(Taught at Mt. Holly Springs Full Gospel Church, January 1999 - it is as timely today.)
In preparing for tonight I kept hearing scriptures of encouragement, since that is what I am hearing from God, that is what I will try to convey tonight. I don't know your pastor and I will probably be different than he is, but you will find that I love to read the Bible in public, I love to share His word, and most of what I do tonight will be directly from it. I try to not bring my opinions, but his word. If I bring in one of my opinions and it doesn’t seem to fit, turn me off a couple of seconds, wait till I get back to the scripture and turn me back on. Don't miss what is in this passage of scripture because of me. I hope I can stay out of the way, but if you have to, get it in spite of me.
Believe me there have been some trying times for me in the last year, and at times I have turned to God and asked, "why"? But lets look to His word. That is the authority. The Psalmist David said,
Ps 121:1-4
1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
(KJV)
This message is not popular with some, there are many talking gloom and doom, but the message of His goodness is God's word. It doesn't matter who likes it or who doesn't like it, it is truth. But we must remember that we are in the world and to some degree we are impacted by it. The car breaks down, the hinge breaks on a door, the roof leaks. But the word says:
Isa 54:10
10 For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.
(KJV)
Things may get bad, I cannot predict the future of this world, but no matter what, the future for the one who is in Christ is good. We are overcomers. The bible says so.
Prov 13:15
15 Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.
(KJV)
God will look out for us, we are his, and he is responsible for us. But there is a part in this we must play.
Jude 1:20-21
20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
(KJV)
Keep your self in the love of God. Keep his word in your heart, Pray. Spend time with him. And we’re told to comfort, edify ourselves, but we are also responsible for others.
1Thes 5:11
11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
(KJV)
One another! Who is that? In the story of the Good Samaritan Jesus asked "who is my neighbor?" Let me tell you about my neighbors. I have lots of them. There are the ones that live next to me. There are the ones that work with me, they're are the ones that work in the stores I shop in. They are on the internet. There are a lot of them. There are ways to encourage them, even if it is nothing more than a smile, a word that shows I care. You know I have taken the time to tell a store manager that a person who waited on me is doing a good job? You know I don't do it for that reason, but it makes the person see you as different. And when they see you as different you may have an opportunity to share Jesus with them. Have you ever thought about this? When you share a cake with someone you have less to eat yourself, but when you share Jesus with someone, you have more?
There are even those in the church and the world that are telling us that everything is wrong, or that everything is right. Let's face it, most of us if we are willing to admit it gets that way at times. But generally most that are doing that on a regular basis this have something to gain from you believing what they are saying. Let's face it, if I were selling fire extinguishers and I was telling you how bad fire danger is, don't I have something to gain? But the fact that I have something to gain doesn't make it less real, so let's not look at everything that is told us as if the person is wrong. If I have three leaky gas cans sitting there, I probably need a new one.
So I went to a scripture that tells us what Jesus told his disciples to expect. You know we are fortunate to have the words of Jesus today. In the world's eyes he was just a carpenter that lived in Galilee. He never wrote a book, but 2000 years later we know about his life and hang on to the words he spoke. And his words are life to us.
I don’t care if you think things are going to get better or worse, if you think Jesus is coming this week or a hundred years from now, this scripture is important. I'm assuming that everyone here has a personal relationship with Jesus, he is your lord and savior. This scripture is at the core of the victorious Christian life.
In John 14 Jesus began:
John 14:1-15:21
CHAPTER 14
1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 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.
Jesus looked at the 12 men he had chosen. Remember. These were not yet the great saints. This was Peter who would deny him, Judas that would betray him, Thomas who would doubt him and the others who would desert him and hide. Jesus knew what was coming. He knew what would happen, and how hard it would be so he told them that if they could believe in him, they could trust the father. Then he revealed his place in the plan. He had to go away. Have you ever had a friend, spent time with him or her and then knew they were going away? It brings sadness.
