Sermons From My Heart

As we celebrate Trinity Sunday, we focus on the magnificence of creation. Modern technology has given us the means to discover the expanse and wonder of the universe. Thanks to the Hubble telescope and a second generation Hubble that will be sent into an even higher orbit, we see more of the universe. We are amazed at God’s wisdom in creating such a complex universe. When we study creation and combine it with reading the Bible and engaging in loving, merciful and compassionate relationships, we find God.

Are we choosing to fear God, or are we turning from Him? The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. We need wisdom from above to live as Christians in our modern world. God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit work together as the three members of the Trinity to give us that wisdom. We must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus so that nothing else matters. In other words, we must keep our eyes on the prize.

Chaos threatens to overtake the world, but wisdom makes the world a place where people can live a good life if they follow God’s wisdom. Wisdom travels everywhere in the form of the Holy Spirit because people don’t always pay attention. We are often stubborn and foolish. We turn away no matter how loudly wisdom calls. That’s why God took matters into His own hands. He came to us as Jesus our Saviour. He grew up among us, lived our lives and served everyone He met. He called everyone He met to Him. He carried out the ultimate act of God’s wisdom by dying on the cross for our sins. God is a God of love. He acts for us and among us. He reaches out to us and wants a relationship with us.

When we find God, we find the relationship among all three members of the Trinity. God is self-sufficient. God has been completely satisfied in the interpersonal relationships that have existed among the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God’s overflowing goodness led him to create human beings in his own image and likeness. That same goodness led his Son to become human and live his life for others. That same goodness led God to give us our beautiful world to both preserve and develop in perfect harmony. That same goodness led God to destine us for everlasting life with Him in eternity. God, in His infinite Wisdom, has done all of this for us.

The wisdom of God is available to all who will listen to and follow Lady Wisdom’s call. The poetic tribute in the reading from Proverbs communicates that wisdom and all its benefits (the ability to reign or lead, riches, honour and righteousness) are tied to the fear of the Lord. Solomon’s experience of the rewards of wisdom was unparalleled in human history.

Wisdom is linked to the eternal God. He established it even before creation and brought it forth for use in the creation process. These verses from Proverbs form the background of John’s portrait of Christ as the eternal word in John 1:1-3. Wisdom is God’s delight, and God brought forth the world by the power of His delight. His delight drives Him to create. Human life, guided by God’s wisdom in the ways of righteousness, is His special delight.

Wisdom is the attribute of God by which He created all things. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:24 that Jesus Christ is “the wisdom of God.” Paul also wrote in Colossians 1:15-19 that Jesus “is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation…all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things…in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.” In the passage we heard from Proverbs, Wisdom is personified and, as the pre-Incarnate Christ, is described as being with God through all the mysterious, beautiful and powerful artwork of creation.

In the New Testament, Jesus has assumed the role of Lady Wisdom, but the role of the Holy Spirit is often overlooked. In John 16:12-15, Jesus mentioned that the Holy Spirit will guide and comfort the disciples after He returns to heaven. The Holy Spirit comforts and guides us today.

The Christian worldview begins in God, who disposes all movements without movement of His own, who sees the past, present and future ages of creation equally, for whom nothing is past, nothing remains to come, but all things are present. Nothing that is good offends Him, nothing that is evil gives Him pleasure, by whom nothing was created by nature evil which in itself in only the corruption of good. God exists as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, each equally God, but each having its unique role to play in realizing the economy of glory and blessing that God is unfolding in the world.

Wisdom was present at creation, because Wisdom is part of all three members of the Trinity, who were also present at creation. All three members of the Trinity are eternal and uncreated. Wisdom was a witness to creation. Wisdom was a part of creation. Wisdom was identified with the Holy Spirit at creation. Wisdom’s origin is divine because creation comes from God. Wisdom ties all three members of the Trinity together and enables us to know and understand the Trinity.

This passage from Proverbs has contributed to the expression of Christian faith, of which the Trinity is a key part. One of the themes is the superiority of Christ over all claimants to equality or intimacy with God. The early Christians knew from His claims, miracles, teachings and presence that Jesus was the eternal God. Wisdom’s preexistence, participation in the creation, life-giving power and call to exclusive allegiance provided the vocabulary for the exultation and adoration of all three members of the Trinity.

All three members of the Trinity are present at every stage in world history. They have existed from eternity. They are equal. God sent the Son, the Word, who became one with us in His birth. God and Jesus sent the Holy Spirit. We are spiritually connected to the Trinity because the Holy Spirt makes us members of the Body of Christ.

Wisdom is described as a lady who provides gentle and loving direction and help in life’s moments. Since all three members of the Trinity also provide gentle and loving direction and help, all three members of the Trinity are part of Wisdom.

Since ancient times spiritual writers have understood the source of dignity, worth and wisdom. It is God. We find the same things in the Trinity. The unity of all three members of the Trinity can’t be explained by human wisdom or logic. That is why the concept of the Trinity is difficult to understand and explain. The Trinity has to be believed in the heart. It is the ultimate expression of love-the love shown by God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp.816-817)
2. Hubbard, D.A. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 15: Proverbs (Nashville, TN:Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1989; pp. 118-121,124-127)
3. Fr. Jonak Benedict, O.P.: “To Praise, to Bless and to Preach.” Retrieved form www.torch.op.org
4. T.M. Moore, “Without Beginning, Without Foundation.” Retrieved from https://blogs.baylor.edu/truettpulpit/2016/05/10/proverbs-81-4-22-31/
5. “Wisdom Cries Out.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
6. Julianna Claasens, “Commentary on Proverbs 8:1-4,22-31.” Retrieved form www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=2858
7. Dr. Kari VO, “The Wisdom of God.” Retrieved from lh_min@lhm.org
8. Alan Brehm, “God’s Delight.” Retrieved from www.thewakingdreamer.blogspot.com/2013/05/gods-delight.html
9. Elizabeth Webb, “Commentary on Proverbs 8:1-4,22-31.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1708

“Sara’s mad at me,” Inez told her mother as they drove down a country road toward town. “When she got an A on our spelling test and I got a C, I—well, I said she must have cheated. I know I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Why don’t you call and apologize?” suggested Mom. “I know it’s not easy, but it’s what Jesus wants you to do.”

“Okay, I will, but not right now,” Inez said. “I’ll wait until she’s in a better mood.” As Mom turned down a side road, Inez looked at her in surprise. “Why are we turning here?”

“This is a shorter way to town,” said Mom.” I don’t know how good the road will be after the rain we’ve had, but let’s give it a try.”

For a short distance the road was good, but then the pavement ended and the road became very muddy. “I think we should go back,” said Inez.

“I think you’re right,” said Mom. “We’ll have to find a place to turn around.”

“How about there?” Inez pointed to a narrow path leading into a field.

Mom slowed down, but then shook her head. “Those ditches at the side of that path are awfully deep. We need to find a better spot.”

A little later, Inez motioned toward a wider spot in the road. “How about here?”

But Mom passed by that one too. “That’s not exactly the perfect spot either,” she said.

“Mom!” Inez threw her head back against the seat. “If you ask me, the first possible spot is always the perfect spot!”

“I’m beginning to think you’re right,” Mom said as she slowed down and turned off the road and onto a narrow path.

As they turned around, Mom spoke. “Waiting for a perfect spot was pretty silly, huh? We made a mistake in coming this way, and the first chance to correct that mistake was the best chance. That’s also true when we make other mistakes and need to apologize for something. It’s silly to wait for a better time to do.”

Inez raised her eyebrows. “Okay, Mom, I think I get what you’re saying. Can I use your phone? I want to give Sara a call.”

