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We have been walking with Yeshua through the book of John. We’re at the end of the life of the Most Important Man who ever lived. That Man is also the Messiah and the Son of God and the one and only Savior of humanity, able to rescue us from the real and deadly forces of Satan and the demons, sin and the sin nature, death and Hell.

It’s Yeshua’s last day on Earth. It’s a special day – the first day of Passover. It’s the day Messiah will die a very special death, as God’s Passover Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. That makes this day one of the most important days in history.

Yeshua will eat a final meal, a Passover seder with His most important followers, the men He will entrust with His on-going mission of world salvation. During the meal, Yeshua will give His disciples His final teachings. He will pray. Then, He will be arrested, tried, tortured and crucified.

The disciples were troubled. Yeshua had told His key followers some very disturbing things: that one of them was a traitor; that He was about to leave them; that they couldn’t follow Him; that Peter would deny Him three times before the morning was over. Now He helps them deal with their troubles. Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in Me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.

There is no way to avoid trouble in a fallen world. Eliphaz expressed this in the book of Job: Man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward. Everyone has troubles – small troubles and big troubles; troubles of their own making, and troubles caused by others. And, following Messiah in a world that is satanically controlled and in rebellion against God and is under a curse creates its own set of troubles.

Messiah doesn’t promise to immediately eliminate all of the troubles from the lives of His followers. He does promise to help us so our hearts aren’t troubled, so that we can have peace in our innermost being while we are experiencing troubles, so we can endure our troubles with grace and peace.

Messiah teaches us several things to help us manage our troubles.

He encourages us to believe in Him the same way we believe in God. You believe in God; believe also in Me. Can you imagine any human being, especially a rabbi who knew the Word of God, making a statement like that? It’s blasphemous for any rabbi to tell his disciples that they should believe in him the same way they believe in God – with the same degree of confidence, the same level of commitment; that he should be the object of their faith in the same way God was.

That’s blasphemy – unless it’s true; unless that Rabbi is the Son of God. And it is true. And He is. Yeshua is the Son of God, and we are to have the same kind of faith in Him as we have in God the Father, the same kind of trust, the same kind of loyalty and commitment. Yeshua was be the object of our faith, just like God the Father is. Having faith in Yeshua – knowing who He is, and how powerful He is, and how committed He is to us, and how much He loves us, and how close He is to us and we are to Him, and how committed He is to us brings us peace in the midst of our troubles. You believe in God; believe also in Me.

To help us manage our troubles, Yeshua gives us hope that He has prepared a place for us in God’s house: My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? Hope enables us to endure our troubles. Having hope that we are going to a better place enables us to have a different perspective. When we know that our troubles are temporary, that God has a great house with many rooms in it, enough rooms for all of us, and Messiah has gone there to prepare a place for us, should give us peace in the present, when things are difficult for us.

Yeshua promises His disciples that even though He will leave them, He will not abandon them. He will return for them and be reunited to Him so that they can be with Him. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am. Knowing that Yeshua has pledged Himself to return for us, so that we can be reunited with Him and be with Him where He will be, in Heaven, in the New Jerusalem, give us peace when times are difficult.

To help us manage our troubles, Yeshua informs them that they know their destination and the way to their destination. You know the way to the place where I am going. It helps so much to have a great destination and know the way to that destination. If you are going though a hard time at work, knowing that you have an airline ticket that’s already paid for and reservations in a great hotel, and in a few weeks you are leaving on a long vacation to a great destination – that knowledge can help your endure your troubles. Knowing we have an amazing destination that we will get to, and knowing the way to get there can bring us peace, even as are experiencing troubles now.

One of the disciples was confused. Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we don’t know where You are going, so how can we know the way?” I like Thomas. I like his honesty.

Yeshua clarified what He meant. The way to the place where He was going is not reachable using ordinary means of travel. The way to the presence of God and His heavenly house with accommodations prepared for us is a relationship – with a person – with Yeshua Himself. Yeshua answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Yeshua is the way. When we are in a relationship with Him, He will bring us to the welcoming presence of His Father and our heavenly home.

Yeshua is the truth. He knows the truth, He speaks only the truth. He is the source of truth. He created what we know as reality. When we are in a relationship with Yeshua, we are united to the truth. Our lives are based on what is real and what is true. And, Yeshua, who is faithful and true, and loves those who are faithful and true, will bring us to the welcoming presence of His Father, who is the true God, and to our true home, which is our heavenly home.

Yeshua is the life. He created life, He gives life and He restores life that was forfeited by the Fall and He sustains life. When we are in a relationship with Him, He will make sure that we live forever with Him and our Heavenly Father in our heavenly home.

