Anchor My Faith

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Author: Stephen Weller
520 words, 3 minutes read time

A House With Many Rooms

Scripture: John 14:2-5

In the previous lesson we considered what Jesus said to his disciples about the need to believe. In this lesson we will learn about where he is going and what he is going to do for those who believe in him and thus in God.

^{Jn 14:2} “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. ⁴ And you know the way to where I am going.”

In order to follow Jesus to heaven, one needs to believe and be born spiritually. After explaining this to his disciples, Jesus then tells them that he is going to his Father to prepare a place for those who will follow him. His Father has a house of many rooms; a house that is best understood as referring to heaven. In that house are many rooms or dwelling places. These rooms are not meant to convey small spaces; many rooms is a metaphor consistent with heaven being God’s house.

One must not conclude that the house is not complete, that rooms must still be added, but that unfinished rooms are to be prepared before we arrive. When it is time for us to come, Jesus said he would come for us and take us to himself that we may be with him.

When Jesus told his disciples that they knew the way to where he was going, I am sure they must have looked at each other to see if anyone knew. They apparently didn’t because Thomas expresses their doubt.

^{Jn 14:5} Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”

When I read this verse, I can’t help think of the time I was left at an airport in Bangkok, Thailand and had to arrive at an airport in Chengdu, China to meet an unidentified person who would take me to an unidentified location to teach and was told that my ticked was invalid. The only thing I knew was that when my plane arrived, I would be met by this unidentified person. Now I knew that I would not be there. What would he do and what should I do? God knew how I was going to meet the person that was nameless to me but standing at the ticket counter I had no idea. The events that unfolded that day were amazing and clearly outside my control and as long as I live, I will never forget how God provided and brought us together that day.

Conclusion

In response to the question asked by Thomas, Jesus responds with, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” We will cover this response in the next lesson.