What did Jesus mean by Him preparing a place for us in Heaven?

"...for I go to prepare a place for you" (John 14:1-6).

So what does that mean? There are different ideas. Is this something like Jesus building or working on the rooms of the house to make them nice, or is this possibly speaking of the cross and His ascension back to heaven? I really don't know.

Here's Richard Lenski's idea: "'Shall prepare' or 'make ready' is a heavenly act and, therefore, since no further explanation is added, impossible for us to visualize in detail. The best explanation is that the presence of Jesus in his Father's heavenly home makes the mansions ready for our reception; for only through the presence of our Redeemer in heaven is it possible for us disciples to enter heaven. Some have pictured the preparation in a human way: as we prepare a room for a coming guest, placing in it all that the guest may like, embellishing and decorating it for his delight ... We shall know all about this preparation when we are finally received into the heavenly mansions" (Commentary on the New Testament). That last part is definitely true.

Some people, though, point to the Judgment figure in Matthew 25:34: "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.'" It sounds like it's already prepared, but maybe Jesus was speaking of their specific places or just using accommodative language since He would be outside of time. 

I do know that the only reason I'm going to have a place in the Father's house is because of the cross (that's what pays for my room and board), and so I think that's at least a possible explanation here. Jesus was about to go to the cross which would prepare a place (a reservation) for them in that house.  Without the cross (and, of course, His resurrection and ascension), His disciples wouldn’t have a reservation there. Again, I don't know and it could be a combination.

The Bible does not teach that all good people go to heaven.

The Bible clearly defines two groups of disciples -

The Great Crowd and Little Flock.

The Great Crowd have the prospect of eternal life on a cleansed earth after Armageddon.

The Little Flock are the ones that Christ was talking to that will be going to heaven to rule as Kings and Priests with Him over the earth. The Bible tells us that they number 144,000.

 So when Jesus told the apostles that he was going to “prepare a place for” them, he certainly would have in mind his ‘appearing before the person of God for’ them. Only after he did that could they or other humans follow him to heaven.

There are scriptures to back all this information however you did not want scriptures listed.

Please go to jw.org if you would like to learn more.

it means you will have a place in heaven and not have to worry about anything like you do on earth

Jesus being raised in a construction family (carpenters) went to heaven and has been working on constructing tract homes for the billions of humans that he expects.  That is why he hasn't returned your calls or come back to get in touch.  

1:1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

1:2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;

1:3 And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;

1:4 And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;

1:5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;

1:6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;

1:7 And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa;

1:8 And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias;

1:9 And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;

1:10 And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias;

1:11 And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon:

1:12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;

1:13 And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;

1:14 And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud;

1:15 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;

1:16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

Luke

3:23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,

3:24 Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph,

3:25 Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge,

3:26 Which was the son of Maath, which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Juda,

3:27 Which was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was the son of Salathiel, which was the son of Neri,

3:28 Which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Addi, which was the son of Cosam, which was the son of Elmodam, which was the son of Er,

3:29 Which was the son of Jose, which was the son of Eliezer, which was the son of Jorim, which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi,

3:30 Which was the son of Simeon, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the son of Eliakim,

3:31 Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David,

3:32 Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson,

3:33 Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda,

3:34 Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor,

3:35 Which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala,

3:36 Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech,

3:37 Which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan,

3:38 Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.

When we die, the term for our spirit returning to God is called the “intermittent state”.  It’s not permanent.  When we are resurrected back to life here, forever, in this physical universe, that will be our “heaven”.

  Jesus is just using symbolic language, referencing the ancient Jewish wedding practice of the husband going away to prepare a home for the consummation of the marriage.  Heaven is not going to be a fantasy land, it will be reality.

HE WILL PREPARE SOMETHING SO GREAT IT HAS NOT ENTERED INTO OUR MINDS....He is fixing up great things for HIS born agains!!