SENT BY CHRIST FROM THE FATHER (CC)

PENTECOST SUNDAY SERMON TEXT: JOHN 15:26-27 WWW.ZIONTORRANCE.INFO 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.