Charles Spurgeon Commentary John 14:3

"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I come again, and will receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also." — John 14:3 (ASV)

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.

And he will come again, beloved. That is our grandest hope. We are looking for his coming. It is very sweet to know that we will be forever with the Lord if we die before his coming; but still, the hope of God's people is the coming of the Lord – the resurrection of the dead, his taking to himself all his redeemed to be forever with him.

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.

Do not tell us about a purgatory for Christ's people, a limbo in which they are to be a while to be prepared to share his glory. No, he will come at the right time, and take them to be where he is, and they shall have the very place that Jesus has: I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. Do you want a better rest than that after all your work and warfare here below? Does not this prospect cheer you while you are journeying down the hill of life?

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.

Oh! This is ground for sweet comfort, and it ought to yield it to us tonight. He has gone, but he will come again; he has not left us forever. Space divides us for a while; but, skipping over the mountains like a roe and a young hart, he will come again, even to this poor world, and to us, his waiting church, he will come again.

Therefore, have patience. Let not your heart be troubled. Jesus Christ will come very soon.

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself;

"I will not send an angel to fetch you, but I will myself come for you. If you die, I will come for you in that way; but if you live on until my Second Advent, 'I will come again, and receive you unto myself.'"

That where I am, there you may be also.

"So do not be troubled because I am going away from you. I am going first in order that you may follow afterwards; I am going as the Pioneer into that blessed state where you shall dwell with me forever; so do not be troubled at my departure." How tenderly and lovingly this is all put!

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

"I will come to you by my Spirit. I will come to you soon, if my Father purposes it, in the hour of death; or if not, I will come in person at my second advent; but, in any case, I will be sure to come. My dear children, I am going away, but it is only for a little while. I am coming again, so do not be troubled as though you had said 'Good-bye' to me forever. 'I will come again,' and when I do come, I shall never go from you again."

And If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

That is the first and simplest idea of heaven, to be with Christ; and I think it is the last and sublimest idea of heaven, too—to be with Christ: that where I am, there you may be also.