Prescribed Portion for Troubled Hearts

I'll read our sermon passage, which is verse 1 of John 14.

! I read this trusting that it's God's inspired, inerrant, infallible, clear, sufficient, powerful word for you and for me.

John 14, 1.

The words of Jesus Christ.

Let not your heart be troubled.

You believe in God.

Believe also in me.

The word of God for the people of God.

Thanks be to God. Please be seated.

O living God, three in one, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we praise you for your faithfulness, Lord, for your covenant kindness to your people.

We thank you for how you have spoken.

You've revealed yourself through Jesus Christ for how all of the scriptures testify of him and for how your Holy Spirit ministers Christ to your people.

Every single one from every nation, tribe, people, and tongue.

Lord, that you give the gift of faith to see Christ.

Lord, that you give the gift of God.

To hear the good news.

To hear the good news.

To respond to the voice of the chief shepherd of our souls.

We pray, Lord, that your Holy Spirit will help Pastor Chris Ewell as he ministers Christ to us today.

We pray that your Holy Spirit will also help us, Lord, to receive Christ.

To pay attention to the words that we're receiving, Lord, as they're words from you.

We pray that your word, Lord, will burn in our hearts.

And that we'll be able to grow and be sustained in our faith because you are the one who purchased your people.

You're the one who made us right.

And you are the one who has committed yourself to sanctifying us until you present us complete and perfect in Christ at the great day when he comes again.

We long for this day, Lord.

And until then, we trust that even receiving this sermon today is one of the means you will use to fulfill your promises.

Please do this, Lord.

For Christ's sake we pray.

Amen.

It is a rich blessing to be with you this morning to minister God's word to you.

A rich blessing from the one who tenderly loves his sheep.

And so may our eyes be fixed upon the great and glorious shepherd of our souls this morning, our Lord Jesus Christ.

So if you would fix your eyes upon our text this morning.

John 14, verse 1.

John 14:1

If you don't mind, I'd like to pray again.

Father, our glorious God.

God, you are merciful.

You are gracious.

God, our hearts tremble before your holiness.

And Father, let us consider your holiness this morning.

We would consider your great and glorious nature.

That we would consider your sovereign providences.

That the trials and tribulations that you have given us in our life, we want to thank you for them.

For they have grown us.

They have matured us.

And they have allowed us to fix our eyes upon you.

The author and perfecter of our faith.

So I just pray for us this morning, O God.

That your word would cut us like a two-edged sword.

Going down to the very bone and marrow of who we are.

That you would teach us and rebuke us and correct us.

And convict us and convict us and train us in righteousness.

Oh, Father, we thank you, God, for this divinely appointed means of grace that you have given us.

The preaching of your word.

The listening of your word.

And all of us engaged together in unified spirit.

To learn and grow in the gospel of grace.

And we say this in the name of Christ.

Amen.

In our text this morning in John 14, verse 1.

John 14:1

It says,

Do not let your heart be troubled.

Believe in God.

Believe also in me.

The word of God also reads in Psalms 27, verse 5.

Psalms 27:5

For in the day of trouble,

He will conceal me in His tabernacle.

In the secret place of His tent,

He will hide me.

He will lift me up on a rock.

And we are welcomed into the Holy of Holies this morning.

In our passage.

To gaze upon the glorious love of our Savior toward His covenant children.

Even reminding us in John 13, verse 1.

John 13:1

Jesus, knowing that His hour had come,

that He would depart out of this world to the Father,

having loved His own who were in the world.

He loved them to the end.

So at this family tuck,

Christ is gathering in this upper room.

His eleven.

Judas has already left.

And He's loving those that are His.

He's loving them all the way to the end.

So whatever we read in chapters 14, 15, and 16,

from this point forward,

in the upper room discourse,

you must come through the archway,

through the gate,

through this door.

that everything is part of Christ loving His own.

And loving them all the way to the end.

I mean, there are dark hours on the horizon for the eleven who love the Lord.

He has just revealed this at the end of chapter 13.

Three shocking realities.

First, He has told them that one of them will betray Him.

Chapter 13, verse 21.

Truly, truly, truly, I say to you,

that one of you will betray Me.

Second, He has equated glory with the suffering of His cross.

In verse 31.

Now is the Son of Man glorified,

and God is glorified in Him.

For our Lord Jesus,

the unimaginable sufferings of the cross

are but a few short hours away.

Remember, they are to Him unimaginable trials and sufferings.

