Sermon: Going out of Business Summary: We do not need to be troubled in this life because Jesus has gone away to prepare a new home for us with God and to return and take us there. He has made clear that he himself is the one and only way there. In the meantime, while he is preparing our new home, we can know the Father and pray to him through Christ who has come to live in us through the Spirit he gives to us who love him as our helper that empowers us to carry on Christ's mission. Know: Since God is "in us" now, we have a mandate and power to do his works Feel: Courage and confidence in him Do: Reflect on the nature of your faith in God's promises and how this affects how you minister, how you evangelize, and how you live your daily life. Text: John 14 Scripture Reading: John 10:7-10 Intro: 1. Recently went to a store that going out of business a. Things are different in a store like that - prices slashed, no returns b. They are preparing to close the store - looking to the end c. Some employees looked troubled. What will they do now? d. Word for that = "eschatological" - referring to end times 2. Context: Eschatological perspective as Jesus closes his ministry a. Disciples are troubled, crucifixion looming and betrayer in their midst b. What is going to happen to his ministry? To his disciples? c. Final speech to prepare them - Let not your heart be troubled 3. These words are not just for disciples, but for us a. 20:31 - These written so that you might believe b. This speech should shape our whole outlook on life **c. Promises on which to build our life I. (v.1-6) Jesus is returning to take us home A. Some say "Mansions," 1. A "Mansion" is something big, grand, full of splendor a. In ancient times, would have been governors villa b. Might be a king's palace 2. Images in book of Revelation show us splendor a. Not incorrect to think of Heaven as streets of gold b. Riches are in abundance for everyone 3. That is not image Jesus is giving here a. Newer Bible's more correctly translate "dwelling places" b. The word literally is "residences" 4. What is a residence? a. How many live in an "industrial" area? b. How many live in a "residential" area? c. What is the difference between the two? - One is full of "homes" the other is not - Sidewalks, playgrounds, kids playing in yards - You smell dinner walking down the street in evening B. ILL: What emotions, images, etc. does "home" evoke? 1. One of our long support seeking trips, one of the boys kept saying, "I want to go…. home" a. Tired of being on the road b. Tired of McDonalds, different beds, etc. 2. Home is a special place a. Home is where the table is b. Home is where your bed is at night c. Home is where you feel safe d. Home is where your loved ones are at 3. ILL: Chuck Cantrell - Get homesick for Heaven at certain songs a. He young b. Life is not in this world, but in Christ c. He knew that, so wanted to go home C. Jesus has gone ahead of us to prepare our new home 1. Not exactly sure what that means - "prepare" 2. Point - His going away is not permanent 3. He is coming back to take us to our new home D. This should be our longing, our perspective in life 1. Survey among young people - Not think eschatologically any more a. People used to say in midst of messy world, "Lord come quickly!" b. Desire for him to come and make it right c. People not say that any more 2. His return is not a fantasy! 3. Whole Bible is eschatological 4. Our lives should be eschatological a. How do you live eschatologically….? **b. Look at the next promise will help II. (v.7-17) Jesus sends us another helper A. Jesus is promising to send the Spirit B. Interesting what he calls the Spirit 1. Earlier, he connected the Spirit with water a. 3:5 - Cannot enter into kingdom unless born of water and Spirit b. 4:14 - Whoever drinks water Jesus give, becomes in him a spring fed well giving eternal life, never thirst again c. 7:37-38 - Any thirsty, come to Jesus and drink, from innermost being flow rivers of living water 2. Now he calls the Spirit something different a. "paracletos" or "paraclete" b. What does it mean? - Older Bibles - "comforter" but that is based on Old English word which originally meant "to strengthen" - Some say "counselor" - but that has therapeutic overtones, so that is not a good translation either - Same word 1 Jn 2:1 - "Advocate" - one who acts on your behalf - Jesus is our Advocate, AND Spirit is our Advocate c. Some Bibles use "Helper" which is a good translation d. Etymology - "To come alongside" - He comes to our side an he helps us 3. How does he help? (in context of this passage) a. (v.26) - Will guide you and bring to remembrance - Talking about the testimony - They will be challenged as Jesus was challenged b. (v.12) - Will do the works of Christ. Miraculous? No. - Paul did few miracles compared to Jesus - Some evangelists apparently did none - Talking about bringing