When we left John’s gospel last Sunday, we saw that Jesus told his disciples that they were to leave from where they were, to leave the upper room. Now we don’t know for sure whether or not they actually left or whether Jesus kept on talking after he said that they needed to leave. The majority of biblical scholars throughout the centuries have suggested that they in fact did leave. They suggest that Jesus and his disciples left the upper room and began a quiet walk across the city of Jerusalem down to the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives, where we will see later on that the Roman guards come for Jesus and arrest him. It has also been suggested that somewhere along the way, most likely above the temple door, that Jesus and his disciples saw some vines. Seeing what was before him, Jesus, we might say, was struck with inspiration, he was inspired by the sight of the vines to teach the disciples even more about him. What came out of that inspiration was the last of Jesus’ “I AM” statements in John’s gospel.
Jesus says, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.” Here, he’s continuing to remind them of the great amount of teaching that he has just done on the oneness that exists between himself and the Father. As each second passes, Jesus’ time of returning to heaven and being reunited with the Father is drawing that much closer. Jesus is continuing to show that they cannot separate himself from the Father. This “I AM” statement is unique because it not only describes Jesus, but it describes the Father as well. He continues on saying, “Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” This is the affirmation by Christ given to his followers that they are to be fruitful. The followers of Christ are to be productive and produce fruit for the kingdom of God. We are to go out and fulfill the Great Commission of Matthew 28 and make disciples. We are to raise our children in the Lord, a work that we celebrated last Sunday with the confirmation of our newest members. We are to proclaim God’s word and pray that it finds fertile ground within the hearts of others so that they may do these great works as well. That is how we are to be fruitful.
The problem comes in for many people when they compare this notion to the idea that we repeatedly state about being justified by faith and not justified or saved by our good works. Many Christians are of the opinion that there really is nothing that we need to do. Since we are justified by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, our works are of little to no consequence. As a result, these Christians kick back and put life on cruise control so-to-speak. They do the wrong kind of resting in the grace of God. They essentially become worthless for the kingdom. Now, I’m willing to admit that I’m partially to blame. No, not just me alone, but folks like me, pastors. Especially in our reformed tradition, we have proclaimed that salvation is completely a work of God (which it is) with such force that we have done a disservice to our people. What need be understood is that we are indeed justified by faith apart from works, but we are also justified by faith unto works. Our good works are the proper response to our saving faith. So, we’re not saved by those works, but we do those works because we are saved. Faith without works is a dead faith. James 2 says, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” This may seem like a contradiction to being justified solely by faith, but it’s not. Remember, if our faith in Christ Jesus is not producing fruit, then do we really have true saving faith? Is it a faith that is felt in every fiber of our being, or is it a faith that we simply profess with our tongues and nothing more? If we have true faith, then it changes us to where we cannot just sit back and rest on our laurels.
As Christ is comparing himself and the Father to a vine and vinedresser respectively, he re-emphasizes another point that he has made already and that is that without him we can do nothing and with him there is nothing that we cannot do. We briefly mentioned this notion last Sunday as we pointed to the words of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:13. Everything good that we can do comes from the power of Christ being made available to us by the work of the Holy Spirit. When we separate ourselves from Christ, we are separating ourselves from the very source of our being.
I am not a gardener. I never have been and I probably never will be. I am a second generation non-gardener. I can remember growing up my father wanted to either pave our entire yard or just poor gas (back when it was only $1.00 a gallon) on the entire yard. I’m not that bad, I actually enjoy cutting the grass, but my own little version of hell on earth is having to pick weeds and prune bushes. The problem is that my wife loves flowers and bushes, so we have them in abundance at our house. Unfortunately, my wife has spent the better part of the last five years being pregnant and really unable to keep up here part of the yard, the garden. So, the task falls to me and I reluctantly do it. Some of you may say that if I don’t like doing it, then why do you. Well, the answer is simple. First, my wife wants it and so I do it. Secondly, and more the point of our text today, it is necessary for growth. All the weeds and dead flowers and undergrowth, they are all hindering the growth of the vibrant plants. They are hindering the progress of the fruitful flora in our yard. Christ here tells his disciples, that not only will those who abide in him bear much fruit. He also says that those who “do not abide in [him] will be thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.” In other words, they are removed. Those things which seek to hinder the fruitful ministry of the gospel are not just allowed to grow unhindered, but they are ripped away. They are removed from the picture in order to allow for the growth of the kingdom.
Now, you may be wondering what this looks like. You may be thinking to yourself, “Preacher, you’re saying that the things that are against God are removed, but we can see all around us those who are against God thriving. If anything the world seems to be becoming more unchristian. This text doesn’t sound like what is actually happening today.” Well, my response is that you’re missing the bigger picture. First, the gospel is being taken to places today where it has never been taken before. And secondly, this isn’t an immediate thing; this is pertaining to matters of eternity. Just as weeds are allowed to grow in a garden until a certain time, those who oppose God and those that do not abide in Christ and him in them, they are allowed to remain with those who love the Lord for a time as well. However, the dead branches are not delivered unto heaven, but they are thrown into the fire, which we can interpret as the fires of hell. We have to stay close to Christ. We have to stay close to him by the means in which he has established. And we must do this so that we bear fruit for the kingdom.
