,
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it is a palace,
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if you like,
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where the king himself lives.
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But in it,
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he's made sure
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that there is enough room
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for the many,
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many people
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who will come to be saved
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and come to actually
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live there forevermore
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with them.
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In my Father's house,
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there are many rooms.
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And the reference to many
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is really important
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because all the way
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through the Bible,
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you find a reference
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to the multitude
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of God's people
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that will be saved.
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Go to Revelation chapter 7
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and verse 9
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and you'll find there
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that the vision
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that John saw
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as he saw
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a great multitude
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gathered before the throne
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which no one could number,
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which no man could number.
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It's humanly impossible
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to number
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those actually
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who will occupy
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the Father's house.
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He knows them,
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but what he says
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is there are many rooms
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because there will be
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many residents.
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Heaven is not
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going to be
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sparsely populated.
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You're not going to have
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a look,
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to look around
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and complain
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that there's
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all too few people
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there with you.
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There are many rooms,
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he says,
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and if it were not so,
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if it were not so,
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would I have told you
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that I go to prepare
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a place for you?
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In other words,
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he's saying,
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I have told you,
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I've told you
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that this is the case.
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Would I have told you
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if this were not true?
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You know,
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in other words,
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the assurance
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of the disciples
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is led towards
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the truthfulness
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of Jesus himself.
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He's saying,
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I would never have said
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such a thing
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if this were not
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actually the case.
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But seeing it is the case,
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I have told you,
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I've told you
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so that your hearts
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will not be troubled.
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And I've told you
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that in my Father's house,
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there are many,
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many rooms.
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And you notice
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he's also saying here,
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believe in God,
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believe also in me.
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And personally,
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I prefer the translation
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that says,
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you are believing on God
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or you believe in God,
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believe also in me.
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What he's saying,
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I think,
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is you already believe
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in God,
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you already believe
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in God
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and his word
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has been given to you.
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That's Old Testament,
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of course,
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the time,
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what he's saying now
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is you believe in God,
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believe also in me.
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And in fact,
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the words don't come out
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in the translation
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quite as forcefully,
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but these words
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in me also
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are thrown into emphasis
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so that you can really say
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this is how it reads literally.
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You believe in God,
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in me also believe.
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Because he's pointing out
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the fact that
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their belief
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in God,
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the Father,
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well,
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their belief in him
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has to be on the same level.
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And of course,
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that itself
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is part of the witness
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of the Bible
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to the deity,
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the divinity,
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the Godhood
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of Christ himself.
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He could never have said
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such a thing
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about the Father
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and himself
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being,
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if you like,
16:17
part of the same foundation
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on which
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our faith rests
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if he wasn't
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on that same level
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with him himself.
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You believe in God,
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believe also
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in me.
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And of course,
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he's preparing them
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in that
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for all that they're
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going to
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be witnesses to
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as they leave
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this upper room,
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as they go towards
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his trial
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and eventually
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his crucifixion
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and everything
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that's involved in that.
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He is saying to them here,
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don't actually
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take your eye
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off this.
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You believe in God,
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believe also in me.
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Let your faith
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rest as surely
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in me
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as it rests
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in God,
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the Father.
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There is a place
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awaiting them
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and it's a place
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of which Jesus
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speaks truthfully.
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He could never do
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anything else anyway.
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But the fact
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that he is himself
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truth
17:12
is
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a foundation
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for them
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to accept
17:18
every single
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word that he's
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saying to them.
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So,
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whatever
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troubles your
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heart tonight,
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whatever
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comes into
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my mind
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or your mind
17:30
from time to time,
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from day to day,
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whatever fears
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may come your way
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of whatever things
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you might be
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troubled about,
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here is where
17:37
Jesus will always
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take us.
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Here is where
17:40
we need to be led
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to,
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to the
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certainties
17:45
of heaven
17:45
above the
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uncertainties
17:49
of earth.
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Let not your
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hearts
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be troubled.
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I go to
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prepare
17:57
a place
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for you.
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There is a place
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awaiting them,
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he says,
18:01
in my
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Father's house.
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We could develop
18:04
that a bit further
18:04
but I want to move
18:05
on to what he says,
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I go to prepare
18:08
a place for you.
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The place,
18:09
the Father's house
18:10
that he's speaking
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of,
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is a place
18:12
that he is going
18:13
to prepare for them.