He has told them that He was going away

and that He could not follow at the present moment.

And third, He's just told Peter

that He would deny Him three times.

Verse 38.

Will you lay down your life for Me?

Truly, truly, I say to you,

a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times.

And so He knows that all the other disciples

will even desert Him in His final hours.

For if you strike the shepherd,

the sheep will scatter.

Added to the emotional turmoil

that the disciples felt,

they had been shamed.

Just a few moments later,

walking to the upper room,

they were having a discussion about

who would be the greatest.

Pride was filling their heart.

They were even shamed by their prideful refusal

to wash each other's feet,

which prompted our loving Savior

to stoop down to the servant position.

So what will He do now?

Well, He does what He always has done.

And He will always do for you and I.

He begins to minister the grace of God

to their deeply troubled and deeply confused hearts.

And if there is ever one thing

that we need to understand

and grasp regarding this farewell discourse,

it is this,

that as our Lord Jesus analyzes the needs

of His little children,

His covenant children,

as you will see at the end of chapter 13,

as He, as the covenant head of His family,

seeks to minister to them

and understand what is pressing their need,

what is it do you think that He does

in the last hour before His death?

What He does is He does

in the following chapters,

chapters 14, 15, and 16,

and a closing prayer for them in 17,

He sees the depth of their troubled heart.

He sees the pressing need

that is consuming them.

And what does our Lord Jesus Christ now do?

He does something very remarkable.

It's in this really dark hour

that He gives to them really the clearest light.

And all that He now says,

in essence, He is saying this,

sink your lives into the Holy Trinity

as you trust in the grace of the triune God,

into the glory of the triune God.

Fix your eyes upon the glory of Christ.

It is the glory of the triune God

into the mystery of the triune God.

For your great need this morning

is to discover who God is.

To be reminded of who God is.

Now that would become increasingly clear

as you are reminded of the Upper Room Discourse.

I'm sure most of you have read it.

But the principle lying behind our Lord's teaching

is a principle that we greatly need

to understand for our own spiritual good.

and its significance of grasping

the importance of the doctrine of God.

Knowing God will do more for your troubles

in your life as a Christian

than anything else.

Knowing the will of God

will do more for your life

and the tribulations

than anything else will.

Knowing God will do more

for the mortification of your sin

than anything else.

exploring the height

and the breadth

and the depth

of the grandeur

of God's ontological nature.

The glory of God.

The attributes of God.

The incarnation of Christ.

Knowing and understanding

from Genesis 3, 15 onward

is the work of the covenant of grace

on your behalf.

Knowing God

and His redemptive covenant

will do more for impacting

how you live in this world

than anything else.

And that is Jesus' significant ministry

to His disciples

really at this critical time

in their lives.

It is as if He's taking them

by the hand in these chapters

and saying,

let me take you

and explore with you

the depths of the triunity of God.

Now these opening words

of John chapter 14

John 14 · chapter mention

as you know

have brought untold comfort

and help to Christians

throughout the ages

especially Christians

going through hard

and distressing times.

Actually,

the Puritan John Owen

says this about verse 1.

He says,

quote,

no other verse

has helped me more

to understand

that a sense of God's presence

and love

is sufficient

to rebuke all anxiety

and fears

and to calm the troubles

and to give me

in the midst of turmoil

a solid consolation

and joy.

And so Jesus' disciples

are troubled.

And Jesus is going

to give them a remedy

for a troubled heart

as well as ours.

He's going to tell them

that they have

a prescribed proportion

given to them.

And what is true for them

is true for all believers

today.

And we're going to note

three things

as we consider together

this singular verse

as our focus

is upon this portion

of the upper room.

The words of our Lord

Jesus Christ

to His weary saints.

And the first

is the sovereign appointment

of sorrows

in the saints.

And the second

we will go to the solemn

command of Christ

towards struggling saints.

And then third

we will strengthen

our gaze

toward the triune God

for you the saint.

So we see first

the sovereign appointment

of sorrows

in the saints.

Look at verse 1

with me beloved.

Do not let your heart

be troubled.

Believe in God

and believe also

in me.

And let us remind ourselves

that we need to be careful

with a passage

like this

because it's just

this kind of passage

that we're so familiar with.

Often spoken at funerals

especially verses 2 and 3.

And rightly so

but often with familiar passages

we can read over them

carelessly.