Do you have a hard time saying you’re sorry when you’ve done something wrong? Putting it off usually makes things worse, and it’s not how God wants His children to treat others. So don’t wait for a better time—apologize and ask for forgiveness right away. You’ll feel much better, and you’ll make the person you wronged feel much better too.

This section of Matthew’s Gospel begins a series of six issues from the Law which Jesus interpreted. He gives the full word of God on these matters. The first is the prohibition against killing. The Law said in Leviticus 24:17 that if you take another person’s life, yours is to be taken in return. Jesus says that anything that leads to killing is wrong, including anger.

While someone may say that he/she has never killed, Jesus asks about the inner attitude of anger, hate, destructive words and hostility. Anger hurts other people and damages the spirit of the one who has feelings of anger. We must resolve anger in other ways instead of focusing on personalities. Jesus answers these problems by asking us to take the initiative in reconciliation.

The word “raca” actually means “empty head, worthless, or foolish.” It is a word of contempt. Those who used that word were demonstrating a spirit of anger that could cause them to be called before the Sanhedrin, the highest court in the land. Such anger is dangerous and destructive and has no place in the life of a believer.

Jesus shows the full moral significance of the Law. He shows that the righteousness of the Law involves conforming to the spirit of the Law instead of mere compliance to the letter of the Law. For example, the term, “you good-for-nothing so-and-so” stems from the same sinful motives- anger and hatred-that can lead to murder.

Anger is a God-given emotion. Sometimes it moves us to proper action, but if it is left unchecked, it is a dangerous emotion. The Bible advises settling disputes quickly, before the enemy can gain a foothold in one’s heart and influence subsequent behaviour. Anyone who comes to God without being reconciled to someone they have offended stands judged by doing so. Such a person is a murderer in God’s sight.  That’s why we must first be reconciled to the brother or sister we have offended.

Anger eats away at our souls and turns us into bitter, unhappy people. No one likes to be around an angry person-and that often makes them even angrier. How can we control our anger? Here are four steps:

1. Pray for the Spirit to control our anger.
2. Address our anger daily. Ask God every day to deal with our emotions.
3. Stay away from angry people. They will drag us down.
4. Confront and forgive

Our gifts, offerings and service to Jesus are meaningless when we refuse to resolve issues or build and preserve relationships with fellow believers. One Sunday a minister preached on 1 Corinthians 11-the passage in which the apostle Paul admonishes certain wealthy Corinthians for celebrating the Lord’s Supper unworthily by shutting out their poorer brothers and sisters in the faith. The pastor wanted to make sure his congregation went through a moral inventory before taking the bread and the cup. He concluded his sermon by quoting Matthew 5:23-34 and then said, “Some of you have destroyed a relationship by something you did or said. Even if it might mean missing Communion, God would rather that you get it right now and go into the lobby to call that person and apologize.”

In the silence that followed, a large number of people went to the lobby, pulling out their cell phones as they went. The shining looks on their faces as they came back made it clear that they had been through a spiritual bath and were ready to commune with God.

To be authentic in our relationships, we must deal with our failures by confession, repentance and seeking forgiveness from others. In doing so, we prepare ourselves for deep and loving relationships.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp.1289-1290)
2. Corrine Canavan-Fifield, “The Perfect Time.” Retrieved from info@keysforkids.org
3. Augsberger, M.S. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 24: Matthew (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982; p. 18)
4. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
5. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “40 Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Day 35.” Retrieved from biblegateway@e.biblegateway.com
6. Ron Moore, “Anger.” Retrieved from www.ronmoore.org
7. The Rev. Dr. Billy Graham, “Is It as Wrong to Get Angry at Someone as It Is to Murder Them?” Retrieved from https://www.arcamax.com/healthandspirit/religion/billygraham/
8. Gary Chapman, “Authentic Relationships.” Retrieved from Oneplace@crosswalkmail.com

Most of you have probably heard the legends about St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. One particular legend, which is based on fact, is his understanding of the concept of the Trinity. In his personal confession, he wrote:

For there is no other God, nor ever was before, nor shall be hereafter, but God the Father, unbegotten, and without beginning…and his son Jesus Christ, who always existed with the Father, before the beginning of time…And he poured out his Holy Spirit on us in abundance, which makes the believers and the obedient into sons (and daughters) of one God in the Trinity of Holy Name.

Saint Patrick was once asked to explain how God could be three in one. He reached down and picked up a shamrock. He held it up and asked, “Is it one leaf or three?”. The reply was, “It is both one leaf and three”, to which Saint Patrick replied, “And so it is with God”

Here’s a simple example of how the Trinity works. God loves us and he is hurt when we turn away from him through sin. Jesus came to restore our relationship with God by paying the price for our sins. The Holy Spirit reminds us of everything Jesus and God said and did and guides us on our daily walk of faith. The Holy Spirit lets us know that we are loved and that we can experience God’s love in an immediate, personal and transforming way.

Why should we even talk about the Trinity, let alone listen to me preach about it? That is a question I asked myself several times while I prepared this message. The Trinity is a difficult concept for anyone to grasp, and I remembered the reason why it is so difficult for us to understand when I came across these words which I found in the sermon I preached on Trinity Sunday in 2010. 

In that sermon I mentioned that part of reason why the Trinity is so difficult to understand lies in how the Trinity is presented in John’s Gospel. John wrote his Gospel for an audience that was primarily Greek. The Greeks were leaders in science, thought and philosophy. In other words, Greek society was very intelligent and highly sophisticated, especially in terms of understanding abstract concepts. This is one reason why John’s Gospel is very theological in nature.

I also mentioned that the very complications of the Trinity are designed to bring us closer to God. There is something we need to know. We don’t know everything about God, but we know everything about Him that we need to know. The Scriptures assure us of that. We do not have to understand everything, spiritual or non-spiritual, the minute we become adults and that includes the Trinity. We know enough to save us. God pours out grace upon us, in abundance and consistently, whether we realize it or not. The Holy Spirit helps us and the Church to understand all of what Jesus said, especially what he said about God.

The Trinity is one of the most fascinating aspects of Christian theology, but it is also one of the most controversial. It is a mystery to us because it is a reality that is above our human ability to understand. We can begin to grasp it on our own, but we must really discover it through worship, symbol and faith. In essence, the Trinity is the belief that God is one in essence, but distinct in person. In other words, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are somehow distinct from one another, yet at the same time they are completely united in essence, will and tasks.

There are four good reasons why we need to talk about the Trinity. First, the Trinity is God. All three persons-Father, Son and Holy Spirit-are the same but different at the same time. Second, the Trinity is the basis of our Christian doctrine. If we eliminate the Trinity, we eliminate the doctrine of one God or we worship a God who can become better or worse or has needs.

Third, the Trinity reveals counterfeit gods. The Holy Spirit opens our eyes and minds to who Jesus really is. The Holy Spirit reminds us that Jesus is both the Son of God and God himself in the flesh. If we hear the Trinity preached regularly, we accept it and can counter the false gods of faith such as Islam, Mormonism or the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Finally, the Trinity is the basis for all human relations. All three members exist in prefect love and harmony, but the Holy Spirit submits to both the Son and the Father, and the Son submits to the Father. They submit to each other, but they are equal.

The Trinity is not just a New Testament concept. The Holy Spirit was very active in the Old Testament. The Trinity was an active part of creation. People were regenerated in the Old Testament just like they were regenerated in the New Testament, and the only way people can be regenerated is by the influence of God the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit also gifted certain people in the Old Testament and equipped them for specific tasks. For example, kings were anointed with oil, which represented being empowered by the Holy Spirit to carry out their duties in a godly way.

