Clarification for the troubled church 1
JOHN 14:1- 3 “CLARIFICATION FOR A TROUBLED CHURCH”
AS WE APPROACH THIS RESSURECTION SUNDAY, IT CAUSES SOME CONCERN. THERE IS CONCERN BECAUSE THE CHURCH, THE BRIDE OF CHRIST IS TROUBLED. NOTICE THE PHRASING, THE CHURCH IS NOT IN TROUBLE, (UPON THIS ROCK) BUT IT IS TROUBLED. TROUBLED MEANS TO CAUSE INWARD COMMOTION, AGITATE, DISTRESS, PERPLEX THE MIND BY CAUSING DOUBT. WHY IS THE CHURCH TROUBLED YOU ASK? THE DISCIPLES/CHURCH IS TROUBLED ACCORDING TO THIS TEXT IS TROUBLED BECAUSE IT NEEDED CLARIFCATION. CLARIFICATION OF WHAT, THE PLAN OF JESUS CHRIST!
How can we tell that the disciples are troubled, check out their actions. One is always troubled when:
1) When you don’t know what you are doing (Judas) (Betrayal) (the troubling part about Judas is that he was only hanging out with Judas to see what he could get. This thing was bigger than money because he was the treasurer/thief. Why would he sell his soul for thirty pieces of silver? Some scholars suggest that Judas had a problem with how Jesus was handling business and he could not get with the process of giving instead of getting and ultimately his hanging out got him hung. (some of us today are hanging out testing the waters to see what we can get. We are skimming off the top and we don’t agree with how Jesus is overseeing our lives/circumstances so we betray him) (Betrayal is so troubling that it even troubles Jesus.)
2) When you don’t know why you are following (Peter) (Backsliding) ( Peter asked Jesus where are you going? Jesus replied that where I am going you cannot follow right now (follow: to join as a disciple) Peter: I will lay down my life for you. (here is the troubling part, Peter was willing to die for him, but not live for him. (a lot of us do not having a problem with dying in the Lord, but we have problems with living for him. (Bible: he denied him three times a few days later) (Peter would have to be restored before he made a difference, when you plan on getting it right?
3) When you don’t know where you are going (Thomas) (Unbelief) ( it is troubling when we do not know the way. (these are disciples aren’t they?) It is troubling when those who follow Jesus still don’t know the way. What is the way? Way: Journey (Meth: the course of conduct, how we think, feel or decide.) (some of us today are like Thomas, we are following Jesus and still don’t know where you are going. The reasoning here is simple, we are too busy trying to do it our way (what decisions have you made without him? (Jesus answered him to get back on track, I am the way ( way to the Father) truth: the revealer of the message from God the Father, and the life life: the communicator for God the Father. ( some of us are trying to get to the Father by bypassing the Son!
4) When you don’t know who you are following (Philip) (Blindness) Phillip says to Jesus, “show us the Father” Jesus said “have I been with you so long and yet you have not known me? ( know: perceive/understand) (it is hard to follow what you cannot see especially when one is viewing through the wrong lenses. (the world says that ‘seeing is believing” but the Word says “believing is seeing” what lenses are you looking from the World or the Word? Here is the revealing thought, it will show up in your works whether or not you see through the world/word! ( Jesus said that if you know/see who you are following even though you cannot see him because he went back to the Father, you will do greater works than me!) ( we have a chance to touch more people than Jesus did! ( ill: last job, I managed 3000 people a day for five straight years, I would like to say that I touched somebody through my life. Talk about Rev. Williams)
I) THE PROGRAM OF JESUS IS CLEAR (VS. 2B)
1) The program is clear, Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us. (prepare: to make necessary arrangements, get everything ready.
2) Ill: Drawn from the oriental custom of sending on before kings on the journey persons to level the roads and make them passable. (Jesus is preparing the minds of men in order to give the Messiah a fit reception and secure his blessings. (maybe the reason why he has not taken you out of here yet because your mind is not prepared for what is going to happen. (Bible: eyes have not seen, ears have not heard what the Lord has prepared for them that are prepared!)
3) Prepare a place. A space marked off. (ill: on my job, I have a parking space and it is marked off for me. On court days, others have to figure out where they will park, not me because regardless of the circumstances, I have a place marked out for me!
II) THE PROMISE OF JESUS IS CLEAR (VS. 3)
1) Jesus says, “I will come again and receive you o myself (not only has Jesus prepared a place for you, he has promised his presence and his peace (see vs. 17 (you are not alone, we have something that the world does not have, the presence of Jesus Christ. (we also have his peace vs. 25 not just any kind of peace, but his peace. Not like the world’s peace, but his peace. We don’t have to be troubled or afraid because we have his peace. ( his peace surpasses all understanding that guards my heart and my mind!) (the peace that allows you to sleep when you trouble is all around you!)
III) THE PURPOSE OF JESUS IS CLEAR (VS. 3B)
1) not only does Jesus have a place picked out for me, he has promised his presence and his peace, he will one day demonstrate his power. (go to Acts 1:11) (read ill) ( we don’t have to be troubled, quit gazing and start praising!