There’s a story that’s been around for quite some time about a pastor and a member of his congregation. This member was one of those who never really attended worship, but came just enough to keep their status with the church. The two men run into each other at a picnic, and the pastor says to the man, “I haven’t seen you in church much, is everything alright?” The man responds by saying, “Yeah, Pastor. Everything is great. I haven’t been to church because well you see, I’ve come to realize that I don’t need to go to church to be a Christian. I can commune with God in my own way on my own time. I don’t need to be part of a community of Christians in order to worship God.” The pastor acknowledged that indeed the church isn’t the only place where worship can occur. He then walks over to an open barbeque pit and takes some tongs and grabs out a charcoal briquette. He walks back over to the man holding this piece of charcoal and says to him, “Look at this coal. A few moments ago, this coal was radiant in its heat and warmth, and was very useful for grilling those burgers. But what has happened since I removed it from the fire and set it apart by itself? Well, it has grown cool and become worthless for the task it was created to do.”
When we move away from Christ, that’s what happens to us. When we move away from Christ, we become worthless for accomplishing the task that we were created to do. Abide in Christ. Stay close to Him. Grab hold of Him tightly and never let go. Without Christ we can do nothing. With him, there is nothing that we cannot do and no limit to the fruit that we may bear. Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Sunday, May 19, 2013
John 14:18-31 "A Legacy of Peace"
We all have those moments in our lives that we will never forget. They may be times of triumph, times of joy. They may be times of pain or loss. Or they may just be times spent with people who we don’t see nearly as often as we would like to. Nevertheless, we cannot forget certain moments that take place within our lives. One of those moments for me came right at seven years ago. Amy and I were visiting my parents in Meridian, MS. My dad’s mom had just passed away after a fairly short battle with cancer and we were spending some time visiting with my parents after things had somewhat calmed down and gotten relatively back to normal. I remember sitting in their living room talking with my dad and asking him a question about a connection between two families in town. He couldn’t immediately think of how they were connected or related, so he looks at me and says, “Let me call mama real quick and ask her.” Hearing those words escape from my father’s mouth, I sat in silence knowing that he would realize what he had just said, but I didn’t know how he would react once it hit him. Luckily, my father didn’t lose it. After remembering that calling her was longer an option, he laughed it off and said, “Well, I guess it’s going to take me a while to get used to this isn’t it.” You see, no matter how much he knew that she was not there anymore, he was still dealing with her not being just a phone call away. It’s that moment that somewhat defines for me what it means to lose someone we love, someone whom we hold dear to us.
Jesus’ disciples are preparing for such a time. Perhaps a better way to say it is that Jesus is preparing his disciples for such a time. Jesus is “fixin’” to leave his disciples. However, Jesus is not going to leave his disciples without some support. He is not going to leave them completely without his presence. We mentioned last Sunday that he was going to send the Helper, the Holy Spirit to guide the disciples, as well as all other believers, us included. The Holy Spirit rests upon us and works through us to accomplish good works for God’s kingdom and also applies the salvation achieved by Christ to us. He applies the salvation that Jesus accomplishes in his leaving of the disciples. Christ is going away from them, but he’s not going away for good. After his resurrection, he will appear to his disciples once more before his ascension. You see, he also isn’t fully going away because he is eternal. Yes, the man known as Jesus may have died, been resurrected, and then ascended into heaven, but the Christ, the Son, the second person of the Trinity is eternal. He has been since before the foundations of the earth, he is now, and he will be for all eternity.
In our text for today, Jesus is continuing to speak of the oneness that exists between he and the Father. He speaks of the fact that those who love him and those that keep his commandments, that they will be united with both himself and the Father. So often we try and overthink things. We try and explain everything so that we completely understand it. Well, I’ll be honest with you; this union here that exists not only between the Father and the Son, but also between the believer and Christ is something that I don’t think can be fully understood. It can be somewhat explained and identified, but full comprehension just doesn’t seem a reality. I know that we are united with Christ in some way and that we are found in him and he in us and that his righteousness is granted to us. I also know that because of all believers being united to Christ and to the Father, that we are in turn all united to each other as well. This was the impetus for the new commandment that we looked at several weeks ago about loving all other believers. Numerous biblical commentators on this aspect point out the other side of the coin and say that if we do not love, or even hate, other Christians, then it is as if we are hating or failing to love Christ himself.
I fully acknowledge that often times loving our fellow Christians can be a difficult task. I say this pointing out that there is a great difference that exists between loving and tolerating. I’ll be the first one to tell you that I tolerate a lot of folks that I would quite say that I love like I ought to. You probably can say the same thing. However, I don’t want that to come off as if it is a good thing or something to really be proud of. But, it can be a difficult thing to truly love another person. In all honestly, there are times where we struggle truly loving even our own family members, much less others. Holiday gatherings, that find us with 20 or so of our closest relatives in a confined space for a few days, tends to test our love for our own family. I don’t know that’s it’s possible to start a family vacation without a little arguing as the car is being loaded with luggage, kids, and all the necessary supplies. Regardless of how difficult it is to love all others, that is what is commanded of us. If we love Christ, then we are to keep his word and his commands to love one another.
All of this brings us back to the person of the Holy Spirit. You see, without the working of the Holy Spirit on and in and through us, we don’t possess the ability to truly love one another. We barely possess the ability to tolerate one another, much less love. To quote the well-known words of Paul in his letter to the church in Philippi, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” We can do anything through the power of Christ. Look at the words of verse 26 here in our text where Jesus tells the disciples that the Holy Spirit is coming, “whom the Father will send in my name.” In other words, the Holy Spirit is coming from the Father on account of Christ; he is coming from both Father and Son. The power of Christ is made available to us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within all believers. It’s how we said last Sunday that Christians have been able to do such great works, even greater works than Christ, since the time of his ascension. Truly loving one another is an example of those great works.
Then, as Jesus ends his introduction of the Holy Spirit and prepares to bring a close to the events in the upper room, he tells his disciples of the legacy (as R.C. Sproul calls it) that he is leaving behind. He says to them, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you, not as the world gives do I give to you.” In other words, the peace that Christ speaks of isn’t peace in terms of everyone getting along. The peace that Christ is imparting to the disciples is the peace that Paul writes about in Romans 5:1, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” This peace that Christ is leaving us with is the peace of having satisfied the wrath of God, having paid the price that was owed for our sins. Can you imagine the anxiety and the unrest that would exist if this were not true? There’s already anxiety and unrest even with Christ having paid the price for our sins. Imagine if our forgiveness and our atoning for our sins was still left up to us. Imagine if our religious system resembled that of biblical Israel, of the Jews. So often, we take the cross for granted and we cannot even fathom our lives without it.
Because of the fact that Jesus has paid such a price and gives such peace, he can say, “Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.” Don’t misunderstand Jesus’ words here. The Father isn’t greater than the Son in terms of his substance or divinity. The Father is simply greater in terms of his economy or hierarchy of redemption. Hence, the Father sending the Son into the world and not the other way around. Jesus was telling his disciples that they should rejoice because he was soon to go back to his place of glory, back to the right hand of the Father Almighty. He was leaving the world with a peace that it had not known for quite some time. In fact, it was a peace that was unknown since the time of Adam. For the first time since that Fall, since sin was introduced into the world, the wrath of God was satisfied in full. For the first time since the Fall, man had peace with God. And this all came about through the person and work of Jesus Christ. And it was applied to us by the work of the Holy Spirit.
Before leaving from that place, Jesus reminds his disciples that he is leaving them. He tells them that the ruler of this world (i.e. Satan) is coming, but that he will not overtake him. What he is about to do, he does out of obedience to the Father. Through this work, the world will know the extent to which the Father loves them. In essence, Christ is telling them to go forth girded with the truth of the Holy Spirit, armed with the Word, and blessed with the peace of God. What an amazing way for our Savior to leave his disciples. What an amazing way for our Savior to leave us. Jesus Christ came to this earth, lived the life to perfect, was crucified, dead, buried, and rose again from the grave. All this he did in order to give us peace with God so that we may carry on with our chief end, our primary purpose, of glorifying God and enjoying Him forever. Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Jesus’ disciples are preparing for such a time. Perhaps a better way to say it is that Jesus is preparing his disciples for such a time. Jesus is “fixin’” to leave his disciples. However, Jesus is not going to leave his disciples without some support. He is not going to leave them completely without his presence. We mentioned last Sunday that he was going to send the Helper, the Holy Spirit to guide the disciples, as well as all other believers, us included. The Holy Spirit rests upon us and works through us to accomplish good works for God’s kingdom and also applies the salvation achieved by Christ to us. He applies the salvation that Jesus accomplishes in his leaving of the disciples. Christ is going away from them, but he’s not going away for good. After his resurrection, he will appear to his disciples once more before his ascension. You see, he also isn’t fully going away because he is eternal. Yes, the man known as Jesus may have died, been resurrected, and then ascended into heaven, but the Christ, the Son, the second person of the Trinity is eternal. He has been since before the foundations of the earth, he is now, and he will be for all eternity.
In our text for today, Jesus is continuing to speak of the oneness that exists between he and the Father. He speaks of the fact that those who love him and those that keep his commandments, that they will be united with both himself and the Father. So often we try and overthink things. We try and explain everything so that we completely understand it. Well, I’ll be honest with you; this union here that exists not only between the Father and the Son, but also between the believer and Christ is something that I don’t think can be fully understood. It can be somewhat explained and identified, but full comprehension just doesn’t seem a reality. I know that we are united with Christ in some way and that we are found in him and he in us and that his righteousness is granted to us. I also know that because of all believers being united to Christ and to the Father, that we are in turn all united to each other as well. This was the impetus for the new commandment that we looked at several weeks ago about loving all other believers. Numerous biblical commentators on this aspect point out the other side of the coin and say that if we do not love, or even hate, other Christians, then it is as if we are hating or failing to love Christ himself.
I fully acknowledge that often times loving our fellow Christians can be a difficult task. I say this pointing out that there is a great difference that exists between loving and tolerating. I’ll be the first one to tell you that I tolerate a lot of folks that I would quite say that I love like I ought to. You probably can say the same thing. However, I don’t want that to come off as if it is a good thing or something to really be proud of. But, it can be a difficult thing to truly love another person. In all honestly, there are times where we struggle truly loving even our own family members, much less others. Holiday gatherings, that find us with 20 or so of our closest relatives in a confined space for a few days, tends to test our love for our own family. I don’t know that’s it’s possible to start a family vacation without a little arguing as the car is being loaded with luggage, kids, and all the necessary supplies. Regardless of how difficult it is to love all others, that is what is commanded of us. If we love Christ, then we are to keep his word and his commands to love one another.
