Scripture Reading — John 14:1–4 (KJV)
1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
Sermon Summary
The Last Night in the Upper Room
Rev. Johnson took us back to the upper room on the night of the Lord’s Supper. Judas had already left — he came to the service but walked out of it to sit at the table with the enemies of Jesus. As Rev. Johnson put it, when a person’s heart isn’t in the service, they’ll find any reason to get out of it. And it was premeditated; Judas had time to think about what he was doing.
What strikes the preacher every time is what Jesus chose to do with those final hours. He was hours from the cross — on his way to his own funeral — and yet he used that time to encourage his disciples. He had told them again and again that he would leave, and now his departure was at hand. Instead of thinking about himself, he preached one of his most powerful messages: let not your heart be troubled.
Every One of Us Will Stand Before God
The message came down to one question: Will you be ready? Each of us will have to see God for ourselves. Mama may have brought you into this world, but you will stand before God alone. The hope is that Jesus stands there not as your judge but as your Savior, telling the Father, “He’s covered by the blood. He’s one of ours.” There will be no sweeter words than that.
For those who choose the path away from God, the Bible speaks of weeping and gnashing of teeth. Rev. Johnson pointed to the rich man in torment who finally started praying — but only for a drop of water, and only for his own brothers. Some of the loudest prayers, he said, are being prayed in hell right now, but by then it’s too late. If you didn’t make a reservation, why be shocked?
The Cross Is an Open Door
Judas’s absence that night was his own decision, and those who don’t make it to heaven will have made a conscious decision too. But Jesus laid out a pathway. Even while we were yet sinners, he made a way. The cross, Rev. Johnson said, is simply an open door — the thief on the cross took advantage of it, and anyone who wants to come in can come in.
We are speaking our decision every day through our choices — when we curse after being told not to, when we break the commandments, and especially when we dishonor our parents and elders. He reminded the young people that honoring your parents extends to anyone old enough to be your parent. Living the opposite of how grandmama and mama lived, while praising how faithful they were, is a dangerous place to be.
Just Hold Out
The race isn’t given to the swift but to the one who endures. You might not be the fastest. You might not get it right the first time. But you can learn to hold out, hold your peace a little longer, and trust that God will be merciful again.
Rev. Johnson doesn’t care which gate he comes through or whether he gets a mansion. Like David, he’d rather be a doorkeeper in the house of God. Gold around the casket, a new suit or an old one — none of it matters. The only thing that matters is whether God lets you in those pearly gates.
He’s Not a Phone Call Away — He’s Right There
Jesus told the disciples, “I go to prepare a place for you,” and when he left, the Holy Spirit came. The comfort is that no matter what storm or crisis you face, a child of God never goes through it alone. People say Jesus is just a phone call away, but Rev. Johnson testified that he is right there, standing at the door of your heart, knocking. He is the burden bearer. He wants you to cast your cares on him, say good night to your family, and go to sleep.
Signs You Might Not Be Ready
Before closing, Rev. Johnson put a few points on our spirit. If you treated your job the way some treat church, what would your paycheck look like? Miss one Sunday and you miss what you need to get through the week. Miss two and, like Judas, you may soon be gone altogether. Skip Bible study and you’ll have nothing in you for God to speak through. God can’t speak through you what hasn’t been put into you.
The “Mary Jane” Syndrome
Then he got personal. Growing up, he came to Bakers every Sunday — but his real motivation was a Sunday school teacher who handed out Mary Jane candies. He ran around church for an extra Mary Jane while the preacher talked about God. Eighteen years in church, and he still didn’t know the Man.
It was at the Baptist Student Union at Southern University that a young preacher’s words quickened his spirit. He realized Mary Jane wasn’t enough to soothe a sin-sick soul. He heard Jesus say, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,” and he lost it — not caring how he looked or what anyone said. He wants a house, good health, and many things, but above all, he needs Jesus. So should we. What is your Mary Jane today? If it isn’t rooted in Jesus, there will be problems.
Echoing the song Sister Ruby sang — if my soul be lost, it’s nobody’s fault but mine — he closed with Romans 10:9: if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Will you be ready?
Key Takeaways
• Each of us will stand before God for ourselves — the question is whether Jesus will be there as our Savior saying, “He’s one of ours.”
• The cross is an open door. Whether we walk through it is our decision, and we declare that decision daily through our choices.
• You don’t have to be the fastest — you just have to hold out. Making it in matters more than any mansion.
• Jesus isn’t a phone call away; he’s right there in every storm, and he has left us the Holy Spirit.
• Don’t let a “Mary Jane” be your reason for coming to church. Faithful worship and Bible study feed your soul so God can speak through you.