Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro

This is our last week on the I AM statements of Jesus.

We’ve seen how Jesus is the bread of life, the light of the world, the good shepherd, the door of the sheep, the resurrection and the life, and the true vine.

I’ve switched the last two statements around, so last week we looked at the last I am statement, and this week we’ll look at the second to last statement.

But, I think this a good way to end this series.

All of us in here this morning, whether we’re in middle school or high school, are afraid of one thing: uncertainty.

Life is very uncertain.

There’s no guarantee that all of the work we’re doing will pay off.

Nothing in life is certain.

And all of us in some way or another have put a lot of faith in something, and we’re banking on that thing to get us through.

And this could be anything.

But what I’ve noticed about people is not they we have a lack of faith.

We all have faith, but where do we put it?

We tend to put our faith, our trust, our hope in things we think will make our lives more concrete, or more certain.

If it gives us some sense of stability, we put our faith in it.

But, I think all of us, on some level, know that the things we tend to put our faith in aren’t as certain as we’d like them to be.

Most of these things have some kind of requirement that needs to be met first.

So, if you faith is in getting into college, you have to first apply, then you have to get accepted, then you have to attend, then you have to study, then you have to make good grades, and it keeps going.

You have to keep going, keep working, keep doing.

So most of us are running around, crippled by anxiety, chasing after stability and certainty.

I think this is true for you, it’s definitely true for me.

Most days I wake up, and I start panicking because of how uncertain everything in my life is.

Most Monday’s, so after I’ve been here on Saturday and Sunday, after I’ve preached, after I’ve had meetings all day, I get home late Sunday night, crash, and then wake up Monday morning and the first thing that hits me is how uncertain everything in my life is.

There’s always this long list of things I have to do, , books I need to read, papers I need to write, all these things I have to do, and I spend most of my Monday mornings not in prayer, not in worship, not seeking the Lord, but in panic, because life is so uncertain.

But it doesn’t have to be.

We don’t have to place our faith in things that don’t give certainty.

Jesus invites us to trust him, to follow him, and to be with him.

So go to John chapter 14.

Text

John 14:1-

This is the word of the Lord

Prayer

Context

Chapter 14 is part of a larger conversation Jesus is having with his disciples in chapter 13.

And this conversation takes place during the final hours that Jesus is alive and with the disciples.

So, this is right before Judas betrays him, he’s arrested, and sent to die on the cross.

In chapter 13, Jesus has washed the disciples feet, he’s served them, and at the end of the chapter he tells them that he has to leave.

Not only this, but he says that they can’t go with him.

And so Peter speaks up and he’s like, wait a second Jesus, where are you going?

And Jesus responds to Peter, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.”

And Peter, Peter’s one of those guys who just doesn’t take no for an answer, He says, “Na Jesus, (my translation), why can’t I follow you?

I’ll lay down my life for you.”

And so Jesus responds, Oh, will you peter?

Will you really lay down your life for me?

Because in just a few hours you’re going to deny me three time.

Before tomorrow morning, you’ll have denied me three time.”

And the disciples are shook.

Not only is Jesus leaving, but it sounds like he’s about to leave in such a way that it will cause Peter to turn his back on him.

And so they’re panicking.

At this point, the disciples have been with Jesus for about three years, and they left everything.

They left their careers, their families, their friends, their lives, so they could follow this teacher.

All of their faith was in Jesus and now he’s leaving.

Everything looks uncertain, and so Jesus says in verse 1 of chapter 14, “Let not your hearts be troubled.”

This is our last week on the I AM statements of Jesus.

We’ve seen how Jesus is the bread of life, the light of the world, the good shepherd, the door of the sheep, the resurrection and the life, and the true vine.

I’ve switched the last two statements around, so last week we looked at the last I am statement, and this week we’ll look at the second to last statement.

But, I think this a good way to end this series.

All of us in here this morning, whether we’re in middle school or high school, are afraid of one thing: uncertainty.

Life is very uncertain.

There’s no guarantee that all of the work we’re doing will pay off.

Nothing in life is certain.

And all of us in some way or another have put a lot of faith in something, and we’re banking on that thing to get us through.

And this could be anything.

But what I’ve noticed about people is not they we have a lack of faith.

We all have faith, but where do we put it?

We tend to put our faith, our trust, our hope in things we think will make our lives more concrete, or more certain.

If it gives us some sense of stability, we put our faith in it.

But, I think all of us, on some level, know that the things we tend to put our faith in aren’t as certain as we’d like them to be.

Most of these things have some kind of requirement that needs to be met first.

So, if you faith is in getting into college, you have to first apply, then you have to get accepted, then you have to attend, then you have to study, then you have to make good grades, and it keeps going.

You have to keep going, keep working, keep doing.

So most of us are running around, crippled by anxiety, chasing after stability and certainty.

I think this is true for you, it’s definitely true for me.

Most days I wake up, and I start panicking because of how uncertain everything in my life is.

Most Monday’s, so after I’ve been here on Saturday and Sunday, after I’ve preached, after I’ve had meetings all day, I get home late Sunday night, crash, and then wake up Monday morning and the first thing that hits me is how uncertain everything in my life is.

There’s always this long list of things I have to do, , books I need to read, papers I need to write, all these things I have to do, and I spend most of my Monday mornings not in prayer, not in worship, not seeking the Lord, but in panic, because life is so uncertain.

But it doesn’t have to be.

We don’t have to place our faith in things that don’t give certainty.

Jesus invited us to trust him, to follow him, and to be with him.

So go to John chapter 14.

Exposition

Don’t be troubled, and believe.

That’s what Jesus says to his disciples.

But why?

Why shouldn’t they be troubled?

Jesus is leaving.

This random guy who they’ve risked it all for is now leaving, and everything going forward is uncertain.

They’re probably thinking, I should have listened to my parents.

This guy seemed sketchy, but I trusted him.

I trusted him and now he’s leaving.

I trusted him, and it sounds like he’s about to be arrested.

I trusted him and it sounds like he about to die.

They’re slowly putting together all of the references Jesus gave about his death, and they’re probably thinking, “this guy has planned this all along!”

How were we so foolish?

I should have kept fishing, I should have held on to what seemed would promise certainty, because this Jesus I’ve been following is insane.

And so they’re freaking out.

But Jesus says, don’t freak out, trust me.

And here’s why:

Many Rooms

Jesus says that in his father’s house are many rooms, and he’s going to prepare a place for them.