SENT BY CHRIST FROM THE FATHER (CC)
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PENTECOST SUNDAY SERMON TEXT: JOHN 15:26-27
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LET US RISE FOR THE READING OF THIS MORNING'S SERMON TEXT
RECORDED FOR US IN JOHN'S GOSPEL WHERE WE READ FROM
CHAPTER 15, BEGINNING WITH VERSE 26:
"WHEN THE COUNSELOR COMES,
WHOM I WILL SEND TO YOU FROM THE FATHER,
THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH WHO GOES OUT FROM THE FATHER,
HE WILL TESTIFY ABOUT ME; BUT YOU ALSO
MUST TESTIFY, FOR YOU HAVE BEEN WITH ME
FROM THE BEGINNING. THIS IS THE WORD OF OUR LORD.
LET US PRAY:
GLORIOUS AND GRACIOUS GOD, MAY THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH AND
THE MEDITATION OF EACH OF OUR HEARTS BE ACCEPTABLE IN YOUR
SIGHT, OUR ONLY SOURCE OF HOPE AND COMFORT.
AMEN.
[TEXT TAKEN FROM THE HOLY BIBLE:
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION 1973, 1978, 1984,
USED BY PERMISSION OF ZONDERVAN BIBLE PUBLISHERS]
DEAR FOLLOWERS OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR,
JESUS CHRIST:
THE DAYS AND HOURS LEADING UP TO CHRIST'S CRUCIFIXION
MUST CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN A ROLLER-COASTER
FOR HIS DISCIPLES, AS WELL AS THE DAYS THAT FOLLOWED
HIS RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD.
THERE WAS SO MUCH THAT WAS HAPPENING.
SO MUCH OF SUCH GREAT IMPORTANCE
IN GOD'S PLAN OF SALVATION
AND IN CHRIST'S WORK OF ACCOMPLISHING
THAT SALVATION FOR US.
THERE WERE TENDER MOMENTS WHERE JESUS WAS WITH HIS DISCIPLES.
TEACHING THEM, CARING FOR THEM,
SHOWING HIS LOVE AND CONCERN FOR THEM.
AND GIVING THEM A MEAL THAT WOULD LAST
THAT WOULD REPLACE THE PASSOVER.
A MEAL WHERE HE WOULD OFFER HIS BODY AND
HIS TRUE BLOOD FOR THE FORGIVENESS
OF SINS. THERE WERE HARROWING TIMES
IN THE DARK WHERE THE ENEMIES CAME FORTH
AND DID HORRIFIC THINGS TO CHRIST HIMSELF.
HE WAS HAULED FROM COURT TO COURT.
HE WAS MOCKED. HE WAS MADE FUN OF. HE WAS
BEATEN AND HE WAS KILLED WHILE THE DISCIPLES WATCHED
SOME OF THIS. AND, YES,
EVEN LEFT ALONE. LEFT HIM
ALONE. FOR FEAR AND TERROR.
AND EVEN AFTER THE RESURRECTION
THEY STILL HAD DIFFICULTY
GRASPING WHAT HAD OCCURRED
AND WHAT WAS GOING ON.
LOCKED THEMSELVES IN A ROOM. THEY WERE AFRAID
OF WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN TO THEM.
BUT YET JESUS CONTINUED TO COME TO THEM.
AND TO SHARE WITH THEM EVEN THE THINGS
THAT HE HAD RECENTLY TALKED WITH THEM ABOUT.
ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE HAD IN OUR
SERMON TEXT FOR THIS MORNING. REMINDING THEM
THAT HE WAS GOING AWAY.
BUT THAT THE COUNSELOR WAS GOING TO COME;
THE ONE WHO WAS GOING TO GIVE THEM AID
AND ASSISTANCE ... WAS GOING TO COME UPON THEM.
THE COUNSELOR WHO WAS TRUE
GOD. WHO AS WE CONFESS
PROCEEDS FROM THE FATHER AND THE SON.