And in the type of passage

that really requires

for us to place

our tent here

and to really ask ourselves

what is Christ

commanding us

to do?

What is He supplying

to obey the command?

I mean Christ

not only commands us

to obey

but He also gives us

all the things necessary

to be obedient.

And yet before we can

understand Christ's command

we must

understand

our condition.

There is the certainty

of trouble

and it is sovereignly

appointed

for the saints.

Verse 1 says

do not let your heart

be troubled.

And the world

in which we

are called

as Christians

is not a

sanctuary of ease

but it is full of

tribulation.

Isn't it beloved?

I mean Scripture

has always reminded us

of this.

Job 14 verse 1

Job 14:1

man who is born

of woman

is short lived

and full of turmoil.

Job 5 verse 7

Job 5:7

for a man

is born for trouble

as sparks fly upward.

I mean the fall

has left

no corner

of our life

untouched.

And therefore

trouble meets us

from every side

and every angle.

I mean let us

recognize this.

And not be blind

to the reality

of a fallen world.

The fallen condition

of men.

I mean the weight

within our homes.

There are

maritable troubles.

I mean the closeness

of earthly bonds

often feel strained

because sin

so still

clings

closely to us.

Raising our children

in the Lord

comes with

tribulent times.

We have trouble

with sin

within our homes

and patient

pride,

harsh words,

cold affections.

Sanctification

is real

but it's not yet

complete

and so we struggle.

Even Paul cried

for the good

that I want

I do not do.

Romans 7

19

so the Christian

home is not

exempt from

spiritual warfare.

Indeed

it's a

primary ground.

And then we have

the war within.

We have the

daily trouble

of bringing

our own sins

under submission

to Christ.

Put death

therefore what is

earthly in you

Paul says

to the Colossians.

So mortification

is not an easy

work.

It's a continual

work of the saint.

I mean the Puritans

spoke of it as a

lifelong combat.

The flesh

resistant.

The old man

lingers.

And though sin's

dominion is broken

as Romans 6

14 tells us

its presence

remains

therefore

we groan

wretched man

that I am

who will set

me free.

We also carry

the burden

as I know

many of you

do

of non-believing

family members.

Those who seem

indifferent to

eternity.

Those who ignore

the warnings

of the

Scripture.

Those who ignore

what should wake

them up from

their slumber.

That it is

appointed for man

to die once

and then comes

the judgment.

And they

appeared untroubled

by these words.

And yet they

stand on the

brink of

everlasting ruin.

And for them

there is little

concern.

For us

there is much

anguish.

I mean Paul

knew this sorrow.

I have great

sorrow and

unceasing grief

in my heart

as Romans 9

Romans 9:2

verse 2 says.

We also

endure betrayal

by those

close to us.

Those we have

walked in

ministry with.

Shared

fellowship with.

Scriptures

prepare us

for this.

A man's

enemies will

be the members

of his

household.

Matthew 10

Matthew 10:36

verse 36.

David

laminated

it is you

a man

my equal

my companion

and my

familiar

friend.

Psalms 55

Psalms 55:13

verse 13.

Even our

Lord was

betrayed with

a kiss.

Then we

have those

who walk

with us

for a little

while in

the church

only to

find out

all of our

efforts,

time,

and ministry

although not

in vain

does have

pain and

troubles and

trials attached

to it.

As the

moss, a

close

companion of

Paul,

abandoned the

truth for he

was in love

with the

present world.

There are

also those

times that

the ministry

especially for

the leaders

where we are

so troubled

that it's

likened to

death.

2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 1:8

1 verse 8

For we do

not want you

to be unaware

brethren of

our affliction,

our troubles

which came to

us in Asia

that we were

burdened

excessively

beyond our

strength so

that we

despaired even

of life.

And then we

just have the

providential

troubles,

don't we?

The pressures

of daily

life,

the ordinary

pressures,

the strain

of schedules,

responsibilities,

the relentless

demands of

daily tasks

as Martha

was distracted

with all of

her preparations.

We also

face the

trouble of

sin's

consequences

catching up

with us.

Though

forgiven

consequences

often remain,

David was

pardoned as

2 Samuel 12

2 Samuel 12:13

verse 13

told us,

yet the

sword did

not depart

from his

house.

Grace

removes

eternal

condemnation,

but not

always temporary

repercussions.

Then we

have the

hostile

trouble,

the world

that is in

opposition to

the very

gospel that

you believe

in.

Enemies

at every

territory.