All of this brings us back to the person of the Holy Spirit. You see, without the working of the Holy Spirit on and in and through us, we don’t possess the ability to truly love one another. We barely possess the ability to tolerate one another, much less love. To quote the well-known words of Paul in his letter to the church in Philippi, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” We can do anything through the power of Christ. Look at the words of verse 26 here in our text where Jesus tells the disciples that the Holy Spirit is coming, “whom the Father will send in my name.” In other words, the Holy Spirit is coming from the Father on account of Christ; he is coming from both Father and Son. The power of Christ is made available to us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within all believers. It’s how we said last Sunday that Christians have been able to do such great works, even greater works than Christ, since the time of his ascension. Truly loving one another is an example of those great works.
Then, as Jesus ends his introduction of the Holy Spirit and prepares to bring a close to the events in the upper room, he tells his disciples of the legacy (as R.C. Sproul calls it) that he is leaving behind. He says to them, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you, not as the world gives do I give to you.” In other words, the peace that Christ speaks of isn’t peace in terms of everyone getting along. The peace that Christ is imparting to the disciples is the peace that Paul writes about in Romans 5:1, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” This peace that Christ is leaving us with is the peace of having satisfied the wrath of God, having paid the price that was owed for our sins. Can you imagine the anxiety and the unrest that would exist if this were not true? There’s already anxiety and unrest even with Christ having paid the price for our sins. Imagine if our forgiveness and our atoning for our sins was still left up to us. Imagine if our religious system resembled that of biblical Israel, of the Jews. So often, we take the cross for granted and we cannot even fathom our lives without it.
Because of the fact that Jesus has paid such a price and gives such peace, he can say, “Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.” Don’t misunderstand Jesus’ words here. The Father isn’t greater than the Son in terms of his substance or divinity. The Father is simply greater in terms of his economy or hierarchy of redemption. Hence, the Father sending the Son into the world and not the other way around. Jesus was telling his disciples that they should rejoice because he was soon to go back to his place of glory, back to the right hand of the Father Almighty. He was leaving the world with a peace that it had not known for quite some time. In fact, it was a peace that was unknown since the time of Adam. For the first time since that Fall, since sin was introduced into the world, the wrath of God was satisfied in full. For the first time since the Fall, man had peace with God. And this all came about through the person and work of Jesus Christ. And it was applied to us by the work of the Holy Spirit.
Before leaving from that place, Jesus reminds his disciples that he is leaving them. He tells them that the ruler of this world (i.e. Satan) is coming, but that he will not overtake him. What he is about to do, he does out of obedience to the Father. Through this work, the world will know the extent to which the Father loves them. In essence, Christ is telling them to go forth girded with the truth of the Holy Spirit, armed with the Word, and blessed with the peace of God. What an amazing way for our Savior to leave his disciples. What an amazing way for our Savior to leave us. Jesus Christ came to this earth, lived the life to perfect, was crucified, dead, buried, and rose again from the grave. All this he did in order to give us peace with God so that we may carry on with our chief end, our primary purpose, of glorifying God and enjoying Him forever. Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
John 14:8-17 "Even Greater Works?"
Last Sunday, we were comforted by the fact that our Savior loves us and that he is there for us each and every step of the way. We talked about how it isn’t our good works that saves us, but the faith that we have in Jesus Christ. We know Christ to be the only way. We know him to have paid the price that was owed for our sins. We know him to have died the once for all death that was required in order grant us our forgiveness. However, when we ended our time together last week, there was still one piece of information that wasn’t entirely cleared up. We mentioned briefly that it was unclear whether or not the disciples completely understood what Jesus was saying when he spoke of going to his Father’s house. We mentioned that Jesus had made numerous references to God being his Father and not just the Father, but we didn’t really know how deep the disciples understanding of this wording went. We can be sure from the beginning of our text today that at the very least, Philip didn’t get it. And most likely, he wasn’t alone in that regard. He asks for Jesus to show them the Father. He tells Jesus that if they were to simply see the Father, then they would understand what Jesus was talking about. Yeah, that’s it. They ONLY need to see God and then they’ll be all set, that’s all.
One of the great joys of my life is being the father to my three beautiful children (yeah I count the third one already). Through raising them, Amy and I have come to know a love that we honestly could not have imagined before they came around. If I do nothing else well in my life, I hope that I would at least be a good father. However, I have also come to know another emotion in a way that I could never have imagined before, and that is frustration. Sure, I have always gotten frustrated from time to time, but my children take my frustration to uncharted levels on a pretty regular basis. I have to believe that if Jesus was to ever be frustrated or exasperated with his disciples, the group he referred to as “little children” back 13:33, then it would have been at this moment right here. Jesus has been with them for three years now and has continuously told them of his identity. Yet, they are still asking to see God, even though God has been with them this whole time. Jesus has to go over the entire concept of his oneness with the Father one more time. He and the Father are one, to see him is to see the Father. He is in the Father and the Father is in him. The Father has given him the power to perform all of the miracles that have taken place. The Greek word “seimon” can be translated as either miracle or sign. Each of the miracles performed by Jesus are in fact signs that are pointing to his oneness with the Father. Jesus is saying, “Look, even if you don’t understand all of the words that I have spoken, then look at the works that I have done. There is no way that a man could do these works alone. These miracles, these signs, must have come from the Father. I have been able to work such works only because the Father and I are one, He is in me.”
