God With Us - Part 4

“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. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

- John 14:1-3 (NKJV)

Jesus, speaking to His followers, encourages them to continue persevering in the face of opposition.

Believe

"you believe in God, believe also in Me" (NKJV)

Greek imperative and indicative in the tense here employed are identical - pisteuete (πιστεύετε) - therefore the context must determine the choice of the mood. Which means this passage could also be translated,

"you believe God, you also believe in Me" or "believe God, believe also in me." or any combination of these two.

Either way the practical outcome is similar, Jesus is emphasizing the importance of His followers believing His promise.

Mansions

"In My Father’s house are many mansions"

The Greek monē (μονή) means abiding places; when translated to Latin the word used was  mansio, which, like the Greek, is not attached to size or pretentiousness. However, the Latin mansio has been translated into mansion in the NKJV and the word mansion currently carries a certain image of excessive size and extravagance that was not intended in the original text. You can see a comparison of different translations here.

The main idea, once again, remains the same, there will be plenty of room for everyone, and I am sure the abiding places will be perfect! I just wanted to clarify that the original text does not convey the modern idea of mansions. If this was not the case Jesus would have clarified it. He will go to prepare a place for us and He will come again!

I will come again

"I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also."

Ultimately, Jesus wants to be with us! It has been His desire since the beginning.

1 Corinthians 15

Paul puts together a great argument for the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15, linking it not only to Jesus' resurrection but especially to the resurrection of the believers at the second coming.

Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.

 - 1 Corinthians 15:12-14 (NKJV)

But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

- 1 Corinthians 15:20, 51-54 (NKJV)

I would recommend you read the entire chapter but these few verses give you the gist of Paul's message. Jesus resurrection is the assurance we have of the resurrection of the saints during Christ's second coming.

1 Thessalonians 4

Paul revisits the topic of the resurrection and the second coming of Jesus on 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

- 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 (NKJV)

Paul encourages the believers to comfort one another with the words that Jesus is coming again and that when He comes He will raise the dead who died believing in Him. Ultimately "we shall always be with the Lord."

God's desire is for us to be with Him forever and that is ultimately why Jesus is coming again. We comfort each other with this message and we look forward to the second coming of Jesus.

Appeal

If Jesus came the first time, to be born as a baby in a stable and placed in a manger. If He lived as one of us, suffering hunger, betrayal, pain and death. Will He not come the second time to defeat death once and for all?
To establish His kingdom which shall never end?

Jesus came and did everything He could to save us. He made salvation available to all for free. Free for us, He paid the price.

What are we willing to do for our God?

I hope that God’s desire to be with us, to be with you, has become abundantly clear to all of you in this series. I pray that we can all begin the next year with a renewed commitment to God. With a greater desire to spend time with God daily. To put aside distractions and any sin that might entangle us on our spiritual journey.

God has done His part, will you do yours?
Will accept Jesus anew into your heart?
Will you allow Him to be you Lord and Savior?
Will you allow Jesus to lead your life?
Will you follow Him, and obey?

There are many things in life I am unsure of, but the second coming is not one of them. If there is one thing I am sure of, its that Jesus is coming again!

Allow me to close with the following words.

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

 - Revelation 21:1-5 (NKJV)