John 13:33
“My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.”

I gotta be honest with you, I don’t think the disciples had any clue what Jesus meant by this. So many of the things that happened subsequent to the crucifixion tell us that the death of Jesus had taken them completely by surprise – Peter denies him, the disciples end any prospect of ministry and go fishing, they recoil at his death and revert back to living their quiet lives.

They didn’t realize what he was suggesting, so when Peter boldly exclaims, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you,” I don’t doubt that he means it. He had no idea, even though Christ had explained it many times, that Jesus would suffer and die and that Peter would eventually do the same. He knew Jesus would inaugurate a kingdom – he just didn’t realize how.

And then Jesus says to him what must have been the most discouraging prophesy ever given a man, “Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!”

Ouch. I cannot imagine the humiliation and embarrassment, even more, the doubt. I’m sure Peter was thinking it wasn’t possible. But Jesus knew Peter wasn’t prepared for what he was about to see – he knew the disciples didn’t understand – he knew his death would devastate their faith since they could not understand how Christ’s death would have anything to do with God’s economy of redemption.

And after saying what I believe was the most discouraging thing Peter could ever hear, Christ says this:

John 14:1-4
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

I love that. Do not be troubled. Trust in God. For you have a future in my Father’s house; essentially, you will be adopted as sons and daughters, and will have you very own rooms and your proper place within the household of God. Amazing!

The disciples needed one piece of advice in order to make it through the horrific scenes they would soon see. The needed to not be troubled. Why? Because they could trust God. No matter what would happen, they could trust God. Regardless of whatever torture would befall either Christ or them, they had a future hope that would be far more glorious than his death would be gruesome.

And remember, in verse 13:36, Jesus said, “Where I am going you cannot follow.” And that is true for all of us. It was impossible to follow Christ to heaven until he had accomplished an atoning work. Notice he said, where I am going you cannot follow, but he then says, “I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

It is only when he prepares that place and when he brings us, that we can go where he is going. How did he prepare our place? By dying in our place on the cross. We need an atonement to satisfy justice before we can enter the house and family of God.