Sermon Tone Analysis

Hi, my name is Matthew for those who don’t know me.

I pastor at HCF in HV.

I wanted to first thank Pastor Tim and Charlene for the privilege to speak to your fellowship, Journey, you have an amazing leader and a great leadership team!

Can we honor them now with some love!

Well I am recently returning from a week long trip with my wife and family from Maui.

It was beautiful, Mariah said to me, how can people look at all this and say it is random chance?

Haleakala!!!

Vacations are fun and I love to travel.

Before I go into that a little more, I must first inform you I am a historian, I studied ancient world history in college and continue to this day.

So I am that guy who wants to read all the plaques.

So while on vacation I was praying and seeking the Lord as to what word He had for me and for you, and me being the nerd I am, did I forget to mention that too… big nerd!, but I started thinking about time travel.

What ancient time would I like to travel to, who would I want to meet?

Well when I was a youth pastor, I’d ask this same question to the students and I’d hear all sorts of things but there was always at least one or two who were genuine but also wanted to come across as the spiritual elite and would say Jesus, I’d want to do ministry with Jesus.

Now on the surface that would sound great right?

What If I told you Jesus had words to say about this, what if I told you, you are better off without Jesus.

Interesting thought and if I fail to elaborate on this, the statement sounds like heresy.

If you are taking notes this morning I have titled the message “Better Off Without Jesus.”

If you have your Bibles lets see them… good.

Turn with me to and we’ll read vs5-16.

Let’s Pray!

Today I believe the Lord has given me this message and a challenge to examine the question, Am I better off without Jesus?

Sure His ministry was amazing and eternity shifting, thats the understatement of the Century, acknowledging that one would conclude that if Jesus were still here the ministry and spread of Christianity would be better than ever.

What if I told you Jesus Said this is not the case.

Lets look at our passage, says a profound thought, Jesus say we have the advantage if he leaves us.

Why would He say this, surely the disciples where confused, the ministry was booming!

But still Jesus said we are better off without Him.

now before we go any further, I want to make it clear we still need Jesus daily, He is still God, he will never leave nor forsake us, He makes intersession for us.

All this is true, I say we are better off without Him to help us hone into what Jesus was getting at, what His purpose for you and I is.

back to the text...

I want to look at four reasons we are better off without Jesus

1) Jesus’ Purpose for Leaving

2) Jesus’ Promise upon Leaving

3) Jesus’ Plan in Leaving

4) Jesus’ Position after Leaving

Let’s look at Jesus’ Purpose first...

who is the helper?

parakletos- the Holy spirit!

Jesus said its better that He leave, we have the advantage if He does because He would send the Holy Spirit.

In Jesus tells his disciple this.

What makes this so advantageous?

Well in the old testament there were men and women who at times had the Spirit come upon them, but only at times, it was in these special occasions that they would prophecy, reveal truth, have super human power and in-depth knowledge about dreams or otherwise unknown phenomenon.

But Jesus tells his followers He would send the HS to reside and abide, to set up shop for good in the believer, Something unheard of, in fact Peter tells us that the prophet sought after this but that it was only revealed in Christ.

Jesus’ Purpose was to empower the Church, empower for what, acts 1:8, … to do what Jesus did and with the same power He did it!

You see if Jesus never left, than there would only be one Spirit Filled and empowered witness, but because He left, that army can be endless and as many as the stars in the sky.

Jesus’ ministry was great but he said we are better off without him because our ministry could be great!

Which brings me to point #2.

Jesus’ Promise upon Leaving.

Jesus told the disciple to wait for the promise, that promise was and is the HS!

In

Jesus gives us a promise and the promise is we will do greater, big and better, more when He leaves us here on earth.

He goes on to elaborate on that in the following verses.

Now here is a gut punch, a challenge and a question...

If we are better off without Jesus, then why when we look at the ministry of the church are we mediocre at best when compared to Jesus?

Ouch, it hurts but its real, why are we not as effective?

We could ponder, philosophize read countless commentaries and self help books but I think Jesus gives us a couple clues.

First, , do we truly believe, faith!

How is your faith?

Do you believe?

Now I am not a name it and claim it, word of faith prosperity preachers by any means, but do we actually believe God?

Do we believe His Word, all of it?

(examples)

Jesus says if we believe, greater things will we do...

Secondly, are we actively relying on the HS, do we operate in His power, Is He more than an it to us?

I don’t mean are we weird, I mean lets be honest, there is some weird stuff blamed on the HS that is probably just humans trying to be spiritual...

But are speaking words of wisdom, declaring truth, praying without ceasing, having mercy the list goes on!

Are we living in the reason for our empowerment could be a third clue?

What is the reason, / to be witnesses and teachers, to be disciple makers!

This leads to point #3… Jesus’ Plan in Leaving...

He had to have a plan right?

Of course, look at Paul’s letters we are constantly admonished to be an extension of Christ on earth, empowered by the spirit.

Look at Jesus’ letters to the seven Churches in Asia Minor, oh he has a plan!

His plan was His commission, His plan is that we would carry out His will, His will was to do the will of the Father, to seek and save the Lost.

His plan was for us to be mini versions of Him running around doing what he did!

Acts

they were called Christians- Christianos- little christs...

are we?

Look earlier in that verse teaching many… sound familiar, /...

What do we teach?

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.

All things that the Father has are Mine.

Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

Jesus says the HS will give the Words, and His primary way of doing so is trough The WORD!

Just look at … Peter filled and the Word flowed out, and expository look at the scriptures and thousands were added.

Signs and wonders followed but notice the power of the pure unadulterated Word.

I believe and I would suggest scriptures bares this out, that Jesus’ primary plan in leaving was to send the holy spirit to empower the believer to rightly divide the word of truth and to deliver it in the power and authority that jesus had to the converting of souls!

repeat this....

This is when we see greater things and thousands added to the church.

EC had it, look at Acts… from addition to multiplication!

That brings me to my last thought and a challenge to us all… Jesus’ Position after Leaving...

where is He, He says over and over again I’m going to sit at the right hand of the father.

He is sitting there ruling, mediating and intersessing on our behalf...

now check this out!!!

This is so cool...

tell story of Stephen...

You see Acts says Steph was full of the holy spirit, living with his advantage, being better off with Jesus gone, He was selected to served and when accused he spoke the Word of God with boldness, just like Peter declaring truth allowing the HS to reveal Christ in the Word! and when he was done he said

Acts6

Acts 7:

Jesus’ postition was giving Stephen a standing ovation, standing ovation ops… Jesus is giving Him one!