And we

have the

task of

proclaiming

the message

that offends

the natural

man and all

of his

cardinal

desires.

Whether it

be the

homosexuals

or abortion

or the

misrepresentation

of Christ's

name with

all the

false

gospels

that use

Christ's

name to

gain glory,

wealth,

or reputation.

We have

all of those

troubles,

all of those

tribulations.

sins.

And then we

have cults

claiming and

professing to

know our

Savior, yet

deny His

deity.

I mean, the

spirit of our

age resists the

truth of

Christ, and

therefore they

will resist

His people.

Domestic

hatred surrounds

the true

church of the

Lord.

If the world

hates you,

you know that

it has hated

me before it

hated you.

John 15

John 15:18

verse 18.

Paul testified

afflicted in

every way, but

not crushed.

So troubles

from within,

troubles from

without,

troubles from

beneath in

temptation,

from every

side and

every angle.

And the

Word of God

warns us of

the troubles

of this

world.

Christ is

going to warn

them again

even.

In the

upper room

discourse in

chapter 16,

he says this

in verse 33,

These things I

have spoken to

you, so that

in me you may

have peace, but

in the world you

have tribulation.

But take

courage.

I have

overcome the

world.

And so the

disposition of

the heart of

the disciple this

morning, or the

heart of anyone

listening to the

words of Christ

that is in

Christ, at this

moment in the

upper room, is a

heart full of

trouble.

The Christian

life is a hard

pressing road if

you haven't

noticed.

Our Lord says

in Luke 10

Luke 10:3

verse 3,

Go behold, I

send you out as

lambs in the

midst of wolves.

Paul encourages

the church during

persecution after

being stoned in

Antioch and then

returning to

Antioch.

He records this in

Acts 14 verse 22,

Acts 14:22

strengthening the

souls of the

disciples, encouraging

them to continue in

the faith, saying

through many

tribulations you

must enter the

kingdom of God.

I mean, consider

how Paul strengthened

them.

He strengthened

them not by

promising ease, but

by preparing them

for endurance.

He did not say

tribulations may

come, did he,

beloved?

No, what does he

say?

He said tribulations

must come.

We will enter

through them.

That word must

speaks of divine

necessity.

And so it's not

accidental.

It is ordained.

The path to the

kingdom is appointed

by God himself

through his

sovereign means.

And so where do

we get the idea

that we are supposed

to have an easy

life in this

fallen world?

I mean, consider

this, beloved, if

the Father did not

spare his own

son, how shall

we be spared

from troubles?

Right?

He who did not

spare his own

son, but delivered

him over for

us all.

I mean, mark the

weight of that

phrase, he did

not spare.

The beloved, the

eternal son in whom

the Father was well

pleased, as Matthew

Matthew 3:17

3 verse 17 says,

was not shielded

from suffering.

He was appointed

to it.

Isaiah foresaw it.

It pleased the Lord

to crush him, that he

was put to grief.

And so the cross was

not accidental.

It was ordained.

The spotless lamb

bore wrath, shame,

rejection, and death

for us.

If ever there was one

who might seem

deserving of exemption,

it was Christ.

And yet he learned

obedience through what

he suffered.

And shall you, his

servant, expect a

softer path than the

master?

In John 15, the

word of God reads

there, a disciple is

not above his

teacher.

If they persecuted

me, they will also

persecute you.

Actually, beloved, the

constant counsel of

Scripture is quite the

opposite of the

modern evangelical

churches teaching on

the life of a

Christian.

For the Scripture

teaches us God

leaves his church in

a tribulent world to

show his amazing

sovereign power.

The Scripture

nowhere promises

exempt from sorrow.

Rather, it prepares

all believers for it

by those divinely

appointed means of

grace.

For even Paul says

later, in 2 Timothy

2 Timothy 3:12

3, verse 12,

indeed, all who

desire to live

godly in Christ

Jesus will be

persecuted.

So God has one

son without sin,

but he never has a

son without trials.

If the Father

loved you enough

not to spare

his own son for

your redemption,

he loves you

enough not to

spare you and I

from what will

conform you to

his son.

For this is the

purpose we are

saved.

And even

attaching to his

covenant of

redemption,

Romans 8,

Romans 8:29

verse 29 says,

for those in

whom he foreknew,

he also predestined

become conformed to

the image of his

son.

So there are

sorrows.

The reality of your

life as a Christian

will be one of

full of trials and

tribulations and

troubles that arise

from every side of

us.

