HopeLives365

Mark Finley: Recently Americans were surveyed and they were asked this question, "What do you need to get through your day?" In other words, what can't you live without?

Guest (Female): This is HopeLives365 with Pastor Mark Finley. Today's message, "Stop Worrying Today: Jesus' Secret for Lasting Peace." Enjoy and remember you can always catch up with past messages and stay updated with HopeLives365 and Pastor Mark by going to HopeLives365.com. And now, Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: What do you need to get through your day? Are you ready for America's priority? They were given a list of things and they had to check what they needed to get through the day. 37% said, "We need a cup of coffee to get through the day. Without it, we're done." 28% said, "We need sweets to get through the day." 19% said, "We can't get through the day without social media." and 16% said, "Well, we need the Bible to get through the day."

I was rather fascinated with that survey because more than twice as many people said they need coffee to get through the day as said that they need to read the Bible to get through the day. I wonder, could the neglect of God's Word by the average American be one of the reasons there is so much lack of lasting peace and inner contentment and personal joy in our society? Could it be that thousands are looking for peace where peace cannot be found? Could it be that they're looking in all the wrong places to calm their troubled spirits?

Could it be that there is actually something better than a cup of coffee to get us through the day? Now, it's rather interesting, the World Health Organization said that 20% of the world's population is depressed. Antidepressants are selling at about $6 billion a year. About $6 billion for antidepressants. 270 million prescriptions of antidepressants were issued by physicians across this world last year. I want to pause on that to let that really sink into you. 270 million prescriptions for antidepressants. There are 140 million alcohol-related disorders in our world. In the last 45 years, suicide is up 65%.

You know, there's really a general angst in our society. There's this inner sense that something is not right. There's a fear about the future. There's a hopelessness in the hearts and minds of scores of people. When we lose hope in anything in life, dark clouds of despair hang over your head. The future appears gloomy. Everything about tomorrow appears uncertain.

But hope leads us from what is to what can be. Hope paints tomorrow in an array of bright colors. It lifts our spirit from the mud below to the heavens above. Anna Jacob, a writer, put it beautifully when she wrote this, "The wings of hope soaring high above carry us and drive us on the winds of life." Shakespeare said this, "The miserable have no other medicine except the medicine of hope."

You see, hope is not some vague, wishy-washy longing for a better future. Hope is not some baseless desire or uncertain expectation with no real certainty or assurance. In the ancient scriptures, hope is a strong, confident expectation based on the unchangeable promises of God, with the certainty that the thing you hope for is going to be accomplished.

Now, in his final major discourse to his disciples in John the 14th chapter, Jesus gives to us three amazing secrets of lasting peace. This morning, your heart may be troubled. This morning, your heart may be anxious. This morning, there may be some worry in your heart over something. When we discover Jesus' three eternal secrets of lasting peace, new peace floods into our souls. New hope buoys up our spirit. It gives us a new encouragement.

John the 14th chapter, and as we're looking there in John chapter 14, I should give you a background of the 14th chapter of the book of John. In John chapter 13, Jesus has just celebrated the Last Supper with his disciples. He said to those disciples in the Last Supper, "One of you will forsake me and betray me." He's also said to Peter, "You shall deny me before the rooster crows three times." Jesus also said that he was going to go away.

So it was a very sober moment. Jesus is traversing the cobblestone streets of Jerusalem. He's going to the crucifixion. Before he appears there before Pilate's judgment hall, before he appears before the lash of the Roman whip and the nails and the crown of thorns, before that, he has something incredibly important to say to his disciples. It's a sober moment. The disciples are troubled. One of them is going to betray him. The disciples are troubled. Peter, one of their leaders, is going to deny him. The disciples are troubled. Jesus is going away and they don't know where he's going. They see the look of sorrow on his face. They see the look of agony in his eyes. They are troubled.

Jesus begins with that background in John the 14th chapter, and we're looking here at verse 1. Jesus says, "Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. But I'm going to prepare a place for you, and if I'm going to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where there I am, there you may be also."

These verses contain the first secret of lasting peace. Let's look at them carefully. Verse 1, "Let not your heart be troubled." The "let not" is in the imperative. It's in the form of a command. If I were translating it into modern English, I would say this, "Stop being stressed out. Stop being so anxious. Stop being so worried." That's a literal modern translation of "Let not your heart be troubled." It's like Jesus is saying to them, "Why are you guys so stressed out? I've got this thing under control. Why are you worrying so much? I've got this. Don't worry about it."

"Let not your heart be troubled." Why not? You believe in God. You have confidence in God. He sits upon his throne. He's got this world in his hands. Believe also in me. Then Jesus goes on to explain to them why they can stop worrying. Jesus goes on to explain to them why they can stop being stressed out. Jesus goes on to explain to them the first secret of lasting peace. "In my Father's house are many mansions."