The Holy Spirit brings spiritual truth to believers. It calls Scripture to mind, illuminates its meaning and couples itself with experience. The Holy Spirit glorifies God the Son. It vindicates the truth of his teachings and his identity. Unlike the disciples after Jesus ‘ resurrection and before Pentecost, we are not alone. We always have the Holy Spirit. It convicts the world of sin and changes people’s lives.

No one can escape God’s wrath by natural means. It can only be done through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It creates a sense of relief in believers, and only then can we start to live. Faith in God leads to peace with God. Peace does not mean tranquility. It means no longer being subject to God’s anger because of sin. We can’t earn our way out of our sin debt to God because we can never know how much is enough. The process of receiving God’s grace through faith is just a start. It transforms us through the working of the Holy Spirit.

If we give ourselves to the Holy Spirit and let him guide us, we will never wander from the faith because he is ever-present. He glorifies Christ in the view of men. He convicts the world of righteousness. He comes to everyone who humbly seeks to know Christ. He intercedes in every area of our lives. He helps us understand God’s Word. He convicts us of sin. He speaks the truth of God’s Word. He teaches us what Christ taught either by himself or through the disciples.

In order to approach Scripture, we have to pray first. We have to pray to the Holy Spirit for guidance and understanding. We sense the Holy Spirit when it comes to us from God. God reveals himself to all of us, but only as much as we can understand with the help of the Holy Spirit. For example, in the reading from John 16:12-15, Jesus knew the disciples couldn’t receive more truth because they were concerned with themselves. They could not understand the spiritual truth he wanted to teach them without the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit comes from God and glorifies the relationship between Jesus and God. It translates the words of Jesus for us when we encounter situations where we have to ask ourselves the famous question, “What would Jesus do?” It challenges us to shape our lives according to Jesus’ teachings instead of shaping our lives according to the standards of the world.

The Holy Spirit emphasizes sin, righteousness and judgment. Faith in Jesus gives us God’s grace and peace. It gives us hope and comforts us when we suffer as expressed in these words from Romans 5:3-4: “We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance produces character, and character produces hope”. God pours out his love through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit reminds us that God’s love is watching over us. Suffering is good not because of the suffering itself, but because of the patience, experience and hope that come from it.

For example, those of you who have been farmers or who have planted gardens know that plants need soil, sun and rain in order to grow. If you take away any one of those ingredients, plants have a harder time growing. It’s like the story of a man who toured an orange grove where an irrigation pump had broken. The season was dry and some of the trees were dying because they lacked water. The man who gave the tour then took the visitor to his own orchard where irrigation was used sparingly. He said, “These trees could go without rain for another two weeks. When they were young, I frequently kept water from them. This hardship caused them to send their roots deeper into the soil in search of moisture. Now, my trees have the deepest roots in the area. While others are being scorched by the sun, these are finding moisture at greater depths.” Suffering can produce the “roots” we as believers need to survive and thrive in any season of life, but to grow these deep roots we have to plant ourselves in God’s Words to find comfort and strength when we suffer.

We must remember that the Holy Spirit is our guide, not our controller. We keep our ability to choose to follow His leading. As a result, we are always responsible for our actions and our words. The Holy Spirit guides believers into truth, which in turn makes his guidance trustworthy. It helps believers decide what is true and what is false; what is wise and what is foolish; what is best and what is simply okay. When life bombards us, the Holy Spirit will guide us. He will give us that sense of discernment that we need to make both big and small decisions. As we become more sensitive to his guidance, we will worry less and less about the decisions we will make.

The Holy Spirit never speaks on his own. He submits to the Father’s authority, so everything he speaks is directly from the Father. This makes sense because the Holy Spirit lives in all of us, and since he has direct access to our minds, he is the perfect candidate for communicating God’s will to us.

The Trinity is a mystery, but this does not mean a riddle. Instead, the Trinity is a reality above our human comprehension that we may begin to grasp, but ultimately must know through worship, symbol and faith. In order to understand it, we must live in the light of its implications for our human lives. The relationship that exists among the three divine persons suggests to us that we can know God through our relationships—not only in God’s relationship to us, but to the entire created world.

God is real and we are never alone. We can draw close to him and know that he will provide for our needs because he cares for us. We are never beyond his reach because of the Holy Spirit.  The Father opened the way for us to be in his family. Jesus continually offers his peace so we can experience peace of mind and heart, and the Holy Spirit cultivates the fruit of peace in our lives. As a result of our relationship with God through Jesus Christ, the God-like love dwells, abides and makes its home in our hearts, but it can’t be expressed until we yield to the Holy Spirit in fellowship by confessing it and practicing it.

Bibliography

1. R.C. Sproul, “What was the Role of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament?”. Retrieved from Biblegateway@e.biblegateway.com
2. Swindoll, Charles R.: Swindoll’s New Testament Insights on John (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan; 2010)
3. Swindoll, Charles R.: Swindoll’s New Testament Insights on Romans (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan; 2010)
4. Jared More, “4 Reasons the Trinity Should be Part of Your Preaching”. Retrieved from http://www.sermoncentral.com
5. Anne Graham Lotz, “Open Your Eyes”. Retrieved from angelministries.info@angelministries.org
6. Charles Spurgeon, “The Holy Spirit-the Great Teacher”. Retrieved from Biblegateway@e.biblegateway.com
7. Jamieson, R., Fawcett, A.R., & Brown, D.: Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Oak Harbour, WA: Logos Research Systems inc.; 1997)
8. Frederickson, R.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 27: John (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc.: 1985)
9. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NASV (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.: 2009)
10. Dr. Charles Stanley, “A Helper for All Occasions”. Retrieved from Crosswalk @crosswalkmail.com
11. Anne Graham Lotz, “Guided Into a Deeper Level”. Retrieved from angelministries.info@angelministries.org
12. J. Vernon McGee, “How Could I Have Peace of Mind?” Retrieved from Jesus.org@crosswalkmail.com
13. Craig Condon, “The Three Musketeers-Father, Son and Holy Spirit”. Preached at Trinity Anglican Church, Liverpool, NS on Sunday, May 30, 2010
14. Dr. Harold Sala, “Trouble”. Retrieved from http://www.guidelines.org
15. Bob Heerspink, “Beyond Enlightenment”. Retrieved from http://www.backtogod.net
16. Greg Laurie, “It’s Covered”. Retrieved from Crosswalk @crosswalkmail.com
17. Dr. Charles Stanley, “Peace With God”. Retrieved from Crosswalk @crosswalkmail.com
18. Exegesis for Romans 5:1-5. Retrieved from www. sermonwriter.com
19. Lectionary Homiletics, Volume XXV, Number 3 (St. Paul, MN: Luther Seminary; April/May 2013)

Hello boys and girls!

Can anyone tell me what a compass does?

A compass is a very handy instrument that will help keep you from getting lost. Not only that, it will help you find your way if you do get lost. The compass has four main directions, they are North, South, East and West. The needle of the compass always points North. So, if the needle is pointing in that direction and you want to go South, you would go in the opposite direction from what the needle is pointing. With the needle pointing North, if you want to go East, you would go in that direction. If the needle sometimes pointed North and at other times it pointed to the South, East, or West, you would never be able to use the compass to find your way. You would wander around, hopelessly lost. The compass must always point in the same direction if you are going to use it to guide you.

Can anyone tell me what a map does? A map can help us to find a place, and if we’re travelling a map can show us how to get there, how far away it is, what types of roads we can travel on, etc. A compass and a map are old-fashioned ways to find out where we are and where we want to go. Today, thanks to modern science, we have another way.

Can anyone tell me what a GPS receiver does? GPS stands for Global Positioning System. Some people have receivers like this put in their cars to tell them how to get to wherever they want to go. GPS is a satellite-based navigation system made up of a network of 24 satellites. When a GPS receiver is locked on to the signal of at least three satellites, it can track movement and determine the user’s position, speed, trip distance, distance to where the user wants to go and much more.

