A Person More Than a Place--May 7, 2026

A Person More Than a Place--May 7, 2026

[Jesus said to the disciples:] “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. (John 14:1-3)

The "where" turns out to be defined in terms of the "who."

Did you notice that?  As Jesus comforts his closest friends during his final hours with them before the arrest from the authorities and the lynch-mob in the garden, he gives them hope based on being with him in the Father's house. But notice that even though we might be quick to just call that "heaven," Jesus doesn't exactly use that language.  He doesn't put the emphasis on going to a different location but rather on being with a particular person--himself, and thereby, to be in the presence of God. For that matter, there are no details about the accommodations, other than that there is enough room for plenty of people, since God's house apparently has "many dwelling places."  It sounds like a typical first-century multi-generation house, in which the father and mother of a family would have the original house and then as their children married and had kids of their own, often they would add rooms onto the same big structure. The house itself would expand to accommodate the new additions to the family who would marry into the family or be born into the next generation. That's the kind of imagery that Jesus gives us here.

But notice here, then, that the point of the image is on the relational connection--that we are all in one family house because we are all in one family--rather than on the cash value of the estate or the opulence of the furnishings.  An older translation of this passage rendered this as "many mansions," even though the word Jesus uses here is the word for "abodes," "dwelling places," or even "rooms." The emphasis, in other words, isn't on everybody getting to have their own fancy mansion in heaven--that sounds more like the materialistic focus of our age, in which we want to picture the afterlife as some sort of payoff for our good behavior.  You don't catch any hint from Jesus of these dwelling places have gates of pearl, driveways of gold, or gemstone-encrusted plumbing fixtures.  Jesus doesn't give us any description other than the personal one--this is the "Father's house" and we will be where Jesus is. That's what makes this a word of hope.  Like the old Dave Matthews Band lyric had it, "Turns out not where but who you're with that really matters--and hurt's not much when you're around."  Jesus seems to think in the same terms.

I think it is worth us considering this for a moment, because all too often in our culture, the Christian faith is framed as a means of transportation rather than a promise of Christ as the companion on the journey, so to speak.  An awful lot of Respectable Religious Folks will try and peddle their faith as "the way to get to heaven," which is decidedly about location.  It's a "where" sort of answer rather than a "who" sort; it makes the focus on the place rather than the person.  So we end up with hymns, songs, sermons, and artwork that focus on the fancy accommodations. "I've got a mansion over the hilltop," sings one famous one, "I want a gold one that's silver lined." And to me, that's a little bit like saying you're excited to go on your honeymoon because there are going to be free soaps in the hotel room--I mean, it's not necessarily wrong, but it does seem like it's missing the point. One hopes the newlyweds are happiest to get to be together, wherever it is they are traveling, and not nearly so much excited about the honey-roasted peanuts in the mini-bar or the complimentary mouthwash by the sink. It is about the person with whom you are sharing the space, not the point on the map or the appraisal value of the building.

The other thing that happens when we put the focus on the "where" of an afterlife eternal destination rather than the "who" of Christ who promises we will be with him is that it can turn this life into just something to be gotten through as quickly as possible, rather than a gift to be savored, appreciated, and used to the fullest now.  We are not just waiting until after our death to experience life in the abundant way Jesus intends, and we are not just supposed to keep our heads own and sneak through our years as quietly as possible either.  We are sent, with Jesus beside us, to serve... to witness... to love... to enjoy.  If I only see the Christian life as a matter of getting my ticket so that I can eventually end up somewhere else,  I will miss out on the ways I am called to share in the mission of Christ now, as well as the beauty and blessedness of each day's journey.  But if I think of every day as another opportunity to be with Jesus, since I trust his promise to accompany me now as well as beyond death, then the present moment will be richer, more precious, and more important to make the most of.

I've got to be honest: I really don't know a great deal specifically about the literal details or metaphysical workings of life beyond death. I don't know (because I don't believe the Scriptures are terribly interested in giving us this sort of detail) how our "resurrection bodies" will work, what they will need or not need, or whether we will give any thought to things like clothing, shelter, food, and drink.  I have a suspicion that the off-hand references we get in the Scriptures of the great banquet or the people in clean white robes are less intended as literal predictions and more intended to describe in physical and tangible terms things that are beyond the realm of human language. But what we do get, over and over in the Scriptures, is the recurring promise that whatever life is like beyond the grip of death, we will be with Jesus--and Jesus will bring us into the full presence of God. Maybe that's what really matters, rather than comparing "mansions" or measuring pearly gates. Perhaps like seeing the full moon, without shadow, cloud, or eclipse, we will see that we have been in the presence of God who has always been there all along, but without any hindrances to our eyes.

Today, how could we see our lives of faith less in terms of "How do I use Jesus in order to get into heaven?" but rather, "How will I experience Jesus being with me now, and how will my confidence of being with Jesus forever give me courage to face this day's work and opportunities?" I have a hunch that the second question will make for a life well-lived even now.

Lord Jesus, allow us to trust today in your promise of being with you forever, and let that be enough.