John 14:1-2. 1“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2In 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?”
Jesus spoke these words to his disciples just before he went to the cross to die for our sins. Obviously their hearts would be troubled. Their teacher and best friend was going to be arrested and treated terribly. But Jesus wants them to trust in God and to trust in him. All of this is part of a plan. A plan to prepare a place for them and for us.
The big question that Christians still ask today is, “What is this place that Jesus prepared for us?”
Many think that Jesus is talking about Heaven. When Jesus says in my Father’s house are many rooms, he is talking about God’s heavenly house. So when Jesus says that he is going to prepare a place for us, it means that he is going up to Heaven to get it ready for us. The idea is that in Heaven each of us will have our own room. Do you have your own room now? If not, then Heaven will be better. Of course, Heaven is better in every way possible.
Others think that the place that Jesus is preparing for us is the church. The Father’s house that Jesus is talking about is his temple. But Jesus also says in John’s gospel that he is the temple of God. The idea here is that Jesus is the house of God and everyone who is a Christian can live in Jesus. Now we call this the church. The church is the temple or house of God. Look at how the Apostle Paul says the same thing:
1 Corinthians 3:16. Do you not know that you are God’s temple (or house) and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
Most Christians think that we are going to go to Heaven and live there forever. But the Bible doesn’t really say that. Instead, it says that Heaven comes down to us. Heaven came down to us when Jesus came down to us. And one day God will create a New Earth, and once again Jesus will come down and he will bring the heavenly city down to us here on Earth.
Revelation 21:2. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
So did Jesus die and then ascend into Heaven so that he could get a heavenly home ready for us? Or did he die and ascend into Heaven so that he could turn us into the church, the house of God on Earth?
Maybe both.
And in both cases we have a place. Whether it’s a home for us in Heaven or a home for God on Earth in us, either way we have a place. A place to be loved. A place to be safe. A place to share. A place to know God more and more forever.
Don’t forget, you are already living with God. If you’ve found Jesus and Jesus has found you, you’ve already found your place. It’s already prepared for you. In the Father’s house there is room for many more. All are welcome, so spread the news!
You: How do you think you would act differently if you knew that God lives inside of you?
You with Jesus: No matter what, you are always with Jesus, whether here on Earth or up in Heaven. How does this help to make you brave and kind?
Prayer: Father, your place is to be always with me, and my place is to be always with you. Please make me brave and kind because I know that you are never going to leave me alone. Amen.
TLICfamily 