wholeness through Gospel c. Will do greater works than Christ - What is greater than bringing Lazarus from Dead? - Sickness, Death, etc. are "symptoms" of problem -- You can heal lame, but still have problem - Real problem - Alienation from God due to sin - Answer = Preach faith in the crucified & risen Lord -- This is greater than miracles of healing d. Spirit "helps" empowers us to continue ministry of Christ - It is a forward-looking ministry - All stand before judgment seat, go to Hell, or Home - God wants all to obey Gospel so can go "home" - This is one way of living Eschatologically - Mission 4. Other passages that describes how the Spirit "helps" us a. Tit 3:5 - Renewed by the Spirit b. 1 Cor 12:11 - Gifts, miraculous & nonmiraculous - Rom 12 c. Gal 5:22 - Fruit of Spirit - Christian character d. Eph 3:16 - Strengthened with power in inner man e. Rom 8:13 - Power to put to death deeds of the body f. Rom 8:26 - Speaks to God in our prayers g. 1 Cor 2:6-12 - Grow in godly wisdom h. Rom 8:9, Eph 1:13 - Identifies us as God's children C. ILL: When he gave Spirit, gave power 1. Like a car, can have car, but no power without gas 2. The Holy Spirit is the Gas that makes us able 3. When Jesus ascended, did not leave us helpless D. There is a condition on receiving the Spirit 1. In earlier passages, it was for those who "believe" 2. v.16 - Have to know God 3. v.15 - Also connects it to loving Christ a. If you love me, you will keep my commandments b. Then Jesus will ask Father to send another helper 4. It is for those who love Him, obediently a. If want Spirit, have to love and obey **b. If Spirit in us, then the Lord lives in us…. III. (v.18-31) He "lives in us" now A. What does he mean "I will come to you?" 1. Said he will not leave us as orphans 2. Probably not the same thing as v.3, which is 2nd coming B. Jesus is not only coming in the future, but is with us now 1. Look at what Jesus has said: a. v.7 - If know Jesus, then you know the Father b. v.10 - Jesus is in the Father and Father is in Him c. v.20 - Jesus is "in his Father, and we in him, he in us d. v.23 - If love him, He will make his home in us 2. v.27 - Result is real peace a. Since the Father is in Christ, Christ did his will in mission b. Even though persecution, he had peace C. ILL: Dewayne, Man full of the Spirit 1. Loves ministering to other people in name of Christ a. Shares the Gospel when he gets a chance b. The Gospel is foremost in his life c. For those who accept it, they see Jesus in his life 2. When doing God's will, often criticized in venomous way a. Accused by brethren of being unrealistic, disingenuous… b. Usually from people who are not involved in ministry c. Also called holy man, reverend, by unbelievers 3. I have never seen him get angry, fret over it, etc. a. He seems to always be full of peace b. This is the peace Jesus is leaving with them D. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all in you 1. Give you peace and inner strength 2. Jesus made it clear that because Father in him, he did the works of the Father - Seek and save the lost 3. How does God living in us show to people in our lives? a. Do we do his deeds of compassion and kindness? b. Do we carry on his mission of bringing Gospel to the lost? 4. We can and MUST do his works because he is "in" us Concl: 1. These are his promises a. He will come and take us home b. He gives us a "helper" c. He lives "in" us until then 2. Jesus has risen, but will return to take us home a. The world is temporary, corrupted by sin b. The world as we know it will pass away 3. ILL: This world is like that store going out of business, but many don't know it a. Completely different atmosphere in that store going out of business b. The point is - Knowing the store closing affected their attitude - Not invest in a lot of window dressing - Not do a lot of new decorating - Central focus - Sell everything 4. The world is closing a. World is going to pass away, so live eschatologically - Don't live as if there is all the time in the world - Realize that it will all end, at any time b. Store up treasure in Heaven - Ever thought about what means? - Not store up and accumulate things of the world - be destroyed - Don't love things in the world - all pass away - Seize the moment, make every opportunity serve & share today c. There is not all the time in the world to lay up treasure in Heaven - Not all time in the world for neighbors to come to Christ - Not all the time in the world to share Gospel with them - Not all the time in the world to obey the Gospel (inv) d. The world is closing…we are leaving - Every morning say, "this could be the day" - Christ could come at any time - Live every day as though it is the last 5. Home is being prepared for those who are prepared a. Jesus is building a new neighborhood, wants it to be FULL b. Job for us to do in the meantime, are we not alone in doing it