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That's why he's
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saying he's
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leaving this world
18:17
and leaving this
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world is the
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means by which
18:20
this place
18:21
is going to be
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prepared for them.
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And what does he
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mean by that?
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First of all,
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what's involved
18:27
in this question,
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what's in these
18:30
words,
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I go.
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I go
18:34
to prepare
18:36
a place
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for you.
18:38
Now you can see
18:38
these two words
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in literally
18:40
half a second.
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I go
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or I'm going.
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But what did
18:44
he mean?
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What is involved
18:47
in his going
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as he now
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draws the disciples'
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mind to the
18:52
necessity of his
18:53
going and how
18:54
that's all part
18:55
of what he's
18:56
saying about
18:57
the Father's
18:57
house?
18:58
Well,
18:58
you can see it
18:59
in a couple
19:00
of seconds
19:00
but within
19:01
these words
19:02
I go
19:03
stands
19:04
his crucifixion,
19:06
his resurrection,
19:08
his ascension
19:09
to heaven
19:09
and his coming
19:10
to be seated
19:11
at God's
19:11
right hand.
19:13
I am going
19:14
involves all
19:15
that.
19:16
You can see it
19:17
in a half
19:17
second but
19:18
look at all
19:19
that's contained
19:19
in it for
19:20
the Lord
19:21
himself.
19:22
In Luke
19:23
chapter 9
19:24
and verse 31,
19:26
it's interesting
19:27
there on the
19:27
Mount of
19:28
Transfiguration
19:29
where Jesus
19:30
appeared in
19:31
glory with
19:32
Moses and
19:33
Elijah and
19:35
they were
19:35
speaking with
19:37
him about
19:37
something in
19:38
particular and
19:39
it's Luke
19:39
that actually
19:40
records this
19:41
for us,
19:41
not the other
19:42
disciples.
19:42
We have the
19:43
Transfiguration
19:44
but not these
19:45
words.
19:46
They spoke of
19:46
his departure,
19:48
you have it in
19:49
the ESV,
19:51
or decease
19:52
in the AV.
19:54
What did he
19:54
mean?
19:55
How could this
19:57
be the subject
19:58
of their
19:58
discussion,
19:59
of their
20:00
conversation,
20:01
in that glory
20:02
on the Mount
20:03
of Transfiguration?
20:04
How could that
20:05
particular thing
20:06
be at the
20:07
center of
20:07
their conversation?
20:09
Well, because
20:09
it meant the
20:10
going out of
20:11
Jesus.
20:11
That's why Luke
20:12
used the word
20:13
departure.
20:15
It's actually
20:15
in the Greek
20:18
text, it's
20:18
exodus, which
20:20
means a going
20:21
out.
20:21
That's what they
20:22
were actually
20:23
dealing with on
20:24
the Mount of
20:24
Transfiguration.
20:25
He was Jesus
20:26
transfigured so
20:27
that his glory
20:28
was made known.
20:29
His glory shone
20:30
through his
20:31
clothes.
20:32
He was
20:32
obviously for
20:33
those moments
20:34
dazzlingly
20:35
glorious.
20:37
And this
20:38
is what they
20:39
were speaking
20:39
about.
20:39
In the
20:40
middle of
20:40
that glory
20:41
was his
20:43
exodus.
20:44
In the
20:45
middle of
20:45
that glory
20:46
was his
20:46
passage out
20:47
of this
20:48
world through
20:49
death and
20:49
resurrection and
20:50
ascension.
20:51
All of that
20:52
is packed
20:52
into the
20:53
word
20:54
exodus.
20:56
And here
20:56
in the upper
20:57
room he's
20:57
saying, I
20:58
am going
20:59
to prepare a
21:01
place for
21:01
you.
21:02
I'm going
21:02
out.
21:03
I have
21:03
an exodus
21:04
through which
21:05
I'm going
21:06
to prepare
21:06
this place
21:07
for you.
21:09
Well, what
21:09
a going, what
21:10
an exodus,
21:11
what a
21:12
departure, what
21:12
a going
21:13
out.
21:15
And John,
21:16
especially in
21:17
his gospel,
21:19
is concerned
21:19
to show how
21:20
all of these
21:22
individual
21:22
aspects of
21:24
the Lord's
21:24
work and
21:25
the Lord's
21:25
experience are
21:26
essentially tied
21:27
together in
21:28
one great
21:29
event, his
21:30
going out,
21:31
his crucifixion.
21:33
his resurrection,
21:34
his ascension.
21:36
All of
21:37
these are
21:38
part of this
21:39
great exodus
21:40
that's going
21:41
out.
21:42
What is he
21:42
doing?
21:42
What's the
21:43
purpose of
21:43
it?
21:44
I am going
21:44
to prepare
21:46
a place
21:46
for you.
21:49
This must
21:50
be a really
21:51
special place
21:52
when it took
21:54
all of that
21:55
to prepare
21:55
it.
21:58
What is
21:59
heaven?
22:01
How can
22:01
you describe
22:02
heaven?
22:02
We can't
22:03
of course
22:03
adequately
22:04
by any
22:05
means,
22:05
but heaven
22:06
is the
22:07
place that
22:08
the departure,
22:09
the exodus,
22:10
the cross,
22:10
the resurrection,
22:11
the ascension
22:12
of Jesus
22:12
has prepared
22:13
for us.
22:15
And because
22:16
that's what's
22:16
prepared it,
22:18
it's bound
22:19
to be special
22:20
beyond any
22:21
words we can
22:21
actually use
22:22
in this
22:23
life.
22:25
It must
22:26
be simply
22:27
so exquisite
22:28
and so
22:29
beautiful and
22:30
so good
22:31
because this
22:32
is what
22:32
prepared it.
22:34
I am
22:35
going to
22:36
prepare a
22:37
place for
22:38
you.
22:40
And you
22:40
know that
22:40
place is
22:42
actually now
22:42
ready.
22:44
Nothing else
22:45
needs to be
22:46
done to the
22:46
place to make
22:47
it ready.
22:48
It was made
22:49
ready by his
22:50
going out,
22:51
by his going.
22:52
It was made
22:53
ready by all
22:54
of these steps
22:55
that are joined
22:55
together until
22:56
he took his
22:57
place at the
22:58
right hand of
22:58
the Father
22:59
on high.
23:01
Nothing more
23:02
needs to be
23:02
done.
23:03
Heaven is
23:04
ready.
23:05
It's all
23:05
prepared.
23:06
It's entire.
23:08
It's perfect.
23:09
It's complete.
23:11
All that's
23:12
required is
23:12
that God's
23:14
people will
23:14
come to
23:15
take their
23:15
place there.
23:18
But he has
23:18
already prepared
23:20
it.
23:21
It's all
23:22
there in
23:23
its pristine
23:24
condition
23:24
already.
23:25
And one
23:27
other thing
23:27
that's
23:28
important when
23:29
we think of
23:30
his going to
23:30
prepare a
23:31
place for
23:31
his people
23:32
and it is
23:34
this, that
23:34
the Bible
23:35
speaks about
23:36
Christ being
23:37
our forerunner.
23:39
In Hebrews
23:39
especially,
23:41
Hebrews chapter
23:41
6 and
23:42
verse 20,
23:44
wherein he
23:45
says, the
23:46
forerunner has
23:47
entered for us,
23:48
this Jesus.
23:49
And what does
23:50
that passage
23:51
mean by
23:52
forerunner and
23:53
how is that
23:53
connected with
23:54
this passage
23:55
here in
23:55
John 14,
23:57
where the
23:57
forerunner,
23:58
the word
23:58
actually means
23:59
someone who
24:00
goes ahead
24:01
in order to
24:02
take possession
24:03
of it.
24:04
Someone who
24:05
goes ahead to
24:06
secure it for
24:06
you.
24:07
Somebody who
24:07
goes ahead to
24:08
live there
24:09
as one who
24:11
now possesses
24:12
it for his
24:13
people so
24:14
that they will
24:15
come to join
24:16
him when the
24:17
time comes.
24:20
He is the
24:22
forerunner.
24:23
And the fact
24:24
that he's
24:24
already there
24:25
as the
24:25
forerunner,
24:26
as the
24:27
one who
24:27
has gone
24:28
to secure
24:29
and to
24:29
make this
24:30
place secure
24:31
specially for
24:32
his people,
24:33
to make it
24:35
his possession
24:36
if you like
24:37
first, so
24:38
that they
24:38
then can
24:38
come to
24:39
join him
24:39
in the
24:39
possession
24:40
of it.
