Comfort for troubled hearts 2

Good morning. It's great to be here with you once again, but also it is great to say that we are in the home stretch getting closer to when we will be able to gather together. her face-to-face worship I just want to say when you come that first Sunday on June 14th that as we gather together. You might want to get here a little early cuz we will be trying to explain things as you come in of how we're sitting a little differently and doing those things and following whatever the current social distancing guidelines are at that point in time. So, please come in understand it's so I can be a little awkward the first Sunday, but we will be happy to celebrate the fact that we are back together again.

Encourage you between now and then keep looking at our online resources. You may have noticed on the Church website. If you've been on there that I added a videos Tab and there some videos under there. I can check those out and at some point whenever we get a video camera here for our church. We will be putting videos of our services. Under that tap, so be looking for those when that comes.

Looking at our Joys and concerns of certainly continue to pray for those in our care facilities. Continue to pray for continued healing for Ron sticky Jim Schuler Helen Myers among others there that aren't continued need of your prayers continue to pray for our service members as they have Faithfully served our nation. Me certainly want to lift up those who have recently lost loved ones Charlene Amstutz and family Alex hirschi and family and most recently a Rob Van Der Hart and his family and the loss of his brother. Be sure to keep them all in your prayers.

This week we're going to continue the second part of our comfort for troubled hearts. I will be continuing on and John chapter 14 verses 7 through 14.

This week we will continue to explore why Jesus is the source of comfort.

Insecurities in the midst of any trial that we might face 2 weeks ago. We talked about how Jesus was trying to calm the fears of the disciples by telling them to put their trust in him and ultimately and got Jesus knew that they were troubled by the idea of him leaving them that he'd been talking about. He wanted to alleviate some of the anxiety that they had. So Jesus told them to put their trust in him. He's probably hoped this would calm their fears because they knew him they've been with him for a while. Now that leads us right into our first point. The Comfort comes from trusting Christ person. Along with me as I read our main passage for today John chapter 14 verses 7 through 11. If you really know me you will know my father as well from now on you do know him and if seen him. Philip said Lord show us the father and that will be enough for us. Jesus answered don't you know me Philip even after I've been among you such a long time anyone who has seen me has seen the father. How can you say show us the father?

Don't you believe that I am in the father and the father is in me the words I say to you. I do not speak on my own authority rather. It is the father living in me who is doing his work? Believe me when I say that I am in the father and the father is in me, or at least believe on the evidence of The Works themselves.

Play let's be honest Paquin doubting Thomas expressed his question to Jesus. He was really only saying what the others were thinking.

Doing that happening at Jesus started by putting them back to the truth that he was God incarnate in an effort to try to build up their wavering Faith. He's doing the same thing here. If you really know me he scolded them. You will know my father as well. If the disciples had fully grass who Jesus was they would have realized that and knowing him they did indeed know the father as well.

Now Thomas was Silence by Jesus's reply to his question, but Phillip was not satisfied. Philip said Lord show us the father. He was simply vocalizing the disciples continued lack of understanding that Jesus was God In the Flesh.

Simply was not content with an indirect knowledge of God, even though that knowledge was given to him by Jesus himself instead. He wanted a visible manifestation of the Father's prayer to sustain his faith.

He didn't understand that he was what he was asking for was quite literally standing right in front of him. So the Lord for pry don't you know me Philip even after I've been among you such a long time.

Is this was a rebuke to fill up for his faceless request and also to the rest of the disciples for their wavering faith. Jesus was reiterating the truth of his deity and Oneness with the father. So Jesus told Philip and the others plainly. Anyone who has seen me has seen the father. So, how can you say show us the father? You know what, I think about this. I imagine that Christ words here are 10 just a little bit of sadness. Such ignorance on the part of unbelievers was to be expected. But the Lord had poured his life into these men. They had lived in day in and day out with him for years now. Yet despite being with him for so long the disciple still do not fully comprehend the truth about Jesus and his Union with the father.

