WEBVTT 00:00:00.040 --> 00:00:04.540 Let us pray. Heavenly Father, praise be to your 00:00:04.540 --> 00:00:08.220 name. Make us ever mindful that we are the people 00:00:08.220 --> 00:00:11.160 of the resurrection and that there is no power 00:00:11.160 --> 00:00:14.500 greater than your power, no power that can overthrow 00:00:14.500 --> 00:00:17.460 thy purpose and thy kingdom. Help us to hear 00:00:17.460 --> 00:00:22.179 and obey your voice. We do humbly ask you now 00:00:22.179 --> 00:00:25.800 that by your mercies Your grace that you would 00:00:25.800 --> 00:00:27.879 make the words of my mouth and the meditations 00:00:27.879 --> 00:00:30.820 of all our hearts Acceptable in your sight o 00:00:30.820 --> 00:00:33.780 Lord our strength and nearest kinsman redeemer 00:00:33.780 --> 00:00:42.679 Jesus Christ amen As is our habit I know we have 00:00:42.679 --> 00:00:45.719 a few visitors today. We will be preaching I'll 00:00:45.719 --> 00:00:47.840 be preaching through their gospel reading today, 00:00:47.840 --> 00:00:52.740 so once again. Let us hear it as we Prepare to 00:00:52.740 --> 00:00:55.979 hear God's word Let us let not your heart be 00:00:55.979 --> 00:01:00.479 troubled you believe in God believe also in me 00:01:00.479 --> 00:01:03.659 In my father's house or many mansions if it were 00:01:03.659 --> 00:01:07.140 not so I would have told you I go to prepare 00:01:07.140 --> 00:01:10.659 a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place 00:01:10.659 --> 00:01:13.799 for you I will come again and receive you to 00:01:13.799 --> 00:01:18.340 myself that where I am there you may be also 00:01:18.340 --> 00:01:23.260 and Where I go you know and the way you know 00:01:24.189 --> 00:01:26.329 Thomas said to him Lord we do not know where 00:01:26.329 --> 00:01:30.930 you are going and how can we know the way? Jesus 00:01:30.930 --> 00:01:34.670 said to him I am the way the truth and the life 00:01:34.670 --> 00:01:38.290 No one comes to the father except through me 00:01:38.290 --> 00:01:41.930 If you had known me you would have known my father 00:01:41.930 --> 00:01:46.769 also from now on You know him and have seen him 00:01:46.769 --> 00:01:49.549 Philip said to him Lord show us the father and 00:01:49.549 --> 00:01:52.709 it is sufficient for us Jesus said to him, I 00:01:52.709 --> 00:01:55.030 have been with you so long and yet you have not 00:01:55.030 --> 00:01:58.909 known me, Philip. He who has seen me has seen 00:01:58.909 --> 00:02:02.689 the Father. So how can you say, show us the Father? 00:02:03.090 --> 00:02:05.609 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and 00:02:05.609 --> 00:02:08.909 the Father in me? The words that I speak to you, 00:02:08.930 --> 00:02:12.490 I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father 00:02:12.490 --> 00:02:16.610 who dwells in me does the works. Believe me that 00:02:16.610 --> 00:02:19.270 I am in the Father and the Father in me, or else 00:02:19.270 --> 00:02:22.530 believe me for the sake of the works themselves. 00:02:23.370 --> 00:02:27.250 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes 00:02:27.250 --> 00:02:31.469 in me, the works that I do, he will do also, 00:02:31.849 --> 00:02:33.990 and greater works than these he will do because 00:02:33.990 --> 00:02:37.990 I go to my Father. And whatever you ask in my 00:02:37.990 --> 00:02:40.430 name, that I will do, that the Father may be 00:02:40.430 --> 00:02:44.370 glorified in the Son, if you ask anything in 00:02:44.370 --> 00:02:49.219 my name. I will do it. So as we look at this 00:02:49.219 --> 00:02:51.620 passage today, I want us to remember three things 00:02:51.620 --> 00:02:56.199 or kind of see it through this lens. One, we 00:02:56.199 --> 00:03:00.419 are not to be troubled in Christ Jesus. We are 00:03:00.419 --> 00:03:05.699 not to be troubled in Christ Jesus. Secondly, 00:03:05.879 --> 00:03:10.500 God abides in His temple, the church. God abides 00:03:10.500 --> 00:03:17.180 or dwells in the temple, His church. And finally, 00:03:17.520 --> 00:03:21.659 God provides all that His people need. God provides 00:03:21.659 --> 00:03:26.560 all that His people need. Now the word troubled 00:03:26.560 --> 00:03:30.500 is found twice in our text this morning. This 00:03:30.500 --> 00:03:34.199 word troubled in the Greek means to agitate, 00:03:36.099 --> 00:03:40.319 to cause an inward commotion, and in this case 00:03:40.319 --> 00:03:46.159 taking away the calmness of mind. striking at 00:03:46.159 --> 00:03:52.020 one's spirit with fear and dread. In today's 00:03:52.020 --> 00:03:56.500 vernacular, it is the actual state of anxiousness 00:03:56.500 --> 00:04:03.699 and distress. Do you ever feel that way? What 00:04:03.699 --> 00:04:07.259 is it in your life that causes you to be agitated 00:04:07.259 --> 00:04:15.320 and anxious? By the way, of those two, Right 00:04:15.320 --> 00:04:19.540 men lean towards agitation and women lean towards 00:04:19.540 --> 00:04:23.920 anxiousness and then sometimes both sexes do 00:04:23.920 --> 00:04:28.800 both What is it that makes you uncertain in your 00:04:28.800 --> 00:04:32.980 present life and in the future to come? What 00:04:32.980 --> 00:04:39.639 worries you what stirs you up? In the book of 00:04:39.639 --> 00:04:44.500 John chapters 13 through 17 