18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Here is a T-shirt that my friend Janet gave me; I am sure that you also know the song that has the same lyrics!
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” John 14:6
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”John 8:12.
And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” – Deuteronomy 31:8
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” – Hebrews 13:5
Mark 8:34-38 - at start Psalm 98:1-9 Psalm 89:1-18 John 14:1-9 Romans 8:35-39 - at end
2 Timothy 3:1-17
Godlessness in the Last Days
3 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. 9 But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.
All Scripture Is Breathed Out by God
10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
John 14: 1-9
14 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God;believe also in me.2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.4 And you know the way to where I am going.”5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
The theme 'The Transforming Power of God and More' is a theme that is too big for one sessions and possibly endless. However, from three of our scriptures I want to look and reflect at certain aspects and hopefully join them together a little. I think we often look at scripture in a fragmented sort of way rather than seeing it is all part of a whole from the eternal and unchanging God.
Looking at how God gives a vision for life to be transformed into what he has is no bad thing and takes us back to something we considered last week in Jesus statement in John 10:10, part of the Good Shepherd passage, I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
We start by going back, again, to the prophet Ezekiel when he is taken into the valley of the dry bones.
1. National Resurrection and More - Ezekiel 37:1-14
Ezekiel parallels the time of Jeremiah. The latter was a prophet speaking to the people in Israel up to and during the time of the exile to Babylon. Ezekiel was one of those who was exiled and if he hadn't he would have been a priest in Israel. At the time he would have entered service as a priest God called and appointed him as his spokesman to the exiles in Babylon and as such he too fulfilled the role of a prophet. Some of us will be familiar with this passage from the song, 'dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones . . . ' and I can hear you singing along!
The exiles in Babylon, like many exiles, were away from their homeland in a form of lockdown with serious travel restrictions! As such, and well into an exile which was to last for 70 years, they were disheartened, dejected in many ways and wondering what the future held for them. They felt lost.
As we know God's Spirit. is never under travel restrictions or anything of the like and he takes Ezekiel to a desert with a valley full of dry bones where he is challenges Ezekiel about life and hope.
The picture itself looks a little absurd but, this is how the Lord can transform through His power.
The upshot of the passage is that God gives him a promise:
[12] Therefore prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. [13] Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. [14] I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.' "
Exile did in time happen but, as the accounts show, it wasn't a triumphant second exodus with great victory and expectations. People returned from Babylon in dribs and drabs. It was hard and it took years for many aspects of life to get back into some kind of normal groove.
God, for his part, was looking at a lot more in their future. So, we go to our second passage 2. The Big Result of the more - Revelation 21:1-7
Again, as we read this it seems to be a bit impossible and perhaps just unimaginable. What we are being shown isthe transforming power of God in full action restoring life to where he always wanted it to be - life in all its fulness -brimming over and overflowing. The end of the book of Ezekiel brings similar pictures of a fallen world finally set free from sin with all its consequences of death, sickness and decay.
3. The Way to the More - John 14:1-10
In the upper room on the night before the cross Jesus, among others things, outlines the plan of the ultimate exodus from exile where people were / are held captive to sin, decay and death.
The 'more' started with his resurrection after he paid the price for sin and dealt the death blow to death! Here in this part of the discourse some 'policy'!
1. I am going to my Father's house to prepare a place for you. Let's remember that He is speaking to His followers not the world at large. He assures them that having done that he will return so they can share with him but then he confuses them by saying 'you know the way'. Fact is they haven't much clue as to what he's on about at all and rarely did! Thomas speaks for them all and asks the question 'Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?' which leads to the next declaration;
2. Me - v 6 I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
That is the clearest sign you can ever have - want to get to God the Father then you have to come to Jesus. This is very exclusive - only me but, at the same time, totally inclusive because 'anyone' can come through him. There is only one way, there is only one truth and there is only one life, fullness and overflowing life which is intended and designed for us.
The exile in the days of Jeremiah and Ezekiel happened because of compromise, syncretism, the taking on other gods in this instance alongside the Lord and therefore blatant disobedience - no other gods! I will be there God and they will be my people - that was a cry from God through many a prophet and part of the declaration made in Rev 21.
Jesus confuses them again by his statement in v 7 - If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him. What on earth, splutters Philip, show us the Father, that is all we need.
This is followed by what is, in my mind at least, a bombshell statement which in fact helps understand the rest of his declarations.
3. Again, Jesus has the boldness and effrontery to point to himself.
Catch up guys, you have been with me long enough, you should have the message by now: Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
Pause, let it sink in - when we look at Jesus the son, we see God the Father
Hebrews 1:3
[3] The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
It ties right in with what Jesus says in this passage.
4. In v 10 Jesus fleshes it out - the Father is in me, I am under His authority and doing his work! Within hours he is on the cross and in a couple of days after that, resurrected. The price of sin is paid and final exodus starting with Jesus rising.
The transforming power of God kicking in with powerful force.
Conclusion
What about 'NOW'? In this in-between time, are we just kicking our heels or what? No:
God is at work in us personally, we are a new creation, we are indwelt by the Spirit and to bear the fruit of the spirit. God forgives our sin and is bringing new life, freedom, healing and restoration to us an within relationships. Life to the full, life that overflows!
Also, God is working through us personally and corporately: we are ambassadors for Christ, salt, light, harvest workers, called to serve and be in the Kingdom that is breaking in, and, if and when we can't be highly active, praying to the Lord of the harvest for the workers and for more workers that the Kingdom may be yeast in society leavening the whole lot.
I say it again, life to the full and life that overflows.
It's hard, it's challenging and we will continue to be dogged by sin and a sinful world.
Now, if I haven't given you enough to read, here's a little more. Jesus prayer for himself, his disciples and us at the end of the upper room discourse in John 17 from where he goes out and is soon arrested!
The transforming power of God! I have painted a little more on the big canvas. Pray and look to see more of the wonder of what is in that picture.
Good evening my friends, here are the readings for tomorrow virtual worship, Sunday 10th May 2020 Psalm 100:1-5 Psalm 30:1-12 Ezekiel 37:1-14 Revelation 21:1-7 John 14:1-10 See you tomorrow!
2 Timothy 1:7 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. In some versions, it says 'cowardice' instead of fear, in others, it speaks of 'timidity'
Our King and Saviour, Jesus tells us in the gospel of John 14:27
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Again, in the Gospel of Matthew 6:34 Jesus tells us: Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
The apostle Peter encourages us too, he says in 1 Peter 5:6:7 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
So brothers and sisters in Christ, let's us be joyful today and confident in Jesus-Christ, our rock and King, not letting our heart tremble by what we hear or see in the news for He loves us, we are his beloved children. Amen.
'Do not let your hearts be trouble' Trust in God; trust also in me. In my father's house are many room; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
John 14:1-2
Jesus replied: If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My father will love him and make our home with him.
