Sunday, August 5, 2001
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Sunday, August 5, 2001 |
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Many mansions in our heavenly home By DR. KNOX HERNDON
A scripture that has always meant a lot to me as a child and all through my life is found in the 14th chapter of the Gospel of John. The chapter begins with very comforting words from Jesus. He begins with: "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also. I really think this is wonderful. In essence it says that we should not be troubled with the problems of this life. He goes on to say that you can know God by belief in Jesus and that he is going to prepare a place for us and that there are many "mansions" there. There are several translations as to "mansions," but I believe the idea is clear that we are not to have a troubled heart, that Jesus is the way to God, and that he will be leaving and preparing a place for us and he calls it a mansion, literally a "dwelling place." As you travel throughout Georgia and drive through many of the smaller towns you will see some truly beautiful mansions. Very close to where I live in Fayette County is, of course, the city of Newnan. I know you have probably driven through Newnan many times, especially to get some barbecue at Sprayberry's. If a man or woman says they don't like Sprayberry's barbecue, I would seriously have to consider "withdrawing fellowship" from them. In fact Fayetteville also has some serious barbecue. We have Malears and Speedy Pig and the Du-Rock Café. We better change the subject here because I am on a serious diet. In getting back to the "mansions," I often hear people who don't believe the words of Jesus to be true say to me, "Pastor, heaven is down here and what you make it out to be. And hell is also the same." I'm sure that people that are down there today wish this were true! If our Lord said he was "going to prepare a place for us," then that is what is going to happen. I love the bumper sticker that reads, "God said it, I believe it, that settles it." I lived for one year in such a "mansion," which was my father's home where he was born in Social Circle. Social Circle is in Walton County. Today it is known for the Blue Willow Inn. In my childhood the Blue Willow Inn was just another mansion in the town. To me Social Circle was "where Grandmother lived in the big house." "Mansion" to me denotes a large, beautiful house. One translation states: "house with many rooms." Whichever, the message is clear. There is a place, Jesus will be there, with God the Father, and the Holy Spirit. That's surly enough for me. It's also wonderful to be mentioned in the "will" and to be joint heirs. This is wonderful at its best. This of course, puts forward the question, "Do you have a reservation for your mansion?" Think about it. The Rev. Dr. Knox Herndon is the pastor of His House Community Church (SBC) and a former Army chaplain. The church is just below Senoia on Ga. Highway 85, a mile past Ga. Highway 16 on the right just below the fire station. Visitors welcome. Church office and prayer line 770-719-2365; e-Mail KHERN2365@aol.com.
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