From a fallen

creation,

sickness,

frailty,

death.

As Romans 8,

Romans 8:22

verse 22 says,

for we know that

the whole creation

groans and

suffers the pain of

childbirth together

until now.

And not only this,

but also we

ourselves having the

first fruits of the

Spirit, even we

ourselves groan

within ourselves,

waiting eagerly for

our adoption as

sons, the

redemption of our

body.

And even Peter

addresses this in

1 Peter 4,

1 Peter 4:4

verse 4.

The Word of God

reads there,

in all this they

are surprised that

you do not run

with them in the

same access of

indulgence and they

malign you for it.

And so this world

is full of troubles,

but it's sovereignly

ordained by God.

And so for the

Christian, for the

child of God, you're

not promised that

you'll be freed from

hard times.

Quite the opposite.

Christ has explained

to us, you will have

a hard time,

tribulations.

And in the midst of

these, the Christian

heart can be

troubled.

And this is why

Jesus addresses the

saints'

tribulance.

Hearts here.

And He gives

them a solemn

command in the

midst of their

struggles.

He gives them a

solemn command of

Christ toward these

struggling saints.

I mean, look back

at verse 1.

Do not let your

heart be troubled.

I mean, make no

mistake, beloved,

this is a command.

The command of

Christ is clear.

What is Christ

commanding us?

What is Christ

commanding the

disciples in this

hour of hardship?

Do not let your

heart be troubled.

And the word that is

used here for

trouble is the same

exact word that He

used in John

John 12:27

chapter 12,

verse 27 of the

Lord Himself.

Now my soul has

become troubled.

And sometimes the

English translation,

of course, doesn't do

justice to the actual

term that's being used

in the Greek.

The word here for

trouble is terresto.

It means agitated.

It means to be

stirred up.

The same word,

for instance,

that was used to

describe what the

angel did to the

water at the pool of

Bethesda.

And so if you turn

back to John 5,

we get a word

picture of it.

In John chapter 5,

John 5:7

verse 7, when Christ

is about to minister

grace to that lame

man by the pool,

it says,

The sick man

answered him,

Sir, I have no

man to put me into

the pool when the

water is stirred up.

And so the Lord

uses a picture there.

And this is so

helpful.

In other words,

the soul, the human

soul, according to

Christ, is pictured

as water that is

either calm and

peaceful and quiet,

no movement,

all is at rest,

or it's stirred up.

Emotions going back

and forth like waves

and tides and

splashing and

slothing everywhere.

It's one of the

two.

And he's saying

that this is the

case about the

disciples.

The one who knows

their hearts, as

John 2 tells us.

The one who knows

every trouble of

their soul.

He knows every

thought of their

mind.

And so their

hearts are stirred

up to the shocking

words about his

death and betrayal.

And so when you

think of this word

trouble, when you're

looking at this

word, think of the

raging waves of the

sea in the midst

of a particular

violent storm.

And then you have a

good idea of what

is meant by

troubled.

You have a good

idea of what's

going on in their

hearts.

And so there's

confusion, there's

bewilderment.

If nothing else, we

can learn from this

is that genuine

faith is often

punctuated then with

these troubles,

punctuated with the

times of distress.

Now when you begin

to look everywhere

else in the word of

God, it gives you a

little handle on what

this word also means.

In Acts chapter 12

Acts 12:18

verse 18, it says

this, the word of

God reads, now when

day came, there was

no small disturbance

among the soldiers as

to what could have

become of Peter.

And so they were

disturbed by the

present circumstances.

Acts 15 verse 24

Acts 15:24

uses the same word,

since we have heard

that some of our

number to whom we

gave no instruction

have disturbed you

with their words

unsettling your

souls.

And so it could be

false doctrine that

stirs up a believer.

And disturbs him,

shaking his

assurance everywhere.

Paul uses the same

thing in Galatia.

Those who are trying

to disturb you,

trying to distort the

gospel in Galatians

1.7, only there are

those, some who are

disturbing you and

want to distort the

gospel of Christ.

And so it was

unsettling for the

church.

It was unsettling for

Paul.

In John 11 verse

John 11:33

33, it's used of

wakes and funerals

like Christ comes

to Lazarus' tomb

and he was deeply

moved in spirit and

trouble.

Peter uses it in

1 Peter 3 verse 14

1 Peter 3:14

and do not fear

their intimidation,

do not be troubled.

