“When Shall These Things Be?” St. John 14: 1-3.     Part  19.                

“I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14: 2b,3.

The thoughts conveyed in this scripture text have been the subject of countless sermons, the theme of books galore, transcribed on to tapes and propagated in weekend meetings in hotel rooms, at camp meetings and large conventions at different intervals. In the previous chapter, we have looked into the biblical account of what Jesus did after the act of redemption was completed, after he rose triumphant over death and the grave, and ascended high above all heavens that in all things he might have preeminence. We are told explicitly that after he completed the act of redemption by himself, he sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high. We are told he is the new High Priest who is sitting on the right hand of God until all his enemies are made his footstool. But nowhere are we told that he even mentioned the subject of “mansions.” We are not told that he gathered a number of angels and commissioned them to begin building the mansions that he promised his disciples he would build. So what is he doing while seated on the right hand of God, if he is not building our mansions?

“Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.” Hebrews 7: 25, 26. “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in the time of need.” Hebrews 4: 14-16. The seat and ministry that Jesus now occupies is laid out in scripture quite clearly, and no part of it has anything to do with building mansions. He is our true mediator and high priest. He lives to make intercession for us and indeed for the whole world.

Going away to prepare a place for us is based on the premise that if Jesus went not away, the Comforter could not come, as we explained in the previous chapter. But there is yet a more compelling truth behind all of this as we shall see in the following scriptures.”And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. (The Greek word for kingdom in this verse is bas’il’I’ah and it means royalty, rule, realm, a foundation of power.) And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy until I come.” Luke 19: 11-13. In this parable, it is obvious that Jesus is speaking of himself, highlighting the events that would shortly transpire in his own life, and most importantly, how it would affect his disciples.

Since God will not leave himself without a witness, he tapped Daniel to be on the scene when this noble man receives the kingdom in a heavenly vision that so many mistakenly ascribe to an earthly scene. “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heavens, and came to the Ancient of days, and they (the clouds) brought him near before him. Because the text said he came with the clouds of heaven, we have been told by the church and her many dedicated preachers and teachers that this refers to the second coming of Christ when he shall come with the clouds. However, it can be interpreted to mean the cloud that received Jesus at his ascension. “And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go up into heaven.” Acts 1:9-11. It can safely be concluded that the clouds that received Jesus was a band of angels and being dressed in white apparel at such high altitude, seemed to be clouds. It was from this group of escorting angels that two broke away and stood by the gazing disciples. It was this same group of escorting angels that brought the Son of man before the Ancient of days, and for what purpose was the presentation made while Daniel in his vision looked on as an eye witness? “And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” Daniel 7:13, 14. We can remember in Acts chapter 1, the disciples were contemplating the future of the kingdom as to when Jesus would restore it to Israel. About 10 days later, Peter, being filled with the Holy Ghost spoke with fervor and eloquence about the kingdom of which they were so uncertain a few days earlier. This is one of my favorite passage of scripture, so let me share it with you. “Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne. He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ (not the second coming of Christ) that his soul was not left in hell, neither did his flesh see corruption. For David is not ascended into the heavens (but Jesus has) but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made this same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Acts 2: 29-36.

Notice carefully and deliberately that Jesus Christ was to sit on David’s throne. In Luke 1 the angel Gabriel clearly stated that the Lord God would give unto this baby yet to be born, the throne of his father David and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. In the passage just quoted, Peter is saying that David did not make it into heaven to sit on his own throne, but Jesus had, and from that elevated position at the right hand of God, he shall rule till his enemies are made his footstool. Thus, we can see more clearly why the nobleman had to leave on his journey into a far country to receive the kingdom. Now look at something rather intriguing that can easily be missed if we embark upon what is called “speed reading.”

