Are you waiting for your heavenly home?

Two well-known old gospel songs contain the lines: “An uninhabited dwelling awaits me” and “My estate lies just beyond the mountain.” These lyrics are based on the words of Jesus: “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go and prepare a place for you?” (Joh 14,2)These verses are also often quoted at funerals, as they are associated with the promise that Jesus will prepare a reward for God's people in heaven, a reward that awaits them after death. But is that what Jesus meant? It would be wrong if we tried to apply every word of our Lord directly to our lives without considering what he intended to convey to his original audience.

On the night before his death, Jesus sat with his disciples in the so-called Upper Room. The disciples were shocked at what they saw and heard. Jesus washed their feet, announced that there was a traitor among them, and declared that Peter would betray him not just once but three times. Can you imagine what they answered? “This cannot be the Messiah. He speaks of suffering, betrayal and death. And yet we thought he was the forerunner of a new kingdom and that we would rule with him!” Confusion, despair, fear – emotions we are all too familiar with. disappointed expectations. And Jesus countered all of this: “Don’t worry! Trust me!” He wanted to spiritually uplift his disciples in the face of the impending horror scenario and continued: “In my Father's house there are many mansions”.

But what did these words mean to the disciples? The term “my Father’s house”—as used in the Gospels—refers to the Temple in Jerusalem (Lk 2,49, Joh 2,16). The temple had replaced the tabernacle, the portable tent used by the Israelites to worship God. Inside the tabernacle (from the Latin tabernaculum = tent, hut) there was a room separated by a thick curtain that was called the holy of holies. This was the home of God (“tabernacle” in Hebrew means “mishkan” = “dwelling place” or “abode”) in the midst of his people. Once a year it was reserved for the high priest alone to enter this room to become aware of the presence of God.

Furthermore, the word "dwelling" or "dwelling" means the place where one lives, and "in ancient Greek (the language of the New Testament) it did not commonly mean a fixed abode, but a stopover on a journey , which takes you to a different place in the long term". [1] This would then mean something other than being with God in heaven after death; for heaven is often regarded as man's last and final abode.

Jesus then spoke of preparing a place for his disciples to live. Where would he go? His path would not lead him directly to heaven to establish dwelling places there, but from the Upper Room to the cross. Through his death and resurrection, he would prepare a place for his followers in his Father's house. (Joh 14,2)It was as if he wanted to say: “Everything is under control. What will happen may seem terrible, but it is all part of the plan of salvation.” Then he promised that he would return. In this context, he does not seem to be alluding to the Parousia (second coming) (although we naturally look forward to Christ's glorious appearance on the Last Day), but we know that Jesus' path was to lead him to the cross and that he would return three days later as the one who had risen from the dead. He returned once more in the form of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.

"...I will come again and take you to myself, so that you may be where I am." (Joh 14,3)“ said Jesus. Let us pause for a moment on the words “to me” used here. They are to be understood in the same sense as the words in John 1:1, which tell us that the Son (the Word) was with God. This comes from the Greek “pros,” which can mean both “to” and “with.” By choosing these words to describe the relationship between the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit points to their intimate relationship. In one Bible translation, the verses are rendered as follows: “In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God, and in all things was equal to God…” [2]

Unfortunately, all too many people imagine God as somewhere in heaven as a single being watching us from afar. The seemingly insignificant words "to me" and "at" reflect an entirely different facet of the divine being. It is about participation and intimacy. It's a face-to-face relationship. It's deep and intimate. But what does that have to do with you and me today? Before I answer that question, let me briefly review the temple.

When Jesus died, the curtain in the temple was torn in two. This tear symbolizes a new access to God's presence that was thus opened. The temple was no longer his dwelling place. A completely new relationship with God was now open to every single person. In the Good News Bible translation, we read in verse 2: "In my Father's house are many rooms." In the Holy of Holies, there had only been room for one person, but now a radical change had taken place. God had indeed created space for all people in his house! This had become possible because the Son had become flesh and redeemed us from death and from the destructive power of sin, returned to the Father, and drawn all humanity to himself into the presence of God. (Joh 12,32)That same evening Jesus said: “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” (Joh 14,23)As in verse 2, the text again mentions "dwellings". Do you understand what this means?

What ideas do you associate with a good home? Maybe: peace, tranquility, joy, protection, instruction, forgiveness, provision, unconditional love, acceptance and hope, to name just a few. However, not only did Jesus come to earth to take the atoning death for us, but also to share in all of the good home related ideas and to experience the life he and his father had with the Father Holy Spirit leads.

That incredible, unique, and intimate relationship that Jesus himself had only with his Father is now also open to us: "that you may be where I am," it says in verse 3. And where is Jesus? "in closest fellowship with the Father" (Joh 1,18(Good News Bible) or, as some translations put it, “in the Father’s bosom.” One scholar expresses it this way: “To rest in someone’s bosom means to lie in their arms, to be cherished by them as the object of their most intimate attention and utmost affection, or, as it is so beautifully said, to be their bosom friend.” [3] That is where Jesus is. And where are we present? We share in the kingdom of heaven of Jesus. (Eph 2,6)!

Are you in a difficult, discouraging, depressing situation right now? Rest assured: Jesus' words of comfort are addressed to you. Just as he once wanted to strengthen, encourage and strengthen his disciples, so he does the same to you with the same words: "Don't worry! Trust me!” Don't let your worries weigh you down, but rely on Jesus and ponder what He says—and what He leaves unsaid! He just doesn't say they have to be brave and everything will turn out right. He doesn't guarantee you four steps to happiness and prosperity. He does not promise that He will give you a home in heaven that you cannot occupy until after you are dead—making it worth all your suffering. Rather, he makes it clear that he died on the cross in order to take upon himself all our sins, nailing them with himself on the cross so that everything that can separate us from God and life in his house may be blotted out.

But that's not all. You are drawn into the triune life of God in love so that you may partake of the intimate communion with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit - the life of God - face to face. He wants you to be a part of him and everything he stands for right now. He says: "I created you so that you could live in my house."

Prayer

Father of all, we bring you, who, when we were still separated from you, came to meet us in your Son and bring us home, our thanks and our praise! In dying and in life he proclaimed your love for us, gave us grace and opened the door to glory. May we who share in Christ's body also lead His risen life; we who drink from his cup fulfill the lives of others; we, who are enlightened by the Holy Spirit, are a light to the world. Save us in the hope that you have promised us, so that we and all our children may be free and the whole earth praises your name - through Christ our Lord. Amen [4]

by Gordon Green

Are you waiting for your heavenly home?

Notes:

[1] NT Wright, Surprised By Hope, p. 150.

[2] Rick Renner, Dressed to Kill (Ger. Title: Armored to fight), p. 445; quoted here from the Good News Bible.

[3] Edward Robinson, A Greek and English Lexicon of the NT (German: Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament), p. 452.

[4] Prayer after Holy Communion according to the Eucharistic Liturgy of the Scottish Episcopal Church, quoted from Michael Jinkins, Invitation to Theology, p. 137.