Your Room is Ready, Right This Way!

I wonder how many time Jesus has tried to convince me over the years that He is with me? How many times have I gotten myself into scrapes and tight places when He had to remind me that I am not alone? Even today there are moments when I cry out and He must certainly think, "Not again!" When will she recognize that I never left her?

As I read these nine verses over again, for the 7th and 8th time, different words and phrases become meaningful: Believe in God. (John 14:1) You know the way to place I am going. (John 14:4) I am the way. (John 14:6)

I especially am drawn to the words about a room, a special room just for me that Jesus must go ahead to prepare. But I am wondering why does He need to prepare the room? What is going to be so special about my room that He must make it ready for me? And then the light goes on! He is telling the disciples and you and I why had to go.

It is His leaving; His death and resurrection which prepared the place; made the room ready for me and for you. So now, we must focus on our room. When times get real uncomfortable and trouble takes over, it is the vision of my special room that can motivate me to continue the journey.

The reading today is like a deathbed scene; one which has played out in many of our lives. In this picture, it is Jesus who is preparing to leave His family and friends behind. In our own scenes, it may be a parent or a spouse or child or dear friend who is being made ready to see the room prepared just for him.

All we need to know is Jesus is the Way to that room.
And there is room for us.
We know Jesus, we know the Way.

John 14:1-9

No Reservation Required

A little over 20 years ago, my family was driving to Florida, a two day drive, for Spring Break. I made reservations. At the half way point we pulled into our motel, only to find that a room was not available for us. There were no vacancies.

 

We pulled into the next motel. No vacancy. The next hotel. No vacancy. And so it continued.

 

After a while, my wife and I decided it would be more fruitful to drive to Florida through the night than trying to find a place to spend the night. And so we did.

 

By the grace of God we made it, but it was a frustrating experience.

 

Today’s reading is John 14:1-7. It is the last week of Jesus’ earthly life. He is gently preparing his Disciples for his imminent death. Jesus tells them he is leaving soon, and that he will prepare a room for them in His Father’s House, that is, Heaven.

 

All of Jesus’ disciples will spend eternity with him and his Father. That is good news indeed! There is no better place to spend eternity.

 

Jesus reminds his disciples that the only way to get to heaven is through faith in Jesus. “I am the way, the truth and the life,” he says.

 

The world tries to steer us to a different course. Our society tells us that abortion and an alternative definition of marriage are fine. Government money can help the poor, but if that money is channeled to a Faith Based charity, then leaders of that charity cannot preach the Gospel. There are even some spiritual leaders who tell us what we do is an important step to getting to heaven.

 

The list goes on.

 

We may be tempted to "fix" the world.

 

Well maybe, but our response to his love and sacrifice is to follow his “way”. Love our neighbors and spread the Good News that Jesus died for our sins.

 

The earthly road will end for all of us. Each of us will exit the highway and look for a motel room. Those that follow the “way” will find that Jesus has prepared a room for us.

 

No reservation required!

A really good road map

”Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God; trust also in me.  In my Father's house are many rooms ... I am going there to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”  John 14:1-3

I recently announced my retirement from my employer of 35 years.  Reaching that decision was a deliberative process of praying, thinking, watching, listening and trusting.

It was during this time that a manager, holding a document, walked into my office and said, ”You know, we have a really good road map.”  Having been given a directive three years earlier to build a new department, our team had clearly defined our “vision state” (what we would look like when we were successful) and our “current state” (our reality at the time we were given the mandate). And with that clarity, we had gone on to establish a “road map,” prioritizing and sequencing the measures that would take us from where we were to where we knew we needed to be.

So when the manager subsequently mused about our having “a really good road map,” my affirming response, “Yes, we do,” understated my joy within.  At that moment it was clear that, not only was she pleased and equipped with a clear sense of our direction, but she had the means to guide her team down its path.  We were all “on the same page,” and I could leave, knowing the team would reach its “vision state.”  It was an incredibly gratifying moment!

On the night in which Jesus would be betrayed, it was important to him that his followers grasp his vision state ("... that you also may be where I am”), his road map (“... I will come back and take you”), and also the means for commencing from their troubled, current state (“Trust in God; trust also in me”).  But when Honest Thomas confessed his lack of understanding, Jesus simplified things even more ...

I am the way.  Jesus, himself, is our path to eternal life; he will take us with him.
I am the truth.  Jesus' promise is sure; we can trust him to take us to where he is.
I am the life.  Jesus' eternal life is our eternal life.

Throughout the centuries, countless believers have trusted Jesus, the Truth, as the Way to everlasting Life.  Now it is our turn and, like those who have gone before us, our hearts need not be troubled.  After all, we have a really good road map.

Yes, we do.