John 14. We’ll read the first six verses as we did last week. The Bible 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, I go to prepare a place for you. And if go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself. That where I am, there you may be also. And whether I go and the way we’ll leave off reading there, we won’t read the last two verses, but those first four verses say, mo. You was in Teen last Wednesday night. Jake was in Teen last Wednesday night. So you all heard some of these things this morning. So I still don’t want you all to sleep, okay? So I’ll pay attention. Maybe something new this morning. But we talked about this in Wednesday night teen class. Our teens need to know about heaven. Our teens need to know that life’s going to be hard. Some of our teens have been through hard times, difficult times. We tend to forget how it was to be a teenager because we’re old, gray, and forgetful. Amen. But our young people are going through things that we went through, maybe even harder things, more difficult things than we did. So they need to know about they need to know there’s going to be troubles. They need to know that there’s going to be heartaches. They need to know there’s going to be griefs. I know our family has not been touched a lot directly with grief. We have in other areas, we’ve had family member close people to us that are our closest family pass. And they’ve dealt with that, but they’ve not seen or had to experience that. But they will they will see those things. Our young people have seen those things, will see those things. They need hope. The world offers no hope. The world gives no help. The world does not want to help your young people. The world does not want to give your young people any hope. So I gave that to them on Wednesday night, and I hope it was an encouragement to them. And I want to give those same thoughts to you today. And some of it is a little bit of what we talked about last week, but it all ties together. So you could say this maybe part two, but we’ll call this lesson this morning this. And if nothing else sticks with you, listen to this believe also in me. Believe also in me. This week’s lesson is intended to encourage us in our church. Our families deal with so much grief and pain that we need a little bit of hope. But I can tell you this morning, bless the Lord, we have hope. We have something beyond the grave. Our loved ones may suffer up to the point that they pass, but let me report to you this morning. They are not suffering today. There’s no suffering. They’re enjoying the beauties of heaven. Amen. Jesus said he went to prepare a place for you and that he was coming again. He will come again. He has prepared that place for us. There is a place called Heaven, and our loved ones who are saved by the grace of God are there in heaven, awaiting our soon coming ongoing. Amen. I said this last week and I believe this is all in my heart. Death is not the end. We’re all speeding down the road of life to a moment in time. We will meet the One who has saved us by his grace thanks, his unspeakable gift of salvation. We now have a heavenly home. Amen. We confirmed that because we believe the Bible is the inevitable word of God. We confirmed that in Genesis one one. We confirmed that in Psalm 124 eight. We confirmed that in Psalm 33 six. We confirmed in one Corinthians two nine. And in the Book of Revelation there is a heaven. There is a heaven. And I know when you talk about there’s a heaven to gain, there’s a hell to shut, I understand that. I understand that. But this morning to the saints of God, I want to talk to you a little bit about this place called heaven. Not so much easier the place, but the journey there. I want to talk to you about just a couple of things I hope will give you a little bit of help. John Lee just a great glimpse in the Book of Revelation, and no words can tell what he saw. Although he tries to tell us, I don’t believe that anything can really ever compare to the glories and beauties are there. But the one thing we know for sure that’s there is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We know that because he says in this verse, in my Father’s house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. We talked about this last week. You know, their hearts were discouraged. You know, their hearts were troubled that he had already told the disciples. He said, One of you will betray me. So obviously, when the Lord comes here into chapter 14 one in this section of Scripture, he already knows that their heart is troubled. He already knows that they’re discouraged. And so he gives them something to help them along life’s way. And he starts off by telling them that in His Father’s house there are many mansions, that he’s going there to prepare a place for us. We know our Lord is there. And I want you to look closely at that verse, because here’s what I showed to our young people Wednesday