And so everywhere

we see this.

And so here in

John 14 he uses it

twice.

And in verse 1

and verse 27 later

on, peace I leave

with you.

My peace I give to

you.

Not as the world

gives to you, do I

give to you.

Do not let your

heart be troubled.

Nor let it be

fearful.

So it's described

in the same way in

John 13 verse 21

John 13:21

concerning the

betrayal of a

close friend.

Where it says,

when Jesus had said

this, he became

troubled in spirit.

So we are in this

immediate context.

And yet Jesus is

commanding his

covenant children,

don't be troubled.

There's something

else to notice here

too.

It's in that, in the

tense of this word

troubled, the verb is

a continual tense.

So it carries this

meaning, let not your

heart continue to be

troubled.

And that's important

because Jesus is not

saying don't ever be

troubled.

Because the trouble you

are experiencing can be

genuine concern.

Right?

Paul was genuinely

concerned for the

churches.

2 Corinthians 11

2 Corinthians 11:28

verse 28, apart from

such external things,

there's a daily

pressure on me of

concern for all the

churches.

Galatians 4 verse 19,

Galatians 4:19

my children with whom

I am again in labor

until Christ is formed

in you.

So he's not saying you

need to quit being

troubled or that genuine

Christians don't have a

troubled heart.

He's not saying that.

He's saying don't allow

your heart to continue to

be troubled.

Because you might ask,

how does Jesus command me

not to be troubled?

But yet I know these

verses say he was

troubled.

And if it's not a sin for

Christ to be troubled,

or Paul to be concerned

about how it could possibly

be a sin for me and my

heart to be troubled.

You have trouble in this

world and there are

reasons, as we've noted,

to be troubled.

But Jesus is saying don't

continue to have a

troubled heart.

Don't dwell in your

troubles.

Since the imperative mood is

addressing the emotional

state, it's best to take this

command in this sense

concerning the disciples.

Be self-controlled.

It's not good for us to let

our feelings rule our minds

and our hearts.

To let our feelings of fear

and anxiety or trouble

wash us again and again

without addressing them.

It's not good for the

Christian to live in the

state of trouble.

I mean, sinless sorrow

flows from holy

affection, godly concerns

with godly trust, yet

sinful disorder flows

from unbelief or

neglect of gospel

promises.

And so the big

perspective in all of

this, and that is

precisely because Jesus

was troubled with all

the events of his

crucifixion, to endure

that it's now possible

for us not to be

troubled.

To look to him and

praise the Lord for that.

For his merit of trouble

is our righteousness, and

now we can have peace.

So Jesus is telling his

disciples to not be

troubled.

And the wonderful thing

about our Lord Jesus

Christ is that he knows

our frame.

Not by the observation

of omniscience only,

but by his common

humanity with us.

That he is bone of our

bone and flesh of our

flesh.

That by his common

humanity with us,

he knows our troubles.

He said it over and

over in the gospel to

prepare us for this

moment in verse 1,

my soul is troubled.

So he knows what heart

trouble is because he

has experienced sinless

heart trouble.

But our heart trouble is

at times sinful, isn't

it?

When our troubling

concerns turn into

continuous anxious worry,

it becomes sinful.

His wasn't, right?

1 Peter 2 verse 3

1 Peter 2:3

speaks of the trouble

of the Lord, and it

says, while being

reviled, he did not

what?

Revile in return.

While suffering, he

uttered no threats, but

kept entrusting himself

to him who judges

righteously.

And Peter says we will

share in this suffering.

1 Peter 4 verse 12,

1 Peter 4:12

Beloved, do not be

surprised at the fire

ordeal among you,

which comes upon you

for your testing, as

though some strange

thing were happening

to you, but to the

degree that you share

the suffering of Christ,

keep on rejoicing, so

that also at the

revelation of his

glory, you may rejoice

with exultation.

So he's not oblivious

to their need.

That's a great thing to

know, isn't it, beloved?

When you come to cast

yourself upon the Lord,

he's never saying, I

didn't realize things

were that bad.

Neither does Jesus

dismiss the trouble of

a fallen world.

He doesn't say things

here on earth will get

better either.

He doesn't give them

some sort of false hope

that everything on earth

is going to get better

for them.

No, trouble will increase

for the believer, as

Paul said in 2 Timothy

2 Timothy 3:1

3 verse 1.

But realize this, that in

the last days, difficult

times will come.

