The Lord goes to prepare a place for us VS He comes again to receive us to Himself

 

The Lord goes to prepare a place for us VS He comes again to receive us to Himself

John 14:3 "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."

John 14:20 "At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you."

 

Aspect	The Lord goes to prepare a place for us	He comes again to receive us to Himself
Meaning	Through His redemptive work, the Lord prepares a standing and place for believers in God	Through His death and resurrection, the Lord brings believers into Himself, which is also bringing them into God the Father
Distinction	Emphasizes  the Lord's preparatory work	Emphasizes the union between the Lord and believers
Explanation	1. Not preparing a physical place in heaven 2. Preparing a spiritual place in God 3. Opening a way for believers to enter into God	1. The Lord's going is His coming 2. The Lord's coming is to enter into believers 3. Bringing believers into an intimate relationship with God
Examples	The Lord's work on the cross removes barriers between man and God, enabling man to enter into God	The resurrected Lord appeared to the disciples and breathed the Holy Spirit into them (John 20:19-22)
Application	1. Recognize that in Christ we already have a position in God 2. Cherish the opportunity prepared by the Lord to be with God 3. Find and occupy our place in the church (God's dwelling place)	1. Pursue a deeper union with the Lord 2. Live in communion with God the Father and Christ 3. Allow Christ to make His home in our hearts
Related Scriptures	John 14:2-3 "In My Father's house are many dwelling places... I go to prepare a place for you." Heb. 10:19-20 "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us."	John 17:21 "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us." 1 John 4:13 "Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit."

This table synthesizes information from the New Testament and the provided supplementary information, presenting the deeper meanings and applications of the concepts "the Lord goes to prepare a place" and "comes again to receive us to Himself." It emphasizes that this is not merely about a change in physical location, but about the spiritual reality of establishing an intimate relationship with God.

 

*Please refer to the 2024 Summer Live Training - Experiencing, Enjoying, and Expressing Christ (1) Message Eleven: In the Father's House - Living in the Place Prepared for Us through Christ's Death and Resurrection