Moraine Valley Church

God Filling My Hunger for Righteousness Matthew 5:6 and various passages February 25, 2024     1. Introduction: 1. Kim and I were looking for a church to call home while we lived down in Dallas, Texas.  At the church we visited the pastor preached a sermon about “the attitudes of the Pharisees.” 1. Much to my surprise God spoke to my heart that I was a modern day Pharisee!   2. I was so convicted that I literally could not speak for three hours after the service.   3. I remember going to breakfast afterwards with Kim and with my head hanging in disbelief and conviction.  I would lift up my head about every five minutes and saying, “I can’t believe it, I’m a Pharisee!”  2. I share that with you this morning because as you turn to Matthew 5:6 we need to remember that the group of people Jesus was talking to, their only knowledge of spiritual things, like: how to enter God’s kingdom, how to walk with God, what was righteousness, was shaped by their Jewish spiritual leaders and teachers of that day.  The Pharisees were one of the strongest and leading groups among the Jewish spiritual leaders of that day. 1. The Pharisees’ emphasis was “external behaviors”  2. Listen to how Jesus described them in Matthew 23:27-28  3. This is important to understand because Jesus is bringing a new radical view of spiritual things to them, as he makes a huge shift from the external “behavior modification” of the Pharisees to a focus upon the inward disposition of the heart! 4. In the beatitudes, Jesus is bringing to them a new picture of what a follower of Jesus, a member of God’s kingdom, looks like. What the good life really looks like! 1. Today we are going to look at a heart that hungers for, longs for righteousness.    5. The beatitudes have a simple structure to them 1. Declaration of blessing - the good life 2. A virtue of the heart 3. The reason that virtue is blessed   6. In this particular passage, we see that people are blessed when they have a heart that is longing for righteousness and the reason they are blessed is that that desire will be filled!   Read 5:6   7. So today I want to answer three questions  1. What is righteousness? 2. How is this hunger satisfied? 3. How is your hunger for righteousness? * First  1.  What is this righteousness we are to hunger for? 1. Both the Greek and the Hebrew dictionary state two primary meaning of righteousness    1. Being in a right relationship with God  2. Living in conformity with the standard God has set up.  2. Righteousness is a very generic/general term that captures all beatitudes like poor in spirit, mourn, meekness, etc. and even the rest of the Sermon on the Mount and literally the rest of the Bible 1. Warren Weirsbee says the entire Sermon on the Mount is about righteousness 1. Ch 6 – picture of righteousness,  2. Ch 7 – practicing righteousness.  3. Ch 8 proof of righteousness.   2. Look at verse 20  3. Then in v 21-47 Jesus contrasts what the Pharisees were saying about the law with God’s true intent of the law that goes all the way to the heart!   4. Then listen to this read v48 – bottom line, the standard of righteousness we are to live up to is God himself – he is the standard! 3. The way I define: righteousness is walking in alignment with who God is and what he requires of us as revealed in the Bible.     1. Two synonyms might be godly or Christ-like!  2. Listen to these two verses: 1. Psalm 11:7 – God is righteous!  The Bible is clear that God is righteous in all that he is, all that he does and all that he says! 2. Psalm 119:123 not only God is righteous, but also his word is righteous. 3. God’s Word is the level that we put up against our hearts and activities to see if we are righteous as God defines it!  1. The righteous words of Scripture will never contradict the righteous God who authored these words!  A righteous God will never contradict the righteous words of Scripture!  Repeat * Now that we know what this righteous is,,, 1.  How is this hunger for righteousness satisfied? 1. The reason they are blessed is because they will be filled! 1. Reread 5:6  2. Filled simply means this desire will be satisfied 2. The Greek helps us see something that is not very obvious in the English.  The word filled is in the passive voice.  The voice tells us who is performing the action here, the action of being filled! 1. Explain the Greek 1. Active voice – the subject of the sentence performs the action 2. Middle voice – the subject acts upon him/herself 3. Passive voice – the subject is being acted upon! 2. Illustrate  1. Active voice – Pat hit Pastor Don – of course, Don being built like a brick house and me like the Pillsbury doughboy – Don would just laugh it off. 2. Middle voice – the doughboy is hitting himself!    3. Passive voice – means that the doughboy was hit by the brick house – and does that ever hurt. 3. So Jesus is not saying if you hunger and thirst enough, it will motivate you to work hard at being righteous; so be encouraged because you will get there, you will fill yourself up. (that would be middle voice) 4. What Jesus is saying is that those who hunger and thirst for righteous God will act upon them and satisfy that desire. (that is the passive voice) 3. So how does God satisfy that desire to be righteous, to be godly, to be Christlike, that desire for God himself, to live in conformity with God and his word? How do we get a righteousness that surpasses that of the Pharisees, a righteousness that is as perfect as God?   Three ways   1. Imputed righteousness - the Father credits the righteousness of Christ to those not members of his kingdom  who put their trust in Jesus (salvation – declared righteous by God)  2. Imparted righteousness – the Holy Spirit infuses Christ’s righteousness into the members of God’s kingdom as they trust him moment by moment (sanctification – personally, practically and progressively we are made more righteous day by day) 3. Imperial righteousness – when Jesus, the righteous one, reigns as king in a future kingdom that will be characterized by righteousness! * Therefore, God will fulfill that desire for righteousness for us!  That leaves us with one question… 1.  How is your hunger for righteousness? 1. How is your hunger today? 2. If you are here today and not a member of God’s kingdom, do you long to be a part of his kingdom? Do you recognize you can never be as righteous as God (i.e., poor in spirit) and are not in a right relationship with him    1. If that is you that is a great thing because that is evidence, that God is working in your heart. 2. Listen to these verses 1. Romans 3:10-11 no one righteous... seeks 2. John 6:44  3. If God put that desire in your heart, he is drawing you to Jesus! Do not put it off or resist it   1. God wants to fulfill it by imputing, crediting to you the very righteousness of Christ so that in God’s eyes he will consider you as righteous as Jesus so you can be in a right relationship with God 2. Listen to Philippians 3:9 4. Today, turn from all your own efforts to be religious, moral or doing good deeds, which will never be righteous enough, and turn to Jesus and trust his death and his resurrection to pay for your sins and to credit Jesus’ righteousness to you as a gift.    3. If you are a member of God’s kingdom - how is your desire to become more righteous, more godly, more like Jesus Christ, more of God himself – the righteous one?  It is God who puts that desire in our hearts and he imparts to us Jesus’ righteous to become more and more godly day by day! 1. Read Philippians 2:12-13 1. Obey – live in conformity with God’s righteous standards as revealed in his Word! 2. The desire to obey and the ability to obey come from God!   2. If you have that desire, that hunger to walk rightly with God, then rely upon the Holy Spirit to work Christ’s righteousness into your life as you are seeking to obey his Word. 3. If you are a believer and your desire for godliness or Christ-likeness is not there or is like a dim fire ready to do out.  Then   1. Possibly you have grieved the Holy Spirit of God in your life as some sin has taken center stage in your life 1. Sins like - bitterness, anger, slander, unforgiveness, greed, lying, lust or things like these. 1. Or it could even be putting a good thing in your life as the center of your life rather than Jesus.  Things like – your family, your children’s activities, an orderly house, your to do list or bucket list, working out, education, your job, sports, etc. 2. Or possibly you have quenched the Spirit by not doing things that feed the fire of the Holy Spirit in our lives, things like – prayer, getting into his Word, not practicing gratitude in all things and things like that 4. In either case, you must confess this to God, reopen your heart where you have shut out the Spirit and invite him to both reignite that desire within you and impart the practical and personal righteousness of Jesus in your life day by day. 4. Finally, some of you are longing for a world where righteousness and justice will prevail as we live in a world now and even in portions of the church that calls evil good and good evil and in place of justice and righteousness there is wickedness and partiality. 1. The good news for us is God will fulfill that hunger through the imperial righteousness, where Jesus, the righteous king, will reign over a kingdom characterized by righteousness.  Read Isaiah 9:6-7 2. Is that your hope?   Is this your desire?   God will fulfill it!