Boys and girls, there is another way we can be guided to where we should go. Can anyone guess what it might be? It’s called the Holy Spirit. When we don’t know what to do or which way to turn, the Holy Spirit always points us in the right direction. We can’t trust our feelings or what other people are doing to make important decisions

Jesus promised that God would send the Holy Spirit “to guide us in all truth.” That means that the Holy Spirit will help us to understand God’s Word which always points us in the right direction. It points us to Jesus who is “the Way, the truth, and the life.”

Whenever you don’t know which way to turn, you can always turn to God’s Word and let the Holy Spirit be your guide.

Dear God, we thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to be our +guide through life. We know that the Spirit will lead us to Jesus. Give us the strength, the wisdom and the courage to obey the Holy Spirit all the time. In Jesus’ name we pray, AMEN.

Bibliography

1. Garmin Limited, “What is a GPS?”. Retrieved from http://www.garmin.com/aboutGPS/

2. “Our Spiritual Compass”. Retrieved from http://www.sermons4kids.com

Today, I’m going to do something a little different in my message. In addition to speaking about a particular passage, I’m also going to touch on one of the key doctrines of Christianity-the Trinity. The concept is the Trinity is not mentioned specifically in the Bible, but it is there. The Trinity is one of the most difficult concepts to preach on, and that’s why many ministers take Trinity Sunday off!

Romans 5:5 begins a section of Scripture that scholars consider an exposition of God’s love for humankind. John 3:16 expanded and expounded upon God’s love. Paul refers to God’s glory, wrath, love and grace. God’s plan of salvation is a reflection and extension of his attributes.

Paul’s Letter to the Romans begins with the desperate condition of lost humanity and ends triumphantly with the benefits of being reconciled to God. Just as it begins and ends with “Through our Lord Jesus Christ,” so, too, is Christ first and last in the life of the believer.

God gives peace to us who have faith, even when we face life’s challenges. He pours out love and gives us hope until the day when we share in his fullness. God’s peace comes to us through Christ, and in Christ we have the constant assurance of God’s grace. The Holy Spirit is the means by which we experience God’s love.

Some people believe that they can earn their way out of sin debt to God. The problem with that belief is that people can never know how much is enough. If we trust in religion to save us, we will be in a constant state of fear because our debt will solve the mystery of our eternal destiny. Our fate might be eternal suffering. The only way to get relief from this fear is to receive God’s grace through faith. If we do, we will be at peace. We will also have the assurance that we will be with Jesus when he returns and remodels the world.

We can have confidence that Christ will set things right one day. We have been renewed and we are becoming more like Jesus. We can anticipate his return without unpleasant circumstances to distract us. This does not mean that our present lives will be free from suffering. Being faithful in a world that is full of suffering is difficult and making sense out of it is, as Jesus says in John’s Gospel, “too much for you know, but when the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead you to complete truth.” That truth involves persevering with faith because of the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Gospel reveals God’s love and justice, both of which begin and end with faith. When we are saved through faith and by God’s grace, we receive God’s righteousness and become children of God because of Jesus’ death and resurrection. We are made wholly acceptable to God. God’s love touches every part of our lives. It reaches out to everyone, and it is beyond comprehension. It’s like a buried treasure that we have found. God has given us the realities of peace, grace and love.

God’s love sounds regularly in our hearts, but it is seldom heard. It’s often buried under personal ambitions, cares, problems, daily routines and the general busyness of life. When we stop focusing on ourselves and our own problems and focus instead on God, our problems fade away.

God gives us everything we need for inner peace. He opened the way for us to be in his family. It’s as if we entered a castle and were escorted into the royal presence as honoured guests instead of being treated as outsiders. Jesus continually offers his peace so we can experience inner peace. The Holy Sprit cultivates the fruit of peace in our lives.

The word “peace” does not mean a lack of negative experience or a euphoric feeling. It closely resembles the Hebrew word “shalom”, which describes a blessed and prosperous community, not an inner, psychological or emotional peace. Paul has that inner wholeness in mind. Peace must be in the hearts of the people for there to be outward, objective peace in the church and in our lives.

God gives peace to people who have faith. That peace comes to us through Jesus, who gives us the constant assurance of grace. The Holy Spirit provides the means by which we experience God’s love. We have a good, peaceful relationship with God because of what he did for us in Christ. The Holy Spirit assures us that we enjoy divine favour and access into God’s presence. Because of God’s grace, we will share his glory on Judgment Day. God promises his children that they will be one day clothed with Christ’s glory. The term “rejoice” means “to boast, in the sense of jubilation, exultant rejoicing-to shout about it!”

Christians are justified by faith and declared worthy by God. Consequently, they have peace with God and don’t have to fear God’s judgment. When people are justified, they have access by faith to the grace of God in which all Christians stand. In the New Testament, the term “access” refers to the believer’s access to God through Christ.

It is quite natural to glory or exult in what is positive, but not in sufferings and tribulations. In the Greek language, perseverance means “to abide under or stay under pressure.” Suffering teaches believers to stay faithful under pressure, like squeezing olives in a press to extract oil. This pressure results from the conflict of two truths: faith and its enduring benefits versus a fallen world under Satan’s influence.

When we suffer we can rise above our sufferings to see the whole promise of God and the structure he is creating in our lives. God’s grace is sufficient for every situation we will face. Pressure is mandated by God and his love. When the Holy Spirit enters our lives, he opens our eyes to the wonder of his love and shows us that from now on our lives will be covered by his love and that all circumstances (both good and bad) will be related to God’s loving purposes.

Learning to stay calm under pressure produces character. The trials of life refine a Christian’s character and faith. Paul is speaking of sterling character, character without impurities. One writer calls it “tried integrity”-the maturity of a veteran who is complete, or lacking nothing, as opposed to the immaturity of a raw recruit. Christians can rejoice in future glory and present trials and sufferings because they are changed and have become more Christ-like. They have received God’s love and strength because when they were converted the Holy Spirit poured God’s love into their hearts.

When we abide in Christ we are so saturated in Jesus that when God looks at us he sees his own Son and wraps us in his love for Jesus’ sake. Real joy is found in God’s presence, with Jesus, secure and loved forever and ever. God’s love never changes, and Jesus holds us close forever, no matter what our circumstances are. Joy is the result of the work of the Holy Spirit.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p. 1549-1550)
2. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
3. Anne Graham Lotz, “God is Love.” Retrieved from angelmin.info@angelministries.org
4. Dr. Ed Young, “See with Perspective.” Retrieved from ministry@winningwalk.org
5. Dr. Ed Young, “Have Faith in Grace.” Retrieved from ministry@winningwalk.org
6. Briscoe, D.S. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 29: Romans (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982)
7. Jude Siciliano, OP, “First Impressions, Trinity Sunday (C).” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
8. “Am I Pleasing to God?” Retrieved from www.abidingabove.org
9. Rick Ezell, “Experiencing God’s Love.” Retrieved from rickezell@greerfbc.org
10. Bayless Conley, “Inwardly Compelled.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
11. Anne Graham Lotz, “The Focus of Our Faith.” Retrieved from angelmin.info@angelministries.org
12. Dr.Charles Stanley, “Peace with God.” Retrieved from www.intouch.org
13. Jude Siciliano, OP, “First Impressions, Trinity Sunday (C).” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
14. Swindoll, Charles R.: Swindoll’s New Testament Insights on Romans (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan; 2010, pp. 110-114
15. Edwina Gateley, “Deeper Than the Darkness.” Retrieved from http://journeywithjesus.net
16. David Kalas, “This is Where You Come In.” Retrieved from www.sermonsuite.com/printer.php?i=788040700
17. Preaching Magazine, March/April 2016 (Nashville, TN: Salem Publishing Inc.; p. 51)

Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday dear Church

Happy Birthday to you!

On Pentecost Sunday, we celebrate the birth of the church. On the day of Pentecost over 2,000 years ago, the Holy Spirit came to the disciples, and through the Holy Spirit the church was born. It is a time when the church traditionally concentrates on the gift of the Holy Spirit and the ways in which it strengthens the church. It is a time to consider how the Spirit has created and sustained faith in our lives. It is a time to explore how the Spirit empowers our witness so that others might have faith.

The power of the Holy Spirit ignited the disciples. Peter was ignited and gave one of the most powerful sermons in history. It included both the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy and a strong rebuke/accusation. The effect was remarkable. The message pierced the hearts of the people, and as a result more than 3,000 people were baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit. When these new converts returned home, they spread the message, and thus the church was born.

This would not have been possible without the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is not an impersonal force. It is a person. It possesses the mind of God, emotions and will—because it is God. It performs the actions of God. It has the attributes of God.

As a result of the Holy Spirit, the church opened its hearts to fellowship. It opened its hands to care for each and every member. Members opened their homes to each other, especially for worship. They devoted themselves to prayer. As a result of all of this, the church grew and found favour with other people-both inside and outside the church.

The term “Spirit” describes wind or breath. The Pentecost wind is no wind of destruction. It blows where it will and fires up people with faith and spiritual power. The church did not come alive until after God breathed the Holy Spirit. The wind was an outward sign of what was happening within the disciples. The Holy Spirit came like a rushing wind on the first Pentecost, and it still comes like a rushing wind today. We can’t control the wind, and we can’t control the Holy Spirit no matter how hard we try. We try to control what it tells us to do or who it wants us to allow into our churches. Many Christians want just enough religion to be comfortable, to be respected, to feel good about themselves, but not so much that it shakes up their routines and changes their way of living. Many Christians want the benefits of the Holy Spirit without having to experience much of the Spirit.

Differences can enrich and enliven our worship experiences. Differences force us to reach across what divides us. Differences and diversity force us to rely on the Holy Spirit in order to remain faithful to the Gospel of Jesus in more creative and dynamic mission efforts. We are called on to share the Good News with others and welcome them to find love of each other and the love of God. If we do not share the Good News, it is wasted. The Holy Spirit calls on us to share our gifts and love with those who are different from us.

God gave the disciples supernatural ability to speak the languages of all those who had gathered in Jerusalem from around the known world at that time. The Spirit’s presence signified their baptism into the spiritual body of the church. This gift was the result of being filled with the Holy Spirit so the disciples could preach the Gospel to all the people.

God does the same thing today. He speaks through both chosen people and simple people like you and me. This message of being somebody again through God alone is communicated. Why? So that it might get through to everyone. As people who have received God’s grace we get to be a bridge of that good news to people we know and love.

Part of the Jewish liturgy involved reciting one of the great acts of God in their history. When the Holy Spirit came they all worshipped and rehearsed his wonderful works. Bystanders understood them because of the Jewish liturgy. When the Holy Spirit comes to fill a Christian, he/she speaks and acts in ways that weren’t possible before. Christians live supernaturally because the Spirit of God within them controls them.

For example, just a few days before Pentecost, Peter was too scared to admit he knew Jesus. Now, filled with the Holy Spirit, God changed him. In Acts 2:16-21, Peter quoted Joel 2:28-33, which was Joel’s prophecy of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of the last days. On that first Pentecost, the Spirit came to people in a new, more powerful way that signalled the beginning of the new covenant age, which runs from the time of Christ’s death until he returns at some time in the future. These are the last days in that the coming of the Messiah, which was foretold in the Old Testament, have now occurred. His saving death and resurrection have been accomplished, and now the Holy Spirit has to build the church before Christ returns.

Acts 2:1-21 is the marching orders for the church. The coming of the Holy Spirit was an awe-inspiring moment that changed the world. It was a tipping point when history was changed. We have to go with the flow. It asks us to go beyond our comfort zone. God’s dream was one where all believers would gather together in unity and faith. Gold calls on us to love one another. That love changes us. It allows us to show grace to everyone.

Sometimes we wonder if what happened at Pentecost can happen today. We wonder if we can gain a deeper understanding of the Holy Spirit and experience its transforming strength. We want to deal with our own feelings of spiritual inadequacy. God answers these questions and other questions people are really asking. People want something more than ordinary, dull religion. They want the power and intimacy of the Holy Spirit. It changes us. We were created for union and communication with the Holy Spirit. The greatest need for both society and the church today is for a contemporary Pentecost. We, like the disciples, must be ready for the miracle of the supernatural endowment of the Holy Spirit’s power.

The flames represented the purity and power with which the disciples would speak as they proclaimed what God had done. The fire of the Holy Spirit burns away anything that will keep us from being the people God wants us to be. It convinces us that God loves us unconditionally and that we can love others unconditionally. It gives us the ability to love others deeply. The Holy Spirit releases us so that we can praise others. That praise becomes very effective proclamation. It frees us from self-concern and to Spirit-consciousness. We are free to praise God and to receive what he will do.

When people hear a minister preach on a Biblical text with the power of the Holy Spirit, and the people have been prepared by the Holy Spirit, the result is conviction, faith and changed lives. In contrast to the baptism with the Spirit, which is the one-time act by which God places believers into His body, the filling is a repeated reality of Spirit-controlled behaviour that God commands believers to maintain. The work of the Holy Spirit in the church today is to dwell with believers so they will look like Christ and be empowered to continue his ministry here on earth.

How does the Holy Spirit work in the church today?

1. He convicts us of our sin, shows us that none of us can live up to the righteousness of Jesus, and reveals to us the judgment that is coming to those who die without faith in Christ.
2. He immerses us into the family of God.
3. He encourages and comforts us when we are hurting or discouraged.
4. We work with him to maintain unity among Christians.
5. He brings peace in the midst of life’s storms.
6. He pours out the power for victorious living.
7. He helps us to study and understand the truths of the Bible.
8. He intercedes for us when we can’t put our feelings into words.
9. He gives us power for evangelism.
10. He distributes spiritual gifts as he deems best throughout the Body of Christ.

A life in Christ is God’s will for his people. God’s plan can’t be stopped. Pentecost is a taste of what will happen in God’s kingdom when the Spirit is poured out on all people. The Holy Spirit will live in all believers.

The Holy Spirit is more than a tool to help us overcome life’s challenges, but much of what we are asked to do is far beyond what we are called to do. On our own, we are never enough. The outpouring of the Spirit is far greater than anyone expects. It will be poured out on all flesh and everyone who calls on the Lord will be saved. The Spirit will give us the strength we need to do God’s work in our world.

In return, we are called on to be wanders. We aren’t meant to be too settled, rooted or rigid. Our spiritual lives are meant to be a pilgrimage. The dangerous place is the place that gets too comfortable or stagnant. We are to be on the move, and our churches are meant to be on the move as well.

