WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.120 We hope that you enjoy this teaching from Christ Church. 00:00:05.719 --> 00:00:11.620 This material is copyrighted and no unauthorized duplication, redistribution, or any other 00:00:11.620 --> 00:00:15.300 use of any part is permitted without prior consent from Christ Church. 00:00:15.660 --> 00:00:22.660 Please consider donating to this work in the San Francisco Bay Area online at ChristChurchEastBay.org. 00:00:27.039 --> 00:00:27.940 Good morning. 00:00:28.120 --> 00:00:28.920 I'm Kat Bragg. 00:00:28.920 --> 00:00:32.560 I'm part of the Oakland Women's Little Faith Community Group. 00:00:33.140 --> 00:00:39.380 Today's scripture reading is from the Gospel according to John, chapter 14, verses 1 through 00:00:39.380 --> 00:00:46.120 15, and 19 through 24, as printed in your liturgy. 00:00:47.240 --> 00:00:49.400 Do not let your hearts be troubled. 00:00:49.820 --> 00:00:50.780 You believe in God. 00:00:51.420 --> 00:00:52.520 Believe also in me. 00:00:53.240 --> 00:00:55.160 My Father's house has many rooms. 00:00:55.159 --> 00:00:59.699 If that were not so, would I have told you that I'm going there to prepare a place for 00:00:59.699 --> 00:00:59.919 you? 00:01:00.419 --> 00:01:06.539 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me, that 00:01:06.539 --> 00:01:08.319 you also may be where I am. 00:01:09.200 --> 00:01:11.319 You know the way to the place where I am going. 00:01:12.179 --> 00:01:17.699 Thomas said to him, Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way? 00:01:17.700 --> 00:01:22.240 Jesus answered, I am the way, the truth, and the life. 00:01:22.920 --> 00:01:25.159 No one comes to the Father except through me. 00:01:26.340 --> 00:01:29.079 If you really know me, you know my Father as well. 00:01:29.760 --> 00:01:33.000 From now on, you do know him and have seen him. 00:01:33.879 --> 00:01:40.120 Philip said, Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us. 00:01:40.120 --> 00:01:46.160 Jesus answered, don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long 00:01:46.160 --> 00:01:46.520 time? 00:01:47.500 --> 00:01:49.840 Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. 00:01:50.380 --> 00:01:52.260 How can you say, show us the Father? 00:01:52.859 --> 00:01:57.200 Don't you believe that I am in the Father and that the Father is in me? 00:01:58.120 --> 00:02:01.420 The words I say to you, I do not speak on my own authority. 00:02:02.180 --> 00:02:06.060 Rather, it is the Father living in me who is doing his good work. 00:02:06.060 --> 00:02:12.520 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or at least believe 00:02:12.520 --> 00:02:14.199 on the evidence of the works themselves. 00:02:15.319 --> 00:02:21.300 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and 00:02:21.300 --> 00:02:26.740 they will even do greater things than these, because I am going to the Father, and I will 00:02:26.740 --> 00:02:31.120 do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 00:02:31.980 --> 00:02:35.080 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. 00:02:35.080 --> 00:02:37.560 If you love me, keep my commands. 00:02:38.680 --> 00:02:46.060 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me, because I live. 00:02:46.560 --> 00:02:47.580 You will also live. 00:02:49.300 --> 00:02:55.100 On that day, you will realize that I am in the Father, and you are in me, and I am in 00:02:55.100 --> 00:02:55.280 you. 00:02:56.140 --> 00:02:59.860 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. 00:02:59.860 --> 00:03:06.220 The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself 00:03:06.220 --> 00:03:06.740 to them. 00:03:07.460 --> 00:03:13.920 Then Judas, not Judas Iscariot, said, But Lord, why do you tend to show yourself to us 00:03:13.920 --> 00:03:14.780 and not to the world? 00:03:14.780 --> 00:03:19.000 Jesus replied, Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. 00:03:19.500 --> 00:03:24.060 My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 00:03:24.879 --> 00:03:28.000 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. 00:03:28.840 --> 00:03:31.840 These words you hear are not my own. 00:03:32.199 --> 00:03:33.780 They belong to the Father who sent me. 00:03:34.819 --> 00:03:36.460 This is the gospel of the Lord. 00:03:37.379 --> 00:03:38.960 Praise to you, Lord Christ. 00:03:38.960 --> 00:03:40.939 Good morning, Christ Church. 00:03:41.400 --> 00:03:49.379 We had a dinner last night with our session of elders and our staff team, and we had a 00:03:49.379 --> 00:03:53.240 very lively, competitive game of Bible Jeopardy. 00:03:54.140 --> 00:04:01.819 And based on some highly questionable last-minute rule changes, Andrew's team won and beat my team. 00:04:01.819 --> 00:04:08.340 So if you feel any tension or sense any resentment from me today, that's probably why. 00:04:08.340 --> 00:04:10.039 If there's a little edge to the sermon. 00:04:11.580 --> 00:04:17.680 How many of us would agree that our world has changed, our lives have changed significantly 00:04:17.680 --> 00:04:18.939 over these last two years? 00:04:20.860 --> 00:04:29.360 Even since February, just as the plague was starting to lift, bombs began to fall in Europe. 00:04:29.699 --> 00:04:34.579 And, you know, we look at those pictures that are being produced every day in the newspaper, 00:04:34.579 --> 00:04:38.139 and we kind of can't complain so much about our lives right now. 00:04:38.139 --> 00:04:41.159 Even though $6 a gallon, are you kidding me? 00:04:41.879 --> 00:04:45.399 Inflation, it's, the world feels unstable. 