night. Look closely to that verse. The verse starts off with a verb you understood you at the beginning, you let not your heart be troubled. Many times we’ve talked about this before. It ladies off with a verb that understood you there. It’s a command. We’re to not let our hearts be troubled. It’s a command. Don’t be troubled. There’s a heaven to gain, a man. There’s a home awaiting us on the other side. Let not, you let not it’s not only command, it’s very personal, brother Frank. You let your heart not be troubled. Brother Jim. Let not your heart be troubled. You, let not your heart be troubled. He’s talking to those disciples there, and he’s telling each one of them, you, let not your heart be troubled. You. Believe in God. Believe also in me. It’s a command. He commands us to not let our hearts be troubled. But there’s a hidden nugget here this morning that I want to show you that the Lord uncovered and helped me with. You, let not your heart be troubled. He tells us, obviously, you see the word. They’re troubled. There are going to be troubles. There have been troubles. But he’s telling those apostles, those disciples right there, there will be troubles. See, they know that someone has been someone will betray them. They know that their hearts already troubled. But they don’t know the full extent of what will lie ahead in the next couple of days. They don’t see the Lord being beaten. They can’t see the Lord being crucified. They can’t see Him lying in a grave for three days. So he’s telling them, not only do I know your hearts are troubled now, but in just a few hours, your hearts will be even more troubled. Your hearts will be broken. You’ll think as Mary did when she came to the tomb and she’s looking for him. She can’t find him. Walk inside the stones and roll away. All hope is gone. Her heart is method. Imagine if Peter and John ran up. They didn’t see him in there either. I wonder if the words echoed back in their mind. Let not be troubled. You believe all in God. Believe also in me. If I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive it to myself. So I wonder. I wonder. I don’t know. Who knows? All I read about the Bible. They ran to the tomb. They ran back. That’s all I say. There’s not a lot there for us to read between the lines of them, but I wonder if somewhere in the back of their mind, that verse, that word, was spoken to him. You see, the Lord not only knew they’d be troubled over the next few days, but think about their lives. Think about Peter, think about John on down the road. They would be beaten. They would be put in jail for preaching. They’d have many good days, but they’d have just as many bad days. There would be days when they’d be wondering if tomorrow’s even going to come. But you know what they had? They had that promise. You. Let not your heart be troubled. You leaving God. Believe also in me, said Brother Mark. Why is that such a big deal? Because just as the Lord was preparing his disciples, then he’s preparing us for the same types of things in our life. There’s going to be heartaches. We talked about last week, people in here we’d go. One by one, you could tell me about grief that have happened in your life, things that have broken your heart. But can I reassure you this morning that God knew about that? Not only did he know about that, he knows about that. And he knows what’s going to happen in your life. You see, nothing catches Him by surprise. We have troubles. We’ve had troubles. We’re going to have troubles. But he gives us a constant for the Frank. No matter what happens in your life, just understand this let not your heart be troubled. He commands us. Don’t let your heart be troubled. This life is passing as a vapor. You’re here and you’re gone. For years there have been saints of God that have lived in this life. There have been saints of God that have had trials and troubles of tribulation. But you know what? They all have the same promise, same promise that we have, that he is coming again and to receive us and Himself. Amen. So we have troubles, we have trials. Life is hard. But remember this key, that no matter what, Jesus knows what you’re going through. That’s the first song this Rachel, by the way, as I was putting the Sunday school lesson together, I had no idea what the choir was going to sing this morning. Really didn’t think about it a whole lot. But as I was putting the lesson, he said he’d be sold for the choir singing when I get to church this morning. And there’s two open blanks for the choir saying, well, there’s one. Jesus knows what you’re going through, jesus knows what you’ve been through, and Jesus knows what you will go through. You see, he gave these words you let not your heart be troubled. He gave these words at a pivotal time in the apostles life as they were getting ready to face some hard days. He said, let not your heart be troubled you. Believe in God, believe also in me. Does that mean we’re not going