Pentecost is the day when we remember the eruption in which the Church came to birth. It is also the day when we remember the countless ways in which the Holy Spirit shapes the Church as an institution and ourselves as individuals. It is also the day when we are reminded that once we have received the Holy Spirit, we are required and enabled to take a stand for good and against evil in whatever circumstances we find ourselves. The Holy Spirit will teach us to love God and neighbour-and he will reward us by giving us a life worth living. That life won’t be easy or trouble-free, but it will be worth living and dying for-and that is the greatest birthday gift of all.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, Dr. David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013)
2. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible software package.
3. George Hermanson, “All You Need Is Love.” Retrieved from www.holyscriptures.com
4. David McGee, “Grace for Life.” Retrieved from www.crossthebridge.com
5. Ogilvie, L.J. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 28: Acts (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1983)
6. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NKJV (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
7. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, NASV (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
8. Rev. Gregory Seltz, “That’s Just Who God Is.” Retrieved from lh_min@lhm.org
9. Dr. Roger Barrier, “What is the Role of the Holy Spirit in the Church Today?” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
10. The Rev. Dr. Charles Reeb, “Controlling the Wind.” Retrieved from www.day1.org
11. Pastor Dave Risendal, “The Holy Spirit Has Called Me.” Retrieved from donotreply@wordpress.com
12. Jacob Myers, “Commentary on Acts 2:1-21.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1296
13. Rick Morley, “Wanderlust-a Reflection on Pentecost.” Retrieved from http://www.rickmorley.com/archives
14. Jeremiah, Dr. David: AD: The Bible Continues: The Revolution that Changed the World (Carol Stream, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers Inc.; 2015, pgs. 39-56)

Good morning boys and girls!

Do any of you have a special toy or stuffed animal or blanket? Why are they special?

Boys and girls, all of us have something special that comforts us. For you, it’s a special toy or a favourite stuffed animal or blanket. For many of us adults, it’s something like a doughnut and cup of coffee from our favourite coffee shop! J

The one thing that all of us as believers have is the Holy Spirit. It guides and comforts us, especially when we are sad or having problems. Even the disciples had the Holy Spirit, and they were with Jesus since the start of his ministry. Let me tell you the story.

The disciples were sad because Jesus was going to leave them. He was their friend and teacher. He told them not to be sad, because he was going to send them another helper who would remind them of everything he did, said and taught. That helper’s name was the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit would help the disciples grow the church by helping them to do God’s work in the world.

Boys and girls, we can also have the Holy Spirit. All we have to do is believe in Jesus and confess him as our Saviour. If we do, he will send us the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit will help us to do God’s work in our world. That work can be anything from caring for the sick, helping around the house, or telling other people about Jesus. Are you ready to help Jesus?

Let us bow our heads for a moment of prayer. Dear God, thank you for your love. Thank you for sending Jesus to die on the cross for us. Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to guide and comfort us. Help us to teach, guide and comfort others, just like you teach, guide and comfort us. In Jesus’ name we pray, AMEN.

What would qualify a person as a “real Christian?” What daily practices would they have to observe? What would they have to know? These questions and others like them would be interesting topics for an information session or a class for new believers. There is one basic thing that each and every Christian must have to be a real Christian. It is the Holy Spirit.

John 14:1-21 is another part of Jesus’ farewell discourse to his disciples. Jesus has just told the disciples that he is going to be crucified. Now he is telling them that he will not leave them alone because he will send the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will guide them and remind them of everything Jesus said, taught and did. In that sense, Jesus will be with them forever.

The disciples saw the risen Christ and knew the truth about Jesus and his relationship to them. They would live because Jesus lived. In other words, Jesus would live on because of the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit would live in the disciples just like the Holy Spirit lives in all believers. Because the Holy Spirit lives in all believers, they will show their love for Jesus by keeping all of his commandments. By keeping his commandments and doing Jesus’ work in our world, the Holy Spirit and Jesus live in all believers.

The Holy Spirit’s role in our lives is the same role the Holy Spirit had in the lives of the disciples. He is a helper, teacher, guide and encourager. He continues to do Jesus’ work. He gives us gifts that are based on the character of Christ. In return, we are to work in the Spirit and obey God.

John 14:1-21 marks a change in the relationship between believers and the world. Until this point, Jesus has defined the world to include all of humanity that is opposed to him because of sin. Now, there arises a difference between the world and those who believe in Jesus. Both groups are opposed to each other.

Those who believe in Jesus and his death and resurrection are inseparable from Jesus, especially through the Holy Spirit. We will see Jesus in heaven, but in the meantime we have the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit allows believers to see Jesus even though he is no longer with us. Since we “see” Jesus, it stands to reason that he can “see” us. Therefore, he can see whether or not we are obeying him. As we continue to obey him, our spiritual sight gets stronger.

The Holy Spirit came into the world just like Jesus came into the world, the only difference being that the Holy Spirit could not come until Jesus completed his work of salvation. Just like Jesus is under the authority of God, the Holy Spirit is under the authority of Jesus. Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit are the same person, but they are also three different people at the same time. They are like the three sides of a triangle, hence the term “Trinity.”

The Holy Spirit will always stand beside God’s people. The Holy Spirit is referred to as “the Spirit of truth” because truth is part of the nature of the Holy Spirit’s mission. The Holy Spirit testifies to God’s truth and brings people to the truth through conviction that leads to repentance and faith.

When the Holy Spirit is present, Jesus is present. When Jesus is present, God is present. John 14:1-21 helps us to understand the Christian life and God’s will for our lives. It allows us to see things as Christ sees them. The Trinity teaches us to love unconditionally and respect boundaries and roles. John’s Gospel sees love as the key to following Jesus.

At this point in our church year we are getting ready for Pentecost. During these weeks between Easter and Pentecost we have been describing what it means to be a Christian and a church. Jesus’ resurrection has changed us into a people who are living beyond the power of death. The Scripture readings we have heard since Easter Sunday are full of references to the Holy Spirit and the work the Holy Spirit will do among believers. In John 14:12, Jesus said that the disciples would do greater works than he did. That is because Jesus in his human body could only be in one place at one time, whereas the Holy Spirit can dwell within all believers, wherever they are, all the time. To do this, Jesus said in verses 14 to 16 that the disciples would need prayer, obedience and the Holy Spirit. The greater works referred to are the proclamation of the fact of deliverance and the hope and promise of salvation.

God wants to reveal himself to us and he reveals himself to us through Jesus, but only if our hearts belong to Jesus. That’s why Jesus revealed himself to only a select few people after his resurrection. He knew that there were a lot of people who refused to believe that he rose from the dead. In other words, their hearts did not belong to Jesus.

Loving Jesus means wanting him because he is desirable. It means admiring him because he is infinitely admirable. It means treasuring him because he is very valuable. It means enjoying him because he is enjoyable. It means being satisfied with all that he is because he is infinitely satisfying. It is the response of the reawakened human soul to all that is true and good and beautiful and embodied in Jesus.

The Holy Spirit is just like Jesus, so following the Holy Spirit is no different from following Jesus. The only difference is that the Holy Spirit’s leadership is invisible instead of physical. The Holy Spirit is the exact image of both Jesus and God.

No one can produce the love we need to do God’s work except the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will help us obey Jesus’ instructions because it gives us revelation from God’s word. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we are controlled by the Holy Spirit, he changes us and his love flows from us. This lifestyle of obedience will increase our trust in God. We will be able to commit to obeying God, and our study of the Scriptures will be consistent.

The Holy Spirit can transform us once we understand it. It will help us to model the type of Christian behaviour that we want to teach other people. If our behaviour is unbelievable, we will deceive ourselves in the long run. When the Holy Spirit changes us, we will be able to withstand all of life’s problems. We will have peace in our hearts. We will have hope when we are hurting. This will only be possible when Jesus and the Holy Spirit are the centre of our hearts and thoughts.

No man-made idols will be able to withstand the truth of God’s love if we open our hearts and invite the Holy Spirit to live in us. Money will not make us happy, because the Holy Spirit teaches that happiness can’t be bought. Power and control are not important because the Holy Spirit teaches us that truth, kindness and love are more important.

