Has your heart ever been troubled?
To illustrate how unexpected troubles can sneak in, I shared a humorous story about a woman who ate too many beans at lunch. When her husband blindfolded her for a surprise dinner, she “relieved herself” while he was out of the room—only to discover twelve dinner guests shouting “Happy Birthday!” when the blindfold came off. The point? Sometimes, you have to let it go.
But Jesus offers us a deeper way to let go of a troubled heart: take the blindfold off and look at Him.
In John 14, Jesus comforts His disciples, who were anxious after He told them He was leaving. To Peter, Thomas, and then Philip, Jesus gives this truth: “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me… I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Philip asks to see the Father, but Jesus responds, “If you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father.” This is more than a statement—it’s a declaration of His deity. He is not merely a prophet or a teacher. He is God in the flesh. As John Piper explains, the incarnation is no circus stunt—it is God becoming man “for us and for our salvation.”
Jesus says the Father is in Him, and He is in the Father. This unity is perfect and eternal—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three persons in one essence. Like a unified sports team, a company, or a family, God’s oneness should inspire us to pursue unity with one another, especially in times of transition. Division is the opposite of God’s nature.
We overcome a troubled heart by focusing on:
1. The Person of Christ – Knowing Jesus is God strengthens our trust in His promises. If He is God, then His words are true, His presence is real, and His power is unmatched.
2. The Purpose of Christ – Jesus didn’t just die and rise for our salvation; He also prepared His followers to continue His work. In verse 12, He says, “Whoever believes in me will do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do.” Greater works don’t mean better in quality, but broader in scope. Jesus was limited by time and place in His earthly ministry, but now, through the Spirit, the gospel is spreading worldwide. We have technology, resources, and countless believers empowered to carry the mission forward.
For our church, greater means allowing God to work on you, in you and through. It means believing that God wants to work in and through us to bring gospel transformation to our community.
3. The Invitation of Christ – Jesus closes this section with an invitation to pray in His name, promising that He will answer for the Father’s glory. Prayer isn’t a last resort—it’s our first line of action to steady a troubled heart.
So, how do we overcome troubled hearts? By looking to the Person of Christ, trusting the Purpose of Christ, and accepting the Invitation of Christ. When we believe in who He is, what He’s called us to do, and the power of prayer, our hearts find peace—and we are equipped to help others find it too.
John 14:8-14
But Jesus offers us a deeper way to let go of a troubled heart: take the blindfold off and look at Him.
In John 14, Jesus comforts His disciples, who were anxious after He told them He was leaving. To Peter, Thomas, and then Philip, Jesus gives this truth: “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me… I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Philip asks to see the Father, but Jesus responds, “If you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father.” This is more than a statement—it’s a declaration of His deity. He is not merely a prophet or a teacher. He is God in the flesh. As John Piper explains, the incarnation is no circus stunt—it is God becoming man “for us and for our salvation.”
Jesus says the Father is in Him, and He is in the Father. This unity is perfect and eternal—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three persons in one essence. Like a unified sports team, a company, or a family, God’s oneness should inspire us to pursue unity with one another, especially in times of transition. Division is the opposite of God’s nature.
We overcome a troubled heart by focusing on:
1. The Person of Christ – Knowing Jesus is God strengthens our trust in His promises. If He is God, then His words are true, His presence is real, and His power is unmatched.
2. The Purpose of Christ – Jesus didn’t just die and rise for our salvation; He also prepared His followers to continue His work. In verse 12, He says, “Whoever believes in me will do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do.” Greater works don’t mean better in quality, but broader in scope. Jesus was limited by time and place in His earthly ministry, but now, through the Spirit, the gospel is spreading worldwide. We have technology, resources, and countless believers empowered to carry the mission forward.
For our church, greater means allowing God to work on you, in you and through. It means believing that God wants to work in and through us to bring gospel transformation to our community.
3. The Invitation of Christ – Jesus closes this section with an invitation to pray in His name, promising that He will answer for the Father’s glory. Prayer isn’t a last resort—it’s our first line of action to steady a troubled heart.
So, how do we overcome troubled hearts? By looking to the Person of Christ, trusting the Purpose of Christ, and accepting the Invitation of Christ. When we believe in who He is, what He’s called us to do, and the power of prayer, our hearts find peace—and we are equipped to help others find it too.
John 14:8-14
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