00:04:45.659 --> 00:04:47.019 It feels unpredictable. 00:04:47.560 --> 00:04:54.539 And our lives feel more insecure, more fragile, more transient than I think they felt in the 00:04:54.539 --> 00:04:54.959 past. 00:04:55.000 --> 00:05:00.180 And probably many of us would tell our own story these days, and it's kind of a pre-pandemic, 00:05:00.319 --> 00:05:02.139 pandemic, post-pandemic narrative. 00:05:02.139 --> 00:05:09.120 When we look at our families, our friendships, our work, our school, our finances, our church, 00:05:09.180 --> 00:05:12.000 it's pre-pandemic, pandemic, post-pandemic. 00:05:12.099 --> 00:05:16.919 And honestly, we're, like any other church, sort of rebuilding. 00:05:17.180 --> 00:05:18.919 We're in a rebuilding process right now. 00:05:19.439 --> 00:05:25.259 We have some people who have not been here physically in person in two years. 00:05:25.379 --> 00:05:27.500 And if that's you today, welcome. 00:05:27.779 --> 00:05:29.279 We're so glad that you're here. 00:05:29.859 --> 00:05:32.599 Some of us are brand new to Christ Church today. 00:05:32.879 --> 00:05:34.119 We know no one here. 00:05:34.179 --> 00:05:36.739 And if that's you, we're so glad that you're here. 00:05:37.419 --> 00:05:40.979 Some of us have been coming here for, like, the past year, and we're looking around going, 00:05:41.579 --> 00:05:42.519 who are all these people? 00:05:42.619 --> 00:05:43.739 I don't know any of these people. 00:05:43.740 --> 00:05:49.460 And so I kind of look at these dynamics as a pastor, and I'm thinking to myself, okay, 00:05:49.519 --> 00:05:52.540 what are the building blocks of a healthy church? 00:05:53.300 --> 00:06:01.680 And the church for the past two millennia has found sturdy materials, sturdy building blocks 00:06:01.680 --> 00:06:09.319 in the Gospel of John, particularly chapters 14, 15, 16, and 17, where we're going to be 00:06:09.319 --> 00:06:11.040 camping out for a little bit. 00:06:11.240 --> 00:06:18.240 And it's the night before Jesus died, and he gave this long, intensive training session, 00:06:18.480 --> 00:06:22.860 really kind of a graduate-level course on what it means to be a disciple. 00:06:23.719 --> 00:06:27.639 This is the longest section of teaching we have from Jesus, actually. 00:06:27.879 --> 00:06:29.120 It's in the upper room. 00:06:29.680 --> 00:06:31.079 He's washed his disciples' feet. 00:06:31.180 --> 00:06:32.420 He's given them the Lord's Supper. 00:06:32.420 --> 00:06:36.879 He's told them through these acts something about the cleansing of his cross, something 00:06:36.879 --> 00:06:40.000 about the nourishment of his self-sacrifice. 00:06:40.420 --> 00:06:48.639 And then he launches into this farewell discourse, this electrifying teaching for these 11 highly 00:06:48.639 --> 00:06:50.460 disoriented disciples. 00:06:51.700 --> 00:06:59.759 Now, in 1 Corinthians 14, 3, the apostle tells us that the one who prophesies, the one who preaches 00:06:59.759 --> 00:07:05.740 or teaches, speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging, and comfort. 00:07:06.560 --> 00:07:08.740 And that's what Jesus is doing in this teaching. 00:07:08.879 --> 00:07:15.319 He's speaking to his disciples for their strengthening, encouraging, and comfort, giving them this strong 00:07:15.319 --> 00:07:24.139 reassurance because dark clouds have been gathering for weeks as Jesus is approaching his death. 00:07:24.139 --> 00:07:29.579 In fact, if you go back to John chapter 12, it says that meanwhile, in verse 9, 00:07:29.659 --> 00:07:35.259 meanwhile, a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there, and they came not only because of him, 00:07:35.339 --> 00:07:38.659 but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 00:07:38.740 --> 00:07:42.319 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well. 00:07:43.019 --> 00:07:48.139 For on account of him, many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him. 00:07:48.919 --> 00:07:49.839 That's John 12. 00:07:49.839 --> 00:07:55.799 John 13, in this upper room, the disciples are receiving shock after shock after shock. 00:07:56.000 --> 00:08:04.299 Jesus himself, it says, is troubled in spirit as Judas dramatically leaves the table to betray his master. 00:08:04.459 --> 00:08:09.839 And after that happens, Jesus announces to them the unimaginable, his coming crucifixion. 00:08:10.559 --> 00:08:15.939 And then after that, Peter says, well, Lord, I'm never going to leave you. 00:08:16.079 --> 00:08:18.019 You know, I'm going to be with you to the end. 00:08:18.019 --> 00:08:26.779 And Jesus says, well, Peter, before the cock crows three times, you're going to deny me, disown me three times. 00:08:28.680 --> 00:08:34.340 The context of John 14 is a context of heart trouble. 00:08:35.759 --> 00:08:38.039 These disciples are experiencing heart trouble. 00:08:38.860 --> 00:08:42.639 And that's why Jesus says in verse 1, do not let your hearts be troubled. 00:08:42.840 --> 00:08:43.639 Trust in God. 00:08:44.120 --> 00:08:45.439 Trust also in me. 00:08:45.620 --> 00:08:46.480 Why are they troubled? 00:08:46.480 --> 00:08:47.940 Because Jesus says, I'm leaving. 00:08:48.440 --> 00:08:50.180 Tonight, I'm going to be handed over. 00:08:50.320 --> 00:08:51.740 Tomorrow, I'm going to be killed. 00:08:52.519 --> 00:08:54.360 Shortly after that, I'm going to be resurrected. 00:08:54.519 --> 00:09:00.519 But then very soon afterwards, I'm going to go away so that the Holy Spirit can come to you. 00:09:01.360 --> 00:09:05.960 Jesus says at the end of this discourse in John 16, 33, he says, 00:09:05.960 --> 00:09:10.420 I've told you all these things so that in me you may have peace. 00:09:10.420 --> 00:09:13.060 For in this world you will have trouble. 00:09:13.600 --> 00:09:17.340 But take heart, for I have overcome the world. 00:09:18.540 --> 00:09:26.160 Jesus is strengthening, encouraging, and comforting their hearts so that they'll not be troubled by all the trouble. 00:09:27.000 --> 00:09:31.600 He's wanting to give them confidence so that the trouble will not overthrow you. 00:09:31.600 --> 00:09:38.300 I want to give you courage so that you can face the troubles, the terrible troubles that I'm about to send you into. 00:09:38.440 --> 00:09:45.139 And with these words, Jesus cures a heart trouble that no cardiologist can cure. 00:09:46.240 --> 00:09:56.320 Jesus knows he's about to send these apostles out to live deeply troubled lives as ambassadors of a king who's crucified. 00:09:56.320 --> 00:10:02.879 And you just can't serve a troubled king without experiencing some trouble yourself. 00:10:03.120 --> 00:10:03.320 Amen? 00:10:04.300 --> 00:10:11.960 And so Jesus says, I want to enable you to experience that trouble with an untroubled heart. 00:10:12.460 --> 00:10:14.200 Who wants an untroubled heart? 00:10:15.260 --> 00:10:17.480 So let's get into John 14. 00:10:17.480 --> 00:10:26.000 Jesus says here, he says, I want to show you the Father's place, the Father's presence, and the Father's power. 00:10:26.800 --> 00:10:29.000 That's where I want to start with you all. 00:10:29.080 --> 00:10:34.700 I want to show you the Father's place, the Father's presence, and the Father's power. 00:10:35.500 --> 00:10:38.440 First of all, he shows us the Father's place in verse 2. 00:10:38.539 --> 00:10:41.600 My Father's house has plenty of room. 00:10:41.680 --> 00:10:46.480 If that were not so, would I have told you that I'm going there to prepare a place for you? 00:10:46.480 --> 00:10:49.180 Now, anybody watch HGTV? 00:10:49.860 --> 00:10:57.240 My kids love the home and garden television network, particularly the shows Fixer Upper and Hometown. 00:10:57.700 --> 00:11:05.960 And the essence of these shows is that they turn these old, dilapidated, but potential rich houses into beautifully renovated homes 00:11:05.960 --> 00:11:10.860 and, you know, in the process revitalize and renew whole neighborhoods and towns. 00:11:10.860 --> 00:11:19.220 And the key to these shows is this powerful universal longing that all of us have for home. 00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:20.560 For home. 00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:25.620 A place where everything fits, where everything suits you, and it's all affordable. 00:11:26.800 --> 00:11:26.980 Right? 00:11:26.980 --> 00:11:27.019 Right? 00:11:27.539 --> 00:11:30.720 So, none of these shows are filmed in California. 00:11:31.420 --> 00:11:34.080 They're all filmed in Texas and Mississippi and whatnot. 00:11:35.220 --> 00:11:39.200 But I think most of us know that a home is not just a nice house. 00:11:39.279 --> 00:11:41.240 A home is a place where you're accepted. 00:11:41.440 --> 00:11:45.740 It's a place where you belong, where you're experiencing well-being and peace. 00:11:45.740 --> 00:11:52.899 And so, in that sense, even the best home in this world doesn't really satisfy that deep desire that all of us have to be home. 00:11:54.379 --> 00:11:57.680 Some of you have gone out to serve with our Loaves and Fishes ministry. 00:11:58.340 --> 00:12:02.100 And that's inspired by another ministry in Austin, Texas. 00:12:02.100 --> 00:12:02.800 And they say this. 00:12:02.879 --> 00:12:09.659 They say the single largest cause of homelessness is a profound, catastrophic loss of family. 00:12:10.800 --> 00:12:19.200 And why is that loss of a home, why is that loss of a family so deeply wounding and deeply devastating to a human being? 00:12:19.740 --> 00:12:21.259 I mean, kids particularly. 00:12:21.379 --> 00:12:26.800 If kids grow up without a good sense of home, without a memory of a safe and loving place, 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:34.599 then they'll develop an inability to attach, an inability to ever really be at rest and to settle down in their lives. 00:12:34.759 --> 00:12:38.479 And so, Jesus in this moment, talking about his father's house, 00:12:38.859 --> 00:12:47.179 he's tapping into a deep need, body and soul, that all of us have for home and for family. 00:12:47.339 --> 00:12:48.379 Because he knows. 00:12:48.919 --> 00:12:53.379 He knows that he's going to send these apostles out and they're never going home again. 00:12:53.379 --> 00:12:57.899 All of them but one are going to die horrible deaths. 00:12:58.019 --> 00:13:00.799 Jesus is sending them into terrible trouble. 00:13:02.179 --> 00:13:07.939 And so, he tells them first off, my father's house has plenty of room. 00:13:08.019 --> 00:13:10.419 My father's house has many, many rooms. 00:13:11.679 --> 00:13:18.320 Jesus begins this sermon on discipleship focusing on the end, focusing on our future hope. 00:13:18.320 --> 00:13:25.260 Now, when I was a teenager, my dad forced me to write down answers to these three questions. 00:13:25.520 --> 00:13:30.300 The questions were, who am I, where am I going, and how am I going to get there? 00:13:30.740 --> 00:13:33.100 And my dad forced me to write down these questions. 00:13:33.660 --> 00:13:37.180 And some of you were like, okay, this explains a lot about Jonathan. 00:13:38.620 --> 00:13:41.840 We should probably pray for his therapist and I would appreciate that. 00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:45.879 And it was tough, you know, it's tough to find answers to these questions. 00:13:45.980 --> 00:13:52.580 When you're 16, who really knows, like, who am I, where am I going, and how am I going to get there? 00:13:52.660 --> 00:13:54.440 But my dad was on to something. 00:13:54.540 --> 00:14:00.740 And I think Jesus is on to something because if you do not, you just don't know how to live 00:14:00.740 --> 00:14:03.940 unless you know where you're going. 00:14:03.940 --> 00:14:10.920 You can't know your purpose unless you know your place. 00:14:11.980 --> 00:14:18.100 And Jesus wants us to know that the Father's house is a place of love. 00:14:19.120 --> 00:14:20.060 Verse 3. 00:14:21.220 --> 00:14:24.900 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me 00:14:24.900 --> 00:14:27.620 that you also may be where I am. 00:14:27.660 --> 00:14:31.060 The Father's house is not just where the Father is, it's where Jesus is. 00:14:31.059 --> 00:14:35.500 It's where the Holy Spirit is, and Jesus is saying that your true home 00:14:35.500 --> 00:14:44.419 is with the triune God who's united in this infinitely dear, incomprehensible, mutual love. 00:14:45.339 --> 00:14:50.679 Each person pouring joy and delight into the others, and you are welcome. 00:14:50.899 --> 00:14:55.339 You are invited to enter into this embrace of God. 00:14:55.340 --> 00:15:02.860 Jesus says, if you're my disciple, you already have this place that you've been longing for 00:15:02.860 --> 00:15:04.220 your whole life long. 00:15:04.340 --> 00:15:06.060 You already, it's reserved. 00:15:06.780 --> 00:15:08.740 It's guaranteed for you. 00:15:10.080 --> 00:15:17.000 One of the reasons I think teenagers and people in their 20s and 30s are more depressed and anxious 00:15:17.000 --> 00:15:21.060 than they've ever been is because they don't know who and whose they are. 00:15:21.059 --> 00:15:25.319 They don't know where they're going and how they're going to get there. 00:15:25.379 --> 00:15:29.759 And in our secular age, we tell people, we tell young people, there's no God. 00:15:30.679 --> 00:15:31.939 You're lucky mud. 00:15:32.879 --> 00:15:36.319 You're living between the Big Bang and the cosmic collapse. 00:15:36.519 --> 00:15:37.979 And then we kind of look around at society. 00:15:38.099 --> 00:15:39.619 We're like, why is there so much nihilism? 00:15:40.379 --> 00:15:41.839 Why is there so much despair? 00:15:41.840 --> 00:15:50.340 And I wonder what would happen if we taught kids the old truths, the old answers to the 00:15:50.340 --> 00:15:50.700 questions. 00:15:50.860 --> 00:15:52.500 What is my chief end? 00:15:52.899 --> 00:15:54.220 Why am I here? 00:15:54.320 --> 00:15:55.879 What's my reason for being? 00:15:55.980 --> 00:16:00.180 Well, your chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. 00:16:01.320 --> 00:16:03.879 Well, what's my only comfort in life and in death? 00:16:04.300 --> 00:16:06.379 Well, my only comfort is that I'm not my own. 00:16:06.420 --> 00:16:07.860 I don't belong to myself. 00:16:07.860 --> 00:16:13.899 I belong body and soul and life and in death to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. 00:16:14.000 --> 00:16:19.000 There's some old truths that we need to teach young people today. 00:16:20.620 --> 00:16:27.220 It's a terrible thing to deprive human beings of their eternal significance. 00:16:28.500 --> 00:16:31.700 And in our secular age, we tell kids, you're not going anywhere. 00:16:32.460 --> 00:16:33.440 You're going to live. 00:16:33.519 --> 00:16:34.139 You're going to die. 00:16:34.240 --> 00:16:35.639 You're going to become food for worms. 00:16:35.639 --> 00:16:40.259 Very quickly, you're going to be forgotten that you were ever even here. 00:16:40.360 --> 00:16:46.199 And what you need to do right now is just live your life as a buffered self within this 00:16:46.199 --> 00:16:52.039 imminent frame, completely cut off from the eternal and infinite being of God. 00:16:53.259 --> 00:16:59.639 No wonder people are so desperate to get all that they can out of this life because this 00:16:59.639 --> 00:17:01.600 life is all that they're being given. 00:17:01.600 --> 00:17:05.039 But Jesus has another way. 00:17:06.319 --> 00:17:13.400 Jesus says, if you're my disciple, when you die, the worst thing that can happen to you 00:17:13.400 --> 00:17:15.360 on earth is actually the best thing. 00:17:16.940 --> 00:17:19.140 I mean, it's horrible for all the people you leave behind. 00:17:19.220 --> 00:17:23.259 But for you, the darkest thing is the most brilliant thing. 00:17:23.319 --> 00:17:27.680 Because when you die, you're not going to leave the light and go out into the darkness. 00:17:27.680 --> 00:17:34.360 When you die, you're going to leave the darkness and go out into the light where there's life 00:17:34.360 --> 00:17:35.279 and there's love. 00:17:36.220 --> 00:17:40.519 And in that place, you're going to be more alive than you've ever been because you are 00:17:40.519 --> 00:17:49.360 in this indestructible union and this unbreakable bond of love with the Father, the Son, and the 00:17:49.360 --> 00:17:50.060 Holy Spirit. 00:17:50.059 --> 00:17:56.039 And if you're in that inner circle, man, you don't need to waste your life trying to find 00:17:56.039 --> 00:17:57.279 some inner circle. 00:17:58.299 --> 00:17:58.940 You're in. 00:17:59.559 --> 00:18:03.639 You're in the most important inner circle that exists in the universe. 00:18:03.859 --> 00:18:09.879 And you have absolute, inviolable, irrevocable security in that place. 00:18:10.940 --> 00:18:15.559 My Father's house has many rooms, Jesus says. 00:18:15.559 --> 00:18:19.839 And how can we be sure that that's our home? 00:18:19.940 --> 00:18:22.240 Well, Jesus makes some promises to us. 00:18:22.299 --> 00:18:24.779 He says, I'm going there to prepare a place for you. 00:18:25.319 --> 00:18:27.059 I'm coming back to fetch you. 00:18:27.460 --> 00:18:30.819 And I'm going to take you to myself so that you can be with me. 00:18:31.399 --> 00:18:36.720 And when Jesus says that, he says, I'm the forerunner who's gone ahead of you to get 00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:42.480 the Father's home ready so that you're going to arrive in a place that's prepared for you 00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:44.259 where people are expecting you. 00:18:44.259 --> 00:18:50.460 And I'm not only the forerunner, I'm the escort who's going to come back at your time of death 00:18:50.460 --> 00:18:53.200 and I'm going to lead you to the Father's house. 00:18:53.279 --> 00:18:55.079 You're not going to get lost along the way. 00:18:55.359 --> 00:18:57.259 You're not going to make that journey alone. 00:18:57.640 --> 00:18:59.000 I'm your escort. 00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:05.140 And Jesus says, I'm not only your forerunner, I'm not only your escort, but I'm your destination. 00:19:06.099 --> 00:19:12.240 And I'm going to take you there where I am in my Father's home so that you and I can 00:19:12.240 --> 00:19:14.140 be there together forever. 00:19:14.440 --> 00:19:23.740 And for these young men, these apostles in this upper room who are experiencing deep heart 00:19:23.740 --> 00:19:31.000 trouble, maybe like you're experiencing deep heart trouble, they need to know where they 00:19:31.000 --> 00:19:35.420 are going so that they can know how to live their lives accordingly. 00:19:35.420 --> 00:19:37.700 My dad was right. 00:19:38.560 --> 00:19:41.279 You know, begin with the end in mind. 00:19:42.440 --> 00:19:44.759 And these words become the remedy. 00:19:45.259 --> 00:19:52.580 These words enable them to transcend their troubles and live extraordinary lives of sacrifice 00:19:52.580 --> 00:19:55.420 as Jesus ambassadors. 00:19:55.620 --> 00:20:00.840 And they can enable us to live extraordinary lives of sacrifice today. 00:20:00.839 --> 00:20:03.740 You guys with me? 00:20:04.099 --> 00:20:07.619 Jesus shows us the Father's place. 00:20:08.799 --> 00:20:13.199 But Jesus also not only shows us the Father's place, he shows us the Father's presence. 00:20:14.599 --> 00:20:19.980 I'm extremely grateful for these disciples who are humble enough, bold enough to ask their 00:20:19.980 --> 00:20:20.439 questions. 00:20:20.619 --> 00:20:27.119 Thomas, Philip, and Judas, son of James, ask what all the other disciples and ask what we 00:20:27.119 --> 00:20:28.839 ourselves are dying to ask. 00:20:28.839 --> 00:20:34.039 In fact, if you read through this whole discourse, they kind of get deeper in. 00:20:34.399 --> 00:20:38.019 And at some point, they're asking questions, and they just turn and look to each other and 00:20:38.019 --> 00:20:42.500 admit, like, we don't understand anything Jesus is saying right now. 00:20:42.959 --> 00:20:46.980 Anybody ever feel that way when you read the Gospels and the epistles? 00:20:47.279 --> 00:20:48.799 If that's you, you're not alone. 00:20:48.959 --> 00:20:51.939 These disciples are like, we got questions. 00:20:51.940 --> 00:20:57.960 And this one pupil at the back of the class, he puts up his hand, and Thomas, he's just 00:20:57.960 --> 00:21:02.140 heard all these promises, verses 1 to 4, about the Father's place. 00:21:03.180 --> 00:21:09.620 He's just gotten this strong reassurance of our future destiny in Christ that you are going 00:21:09.620 --> 00:21:12.400 to share in Jesus' victory with the Father forever. 00:21:12.400 --> 00:21:17.820 And Thomas asks this question that shifts us from the future to the present. 00:21:17.940 --> 00:21:23.980 It shifts us from the Father's house in the far future to the Father's presence here and 00:21:23.980 --> 00:21:28.440 now, the Father's presence with you when you get up to go to work on a Monday morning. 00:21:29.280 --> 00:21:34.940 And Thomas' question prompts this core statement of the Gospel in verse 5. 00:21:34.940 --> 00:21:40.480 Thomas said to him, Lord, we don't know where you're going, so how can we know the way? 00:21:41.640 --> 00:21:44.519 And Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. 00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:46.940 No one comes to the Father except through me. 00:21:47.860 --> 00:21:50.720 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. 00:21:50.840 --> 00:21:54.740 From now on, you do know him and have seen him. 00:21:57.000 --> 00:22:00.940 Jesus says, the only way to know God the Father is through me. 00:22:00.940 --> 00:22:07.279 I've come to make known to you the truth of the Father and the life of the Father. 00:22:07.519 --> 00:22:12.860 And the way to the Father is through the truth and the life of the Father that I bring to you. 00:22:13.799 --> 00:22:19.420 So if you wish to see God in heaven, look to Jesus on earth. 00:22:19.660 --> 00:22:20.380 That's what he's saying. 00:22:20.420 --> 00:22:25.360 If you wish to see the immortal, invisible God, do not look within yourself. 00:22:25.640 --> 00:22:26.299 Heaven forbid. 00:22:26.299 --> 00:22:30.220 Look at Jesus of the Gospels. 00:22:30.319 --> 00:22:32.399 Look at Jesus in the New Testament. 00:22:33.319 --> 00:22:36.039 And some of us hear this statement, I'm the way, the truth, and the life. 00:22:36.139 --> 00:22:37.619 No one comes to the Father except through me. 00:22:38.059 --> 00:22:39.000 And we're like, nope. 00:22:40.759 --> 00:22:43.319 That's completely arrogant and egocentric. 00:22:43.500 --> 00:22:47.240 Jesus, that sounds kind of narrow and exclusive. 00:22:47.399 --> 00:22:48.399 And I get that. 00:22:49.079 --> 00:22:53.659 We wrestle with this question of inclusion and exclusion. 00:22:53.660 --> 00:23:01.720 And one of the people that I think's gotten at this in the 20th century is C.S. Lewis. 00:23:01.860 --> 00:23:05.200 And I didn't give you a Lewis quote last sermon, and I apologize for that. 00:23:05.680 --> 00:23:07.640 So I bring another one this week. 00:23:07.740 --> 00:23:12.240 This is from The Chronicles of Narnia, The Silver Chair, which is one of my favorite books. 00:23:12.620 --> 00:23:16.720 And in this story, there's a stream and there's a girl. 00:23:16.720 --> 00:23:21.339 And between the stream and this very thirsty girl is a lion. 00:23:22.539 --> 00:23:23.819 Are you not thirsty? 00:23:23.960 --> 00:23:24.539 Said the lion. 00:23:25.380 --> 00:23:27.140 I'm dying of thirst, said Jill. 00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:29.900 Then drink, said the lion. 00:23:30.960 --> 00:23:34.339 May I, could I, would you mind going away while I do? 00:23:34.480 --> 00:23:35.019 Said Jill. 00:23:36.200 --> 00:23:39.480 The lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl. 00:23:39.480 --> 00:23:47.059 And as Jill gazed at its motionless bulk, she realized that she might as well have asked the whole mountain to move aside for her convenience. 00:23:48.039 --> 00:23:52.180 The delicious, rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic. 00:23:53.240 --> 00:23:57.839 Will you promise not to do anything to me if I come, said Jill? 00:23:58.660 --> 00:24:00.819 I make no promise, said the lion. 00:24:02.000 --> 00:24:07.279 Jill was so thirsty now that without noticing it, she had come a step nearer. 00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:09.440 And she said, do you eat little girls? 00:24:11.359 --> 00:24:18.259 I have swallowed up girls and boys, men and women, kings and emperors, cities and realms, said the lion. 00:24:19.119 --> 00:24:23.639 It didn't say this as if it were boasting or if it were angry or if it were sorry. 00:24:23.720 --> 00:24:24.440 It just said it. 00:24:25.460 --> 00:24:27.539 I daren't come and drink, said Jill. 00:24:28.359 --> 00:24:30.779 Then you will die of thirst, said the lion. 00:24:30.779 --> 00:24:35.359 Oh, dear, said Jill, coming another step nearer. 00:24:35.379 --> 00:24:38.019 I suppose I must go and look for another stream then. 00:24:38.859 --> 00:24:41.619 There is no other stream, said the lion. 00:24:43.119 --> 00:24:48.879 Lewis is saying that, you know, if you want to quench your thirst, you've got to come to the stream of God the Father. 00:24:49.000 --> 00:24:53.079 And the only way to get to that stream is through Aslan. 00:24:53.259 --> 00:24:54.240 It's through the lion. 00:24:54.420 --> 00:24:56.099 It's through Jesus. 00:24:57.079 --> 00:24:57.359 Right? 00:24:57.359 --> 00:25:00.659 And this is prompting questions for the disciples. 00:25:00.919 --> 00:25:04.319 Philip is wanting to speak up at this point in verse 8. 00:25:04.399 --> 00:25:08.159 He says, Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us. 00:25:08.219 --> 00:25:12.899 And Jesus answered, don't you know me, Philip, even after I've been among you such a long time? 00:25:13.219 --> 00:25:15.179 Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. 00:25:15.299 --> 00:25:17.579 How can you say, show us the Father? 00:25:18.279 --> 00:25:20.779 Don't you believe that I'm in the Father and the Father's in me? 00:25:20.859 --> 00:25:23.859 The words I say to you, I do not speak on my own authority. 00:25:23.859 --> 00:25:27.379 Rather, it is the Father living in me who is doing his work. 00:25:28.079 --> 00:25:31.119 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. 00:25:31.639 --> 00:25:34.959 Or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 00:25:36.399 --> 00:25:42.240 Jesus is saying here that when you hear my words, you hear the words of God. 00:25:42.299 --> 00:25:46.679 And when you study my works, you're considering the works of God. 00:25:46.680 --> 00:25:52.960 All that I say and all that I do, those are the Father's words and works. 00:25:53.940 --> 00:25:59.620 And you can know God only by listening to the words and attending to the works of Jesus. 00:25:59.840 --> 00:26:03.920 And when you hear me and you see me, you're hearing and seeing God. 00:26:05.019 --> 00:26:06.700 So Jesus is saying, follow me. 00:26:07.680 --> 00:26:09.180 Come and walk in my way. 00:26:09.420 --> 00:26:10.600 Come and trust my truth. 00:26:10.740 --> 00:26:12.259 Come and live my life. 00:26:12.259 --> 00:26:16.119 And as you do, you'll get to know the way and the truth and the life of my Father. 00:26:16.859 --> 00:26:22.539 For when you see Jesus' face rendered in the Gospels and in the epistles of the New Testament, 00:26:22.799 --> 00:26:25.460 you're seeing the face of God. 00:26:26.680 --> 00:26:26.940 Right? 00:26:26.980 --> 00:26:33.640 And this is why Christians have a steady daily IV drip of the New Testament in our veins. 00:26:33.940 --> 00:26:36.599 This is why we fix our eyes on Jesus. 00:26:36.599 --> 00:26:45.199 And it's why particularly we focus our attention on his cross because that is the fullest and deepest revelation of who God is. 00:26:46.519 --> 00:26:46.639 Right? 00:26:46.719 --> 00:26:48.980 Adam and Eve turned away from God. 00:26:49.819 --> 00:26:52.159 And their just judgment was homelessness. 00:26:52.759 --> 00:26:54.459 It was to be cast out of their home. 00:26:55.659 --> 00:27:01.759 And Jesus says, well, I'm going to the cross to take the place of your homelessness so that you can get home. 00:27:01.759 --> 00:27:09.379 So that you can have a future home in my Father's house and so that you even now can have a home in my Father's presence. 00:27:11.140 --> 00:27:12.799 The reason he did that. 00:27:13.579 --> 00:27:18.640 The reason Jesus bore our guilt and our judgment in his own innocent person. 00:27:19.559 --> 00:27:28.819 The reason Jesus took away our sin and rose in triumph over death was to get you back to the Father's presence. 00:27:28.819 --> 00:27:32.220 And this is what he means in verse 19. 00:27:32.339 --> 00:27:37.319 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. 00:27:37.379 --> 00:27:39.359 On the day of resurrection, you will see me. 00:27:39.439 --> 00:27:42.779 And because I live, you also will live. 00:27:42.859 --> 00:27:50.259 And on that day, on Easter day, you will realize that I am in the Father and you are in me and I am in you. 00:27:51.700 --> 00:27:56.799 Jesus, by his death and resurrection, has opened the way back to the Father. 00:27:56.799 --> 00:28:03.599 And there's no question of having the truth of the Father and the life of the Father apart from the way of the Father. 00:28:04.759 --> 00:28:07.759 Namely, his crucified and risen Son. 00:28:09.440 --> 00:28:10.720 Does this make any sense? 00:28:12.200 --> 00:28:18.980 Jesus wants to show us the Father's place and he wants to show us the Father's presence, which is in Jesus himself. 00:28:18.980 --> 00:28:23.420 And finally, Jesus wants to show us the Father's power. 00:28:23.539 --> 00:28:25.140 And I'll end with this. 00:28:26.099 --> 00:28:26.940 Verse 12. 00:28:27.120 --> 00:28:31.720 Very truly, I tell you, all who have faith in me will do the works I've been doing, 00:28:31.819 --> 00:28:36.759 and they will do even greater things than these because I'm going to the Father. 00:28:38.839 --> 00:28:39.360 What? 00:28:42.279 --> 00:28:42.759 Really? 00:28:42.759 --> 00:28:42.860 Really? 00:28:42.859 --> 00:28:43.299 Really? 00:28:44.299 --> 00:28:46.859 Jesus, you must be mistaken. 00:28:48.179 --> 00:28:56.959 Can any of us, no matter how prayerful or how faithful, can any of us do greater things than Jesus did? 00:28:58.159 --> 00:28:59.379 Anybody want to claim that one? 00:28:59.699 --> 00:29:00.759 Just raise your hand on that one. 00:29:01.419 --> 00:29:03.799 Can any of us reconcile the world to God? 00:29:03.799 --> 00:29:14.680 God, satisfy divine justice, reveal God, exercise the devil, carry away the sins of the whole world, rise defeating death forever? 00:29:15.519 --> 00:29:25.619 Please forgive me, but I can't believe that anyone, no matter how great, can do anything even remotely touching the greatness of what Jesus did. 00:29:25.659 --> 00:29:28.399 Not to mention doing greater things than he did. 00:29:29.440 --> 00:29:31.339 So what in the world is Jesus talking about? 00:29:31.339 --> 00:29:36.779 What is he saying about the Father's power in and through us, his disciples? 00:29:38.079 --> 00:29:43.559 Well, I think Jesus is speaking quantitatively, not qualitatively. 00:29:44.579 --> 00:29:47.659 Jesus, as we know, he didn't get very far beyond Israel. 00:29:48.039 --> 00:29:52.439 After three years of ministry, he had 11 disciples in this upper room. 00:29:52.579 --> 00:29:54.099 Great ministry success story. 00:29:54.839 --> 00:29:58.980 He had 120 disciples at this pre-Pentecost prayer meeting. 00:29:58.980 --> 00:30:04.839 He's worked in a very small nook over a very short time with a very few people. 00:30:05.779 --> 00:30:10.120 But at Peter's Pentecost sermon alone, he would win 3,000 people. 00:30:11.160 --> 00:30:15.980 And the apostolic church had this much wider field and longer time with more people. 00:30:16.620 --> 00:30:21.480 In fact, they would reach the Mediterranean world geographically in just one generation. 00:30:21.480 --> 00:30:28.480 They would reach the Roman Empire convertingly in about 300 years. 00:30:28.940 --> 00:30:40.880 And in fact, this in one sense, the evangelist John, who gave us this gospel, has done quote unquote more than the historical Jesus by bringing him to every language and culture in the world. 00:30:41.000 --> 00:30:44.400 We're here in Berkeley talking about John's gospel. 00:30:44.400 --> 00:30:47.259 So how did the apostles do this? 00:30:47.320 --> 00:30:50.160 How were they able to do greater things? 00:30:51.160 --> 00:30:55.980 We're told that they prayed in Jesus' name for the Father's power. 00:30:57.680 --> 00:31:00.420 That's the secret sauce. 00:31:00.540 --> 00:31:04.100 They prayed in Jesus' name for the Father's power. 00:31:04.200 --> 00:31:05.019 Verse 13. 00:31:05.019 --> 00:31:28.920 Now notice that it's not we who do greater things than Jesus, but it's the resurrected, ascended, and glorified Jesus who does greater things than he himself did in his pre-resurrection life. 00:31:28.920 --> 00:31:40.759 The risen Jesus does more than the historical Jesus in his lifetime by releasing the Father's supernatural power in and through his praying disciples, his praying church. 00:31:41.680 --> 00:31:50.080 And this does not mean adding in the name of Jesus to anything we might think of, however stupid or selfish or hurtful. 