When the Holy Spirit is in us, it shows that we love Jesus. We must always ask ourselves what the condition of our love for God is. How do we respond to God’s love for us by loving others? We often think of God’s love as being unconditional, but this passage from John’s Gospel concludes with two conditions for receiving God’s love-keeping Jesus’ commandments and loving Jesus. These two conditions are so interdependent that Jesus binds them together as if they were one. When we love Jesus, we will obey his commandments and we will not find them burdensome. On the contrary, we will obey them joyfully, because the Holy Spirit inspires us to go into the world and share God’s love, even if the world can’t or won’t accept this message. The world doesn’t know the Holy Spirit of truth and love yet, but if we allow God’s truth and love to speak through us, the world will know this life-changing, life-saving message.

Bibliography

1. Exegesis for John 14:15-21. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
2. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013)
3. Swindoll, Charles R.: Swindoll’s New Testament Insights on John (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan; 2010)
4. Frederikson, R.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 27: John (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1985)
5. White, J.E. in Holman Concise Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1998)
6. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible Software package.
7. Rick Renner, “Jesus’ Last Lesson for the Disciples”. Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
8. Dr. Charles Stanley, “A Lifestyle of Obedience.” Retrieved from www.intouch,org
9. Dr. Charles Stanley, “Our Constant Companion.” Retrieved from www.intouch.org
10. Dick Inness, “Show Me-Don’t Tell Me.” Retrieved from www.actsweb.org
11. Jim Cymbala, “The Power to Love.” Retrieved from www.billygraham.org
12. Pastor Ken Klaus, “Taking God’s Hand.” Retrieved from www.lhm.org
13. John Piper, “If Anyone Loves Me He Will Keep My Word.” Retrieved from www.desiringgod.org
14. Dr. Ed Young, “Do You Love Me?” ”. Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
15. Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, Sixth Sunday of Easter (A).” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
16. Lectionary Homiletics, Vol. XXV, No. 3 (St. Paul, MN: Luther Seminary; April/May 2014)
17. Johnathan Shively, “Evangelectionary for Sunday, May 25, 2014.” Retrieved from www.evangelismconnections.com
18. The Rev. Jason Cox, “Paul: Appealing or Appalling?” Retrieved from www.episcopaldigitialnetwork.com

“Let not your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know and the way you know.”

Isn’t that comforting? It is not surprising that these words are often read at funerals. Jesus said these words to his disciples shortly before his arrest and crucifixion. He knew that they would be upset by his death and ascension, and he wanted to comfort them.

These words are part of his farewell discourse as written in John 13-17. Jesus was preparing his disciples for his departure. Jesus came to earth from his father, and now he was preparing to go back to his father’s house. It is the same house all believers will go to one day.

These same words comforted the early Christians, especially when they were being persecuted. They also give us comfort today. When something terrible happens, we often ask “Where is God?” This is only natural. Jesus asks us to trust him in the midst of our confusion. The special comfort is to believe and trust in Jesus. When life gives us hard knocks, we can let go of uncertainties and believe that Jesus has prepared a place for us in our heavenly home because we can trust him.

The phrase “Do not let your hearts be troubled” might seem a little ironic to us as we gather for worship. After all, whose heart isn’t troubled? All of us have had turmoil in our lives at one time or another. It doesn’t matter if the turmoil is caused by problems within our family, at work, among our friends or even within our churches.

Jesus has already made many dwelling places for us here on earth. Some of these places are places of worship such as a church. Here we can be unburdened from past wrongs. Here we can be ourselves and get help carrying life’s burdens. It is at times like these and in places like a church  where God shows us unconditional love, mercy and surprises.

These places are tailor-made for all of us, both as individuals and as a faith community. They remind me of the words of a song that was popular in the late 1970’s. It was recorded by Peter Frampton and is entitled “I’m In You” It describes how Jesus comforts us here on earth. The first verse goes like this:

I don’t care where I go

When I’m with you

When I cry you don’t laugh

‘cause you know me

I’m in you, you’re in me

I’m in you, you’re in me

‘cause you gave me the love

Love that I never had

Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament teachings that there is only one way to God and one way to see God. Jesus’ ministry and character reveal and reflect God’s character of love, forgiveness and grace. God works through Jesus and he works through us thanks to the Holy Spirit that lives in us. We, like the disciples, can do even greater works than Jesus did thanks to the Holy Spirit.

The disciples could do works that would be greater than the works Jesus did because they could go out into the world. Each and every one of us can also do great works because we can go out into the world and do what Jesus and the disciples did. The disciples had the privilege of working for God and knowing the purpose for their lives. We can also have the same privilege and purpose. Jesus will guide us in the direction he wants us to go. He will help us to “keep our eyes on the prize.”

The reason why Jesus went away was to secure our future. He prepared a heavenly home for us. Jesus is the only way to heaven. Most people today, if asked why they think God will let them into heaven, would say that God will let them into heaven because they try to be good and go to church. They also believe that if their good deeds outweigh their bad deeds then God will let them into heaven. Man’s pride believes that God somehow owes him a place in heaven or eternal life as a reward for good deeds, earnest effort or sincerity. We can’t earn our way to heaven. Belonging to a particular church or a particular denomination won’t get us into heaven. Jesus is the only way to salvation. Jesus is the only way to heaven.

We, like the disciples, dread death and the separation it creates. Death and separation are Satan’s stronghold, and the only remedy is faith in an unshakeable God. This faith will help us to do God’s work in our world. When we pray to God in faith, we glorify God. When we glorify God, we can do great things for him. Praying to God in faith is the cure for anxiety. We pray because we believe in prayer. Prayer is the result of our deepest belief in God. In order for us to believe in God and do his work in our world, we have to have intimacy with God.

Sometimes we are afraid to pray to God because we are afraid that God will turn down our requests. Prayer is not about getting God to do what we want him to do. It is about releasing God’s will on earth. God even said “no” to Jesus when Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus had to submit to God’s will, and we must obey God’s will. That is the only way God can be glorified in life.

Jesus is exalted by God to the highest place in the universe. That is why everyone has to bow down before him. That is why Jesus said that no one can come to God except by going through him. Jesus bridged the gap between God and man that was created by the sins of Adam and Eve. In return, we are to spread the Good News of salvation.

Jesus and the Father are one. Jesus is the perfect representation of both our heavenly Father and our heavenly home. In fact, one reason why Jesus came to earth was to show us the Father. Jesus showed us what God is like and what God likes. God likes to be glorified and when our prayers glorify him, they will be answered in his own time and in his own way. Our prayers glorify him when they are offered in Jesus’ name. Jesus will return one day to take us to our heavenly home. Will he find us doing what he told us to do, or will he find us doing nothing?

If we follow Jesus, we must obey his instructions. We have to surrender our way of doing things, even if it means suffering for his sake. We have to trust that his promises will come true, even if other people say that Jesus is no longer relevant. He is the way to eternal life even when we are surrounded by death. We must keep our eyes focused on heaven so we won’t be distracted by the things of the world. In other words, we must have an eternal view of life.

The way to God means following the narrow road to salvation instead of the wider road to damnation. The wide road is travelled by people who follow the ways of the world. The narrow road is travelled by people of faith. Sometimes we don’t know what lies ahead on the narrow road, but we can be thankful that Jesus has laid out the steps we have to follow. He won’t lead us astray. He will provide for our needs. He will shape our character and define how we are to live godly lives. He will show us the words, deeds, characters, and attitudes we are to have in life’s joys, sorrows and difficult moments.

Those who follow the narrow road will rejoice when Jesus returns because they have been redeemed by his blood. His return will fulfill our hopes and dreams. Those who follow the wide road will mourn because his return will bring their judgment. They did not believe that he died and rose again for their sins, so they are doomed to spend eternity in hell. If we follow Jesus, our hearts will not be troubled.

Some of you may remember a children’s TV show called “The Friendly Giant” It ran on the CBC Television Network in Canada from 1958 to 1985. At the start of each show, the Friendly Giant said that he would “hurry over first and go in the back door so I can lower the drawbridge down and open the big front doors for you.” He would then arrange the furniture for his guests. In other words, he prepared his home for visitors. Similarly, Jesus went to heaven to prepare a place for us to go to when we go to our heavenly home. Going home fulfills the longing we have for God. Only God can fulfill the emptiness of our souls.

Bibliography

1. “The Friendly Giant” Retrieved from www.en.wikipewdia.org
2. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible (Brentwood, TN: Worth Publishing; 2013)
3. Swindoll, Charles R.: Swindoll’s New Testament Insights on John (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan; 2010)
4. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible software package.
5. Frederikson, R.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 27: John (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1985)
6. Radmacher, E.D.; Allen, R.B. & House, H.W.: Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1999)
7. Barry, J.D., Grigoni, M.R.; Heiser, M.S.; Custis, M; Mangum, D.; & Whitehead, M.M.: Faithlife Study Bible (Oak Harbour, WA: Logos Bible Software; 2012)
8. Os Hillman, “Father, Son and Holy Scriptures?” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
9. Pastor Jack Hibbs, “Words to the Wise Devotional, John 14:1-3”. Retrieved from wttw@calvarycch.org
10. Selwyn Hughes, “Christianity is Unique” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
11. Jim Burns, “Good Intention, Wrong Destination” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
12. Pastor Bob Coy, “Eternally Covered” Retrieved from www.activeword.org
13. Calvin Aardma, “Revealing the Father” Retrieved from www.thisistoday.net
14. Anne Graham Lotz, “He Will Be Looking for You” Retrieved from www.angelministries.org
15. Berni Dymet, “Boarding Pass” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
16. Pastor Bob Coy, “Eyes on Eternity” Retrieved from www.activeword.org
17. Gwen Smith, “Don’t Say No” Retrieved from www.girlfriendsingod.com
18. Reginald Smith, “Trust Me” Retrieved from www.thisistoday.net
19. Skip Hertzig, “Purpose” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
20. Joni Eareckson Tada, “Word of the Father” Retrieved from www.joniandfriends.org
21. Anne Graham Lotz, “God Reaches Down to Man” Retrieved from www.angelministries.org
22. Exegesis for John 14:1-14. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
23. Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 5^th Sunday of Easter (A), May 18, 2014.” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
24. Rev. Grace Imathiu, UMC, “Room Enough for All.” Retrieved from www.day1,org
25. Lectionary Homiletics, Volume XXV, Number 3 (St. Paul, MN: Luther Seminary; April/May 2014)

How many of you have seen the movie Saving Private Ryan?

It’s a war film set during the invasion of Normandy in World War II. The film is about U.S. Army Ranger Captain John H. Miller (who was played by Tom Hanks) and his squad as they search for Private First Class John Francis Ryan (who was played by Matt Damon). Private Ryan was the last surviving brother of four servicemen. Captain Miller lost several of his men in their search to find him. After finding him, Captain Miller himself was mortally wounded. As he laid dying, he told Private Ryan, “Earn this.”

Years later Private Ryan stood in front of Captain Miller’s grave and said, “Every day I think about what you told me that day on the bridge. I tried to live my life the best I could. I hope that was enough. I hope that, at least in your eyes, I’ve earned what all of you have done for me.” He turned to his wife and said, “Tell me I have led a good life…. tell me I’m a good man.”

Private Ryan asked the same question many of us ask ourselves: “Have I done enough with this one and only life God has given me?” On our own we can’t answer that question, but with Jesus’ help the answer is clear. He died for us so that we don’t have to do anything. By his grace we can live lives that are satisfied with good things, as the writer of Psalm 104 tells us. The question then becomes “Is the work of Jesus enough to make me satisfied and significant?”, and the answer is always a resounding “Yes!”

All of God’s creation is subject to his authority, including the biggest sea creatures. All of creation must praise him. In return, he takes pleasure in everything he has created. They depend on him, and in return he is generous to them. They can rely on him. We are part of God’s creation, so we can also depend on him.

God gives life. He makes the world new again and again. Creation is God’s and it exists for him. He cares and provides for creation, and in return everything he has created gathers in what God gives them and returns a portion to him. This is what the term “tithing” means-giving back to God a portion of what he has given us. God’s spirit has touched all of us in amazing ways, and we must share what we have been given with others.

It’s almost impossible for us to understand creation. Even our best scientists have to regularly revise their theories to try to explain creation-and God puts all of his wisdom at their service and ours. What God has created is awesome beyond our ability to understand it.

All of creation is supposed to show the majesty of God, including Jesus. He was the shekinah, or the visible sign of the invisible God. According to the Old Testament, the shekinah was a radiant cloud or a brilliant light within a cloud that showed the immediate presence of God. That same cloud led the Israelites by day in the desert. That same cloud also appeared at Jesus’ baptism and his transfiguration.

On the other hand, sinners and the unchurched are those who reject God’s rule and rebel against him. They are a blemish on the world, and God will remove that blemish in due time. The purpose of Psalm 104 is to foster hatred of sin. Its purpose is not to foster hatred against sinners. On the contrary, we are to love them. For example, Pope Francis’ stated to the Roman Catholic Church that homosexuality and divorce are to be treated by showing compassion and love instead of hatred.

Our prayerful response to God’s love is to worship him and care for creation, but unfortunately our modern world has selfishly neglected to care for creation. The only way to prevent an ecological disaster is for humanity to treat God’s creation with respect.

Those who bless and praise God want to see the day when sinful men have been removed from the earth and the curse of sin removed. Throughout the Old Testament there are stories of how God used creation itself to destroy evil and rebuild the world. The prime example is the story of the Great Flood. There is a destructive power in nature. God’s world contains forces that are beyond our wildest dreams, so we would be wise to respect both the forces of nature and the forces of God. We can’t challenge God’s truth and justice, because they are both swift and just. God wields his power with love and compassion.

If we take time to develop the habit of seeing God in our lives, we will be able to withstand the most trying times in our lives. When the Holy Spirit breathes new life into us, we can expect that it will be consistent with the character of Christ even though we might not be able to anticipate everything it will mean.

Our Christian life with God is like a song that is ready to be written. He loves to hear our praise. He will put a song in our hearts that will be the sweetest melody that we can enjoy for the rest of our lives. Just like the angels sang “Glory to God” at Christ’s birth, we are to give God glory in every circumstance in our lives. We don’t have to be a great singer to sing praise to God as long as we praise him every day. We can praise him when we do our household chores or serve others behind the scenes. When we show that Jesus is in our lives and reflect his character to those around us, we will make God happy.

Bibliography

1. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
2. Dr. R.C. Sproul, “Witnessing His Glory.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
3. Williams, D. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 14: Psalms 73-150 (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1989: pp. 239-242)
4. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
5. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
6. “Sing to Me.” Retrieved from Biblegateway@e.biblegateway.com
7. Carol A. Solovitz, “God Pause for Tues., June 3, 2014.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu
8. Ron Moore, “Beyond the Last Note.” Retrieved from www.ronmore.org
9. Ron Moore, “Significant in Christ.” Retrieved from www.ronmoore.org
10. Joni Eareckson Tada, “What Makes God Happy?” Retrieved from communications@joniandfriends.org
11. Alan Brehm, “The Waking Dreamer.” Retrieved from http://thewakingdreamer.blogspot.ca/2010/06/breath-of-god-acts-21-21-ps.html
12. Matthew Stith, “Commentary on Psalm 104:24-34,35b.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=320