I Love My Adopting Church Passage   October 15, 2023     1. Introduction: 1. In 2017 an “epidemic of loneliness and isolation” was declared the US surgeon general.  And the health implications of loneliness have become clearer over time. 1. The link between loneliness and physical & mental health is well established, as it can lead to dementia, heart disease, stroke and even premature death along with changes in our brain that impact the way we relate with people!  2. In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic [https://globalnews.ca/tag/covid-19] amplified the problem with increased social isolation [https://globalnews.ca/tag/social-isolation] and decreased social support. 1. The average American’s daily time spent with people dropped by one hour and screen time increased by one hour. 2. That means the average American traded over 300 hours of in-person time for over 300 hours of social media, TV, and internet reading. 3. Let me add a few more things that contribute to this epidemic of loneliness and isolation  1. Think of the community life of those who lived in the city as they spent time on their front porch relating to neighbors, to the isolation of a move to the suburbs where people spend their time on the back porch and with fences to keep everyone out. 2. Add to that a divided culture where people do not accept friends and community unless they are in total agreement with their social, political, and theological views.   3. We can add to that our parenting, family commitments and work demands,  4. All of this isolation, dividedness, and busyness is separating us from the relationships we need the most, relationships in the body of Christ. 1. Brothers and sisters in Christ to do life with, speak truth to one another - both the truth that comforts and convicts, and helps us regain our bearing in the midst of an isolated, divided, busy world. 5. Don opened up this whole series   I love my church by showing us that at the core MVC is not an institution or an organization but it is a family made up of brothers and sisters in Christ, children of god, mothers and fathers in the faith.    1. A family of close-knit relationships of people who genuinely care for one another.     6. Today we are going to talk about loving my adopting church. 1. As an adopting church, we realize that being adopted by God into his family and our union with Christ brings with it a profound supernatural union with one another.   2. That in the body of Christ we are hardwired to connect deeply with one another just as my arm is with my wrist, my wrist is with my hand and my hand is with my fingers in regards to my human body * But here is the challenge, everything in our culture fights against this kind of connection and impacts the quality of our relationships.  This morning I want to address two biblical instructions that can help us excel still the more as an adopting church.  First is to be a … 1.  Welcoming church  1. To be a welcoming church it will require two separate but closely related biblical instructions: greeting and hospitality. 2. Let’s start with greeting - six times in the New Testament we are commanded to greet one another.    1. Five of those six times it says we are to accompany that greeting with a holy kiss   1. I am going to deal with the greeting aspect this morning, I will let Don deal with the holy kiss part.    2. Simply this a warm genuine greeting that would make someone feel that you are genuinely glad to see them and glad they are here.  2. 1 Thessalonians 5:26 says essentially the same thing but adds an extra thought to the six commands  read - “all’’  1. Not just friend to friend, same age to same age, or same gender to same gender, same color to same color, not just those in your small group or the ministry you serve in together but “all” and not just new people but also everyone 2. Often we leave the greeting up to those who have that ministry at the front door, but in a church family every person we cross paths with God calls me to warmly and genuinely welcome them. 3. The second aspect of a welcoming church we find in Hebrews 13:1-2.   1. Read Hebrews 13:1-2   Hospitality 1. V1 let love continue.  Keep on loving one another 2. But in v2, he makes a transition from brothers to strangers, and from something that we are doing to something we should not forget to do.     3. A stranger is simply someone who we do not know personally.  The word hospitality in the Greek literally means “a lover of strangers.” 4. Hospitality goes way beyond just greeting those you do not know, and it is much more different than entertaining our friends, but hospitality also providing for any of their unique needs.   5. For many in a church one of their first needs in a group like this is to be greeted, feel like they are really wanted here, feel loved, accepted, like they belong and like people actually care about their needs!  4. A welcoming church just like when a family adopts a child, they not only warmly greet them when they first come into the home, they not only learn each other’s names and make them feel at home, but they go as far as to take responsibility for their wellbeing. * That leads us into the second important biblical instruction for being an adopting church.  To be a  1.  Welfare church 1. I am not talking about a social program but like an adoptive family, like our God who adopted us, as an adopting church we should take on the welfare of each other personally and spiritually.    1. We are our brothers’ keepers and we are responsible for one another’s spiritual welfare 2. Turn to 1 Thessalonians 2.  Here we see the kind tender care and concern that Paul and his associates had for the welfare of church in Thessalonica both personally and spiritually  1. As I read this note two things 1. The family language and attitudes that are used 2. The purpose for all this kind of care    2. Read 2:7-12  3. The reason for this motherly and fatherly kind of care is so that they would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls them into his own kingdom and glory! 3. We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers and we are to care for them personally. as the New Testament “one another” passages, that is passages that speak to us about the mutual responsibilities we have with each other, we see things like: encourage, devoted to, build up, admonish, serve, have same care for, comfort, stimulate to love and good deeds, confess your sins to, pray for.    1. All things that relate to our responsibility to watch out for the spiritual welfare of each other. 4. A number of months ago I went to a discipleship conference with Don and Mike Locke.  They put up a chart that really connected with me as I told Don this is one of the biggest areas MVC needs to grow in. 1. Put up chart   2. For many of us our thoughts about growing is that we always keep moving to the right on this chart and we get involved in more activities and studies to help us get there. 3. But a key activity to keep on growing at this stage it means you need to give and not just get. 4. Keep looking to your left, I know that is hard for any hard core Republicans here today, but we need to be looking for who we can help grow in their relationship with Christ.    5. That is what makes a healthy church, that is what makes a church an adopting church.   That’s the kind of stuff that makes me love my church. * Where do I …? 1.  Start 1. Being a welcoming and welfare church is essential and foundational to all the other “one another’s” in Scripture and our relationships with each other 1. If we do not even know one another there is no way that we can enter into one another’s lives and certainly do not have the right to intrude deeply into someone’s life whom we really do not know or understand.    2. Because the deeper the relationships we have in someone’s life, the deeper the ministry we can have! 2. You cannot take care of and know everyone at MVC so I would encourage you to begin with your own neighborhood.  1. What is your neighborhood at MVC – the section you are sitting in.  – look around for a moment at your neighbors. 2. Start there on the block you sit in – consider row you sit in 3. How about your neighbors – those who sit in front of or behind you and those next to you.  4. Crazy idea – for those of you who get here early and grab the end seats on your row – what if you saw someone looking to find a seat and rather than pretending as if you do not see them, you invite them into your row and welcome them as they come in.   3. Let’s close by actually practicing five minutes of welcoming and welfare – find someone you not know (neighborhood).  Get to know name, a bit about each other and one thing you could be praying for one another this week.   (maybe even pray right then if led)

Abiding and Fruit John 15 July 16, 2023 I. Introduction: A. How many of you have ever snorkeled or scuba dived by a coral reef? 1. Picture of coral reef 2. They are loaded with many different beautiful views and unique beautiful fish swimming there. 3. That is the way I feel about the metaphor in John 15 of the vine and the branches, which helps us understand our relationship with Jesus. a. I have thought about, studied, and read about this passage for decades and I am still overwhelmed by the beauty of the truths and the new things I keep finding! b. That is my way of saying it is worth your time, to jump into this passage and swim around in it over and over again! B. Since Don did such a great job of preaching through this passage about two months ago, I am going focus on two key aspects of it this morning. What abiding means and what is the fruit in this passage! C. Let me remind you quickly of the big picture of this passage as Don presented it to us that morning: 1. God’s pruning goes before God’s produce 2. God will work in you to produce fruit through you 3. God promises to answer our prayers D. The heart of the truth of this passage can be summarized in verses 4 and 5. 1. V 4 presents it negatively, while v5 presents it positively! 2. Read v4-5 3. Simply stated: apart from Jesus we cannot bear fruit, abide in Jesus to bear fruit! 4. Another way to say it is: it is impossible to bear fruit for God unless you abide in Jesus. a. Note “cannot” speaks to our inability b. “Bear” speaks of the bringing something forth, producing something, giving birth to something! c. “Of itself” speaks to the fact that we are not the source of fruit, we are not the ones who bring about or produce fruit! All by ourselves, we cannot do it! 5. Fruit bearing is something that can only happens when the life of the vine (Jesus) flows into and through the branches (the believer) to produce the fruit! • Let me start by looking at John 15 to see II. What is the fruit? A. Fruit is simply an internal invisible power or life working within a plant, tree, a vine, a person to produce an external visible expression. B. Fruit is the main driver and theme of this passage as bearing fruit is talked about six times in this passage as we see a movement from – no fruit, to fruit, to more fruit, too much fruit! 1. Fruit is the means by which the Father is glorified. Read v8 C. So the question I want to answer today is what is that fruit that is borne by us when Jesus life is operating in us? 1. Many with the gift of evangelism or a strong bent for the mission Jesus gave us interpret fruit here as people who are saved! a. While people being saved is one expression of the fruit, I do not think the context nor the rest of the New Testament supports it as the only kind of fruit in this passage. 2. Listen to these other expressions of fruit in the New Testament a. Winning others to Christ – Romans 1:13, John 4:35-38 b. Holiness – Romans 6:22 c. Giving of your finances – Romans 15:28; Philippians 4:17 d. Fruit of the Spirit (character of Jesus within and through us)– Galatians 5:22-23 e. Righteousness Philippians 1:11; Hebrews 12:11; James 3:18 f. Giving thanks Hebrews 13:15 g. Goodness, righteousness, truth - Ephesians 5:9 h. Various forms of ministry - Romans 1:11-13 D. So whenever you are displaying the internal character of Jesus you are displaying the fruit of the indwelling Jesus within you. When you are ministering to saved or lost people, especially in the areas of your giftedness the outcomes of that upon other people are evidences of fruit of Jesus working through you. 1. So when someone encourages someone who is discouraged the fruit is when God actually encourages that person through you 2. So when someone helps someone else in need the fruit of that is that God meets a need in that person’s life 3. So when someone with the gift of mercy feels with and gently cares for the person who is hurting the fruit is that they feel comforted, understood and seen. E. My best definition of fruit is John 15. Fruit is any expression of Jesus’ character in that person, or any expression of Jesus through their unique make up and giftedness that impacts others. F. As you answer the following question I think you will see why I believe that 1. What kind of fruit does an apple tree produce? apples 2. What kind of fruit does a peach tree produce? peach 3. What kind of fruit does an orange tree produce? orange 4. What kind of fruit does a grape vine produce? grape 5. What kind of fruit does a Jesus vine produce? Jesus G. It is the unique expression of Jesus’ life through you in light of the way he uniquely designed, gifted and called you! H. I remember being in seminary and working for a man who grew up as a farmer and had a large garden in his back yard! 1. He had a peach tree in his garden which I loved eating tree ripened peaches off. 2. One day he told me that in the past, he had grafted a branch from a pear tree into a peach tree, and then he asked me “what kind of fruit do you think that branch bore?” a. I guessed pear – he said no! I said peach – he said no b. He told me it was a completely different kind of fruit that had characteristics and taste of both a pear and peach mixed together as one! I. I believe that is what fruit looks like through each individual uniquely made and gifted believer/branch that is plugged into the vine Jesus. 1. Jesus expressing himself in and through branch Pat is going to look very different from Jesus expressing himself in and through branch Kim. 2. Jesus expressing himself in and through branch Pat Peglow is going to look very different from Jesus expressing himself in and through branch Don Kauffman. 3. Etc etc. etc. • All of this fruit is dependent upon III. Abiding in Jesus! A. So what does it mean to abide in Jesus? 1. I think to understand this passage we need to understand that the word abiding has two aspects to its meaning and two aspects to its application! 2. The two aspects of its meaning – one aspect has to do with time and the other with place a. Time – to remain, stay or continue in some state or place b. Place – the word is also used to indicate a dwelling place, an abode, someone’s residence or home. 1. Read John 14:2 – dwelling places 2. Read John 14:23 – abode – our residence, our home c. So the PBP definition is simply continue to be at home with Jesus! It is that ongoing close and intimate relationship with Jesus. 