“And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. The nobleman returned having received the kingdom! But notice that he did not bring the kingdom with him, because kingdom in its broadest sense is not material that can be tied in bundles, packed in crates, and shipped to far off places. The kingdom was right here, all the time, but the nobleman had to go away to secure as it were, the title or deed to the kingdom and that was what he was given by the Ancient of days as witnessed by the prophet Daniel. Another point of great importance for us to remember is that after receiving the deed to the kingdom, he took his seat on David’s throne which was not an earthly throne. David’s earthly throne was only a type of the heavenly throne upon which Jesus now sits in the place of the Hebrew King David. The calling to him of all the servants who had received the money is yet a future event that obligates us to “occupy until he comes.” When we bring into harmony all of these scriptures with the fact that in John 14 Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you” we can understand that much more was involved, for the kingdoms of this world must become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ. Revelation 11: 15.

Notice that when Christ was given power and authority by the Ancient of days, it was decreed that all people, nations, and languages should serve him. His agenda and mandate extended far beyond the desire of people who are anxious to ride the clouds to take possession of their mansions. The mandate of the Christ impacts the whole created universe that is spelled out in bold terms by the prophet Daniel: “And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.” Daniel 7: 27. My Friend, let me be honest with you! With so much at stake and with so much written into God’s blue print for his entire creation, I have no time to worry about mansions in heaven. I usually say in many of my sermons that going to heaven is God’s prerogative, and occupying till he comes is our responsibility. As I occupy, I do not try to bargain with God over my reward because Jesus, in one of his parables said that the good man who put people to work agreed with some to pay them a penny, but to others he said, “work and whatever is right I will give it to you.” That saying has a lasting effect on me, because no matter how small I am being compensated for my labor in his vineyard, I keep hearing in my spirit, “Whatever is right, I will give it to you.” It is like collecting your pay from an honest employer and does not even have to count it—it is all there!

I have no concern about a little cabin in the corner of glory land. It is not merely about my reward! It is about God’s ultimate intention for his created universe over which we have been made stewards. It should be observed that in this study, we are analyzing line by line, and subject matter by subject matter. With that in mind, let us examine the words of Christ; “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14: 3. This verse has been used in sermons, in seminars, at tent meetings, on tapes, and in the printed page to underscore the theory of the imminent return of Christ in what is called the Rapture, because as he stated, the saints will be received by him, unto himself, for us to share his glory in heaven. As it pertains to the hasty return of Christ we need to step back in time and follow closely the steps of the immediate apostles of Christ. Paul’s account goes like this! “And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.” 1 Corinthians 11: 24-26.

From this vantage point, let us join the multitudes that have just joined the newly born apostolic church on the day of Pentecost. For many years, multitudes of ministers including myself have preached how grace abounded among the new converts and how they flowed together in harmony, for we read: And all that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart. Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” Acts 2: 44-47. The general consensus among members of the clergy, altar workers, exhorters, and Sunday school teachers is that all of the above was enacted based upon new found grace and a spirit of devotion and unity. But by closely examining the contents and combining them with other scriptures, we find an intriguing concept that pervaded the minds of these early Christians. First of all, God intended for the apostolic church to be a separate entity from temple life and all of its symbolisms from the Mosaic Order. These early believers continued daily in the temple—embracing that which was being moved out of the way, and going from house to house breaking bread. This was good for fellowship, but it also mirrored what the mindset of these believers was. “As often as you do this, you do show forth his death until he comes” and they believed that the return of Christ was imminent. So it was not hard for them to sell all their possessions and distribute among the needy, after all, “why hoard all our goods, when Christ will soon appear the second time?”