How can we have peace in the midst of our troubles? By knowing that Yeshua is the way, the truth and the life.

How can our hearts not be troubled when we are experiencing troubling circumstances? By knowing that Yeshua is the perfect reflection of the Father. If you really know Me, you will know My Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him. Knowledge is power, and the knowledge of God is the greatest knowledge of all. When we really know who God is, we will have the power to endure our troubles. When we know that God is real, and He is good, and will reward with us for enduring with grace and patience the troubles He allows into our lives, we can have peace in the midst of our trials. That’s why Job could say: Even if God kills me, I will still trust Him. That righteous man knew that God is so good, so wise, so just, that even if he didn’t understand why he was suffering, he knew he could still trust God. Job believed that, even if he had to experience death, and God Himself was the one who killed him, Job would still trust Him. Knowing God like that brings peace. And knowing Yeshua is the only way to know God. If you really know Me, you will know My Father as well.

To know Yeshua is to know God. To see Yeshua is to see God. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him. Yeshua is not teaching us that seeing Him is the same as literally seeing the Father. Yeshua is not God the Father. The Father is not the Son. The Son is not the Father. The Father and the Son are distinct persons. But, the nature of the Son is identical to the nature of the Father, so to see the Messiah – to understand who He is – is to see God. You want to see as much as you can of the invisible God, who is bigger and greater and holier than the universe and everything in it, who is so great and holy that mortals die in His presence? See Yeshua for who He is and you will see what God the Father is like, and that will bring you peace, even in times of troubles.

Philip didn’t understand what Yeshua was teaching them. Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” The vision of the Father, who is glorious and honorable and majestic and powerful and beautiful and wise and holy – is the greatest vision that any human being can have – greater than the sight of anything in Heaven or on Earth. How can it not be? Isn’t the Creator greater and more glorious than anything in creation, or everything in creation?

In one sense Philip was right – it would have been enough for them to see the Father. It’s understandable that they would like to see their Creator. The problem is that the Father is so much greater and holier than they were that it’s impossible for a mortal to see God as He really is. It’s like an ant trying to see the Empire State building from the bottom of it. It’s impossible for the ant to see that great building. And, the difference between us, who are finite, and the Creator, who is infinite, is greater than the difference between the ant and the Empire State Building. And, even if a fallen mortal could actually see the great Creator face to face, and get close to His presence, he would not survive that encounter. The Word of God is clear that no man can see God and live.

When He came among us, Messiah did many things for us. He gave us great teachings. He died on the cross to atone for us. One of the most important things He did for us is enable us to see as much of God as we are capable of seeing, so that we can know God to the maximum degree possible. Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.

Yeshua expressed surprise that Philip, who had been with Him for several years, who had heard Yeshua’s great teachings, heard His wisdom, witnessed His miracles which were unprecedented in number and greatness – still did not understand who He is. Yeshua answered: “Don’t you know Me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Then Yeshua repeated what He had previously claimed: Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? That is an astounding assertion for any human being to make. Anyone making that claim would be blaspheming – anyone, that is, except Yeshua.

Yeshua challenged Philip to believe His claim to be the visible manifestation of the invisible God. And, He challenged him to believe in the inseparable closeness of Father and Son. Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in Me? Father and Son – two distinct Persons, yet so close, so inseparable, so much sharing of the same nature and the same Spirit that it’s like the first being in the second, and the second being in the first.

Yeshua challenged Philip to believe everything He was telling him. The words I say to you I do not speak on My own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in Me, who is doing His work. Since God the Father is so close to Yeshua, and living in Yeshua – by means of the Spirit that the Father and the Son share, all of Yeshua’s words came from God. Since the Father was living and active and working in Yeshua, Yeshua said everything God wanted Him to say – perfectly, truly, accurately, faithfully. Yeshua’s words were divinely inspired and accurate and true and authoritative and were to be believed. All of His teachings, all of His amazing claims about Himself, all of His words came from God, and were authorized by God, who was living and active in Yeshua.

Messiah repeats His teaching that it’s crucial for His followers to believe that there is an inseparable closeness between Him and God. Believe Me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me. Knowing that Yeshua is so close to the Father, so inseparable from God the Father, who is so great and so powerful, and that Yeshua loves us so much and is so committed to help us and save us, can bring us peace in our times of trouble.

If they were having a hard time believing anything Yeshua was teaching them, He reminded them that there was evidence why they should believe Him. Or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. God was speaking through Yeshua unlike He had spoken though anyone else. God was working though Yeshua unlike He had worked through anyone else. No prophet had a relationship to God like Yeshua had. No prophet was as close to God as Yeshua was. No prophet lived a holy life like Yeshua did. No prophet had the wisdom Yeshua had. No prophet spoke the kinds of words Yeshua spoke. No prophet did the miracles Yeshua did. Normally, God doesn’t allow ordinary human beings to do miracles – only special people are allowed to do miracles, people who are close to God and approved by God. The disciples should believe everything Yeshua was telling them because of the evidence of His miracles which were unprecedented in number and greatness.

