Category: Book of John

MAPLE GARDENS WORSHIP SERVICE

February 16, 2025

Peace, Place, Passport

Today we are in John Chapter 14 verses 1 though 6. It is a wonderful chapter. The first topic in this scripture is about peace.

Peace.

We read in verse 1 about peace. We are not to let our hearts be troubled. And Jesus says that if you believe in God and in Jesus, God’s Son, you will have peace with the Father.

Please consider that God is for you! He is not against you! The devil will put thoughts in your mind that God is against you. But the devil is a liar! He does not want you to know Jesus, for then you are not his anymore. Jesus loves you and wants to give you His peace. A peace with God so you know you are God’s child. The devil cannot offer that peace. But Jesus offers that peace to you. Right now! He will cleanse you from your sins and place you in His Father’s family. If you believe that there is a God, who formed this mighty universe we live in, then believe that He sent His Son Jesus to die for you on the cross, because He did send His Son for you. And Jesus, God’s Son, came to the earth and lived a sinless life so that He could take away your sins when you believe in Him. Just ask Jesus to forgive your sin and to make you clean. Admit that you are a sinner and in need of a Savior. Then pray and ask Jesus to forgive your sins and make you God’s child! He will!

Place.

And then in verses 2 and 3 we read where when you have placed your faith and trust and believed in Jesus, that Jesus is preparing a place for you in heaven. He is preparing it just for you. It will be exactly what you want, because Jesus made you just as you are, and He knows all about you. You can read about how He made you in Psalm 139 verses 13-16. You were made by God and He knows you. We read in Matthew chapter 10 verse 30 that “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” If He knows how many hairs are on your head, just know that He knows all about you. And He wants you to accept Him as your Savior. And when you do, He will prepare a place in heaven for you so that when you leave your earthly life on the earth, you will be with Him in Paradise. We read in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 6 through 8 that when we are absent from our earthly body, we will be with him in glory in a heavenly body. If you have trusted Christ, you have a home in heaven waiting for you!

Passport.

And in verses 5 and 6 of this chapter, we see that Jesus is the way to Heaven. Just as you have to have a passport to get into another country, you need a passport to get into heaven. And Jesus is your passport. In verse 5 we read where Jesus tells them that they (His disciples) know where He is going. Jesus tells them that they know the Way. And Thomas said, “We do not know where you are going, how can we know the way?” And Jesus said to Thomas, that He is the Way. We read in verse 6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through Me.” What this means is that we cannot of ourselves get to heaven. We cannot do enough good things to earn eternal life. In Isaiah chapter 64 verse 6 we read “All our righteousnesses are like filthy rags.” And in Ephesians chapter 2 verses 8 and 9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Our good deeds or works or church attendance does not make us right with God. So just because you are a better person than I, or you don’t do things that I do, or you go to a better church than I do, it does not make you right with God. Jesus came to this earth to die on the cross for your sins so that you could have forgiveness of sins and to be forgiven, cleaned up, and made a child of God. We cannot clean ourselves up. We must come to Jesus “just as we are.” We have nothing to offer God to make us right with Him. Jesus will cleanse us from our sins and give us new life in Him. We read in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 17 that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” Do you want to start over? Are you lonely? Does anyone know how lonely and pitiful you are feeling? Jesus does! And He is waiting for you to ask Him to come into your life and forgive your sins and make you His child. If you at your wits end, and don’t know where to turn, turn to Jesus. Ask Him to come into your life and make you that new person. Allow Him to make you that someone who has a purpose. Someone who has a peace with God and a place reserved in heaven! Do it now. Don’t wait! He is waiting for you to come.

You know God is asking to come into your life. We read in Revelation chapter 3 verse 20 that Jesus is asking “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” Jesus wants to have fellowship with you. But He does not force Himself on you. It is up to you to make the decision to ask Him to come and forgive your sins and make you His child. To make you clean and to have fellowship with Him! He is waiting for you to come. Will you come? Why not? What have you got to lose? Come to Jesus. He has invited you to come and He is waiting for you.

It is my prayer that you will ask Jesus to forgive your sins and come into your life so you can have that Peace and that Place reserved in heaven for you, so that Jesus can become your Passport to Heaven. May God draw you to Him today. Go to Him now. Just speak to Him as you would speak to your friend. Jesus is your Friend. Speak to Him now! He is waiting for you. He loves you!

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.