Finding Comfort In The Truth

Todays message will be focusing understanding what it means to have have peace in your heart, knowing that this book, the god inspired words that we will read here today are the undeniable objective truth of the universe, and that we can firmly place it as the foundation for our lives. Friends, our message will be mainly be exigeting John 14. However Id like to start by reading some important verses in chapter 13, and slightly expanding on them so that we may grasp better the depth of words read in our main message for the day/

Firstly lets start off by reading in chapter 13, verse 1-4. Friends, this is a story that we all know too well. I can remeber so clearly the first time I read this passage and the subsequent. I was in my bed, and up until this point I was full of so much joy and happiness, reading about Jesus ministry and honestly when i began to read the next couple chapters I started to weep as I began to understand what about to come in the next couple chapters. Jesus has gathered his disciples for the last supper together. Knowing that his hour had come, and that this supper was going to be a powerful moment for all that were in attendance. And yet he still had a lot to teach them.

Pick up with me in verses 5-7 The humilty! The confusion! The Messiah, their savior, kneeling down to them and washing their feet. A postion held for the lowest of the low. This would have seemed crazy to all that were there. Setting an example for the disciples to have a servant mindset. And if we quickly go over and read verse 34-35, we will see why Jesus did this. And now we understand, Jesus was living out this commandment as an example to them.

And lastly we find our selves at the conclusion of chapter 13, Where Jesus predicts his betrayel and I would love to read all of it for you today, but we simply do not have time. So lets read verse 21, and then verse 26, verse 31 and finally verse 36-38

the importance in helping you understand the context before we jump into chapter 14 is imparitave for our message. It gives a deeper meaning to the opening words said my Jesus. Try to imagine the miriad of emotions in which the disciples must have felt in that upper room. Their saviour, telling them that his time has come, but they dont quite understand what that means, their saviour humbling himself and washing their feet. Giving them a commandment to love one another as he has loved them. Their saviour saying one amoung them, one of their brothers would betray him and their saviour telling Peter that he would deny him, even though in that moment, that felt impossbile.

So this gives us a deeper understanding to how the disciples must have felt. They would be full of confusion, distress and fear. And that is why Jesus says what he does in verse 1 of chapter of 14 so lets jump right into our main passage for today

John 14:1-4

Lets begind with a word of prayer. Dear Heavenly father, we humbly come before you, at your feet, giving thanks for the scriptures you have given us. We take this time to give thanks for those here today, that you may minister their hearts. That you may give them comfort in knowing that it is through you, and only though you, that they may come to know the kindgom. We pray this in your glorious name. Amen.

Opening Illustration

The over arching theme in todays message will be a word of comfort, and id love to open with an illustration that I feel all of you will be able to relate with.

Last year my wife(who was still my girlfriend at the time) and I were talking about some moments that we shared over the last couple years and which ones were our favourites. I am sure all of those who have been in rekationships have done this at some point. You reflect back on the times where you were both trying to get to know eachother, and sometimes you cringe and think, or man did I really do that or say that. Thats so embarassing. I have more moments of the latter for my self haha. But one thing she told me really stuck out to me.

As many of you know, my wife and I own a gym and so fitness is a big part of our lives. And one of our faviourte things to do is to exercise together. Well it is now, but back when were still getting to know eachother, it may have been a little more stressful. And as got more comfortable with eachother, we would eventually both share how we were both so nervous. Not wanting to embarss our selves in front of the other. And Laura was telling me there was one particualr workout where she was really nervous, and she told me one of her favourite moments of those early years was right before we were about to do a tough workout together, I looked at her and simply said 3 words. I GOT YOU! And in that moment she felt, comforted and safe, and all of her worries about the workout, they melted away.

This is a feeling we can all relate to, when we are in stressful moments, business, relationships, family and someone you trust, someone you love comes to you, and says some comforting words to you. You can literally feel the weight of the world fall off your shoulders. And it doesnt make the situation go away, but what it does do is give you confidence that what ever may be ahead of you, you will make it through

And so with the remaining time we have left here, Id love to break down 3 points in which we can take from this text, that if applied will be a great comfort to whatever you may be facing.

Firstly.

Point 1: Do Not Let Your Heart Be Troubled

Read with me verse one again. We can pull 2 subpoints for this verse here. Firstly The text says. Let not your heart be troubled. I think we need to be very careful when we read these words and how we understand them. Fear, anxiety, greiff, confusion, distress. These are all feelings that are normal to expereience. The bible is not telling us to not feel these things. In fact the disciples them selves are experiencing multiple of these emotions simultansouly. They are feeling sad and distrought because their messiah was to be leaving them. They were feeling ashamed because of their pride and selfishness when it came to Jesus washing their feet. They were confused and hurt when Jesus said that one among them would betray him. And they were even waivering in their faith probably thinking, how could one who is about to be betrayed be the messiah. And yet all of these emotions are contrasted with their love for him.

And the words Jesus chooses to say are “ Do Not Let Your Hearts Be Troubled”. We must understand that what he is telling these men is that they must not surrender and give them selves over to these emotions. No he is telling these men to find peace in Christ.

And so in the first part of verse one Jesus is telling these disciples that although you may be troubled, do not worry, because I have a solution. . Which is our 2nd subpoint in point 1. To continue on trusting in God and And to continue trusting in him. This phrase can be compared to that which we read in John 10:30 Where Jesus tells the relgious people, the father and I are one. But obviously the response is opposite here.

One thing to point out here is that this verse is saying that, yes these men, they belived in God, and they also belived in Jesus(Although they had waivering faith) They had faith none the less. And so what we can really pull from this, is that we need to CONTINUE trusting in God and Continue trusting in Jesus.

Jesus knew that within a few short hours, he was to be put to death, and that this was going to cause some doubt and so he tells them to CONTINUE trusting in him! And Jesus is saying here that the only remedy for a troubled heart, is to continue trusting in him.

I thought what a perfect illustation to help us understand this better than when Paul was unjustly locked up in prision is Philpi. Flip forward in your bible a little there to Acts 16:22-25. I . Just a tiny bit of context if you are not familiar. Paul and Silas are on their way to masedonia, with Lydia and her family and on the way, Paul ends up casting out a demon of a slave girl and this causes her owers to be quite upset and so they drag Paul and Silas in front of the authorites. Acts 16:22-25

I have always loved this story because it paints a picture of life that we can all relate to. Now, not too many of us will be unjustly locked up like poor Paul and Silas here. But what does this story show us about having faith in Christ. Paul and Silas had every earthly reason to be troubled, and yet we find them unbothered and my favorite part. Singing praises unto God all the way until midnight. They had every right to be troubled, they were beaten, they were stripped, they were thrown into a cold cell and locked up in stocks. And yet it was their faith and trust in God that gave them comfort.

Friends, our circumstanes may not change. And although we may feel lost, confused, hurt and broken, it is not in the changing our circumstances where we find comfort! No, our comfort is found in trusting in Christ. So if you find yourself with a trouibled heart, like these disciples, remember the remedy Christ has created for you. Trust in him!

Point 2: Something About Thomas

Point 3: The Truth