24:41
He has
24:42
gone as
24:43
the forerunner
24:44
to do
24:44
that.
24:45
And the
24:46
fact that
24:46
he has
24:47
already done
24:47
it and
24:48
that it's
24:49
already
24:49
secured
24:49
means for
24:51
sure that
24:53
that's really
24:54
what it's
24:54
about.
24:55
That it
24:56
secures your
24:58
place in
24:59
heaven.
25:00
Because this
25:01
has already
25:02
happened and
25:03
it's now
25:03
ready and
25:04
prepared.
25:08
There will
25:09
be no
25:10
squatters in
25:11
heaven.
25:11
evictions
25:16
either.
25:18
Every
25:19
single
25:19
individual
25:20
and all
25:20
of them
25:20
together
25:21
for whom
25:22
he died
25:23
and rose
25:24
again and
25:25
ascended to
25:25
heaven and
25:26
sat at the
25:27
right hand of
25:27
the father.
25:28
Every single
25:29
individual and
25:30
all of them
25:30
together for
25:31
which for
25:32
whom he
25:32
prepared this
25:34
place will
25:35
absolutely
25:36
and certainly
25:38
come to
25:39
occupy their
25:40
place there.
25:41
Don't be in
25:42
any doubts
25:42
about that.
25:44
And it's
25:45
not by your
25:45
own achievement.
25:47
It's not by
25:48
how great your
25:49
faith is.
25:50
It's not by
25:51
how diligent
25:52
you've been in
25:52
this life or
25:53
you want to
25:53
be as
25:54
diligent as
25:54
possible.
25:56
It's not in
25:56
fact by
25:57
anything you
25:57
do at all.
25:59
It's by all
26:00
that he has
26:00
done that
26:02
makes it
26:02
secure.
26:04
There is a
26:04
place awaiting
26:06
God's people.
26:08
The place
26:09
has been
26:09
prepared by
26:10
Jesus
26:11
himself.
26:13
And we
26:14
remember that
26:14
of course as
26:15
we come in
26:15
steadily towards
26:17
our communion
26:18
in just over
26:19
a week's
26:19
time when
26:21
those issues
26:22
will be
26:22
before us
26:23
as we
26:24
think about
26:24
Christ and
26:25
his death
26:25
and the
26:26
remembrance of
26:27
Jesus and
26:27
his death as
26:28
we do in
26:29
the Lord's
26:29
Supper.
26:30
Well all of
26:30
that really
26:31
remembers this
26:33
amazing fact
26:34
that he
26:35
went to the
26:35
cross and
26:36
he went
26:37
through
26:37
resurrection and
26:38
he went
26:38
back to
26:38
heaven to
26:39
prepare a
26:40
place for
26:40
us.
26:41
He took
26:41
our place
26:42
on the
26:43
cross but
26:44
he prepared
26:44
a place for
26:45
us in
26:45
heaven when
26:46
he reached.
26:48
In my
26:48
father's house
26:49
there are
26:50
many rooms
26:50
and I'm
26:51
going to
26:51
prepare a
26:52
place for
26:53
you.
26:55
But then
26:55
he says
26:55
thirdly if I
26:57
go and
26:57
prepare a
26:58
place for
26:58
you I
26:58
will come
26:59
again and
26:59
take you
27:00
will take
27:01
you to
27:01
myself but
27:02
where I am
27:03
there you
27:04
may also
27:05
be.
27:05
So there
27:07
is a place
27:08
awaiting us
27:08
there is
27:09
that place
27:10
has been
27:10
prepared by
27:11
Jesus and
27:13
thirdly Jesus
27:14
himself will
27:14
come to
27:16
take us
27:16
home.
27:18
Of course
27:18
we've already
27:19
mentioned verse
27:20
23 that he
27:21
has already
27:21
come and
27:22
taken up his
27:23
place in our
27:23
hearts by
27:24
his Holy
27:25
Spirit.
27:26
He has come
27:26
in that sense
27:27
and in fact
27:28
in these
27:29
verses in
27:30
chapter 14
27:31
the father is
27:32
mentioned as
27:33
well.