Paul came on the scene after a spectacular conversion on the Damascus road, and he fell in with the ongoing mindset of Christ’s soon return. He wrote: “Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife. But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not.”Why? Because time is short! 1 Corinthians 7: 27-30. Paul writing in the book of Hebrews said: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Hebrews 10:25. In other words, don’t neglect to be in church, because the very day you missed being there, could be the very day Christ returns for the day of his return is approaching. Peter made his contribution to this belief by saying: “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.” 1 Peter 4: 7. Another of the “big-4” (Peter, James, John, Paul) offered his views: “Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.” James 5:8,9. John offered some personal thoughts based upon firmly fixed convictions as they pertained to the coming of the Lord. “Little children, it is the last time: (This is it! We are living in the last days!) and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.” 1 John 2: 18. It is evident that the statement of Christ that if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, remained current and fresh in the hearts of this dear followers. We can see without doubt that the belief in the imminent return of Christ was born and remains alive ever since the birth of the apostolic church on the day of Pentecost. The words of Jesus; “I will come again and receive you unto myself have been thrown into the almost universal concept of the Rapture of the Church, the Man of Sin, and the Great Tribulation. In so doing we have failed to zero in on a coming of no less importance, but one that goes almost entirely unnoticed in our pulpits and bible classes. We should not forget the fact that in the same chapter, Jesus promised to come again a total of four times. Let us view them in their individual setting. John 14: 3; I will come again and receive you unto myself. (1) But ye know him (the Spirit of truth) for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. (2) I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. (3) Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. (4) Whether we care to count 2, 3, or 4, the fact remains that Jesus spoke of his coming again that simply got lost among the big topics being preached from our pulpits. We hear and read much about the “second coming” but my personal understanding is that the second coming got somewhat misplaced. All of the comings referred to above are found in St. John 14, and they all pointed to the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. As we pointed out in a previous writing, Jesus spoke of himself as the Spirit of truth dwelling with the disciples and promised that he would be IN them. He emphasized the fact that the world cannot receive this Spirit of truth, because the world seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him: for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you. We repeat this truth so that if we wish to move forward slowly, we have what to work with. It is clear that Jesus alluded to himself in the present tense as the Spirit of truth, dwelling with the disciples, so they should know him; and in the future he shall be in them, as the Holy Ghost in filling at least 120 disciples in the upper room on the day of Pentecost.

Did not Jesus promise that he would come again? Did he not keep his promise on the glorious day? Was that not a second coming? However, we are told of a second appearing of Jesus, even though some would interpret “appearing” to be the same as “coming.” Paul wrote to the Hebrews saying: “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the “second time” without sin unto salvation.” Hebrews 9: 28. I personally like the translation offered by the Phillips Modern Translation. “It is certain that Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many and after that, to those who look for him, he will appear a second time, not this time to deal with sin, but to bring to full salvation those who eagerly await him.” For more on this, go to my website, www.godfire.net/kennedy and click on “the earnest of our inheritance.” Some are afraid to even think this way, in fear of rendering as obsolete the grand second coming that is celebrated the world over, and even a song encourages us to keep our eyes on the eastern sky. Yes, Jesus promised he’d come again as another Comforter and he did; that makes it a coming of Christ, and since that was the first coming after his ascension, to me that is his second coming, and he has been coming, and coming, and coming over and over again, every time the Holy Spirit is given to another believer. He came, and continues to come, and will continue to do so until the dispensation of the fullness of times, when God shall gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him. Ephesians 1: 10. It is so easy to get wrapped up into the introduction or the “overview” that we tend to miss the real lesson in all of its grandeur that reveals God’s resplendent beauty as he smiles upon the works of his hands. So many of God’s dear people remain transfixed as they gaze upon the eastern sky that they miss the many comings of the Christ among his people, and in his people!