Often when a great man dies, his life’s work collapses. Not so with the Greatest Man Who Ever Lived. His life’s work would not fail. Yeshua wanted His disciples to know that it would continue, increase, expand – through them, so that His mission will be completely successful. Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in Me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. Yeshua was not telling His disciples that every individual Christian and Messianic Jew will do greater miracles than He did. No one has. No, He was telling them that even though He was about to die, He will be raised from the dead, and ascend into the presence of God. From there, His mission of world redemption will continue – though His followers. His disciples will advance the kingdom of God and expand it far beyond the borders of the lost sheep of the house of Israel – to the other nations of the world, something which Yeshua never did.

Many human beings are willing to suffer and give their lives for something greater than they are. Knowing that Yeshua’s ministry of world redemption will continue, and succeed, through us, no matter what happens to us as individuals, can bring us peace in our times of trouble.

Yeshua’s mission to save human beings will continue and expand through His followers, because Yeshua is able to answer their prayers. And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask Me for anything in My name, and I will do it. Yeshua is able to do whatever we ask Him, as long as what we ask Him is in His name, which means that it is something He agrees with and approves of. So, it behooves us to know those things that He agrees with and approves of.

Here’s a little quiz. Let me know which prayers are in Yeshua’s name, and which aren’t:

Lord, help me be more like You, think like You, value what You value, dislike what You dislike.

Help me to be holy.

Help me to hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Help me endure my trials with grace.

Bless me with continual healing so that I die at 100 in perfect health, having had no physical problems.

Help me to love Your Father and serve Him.

Help me to live for You, not myself, for You, not for the world.

Help Your sons and daughters to be full of Your Spirit, and fearless and bold and great proclaimers of Your Good News.

Give me this day my daily bread.

Lord, help me make a more money, bless me with prosperity so I can live a better life.

I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. God does not like it when human beings pray to anyone other than Him. He does not like it when we pray to another god, or to idols, or to Mary or to saints or angels. That does not honor Him. It dishonors Him. However, God the Father is not jealous of our prayers to Messiah, or Messiah’s ability to hear and answer prayer. Quite the opposite. Prayers directed to Yeshua, honor Yeshua and honor the Father who has ordained this ministry of prayer to the Son.

While it is proper to pray to the Son, it’s worth mentioning that almost all of the prayers in the New Testament are directed, not to the Son but to the Father. Even after Messiah’s resurrection, almost all of the prayers are directed to the Father, not the Son. And, that is our custom here at Shema.

Knowing that Yeshua has been raised from the dead, and is alive now, and He is at the right hand of God the Father; that Yeshua is Lord of Heaven and Earth; that He loved us so much He was willing to die for us, and that He is united to us and we are united to Him, and He wants us to succeed, and He is able to hear and answer our prayers that are prayed in His name, should bring us peace in our times of greatest trouble.

Let’s pray:

Father, You have told us that in this world, we will have troubles, and, that following Messiah creates its own set of troubles. But You have also made it possible for us to have peace in our hearts while we are experiencing troubles, and that we can endure our troubles with patience and grace.

Help us to have faith in Yeshua as we have faith in You, so that, by knowing who He is, and how powerful He is, and how much He loves us, and how committed He is to us, and how close He is to us and we are to Him, we can have peace in the midst of our troubles.

Thank You for the hope Yeshua gives us that He has prepared a place for us in Your great heavenly house. Fill us with that hope, which will give us peace in the present when things are difficult for us.

Help us trust Messiah’s promise that He will return for us, so that we can be reunited with Him and with You in the New Jerusalem – which will give us peace.

Thank You that we know our destination and the way to our destination, that Yeshua is the way, the truth and the life, and knowing that brings us peace.

Grant us full assurance that Yeshua is Your perfect reflection, and when we see and know and understand Him, we see and know and understand You, and knowing that Yeshua is full of love and grace and mercy, brings us peace.

Thank You that knowing that Yeshua’s ministry of world redemption will continue, and succeed, through us, no matter what happens to us as individuals, brings us peace.

Thank You that Yeshua has been raised from the dead, and is alive now, and He is at the Your right hand, the Lord of Heaven and Earth; that He loved us so much He was willing to die for us, and that He is united to us and we are united to Him, and He wants us to succeed, and He is able to hear and answer our prayers that are prayed in His name. Thank You that knowing these things brings us shalom rav – great peace.