27:33
We will
27:34
come and
27:35
make out a
27:35
board with
27:36
him as
27:36
you look
27:36
into your
27:37
soul as
27:38
far as
27:38
possible through
27:39
the teaching
27:39
of God's
27:40
word as
27:40
you apply
27:40
this teaching
27:41
to your own
27:42
person to
27:43
your own
27:43
life tonight
27:43
here is
27:44
something that
27:45
constantly should
27:46
amaze you and
27:47
amaze me that
27:48
you have in
27:49
your heart not
27:50
just God but
27:51
the three
27:52
persons of
27:53
the God
27:53
head that
27:54
form the
27:54
one God
27:55
actually saying
27:56
about your
27:57
heart this is
27:58
where I've
27:58
made a home
27:59
for myself.
28:00
Your father
28:00
lives in you
28:01
through the
28:01
spirit.
28:02
Your saviour
28:03
Jesus lives
28:03
in you through
28:04
the spirit.
28:04
The spirit
28:05
has come to
28:06
take up
28:06
residence and
28:07
they have
28:07
come and
28:08
made their
28:08
home in
28:09
that in
28:10
your heart.
28:11
but this is
28:15
something in
28:17
addition to
28:18
that when
28:19
he's saying
28:20
I will come
28:20
again and
28:22
I will take
28:23
you to be
28:24
with myself
28:25
or to
28:25
myself but
28:26
where I am
28:27
there you may
28:27
be also.
28:28
That's really
28:29
taking us
28:30
into if you
28:30
like the
28:31
final step
28:32
of our
28:33
salvation where
28:34
Jesus will
28:35
come and
28:36
take all his
28:37
people together
28:38
together to
28:38
be with
28:39
him in
28:40
heaven.
28:42
And it's
28:42
interesting and
28:43
significant that
28:44
he's not
28:45
sending a
28:45
representative to
28:46
gather all his
28:47
people together.
28:48
It's not an
28:49
angel that's going
28:50
to come on the
28:50
last day and
28:51
appear to
28:52
God's people and
28:54
invite them to
28:54
come and join
28:55
Jesus in
28:56
heaven.
28:56
He will
28:57
come.
28:59
If I go to
29:00
prepare a place
29:01
for you I
29:02
will come
29:03
again.
29:04
That's why
29:04
your heart gets
29:05
excited at the
29:06
thought of
29:07
what's going
29:08
to happen at
29:09
the end of
29:09
your course
29:10
of the
29:10
world.
29:12
That's why
29:12
your heart
29:13
really takes
29:14
on an
29:14
additional
29:15
beat if you
29:15
like because
29:16
you know
29:16
what Jesus
29:17
means is I
29:18
will come
29:19
again.
29:20
I'll come
29:20
and take you
29:21
to be with
29:21
myself.
29:22
Not just in
29:23
the sense of
29:24
when you die
29:25
and leave this
29:25
world that he's
29:26
going to
29:26
welcome you
29:27
into heaven
29:28
while your
29:29
body remains
29:29
in this
29:30
world and
29:31
goes back to
29:31
the dust.
29:32
That of course
29:32
is true but
29:34
it's beyond
29:34
that as well.
29:36
I will come
29:36
and I will
29:38
take you to
29:38
be with
29:39
myself.
29:40
You and
29:41
your entire
29:41
redeemed
29:43
saved person
29:45
body and
29:45
soul together.
29:49
So that
29:50
where I am
29:51
there you
29:53
may be
29:53
also.
29:56
And it's
29:57
interesting that
29:58
he's saying
29:59
here that
30:00
I will take
30:02
you to
30:03
myself.
30:03
and again
30:05
these words
30:06
literally
30:08
are full
30:10
of beauty
30:10
and full
30:11
of power
30:11
because what
30:12
they say
30:13
what they
30:13
mean literally
30:14
or what it
30:15
is literally
30:15
translated
30:16
different ways
30:17
but again
30:18
in the Greek
30:19
text that we
30:20
have in the
30:21
New Testament
30:22
what really
30:23
Jesus literally
30:24
says is I
30:26
will take you
30:27
to be beside
30:27
me.
30:29
I will take
30:30
you to be
30:31
beside me.
30:32
so it's
30:35
going to be
30:36
close to
30:36
Jesus.