Listen to Jesus in his parable of the certain noble man who went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and was now returned to see what profit each servant acquired by trading. “Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. Notice that the nobleman did not say to the servant take a seat on my right hand and get ready for your flight back to heaven. And he said unto him, Well, thou good and faithful servant: because thou hast been faithful in very little, have thou authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.” Luke 19: 16-19. Here is my personal observation! Whether we believe in, and embrace the literal interpretation of scripture or the spiritual interpretation, the message being conveyed in this parable is that the faithful servant is granted the rule over cities here on earth, and not up in heaven. I want to say this kindly and I want to tread on this spot of ground very softly, but I noticed that the nobleman commended the first servant and I am sure it was extended to the second as well, as being faithful in a VERY LITTLE. It seems to me that the nobleman was impressed that the servant was faithful in a very little, and was worthy of being given authority over ten cities. I am wondering if I own several luxury automobiles, my own jet so I can fly across states just to have dinner, and rake in thousands of dollars each Sunday, if the nobleman would compliment me for being faithful in a very little. This is just my own personal reflections and not an indictment against any ministry or the Church. Sometime after Jim of the “Jim and Tammy –PTL fame” came out of prison, I saw him in an interview of television. He said that during his years in prison, he spent a long time reading the life of Jesus again, and he compared what he found with the “Prosperity Gospel” he had been preaching for so long, and he suddenly felt ashamed because that kind of gospel was never a part of what Jesus taught. Prosperity among ordinary people is like “get rich quick schemes” that fill our mail boxes, or like buying the power ball or mega million lottery, or like investing in cheap land that are being sold as prime real estate that will quadruple in value in short order. Listen to what Peter wrote: “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” 1 Peter 4: 12,13. Paul spent much energy and time training and shaping the ministry of his son in the gospel named Timothy, and in the process he wrote: “Thou therefore endure hardship, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him. If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us.” 2 Timothy 2: 3, 11,12.

We seldom hear sermons abounding among our leading television ministries and mega churches on being faithful in a very little as the nobleman complimented his servants upon his return. It seems to me that just as people in secular life gravitate toward wealth in any combination, be it cash, saving bonds, IRAs, commercial properties or other kinds of real estate, so Christians are being pushed on to the fast track to acquire a lifestyle of luxury. However, from Abram and Lot to David and Solomon and down through time, many of God’s most outstanding people were wealthy, so I am not against wealth. My observation is simply based on the fact that the servant who gained ten pounds was rewarded handsomely because he was faithful in a very little, and seemingly, this latter part of the equation is that which we would rather ignore and steer God’s people from. We should never forget that it is the cross that leads to the crown.  In the mid 1970s I was in a series of special meetings just outside the City of Baltimore, Maryland, and on Thursday morning as I stood in the bathroom shaving my face, the Lord spoke deep inside my being saying, “The priests of old had no inheritance among the people. They knew that I was their inheritance; but the priests of today have made the people their inheritance instead of me.” A minster friend of mine in New Jersey was guest speaker at his friend’s church also in New Jersey. While fellowshipping in the pastor’s study, the host pastor said to my friend who will not be named; “I know what you are teaching is right, but look in that offering basket; there are over $2,500.00 in it. I cannot give that up to preach what you are preaching.

Well, at least he spoke the truth, but that does not make it any less sad. Is there a need to be faithful in a very little today? Or must we all be awash with plenty? My first series of meetings here in the United States were held atop a storefront up in the Bronx, New York, on 125^th Street. During the meetings I asked the congregation to kindly insert their testimony in the envelopes that the pastor had passed out, so I would have an idea of what they received during the week. They did so, and I read them one by one; it was then that I came upon an envelope with a small card in it that pictured what is supposed to be Jesus as a boy in his Dad’s carpenter’s shop. It seemed like something that a nine or ten year old could paint. In it was a single quarter (twenty five cents) with a simple note saying, “I wished it could be more, but this is all I have.” I was so touched by that simple heartfelt gift that I felt like crying. I carried that card and the quarter with me for many years. To be faithful in a very little speaks volumes over the plenty that one can splash around without even missing it. When I used to travel as an evangelist, I would never book into an expensive hotel or eat at an expensive restaurant because I was always aware of the hard work that was behind every dollar that was placed in the speaker’s offering, and I felt it would be wrong to spend it carelessly. This was a part of my stewardship, and it was a part of being faithful over few things. Personal responsibility over the substance that God gives to his ministers through the hard work of the members of his body is indeed personal; and how the ministry spends this substance given as an offering to God is up to each minister’s own conviction, and it is not a matter of right or wrong. Rather, it is a matter of choice based upon one’s own honesty and loyalty to his/her calling.  I hope to hear Him say on that day, “Well done thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful in a very little.”

To be continued...

Royce O. Kennedy

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