to grieve? No, we’ll still grieve. We’re still going to hurt. We’re going to hurt till it feels like our heart is breaking in half. But I want us in those times when our heart is breaking in half, is to remember the words of our Lord. You, brother Gary Mark, you let not your heart be troubled you. Believe in God. Believe also. Suddenly, not only is it a great command, it’s a great comfort, it’s a great promise. It doesn’t matter where you are or where you’ve been, jesus knows what you’re going through. He is never late, he is always right on time and he’ll be there every step of your life. Amen. Now, because he knows, he gives them, I think, these verses as anchor points in their life to encourage them for difficult days it would face. So, number one, I believe these verses were given to comfort them. I believe it was to give them strength. I believe it was to give them hope. But I also believe that it was to tell them something very, very important. And this is what I want to draw your attention to this morning. I talk to our young people about this Wednesday night. You will make jacob. Jacob Sambo, you will make decisions in this life, and there’s going to be decisions you’re going to make yourself. Boy, I wish I’d never made that decision. I told Jacob the other day we were coming home from, I don’t know, basketball practice somewhere. We were doing something, but he was on the way home, and he asked me about some things in my past. And I said, well, son, I said if I had to do it over again, I wouldn’t have done those things. And here’s why. I hurt my testimony. I hurt those that I love. Those are things I can never, ever, ever get back. We make decisions. We make decisions. And unlike a guy who I was telling the uncle I had to let a gentleman go this past week for certain behaviors, but he kept saying the whole time we were letting him go, I said, you all you all hold a second, ain’t y’all? Because y’all didn’t do what you did. Ain’t y’all. I’m not the one that did this. I’m not the one that did those things. You made a conscious decision. That’s on you. But that’s the mindset of our world today. Amen. It’s everybody else’s fault, our young people. You’re going to make decisions. Some of them are going to be really good decisions, and some of them may be real sneakers. But understand this you made that decision. And when you make that decision, you may have to live with some consequences of that decision. But here’s what I want you to know. The Lord knows where you’re at, and it’s okay. And there’s a way back, no matter what. You’re never going too far. That you can’t give back what you do. You’ve never gone too far. His hand is not shortened. His arm is not shortened. He can reach down. Listen, if he reached down and saved me, he can reach out and save anybody. Amen. So I want to give you some help this morning, young people, as I talked about that we’re going to make a decision in our lives that’s going to cause us to do some things, and maybe we need to take some responsibility for some things. But here’s what I want you to know this morning. Read that verse for me. Let not your heart be troubled. Read that second word. Let not now put the understood you in front of that. You let not you know what that indicates to me? That indicates to me that we can make the decision of whether or not we’re going to let our hearts be troubled. I’m not saying you won’t be grieved. I’m not saying you won’t grieve. Your heart won’t break, and you won’t feel like the world’s coming to an end. But I’m saying we have the option of just saying I’m going to trust the Lord. It’s going to be okay, no matter what happens. Yeah, you’re still going to feel grief, and you’re still going to feel like your hearts formed in 15 different pieces. But what do we do? We trust the Lord. He says there’s no such a process. As you believe in God, believe also in me. Believe all that you believe in God. Believe also in me. Trust me. Put your faith in me. Put your hope in me. Put your confidence in me. Let not your heart be troubled. I will walk with you through the valley of the shadow of death. I will never leave you, nor forsake you. You see, at the darkest point in your life, brother Jeremy, at the darkest point of your life, there’s the light. There’s a savior. We talked about this last week. Looking unto Jesus. When you get to the darkest point of your life, you get to the darkest time in your life. What are we going to do? We’re going to look unto Jesus, the Author, and the finisher of our faith. Let me say to you this morning, not only is it a command that we let not our heart be trouble, but number two, we have some say so of whether or not our heart will be troubled. I didn’t say over grief. You’re going to grieve and your heart’s going to break. But we can either live in that heartbreak or we can trust the Lord. We can trust the Lord. Sambo. Jacob. Jacob. Our young people this morning, there’s going