30:37
You find
30:37
people saying
30:38
well I
30:38
don't think
30:39
I'll be as
30:39
close to
30:40
Jesus at
30:40
all as
30:41
other people
30:42
that were
30:42
far better
30:42
Christians in
30:43
this life
30:43
than I am.
30:45
Whatever that
30:46
may be what
30:47
Jesus is saying
30:48
is nobody is
30:49
going to be
30:50
distant from
30:50
me because
30:52
heaven is a
30:53
place of
30:53
closeness,
30:55
a place of
30:56
intimate
30:57
fellowship with
30:58
the Lord and
30:59
with his
30:59
people together.
31:00
I will
31:02
come and I
31:02
will take
31:03
you to be
31:04
with myself,
31:05
to be beside
31:06
me so that
31:08
where I am
31:09
you will
31:10
also be.
31:13
And you
31:14
know we
31:14
take such a
31:15
great comfort
31:16
don't we
31:16
on the fact
31:18
that Jesus
31:20
is true to
31:21
his promise
31:21
that he will
31:22
be with us
31:22
throughout life,
31:24
that he will
31:25
actually be our
31:26
companion through
31:27
life, that his
31:28
presence will be
31:29
there, that
31:30
he has promised
31:31
to be with
31:32
his people all
31:33
their journey
31:33
through life
31:34
until we leave
31:35
this world.
31:36
And that's a
31:37
wonderfully comforting
31:38
truth in itself.
31:40
But our
31:41
ultimate comfort
31:42
will come from
31:44
being beside
31:45
him in heaven,
31:46
will come from
31:46
being with him
31:47
in his company
31:48
in heaven,
31:49
will come from
31:49
this what he's
31:50
saying here,
31:51
I will come and
31:51
I will take you
31:52
to be beside
31:53
myself, that
31:55
where I am
31:55
there you may
31:57
be also.
31:59
Yes, he's
31:59
with us on
32:00
the journey,
32:01
but ultimately
32:02
we're going to
32:04
be with him
32:04
in the place
32:06
of many rooms
32:08
in the
32:08
Father's house.
32:12
And that's
32:12
where our
32:13
comfort
32:14
ultimately
32:15
lies.
32:17
That Jesus
32:18
himself not
32:21
only has
32:21
prepared a
32:21
place and
32:23
that that
32:23
place is now
32:24
secure, but
32:26
will come
32:26
again and
32:28
take us
32:29
to be with
32:30
himself, to
32:32
be beside him,
32:32
to be alongside
32:33
of him.
32:35
And that
32:36
will never
32:36
again change.
32:38
You will
32:39
never not be
32:40
beside him
32:40
once you get
32:42
to heaven.
32:45
There is no
32:46
alternative to
32:47
being with
32:48
Christ if you're
32:49
in heaven.
32:50
You don't want
32:50
of course there
32:51
to be one,
32:53
but that's
32:53
really what he's
32:55
directing their
32:55
minds and
32:56
our minds
32:56
to tonight
32:57
for our
32:58
comfort in
32:58
this life,
32:59
but for
32:59
ultimate comfort
33:00
of course,
33:01
as it will
33:01
be the case
33:02
in heaven
33:03
itself.
33:05
And of
33:05
course you
33:05
remember in
33:06
chapter 17
33:07
as he finished
33:08
off his time
33:08
with the
33:09
disciples in
33:10
the prayer
33:10
that he uttered
33:11
there in the
33:12
upper room,
33:13
look what he
33:13
said in
33:13
verse 24,
33:14
father, I
33:16
desire that
33:17
they also
33:17
whom you
33:18
have given
33:18
me may
33:19
be with
33:20
me where
33:21
I am to
33:22
see my
33:23
glory that
33:24
you have
33:25
given me
33:25
because you
33:26
loved me
33:27
before the
33:27
foundation of
33:28
the world.
33:28
And again,
33:29
the translation
33:30
there is not
33:31
as good as it
33:32
was in the
33:32
older translation
33:33
where desire
33:34
is fine,
33:35
but it's not
33:36
quite strong
33:36
enough because
33:37
what Jesus
33:39
was saying
33:39
is father,
33:40
I will.
33:43
Father, I
33:44
will.
33:45
He's really
33:45
speaking there
33:46
with his own
33:47
authority as
33:48
the mediator,
33:49
as the saviour
33:49
of his people
33:50
and he's
33:50
saying,
33:51
father, this
33:52
is my will
33:52
for them.
