Do Not Let Your Heart Be Troubled

I'm going to let you in on a little secret. A pastor's life can be full of troubles. When members don't come to worship; when seats are empty in Bible study; and especially when people leave the church; the pastor takes it personally. When the church doesn't grow -- and especially when the church shrinks in size -- the pastor carries those weights on his shoulders.

He knows it's the power of God's Word that causes a church to grow. He knows that God's Word is a stumbling block that will offend people and drive them away (1 Peter 2:8). He also believes in the power of the divine call, so he believes God has put him in the right place at the right time --whether that's to find the lost or nurture the found or even close the church when necessary.

When I was a very young and raw pastor -- within the first six months of my ministry -- the president of the church and his wife became offended and left the church. They were founding members of the mission church, and I'm guessing they were big financial supporters of this six-month-old church. I took the loss hard. I believed this meant trouble.

When I related the story to an older, wiser, more experienced pastor, he told me, "Michael, did Jesus rise from the dead?" I was confused. I replied, "Of course, Tom." He said, "Well, if Jesus is alive, there's nothing to worry about." It turns out, he was correct. With that family leaving, other members picked up the slack, more people became involved in the ministry, and they filled the gap with their giving. Plus, they supported their new pastor.

Those are some of the troubles of pastors. You live in the "real world". You have all kinds of unique troubles, too. Difficulties in your marriage, with your family, or with your friends. Problems in the classroom, on the athletic field, or in the workplace. Complications with the pharmacy on your kitchen counter, with eating healthy, and exercising regularly. We all have our own troubles.

Jesus knows that his disciples of all ages, place, and times will be burdened and bothered. Both pastors in the pulpits and people in the pews will have their unique troubles. That's why Jesus begins our Gospel lesson saying, "Do not let your heart be troubled" (John 14:1).

The setting of our sermon text is Thursday evening of Holy Week. Jesus has entered Jerusalem with a Palm Sunday procession. On Monday, Jesus chased the money changers and sacrificial animals out of the temple courtyard. Then Monday and Tuesday, Jesus taught in the recently vacated temple courtyard. It seems that Jesus took Wednesday off.

On Thursday evening, Jesus is in the Upper Room with his disciples. He washes their feet. The Passover Meal is just about ready to be eaten. But before they sit down to eat, Jesus teaches his disciples covering five chapters in John's Gospel. Part of that teaching are these words: "Do not let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that you may also be where I am. You know where I am going, and you know the way" (John 14:1-4).

One reason you don't need to be troubled is you know where you're going. We allow ourselves to get so worked up when gas prices increase, our vehicle breaks down, or we receive a poor prognosis from our physician. We get worked up because we have become so earthly-minded. We forget that everything here is temporary and that we are transitory.

We are filled with anxiety because we need to make expensive repairs to our house ... forgetting that Jesus has prepared a mansion for us in heaven. We are filled with worry because the bills for our surgery and car repair came in the mail on the same day ... forgetting that Jesus has paid the biggest bill of all with his death on the cross. We are filled with apprehension because our family seems to be filled with more anger and arguments than love and peace ... forgetting that Jesus has united us into the family of believers. St. Peter pictures this family of believers like a house made from unique field stones built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ as the Chief Cornerstone (1 Peter 2:4-5).

Things in this life come and go, change, and decay. But our God is our one constant in our lives. What comfort to know that beyond this ever-changing world we have a place prepared for us by the Son of God in his heavenly home. No matter what we face in life, we know there is a place in heaven for us -- a home that has our name on the mailbox.

Jesus doesn't promise to remove our troubles. Instead, he promises to remove us from our troubles eventually and eternally by taking us to the home he has prepared for us through his suffering, death, and resurrection.

Hearing this, Thomas is clueless. He's been following Jesus for the past three years, but he still doesn't get it. He asks, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way" (John 14:5)?

By God's grace, many of us have been following Jesus for longer than three years. Yet, we still don't get it. We're just as clueless as Thomas!