to come days in your life when you think the world is over. It’s over. It’s done. But let me give you some hope. It’s one right brother Jeremy. Let me give you some hope. Let me give you some help. Look unto Jesus, the Author, and the fish of your faith. He saved you, brother. Eddie. He can keep him, can he, Brother Jim? Has he been good to you as he helped you? He’ll help you boys. He’ll help you, I promise you. He’ll be there with you every step of the way. He’ll never leave you nor forsake you. We make the decision. I made some bad decisions. I can even go back. And I can live in that moment when I made that bad decision and live in a life of regret. Or I can put it to the side and look up and say, you know what? I’m going to serve him who’s all together lovely. So what about all those people that are bringing up your past. So go ahead. I’ve asked for forgiveness and he’s put it behind me. Amen. Now all I can do is move forward. I can make the decision to let not my heart be troubled. Don’t live in the past and not necessarily live in the future, but do what you can today for the Lord, because he’s coming back. Think about old Peter. I think about old Peter here he was, he had denied the Lord Jesus Christ. He’d even used some bad language out there. We don’t know what he said, but he said something was pretty bad. He’s recorded in the word of God forever. That’s like to me, Peter. Every time you think about Peter, you think you know what Peter could have done? Peter could have said, right then there, guess what? It’s over, boys. I’m done. I’m going fishing. And he did and he did. But you know what the Lord did. Lord said, Am, peter, come here. You love to stand me. You know, Lord, I love you more than this, you know, Lord, you know that broke him down. Amen. Showed him he loved him. Were those difficult days for Peter. But what do we find Peter doing over in the Book of Acts? Do we see Peter over there sulking? Do we see Peter over there saying, you know what, Lord, I’m just not going to do this anymore. I give up. Do we see Peter opening up Peter’s fishing and more over the book of Acts? No. You see him preaching, you see him doing what God was having to do. You seem living the life of Lord and having to live. Why? Because he made the decision. I’m not going to let those dark days run my life. Amen. And you know what we’re going to do? We’re not going to let our dark days run our life. Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God. Leave off Sunny. It’s a command. It’s a promise. I want you to note this too, when we talk about it’s. An option. I don’t know why I type out a Sunday school lesson. It’s just like all jumbled. Like, I give you all five points in the first three minutes. I have nothing else to talk about. He’s excited, I guess. But here’s the one thing I noticed to number one, you. Let not your heart be troubled. Number two, we have the option whether or not our heart be troubled. But notice this, and I’ll be done this morning. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house, present tense, are mini 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, what, I will come again. And we’re familiar with that, right? We’re familiar with that’s. A blessed hope, isn’t it? That’s a promise. That’s a blessed promise. But here’s what I want you to see this morning. The song says, Jesus knows what you’re going through. Right? And he does. He’s there with you every step of the way. He never forgets us. Right? Well, here’s the third thing I want you to see. How this pastor scripture this morning, he not only knows where you’re at, he also wants to remind us this morning that he will never ever forget about us. You say it’s been 2000 years since he made that promise. Brother Mark. Yep. Guess what? It’s still just as real today as it was when he made that promise. Way back then, before his crucifixion, when those angels stood by and said why stand he gazing this same Jesus? He’s going to come again. Amen. He will come again. And if he comes again, he’s going to receive it on himself to where he is. There we will be also. Amen. I know that’s the Mark person. But you know where I’m going with this. Here’s what I’m trying to tell you this morning. He hasn’t forgotten about you. You say the rafter hasn’t taken place for over 2000 years. It could be today. Could be today. So you believe it? Mark short. I’ll leave it. I hope it’s before 02:00. You say, why is that? Because that’s what time I have to go to work. I don’t know if it’s before 02:00 today. Christmas brings out the saint in people. Amen. I don’t know if it’s the saint or not, but it brings out some. And folks, bless the Lord. But anyway, here’s what I’d have you to know this morning. He says in this verse if I go, I will come again. Now, that promise I hang on to a promise for my salvation. I have a verse that I anchor my salvation to he that hereth my words and believes on Him to send me have everlasting