33:54
This is what
33:54
my authority
33:55
requires for
33:56
them.
33:57
Of course, the
33:58
father isn't
33:58
against that,
34:00
but what he's
34:01
saying is now
34:02
that this has
34:02
been done for
34:03
them, now
34:03
that I have
34:04
in chapter 17
34:05
is really a
34:07
remarkable chapter
34:08
because it's
34:09
set as if
34:10
the cross
34:11
has now
34:11
passed.
34:13
I have
34:13
finished the
34:14
work which
34:14
you gave
34:15
me to do.
34:15
Now,
34:16
father, glorify
34:17
me with
34:18
yourself, with
34:19
the glory I
34:20
had with you
34:20
before the
34:21
world was.
34:23
This is how
34:24
he finishes it.
34:25
Father, those
34:26
whom you have
34:27
given me, I
34:28
will that they
34:29
be with me
34:30
where I am.
34:33
We will be
34:34
in heaven
34:35
by the grace
34:37
of God.
34:39
by the work
34:40
of preparation
34:40
that Jesus
34:41
has executed
34:43
and completed
34:44
for us.
34:46
But we will
34:47
not be there
34:47
without his
34:48
own authority.
34:50
We will be
34:50
there because
34:51
he has
34:51
willed it.
34:53
We will be
34:54
there because
34:54
the father
34:55
will answer
34:55
his prayer.
34:57
I will
34:57
that those
34:59
you have
34:59
given me
34:59
be with me
35:00
where I
35:01
am.
35:03
And so
35:03
tonight,
35:04
this world,
35:06
as he says
35:06
in chapter
35:06
16,
35:07
will be
35:09
full of
35:09
tribulation,
35:10
sorrow,
35:11
challenges,
35:12
difficulties,
35:12
disappointments,
35:14
pain, all
35:15
sorts of
35:16
things like
35:16
that.
35:17
But he
35:17
said,
35:18
take heart.
35:20
Don't let
35:21
your heart
35:22
be troubled.
35:23
You believe
35:24
in God,
35:25
believe also
35:26
in me.
35:27
Believe me
35:28
when I say
35:28
to you,
35:29
there's a
35:30
place prepared
35:31
for you.
35:31
I have
35:33
prepared it
35:33
for you.
35:34
And I
35:35
will come
35:35
again to
35:37
take you
35:37
to be beside
35:38
myself in
35:40
the place
35:40
that's ready
35:41
and waiting
35:43
for you.
35:44
Let's pray.
35:47
Our
35:48
father in
35:48
heaven,
35:49
we give
35:49
thanks that
35:51
you sent
35:51
your son
35:52
into this
35:52
world with
35:54
a specific
35:54
mission and
35:55
purpose to
35:56
prepare a
35:57
place for
35:57
his people
35:58
ultimately in
35:59
heaven.
35:59
heaven.
36:00
And we
36:01
thank you,
36:02
oh Lord,
36:02
for all that
36:02
went towards
36:03
that preparation,
36:05
a preparation
36:06
that we
36:06
cannot
36:07
ourselves
36:07
describe for
36:10
all that we
36:10
read in your
36:11
word of the
36:12
events in the
36:13
life of our
36:14
savior,
36:15
his death,
36:16
his resurrection
36:16
from the dead,
36:18
his ascension
36:19
to glory,
36:20
his session at
36:21
the right hand
36:21
of God,
36:23
his continuing
36:23
intercession for
36:24
his people.
36:25
We thank you,
36:26
Lord,
36:27
that all these
36:28
things are
36:28
true.
36:29
That they are
36:30
verities for
36:31
your people.
36:32
And we pray
36:33
that when this
36:33
world assaults
36:34
us, when our
36:35
own hearts,
36:37
Lord, produce
36:38
doubts in us,
36:39
when we find
36:40
ourselves instead
36:41
of taking you
36:43
at your word,
36:44
sometimes measuring
36:45
ourselves against
36:46
other people.
36:47
Lord, forgive us,
36:48
we pray, for
36:49
diverting our mind
36:51
from those things
36:52
that do give us
36:53
assurance and
36:54
certainty in what
36:55
you have gone to
36:56
prepare for us.