Now, that's an interesting expression, this "many mansions." Better translated, it's many abodes, many residences. What was Jesus saying here? He was saying to Peter, who would deny him, he was saying to the disciples, who would forsake him at the cross, "Look, no matter what the past of your life, I am going to heaven to prepare a place for you, and there's plenty of room there for you. Never think that in heaven, it's only for a select few. Never think that heaven is only for a few people who have some kind of superior holiness that they're going to make it and you are not." Jesus is saying to his disciples, these failing, flawed disciples, "There's room in heaven for you, so stop worrying."

Now, there are those people that have the idea, and I heard it this week on a tape, that maybe if possible, one in a hundred are going to be saved. Maybe if possible, just God is going to just take in one or two people. I've got better news for you than that. Grace is greater than sin. In heaven, there's many mansions. Somebody said, "But what about the time of trouble? Only a few people are going to get through." Let me abuse that myth for you from the Bible. Take your Bible, please, and turn to Revelation chapter 7.

Revelation the 7th chapter, and we're beginning with verse 9. Jesus says, "Let not your heart be troubled." Let not your heart be what, everybody? Troubled. Why not? Why shouldn't your heart be troubled? Because in heaven there are many mansions. How many mansions? Many. And "many" is "many" because if "many" weren't "many," it would be "few." And "few" is not "many," and "many" is not "few," right? How many mansions in heaven? Many. Is there one for you? Is God preparing a place for you?

Notice Revelation chapter 7, verse 9. After these things, I looked and behold, a great multitude. What is the number, everybody? A great multitude. How many is in that great multitude? Which nobody could number. So here is a great multitude that is so large that nobody can number it. Why? Because there are many places in heaven and because grace is greater than sin, and he's planned to save you.

Notice verse 12. They say, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be our God forever and ever." Now, the elder asks the question, and this is what I don't want you to miss. Verse 13, "Then one of the elders asked, saying to me, 'Who are these arrayed in white robes? Where did they come from?' Who is this great multitude that nobody could number, and where did they come from?" Verse 14, "And I said to him, 'Sir, you know.' So he said to me, 'These are the ones who come out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.'"

Who is the great multitude according to the Bible? Who is that? Where did they come from? Where did they come from? The great tribulation. What's another name for the great tribulation? The time of trouble. So who comes out of the time of trouble? A great multitude that no man can number. So here, the Lord Jesus Christ is saying to you, "Do not worry." Jesus is saying, "I've got you in my hand. Do not worry. Grace is greater than sin. Stop stressing out about this." Jesus is saying, "I am preparing a place for you in heaven. Grasp the promise by faith. Accept the promise by faith. Live in the joy of the salvation of the living Christ and go out and change the world."

That's what Jesus is saying. Let's go back to John chapter 14. Three secrets, and we're looking only at the first. Three secrets of inner peace. The first secret of inner peace is this, that Jesus Christ is in heaven right now preparing a place for you there, that there's plenty of room for you to be there, and all the provisions necessary to enable you to be there, Christ has made.

But we go on. Jesus says, "I go to prepare a place for you." I wonder what that means. Is Jesus a construction foreman directing the angels who are pounding with hammers and nails your mansion? What does this mean when it says Jesus is preparing a place for you? Imagine with me for a moment this scene. Jesus stands on the Mount of Ascension, and his disciples are there with him. As he holds out his hands to bless them, he begins ascending higher and still higher.

As they see him ascending into heaven, they strain their necks to see the last view and get the last glimpse of their ascending Lord. Soon he's out of sight of earth and in sight of heaven. The golden gates of heaven open, and angels come through those gates beginning to sing the glory and praise to his name. As Jesus enters in through those golden gates, the angels are singing and cherubim and seraphim are singing, "Worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive glory and honor and power."

The Father approaches him to place the crown upon his head and to put the scepter in his hand. Jesus raises his nail-scarred hands, and the angels hush their singing and cherubim and seraphim do not sing a higher note. The Father stands before the Son, and Jesus will not accept the honor and the praise and the glory of heaven until he has the assurance that his sacrifice has been accepted and you will be there with him. The Father says, "Son, I accept the sacrifice. Your death on the cross provides salvation full and free for all humanity."

All of heaven begins to sing again. What does it mean that Jesus is preparing a place for us in heaven? This is what it means: that Jesus is there in heaven, that your dying Lamb is your living priest. The one that was crucified on the cross for you is doing everything possible for your salvation right now. He sends his Holy Spirit to encourage your heart. He sends angels to guide you and beat back the forces of hell. He stands before all the accusing demons in hell and he says, "This man, this woman, is one of mine."

In the final judgment, when the destinies of the world are settled and ten thousand times ten thousand angels gather round that throne and when your name comes up in judgment, the Bible says in Daniel the 7th chapter, and I'd like you to take your Bible and turn to Daniel chapter 7. See, the whole purpose of the judgment is not to weigh your good deeds against your bad deeds. See, the Bible says, "The hour of God's judgment has come." So God is on trial before the whole universe on whether he has administered the universe correctly.

God is on trial before the universe of whether he is a vindictive judge and a wrathful tyrant, or whether his love is sufficient to save all humanity. Here in Daniel chapter 7, in verse 10, "A thousand times thousands ministered to him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, the books were opened." Then you have the judgment scene where in verse 13, I was watching in the night visions, one like the Son of Man comes to the Ancient of Days.

This has to do with the final judgment of humanity. This has to do with the pre-advent judgment just before the coming of Jesus. Somebody says, "I'm not sure whether I'll pass that judgment." I've got good news for you. Look at verse 21 and 22. Verse 21 and 22, the scripture says, "I was watching, and the same horn was making war with the saints and prevailing against them, until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom."

What is the Bible saying? It's saying judgment is passed in favor of the saints. Jesus is not up there to condemn you. He is up there to stand for you. Coming to Christ, he is the savior that died for us. He is the priest that lives for us. He is the one that's going to represent us before the throne of God, and judgment is going to be passed in favor of the saints of God so we can receive the kingdom of God.

Back to John chapter 14. Why is it that our hearts should not be troubled? First, why does Jesus say, "Stop being stressed out. Stop worrying about this so much?" Because he says, "You believe in God, believe also in me." He says, "My Father's house has many mansions. There's plenty of room for you in heaven. Don't think it's for a select few. Don't get so discouraged by your failures and your faults that you cannot make it." Jesus says, "Cling to me. I'll pardon you. I'll change your life. I'll make you fit for heaven. I'm the author and finisher of your faith."

Jesus says, "I'm preparing a place for you. I'll stand before the throne of God and represent you." Jesus says to you, "There is nothing that I will not do to save you, that could be done to save you, to keep you from not being saved. I'll do everything I can to save you."

Then Jesus says to his disciples in verse 3, "I'm going to prepare that place. I'm not going to be with you, but be assured that there's a place guaranteed for you in heaven." For those of us who cannot see him this morning, Christ is saying to us, "There is a place prepared for you in heaven." But then Jesus says to his disciples, "Why should you stop worrying? Why should you stop being stressed out?"

Verse 3, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again to receive you unto myself." Think of the deaths of the disciples. You know, it's believed that every one of the disciples suffered a martyr's death, except John. James was beheaded by Herod. Peter was crucified upside down, likely in AD 66 by Nero's forces. John was burned in a cauldron of oil as an old man in his 90s and exiled on the island of Patmos. The Apostle Paul spent years in a dark, damp Roman dungeon, martyred again about the same time as Peter in 66 AD. Each of the disciples except John died a martyr's death.

Why could they be faithful to God in spite of the cruel deaths that they died? Because they clung to Christ's promise: "I will come again." They had discovered the secret of inner peace. The first secret of inner peace is this: in your life, when you're stressed out, in your life, when you're worried, in your life, when your stomach is in knots and your mind is whirling, take the long view. Take the long view. Life on this earth is short. Life on this earth will soon be over. Every challenge you face, every difficulty you experience, every trial you meet will soon be over. Cling to the promise of Jesus' soon return and let your heart soar and peace will flood your soul.

The first secret of lasting peace is this: it is the recognition that the Christ that walked the dusty streets of Galilee, the Christ that walked the cobblestone streets of Jerusalem, the Christ that lived for us once and died for us, is living in heaven again for us, that he's preparing a place for us, that there's room in heaven for us, and that for us he is coming again. When we grasp that eternal promise, our hearts are filled with peace.

But there is a second secret of eternal peace here in John chapter 14. That second secret of eternal peace is found in John 14, verses 12 through 14. Jesus is saying to his disciples in these three passages, "Never lose hope. I am available every moment of the day for you to give you guidance and direction through prayer." Jesus says to his disciples, "You may not be able to see me, but I promise that I'll listen to your petitions. I'll grant your requests to the glory of my name."

Guest (Female): You've been listening to HopeLives365 with Pastor Mark Finley. We thank you for listening and hope you've enjoyed today's message. Our mission is to attractively present the Christ-centered biblical truths of Scripture in a practical, relevant way to people around the world so that they may experience the abundant life that Christ offers and effectively share with confidence his life-changing truths with others. You can support this ministry and help us reach even more by going to HopeLives365.com/donate. And now, a final thought from Pastor Mark.

Mark Finley: When I'm broken spiritually, I need a supporter. I need somebody to hold me up. When I can't walk the way, I need somebody to hold me up. That's the work of the Holy Spirit. He is your Comforter, he is your strengthener, he is your convictor, he is your defender, he is your sympathizer, he is your supporter to hold you up. Jesus said, "I will send you the Spirit." Grasp that promise.

Guest (Female): You've been listening to HopeLives365 with Pastor Mark Finley. We hope you've enjoyed today's message and remind you that you can find more in our many ministry resources at HopeLives365.com. Until next time, let hope live.