BELIEVE ALSO IN ME
John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 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. 3 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. 4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? 10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
It is so sad that the majority of times that the American public hears this passage is when it is wrongly declared to them at their granny’s funeral! And the only reason it is used is because the preachers don’t know that to which it is actually referring! They just see, “Let not your heart be troubled,” and, “I go to prepare a place for you.” And in these they hope to give some peace to the minds of those in their loss by telling them that “Jesus has gone to heaven to build them a mansion!”
But that is nothing like the passage intends! For this actually is the Lamb of God going to the cross to prepare his people a place of acceptance with God! Isaiah 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge (i.e. “by the knowledge of him” – see John 17:3), shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
Listen to these informative verses concerning this time of spiritual warfare that our Lord waged with the forces of darkness in his death at Calvary. Revelation12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. 7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
The Lord clearly told us that Satan would be cast out, and that judgment would then be re-established at the time of his death! John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. 32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. 33 This he said, signifying what death he should die. There can be no doubt about it! Satan would be cast out of his “place,” when the Lord went to die at Calvary! And there, at that time, he would prepare the church a “place,” to sit in its heavenly condition with him! Ephesians 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
But the true purpose of John 14:1 is, “You have believed in the God of Abraham, the friend of God. You have believed in the God of David, the man after God’s own heart. You have believed in the God of Moses and all the old covenant revelations. Now in that same way, believe in me.” For Jesus of Bethlehem is very God of very God. And he is, at one and the same time, very man of very man! He is saying to them that you have the God of the old economy standing before you in His present Humanity!
Colossians 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) 3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; 4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
Romans 9:3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
Then he was instructing them of his previous statement concerning his going away. For it was this that troubled their hearts! John 13:33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you. And this instruction was that he was not going away to leave them. But that he was going away to prepare for their never being separated from them throughout eternity! He was not going away to get away from them. But he was going away to get them to him in a spiritual union which could never be broken!
For the Comforter – the Holy Spirit – would be his own Spirit of truth indwelling them, so that he might abide with them forever. John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
In the first few verses of this chapter we have the Lord’s instruction for the preparation of the transition that shall soon take place. That transition would end all animal sacrifice! His death, resurrection and ascension would forever do away with the old covenant and forever establish the new! Hebrews 10:8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; 9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
It would forever change the priesthood! Hebrews 7:12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. 3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
It was this transition from the law into grace; from the natural into the spiritual, that gave everyone under that old system such a difficult time adjusting to the establishment of the new covenant. The Jewish culture everywhere rebelled against the preachers of the gospel, stoning them; casting them out of their cities; having them arrested and thrown in jail! But what was the only aid that our Lord gave everyone for the progression into this drastic transition? – Believe in me!
The gospel is the power of God unto salvation to both Jew and Gentile! Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
1 Corinthians 1:22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
This transition was so difficult to them that even when Peter had the vision of the sheet with the wild beasts being lowered to him on that roof top in Joppa, he still acted the hypocrite when the Jews came among the Gentiles with whom he was fellowshipping. Galatians 2:11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. 12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. 13 And the other Jews dissembled (acted like hypocrites), likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. 14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
The Apostle Paul had to go out into the desert of Arabia, not returning to Jerusalem for three years to unlearn all his Jewish religion and get himself anchored in the gospel! Galatians 1:15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, 16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: 17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
The Apostle John, isolated on the island of Patmos wept much as he felt that no one could open the way into the new kingdom. Revelation 5:1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? 3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. 4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
But at the same time that the veil of the temple into the holy place was torn, thereby polluting forever that previous form of worship, the flesh of the Son of God was torn, opening the wounds that would provide entrance into the new kingdom! Hebrews 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21 And having an high priest over the house of God; 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
But John’s tearful heart was turned into worship and praise in seeing the Lamb of God on the throne, sovereignly ruling the world for his church! Ephesians 1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Dear Reader, we are no longer to go to Mount Sinai to practice legalistic religion! We are now come to Mount Sion – which is the church! Hebrews 12:18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, 22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:
And those who are brought there by regenerating grace are the only true Jews. Romans 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Revelation 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. All glory to the Lamb!
Pastor Gene Breed
February 18, 2015