THAT WHEN CHRIST RETURNED TO HIS HEAVENLY GLORY
THE SPIRIT WAS GOING TO BE SENT BY HIM
FROM THE FATHER TO HIS DISCIPLES.
TO ENCOURAGE THEM.
TO STRENGTHEN THEIR FAITH.
TO TEACH THEM THE THINGS THAT THEY WERE NOT
FULLY GRASPING AND UNDERSTANDING.
TO GET THEM TO KNOW AND REALIZE
THE TRUTH. THAT JESUS
IS THE TRUTH.
THAT HIS WORK IN THIS WORLD
ACCOMPLISHED SALVATION IS THE TRUTH.
THAT THE DISCIPLES WERE THERE TO WITNESS
ALL OF THOSE ASPECTS OF CHRIST'S LIFE.
THAT WE POUR OVER AND STUDY OURSELVES
WONDERING WHAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE
TO STAND THERE WITH HIM AS HE
PERFORMED THOSE MIRACLES.
TO HEAR HIM SPEAK. TO HEAR HIM TEACH.
TO SEE HIM NOT
TOLERATE THE WICKEDNESS OF THE PHARISEES
AND THE SADDUCEES. BUT TO SPEAK BOLDLY
AND PROCLAIM THE TRUTH OF GOD.
THE HOLY SPIRIT CAME TO THOSE DISCIPLES
SO FILLED WITH TURMOIL, TO COMFORT
THEM WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WAS THEIRS.
TO CONVICT THEM OF THE TRUTH
OF WHAT JESUS CHRIST DID.
AND THAT HOLY SPIRIT THAT IS IN EACH OF US
STILL COMES TO US DAY AFTER DAY
WITH THAT SAME TRUTH.
TO STRENGTHEN US. TO ENCOURAGE US.
TO TAKE US WHERE HE FINDS US IN THE TURMOIL
OF OUR OWN LIVES. BECAUSE LET'S FACE IT ...
JUST LIKE THE DISCIPLES, SOMETIMES WE GET
SO CAUGHT UP IN THE THINGS
THAT ARE IMMEDIATE AND ARE AROUND US.
THAT WE DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND,
THAT WE DON'T FULLY GRASP WHY WE ARE THE ONES
WHO HAVE TO ENDURE THIS SITUATION.
WHY WE ARE THE ONE WHO IS SUFFERING THE LOSS
OF A LOVED ONE. WHY WE ARE THE ONE WHO IS FACING
SURGERY. WHATEVER THE SITUATION IS.
WHEN OUR HEARTS BECOME TROUBLED AND FILLED
WITH FEAR BY THE CONCERNS OF THIS WORLD ...
IT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT
WHO TURNS US BACK TO CHRIST
THAT TURNS US BACK TO THE TRUTH
THAT HE TAUGHT US.
THAT HE BROUGHT TO US IN THE GOSPEL.
THAT HE REMINDS US OF IN OUR LIVES EACH AND EVERY DAY
IS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR FAITH.
IT IS WHERE WE PUT OUR HOPE.
IN JESUS CHRIST AND WE TURN TO THAT
TRUTH AND WE TURN BY THE AID OF
THE HOLY SPIRIT TO BE COMFORTED IN THOSE
SITUATIONS IN OUR LIVES. TO KNOW
THAT GOD IS STILL THE ONE WHO
IS IN CONTROL. THAT GOD IS STILL GOING TO
ACCOMPLISH HIS WILL. THAT THE FATHER IS STILL
GOING TO PRESERVE THIS WORLD AND PROTECT
HIS CHURCH UNTIL HE BRINGS IT TO BE WITH HIM IN HEAVEN.
THAT NOTHING IS GOING TO ROB US
OF THE COMFORT OF KNOWING JESUS CHRIST
AND HIS LOVE. THAT HE WAS CRUCIFIED
FOR US. THAT OUR SINS
ARE FORGIVEN. AND THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT
IS WITH US ... KEEPING US IN THE FAITH.
