Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2010
Pastor's commentary: Heart is where the home is!
By Pastor John Parker
ChristChurch
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ReprintJesus said, "In my Father's house are many mansions…I go and prepare a place for you." (John 14:2 KJV)
Consequently some of us grew up with the fun idea that there are big single unit houses known as mansions being built for us up in heaven. Songs like, "I've got a mansion just over the hilltop in that bright land where we'll never grow old," reinforced this.
Sermon illustrations did too. Like the one about the rich Christian who lived large down here on earth then died and went to heaven. Upon arrival Peter led him to his heavenly house.
The wealthy man was sure one of the big mansions they walked by was his but instead Peter led him further down the street to where the houses were very small. Pointing to a small shack Saint Peter said, "Here's your heavenly home."
"What?" exclaimed the shaken man, "This is it? How come this is all I get?"
"Well, we could only work with the material you sent on ahead of you from earth," Peter explained. "As you can see, you didn't send us very much."
This sending of building materials ahead to heaven concept has some merit. Jesus says, "Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal." (Matthew 6:19–20)
The dwelling place itself is very interesting. The Greek word "monai" which means "dwelling" or "a place to abide" was rendered in the Latin Vulgate of 405 AD by the Latin word "mansions." It then came down through the English Tyndale version of 1526 and on to the King James Version of 1611 as "mansions" in our John 14:2 passage. (The New American Commentary)
More recent versions translate "monai" straight into English as "In my Father's house are many rooms," or, "many dwelling places."
Jesus went on to say, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:3) Usually we read "I will come again" to mean at his second coming and "where I am" as heaven itself.
But notice in this same passage Jesus says, "No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you." (John 14:18) This is not his second coming when he takes us to heaven. This is his return to our hearts through the Holy Spirit after his resurrection.
He goes on to explain how our hearts will be the prepared place for the Father, himself and the Holy Spirit. He says, "Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you." This sounds like a dwelling place situation to me.
Next one of Jesus' disciples asked, "Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?"
Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him." (John 14:22- 23) Again it sounds like dwelling in the Father's house starts right now for the believer.
We say "Home is where the heart is." Jesus simply reverses that by implying, "Your heart is where are our home is." And "If you will love us and obey us we will come and live with you." (John 14:23)
Jesus knocks on the door of our hearts and says, "If any one opens the door I will come in." (Revelation 3:20)
And we reply, "Lord Jesus, come in and bring the whole family---Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We open our heart's door to you, please come on in and abide with us and teach us how to abide with you."
And that's "Home Sweet Home" both now and forever. Amen.
John Parker pastors ChristChurch, 260 N. 6th Street, Chowchilla. See John at YouTube.com under search words "Peter Rocks1" Email: john@plugintolife.com