Jesus replies to his clueless, troubled disciples of all times by teaching, "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father, except through me" (John 14:6).

Jesus calms our troubled hearts with the knowledge that he is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

During the building of the Golden Gate Bridge over San Francisco Bay, construction fell badly behind schedule because several workers had accidentally fallen from the scaffolding to their deaths. Engineers and administrators could find no solution to the costly delays. Finally, someone suggested a gigantic net be hung under the bridge to catch any who fell. Despite the enormous cost, the engineers eventually opted for the net. After it was installed, progress was hardly interrupted. A worker or two fell into the net ... but all were saved. Faith in the net replaced their fear of falling to their deaths.

When it comes to faith, it doesn't matter how strong your faith is. What matters is the object of your faith. It's whether that person or thing you put your faith in is worthy of that faith. It's whether it has the ability to hold on to you when you're about to fall. On that Golden Gate Bridge, many very talented people did their very best to not fall ... but fall they did. When they knew they would be protected when they fell, it changed the way they worked. They now worked by faith, not fear.

There is no object of faith that can match Jesus Christ. Jesus is the way, the door, the only entrance into heaven. He is the absolute truth about salvation. He is the world's one and only Savior. Jesus is life itself, and he gives life to everyone who believes in him. Only through Christ our Savior do we ever come to the Father.

Jesus teaches, "If you know me, you would also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him." Philip replies, "Lord, show us the Father, and that is enough for us." Jesus answers, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? The one who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I am telling you I am not speaking on my own, but the Father who remains in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me. Or else believe because of the works themselves" (John 14:7-11).

One more reason Jesus gives for not being troubled is that through Jesus, we get to know the Father.

This morning, we witnessed the baptisms of Austin and Magdalene. By God's grace, they were given the gift of a strengthening of their faith the application of water and the Word. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are united in the mystery of the Holy Trinity. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit performed a mystery today as they marked this family as being part of the family of God through the waters of Baptism. The sanctifying Holy Spirit works through these baptismal waters so this family can be in the protective care of Father through the saving work of the Son.

So, when you're feeling troubled, recall your Baptism. When you're feeling lonely and alone, the Father says, "You are my own. I have chosen you to be in my family. Even if it seems like no one else loves you, I do."

When your sins trouble you and the guilt threatens to overwhelm you, Jesus says, "I am God. Yet, I became human. I suffered punishment I did not deserve so you could receive forgiveness you do not deserve. I paid for your sins on the cross. I removed your guilt in the grave. All that was given to you as a gift in your Baptism."

When the Devil and his demons tempt and torment you, the Holy Spirit shouts at the Devil and his demonic horde, "Leave him alone! Stop bothering her! You no longer have any power over them! They are baptized into Christ!"

Now you know the secret. Even though pastors are in the Word and leading God's people in the church, they can be just as clueless and troubled as Jesus' first disciples. Even though you've been following Jesus for a long time and you know better, still you can be just as forgetful as Thomas and Philip. So, you let troubles overwhelm you.

Jesus teaches, "Do not let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me." Jesus came to calm our troubled hearts. He took away the troubles of experienced fishermen by quieting a raging storm. He took away wedding troubles by changing water into wine. He took away hunger troubles by feeding thousands on a few loaves and fish. In fact, he took away every trouble that sin and death caused by overcoming them on the cross. He suffered the judgment we earned for our sins. And he silenced death by rising from the grave.

Do not let your heart be troubled by guilt. Believe in God who forgives you for Jesus' sake. Do not let your heart be troubled by death. Believe in God who gives eternal life to all who believe in his Son. Do not let your heart be troubled by anything else. Believe in God who gives us the victory through our Lord, Jesus Christ.

I'm going to let you in on another not-so-secret-secret. Jesus rose from the dead. And if Jesus is alive, there's nothing to worry about. This is how Jesus untroubles your troubled heart. Amen.