What comes next is quite honestly one of the most puzzling statements that Jesus makes in all of Scripture. He says, “Truly, truly (which means that what he’s saying is important and without fail), I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do, and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” So, let me get this straight, not only are we to continue the works that Jesus has done, but our works are to be even greater than his? How is this even possible? I don’t think anyone sitting here today has ever healed someone just by the laying on of hands or fed 5,000+ people using only a few sardines and scraps of bread or raised a man from the dead simply by telling him to get up. It shakes us to the core when we read these words and I would imagine that they had an even more profound effect on the disciples. Remember, the disciples have just heard Jesus tell them that he is leaving them, and now he is saying that they are to do even greater works that what he has done. Lucky for the disciples and us too, I don’t think that Jesus said these words with an apples-to-apples comparison in mind. I don’t think that each of us individually is called to do greater works than the person of Jesus. After all, how could we? No, as I see this text, this is an introduction of the third member of the Trinity. We’ve heard Jesus speak of the Father and say that he is the Son. Now, he is telling them about the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, the Helper.
You see, Jesus was able to perform his works because he was endowed with the Holy Spirit. If you will recall, the Spirit descended upon Christ like a dove at the time of his baptism and caused the earth to shake in a mighty way. God worked through the Holy Spirit through Jesus to perform his miraculous signs. In Acts 2, at Pentecost, this same Holy Spirit descended upon the whole church, the entirety of believers in Jesus Christ. Acts 2:2 says, “And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house…and rested upon each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.” Ever since that point in time, the Holy Spirit has been working through the lives of believers (and even non-believers who have yet to come to the faith) to accomplish some amazing things for the kingdom of God. That is why Jesus said that greater works would be done because of his going to the Father. Instead of the Holy Spirit residing in him, the Holy Spirit would now reside in all believers.
When we look at what has been accomplished for the Christian faith since the time of Christ’s ascension, it is quite astounding all the good work that has been done by Christians. Sure there have been some black-eyes that have come about throughout history: the Crusades, religious persecution, and some unwarranted bigotry to name a few. Many detractors are quick to point those out, but they so often leave out the rest of the story. Slavery was abolished with the Church as the primary driving force behind this movement. Most universities, colleges, hospitals, orphanages, outreach organizations, relief agencies, and countless other non-profit organizations have come about with the Church as their backbone. They were founded upon Christian principles and their establishment and work has taken place through the work of the Holy Spirit.
Now, I need to take a moment, just a second, and clear something up. It is important that we do not take the phrase “whatever you ask in my name, this I will do” to mean that we can ask for anything and just add “in Jesus’ name” to the end of it and expect for it to be so. God is not a genie. When I was a high school teacher and baseball coach, I used to get tickled at the number of students who would have their eyes closed in the moments before they began a test. I laughed because I knew exactly what they were doing. I knew because I had done it during my time in school. You pray to God to pass this test. You say that if you pass this one then you will study harder the next time. However, it doesn’t work that way. God is not a genie. Christ’s promise here for all that we ask in his name to be done pertains to those things that are in accord with God’s will, which cause Him to be glorified. We need only look at v.15 as further evidence to support this interpretation. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever.” You see, the will of God cannot be stopped. God’s will will be done no matter what. The Holy Spirit was given so that these great works could be done. So that the great works that we mentioned a moment ago could be accomplished.
However, the Holy Spirit was not just given so that we could do good works. He was given so that good works could be done to us as well. God the Father is the architect of our salvation; he is the designer of how we are saved. Jesus Christ the Son accomplished our salvation; he fulfilled the plan laid out by the Father. The Holy Spirit applies that salvation to us; he is the one who imparts the righteousness of Christ upon us. The death upon the cross, the price that was owed and paid by our Savior, the events of which we remember this day with our observance of the Lord’s Supper, all of those benefits are applied to us by the Holy Spirit. And his work does not stop there, because of Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension, the Holy Spirit descends upon us. Because of this descending and resting upon us, we are able to do great things for God’s kingdom here on this earth. As we prepare our hearts to partake of these elements that represent the sacrifice of Christ, the body and blood of our Savior, I want you to think about something. I want you to ask yourself how you are allowing the Holy Spirit to use you and work through your life. I want you to think about how you see the Holy Spirit at work in the life of your church. God is at work all around us at all times, and when we are willing to let ourselves be diminished for His sake, then greater works hath no man ever done. Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
One of the great joys of my life is being the father to my three beautiful children (yeah I count the third one already). Through raising them, Amy and I have come to know a love that we honestly could not have imagined before they came around. If I do nothing else well in my life, I hope that I would at least be a good father. However, I have also come to know another emotion in a way that I could never have imagined before, and that is frustration. Sure, I have always gotten frustrated from time to time, but my children take my frustration to uncharted levels on a pretty regular basis. I have to believe that if Jesus was to ever be frustrated or exasperated with his disciples, the group he referred to as “little children” back 13:33, then it would have been at this moment right here. Jesus has been with them for three years now and has continuously told them of his identity. Yet, they are still asking to see God, even though God has been with them this whole time. Jesus has to go over the entire concept of his oneness with the Father one more time. He and the Father are one, to see him is to see the Father. He is in the Father and the Father is in him. The Father has given him the power to perform all of the miracles that have taken place. The Greek word “seimon” can be translated as either miracle or sign. Each of the miracles performed by Jesus are in fact signs that are pointing to his oneness with the Father. Jesus is saying, “Look, even if you don’t understand all of the words that I have spoken, then look at the works that I have done. There is no way that a man could do these works alone. These miracles, these signs, must have come from the Father. I have been able to work such works only because the Father and I are one, He is in me.”
What comes next is quite honestly one of the most puzzling statements that Jesus makes in all of Scripture. He says, “Truly, truly (which means that what he’s saying is important and without fail), I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do, and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” So, let me get this straight, not only are we to continue the works that Jesus has done, but our works are to be even greater than his? How is this even possible? I don’t think anyone sitting here today has ever healed someone just by the laying on of hands or fed 5,000+ people using only a few sardines and scraps of bread or raised a man from the dead simply by telling him to get up. It shakes us to the core when we read these words and I would imagine that they had an even more profound effect on the disciples. Remember, the disciples have just heard Jesus tell them that he is leaving them, and now he is saying that they are to do even greater works that what he has done. Lucky for the disciples and us too, I don’t think that Jesus said these words with an apples-to-apples comparison in mind. I don’t think that each of us individually is called to do greater works than the person of Jesus. After all, how could we? No, as I see this text, this is an introduction of the third member of the Trinity. We’ve heard Jesus speak of the Father and say that he is the Son. Now, he is telling them about the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, the Helper.
You see, Jesus was able to perform his works because he was endowed with the Holy Spirit. If you will recall, the Spirit descended upon Christ like a dove at the time of his baptism and caused the earth to shake in a mighty way. God worked through the Holy Spirit through Jesus to perform his miraculous signs. In Acts 2, at Pentecost, this same Holy Spirit descended upon the whole church, the entirety of believers in Jesus Christ. Acts 2:2 says, “And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house…and rested upon each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.” Ever since that point in time, the Holy Spirit has been working through the lives of believers (and even non-believers who have yet to come to the faith) to accomplish some amazing things for the kingdom of God. That is why Jesus said that greater works would be done because of his going to the Father. Instead of the Holy Spirit residing in him, the Holy Spirit would now reside in all believers.
When we look at what has been accomplished for the Christian faith since the time of Christ’s ascension, it is quite astounding all the good work that has been done by Christians. Sure there have been some black-eyes that have come about throughout history: the Crusades, religious persecution, and some unwarranted bigotry to name a few. Many detractors are quick to point those out, but they so often leave out the rest of the story. Slavery was abolished with the Church as the primary driving force behind this movement. Most universities, colleges, hospitals, orphanages, outreach organizations, relief agencies, and countless other non-profit organizations have come about with the Church as their backbone. They were founded upon Christian principles and their establishment and work has taken place through the work of the Holy Spirit.
Now, I need to take a moment, just a second, and clear something up. It is important that we do not take the phrase “whatever you ask in my name, this I will do” to mean that we can ask for anything and just add “in Jesus’ name” to the end of it and expect for it to be so. God is not a genie. When I was a high school teacher and baseball coach, I used to get tickled at the number of students who would have their eyes closed in the moments before they began a test. I laughed because I knew exactly what they were doing. I knew because I had done it during my time in school. You pray to God to pass this test. You say that if you pass this one then you will study harder the next time. However, it doesn’t work that way. God is not a genie. Christ’s promise here for all that we ask in his name to be done pertains to those things that are in accord with God’s will, which cause Him to be glorified. We need only look at v.15 as further evidence to support this interpretation. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever.” You see, the will of God cannot be stopped. God’s will will be done no matter what. The Holy Spirit was given so that these great works could be done. So that the great works that we mentioned a moment ago could be accomplished.
However, the Holy Spirit was not just given so that we could do good works. He was given so that good works could be done to us as well. God the Father is the architect of our salvation; he is the designer of how we are saved. Jesus Christ the Son accomplished our salvation; he fulfilled the plan laid out by the Father. The Holy Spirit applies that salvation to us; he is the one who imparts the righteousness of Christ upon us. The death upon the cross, the price that was owed and paid by our Savior, the events of which we remember this day with our observance of the Lord’s Supper, all of those benefits are applied to us by the Holy Spirit. And his work does not stop there, because of Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension, the Holy Spirit descends upon us. Because of this descending and resting upon us, we are able to do great things for God’s kingdom here on this earth. As we prepare our hearts to partake of these elements that represent the sacrifice of Christ, the body and blood of our Savior, I want you to think about something. I want you to ask yourself how you are allowing the Holy Spirit to use you and work through your life. I want you to think about how you see the Holy Spirit at work in the life of your church. God is at work all around us at all times, and when we are willing to let ourselves be diminished for His sake, then greater works hath no man ever done. Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
John 13:36-14:7 "Comfort in Darkness"
Several weeks ago, we looked at a passage in which we saw Jesus tell John that Judas was going to betray him. He told all of the disciples that one of them would betray him, but John was the only one that he informed as to the identity of his betrayer. Now we’re told that Peter will deny Jesus. We’re told that not only will Peter deny him, but he will do so three times. This has to absolutely scare the pants off of the disciples; they’ve already heard one will betray and now they’re hearing that one will deny. Not only will one deny, but the denier is going to be Peter. I mean, Peter is kind of like the leader of the disciples. He’s listed first among them when they are listed in the book of Acts. He is the one who prematurely rushes to Jesus’ defense when the authorities come to arrest him. He’s kind of the alpha male of the group so-to-speak. If there was any one of the disciples that we would think wouldn’t deny Jesus no matter the situation, then it would be Peter. However, that’s what the disciples are told and it’s what we have here and there is no debating it.
