October 30, 2016

Comfort in Troubled Times

Preacher:
Series:
Passage: John 14:1-14
Service Type:

Introduction

  • Let not your heart be 'troubled' (v1)
    • A word that sums up the disciples
    • The Lord Jesus knows exactly how the disciples feel
  • Why are they so troubled?
    • Judas has walked out
    • Peter's denial is predicted
    • Jesus has predicted His death
  • The physical absence of Jesus would overwhelm the disciples - these are troubled times
  • Behind the scenes is a battle
    • Against the world
    • Against the flesh (the flesh is weak)
    • Against the devil
  • To be 'troubled' is the natural human response to these situations
    • We are troubled also at times in our life
    • Where was the strength and consolation going to come from?
  • It comes from Jesus:
    • The Word of Jesus
    • The Wisdom of Jesus
    • The Work of Jesus
  • Jesus is able to sympathise with our troubles
    • John 12:27, 13:21
    • Heb 4:15, 5:2
    • "The bruised reed He will not break"
      • 13:1 - He will love them to the end

The Ground of their Faith

  • Jesus gives them the ground for the faith
    • God and Himself
      • As you believe in God, believe in Jesus
    • He speaks to comfort them to encourage them to believe in Him
    • Do not trust in yourself or any earthly thing
      • "Trust in the Lord with all your heart" - Prov 3:5
    • Not a leap in the dark but based upon who God and Jesus are
    • Self-dependence, self-righteousness, self-reliance are not the answer
  • Jesus is asking them to believe in Him because of the unique person of who He is - v6
    • The origin and fullness of life is in Jesus
    • No other mediator to God
    • You can have a relationship with God as Father
    • The invisible God has been made known in Jesus Christ (v10)
  • The ground of their faith is God the Father and God the Son
    • The ground of my faith is Jesus and God
    • What is the ground of our faith?

The Goal for their Faith

  • Jesus knows exactly where He is going (v2)
    • Jesus has a work to do before He returns home
  • There is a hope, a home, a direction and a purpose
    • If we trust in Jesus Christ although there is separation now, we will in time be reunited
    • Jesus will bring the disciples to be with Him
      • He is aware of His work on the cross to enable this
  • He brings before them the eternal perspective of heaven
    • Those who believe and trust in Him will go to heaven
  • Jesus describes heaven in an intimate way
    A place of:-
    • A home
    • Glory (chapter 17)
    • Love
    • Ultimate security
    • Paradise
  • When will Jesus come back?
    • By His Spirit
    • When we die
    • When He comes again
  • There is a hope in Jesus Christ
    • The Hope of Heaven
    • Now is the time to believe
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