00:31:50.300 --> 00:31:50.519 Amen? 00:31:51.160 --> 00:31:57.580 We read about the church in the news being just, I don't know, not really doing stuff in Jesus' name. 00:31:57.579 --> 00:32:00.720 Because a name is all about somebody's character. 00:32:02.099 --> 00:32:13.639 Jesus says, if you're getting to know me, if you're getting to know my word, if you're getting to know my teaching, if you're getting to know my purposes, then you're going to know how to pray in my name. 00:32:15.139 --> 00:32:15.399 Right? 00:32:15.519 --> 00:32:24.000 He says, if you obey my teaching, then the Father's going to come and be at home with you, and I'm going to be at home with you, and the Holy Spirit's going to be at home with you. 00:32:24.000 --> 00:32:38.960 And if you're praying at home with me in obedience to my teaching, and in my cause, and for the sake of my kingdom, and as a representative doing my work, and so that the Father may be glorified in the Son, then you can ask. 00:32:39.079 --> 00:32:40.599 And you should ask whatever. 00:32:40.599 --> 00:32:40.639 Whatever. 00:32:41.719 --> 00:32:43.679 You should ask for anything. 00:32:44.639 --> 00:32:52.779 And you should know that when you say your whatevers and your anythings, know that I want to do those things way more than you want to do those things. 00:32:54.379 --> 00:32:57.599 And so Jesus says, come on, disciples. 00:32:59.039 --> 00:32:59.740 Ask me. 00:33:01.139 --> 00:33:01.779 Try me. 00:33:03.240 --> 00:33:04.119 Like, do it. 00:33:05.219 --> 00:33:07.579 Expect way more from me. 00:33:07.579 --> 00:33:21.399 Like, Jesus is saying, I want you to come and ask me frequently, intensely, and boldly for whatever and for anything in my name. 00:33:22.720 --> 00:33:31.779 Now, I'm out of time, but we've had this little boiler room prayer group happening at 930 on Sunday mornings. 00:33:31.779 --> 00:33:34.559 The boiler room, you go out, and you can feel our heater. 00:33:34.559 --> 00:33:37.779 It's like, really, is anybody hot today that's really working well? 00:33:38.399 --> 00:33:46.539 The heater is housed just down below the sanctuary, and we've been gathering there at 930 to pray these whatevers and these anythings. 00:33:46.659 --> 00:33:50.759 And it's kind of a quiet, hidden revolution in Christchurch right now. 00:33:50.759 --> 00:33:57.879 Because people I've been known for years, I've been their pastor, I'm kind of getting to know them for the first time. 00:33:58.879 --> 00:34:03.259 Because I'm seeing their heart before God, right? 00:34:03.299 --> 00:34:10.099 As the Spirit is coming among us and enabling us in Jesus' name to ask for these whatevers for the Father's glory. 00:34:10.219 --> 00:34:12.260 And we're asking God to move. 00:34:12.500 --> 00:34:13.760 We're asking God to do stuff. 00:34:13.760 --> 00:34:15.840 We're asking God to meet needs. 00:34:15.940 --> 00:34:19.680 We're asking God for his kingdom to come in this place. 00:34:21.040 --> 00:34:28.160 And so if you don't have a place to do that with other disciples, I want to invite you 930 on Sunday mornings to join us in the boiler room. 00:34:29.120 --> 00:34:31.660 But beyond that, I just want to leave you with this question. 00:34:31.659 --> 00:34:48.899 What's one thing that Jesus would want you to ask in his name this Easter, over the next four weeks, that would bring glory to his Father? 00:34:52.920 --> 00:34:54.019 Sit with that. 00:34:54.019 --> 00:35:09.480 What's one thing Jesus wants you to ask him in his name for the glory of his Father, for his Father's power to be at work in your life? 00:35:10.480 --> 00:35:14.579 Now, don't ask for something small and like that's probably going to happen. 00:35:14.679 --> 00:35:17.539 Like, I hope, I pray the sun will come up tomorrow morning. 00:35:18.320 --> 00:35:19.559 Ask for something big. 00:35:19.559 --> 00:35:25.099 Ask for something that will only happen if God does it. 00:35:26.440 --> 00:35:26.820 Right? 00:35:28.219 --> 00:35:33.420 And as that comes to mind, I just want to invite you to just write down what that one thing is. 00:35:34.659 --> 00:35:36.139 You can do that right now. 00:35:37.960 --> 00:35:40.139 Write down what that one thing is. 00:35:40.139 --> 00:35:48.940 That Jesus is counting on you to ask in his name for the glory of his Father this Easter. 00:35:49.559 --> 00:35:52.900 And as you're writing that thing down, I don't see many of you taking me up on this offer. 00:35:54.820 --> 00:35:58.500 But as you're writing that down, just go ahead and pray it right now. 00:36:00.299 --> 00:36:03.179 Just go ahead and ask right now. 00:36:04.779 --> 00:36:16.099 In Jesus' name, I'm asking, Father, that you would glorify yourself in this particular way in my life. 00:36:16.099 --> 00:36:17.920 I want to see your power. 00:36:19.099 --> 00:36:22.420 I want to see, I want to experience more of your presence. 00:36:23.519 --> 00:36:26.579 I want to know more of the hope that I have in your place. 00:36:26.860 --> 00:36:30.360 Lord, I want to see a church that's living in that reality. 00:36:30.440 --> 00:36:35.639 I want to see a city that's experiencing the very power of God. 00:36:35.639 --> 00:36:41.039 You think we can pray this way? 00:36:42.839 --> 00:36:45.719 Ask things in Jesus' name. 00:36:45.839 --> 00:36:46.379 Ask whatever. 00:36:46.639 --> 00:36:47.460 Ask anything. 00:36:48.819 --> 00:36:49.920 I hope that we will. 00:36:51.039 --> 00:36:52.039 And I pray it now. 00:36:52.179 --> 00:36:58.980 In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, would you bring glory to yourself among us? 00:36:59.759 --> 00:37:00.099 Amen. 00:37:00.099 --> 00:37:00.239 Amen. 00:37:00.239 --> 00:37:00.299 Amen. 00:37:00.299 --> 00:37:00.319 Amen.