Untitled Sermon

I am tired: Life is hard sometimes.

Issues with my children, husband is sick.

Struggles in the church with are good, they involve change and improvements. Many of you have ideas and wishes. All of us are stepping into new things as a church. All of this is good, but requires a lot from me.

But this is how life is. It is full of struggles, we all have moments where things are just hard. Some people seem to live in a perpetual cycle of struggle.

We have sorrow in this world, but joy comes through knowing God, knowing Jesus, and knowing the Helper that was sent to us.

Pray and Read

What does Jesus mean by “Soon”

This is not the end of time. Jesus is talking about soon that he will die, be Resurrected and communicate with His disciples again soon.

V23-26: Soon, Jesus will be speaking again with this disciples plainly and then after that, they can ask in the name of Jesus with faith and be given guidance and wisdom. Before Christ ascended, after the time of talking plainly with his disciples, He promised to send them The Helper, the Holy Spirit which gives us Fruit of the Spirit, Marks of a Christ follower, we in this generation is blessed.

Grey’s Anatomy episode

The Women talking about how her church experience was positive and everyone seemed so happy yet wondered about the hard times even Christian’s faced and how hard it is to not give into temptation and she felt that she needed to pretend to be happy. “The Stained Glass Mascaraed.”

The man spoke and told of how he was raised Catholic and had studied the hardships of Christians. Church for him was doom and gloom, but he didn’t understand why until his life changed. His ten year old son died tragically. The priest advise to him was to talk to God, but he just wanted to talk to his son. Mass, was the only place where he could talk openly and with his voice to someone who could not be seen and not seem crazy. So he would go to Mass, so he could talk to his son. He pauses and says, “So what do you have to say about that.”

Sacrifices of a Christian

The Women’s story says a lot about the life of a Christian. Yes, the man’s does too, but his story was in response to hers. Why it it hard to be a Christian?

If you thought that I would tell you once again about the sacrifice Jesus made with his human life today, oh no, it goes so much deeper than that. Jesus did not just make one sacrifice, but many and called us to do the same.

Having Faith is a Sacrifice

To the unbeleiver, having faith in God is foolishness. Just as it was foolish for the disciples to be

To the unbeliever, having faith in God is foolishness. Just as it was foolish for the disciples to be spreading around this theory of Jesus coming back to life. It is foolish for us to believe this claim without having any concrete proof. But we do, faith gives a way to experiencing God on a supernatural level that can not be described.

Jesus had faith in us. Jesus prepared a way for all to come before God in prayer and in our life even though we are not worthy. Jesus taught us, loved humankind and wanted us to be with him in his Fathers home.

Our Time is a Sacrifice

To grow in our faith, we must become disciples of Christ. To be a disciple of Christ, means that we are to learn about God. Our prayer life, reading the scriptures is one way but also to gather together with other Christians from early in the morning on Sunday to the evening times throughout the week. We are must learn from each other, speak with others who are developing their faith and growing spiritually. Not just in fellowship, but in discussion and instruction.

Our Time is a Sacrifice

Jesus taught everyday He was on earth from the moment he began his ministry to the time he ascended to be with the Father. All of this so that the disciples would learn and become apostles, therefore teachers of Christ, and on and on it goes. Jesus spent his waking hours, healing, teaching, eating with sinners, in moments of fellowship, and in this He is our example. The Marks of a Christian, according to Wesley and is to live a life of loving others, showing no evil or ill intent.

Sacrificing of our Money

Because of these Sacrifices, our worldly comforts and self-pride is sacrificed.

Our sinful life is sacrificed. Sin is sacrificed. Sin is dead, through the acts of our Lord Jesus Christ. Yeah, temptation is tough. Through the eyes of the world, sin is easy and fun. But as true Christ-followers, we know the lasting , eternal effects of sin which is death. Sin may be fun for the night, but the consequences come in the morning. We should live today. Making the most of everyday. But we have the gift of the Spirit to lead us in making the right choices that will give us blessings unimaginable. Letting Christ live in us, is to die to sin. Never resurrect the bad choices that you have made. don’t dig them up. Live for God daily. We have a Savior who lives in Spirit eternally!

Jesus being human means that he could only communicate with those that were directly around him at this time. When his time came to die, He was released to be with the Father where he is for all eternity. The Holy Spirit is released unto the World for all who believe and ask, we have the Holy Spirit as our guide, our gift. This means that we can have peace in Christ.

Read verses 31-33.

Don’t stress. I am not telling you these things just to make you fell woe or worry. Because when you make these sacrifices, you do them not because you have to, but because of the Holy Spirit that is living inside you. Have faith, have peace in Christ. Everything you do, including the sacrifices should be because of the glory you see and understand that it brings to God.

A true disciple understands that God provides what is needed, and then we provide to those who have need. But we must become disciples, showing marks of a true Christian for these sacrifices to make sense. Know what Christ has and is teaching you, show love with your actions, be willing to step out of your comfort zone. Sacrifice the things of this world for the glory that is to be given to you as your are a part of the Kingdom of God.

Don’t worry about the ways of this world, for Christ has overcome this world by His death and Resurrection.

In the name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen