John 14-17 is a beautiful passage of Jesus talking plainly and directly, not only to his current disciples, but also future disciples throughout the centuries, including us. It speaks to who He is, what He’s about, how He loves us, and what He expects and wants from us. It’s well worth the occasional read to keep renewing the mind. Topics covered today include mansions in heaven, John 14:6 (the Way, the Truth and the Life), the meaning of greater (meizon) in John 14:12, Jesus‘ commandments (vs. God’s commandments, remember the Law came through Moses but Grace and Truth came through Jesus Christ), and Loving God through Obedience (“Love says Go”).
1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 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.
3 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
Some people will claim the word mansions, moné in Greek, is better translated as rooms which is highly incorrect. If anything, it could be called dwellings, but I believe mansions is the best interpretation. In the following video, which I’ve shared before, Dale Black, a pilot who had a near-death experience, talks about seeing mansions in heaven. The whole video is worth watching, but this specific segment starts at 19:55.
I also shared a personal dream, but more than a dream, of seeing my own mansion in heaven. I remember being accompanied by an angel, slowly (but also quickly), gliding (definitely not walking) our way up a winding road, to this white mansion, on top of a hill but near the edge of a cliff, overlooking a great river. The sky was some color I couldn’t describe, something in between orange and purple (there was no sun). We didn’t enter in the front door, but rather floated up to the 2nd level, entered in through there, where I was able to see the foyer. And in that foyer were dozens of people, though I couldn’t make out any faces, but they were all expecting me. Next thing, I woke up, full of those Holy Spirit goosebumps, and heard the words in my heart “In my Father’s house there are many mansions”.
I’ve heard and read that our mansions in heaven reflect our character, and are built up from the things we experience and enjoy here on earth. I look forward to seeing all your mansions in heaven
—————————————————————————————————————————————————–
4 And whither [where] I go ye know, and the way ye know.
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:4-6
Just a reminder of the Wilderness Tabernacle, and how earthly things are a picture of Spiritual things.
Jesus is the Way to the Father, only through His sacrifice (Altar of Burnt Offering), and our washing (at the Laver), are we able to access Him at all. As we spend time in The Truth, which is Him, we get to know Him more (the Altar of Incense represents prayer, the Bread His Word, and the Lampstand His Oil/Spirit, all of which gives us further Divine Truth). We eventually get to the place we realize that
Jesus is Life itself, the very Life that flows through everything (ie.
He is the All in All), and He wants to share that with us. Reread
John 1: 1-18 to see what I mean.
Notice how the Way, the Truth, and the Life, all start with ‘the’, indicating exclusivity… there is only one of each (thanks for that Jason). Anything other than these is Wandering, Confusion and Death. In Jesus‘ time, his followers were called followers of the Way. The Hebrew word for way, is Derekh, and literally means a path. Following that path/way (hodos), led by the light/truth (aletheia) of Jesus, leads to eternal life (zoe, which we studied in John 6).
If the way, represents righteousness, and staying on the path, then sin (hamartia in Greek), represents waywardness, and going off that path. The common concept in Greek is an arrow flying off course. This is important, because it’s a reminder to stay on the path, but also, a reminder not to be so condemning of those who are temporarily off the path. Sin itself, is not so much bad and evil, it’s more of an ignorance of not knowing the path even exists. Now there will be those who continually and purposely sin, and travel so far off the path that redemption becomes slim, but for most, they just don’t know any better and need to hear proper teaching in love… Father, forgive them for they know not what they do)
—————————————————————————————————————————————————–
10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. John 14:10-14
That word greater, is meizon, in Greek. Contrary to what some pastors say, meizon here, does not just mean more in number, it is a comparitive, meaning greater in magnitude, larger in degree. Expect to do greater works than Jesus, because he has gone up to the Father in heaven, and seeks to work through Spirit-filled believers, in order to glorify the Father. Do not believe anyone that says the time of miracles and healings ended in Acts, it is definitely still for today… The whole world waits for the manifestation of the Sons of God. I’ve said to others, the damage and injuries caused by Covid (manmade), will be an opportunity for believers to manifest God’s miraculous healing on the earth (God uses evil for good).
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/John-5-30/ (as baby
Christians, we may try and pray out our own will (material benefits, avoidance of troubles) but as we learn and grow in
Christ, we begin to understand His will, and praying that out just happens naturally. I will say, praying in tongues is a pure form of prayer, praying out the Father’s will only, with no influence from us)
—————————————————————————————————————————————————–
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. John 14: 15-21
What are Jesus‘ commandments? These are not the same thing as the 10 commandments. When you have the love of the Father in you, it enables you to love like the Father loves. The same author who wrote the Gospel of John writes elsewhere…
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. 1 John 3: 22-24
And in Matthew Chapter 22…
35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Matt 22: 35-40
Jesus‘ commandments are basically 1 and 1A. They are 2 sides of the same coin. In fact, they are on the 2 tablets of stone which represent the law. The first 4 commandments, written on the 1st Tablet, represent Loving God (Yahuah, YHUH), while the remaining 6, written on the 2nd tablet, represent Loving your neighbour. The 10 commandments, which represent the Law, which came through Moses, and “hang” on Jesus‘ Two commandments. The 10 commandments are not the full picture, only a placeholder, for the Grace and Truth that comes through Jesus Christ.
——————————————————————————————————————————————————
Furthermore, We show our love of God through obedience to His commands. Loving God = Loving Neighbour = Loving God. Jesus makes this clear in verses 22-24.
22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me. John 14: 22-24
Or as 1 John 5:3 puts it…
One of my favourite sayings is “Love Says Go!” I first heard it from a believer named Jason Chin, in relation to stepping out in faith and praying for the sick. We’re getting ahead of ourselves here, but you can check out his youtube page here,
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLq2T95two2Oni5jd6K9_995e_KXwNyC_v Praying for the sick and seeing miraculous healings is a real thing, meant for us today, just as it was in Acts.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————–