is Jesus' last discourse 00:04:44.500 --> 00:04:47.600 with His disciples before His arrest, torture, 00:04:47.779 --> 00:04:51.740 crucifixion, and death. Jesus who had been explaining 00:04:51.740 --> 00:04:58.040 His soon death and coming absence to them. And 00:04:58.040 --> 00:05:01.560 as He was doing this, it was making them to become 00:05:01.560 --> 00:05:06.120 alarmed. Earlier in John chapter 12, when Jesus 00:05:06.120 --> 00:05:08.100 is in the temple, right before they come to this 00:05:08.100 --> 00:05:10.079 whole period where they're in the upper room 00:05:10.079 --> 00:05:16.589 in chapter 13, forward Jesus declares this now 00:05:16.589 --> 00:05:20.509 my soul is troubled same word and what shall 00:05:20.509 --> 00:05:25.449 I say father save me from this hour but for this 00:05:25.449 --> 00:05:31.050 purpose I came to this hour father glorify your 00:05:31.050 --> 00:05:34.670 name then a voice came from heaven saying I have 00:05:34.670 --> 00:05:39.629 both glorified it and will glorify it again Then 00:05:39.629 --> 00:05:43.589 Jesus cried out and said he who believes in me 00:05:43.589 --> 00:05:47.050 Believes not in me, but in him who sent me and 00:05:47.050 --> 00:05:52.050 he who sees me Sees him who sent me so here before 00:05:52.050 --> 00:05:54.170 they get to the upper room. Jesus is declaring 00:05:54.170 --> 00:06:00.810 these exact issues Is saying the same thing except 00:06:00.810 --> 00:06:03.970 for he prefaces it by saying that he is troubled 00:06:04.089 --> 00:06:07.189 And what does he do? He puts his focus on the 00:06:07.189 --> 00:06:11.310 fact of saying, should I ask God to change my 00:06:11.310 --> 00:06:18.509 life? No. Here I am. To this, I was caused. This 00:06:18.509 --> 00:06:20.649 is very important for us to understand. Do you 00:06:20.649 --> 00:06:23.250 realize that all the circumstances that you find 00:06:23.250 --> 00:06:29.889 yourself in your life, this very hour, everything, 00:06:30.129 --> 00:06:33.129 all of it, your health, your life, your relationships, 00:06:33.399 --> 00:06:36.480 Your work, all of these things, the state of 00:06:36.480 --> 00:06:39.139 our nation, the state of the church, all of these 00:06:39.139 --> 00:06:43.519 things, God has called you to this very hour. 00:06:46.819 --> 00:06:49.579 And what does Jesus do? He doesn't focus on what 00:06:49.579 --> 00:06:52.920 is troubling so much, but is trusting the Father 00:06:52.920 --> 00:06:56.319 to see him through his call, and that in his 00:06:56.319 --> 00:06:59.079 call, God the Father would receive glory. Now 00:06:59.079 --> 00:07:02.439 this is very important. We're gonna come back 00:07:02.439 --> 00:07:04.199 to this, but you're gonna see this word glory 00:07:04.199 --> 00:07:07.540 show up again and again And it plays a really 00:07:07.540 --> 00:07:13.040 big role as we come towards the end of our text 00:07:13.040 --> 00:07:16.220 Jesus is troubled for he knows what is about 00:07:16.220 --> 00:07:19.259 to happen and all the difficulties that will 00:07:19.259 --> 00:07:22.399 be given to his disciples He knows what's gonna 00:07:22.399 --> 00:07:26.879 happen. He knows that he's going to die. He's 00:07:26.879 --> 00:07:29.439 gonna be separated that his disciples are going 00:07:29.439 --> 00:07:30.800 to flee under the pressure. They're going to 00:07:30.800 --> 00:07:34.839 be locked up in ruins, afraid. He knows all this. 00:07:36.439 --> 00:07:39.339 But this is the very purpose for which he has 00:07:39.339 --> 00:07:43.800 come, to glorify the Father and the atoning work 00:07:43.800 --> 00:07:49.660 of reconciling sinners to God, to relieve the 00:07:49.660 --> 00:07:55.589 world of condemnation. Still with some ignorance 00:07:55.589 --> 00:07:59.949 concerning all their hopes and plans Right their 00:07:59.949 --> 00:08:01.810 ignorance. They've got their own agendas They 00:08:01.810 --> 00:08:03.850 think they know how the world's gonna turn out 00:08:03.850 --> 00:08:07.589 how the them being with Jesus is gonna turn out 00:08:07.589 --> 00:08:11.870 And they see that their plans were being drastically 00:08:11.870 --> 00:08:15.990 overturned first by the words of Jesus and then 00:08:15.990 --> 00:08:20.269 secondly by the way the world opposed them and 00:08:20.269 --> 00:08:24.389 They are becoming more and more agitated uncertain 00:08:24.389 --> 00:08:31.449 and in John chapter 13 Jesus reveals because 00:08:31.449 --> 00:08:34.529 he was troubled it tells us most assuredly remember 00:08:34.529 --> 00:08:37.389 we talked about this what is most assuredly it's 00:08:37.389 --> 00:08:40.710 amen and amen basically he's saying twice to 00:08:40.710 --> 00:08:43.850 you truly truly this thing that I'm about to 00:08:43.850 --> 00:08:48.029 say is the absolute truth and so I'll say it 00:08:48.029 --> 00:08:55.490 again truly truly he says this Most assuredly 00:08:55.490 --> 00:09:01.649 truly truly one of you will betray me Now a lot 00:09:01.649 --> 00:09:03.629 of times we look at that and we're like when 00:09:03.629 --> 00:09:06.110 they start asking around is it me You know who 00:09:06.110 --> 00:09:09.789 is it Lord? Right and Jesus answers that it's 00:09:09.789 --> 00:09:13.830 Judas We have this tendency to say man that that 00:09:13.830 --> 00:09:16.350 sorry guy Judas, but I