What a Night: A Night of Teaching
John 14:1-4
The picture doesn’t jump out at us nearly as much as it would have to Jesus’ original hears, to those disciples. Here’s the picture. When a young family would decide to move into a city, which that didn’t happen a lot, but when it did, it did happen, they would start by building a small house. It usually had four rooms to it. There’s a standard Jewish four-room house that archaeologists dig up kind of all over the place. But then what would happen is when it was time for the first son to get married, he would build another room off the edge of the house. And whenever that room was finished, that’s when the wedding took place. So if he got done with the room at 10 in the morning, we have a 10 in the morning wedding. If he got done with the room at midnight, we have a midnight wedding. Now, generally, they probably didn’t do that. But when the room was ready, that’s when the marriage took place. And the wife would move in, and they were now husband and wife. When the second son was ready to get married, he would build another room off to the side. And the same thing would happen. And when it was time for the grandsons to get married, they each would build their rooms off to the side. And when their rooms are ready, the wives would move in with them. And pretty soon, you had this sprawling dwelling in which everybody who lived was family. In my father’s house, there are many rooms. Jesus is the groom. You’re the bride. So am I. I know, guys, it sounds like a weird picture, but you got to go with it for now. I don’t know if I want to see Damien in a wedding dress. Sorry, it was a hanging curveball. It had to be hit. Jesus is the groom. You and I are the bride. What’s Jesus doing? He’s getting your room ready. And at the exact moment that your room is ready, that’s when he will take you home to heaven. And to take the picture through, you and I will get to dwell in this sprawling house in which everybody who is in there is family. And an even better, way better family than any of us have ever experienced because every one of your brothers and sisters will be perfect and holy, just like you are perfect and holy. And so you will have so close relationships with Adam and Eve, and Noah and his wife, and Abraham and Sarah, and Mary and Joseph, and Peter, James, and John, and all those other believers who will be there with us. Now, is it going to be that way? Literally, I doubt it, but I don’t know. Bucket list. We’ll find out when we get there. But what you know is it’s going to be great because you will be with your eternal family and with Jesus, your brother forever. And when does Jesus teach us this? On a Thursday night, just hours before he goes off to the cross to win that eternity for us. Oh, what a night on which Jesus teaches us such wonderful truths. Amen?