life. John 524. That’s my anchor point for my eternal salvation. That’s what when I go devil’s by me, you’re not saved, you’re a fake, you’re a phony. I stick his nose in. John 524. He said, here’s my word. I heard it. He believed from Him that’s in me I believe have everlasting life. I have that promise. That’s a present tense promise right now. This is a promise for our today and our tomorrow. If I go, and he did, I will come again. And he will. And he will. Don’t be discouraged. I know life is hard. I know there’s going to be things that cause you grief. I know there’s going to be difficulties. But let me encourage you. Let not your heart be troubled. If you believe in God, believe also in me. If I go, I will come again. So in those difficult times, he hasn’t forgotten about you. Sambo jake jacob jake. He hasn’t forgotten about you. He’ll never forget about you, peter because I said, you know what? I’m done. That’s it. I’m going to go about my way. I’m going to do my thing. But you know what Peter decided to do? He said, you know what? I’m going to go on and serve the Lord regardless of what happened in my past. Jacob, Sambo, Jacob, there are going to be things that happen in your life. You’ll make some good decisions, and you’ll probably make some that aren’t so good. Ask the Lord to forgive you, move on and realize there’s hope for tomorrow. There’s hope for today. Old people be included. There’s hope for all of us. Jesus is coming soon. Jesus is returning after us. Amen. Jesus is coming again. We sing that song coming again. I believe it. I believe it. That’s my hope. We take our loved ones, we lay them in the grave, their bodies there. They’re in heaven, their bodies there. And we feel like that’s the parting place. That’s not that’s resurrection ground. You see, when Jesus comes again, he’s going to bring them back with him. They’ll be reunited in the air. We’ll be united with him, and on to heaven will be. You say it’s a fairy tale. It’s not a fairy tale. It’s a promise from God Almighty. You say, I believe God created the heavens, the earth. And you believe that he will come again. Because he said, if you believe in me, if 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 unto myself. That where I am, there you may be off. Now. That’s the heaven that we were talking about. That’s the heaven. So while we grieve on this side of eternity, while our hearts hurt and our hearts break, understand that we have a promise we can cling to. Jesus is coming after you and me. He’s never forgotten you. He’ll never forget you. He knows where you’re at, and he’ll comfort you. He’ll help you. He’ll strengthen you. You have to make the decision. I have to make the decision. Am I going to waller in my guilt? Am I going to waller in my suffering? Am I going to waller in my pain? Am I going to waller in the sins that I’ve committed? Or I’m going to ask the Lord, forgive me and move on and serve him? He gives us some great examples in the word of God. Where are we at this morning? May I report to you this morning that on December 4, 2022, we too are like Peter and John. Peter was crucified, they say, upside down, right? He died of martyrs death. He was looking for Jesus. He told me, he’s coming again. Go ahead and crucify me. Upside down. He’s coming. Old John said, I was on the Isle of Palms in which I saw things that I can’t hardly even describe. Go ahead and boil me in this hot oil if you want to. He’s coming again. Think about all those martyrs that died, the faith every day. You know what they were looking for? Same thing you’re looking for. Jesus returned. Why? Because there’s a promise in the word of God that says, if I go, I will come again and receive it myself. You see, we have hope. World don’t have that hope. We have that hope. We have that hope. Jesus is coming again. And when he takes us, he’ll take us to that place called heaven. And hopefully in the next couple of weeks, we’ll be able to talk about that a little bit and see the wonders and the glories there the best we can with these human eyes. But anyway, that’s where we’re headed. And that’s what I wanted to give you, this one. Let’s pray. Our Father in heaven. Thank you for Jesus Christ. Thank you for mercy. Thank you for salvation. Thank you for loving us when we were unlovable. Thank you, Lord, for the great promise of coming after us again. Thank you, Lord, for the promise that you never, ever forget where we are and what we’re going through, that you’re always there by our side. Thank you for these anchor points in the word of God that we can have and hold and cling to and difficult days. Encourage our young people, Lord. Encourage those of us that aren’t so young. Help us, father. Be mindful of that day that you could and you may, you should, you might. Today might be that day, Lord. Helps to be hopeful and mindful that we ask and pray God and direct throughout the service blessing next hour. We ask in Jesus name.