want you to think about 00:09:16.350 --> 00:09:22.700 this Jesus rebuked Peter so hard that he said, 00:09:22.720 --> 00:09:27.159 Satan get behind me. He's constantly correcting 00:09:27.159 --> 00:09:33.159 them. You got it all wrong. This isn't what God 00:09:33.159 --> 00:09:35.259 has for you. This isn't what I have for you. 00:09:35.440 --> 00:09:38.139 And this isn't what God has for me as you follow 00:09:38.139 --> 00:09:44.259 me. You can almost say in their doubts and fears 00:09:44.259 --> 00:09:48.360 with tensions rising and their uncertainty, they're 00:09:48.360 --> 00:09:53.929 saying, I'm glad it wasn't me, because it could 00:09:53.929 --> 00:09:58.230 have been. The scripture says that they were 00:09:58.230 --> 00:10:02.909 perplexed and that they were at a loss with what 00:10:02.909 --> 00:10:05.929 to do with Jesus was telling them. They didn't 00:10:05.929 --> 00:10:10.570 even know how to respond. Dearly beloved, we 00:10:10.570 --> 00:10:14.350 have all found ourselves in circumstances where 00:10:14.350 --> 00:10:18.389 we do not know what to do about the enemies that 00:10:18.389 --> 00:10:23.210 God has given us. We become uncertain and anxious. 00:10:23.570 --> 00:10:27.029 Sometimes we even know what the Word of God says 00:10:27.029 --> 00:10:32.570 and we're still stirred up, agitated, troubled, 00:10:33.230 --> 00:10:39.230 and anxious. And it is in this context that Jesus 00:10:39.230 --> 00:10:44.450 declares, hear it now, let not your heart be 00:10:44.450 --> 00:10:51.019 troubled. You believe in God, believe also. In 00:10:51.019 --> 00:10:53.799 my father's house or many mansions, if it were 00:10:53.799 --> 00:10:58.179 not so, I would have told you, I go to prepare 00:10:58.179 --> 00:11:01.159 a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place 00:11:01.159 --> 00:11:04.539 for you, I will come again and receive you to 00:11:04.539 --> 00:11:10.179 myself, that where I am, there you may be also. 00:11:11.299 --> 00:11:14.799 We are not to be troubled, because if we believe 00:11:14.799 --> 00:11:21.960 in God, we must believe in Jesus. You can't believe 00:11:21.960 --> 00:11:25.700 in God and not believe in Jesus. If you say you 00:11:25.700 --> 00:11:27.740 believe in God but you don't want to follow Jesus, 00:11:27.759 --> 00:11:29.799 you don't believe in Jesus, you don't believe 00:11:29.799 --> 00:11:31.600 you should follow Jesus, you don't believe you 00:11:31.600 --> 00:11:36.779 should obey Jesus, you're just wrong. Jesus is 00:11:36.779 --> 00:11:39.919 the only way to end the hostilities between God 00:11:39.919 --> 00:11:44.919 and mankind. Now most of you have heard verse 00:11:44.919 --> 00:11:49.100 two, right? In my father's house are many mansions. 00:11:50.260 --> 00:11:53.820 We've heard that many time It is often referenced 00:11:53.820 --> 00:11:57.960 to speak of a kind of heavenly reward And it 00:11:57.960 --> 00:12:00.399 is true for the Christian to be absent from the 00:12:00.399 --> 00:12:03.840 body is to be present with the Lord But the purpose 00:12:03.840 --> 00:12:07.700 of this passage is not that Jesus needs to go 00:12:07.700 --> 00:12:10.539 to heaven and use his finished carpentry skills 00:12:10.539 --> 00:12:16.720 To complete our mansions of reward So, how do 00:12:16.720 --> 00:12:19.799 we understand this? The only other place where 00:12:19.799 --> 00:12:23.620 Jesus refers to his father's house is in John 00:12:23.620 --> 00:12:28.740 chapter two, beginning in verse 15. And it says 00:12:28.740 --> 00:12:34.200 this, and he is speaking about the temple. And 00:12:34.200 --> 00:12:36.340 he found in the temple those who sold oxen and 00:12:36.340 --> 00:12:38.279 sheep and doves and the money changers doing 00:12:38.279 --> 00:12:42.059 business. And he made a whip out of cords and 00:12:42.059 --> 00:12:44.659 he drove them out of the temple with the sheep 00:12:44.659 --> 00:12:47.409 and the oxen. Poured out the changers of money 00:12:47.409 --> 00:12:49.889 and overturned the tables and he said to those 00:12:49.889 --> 00:12:53.210 who sold doves take these things away Do not 00:12:53.210 --> 00:12:56.830 make my father's house a house of merchandise 00:12:56.830 --> 00:13:00.070 Then his disciples remembered that it was written 00:13:00.070 --> 00:13:06.269 zeal for your house has eaten me up Remember 00:13:06.269 --> 00:13:09.769 the temple was where God's people went to dwell 00:13:09.769 --> 00:13:14.580 with their God that is abide with him And God 00:13:14.580 --> 00:13:18.220 promised to abide with his people by his grace 00:13:18.220 --> 00:13:23.299 and mercy. This word translated as mansion is 00:13:23.299 --> 00:13:27.019 better translated as dwelling place. But not 00:13:27.019 --> 00:13:30.500 like, you know, you just got a shack. No, it 00:13:30.500 --> 00:13:35.399 is the place where relationship is. Where God 00:13:35.399 --> 00:13:44.950 dwells with his people. Where God abides. Jesus 00:13:44.950 --> 00:13:49.269 is assuring His disciples that His disciples 00:13:49.269 --> 00:13:52.610 should not be troubled by His leaving them because 00:13:52.610 --> 00:13:55.470 He goes to prepare the dwelling place of the 00:13:55.470 --> 00:14:00.190 people of God. See, He can't do that unless He 00:14:00.190 --> 00:14:06.710 goes and suffers and dies and is buried and is 00:14:06.710 --> 00:14:16.879 resurrected. In Jesus Father's house, there's 00:14:16.879 --> 00:14:19.519 a new temple made up of the living stones made 00:14:19.519 --> 00:14:22.000 possible by the death and burial resurrection 00:14:22.000 --> 00:14:25.120 and ascension of Jesus. Today our epistle reading 00:14:25.120 --> 00:14:27.539 was from 1 Peter chapter 2 and it reads this 00:14:27.539 --> 00:14:31.159 in verse 4. Coming to him, that's God, as a living 00:14:31.159 --> 00:14:34.539 stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by 00:14:34.539 --> 00:14:38.179 God, that's Jesus, and precious. You also, so 00:14:38.179 --> 00:14:41.799 now, Jesus is is chosen by God. He's the stone 00:14:41.799 --> 00:14:44.679 and he was rejected by these men who didn't want 00:14:44.679 --> 00:14:50.039 to follow God But you also all y 'all Here in 00:14:50.039 --> 00:14:52.980 the church as living stones are being built up 00:14:52.980 --> 00:14:56.399 a spiritual house a holy priesthood to offer 00:14:56.399 --> 00:15:00.000 up spiritual sacrifices Acceptable to God through 00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:04.539 Jesus Christ therefore It is also contained in 00:15:04.539 --> 00:15:07.460 the scriptures in this passage in in first Peter 00:15:07.740 --> 00:15:12.899 Goes on and quotes Isaiah 28 and Psalm 118. But 00:15:12.899 --> 00:15:16.940 then it says this, but you are a chosen generation, 00:15:17.419 --> 00:15:21.740 a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His, that's 00:15:21.740 --> 00:15:25.299 God's own special people, that you may proclaim 00:15:25.299 --> 00:15:28.179 the praises of Him who called you out of darkness 00:15:28.179 --> 00:15:31.620 into His marvelous light, who were once not a 00:15:31.620 --> 00:15:35.299 people, but are now the people of God, who had 00:15:35.299 --> 00:15:40.759 not obtained mercy. But have now obtained mercy 00:15:40.759 --> 00:15:45.299 Now all this fulfills the promise of God given 00:15:45.299 --> 00:15:49.299 to Abraham in general in Genesis 12 where God 00:15:49.299 --> 00:15:54.720 points out That in Abraham all the families that 00:15:54.720 --> 00:15:58.519 is all the tribes and kindreds of the earth will 00:15:58.519 --> 00:16:03.360 be blessed in Abraham As one commentator puts 00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:08.419 it Jesus is not merely Just telling the disciples 00:16:08.419 --> 00:16:10.940 that they're going to heaven when they die He 00:16:10.940 --> 00:16:13.799 is pointing to the fulfillment of the old promise 00:16:13.799 --> 00:16:18.360 that God had been had given long ago from the 00:16:18.360 --> 00:16:21.440 beginning that he would be our God and That we 00:16:21.440 --> 00:16:24.980 would be his people and that we would dwell with 00:16:24.980 --> 00:16:29.480 him. This is the fulfillment of the promise Salvation 00:16:29.480 --> 00:16:34.009 can be summed up in these words It is being restored 00:16:34.009 --> 00:16:37.590 to the eternal communion with God and being made 00:16:37.590 --> 00:16:41.549 partakers of the blessedness of God himself as 00:16:41.549 --> 00:16:43.870 you live together with others who have been restored 00:16:43.870 --> 00:16:48.330 to communion with the living God. The church 00:16:48.330 --> 00:16:52.470 is the place where we dwell together with the 00:16:52.470 --> 00:16:55.870 living God and thus the church is the fountain 00:16:55.870 --> 00:17:00.470 of life to the whole world and this is the purpose 00:17:00.879 --> 00:17:04.640 from the beginning that was going to be secured 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:09.019 by Jesus. You know, many of you guys have read 00:17:09.019 --> 00:17:11.400 Peter Lightheart's A House for My Name. That's 00:17:11.400 --> 00:17:14.460 not just about this house for God's name. It's 00:17:14.460 --> 00:17:19.559 not just about the Old Testament temple or tabernacle. 00:17:20.019 --> 00:17:23.440 It is about the temple of God built with living 00:17:23.440 --> 00:17:27.900 stones, and that is you. And of course we know 00:17:27.900 --> 00:17:30.519 that Thomas responds, Lord, we don't know where 00:17:30.519 --> 00:17:33.619 you're going. How can we know the way? And Jesus 00:17:33.619 --> 00:17:38.099 said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the 00:17:38.099 --> 00:17:42.200 life. No one comes to the Father except by me. 00:17:42.460 --> 00:17:48.400 And then there's this response about knowing 00:17:48.400 --> 00:17:52.960 God the Father. You can't know God the Father 00:17:52.960 --> 00:17:57.299 outside of Jesus. You can't find mercy and peace 00:17:57.299 --> 00:18:03.759 outside of Jesus and Of course then it just shows 00:18:03.759 --> 00:18:07.579 you how confused they were so you got you got 00:18:07.579 --> 00:18:09.579 doubting Thomas We're all like, oh, yeah, of 00:18:09.579 --> 00:18:12.019 course he doubts but we have Philip who's been 00:18:12.019 --> 00:18:15.099 this faithful guy and he said Lord show us the 00:18:15.099 --> 00:18:17.579 father and that'll be sufficient and Jesus like 00:18:17.579 --> 00:18:20.940 Weren't you listening to me these whole three 00:18:20.940 --> 00:18:23.200 years weren't you listening to me earlier today 00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:26.400 in the temple when I said That if you've seen 00:18:26.400 --> 00:18:34.240 me, you've seen the Father. Speaks to us about 00:18:34.240 --> 00:18:39.220 how often we don't understand what God is saying. 00:18:40.220 --> 00:18:43.359 Dearly beloved, we need to hear these words of 00:18:43.359 --> 00:18:48.539 assurance. When Jesus says, He is the way, the 00:18:48.539 --> 00:18:51.640 truth, and the life, those are words of assurance 00:18:51.640 --> 00:18:56.589 to us. God's opponents. want to call you to their 00:18:56.589 --> 00:19:02.509 most high doctrine of tolerance. Every way is 00:19:02.509 --> 00:19:05.069 the right way. Every way is the way to God. Every 00:19:05.069 --> 00:19:09.710 religion is the same. That is a lie from the 00:19:09.710 --> 00:19:14.930 pit of hell. If you declare Jesus as the only 00:19:14.930 --> 00:19:18.690 way to God, the Father, his blessings and eternal 00:19:18.690 --> 00:19:22.490 life, the enemies of God will try to shout you 00:19:22.490 --> 00:19:27.349 down and shame you. Never dishonored God by being 00:19:27.349 --> 00:19:31.769 afraid of those who hate God. Jesus is truly 00:19:31.769 --> 00:19:35.769 the only way to God. He is the only truth. And 00:19:35.769 --> 00:19:42.609 all those who seek truth outside of Jesus will 00:19:42.609 --> 00:19:46.809 never be satisfied. Jesus is the only way to 00:19:46.809 --> 00:19:51.890 life. All other paths seeking life die under 00:19:51.890 --> 00:19:57.910 the curse of sin, our sin. Be not afraid to declare 00:19:57.910 --> 00:20:02.009 Jesus as the only way truth in life Even if it 00:20:02.009 --> 00:20:05.829 looks grim even if it's hard or hostile around 00:20:05.829 --> 00:20:09.829 you We serve the true living God who because 00:20:09.829 --> 00:20:13.589 of the work of Christ Jesus makes our concerns 00:20:13.589 --> 00:20:18.430 his concerns You realize that you know, we have 00:20:18.430 --> 00:20:20.490 these prayers up here and I know sometimes they 00:20:20.490 --> 00:20:24.299 seem long But we are elevated into the presence 00:20:24.299 --> 00:20:27.160 of the Almighty in this worship service together 00:20:27.160 --> 00:20:32.440 Where we are asking Jesus? Seated at the right 00:20:32.440 --> 00:20:34.500 hand of the Father who makes intercession for 00:20:34.500 --> 00:20:38.460 us to whisper into the ear of God the Father 00:20:38.460 --> 00:20:41.920 on our behalf and truly God the Father makes 00:20:41.920 --> 00:20:51.319 our concerns his concerns and for the sake of 00:20:51.319 --> 00:20:56.440 Jesus God the Father will protect and provide 00:20:56.440 --> 00:20:59.960 and deliver us from all evil consider Romans 00:20:59.960 --> 00:21:03.259 8 beginning verse 28 It says and we know that 00:21:03.259 --> 00:21:06.119 all things work together for good For those who 00:21:06.119 --> 00:21:08.460 love God and for those who are called according 00:21:08.460 --> 00:21:12.259 to his purpose Now we hear that I'm gonna read 00:21:12.259 --> 00:21:14.119 it a little more of this But but we see this 00:21:14.119 --> 00:21:17.220 a lot of times and we just get doubtful Well, 00:21:17.480 --> 00:21:20.900 I don't know my call to his purpose Yes, you 00:21:20.900 --> 00:21:23.720 are right now in the circumstances. God is giving 00:21:23.720 --> 00:21:29.059 you And we say I don't know how these things 00:21:29.059 --> 00:21:33.980 work together In Jesus the way the truth and 00:21:33.980 --> 00:21:37.980 the life What is this it says it says for those 00:21:37.980 --> 00:21:39.839 who love God for those who are called according 00:21:39.839 --> 00:21:42.700 to his purpose and it says for him He foreknew 00:21:42.700 --> 00:21:45.000 he also predestined to be conformed to the image 00:21:45.000 --> 00:21:48.460 of his son That he might be the firstborn among 00:21:48.460 --> 00:21:52.819 many brethren Moreover whom he predestined these 00:21:52.819 --> 00:21:55.579 he also called whom he called he justified and 00:21:55.579 --> 00:21:59.339 whom he justified He glorified first in Jesus. 00:21:59.420 --> 00:22:03.839 And then what we do is glorifying God as we worship 00:22:03.839 --> 00:22:08.779 him As we rest in him as we believe and obey 00:22:08.779 --> 00:22:13.900 him You see as his people God never leaves us 00:22:13.900 --> 00:22:18.529 or forsakes us. We have no reason to fear To 00:22:18.529 --> 00:22:23.450 despair or to be anxious or agitated Our sovereign 00:22:23.450 --> 00:22:26.630 Lord has placed his son on the throne and is 00:22:26.630 --> 00:22:30.809 giving him the nations for his inheritance these 00:22:30.809 --> 00:22:35.250 converted peoples Including you are the living 00:22:35.250 --> 00:22:38.990 stones of the eternal temple founded on the cornerstone 00:22:38.990 --> 00:22:43.049 of Jesus The book of Ephesians in chapter 2 beginning 00:22:43.049 --> 00:22:45.730 verse 19 tells us this now therefore you are 00:22:45.730 --> 00:22:49.099 no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow 00:22:49.099 --> 00:22:51.740 citizens with the saints and members of the household 00:22:51.740 --> 00:22:55.220 of God, having been built on the foundation of 00:22:55.220 --> 00:22:58.380 the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself 00:22:58.380 --> 00:23:01.160 being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole 00:23:01.160 --> 00:23:04.880 building being fitted together grows into a holy 00:23:04.880 --> 00:23:07.799 temple in the Lord, and it's ever expanding, 00:23:08.180 --> 00:23:12.019 many rooms, in whom you are also being built 00:23:12.019 --> 00:23:14.980 together for a dwelling place, the place where 00:23:14.980 --> 00:23:20.250 God abides. in the spirit. Jesus here in John 00:23:20.250 --> 00:23:24.029 14 is letting you see the ultimate purpose of 00:23:24.029 --> 00:23:27.950 his work through his death and resurrection and 00:23:27.950 --> 00:23:31.549 ascension. That is the outpouring of his spirit. 00:23:32.089 --> 00:23:34.509 The new temple of God is going to be established 00:23:34.509 --> 00:23:39.809 in the world and is now established. The glorified 00:23:39.809 --> 00:23:42.430 temple made of living stones made up of his people 00:23:42.430 --> 00:23:45.849 who were filled with his spirit and who live 00:23:46.109 --> 00:23:50.670 for His glory. We do these things and we do it 00:23:50.670 --> 00:23:55.569 to honor God. And we can only do it by the power 00:23:55.569 --> 00:23:57.369 of the Spirit and we only have that because of 00:23:57.369 --> 00:24:01.410 the work of Jesus. Jesus is completing the work 00:24:01.410 --> 00:24:04.950 the Father has given Him to do and in so doing 00:24:04.950 --> 00:24:07.970 He brings to reality the vision that God gave 00:24:07.970 --> 00:24:12.609 Ezekiel in Ezekiel 47. There God shows the prophet 00:24:12.609 --> 00:24:16.400 Ezekiel a new temple. with living waters that 00:24:16.400 --> 00:24:19.019 flow out over the threshold. And what do they 00:24:19.019 --> 00:24:24.059 do? They flow out, and they get broader, and 00:24:24.059 --> 00:24:28.579 they get deeper. And it says it spreads over 00:24:28.579 --> 00:24:32.440 the earth. This river of light flows from the 00:24:32.440 --> 00:24:34.799 dwelling place where God abides with his people 00:24:34.799 --> 00:24:40.200 to the world. And it says in Ezekiel 47, beginning 00:24:40.200 --> 00:24:43.220 of verse 7, when I returned, There along the 00:24:43.220 --> 00:24:46.539 bank of the river were many trees on one side 00:24:46.539 --> 00:24:48.940 and the other. And then he said to me, this water 00:24:48.940 --> 00:24:51.299 flows towards the eastern region, goes down into 00:24:51.299 --> 00:24:54.160 the valley, and enters the sea. And when it reaches 00:24:54.160 --> 00:24:58.619 the sea, its waters are healed. Now, what's in 00:24:58.619 --> 00:25:01.579 the sea? In the scriptures, the people of Israel 00:25:01.579 --> 00:25:04.529 are the land. And the Gentiles are the sea. So 00:25:04.529 --> 00:25:06.950 this is speaking about how the river of life 00:25:06.950 --> 00:25:09.170 is flowing out of the temple, beginning with 00:25:09.170 --> 00:25:11.450 the Jews, but then going to the whole world through 00:25:11.450 --> 00:25:16.009 the Gentiles. This reminds us of Pentecost that's 00:25:16.009 --> 00:25:19.710 coming up in a few weeks. And it says this, there 00:25:19.710 --> 00:25:22.009 will be a very great multitude of fish because 00:25:22.009 --> 00:25:24.190 these waters go, therefore they will be healed 00:25:24.190 --> 00:25:26.769 and everything will live wherever the river goes. 00:25:27.009 --> 00:25:29.589 And it shall be that fishermen will stand by 00:25:29.589 --> 00:25:32.960 it from Engede to Engellum. and they will be 00:25:32.960 --> 00:25:35.440 places for spreading their nets, and their fish 00:25:35.440 --> 00:25:37.500 are the same kinds of the fish of the great sea, 00:25:37.900 --> 00:25:40.740 exceedingly many, a house with many rooms, this 00:25:40.740 --> 00:25:45.799 great and marvelous temple. But its swamps and 00:25:45.799 --> 00:25:47.819 marshes will not be healed. All those that reject 00:25:47.819 --> 00:25:52.279 Jesus, all those that want to try, it says they'll 00:25:52.279 --> 00:25:55.220 be given to the salt waters, those waters that 00:25:55.220 --> 00:25:59.910 you can't drink, that will destroy you. And along 00:25:59.910 --> 00:26:01.750 the bank of the river on this side and that will 00:26:01.750 --> 00:26:04.549 grow all kinds of trees used for food and their 00:26:04.549 --> 00:26:06.549 leaves will not wither and their fruit will not 00:26:06.549 --> 00:26:09.369 fail. They will bear fruit every month because 00:26:09.369 --> 00:26:11.569 the water flows from the sanctuary. And of course, 00:26:11.650 --> 00:26:15.549 and we see this in Revelation 20 and 21, the 00:26:15.549 --> 00:26:18.029 age of the church. Their fruit will be for food 00:26:18.029 --> 00:26:21.450 and their leaves medicine. This new temple is 00:26:21.450 --> 00:26:24.369 solidified as the true temple by the destruction 00:26:24.369 --> 00:26:29.039 of the temple in Jerusalem at 70 AD. This picture 00:26:29.039 --> 00:26:32.059 was of course of this new temple the glorious 00:26:32.059 --> 00:26:34.900 temple that is going to be the fountain of life 00:26:34.900 --> 00:26:38.440 For the world because of the body of Christ and 00:26:38.440 --> 00:26:41.059 the entire creation is going to be filled with 00:26:41.059 --> 00:26:44.740 God's glory and become the holy dwelling place 00:26:44.740 --> 00:26:48.500 of God the holy mansion that temple that God 00:26:48.500 --> 00:26:52.240 is building and that's the picture that Jesus 00:26:52.240 --> 00:26:56.559 tells us of the Church of the Living God The 00:26:56.559 --> 00:26:59.900 creation will be filled with life, with the life 00:26:59.900 --> 00:27:03.200 of God through His church in Christ Jesus, and 00:27:03.200 --> 00:27:05.559 the glory and the blessedness that flows from 00:27:05.559 --> 00:27:08.359 it. Now, you might be saying, this is all great. 00:27:08.559 --> 00:27:11.279 I feel somewhat assured. I kind of know the path. 00:27:13.000 --> 00:27:15.180 Well, what in the world does this mean for how 00:27:15.180 --> 00:27:18.740 I live? It's very important that we understand 00:27:18.740 --> 00:27:20.880 this. This is practically how it works out. Number 00:27:20.880 --> 00:27:24.559 one, we come together and we worship God beyond 00:27:24.559 --> 00:27:29.640 time. Hear God's word respond if you're new to 00:27:29.640 --> 00:27:31.420 what we're doing. There's a call them response 00:27:31.420 --> 00:27:35.400 going God speaks and We respond God speaks and 00:27:35.400 --> 00:27:42.079 we respond We worship God and we fellowship together 00:27:42.079 --> 00:27:46.220 The strength of the church is not just here it 00:27:46.220 --> 00:27:48.599 emanates from here from this river flowing out 00:27:48.599 --> 00:27:51.400 of the doors See when you receive that blessing 00:27:51.400 --> 00:27:55.779 at the end If we could change the architecture, 00:27:56.720 --> 00:27:59.700 there'd be a blue carpet going out the back door. 00:28:00.200 --> 00:28:01.539 So you guys would understand, you're flowing 00:28:01.539 --> 00:28:03.539 in the flow, the river of the spirit of life 00:28:03.539 --> 00:28:09.359 going out to your outposts. But we need to fellowship 00:28:09.359 --> 00:28:11.220 during the week, not just in our household, but 00:28:11.220 --> 00:28:16.660 with one another. Sundays are not enough for 00:28:16.660 --> 00:28:20.059 your fellowship. We have to faithfully learn 00:28:20.059 --> 00:28:23.240 how to serve. One another in this world. How 00:28:23.240 --> 00:28:24.940 can you learn how to serve if you're not talking 00:28:24.940 --> 00:28:26.900 to people except for five minutes on a Sunday? 00:28:27.240 --> 00:28:31.259 Have people over go to their house Listen, I'm 00:28:31.259 --> 00:28:34.420 gonna tell you something. I have a tactic or 00:28:34.420 --> 00:28:38.900 strategy Right every one of you with every one 00:28:38.900 --> 00:28:42.160 of you. You're all kind of different Right. I 00:28:42.160 --> 00:28:46.259 know that when I talk to you I've learned different 00:28:46.259 --> 00:28:48.359 things about you. What does it take for me to 00:28:48.359 --> 00:28:53.269 get past? that I'm fine, everything's OK, the 00:28:53.269 --> 00:28:58.849 sky is blue and the weather nice. Right? For 00:28:58.849 --> 00:29:00.769 every one of you, it requires something different. 00:29:02.170 --> 00:29:03.609 We have to learn one another. We're not going 00:29:03.609 --> 00:29:05.769 to be able to serve and care for one another 00:29:05.769 --> 00:29:08.250 if we don't get in each other's lives. Make phone 00:29:08.250 --> 00:29:11.309 calls, invite people out for coffee, get your 00:29:11.309 --> 00:29:18.029 kids together. Then we're going to do all this. 00:29:18.480 --> 00:29:22.420 so that we can bear one another's burdens and 00:29:22.420 --> 00:29:28.519 rejoice together and mourn together. And in that, 00:29:28.779 --> 00:29:31.779 we'll be able to give thanks and pray for one 00:29:31.779 --> 00:29:35.920 another. Right? We can give thanks in the rejoicing. 00:29:35.980 --> 00:29:38.779 We can give thanks in the hardship. We can encourage 00:29:38.779 --> 00:29:43.000 one another. And we can pray with real meaning 00:29:43.000 --> 00:29:44.980 because we know what's going on in somebody else's 00:29:44.980 --> 00:29:48.380 life. And Jesus will get into this in the next 00:29:48.380 --> 00:29:50.279 section of this passage, the next paragraph, 00:29:50.339 --> 00:29:57.420 but we have to trust and obey God's word. Those 00:29:57.420 --> 00:29:59.259 are the things that we do. That's how we practically 00:29:59.259 --> 00:30:01.619 live this out as the new temple, bringing the 00:30:01.619 --> 00:30:05.259 rivers of life to the world. As we do all these 00:30:05.259 --> 00:30:08.559 things, the life and blessedness is restored 00:30:08.559 --> 00:30:11.539 to the world because you are demonstrating how 00:30:11.539 --> 00:30:15.680 human beings are to live. Jesus is the only way 00:30:15.680 --> 00:30:19.640 to true life and as one commentator puts it as 00:30:19.640 --> 00:30:22.779 We live in the way in these ways and we give 00:30:22.779 --> 00:30:27.000 the reason for the hope that is within us God 00:30:27.000 --> 00:30:31.400 blesses our words and our example by his spirit 00:30:31.400 --> 00:30:35.599 and he makes us fountains of life to the world 00:30:35.599 --> 00:30:39.759 Dearly beloved our blessed. Hope is not in the 00:30:39.759 --> 00:30:44.329 return of Jesus at the last day Not just in the 00:30:44.329 --> 00:30:47.690 return of Jesus at the last day and not dying 00:30:47.690 --> 00:30:51.390 and going to heaven When we die but being united 00:30:51.390 --> 00:30:55.910 to the one who rules overall and abides That 00:30:55.910 --> 00:31:01.990 is dwells in an ending communion with us And 00:31:01.990 --> 00:31:05.430 it's in these words we come to the last few verses 00:31:05.430 --> 00:31:10.730 in our passage Again we have most assuredly truly 00:31:10.730 --> 00:31:15.480 truly I say to you, he who believes in me, the 00:31:15.480 --> 00:31:18.279 works that I do, he will do also. And greater 00:31:18.279 --> 00:31:20.480 works than these, he will do because I go to 00:31:20.480 --> 00:31:23.440 my father. Remember, we can do these greater 00:31:23.440 --> 00:31:28.740 works because he left them. He suffered and died. 00:31:28.759 --> 00:31:31.640 It was buried. It was resurrected. See, now these 00:31:31.640 --> 00:31:33.900 words mean so much more because they are looking 00:31:33.900 --> 00:31:39.839 through the lens of the resurrection. And whatever 00:31:39.839 --> 00:31:44.619 you ask in my name. That I will do that the father 00:31:44.619 --> 00:31:48.019 may be glorified in the Sun If you ask anything 00:31:48.019 --> 00:31:52.200 in my name, I will do it and here's the qualification 00:31:52.200 --> 00:31:55.779 When we go to God and we make prayers to God 00:31:55.779 --> 00:31:59.519 and we make these petitions. Are we doing it? 00:32:00.660 --> 00:32:06.299 For God's glory What are our motives if we ask 00:32:06.299 --> 00:32:11.170 him for something and it's God's glory He's gonna 00:32:11.170 --> 00:32:18.809 do it Jesus doesn't just leave us here with the 00:32:18.809 --> 00:32:22.309 dream to aim for But with certainty he says if 00:32:22.309 --> 00:32:26.069 you believe in him That is living each day see 00:32:26.069 --> 00:32:29.170 believing in him is living each day knowing that 00:32:29.170 --> 00:32:32.150 Jesus is the only way to truly be relieved from 00:32:32.150 --> 00:32:39.319 all fear anxiety and dread of your sin Jesus 00:32:39.319 --> 00:32:41.980 is truly the only way to be reconciled to the 00:32:41.980 --> 00:32:48.119 Father to find love and peace and joy and certainty. 00:32:49.200 --> 00:32:51.400 Not just a certainty that you will dwell with 00:32:51.400 --> 00:32:54.519 Him in eternity when you die by going to heaven, 00:32:54.859 --> 00:32:57.660 but that He has plans for you here on the earth 00:32:57.660 --> 00:33:02.759 right now in all your relationships and in your 00:33:02.759 --> 00:33:07.690 words and in your deeds. Jesus does not leave 00:33:07.690 --> 00:33:11.329 you weak and uncertain that his kingdom temple 00:33:11.329 --> 00:33:16.829 will be built doesn't leave you weak and He knows 00:33:16.829 --> 00:33:18.890 that as he builds this that the knowledge of 00:33:18.890 --> 00:33:21.809 the glory of the Lord will fill the earth as 00:33:21.809 --> 00:33:28.230 the waters cover the sea and He tells us Not 00:33:28.230 --> 00:33:31.230 leaving us weak because he tells us that anything 00:33:31.230 --> 00:33:37.910 we ask in his name for his name sake He will 00:33:37.910 --> 00:33:43.529 do it Because Jesus went away in the death and 00:33:43.529 --> 00:33:46.509 resurrection and ascension the spirit was sent 00:33:46.509 --> 00:33:51.910 to us with certainty So we are we are able to 00:33:51.910 --> 00:33:57.410 not be troubled Not be anxious not be agitated 00:33:57.410 --> 00:34:03.369 because we are in Christ Jesus God abides he 00:34:03.369 --> 00:34:10.809 dwells in his temple the church, all y 'all. 00:34:11.690 --> 00:34:16.989 God provides all that its people need. And of 00:34:16.989 --> 00:34:21.230 course, all of this brings new light, sheds new 00:34:21.230 --> 00:34:23.809 light on our call to worship this morning out 00:34:23.809 --> 00:34:27.050 of Psalm 31. I want you to hear a couple of verses 00:34:27.050 --> 00:34:32.230 here. But as for me, I trust in you, O Lord. 00:34:32.869 --> 00:34:37.710 I say, you are my God. My times are in your hand 00:34:37.710 --> 00:34:40.530 deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from 00:34:40.530 --> 00:34:45.510 those who persecute me Make your face shine upon 00:34:45.510 --> 00:34:50.929 your servant. Save me for your mercy sake. Oh 00:34:50.929 --> 00:34:53.949 Love the Lord all you saints for the Lord preserves 00:34:53.949 --> 00:34:58.349 the faithful and He fully repays the proud person 00:34:58.349 --> 00:35:02.349 be of good courage He shall strengthen your heart 00:35:02.349 --> 00:35:10.219 all you who hope in the Lord Let us pray Heavenly 00:35:10.219 --> 00:35:13.380 father we give thanks to you for your great victory 00:35:13.380 --> 00:35:17.980 that Jesus has Brought to us and we praise you 00:35:17.980 --> 00:35:20.059 that you have seated him at your right hand far 00:35:20.059 --> 00:35:24.179 above all principalities and powers And above 00:35:24.179 --> 00:35:26.840 every name that can be named so that at the name 00:35:26.840 --> 00:35:31.440 of Jesus every knee should bow Of things in heaven 00:35:31.440 --> 00:35:34.460 and of things on earth and things under the earth 00:35:34.639 --> 00:35:37.780 that every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord 00:35:37.780 --> 00:35:40.840 Father help us to be a people faithful to do 00:35:40.840 --> 00:35:44.260 everything not fearing life or death or anything 00:35:44.260 --> 00:35:48.139 else But rather fearing you and living with joy 00:35:48.139 --> 00:35:51.239 and gladness as your servants Hear our prayers 00:35:51.239 --> 00:35:54.780 and help us now for Jesus sake amen