And then verse 13, but

evil men and imposters

will proceed from bad

to worse, deceiving and

being deceived.

So he doesn't minimize

their troubles.

He said right here what

we have.

So we have a prescribed

portion that he sets

before them.

What does he do?

What does our Lord do?

In the midst of their

trouble, do not let your

heart be troubled.

Well, our Lord sets their

gaze.

He redirects their gaze.

He strengthens the troubled

saints by fixing their eyes

upon the triune God.

Let not your heart be

troubled, but look at this.

Look at the strengthening

gaze toward that triune God

where all of our eyes

need to be.

Verse 1, believe in God

and believe also in

me.

And yes, there's a

realism about troubles.

But he directs their

gaze from the realism

of their woes to the

realism that is found

in the triune God.

And we ask ourselves,

why do we get stirred up

or troubled?

What is when we think our

resources are not able to

meet the need?

Whether that need be

spiritual, physical,

emotional, whatever the

need is.

And yet there's nothing in

the text about positive

thinking.

This is not some

philosophical self-help

that our Lord gives to

His troubled disciples.

This is not a moral

therapeutic gospel spoken

from many pulpits today.

Here's no worldly

encouragement, no

cardinal stratagem of

self-exhortation.

No, the peace of Christ

gives, that He gives

here is not fragile fruit

of self-persuasion,

but the purchased

possession of His blood

and righteousness.

I mean, the world

traffics in slogans

and sentiments,

but Christ bestows

Himself before you

this morning.

So nothing in this text

where you say to yourself,

well, I just hope

things will get better.

Or let me just think

for the best.

Or let me just envision

the best.

Or just fantasize

the best outcome.

Or as our world is

telling our children,

believe in yourself.

And this will somehow

build up your heart

and give you some

encouragement.

I mean, you and I

have been told

too much in our life

that we can help

ourselves if we will

just try hard enough.

That's nonsense.

This is no motivational

pep talk

that we hear blaring

from the mouth of Christ.

No, not at all.

No, to counter the trouble,

the Lord answers

by redirecting

our gaze upon

the triune God.

And He uses the word

pisto twice,

believe, believe.

And by believe,

the Scripture means

relational trust.

A trust that's founded

upon being in a

genuine relationship

with the Lord.

God.

This is what we

in the Reformation

tradition call

sola fidei.

Faith alone.

The rally

of the Reformation.

That faith is a gift

according to Ephesians 2.8.

That God gives

allowing us to respond

with our whole being,

our whole self

to God.

That when the believer

is faced

with constant sorrows,

we must be careful

to be in the word

of God

so frequently

that the great facts

about God

and the great facts

about the work

of redemption

and the great facts

about union in Christ,

they grip us.

And I believe them

and I rely upon them

and I'm comforted

by them.

So again,

we're not talking

about general optimism

here.

People just say,

I just believe

things have got

to get better.

No.

We turn our gaze

into penance

on knowing God.

The object of our trust

that we know Him.

And we must know

His character.

And that means

we must know

what He says

about Himself

in the one place

that He reveals

His character to us

and that's Scripture.

That all His attributes,

they are laid out there

beautifully for us,

so lovingly for us.

And as we know them,

we know Him.

Because Jesus says this

in His high priestly prayer

in John 17,

John 17:3

verse 3,

the Word of God

reads there,

this is eternal life

that they may know you,

know you,

the only true God

in Jesus Christ

whom you have sent.

You see,

the deeper you go,

the deeper you go

into the study

of the doctrine of God

and His ways

and the more you meditate

on His attributes

and His ways,

then the deeper

your trust can be.

And therefore,

the less troubled

your heart will be.

Something else

about this word believe,

it includes the idea

of being absolutely

persuaded about something.

In other words,

it means to trust,

it means to place

your total confidence.

It means to choose

completely

to trust everything

about your life

to entrust your well-being

to the Lord.

And so he's talking

about a belief here

but a certain kind

of belief.

Now this can be

a difficult phrase

to translate

at the end of verse 1,

not because the words

are difficult,

because they can be

translated as

indicative statements.

You believe God,

you also believe in me.

Or they can be

translated as

imperatives,

believe in God,

believe also in me.

Or they could be

indicative and imperative,

you believe in God,

then also believe

in me.

And it shouldn't be

read as an indicative

for Jesus is not

hoping to add belief

in Him to already

believing in God,

as if belief in God

and Jesus

could ever be separated.

Which as you know,

beloved,

and I hope you have

learned as you have

read in the Scripture,

that is a foreign thought.

It needs to be read

as an imperative.

Believe in God,

believe also in me.

So that the meaning

would be keep believing,

grow in your faith.

You've already

believed in God.

God has already

called you unto Himself,

drawn you to the Son.

So now keep believing,

keep trusting,

keep your eyes fixed

on Christ,

not on the things

of the earth.

So He gives them

really two root ways,

a remedy,

you could say,

for their troubled hearts.

And He says,

trust in the Father,

believe in God.

Now notice that Jesus

does not direct them

to look within themselves

to see if they're up

to the challenge.

Jesus does say,

well,

how much faith do you have

and how much faith

can you muster up?

No,

Jesus recognizes

none of those things

typical of modern

American religion

that is utterly

self-centered

and entirely subjective.

It is faith in the Lord

that is set before us.

He's saying,

continue to place

your confidence,

not into the troubles

around you,

not into the fluctuations

that are unsettling,

but place your confidence

this morning

and your trust

in God,

in His wisdom,

in His goodness,

in His power,

in His love,

in His unchanging grace.

So take for example,

Abraham in Romans 4,

Romans 4:19

verse 19.

We read this

about Abraham's faith,

which is what he's

telling them to do,

to have faith,

to believe in Him.

It says,

without becoming weak

in faith,

he contemplated

his own body,

now as good as dead,

since he was about

a hundred years old

and the deadness

of Sarah's womb.

And so he didn't

escape the reality,

did he?

Abraham didn't.

He knew it.

He saw it.

It says in that text

in Romans 4, 19

that he contemplated it.

He thought of it.

But he saw it

in relationship to what?

Verse 20,

yet with respect

to the promise of God.

Did you hear that?

Now respect

to the promise of God.

So let me turn

your attention

to the promise of God,

to the character of God.

He did not waver

in unbelief,

but grew in faith,

giving glory to God

and being fully assured

that what God

had promised,

He was able

to perform.

Look upon Him

who is worthy

of glory

and always good,

who Himself is love

and who is all-powerful.

Fix your gaze here

upon the covenant-keeping God.

Believe in God.

And this is the remedy

for the troubled disciples

in this moment.

Believe in God.

Christ says,

continue to believe in God.

You know Him.

Christ doesn't bring

anything new to them.

You know this God.

You, 11,

have already trusted in Him.

And so Christ is really saying,

consider your God.

Let not your hearts

be troubled.

Why?

Because you consider

your God

in the midst

of those adversities

and troubles.

Now proclaim the faith

that you know Him.

And so the cure

for the troubled heart

is something

that has not changed

throughout human history.

The cure is

genuine trust

in the Lord.

I mean,

let's think of the Old Testament

for a moment.

God's people,

they were frequently

told to trust

in the Lord.

They were expected

to trust

in God.

Let me just give you

a few examples

this morning.

Deuteronomy 20,

Deuteronomy 20:1

verse 1,

when you go out

to battle

against your enemies

and see horses

and chariots

and people more

numerous than you,

do not be afraid

of them,

for the Lord your God

who brought you up

from the land of Egypt

is with you.

Jeremiah 17,

Jeremiah 17:7

verse 7,

blessed is a man

who trusts

in the Lord,

who trusts

in the Lord,

doubly repeated.

It's the same thing

that the Psalms

train us in.

Psalms 28,

Psalms 28:7

verse 7,

the Lord is my strength

and my shield,

my heart,

trust in Him

and I am helped.

Psalms 27,

Psalms 27:1

verse 1,

the Lord is my light

and my salvation,

whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the defense

of my life,

whom shall I dread?

Psalms 42,

Psalms 42:11

verse 11,

it says there

the Word of God reads,

why are you in despair?

O my soul,

and why have you

become disturbed

within me?

Hope in God,

for I shall yet

praise Him,

the help of my

countenance

and my God.

And so the gaze

of the Christian

is to be fixated

upon the object

of faith

that is found

in God Himself.

And so,

beloved saints,

these are the words

not only to the leaven,

but to every single believer.

an exhortation

which we constantly need

to be reminded,

believe in God.

Believe in God,

O Christian,

for your Father

is possessed

with infinite power

and wisdom

and goodness

that He knows

what is best for you.

This is why

in Luke chapter 12,

Luke 12:32

verse 32,

Jesus says,

do not be afraid,

little flock,