36:58
Help us especially,
36:59
Lord, to focus
37:00
upon your own
37:01
person, upon the
37:03
wonder and the
37:04
glory of your
37:04
person and on
37:06
the work that
37:06
you have done.
37:07
Bless us, we
37:08
pray, as we
37:09
anticipate shortly,
37:11
God willing, to
37:12
remember the
37:13
Lord's death once
37:14
again in the
37:15
Lord's Supper.
37:16
We ask, Lord,
37:17
that you'll prepare
37:17
us for that.
37:19
And we pray that
37:19
we may give
37:20
serious mind to
37:22
what we do as
37:23
we remember the
37:24
Lord's death in
37:25
coming to
37:27
partake of the
37:27
elements of the
37:28
supper of bread
37:29
and wine, which
37:31
represent the
37:31
Lord in his
37:33
death to us.
37:34
Bless those,
37:35
Lord, who have
37:36
not yet come to
37:37
sit at your
37:38
table.
37:39
We thank you
37:39
that there are
37:40
among us those
37:41
whose desire it
37:42
is to be there.
37:43
We pray that you
37:44
would help them to
37:45
focus on yourself
37:46
and to focus on
37:47
the fact that you
37:48
have made all the
37:49
preparation necessary
37:50
for them, not
37:52
only for heaven,
37:53
but to come to
37:54
have a foretaste
37:55
of heaven to
37:56
sit at the
37:57
Lord's Supper.
37:59
And so bless
37:59
them, we pray.
38:00
Bless those
38:01
tonight who have
38:02
illness to contend
38:03
with, those who
38:04
have bereavement
38:04
and sorrow.
38:05
Remember them,
38:06
Lord, we pray,
38:07
in all the
38:08
troubles that
38:09
accompany such
38:10
events in your
38:11
providence.
38:12
We pray for all
38:12
in the congregation
38:13
laid aside at
38:15
this time,
38:15
whether it be
38:16
mental illness,
38:18
mental health
38:18
issues, or
38:20
physically, we
38:20
ask that you
38:21
would continue
38:22
to bless them
38:22
and help us to
38:23
continue
38:24
pray for them.
38:26
Receive our
38:26
thanks, cleanse
38:28
us from all
38:28
our sin, for
38:29
Jesus' sake.
38:30
Amen.
38:33
Let's now
38:34
conclude our
38:35
service singing
38:35
in Psalm 23.
38:38
Psalm 23,
38:39
the Lord's my
38:40
shepherd, that's
38:40
in the Scottish
38:41
Psalter, the
38:41
Lord's my
38:42
shepherd, page
38:43
229.
38:45
Lord's my
38:46
shepherd, I'll
38:46
not want.
38:47
He makes me
38:48
down to lie
38:49
in pastures
38:50
green.
38:51
He leadeth me
38:52
the quiet
38:52
waters by.
38:54
And we
38:54
all know
38:54
how the
38:55
psalm finishes.
38:57
Goodness and
38:57
mercy all my
38:58
life shall
38:59
surely follow
39:00
me and in
39:00
God's house
39:01
forevermore.
39:02
The
39:02
Father's house,
39:04
my dwelling
39:04
place, shall
39:05
be.
39:06
Let's conclude
39:06
with these
39:07
verses.
39:13
The Lord's my
39:16
shepherd,
39:17
water,
39:18
love,
39:19
and watch
39:21
one.
39:22
He
39:23
makes me
39:26
down to
39:27
high.
39:30
In
39:31
pastures
39:34
gr только
39:34
dead, iw.
39:36
He
39:51
chained to
39:52
beat by
39:53
he
39:55
stone
39:55
last
39:55
ativ Madame
39:57
and
39:57
My
39:58
soul
39:59
he
40:01
then
40:02
Some light樹, Jonin, pralent twerk of the Torhai concerning stone.
40:15
Whyst have you come from this temporal ti-founder?
40:27
Though I walk in death, star-filled, and frail, my dear brother,
40:44
for thou art with me at thy home, and staph me comforted.
41:03
My table thou hast furnished, in merceness of thy clothes,
41:23
and breaded, lord, and Hebrew breeds with salt, with coveríth mure.
41:52
I shall surely follow me, and in the times forevermore, my gladness shall be.
42:22
Now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you now and evermore. Amen.