John 14: Looking Forward to My Father's House

At the last supper, the apostles were very concerned about Jesus leaving them and what they were supposed to do in His absence. Their first cause for alarm was Jesus’ announcement that one of them would betray him (John 13:21). The second was his declaration of his departure to a place they could not go to (John 13:33).

As our loving God, Jesus recognized their hearts were troubled: (14:1-2) and he encourages them by declaring that in His Father’s House, there are many mansions. Or, in Heaven, there is plenty of room for all believers to join Him when they exit this earth.

But even for believers that have the assurance of a Heavenly home, we don’t really look forward to the end of this life. The circumstances of death, our lack of experience with exiting this world for Heaven, the silence and distance between ourselves and loved ones that have gone on before us all rob the promise of eternal life of the excitement we think it really deserves.

But how all that fear melts away when we consider Heaven as “My Father’s House”!

Can you remember your childhood in your Mother and/or Father’s house? Not all childhoods were the same, but if you had a fond childhood, you can remember not having any worries or cares like you now have in adulthood. You had all your needs met and felt very secure. As you flip through pictures of yourself when you were four years old, look at the activities: playing, eating, getting and giving hugs, opening presents or petting an animal. You had no responsibility to provide meals, income, fixing things broken in the house, keep a schedule or pay bills. And your health was probably a lot better too!

Chapter 14 is a continuation of the conversation started in Chapter 13 where we find Jesus addressing the Apostles as “little children” in v.33. Christ had a great concern for them as a parent does for their children.

And Jesus reminds these grown men that he calls “little children” of that simple, worry-free childhood, that is similar in some sense to eternity in our Father’s house, a blessed homestead for the family of God forever! No schedule, worries, no responsibilities, no deadlines.

I watch my four year old and six year old playing around the house – they have no cell phone alarm ringing to tell them what they need to do, they don’t know the pressure of finances, health concerns, they don’t know what the President is doing, they don’t understand how wicked this world really is. I don’t mean to humanize or trivialize our Father’s House in heaven, but it certainly is a much simpler and uncomplicated eternal life believers have to look forward to.

Those simple childhood days on earth may be long past, but believers can look forward to their renewal in a far greater form in Heaven where no evil can come to us, all wants are supplied, the battle with sin and the flesh is over and we’ll be “Little children in our Father’s House” forever more!