3. The two aspects of its application have to do with our union and our communion with Jesus a. Union – has to do with our position in Christ as being in Christ or our one with or our mutual indwelling with Christ where Jesus is in us and us in Jesus – 1. Read John 14:20 – you in me and I in you 2. Read John 14:10 – when Jesus speaks of this mutually indwelling relationship between him and his Father, he talks about the Father abiding in him 3. In Paul’s language he calls it being “in Christ” b. Communion – has to do with our practice or walk with Christ. B. While we see in John 14 that we are in union with Jesus. In John 15:4 and following, he is talking about our communion with Jesus. 1. But verse 4 is a command, an imperative! A decisive decision and action Jesus is calling them and us to (those who are already in union with Jesus) where we continually remain at home with Jesus! 2. That is where Jesus would be comfortable with my life and I am comfortable with Jesus’ life. We are at home with one another day in day out, moment by moment. C. Thus, who I am in the deepest part of my being is consistent with the way I live my life. My position in Christ is one with my walk with Christ. 1. When I am walking in intimate fellowship with Jesus – praying, meeting him through his Word, obeying him, living for him, trusting him, a life filled by and controlled by the Spirit then his life is expressing the fruit of Jesus life in and through me 2. When we do not fellowship with Jesus – not praying, not meeting with him and feeding on his Word, disobeying him, living for yourself, not trusting him but living by your own strength no fruit is expressed in or through us. D. I believe the greatest expression of abiding is a continued reliance, dependence, trust and faith in the indwelling Jesus to live his life through us. 1. Paul says it like this – Galatians 2:20 III. Closing application E. Do you see the fruit of the character of Jesus growing and developing within you? • Do you see Jesus working through you to bless others in a way that has no explanation except for God himself? 1. If you do, it is evidence that you are abiding in Jesus and bearing fruit for him 2. If you do not, then there needs to be some things addressed in your relationship with Jesus B. Is your lifestyle one where Jesus would be comfortable going along with you every place you go, would he be at home in your mind, your desires, with your tongue, with your relationships, your habits, your entertainment, etc.? • Are you comfortable with and delight in going along with Jesus’ thoughts and desires as expressed in his Word and shaping your whole life around his Word? 1. If you do, it is evidence that you are abiding in Jesus and bearing fruit for him 2. If you do not, then there needs to be some things addressed in your relationship with Jesus V. Response

The Holy Spirt, the Helper, the Comforter, John 14:16-20, etc. July 2, 2023 I. Introduction: A. When we are job hunting, often we are so focused on what the salary will be that we overlook the benefit package that makes the offer much better than we realize. 1. Many people see salvation much the same way. a) They focus on the main salary of forgiveness now and heaven later, but they are not plugging into all the benefits that come with it. b) In Ephesians 3 Paul summarizes the benefit package of salvation as being blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus. 2. This morning I want to talk about one of those benefits, one of those spiritual blessings a) In my experience, this benefit has become one of the most precious and valuable gifts to me in my relationship with Jesus Christ. b) The indwelling Holy Spirit of God! B. If you remember, the upper room discourse is about the truths that were essential for Jesus’ followers and us to know during the time between when he returned to his Father in heaven and when he comes back for us. C. Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit two times earlier in the book but in the few chapters of the upper room discourse, Jesus spoke about this gift six different times. 1. We first heard about the Spirit when in chapter three Jesus was talking with Nicodemus about salvation and letting him know that being born again was a miracle of the Holy Spirit. 2. Then again in chapter 7 at the great feast when Jesus cried out in 7:37c-39 a) Here Jesus says the Holy Spirit is going to quench the deepest thirsts in our life and he will dwell in our deepest part of our beings flowing like a river of water. b) John tells us Jesus was speaking of the Spirit whom they had not received yet because Jesus had not yet been glorified by ascending back to the Father. 2 • Now in the upper room discourse we see Jesus repeatedly coming back to and emphasizing this precious gift as one of the essentials truths they must not forget after he leaves them II. Holy Spirit A. As I read note that Jesus is basically telling his followers that while he is gone they will not be left as orphans but Jesus will actually come and dwell within them by means of the Holy Spirit. 