Topic: Peace. Eternal Dwelling Place. Category: Kingdom>
Bible Scripture: John 14:1-6, John 14:23-27, Ephesians 2:14-22 and Revelation 21:1-4.
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Everyone desires peace. Peace in the mind, peace in the body, peace in the spirit, peace in emotions, peace in relationships, peace in the environment, peace in circumstances.
A dwelling place of refuge and rest, to live in and from that perfect peace.
Before Jesus went to the cross He promised to His disciples at the time and for all eternity that in Him there is such a place.
John 14:1-6 “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. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
The word that has been translated as mansions is an adverb. The oxford abbreviated definition of what an adverb is states: ‘an adverb is a word that qualifies or adds to a verb, expressing a relation of place, time, circumstance, manner, cause, amount etc.’
peace in abiding
Jesus said, In My Father’s house are many mansions. The adverb that has been translated as mansions is from the verb or main action word abide, That means, to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy): — abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, tarry.
To go deeper into the definition and experience of what it is to abide please listen to our sermon podcast – Abide>
So for us today that basically means that the adverb that has been translated as mansion qualifies or gives us greater expression of the action of abiding, staying, dwelling. We will look at each aspect in relation to the place of abiding, the time of abiding, the circumstances of abiding, the cause of abiding and the amount of those who are abiding.
Jesus tells us in this passage that the dwelling place is ‘in My Father’s house.’ The place where the Father dwells or abides.
The context of this conversation that Jesus has with His disciples, is that He talks about His relationship with His Father in heaven and the relationship with them as His family. It is intimate and inclusive.
in My Father’s house
Jesus said, I go to prepare a place for you. The place already exists as Jesus said, in My Father’s House is many mansions. It is not that Jesus arrives in heaven and then begins to prepare a place for us. But it is in His going and dying that He prepares the way for us to inherit that place.
In His sacrifice on the cross and through His resurrection and ascension, He prepares that special place for us. So that we can receive and believe And enter into that of peace, refuge and rest.
That is how Jesus prepares the place for every one of His disciples, through His sacrifice of Himself.
Our Father who is in heaven, out of His great love for us, came down from heaven to dwell, live in and make His home in every disciple through His Son and Spirit. Jesus explains.
John 14:23-27 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. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.
“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
heaven to earth
God our Father in heaven and Lord Jesus but He came down from heaven to dwell in every disciple. He makes His home in us. His Spirit dwells within our mortal body. Father, Son and Spirit.
Heaven came down to earth in Jesus. Jesus ascended to heaven, His Spirit came down to earth and dwells within every disciple and we dwell in Him.
Every disciple of Jesus is the dwelling place of God in this world damaged by evil.
Ephesians 2:14-22 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
jesus is our peace
Jesus Himself is our peace. This peace is our complete well-being. His peace is all encompassing. It is a place of refuge and rest. Peace in our mind, body, spirit and emotions. A peace that He gives and never takes away.
He is the embodiment of peace. His presence is His peace, a peace that He gives to us.
Both the Jew and non Jew become the dwelling place of God. We are one holy temple in Christ Jesus. His perfect sacrifice eliminated the separation between the two. In His death, resurrection, ascension and return He is reconciling and renewing all things to Himself.
People of all tribes are united and equal in Him. All barriers that divided each other have been totally eliminated in Christ Jesus.
Through His reconciliation work on the cross, we also have access by one Spirit to the Father. Our Father in heaven.
one family
We can come boldly to God’s throne, in His presence, individually and collectively. In Christ Jesus we have an intimate relationship with Him, as we are members of God’s family and household. We live in and from that place of His intimate presence and perfect peace. We are His holy temple, His dwelling place where He makes His home here on earth.
As God’s family, we have access to His home in heaven. Adopted into His beloved, that is we are adopted into the most loved position and place. At home in His presence, living in and out of that place of His refuge, peace, protection and security.
We have refuge from the troubles of this world. A peace that is perfect and not affected by circumstances. His protection from evil, death and shame. Security in Him with an assurance of identity, belonging and destiny.
We are in a privileged position. Every disciple is the home of God’s presence, a holy temple, collectively and individually.
No matter where we are at in our journey with Him, from that moment we say yes to Jesus, we are His holy temple.
members of the household of God
The text in Ephesians states, members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets.
The foundation of the apostles and prophets are those who physically saw and touched Jesus and believed. As a result spoke the gospel of who He is, has done and will do to both the Jew and non Jew. Jesus Christ Himself is the vital chief cornerstone in whom the whole building is constructed.
Jesus determines everything. He is our adoption and identity, transformation and destiny.
It is Jesus we are being built together. Together with Him and together with one another throughout the ages. Individually and collectively we are throughout the ages growing into a holy temple. We are the dwelling place of God.
As a result we are linked to the heavenly realm as we live here on earth. We have the presence of God dwelling within us here on earth. That is heaven on earth.
We also have access to our Father in heaven, and His Spirit who is at home in us. We have a privileged position of His dwelling place here on earth and as intimate members of God’s household in heaven.
the dwelling time of peace
Back to John 14 and Jesus’ conversation with His disciples in that moment of time. Jesus said, peace I leave with you.
Nothing or no one can give peace except God Himself, Jesus the Son of God gives His peace. His peace that dwells in Him, is Him, dwells in us. As that time Jesus left His peace with them. At our time now, when we receive Jesus, we receive His peace. His presence dwell in us, in His Spirit.
His love, joy and peace find their dwelling place in us, and we find our dwelling place in Him.
Then there is complete peace in heaven and earth, the future peace that is our inheritance. After Jesus returns, along with the final judgment and total elimination of evil, we will inherit our perfect eternal bodies and physically dwell with God forever in a new heaven and new earth.
The Apostle John had a vision of the new heaven and new earth.
Revelation 21:1-4 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.”.
peace for eternity
When Jesus returns the oneness is complete. In our Father’s house we will dwell physically and spiritually as His dwelling place, for all eternity. The tabernacle of God is His intimate presence and His dwelling place is with His people.
The new heaven and new earth, our Father’s world, will embrace all those throughout the ages who received God’s right to rule and reign. Those of both the old and new covenants.
From every tribe, tongue and nation who believed and received God throughout the ages will be there.
It will be awesome. Everything made new. We will dwell in God’s perfect world, in intimacy with Him. A place of perfect peace, where is no more death, mourning, crying or pain. The curse will be totally eliminated.
God is the temple in whom we will have our home.
Just as Jesus said, In My Father’s house there are many mansions. There is a vastness of number of those who dwell with Him in the new heaven and new earth. An eternal place in our Father’s house.
So the time for the dwelling place of peace is above time. We have it now within these mortal bodies, living in this world of chaos, confusion, physical death, sorrow and pain. This is our hope for today. It is God’s presence that sets us apart. We have His identity. He has made His home in us and we in Him for all eternity.
peace for the future
Our future hope is an eternal body that dwells in a new heaven and new earth. Where there is no confusion, physical death, sorrow or pain. God has made His home amongst His people and our future home is physically in His perfect world.
Jesus said, “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.
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
peace for now
The dwelling place of peace is in His presence and His presence in us. Peace in our mind, body, spirit, emotions, relationships, environment and circumstances. Come Lord Jesus come!
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Sermon categories: son of man> love of God> hope and healing> know God> truth> power> end times> experience God> life> success in life> kingdom>
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