Quieting The Troubled Heart
by Rev. Kirby Williams
Jesus' timeless formula for facing and conquering doubts, fears and trials.
Text: John 14:1
Date: 03/17/2019, the Contemporary service.
Series: "John: Encountering Love" Part 127
Description:
As a result of the extraordinary events of the previous chapter, our text finds us in a room full of very troubled disciples. Always the Good Shepherd, Jesus ministers to them with one of Scripture's most beautiful and encouraging passages-- putting the coming trials into a Kingdom perspective. He does this by giving them (and us!) a simple yet profound formula for dispelling their doubts and fears: true belief in both God and Himself. We will analyze the nature of true belief and the glorious way that faith in both God and Christ relate to each other, build upon each other, strengthen each other-- and ultimately quieten the troubled heart.
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I. Introduction
II. Exposition of the text, John 14:1.
A. Context
B. How to quieten the troubled heart.
1. The calming appeal.
a. Looking at the language.
i. Focus on the heart.
• Identifying the "heart".
• Analyzing the heart.
ii. Defining "trouble", John 5:7, 12:27, 13:21.
iii. A pre-existing condition.
b. The disciples' "trouble".
i. Trouble in the countenance of Jesus, John 13:21.
ii. Trouble in the words of Jesus.
• The news of a betrayer.
• The vague news of Jesus' departure.
• News of Peter's denial.
• Concerns of Jesus' Messiahship.
2. The formula for a quietened heart.
a. Looking at the grammar.
i. Command or statement of fact?
ii. A quick look at the word order.
b. The importance of belief.
i. Intellectual belief.
• The knowledge of God.
• The knowledge of Christ.
ii. Trust
• Analyzing "trust".
• The significance of trust.
iii. Conviction/motivation.
3. Discerning the meaning.
a. The same yet distinct.
i. One and the same Being, John 13:31-32, Psa. 139:6.
ii. Two distinct persons.
b. Jesus as our window to the Father.
i. Reflecting the true God, Gen. 3:4-5, John 14:9.
ii. The perfect symphony, Heb. 1:1-2.
c. The Father as our path to Jesus.
i. The wall in the dark room.
ii. God is my anchor.
III. Application
A. How can Jesus make this request?
B. An answer built on trust.
IV. Conclusion