This confusion seems to be related to Jesus is failure to live up to their hopes for what the Messiah would be their expectations of how the Messiah would bring about God's Kingdom. Remember, they wanted a conquering warrior king. They simply couldn't understand the concept of a savior who came to die on a cross. Today, we're still wondering even after the resurrection how God's kingdom was going to come. I can only imagine after all that he had done and talk for the past three years. The disciples reaction had to be very disappointing Jesus.

Even though their lack of understanding was inexcusable. Jesus didn't give up on his disciple. the Lord's further questioning verse 10 Don't you believe that I am in the father and the father is in me and his command in verse 11 of believe me when I say that I am in the father and the father is in me the just secure for the disciples confused in turmoil. Faith is not only the means of attaining Salvation. There's also the key to sustaining the Christian Life and Keeping the Faith in the midst of turmoil and uncertainty.

That brings us to our next point. Comfort comes from trusting Christ power John Chapter 14 verse 12 says very truly I tell you whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing and they will do even greater things than these because I am going to the father. The Lord spoke of his followers performing Greater Works. He was referring to the extent of the spread of the Gospel message. Jesus never preached outside of Palestine yet. His followers would spread the gospel to every corner of the globe. Jesus had only a limited Outreach to Gentiles but the disciples particularly Peter and later Paul would reach the Gentile world with the gospel. The number of Believers in Christ would also go far beyond the hundreds that were numbered during his lifetime. Power to perform does Greater Works would only be available because Jesus was going to the father. It was only when.

He would send the Holy Spirit indwell, Believers and Empower them for Ministry.

Christ promised to send the Holy Spirit offer further Comfort to the disciples The Jesus would no longer be physically present with them. The spirit would provide them with all the power. They needed to extend the work he had started.

makes me think of Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my Witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and the ends of the Earth.

Jesus telling his disciples that when the Holy Spirit comes they are going to be his Witnesses Here There and Everywhere.

Yeah, I once heard someone say are we doing what we do is to church just to fill fuse on Sunday morning or do we realize that we have a part to play in making sure that the gospel light shines in every dark corner of the globe?

I don't know about you, but that is something that motivates me.

Excites me to think about the part that I play that each one of you place that this church place in spreading the gospel message.

That responsibility to take the gospel to the Dark Places can also be overwhelming.

And how will we do it?

Comfort comes from trusting in Christ promise John chapter 14 verses 13 and 14 says and I will do whatever you ask in my name so that the father may be glorified in the son. You may ask me for anything in my name and I will do it.

His pledge to send the Holy Spirit to empower them was not enough the lord gave the disciples another incredible pledge.

During their time with him Nina, they depended on Jesus to supply all their needs. He had provided food for them and one occasion. He even paid Peters taxes. Now he was about to leave them and having left everything to follow him. It's only understand both they must have wondered where their resources would come from.

Anticipating their concern Jesus promised that even after he was gone, he would continue to supply the disciples needs from heaven. Repeating it twice for emphasis. The Lord reassured them. I will do whatever you ask in my name you ask me for anything in my name and I will do it.

Important thing to remember is that is prayer that would bridge the gap between their needs and His abundant Limitless resources.

Here they needed to remember that the ultimate purpose for Christ gracious provision is that the father may be glorified in the son?

I know when were praying to ask in Jesus's name does not mean to frizz mostly ask just put those words on there in Jesus name on to the end of any prayer. It's not like it's some magic formula that obligates God to Grant every selfish request that is people make simply because we say those words. to pray in Jesus name has a far more profound and serious meaning

first of all, we pray in Jesus name. It means to make request consistent with God's Will and the purposes of his kingdom. Is model prayer Jesus taught his followers to pray in Matthew 6:10 your kingdom come your will be done on Earth as it is in heaven. It's important for us to remember that when we pray we're praying that God's will would be done. Not just our own. Second when we pray in Jesus's name it acknowledges our spiritual poverty our lack of self-sufficiency in our complete unworthiness to receive anything from God based on our own Merit.

We pray in Jesus's name. It is to approach God based on the Merit of Jesus Christ and to acknowledge our complete dependence on him to supply every need that we have. That's why we pray in Jesus's name just me and realized that we have nothing to offer on our own that hasn't already been given to us by God. And finally when we pray in Jesus's name is to express a sincere desire. That God would be glorified in his answer to our prayers. When we pray in Jesus's name it is to align our request with the father supreme goal of glorifying the Sun. When Believers pray in this way, they pray in keeping with Jesus's name is person and his purposes.

Turn readying the disciples for his departure the Lord emphasized his continual care for them. Concerning himself with their comfort even in the face of his own eminent suffering. Out of his profound love for them and for all who would follow them in faith. He gave them tangible and reliable reasons for hope Christ's message of comfort and hope is as applicable today as it was in that Upper Room two thousand years ago.

We all know too. Well that this world is full of false hopes. But apart from Jesus Christ all other sources of comfort and hope are nothing more than broken cisterns. That cannot hold water as it says in Jeremiah 2:13. No matter what those sources of comfort and hope might be in this world. They will ultimately disappoint. grass, Jesus never fails because our hope is built upon the solid rock our hope is built upon the spirit given Assurance of Christ continuing presence with us. Our hope is built upon the confidence that Jesus is preparing A Place For Us in his father's house. Our hope is built upon the conviction that Jesus is the only way to God our hope is built upon the realization that Jesus is God In the Flesh our hope is built upon the recognition that we can make it through any trial we face because of his sustaining power. We can find great comfort knowing that Jesus Will perfectly fulfill all of his promises. With the vast resources of his Heavenly Supply.

I'd like to conclude this week again. With some borrowed lyrics from the popular hymn. My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus name. On Christ the solid rock. I stand all other ground is sinking sand. When darkness veils his lovely face. I rest on his unchanging Grace. In every high and stormy Gale my anchor holds within the veil on Christ the solid rock. I stand all other ground is sinking sand. May Christ fill you with hope today please bow with me in prayer. Most gracious Heavenly Father we come to you in Jesus name and Lord. We don't take that lightly. Lord when we pray in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ Lord, we know what that means. And Lord, we pray that you would help us as a church to always walk in a way that is pleasing to you.

Lord help us not to doubt help us not to have fear help us not to have anxiety the Lord help us always to go forward in the way that you are leading us. But I thank you for how you have been with us and guide us through this pandemic of situation and none of us have ever faced in her life before. The Lord we can do it with peace and Assurance knowing that you were walking with us every step of the way. And Lord as we prepared to return to face-to-face worship Lord. There can be some anxiety with that. Lord I pray that you would take that away from us there that you would help us just a fully trust in you and to know that is we are moving forward we are doing so trusting in the power of Jesus name to give us wisdom and guidance that we will do things in a way that honors you.

And Lord we often wonder where we're going to get the strengths or the resources to do those things. Lord we know that we are totally dependent on you for those things. Lord you have provided and sustained our church throughout this pandemic and Lord. We have no reason to doubt that you're going to continue to do that into the future. But I pray that you will sure up any of us who might have a wavering faith and strengthen us Lord and help us to come together as a family of believers. Start encouraging and strengthen each other through any trial that made my face, but Lord ultimately to turn each other back towards the cross. Knowing that our hope is built on nothing less in the precious blood of Jesus Christ. We pray this all in your most. Holy name. Amen.

You sticking with our verses that have been are benediction throughout this entire thing 1st Peter 5:7 cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. And Hebrews 10:39. But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed but to those who have faith and are saved. We can trust in the promises of our Lord and savior that we find in scripture and we can trust him to lead us and guide us every day. Have a blessed week and hope to see you all soon and that