So they now are sitting, listening to Christ as he has just given them this news about a betrayal and a denial coming from within the twelve. Let’s also not forget that he has just said several times that he is leaving and that where he is going they cannot follow. The one who they have left everything behind in order to follow is about to leave them. They are worried and mostly likely it is very visible and very apparent to Jesus that the disciples are concerned. This is truly a dark hour for the disciples. If this were being played out for us as a movie, then this scene would have a very dark tone to it. That’s why back in 13:30 we were told that it was night; so that we would see this as a dark moment for the disciples. Jesus, seeing this, gives them what they need. He tells them, “Let not your hearts be troubled.” He calms their fears. He tells them to believe in God, to believe in Jesus. That is where both the disciples and our greatest comfort lies.
He tells them that he is going to his Father’s house to prepare the way for them. They have heard him refer to God as his Father numerous times. Now whether or not they fully comprehended such statements is a whole other matter entirely. Whether they full understand that Jesus is speaking of heaven has been debated for some time. Either way, Jesus tells them that after he has gone and prepared this place for them that he will return and take them to where he is going. He doesn’t say that he will send for them, but that he will take them himself. After comforting them and assuring them that they know the way to where he is going (since they are already following him), Thomas is still confused, and I would imagine that he isn’t the only one. He asks, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” You see, Jesus has already told them that they cannot follow him to where he is going and that they are not coming with him at this time. Now he’s telling them that they already know the way to where he is going. I have to imagine that there is quite a bit of confusion amongst the entirety of the disciples at this point. Jesus answers Thomas’ question by telling him that he is the way. He says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” Following Christ is the way to where he is going; it is the only way to where we want to go.
I am what some of you might call directionally challenged. I don’t know what it is about me but (as they say) when God was forming me within my mama’s womb some 30 years ago, he left out my sense of direction. I just don’t have one. Luckily, in God’s providence, he gave me a wife who has a sense of direction that is so good that it overcomes my own shortcomings in this area. However, there are numerous times when I have to make trips without my wife being able to tell me where to go. I’m thankful that I live in a time where GPS devices are in common supply. I can plug in addresses and locations and the device will take me directly to where I want to go. I trust that it will lead me to where I want to go. I follow the directions no matter where they may take me. I know how to get from where I am to where I’m going simply by following where I am being led. When it comes to heaven, Christ is our GPS. Now, that may be a somewhat crude and oversimplified way of saying things, but it’s pretty true. Christ is giving (has given) us the directions; we just have to follow them.
Jesus goes on to tell the disciples, “No one comes to the Father except through me.” He is the only way to heaven. Jesus is the only one who can lead us to our heavenly home to be with the Father Almighty. All of the other “maps” are wrong. All of the religions out there that speak of others that can take us to heaven are simply not true. All of the other belief systems out there that offer salvation apart from Jesus Christ are in error. The notion that exists in our world today that all religions worship the same God just in different forms is bogus. The idea that we are all going to the same place but that our paths for getting there are different is quite honestly a myth. Jesus Christ says plain and simple that he is the only way. It is our faith in Christ that leads us to heaven and nothing else. Being a good person and doing good works are great and they should naturally flow out of a right faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior, but they are not salvific in-and-of themselves.
The words that Jesus speaks to his disciples here are from a text that we often find read at a funeral service. They are words that give us comfort during our darkest times, just as they are given to comfort the disciples in their darkest time here. And boy what a comfort they are. Imagine if our salvation was dependent upon our works. Imagine if your own salvation was dependent upon your own good works. I stand here before you today a man who most people would say is a pretty decent guy. I’m a husband and a father who wants nothing but the best for his wife and his children. I stand here before you today a pastor who constantly seeks for the work of Christ and the will of God to be done across this earth. However, I stand here before you today a man who has failed in numerous aspects of life. I have failed in numerous aspects of my faith as well. I have had times where I sought the good of myself and my family much more than the good of others. I have worried about what is mine and getting my family comfortable before I have even thought about the needs of others. I can tell you that if my salvation depended solely upon the good works that I have done and my total fulfillment of what God requires of me, then I would be up a creek without a paddle. Fortunately, my salvation is not based upon what I have done. My salvation is a work of Christ. In terms of that creek I just mentioned, Christ is my paddle. And not only is he my paddle, but he is my boat, my compass, the guiding star, the current, and everything else that is leading me to my eternal destination. And the exact same thing is true of your salvation. Christ is everything in terms of our salvation.
When times are tough and when things get hard, take refuge in the Lord. Remember that Jesus Christ is not just a way. Remember that he isn’t the best way, but he is the only way to the Father. Know that dark clouds will form, thunder will roll, and waves will come crashing down around you, but the Lord will continue to lead the way. If we follow Christ, we will never get lost. No matter how dark the skies may get, the light of Christ will shine through it all for us to see. Seek Him, trust Him, follow Him. Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
So they now are sitting, listening to Christ as he has just given them this news about a betrayal and a denial coming from within the twelve. Let’s also not forget that he has just said several times that he is leaving and that where he is going they cannot follow. The one who they have left everything behind in order to follow is about to leave them. They are worried and mostly likely it is very visible and very apparent to Jesus that the disciples are concerned. This is truly a dark hour for the disciples. If this were being played out for us as a movie, then this scene would have a very dark tone to it. That’s why back in 13:30 we were told that it was night; so that we would see this as a dark moment for the disciples. Jesus, seeing this, gives them what they need. He tells them, “Let not your hearts be troubled.” He calms their fears. He tells them to believe in God, to believe in Jesus. That is where both the disciples and our greatest comfort lies.
He tells them that he is going to his Father’s house to prepare the way for them. They have heard him refer to God as his Father numerous times. Now whether or not they fully comprehended such statements is a whole other matter entirely. Whether they full understand that Jesus is speaking of heaven has been debated for some time. Either way, Jesus tells them that after he has gone and prepared this place for them that he will return and take them to where he is going. He doesn’t say that he will send for them, but that he will take them himself. After comforting them and assuring them that they know the way to where he is going (since they are already following him), Thomas is still confused, and I would imagine that he isn’t the only one. He asks, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” You see, Jesus has already told them that they cannot follow him to where he is going and that they are not coming with him at this time. Now he’s telling them that they already know the way to where he is going. I have to imagine that there is quite a bit of confusion amongst the entirety of the disciples at this point. Jesus answers Thomas’ question by telling him that he is the way. He says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” Following Christ is the way to where he is going; it is the only way to where we want to go.
I am what some of you might call directionally challenged. I don’t know what it is about me but (as they say) when God was forming me within my mama’s womb some 30 years ago, he left out my sense of direction. I just don’t have one. Luckily, in God’s providence, he gave me a wife who has a sense of direction that is so good that it overcomes my own shortcomings in this area. However, there are numerous times when I have to make trips without my wife being able to tell me where to go. I’m thankful that I live in a time where GPS devices are in common supply. I can plug in addresses and locations and the device will take me directly to where I want to go. I trust that it will lead me to where I want to go. I follow the directions no matter where they may take me. I know how to get from where I am to where I’m going simply by following where I am being led. When it comes to heaven, Christ is our GPS. Now, that may be a somewhat crude and oversimplified way of saying things, but it’s pretty true. Christ is giving (has given) us the directions; we just have to follow them.
Jesus goes on to tell the disciples, “No one comes to the Father except through me.” He is the only way to heaven. Jesus is the only one who can lead us to our heavenly home to be with the Father Almighty. All of the other “maps” are wrong. All of the religions out there that speak of others that can take us to heaven are simply not true. All of the other belief systems out there that offer salvation apart from Jesus Christ are in error. The notion that exists in our world today that all religions worship the same God just in different forms is bogus. The idea that we are all going to the same place but that our paths for getting there are different is quite honestly a myth. Jesus Christ says plain and simple that he is the only way. It is our faith in Christ that leads us to heaven and nothing else. Being a good person and doing good works are great and they should naturally flow out of a right faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior, but they are not salvific in-and-of themselves.
The words that Jesus speaks to his disciples here are from a text that we often find read at a funeral service. They are words that give us comfort during our darkest times, just as they are given to comfort the disciples in their darkest time here. And boy what a comfort they are. Imagine if our salvation was dependent upon our works. Imagine if your own salvation was dependent upon your own good works. I stand here before you today a man who most people would say is a pretty decent guy. I’m a husband and a father who wants nothing but the best for his wife and his children. I stand here before you today a pastor who constantly seeks for the work of Christ and the will of God to be done across this earth. However, I stand here before you today a man who has failed in numerous aspects of life. I have failed in numerous aspects of my faith as well. I have had times where I sought the good of myself and my family much more than the good of others. I have worried about what is mine and getting my family comfortable before I have even thought about the needs of others. I can tell you that if my salvation depended solely upon the good works that I have done and my total fulfillment of what God requires of me, then I would be up a creek without a paddle. Fortunately, my salvation is not based upon what I have done. My salvation is a work of Christ. In terms of that creek I just mentioned, Christ is my paddle. And not only is he my paddle, but he is my boat, my compass, the guiding star, the current, and everything else that is leading me to my eternal destination. And the exact same thing is true of your salvation. Christ is everything in terms of our salvation.
When times are tough and when things get hard, take refuge in the Lord. Remember that Jesus Christ is not just a way. Remember that he isn’t the best way, but he is the only way to the Father. Know that dark clouds will form, thunder will roll, and waves will come crashing down around you, but the Lord will continue to lead the way. If we follow Christ, we will never get lost. No matter how dark the skies may get, the light of Christ will shine through it all for us to see. Seek Him, trust Him, follow Him. Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)