Remedy for a Troubled Heart

December 30, 2012

John 14:1-6

Our text has been a favorite of many Christians down through the ages. With the exception of Psalm 23, these comforting verses have been quoted in more funerals than any other verses in the Bible.

Jesus words are especially comforting during these troublesome days. As Paul wrote, “In the last days perilous times shall come” (2 Tim. 3:1).

Stress levels are at an all time high. According to recent article in USA Today: “Stress increased 18% for women and 24% for men from 1983 to 2009, according to researchers at Carnegie Mellon University in Pitts- burgh, who analyzed data from more than 6,300 people.”1

An American Psychological Association poll conducted in 2008 indicated 80 percent of Americans were under significant stress because of the economic mess and the unemployment epidemic.

However, one industry is doing remarkably well: Pharmaceuticals that provide medicines to relieve stress. Fifteen million Americans take medications to help them cope with stress and anxiety.

Jesus told His disciples on the eve of His crucifixion, “Let not your heart be troubled…” (John 14:1). He just told them He was leaving and they could not come with Him (12:23-27; 32-33; 13:1, 33, 36). This troubled them, therefore Jesus sought to comfort them with words of our text.

Jesus gives a simple one word remedy for our troubled hearts—“Believe.”

“Believe” is the key word in the Gospel of John. Some form of “believe” is found 101 times in John. About one third of all the references to “believe” in the Bible are found in John’s Gospel (101 out of 322). Therefore, it should not surprise us that the key verse of John’s Gospel is John 20:31— “These are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God: and that believing ye might have life through his name.”

Faith is the cure for anxiety, stress, and discouragement. Most of the stress we suffer is due to a lack of faith in God.

Faith is the victory that overcomes the world (1 John 5:4).
Jesus told His disciples to believe four things to comfort their troubled heart