Reflection for a Funeral Day

                               
​ Reflection for a ​Funeral Day – A Christian’s Assurance    
John 14 vs 1-3 +6
 
 The Greek word ‘monai’ doesn’t translate easily into English.  I once had a well meaning Presbyterian elder pin me to the church door with a fierce allegation.
‘I don’t like this modern translation of the Bible’ he growled.  ‘In the good old King James version it says ‘In my father’s house are many mansions’ and in this new one it says ‘there are many rooms.’  ‘Here,’ he said, ‘there’s a quare difference between a mansion and a room!
 
Actually the original word means neither mansion nor room.  It has nothing to do with size or style.  It simply means a ‘permanent dwelling’.
 
What Jesus was saying was ‘In my Father’s house there are many permanent dwellings’.  A place for everyone.  Somewhere to rest that can never be taken from us.  A place we can enjoy forever. 
 
Jesus spoke these words at the Last Supper to comfort His disciples who were distraught at the news He was leaving them and would in fact be crucified the next day.
 
On this darkest night the Lord offered the greatest comfort.  And, to His followers, He offers still the most remarkable promises.
 
Don’t allow your hearts to be overcome with sorrow and anxiety.  You believe in God, now trust in me.  I’m going to deal with things tomorrow, but the cross will not be the end.  You’ll see me again, alive and one day you’ll share my resurrection.  I’m going first, to get things ready in my Father’s house.
 
Christians ever since have been granted to live with the assurance of Scripture:
 
‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on…they will rest from their labour…’  (Revelation 14 v 13)
 
‘Our citizenship is in Heaven.  And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.’ (Philippians 3 vs 20-21)
 
Our confidence is in Jesus, ‘the Way, the Truth and the Life.’  The Bible promises that ‘whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.’