DAY AFTER DAY REMINDING US
OF THE JOY THAT IS OURS AND
TEACHING US TO TURN TO CHRIST.
BECAUSE SO OFTEN IN OUR LIVES, WE WANT TO MELT GOD DOWN
TO WHATEVER IT IS WE NEED HIM TO BE
AT THAT MOMENT. SOMETIMES WE WANT GOD TO BE
A MATCHMAKER. BECAUSE ALL I WANT TO MAKE ME HAPPY IS
A SPOUSE. SOMETIMES WE WANT GOD TO
BE A BABY MAKER. TO SAY THE ONLY THING THAT IS
GOING TO COMPLETE ME IS THAT WHEN I HAVE A CHILD.
SOMETIMES WE WANT GOD TO BE THE GREAT DOCTOR;
YOU HAVE TO HEAL ME GOD. SOMETIMES WE JUST WANT HIM TO
BE A BANK THAT DOLES OUT MORE BLESSINGS TO US.
OUR HUMAN NATURE TRIES TO FORCE GOD
INTO THE THING THAT WE WANT
HIM TO BE TO MAKE US HAPPY AT THAT TIME.
INSTEAD OF STOPPING
AND BEING STILL
AND ALLOWING GOD
TO BE GOD.
TO TRUST HIM TO DO HIS WORK.
TO TRUST HIM TO GIVE US
WHAT WE NEED. NOT ONLY FOR
OUR DAILY EXISTENCE OF FOOD,
BUT FOR OUR ETERNAL WELFARE
AND BENEFIT.
TO TURN TO HIM AND TRUST HIM
AMIDST ALL OF THE CHAOS OF THIS WORLD.
BECAUSE THERE IS OUR COMFORT.
THERE WE FIND OUR HOPE AND THERE OUR COUNSELOR LEADS US;
THE HOLY SPIRIT BRINGS US THERE
AND KEEPS US IN THAT PEACE OF GOD.
AND FOR WHAT PURPOSE? TO END
WITH OURSELVES? TO JUST BE HAPPY?
TO JUST BE CONTENT?
JESUS TOLD HIS DISCIPLES
THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GOING TO TESTIFY ABOUT ME.
AND THE TRUTH ... OF ...
GOD. AND YOU ALSO
MUST TESTIFY.
TESTIFY TO THE TRUTH.
TESTIFY TO WHAT JESUS
CHRIST HAS DONE FOR YOU. AND WE DO THAT
BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. WE DO THAT WHEN WE
SHARE THAT KNOWLEDGE. WHEN WE SPEND TIME WITH OUR CHILDREN.
TEACHING THEM ON THE WORD OF GOD
AND WHAT GOD HAS DONE.
THE TIME WE SPEND IN DAILY DEVOTIONS AS A FAMILY.
TO SHARE AND TO TESTIFY TO THE TRUTH
OF GOD'S WORD. AND THEN
TO APPLY HOW GOD HAS AFFECTED US
IN OUR LIVES. HOW THE LORD HIMSELF
HAS SEEN US THROUGH DIFFICULT DAYS.
WHEN WE'VE TRUSTED IN HIM
TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO TRUST IN HIM.
TO KNOW THAT GOD DOES NOT
ABANDON HIS CHILDREN.
JESUS SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES: I'M LEAVING THIS WORLD, BUT
I'M NOT LEAVING YOU AS ORPHANS. I'M SENDING YOU
THE HOLY SPIRIT. I'M COMING BACK FOR YOU.
AND WE SHOULD NEVER FEEL ABANDONED AS GOD'S
CHILDREN IN THIS WORLD. HE STILL
CARES FOR US. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS WITH US
EVERY DAY.
AND WHAT A GREAT BLESSING THAT IS TO SHARE
THAT NEWS WITH OTHERS.
BECAUSE IT ENCOURAGES OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS
WHO MAY BE IN A DARK PLACE. WHO MAY BE IN A PLACE OF
DOUBTING, WHO MAY NEED TO BE CHEERED UP, NOT WITH
A LOVELY PLATITUDE,
BUT WITH THE NEWS THAT THEIR SINS ARE FORGIVEN.
THAT THEIR GOD IS IN HEAVEN RULING THE AFFAIRS
OF THE WORLD FOR THEIR GOOD.
THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT IS WITH THEM.
FIGHTING WITH THE STRENGTH OF
THE ALMIGHTY GOD THE BATTLES THAT THEY GO THROUGH
EACH AND EVERY DAY. TO TAKE THAT KNOWLEDGE
TO THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T YET KNOW CHRIST.
AND TO TESTIFY TO THEM.
AND IT'S NOT ALWAYS GOING TO BE RECEIVED WELL.
WE ALWAYS LIKE TO LOOK AT
THAT EVENT FROM PENTECOST. THE DISCIPLES
GOT UP AND PREACHED. AND SO MANY PEOPLE BELIEVED.
AND YET THERE ARE ALSO PEOPLE THERE
WE HEARD WHO MADE FUN OF THE DISCIPLES.
LOOK AT THE DRUNKS!
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SAY THAT OF US.
THEY'RE TALKING NONSENSE. ABOUT A GOD WHO LOVES PEOPLE
AND SENT HIS SON TO DIE FOR THEIR SINS?
HOW CRAZY IS THAT?
YOU CAN'T CONVINCE ME THAT IF GOD IS A GOD OF LOVE
THAT THEN THERE HAS TO BE A HELL AND A PLACE OF
PUNISHMENT. THIS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.
THERE WILL ALWAYS BE THOSE PEOPLE
WHO OPPOSE THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST.
BUT WE CONCERN OURSELVES WITH THOSE WHO LISTEN.
THOSE WHO ARE INTRIGUED.
AND WE CONTINUE TO GIVE THEM
THE MESSAGE OF THE TRUTH.
NOT MY TRUTH. NOT YOUR TRUTH.
NOT A TRUTH THAT IS DEPENDENT UPON
CIRCUMSTANCES OR THE WAY SOMEONE VIEWS IT.
BUT "THE" TRUTH!
THE TRUTH OF GOD! THE TRUTH
OF OUR SALVATION!
WHAT GOD HAS ACCOMPLISHED FOR US AND GIVEN
TO US ... BY GRACE!
BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!
THE COUNSELOR WHO HAS COME ON US IN OUR BAPTISM.
WHO HAS INSTRUCTED US IN
THAT WORD. WHO POINTS US TO THAT WORD,
IS THE COMFORTER AND THE COUNSELOR WHO WILL ALSO BE
WITH US WHEN WE TESTIFY TO THAT WORD.
WHEN WE SPEAK OF CHRIST
AND WHAT HE'S DONE.
BECAUSE THIS LIFE IS NOT EASY.
YOU AND I KNOW WE STRUGGLE EACH AND EVERY DAY
WITH THE EVILS THAT SURROUND US.
BUT WHAT WE NEED, WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM THE
LOVING GOD. WE HAVE
THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. WE HAVE
ETERNAL LIFE. AND WE HAVE THE SPIRIT OF GOD
LIVING IN US UNTIL WE ARE BROUGHT TO
OUR ETERNAL GLORY TO SEE
OUR GOD FACE-TO-FACE. AND TO THANK HIM
FOR SENDING
HIS COUNSELOR.
AMEN. LET US RISE.
NOW MAY THE
PEACE OF GOD WHICH GOES BEYOND ALL OF OUR UNDERSTANDING
KEEP YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS AND ESPECIALLY YOUR
LIVES IN THE ONE TRUE FAITH UNTO LIFE EVERLASTING. AMEN.