Are you feeling troubled today? John 14 opens with those familiar words of Jesus, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in Me” (v 1). So why are the disciples troubled? Because Jesus has just said He’s going to be leaving them soon (13:33). Plus, He said that Judas would betray Him and Peter would deny Him. To the disciples, it must have seemed like the entire mission was unraveling! They had given up so much to follow Christ, and three years later, they’re having second thoughts. How could the Messiah die? Were their lives also in jeopardy? What will they do when Jesus is gone? It’s worthy of note that on the eve of His crucifixion, Jesus’ soul was also “troubled” (12:27; 13:21). But He’s still comforting the hearts of others. He cares about their cares, as He cares about whatever is concerning you today. The first thing He wants you to know is that He has prepared a place for you in the Father’s house. When Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you,” He didn’t mean that heaven’s rooms were in need of maid service or some kind of remodeling project. He meant that He was going to the cross in order to prepare “the way” to our heavenly home. The rooms were ready, but the doors were not yet open. Heaven is a holy place, and sin must be atoned for before we could ever be granted access. Soon Jesus would complete the necessary work, removing every obstacle between us and God. There is no other way: no one comes to the Father except through faith in His Son (v 2-6). In fact, Jesus and the Father are so profoundly one that His presence is the presence of God the Father. Despite the clarity of His words, the disciples have a hard accepting this. They’re so steeped in their monotheistic Jewish heritage that they have no categories in their minds for sorting this out. They rightly believe in one God, whom no one can see. What they don’t yet grasp is that Jesus is “the only God” who was “at the Father’s side” from the beginning (1:18). Their unity is so complete that everything Jesus does is what the Father gives Him to do, and He does everything the Father does (v 7-11). Jesus’ works attest to this truth (v 11), but the disciples will do “greater works than these.” Obviously it’s not that all of us will do miracles that even surpass those of Christ. Rather, because He is returning to the Father, our works will be greater in that they bear witness to His completed work of redemption. God’s Son has now been offered up for us all. As we spread this Good News, He invites us to ask Him for whatever we need to get that job done, and He promises that He will give it to us—all to the glory of God (v 12-14). For further meditation: