John 13v36to14v21 It Is An Eternal Walk
I) When we walk with God, it is an eternal walk. John 13:36 - 14:21.
A) File: john 13v36to 14v21 it is an eternal walk.doc
B) Audio: When we walk with God, it is an eternal walk.
C) Series: Walking with God
D) Preached: March 25, 2007
II) Intro to the series: Walking with God
A) We can still walk with God by following Jesus.
B) First: It’s all about the Father’s Business.
C) Second: We must follow.
D) Third: He will prepare the way.
E) Fourth: we will witness division.
F) Fifth: we will witness miracles.
G) Sixth: we will be tested
H) Seventh: we become insiders – the present age
I) Eighth: we become insiders, part 2 – prophecy future
J) Now – more inside information – our eternal destination, our help on the way and the information source, the Holy Spirit.
III) READ 13:36-14:21
IV) Why would their hearts be troubled?
A) Walking with Jesus was truly amazing
1) Many miracles. God preparing the way. An endorsement by John. Thousands following.
2) Preached the coming of the kingdom
3) Proved Himself to be both Christ and the Son of God – and they were convinced, three saw him transfigured before their eyes and speaking with Moses and Elijah.
4) They experienced preaching and performing miracles themselves.
5) His teaching was radical – no doubt challenging.
6) They were receiving inside information about what the coming age would be like and how it would end.
7) Lazarus raised from the dead – many more believed
8) And finally the triumphal entry – he publicly accepts praise as the son of David – a public confession of being Christ – and clear fulfillment of prophecy.
B) But then things were starting to turn.
1) To spite the popularity with the people, the leaders had been rejecting Him and publicly trying to entrap Him.
2) As a result, Jesus begins to tell parables (Matthew 13, 24-25) that imply that the offer of the Kingdom is withdrawn from Israel and will go to the gentiles.
3) Just before His triumphal entry, six days ago – Mary anoints Him – he says for His burial.
4) Things get worse in this last week: Begins to speak about tribulation and judgment, persecution and even death.
5) tells a parable of a grain of wheat falling into the earth, dying, and bearing fruit – again, alluding to His death.
6) He says that He must be ‘lifted up’ – a polite term for crucifixion.
7) The night they eat the Passover meal – he shows them the Lord ’s Supper – indicating that His blood would be shed and His body broken!
8) The He suggests that one of the twelve will betray Him.
9) V 33: He says He is leaving and they cannot follow.
10) V 38: Peter, specifically, will fail to spite his boldness
C) They went from following the greatest man Israel ever knew to facing the reality that Jesus would be betrayed and crucified.
V) What could possibly comfort them?
A) Purpose of Jesus’ discourse here: comfort.
1) Let not your hearts be troubled – also V27.
2) He understands our fears – knows what we are thinking and what we need – examples with disciples – Ch. 16.
3) Applies not only to them but to us.
B) That Jesus will return – comforts them.
1) Jesus has been saying just a little while longer He would be with them. 12:35 – the light. 13:33.
2) 14:19 – a little clearer – the world would no longer see Him but they would. He must repeat it again in 16:16. He then explains very clearly that they would weep and mourn but rejoice when they see Him.
3) Good news – they were accustomed – 3 years. Felt safe.
4) But they always seemed confused – why? Perhaps God’s design – that they must experience being without Him so that what he is about to say in John 15 will make sense – “without Me, you can do nothing.”
C) That Jesus will return – comforts us.
1) We read a book about kept promises of God – His grace and mercy to keep promises even when we don’t deserve.
2) His return – was he only talking about His immediate return to the disciples? No. He kept saying ‘a little while’ to indicate His immediate return to them but He also indicated that He would be coming to take them to the Father’s house – He clearly speaks of two different events.
(a) At His ascension – it is reiterated by angels – He would come back in the clouds – this is not how He appeared to the disciples immediately after His resurrection.
D) That Jesus is preparing a place for us.
1) In the Father’s house! Rooms or dwelling places. Mansions? – go ahead, I moving in with Dad.
2) What kind of place takes almost 2000 years to prepare?
3) What will it be like? We can’t possibly understand. Read Revelation 20-21. What will be there? What won’t be there: death, sorrow, crying, pain, night…
E) That He is the way, the truth, the life.
1) The only way to the Father. We can count on Him – not ourselves, or our works, or our church.
(a) How can I know that I will join Him – that He will come back for me? He is the way and He proved it.
(b) Remember how this started – follow Me!
2) The truth – the only truth we need. Holy Spirit is to lead us into ‘all truth.’ That is everything we need to know about Jesus
(a) BUT – it is by remembrance
(i) READ 14:25-26 – it relies on God’s word!
3) The life – eternal life. The source. Master of life – HE showed His master over life by laying His down and taking it up again.
4) A comfort to know that we can put ALL our stock into Him – he is the winning horse – put all your chips on His space.
(a) Not really a gamble if you have inside information.
(b) Way, truth, life – Three ways of saying all that matter is Him! Nothing else we hear or discover is right.
5) This is our comfort – all the guess work is taken out of life.
VI) But how can we know for sure?
A) Jesus will send the Holy Spirit to be with us while we wait for His return.
B) He indicates that it is almost as if He did not leave.
1) 14:16 – “another Helper (counselor, advocate)”
(a) another of the same kind.
2) 17: “he dwells with you and will be in you.”
(a) dwells with you – Jesus’ presence.
(b) will be in you – even better.
3) 18 – “I will not leave you as orphans”
4) 26 – the Spirit will teach you all things and bring to remembrance all that I have said to you. – THIS is how we will know!
C) The Holy Spirit will remind us of this truth
1) Indeed a comfort – just as they walk with Him now – the Holy Spirit will be with them to comfort, teach, remind, and testify. They all could go anywhere and Jesus would be right there with Him –
(a) Suddenly Jesus’ statement about a grain of wheat dying and seeding many more grains makes sense.
2) Communion with Jesus and the Father – this is the gist of Jesus’ prayer in John 17:20-21 Jesus prayed for you – what did He pray – that we would have unity with Him and the Father.
VII) Invitation:
A) The key to all this is given by Jesus right up front – 14:1, “Believe in God, believe also in Me.
1) Belief is the key to all of this. Want comfort, security – the key is belief.
B) I’m not sure if I believe, what do I do?
1) John 20:31 – get into God’s Word. The purpose of His gospel.
2) 1 John 5:13 – eternal life. The purpose of his letter.
3) 1 John 3:24 – by this we know that he abides in us – the Spirit!
March 25, 2007
Sermon Series: Walking with God. Learning what it means to walk with God by walking with Jesus through His ministry.
Today’s Message: When we walk with God, it is an eternal walk. John 13:36-14:21
1. Jesus will ______________________. (14:19. See also Acts 1:11, 1 Thess. 4:13-18, Matthew 24.)
2. Jesus is ___________________ ____ __________________.
3. Jesus is the ______________, the __________________ and the ______________________. (John 14:6. Way: Heb. 9:8, 10:20; Eph. 2:!8; Truth: John 1:14, 1:17, 17:17; 1 John 5:20; Life: John 11:25, 17:3;)
4. How can we be sure? The __________________ ______________________ testifies. (1 John 3:24)[1]
For a more thorough understanding of these verses, read John chapters 13 through 17 in one sitting.
March 25, 2007
Sermon Series: Walking with God. Learning what it means to walk with God by walking with Jesus through His ministry.
Today’s Message: When we walk with God, it is an eternal walk. John 13:36-14:21
1. Jesus will ______________________. (14:19. See also Acts 1:11, 1 Thess. 4:13-18, Matthew 24.)
2. Jesus is ___________________ ____ __________________.
3. Jesus is the ______________, the __________________ and the ______________________. (John 14:6. Way: Heb. 9:8, 10:20; Eph. 2:!8; Truth: John 1:14, 1:17, 17:17; 1 John 5:20; Life: John 11:25, 17:3;)
4. How can we be sure? The __________________ ______________________ testifies. (1 John 3:24)[2]
For a more thorough understanding of these verses, read John chapters 13 through 17 in one sitting.
----
[1] 1: return. 2: preparing a place. 3: way…truth…life. 4: Holy Spirit.
[2] 1: return. 2: preparing a place. 3: way…truth…life. 4: Holy Spirit.