The apostle Paul faced it and wrote…
2 Tim 4:6-8
6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
(KJV)
At another place the writer Luke in Acts quotes Paul,
Acts 21:13-14
13 Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
14 And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.
(KJV)
Back to John
He says, my leaving is temporary, I am coming back. And when I come back, I will be coming back for you. You are mine, and I will take you to where I am. You will be with me forever. To be present with the Lord, that is awesome. He was leaving as the slain lamb. He is coming back as the Lion who reigns. And when he comes back he will be returning as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
He knows their concerns, he knows their worries, but he says, you know the way I am going and where I am going. We know where he is, we know what is on the other side of the door.
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
It seemed like when Jesus said something, someone always didn’t get the word. It's that way today. In this case it was Thomas. He wants to know. I can get with this. I too want to know.
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Jesus tells him, I am the way. We have to come to the father by Jesus. He is the way. He is the one who gave his life. And the way to the Father is through him. We can’t get there by ourselves, only by him.
Jesus tells them something precious here, if we have seen him, we have seen the father. The key is to see Jesus. But we say, he lived 2000 years ago, he left this world from the Mount of Olives, how are we going to see him? By his words we see him. By his works we see him and by his people we see him. There is wisdom in his words, there is healing in his words, there is salvation in his words. And when we have seen him, the father is an image of him, we see the father.
8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
Now Phillip gets into the act, asking to see the father. He says if I can see the father it will be enough. There is always someone seeking a sign. And signs are nice. Along the road they point us to where we are going, but when there isn't a sign we have to take it on faith that the last turn was right and we are on the right road and if we keep going we will get there. Even our generation seeks signs, they want the spectacular and they will do anything to get it. That is why we have people seeking mediums. And they are operating all over. I know of several of them that have signs out front, and the people follow those signs. And one of the reasons they are seeking a sign is because we have not presented the real Jesus to them. There was a sign.
Matt 12:39-42
39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
(KJV)
But Jesus wanted them to see him and more important, see the father in him.
9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
The key here, the father and I are one.
11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Greater works, Jesus healed the sick. He raised the dead. Can someone tell me of greater works? There must be, because he said there were.
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
God is glorified in our prayers being answered!
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
What a promise.
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Moses gave 10 Commandments he got from God. Jesus gave us, 2. What are they? We should know if this is important.
Matt 22:37-40
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
(KJV)
The law and the prophets hang on this! These two support all of the law. And I might add most of the good laws of our land.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Now Jesus is leaving but here comes the Holy Spirit. Let's say that Jesus had not gone away and stayed, he could at best have ministered to lets say, maybe 10,000 people, but the holy spirit ministers to many. Because he is spirit he can be anywhere and everywhere.
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
He is truth, there are those who cannot receive him. Have you ever seen the Holy Spirit? I haven't seen him physically, but I have seen his acts, felt his presence and known the kindness and love and grace he extends.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
There is so much in this scripture. You will never be alone and without help. You will never have reason to fear. Because I live you shall live.
20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Can we know Jesus, Yes. And one of the signs that was to prove who he was is the death on the cross.
22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
We look back about 900 more years to the Psalms.
Ps 91:1-16
1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.
(KJV)
28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.
30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.
31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.
CHAPTER 15
1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
We are commissioned to ask and we will receive. Ask and it will be given you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
Abiding in his love? What a wonderful place. This is where we must be, because when we are, the storms can rise, the winds can blow, the rain can fall, but none of these things move me.
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
He expects us to live that our joy is full. Does that mean a smile every moment? I doubt that. But I believe that the joy of the lord is with us, if we just rest in him. Paul shows this in a practical way.
2 Cor 7:5-7
5 For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.
6 Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;
7 And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more.
(KJV)
Let me share this with you as I close.
First, who is my neighbor, I previously said the one I love next to and a lot of other things, but let me tell you about another neighbor. His name is Grahm Pocket. I know that is a funny name, but he is from Australia and I met him through a home page on the Internet. He has been an encouragement to me, although he is thousands of miles away. He is my neighbor. A neighbor is one who's life we can brighten or who has the opportunity to brighten ours.
Second. When this was recorded, Jesus was preparing to leave as the slain lamb, he was coming back three days from the grave as the Lion who reigns. During that time he took the keys of death, hell and the grave and took captivity captive. He taught his disciples and then he left again from the Mount of Olives. He promised then that he would return. And when he comes back he will be returning as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. I want to be with him then.