LET'S GET GOING

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"Children’s Sermon"

• Have the children pick up the cards with words. Each has an opposite. Let them find their opposite and pair up.
• John’s gospel is a gospel of opposites. Explain some of them.
• One of these is important for today and every day as we strive to be a "resurrection people": Alive and Dead. Resurrection people live life abundantly. Jesus is alive, not dead.
• Even though the gospel is about opposites, sometimes God creates a third way that is more than just a simple opposite. [Bring out the RISEN card.]
• Here’s a third option that we would not normally consider. Here is a way that is only God’s Way. Jesus is risen, never to die again. That goes beyond simply being alive.

Read John 14.

Jesus went away, but he is coming back. In the meantime, he has given us another encourager. The first one was Jesus. The second is the Holy Spirit.

1. The Spirit enables us to see Jesus. 14:19 - Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live.
   • This is a vision rooted in faith, not information or sensory input.
   • We believe that Christ is alive. So, he is with us.
   • We become aware of the presence and the activity of the Risen Jesus.
   • Phillip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”
   • Jesus replied, “How long have I been with you – don’t you know me by now?”
   • Do we really know Jesus? Or do we just know about him? If we just know about him, then we cannot see him.
   “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” – 14:6-7

2. The Spirit teaches us to hear what Jesus taught and to do it.
   • This goes back to his mother Mary who told those servants to “do whatever He says.”
   • Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me. I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. – 14:23-26

3. The Spirit encourages us to do what Jesus does. To do what he did. We believe what Jesus taught -- but more than that, we do what Jesus taught us. We believe it and we put it into action.
   • “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it! – 14:12-14
   • Jesus is inviting us to do greater things than even he did on earth. He isn’t intimidated by that – his message is that since he has returned to the Father, there is a greater connection than ever between heaven and earth.
   • Jesus is beyond space and time, he is beyond life and death and through the spirit he would do great works through us – right here and now.
   • I want to show you a video that we’ve prepared that takes the words of a song called “God of This City” and makes it real for us. Understand that God can and will work through us right here and now. In the words of the song ... For greater things have yet to come, And greater things are still to be done, In this city
   • SHOW VIDEO

4. The Spirit teaches us everything and reminds us of everything that Jesus told us.
   • We live in a world that is sometimes hostile to the Spirit. We could get troubled and afraid, or we could accept the peace of mind and peace of heart that is the gift of Christ (v. 27)
   • (vv. 30-31) “I don’t have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches. He has no power over me, but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let’s be going.

Chris Benjamin

West-Ark Church of Christ, Fort Smith, AR
Morning Sermon, 12 April 2009

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