1. The Spirit is going to bring the presence, power and help of the Jesus into their lives 2. Watch for this as I read John 14:16-20 3. Jesus is telling them that the Holy Spirit will not only be with them but in them, dwelling within them bringing to them the very life, power and presence of Jesus. B. Helper is a word that is very broad and covers a bunch of different areas. 1. It means one who helps by comforting, encouraging or mediating in behalf of someone. 2. He is the one that comes along side us to help us with whatever we need to do God’s will in our lives C. Note that he was with them but in the very near future, he would be in them. Point out v17 1. That is what Jesus means when he will not leave them as orphans when he returns to the Father but the Holy Spirit will be indwelling them, living right in them, to be there to help them and us. D. Note in v19 he speaks of his death and resurrection but in v20 he says it will be in that time period after his resurrection and ascension that they will understand that he is in the Father, they will be in Jesus and Jesus will be in them, obviously by means of the Holy Spirit. Reread v20 and cross reference with v17 “in” you E. I want you to note the context both before and after this. Read v 15, 21 1. Both before and after it is talking about obedience. 3 2. Now at the start of v16 the great majority, but not all of translations have the word “and” to start the verse. This is there in the Greek and is a connective that links the obedience of v15 with the coming of the Helper in verse 16. 3. I think the primary way the Holy Spirit helps us is by enabling us to obey what Jesus wants us to do. 4. Is that not why the Holy Spirit was originally promised in Ezekiel 36 – Israel’s disobedience got them in big trouble and God promised them in new covenant the following: Read Ezekiel 36:26-27 a) God by means of his Spirit would cause them, enable them to walk in obedience to him and even create in their hearts a carefulness, attentiveness, a vigilance to obey God’s Word. F. The indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, the spirit of Jesus Christ living in them/us to help us with whatever we need to live for Jesus in these days. • There are some other references to the Holy Spirit that come up in this discourse that I will briefly take you to, because most of them we will come back to in future messages in this series. III. Other references to the Holy Spirit in upper room A. Read 14:26 – 1. Remember there were many things in the book of John that Jesus taught the disciples that they did not understand. The promise is the Holy Spirit will remind them of these things and help them understand the significance 2. The Holy Spirit will be sent in Jesus’ name – that means the Holy Spirit is coming to officially represent Jesus to us! B. Read 15:26, 27 - the Holy Spirit will be working right along with us witnessing about Jesus to the world as we witness to them. C. Read 16:7 – the Holy Spirit coming to them and living in them, as their helper is actually an advantage to them over having Jesus’ physical presence with them. D. John 16:8-11 – in these verses it speaks about how the Holy Spirit will convict/convince people regarding sin – righteousness and judgment. We will give a complete message to this E. Read 16:12-13 – here Jesus promises the future inspiration of the rest of the New Testament. we will give a complete message about this 4 IV. Ministries of the Holy Spirit in other portions of the New Testament A. Regeneration – makes us a new creation and puts the new life within us B. Sealing – locks us in and guarantees our salvation until Jesus returns to receive us to himself C. Teaches us – he gives us the ability to understand the meaning and significance of God’s Word D. Leads and guides us E. Baptizes us into Jesus – he is the one who puts us into Jesus just like we saw a few minutes ago where you are in me and I am in you F. Fills us – makes his presence and power known in every area of our life so that we are living under his influence rather than the influence of our best efforts G. Assures us deep within that we are children of God H. Prays for the believer I. Gifts us supernaturally with various different gifts as expression of Jesus in and through us to bless others J. Sanctifies us – that means that he breaks down the control of the flesh in our lives and fills us with more and more of the resurrected life of Jesus. That is how we are made more like Jesus! • I think now you can see why I think the Holy Spirit is one of the most precious and valuable gifts Jesus has given to us in these days! V.Application A. Now that we know some of the ways that the Holy Spirit helps us in these days; how do we plug into this benefit? B. I want to say there are three ways the first is prayer 1. Hebrews 13:20-21- this is a prayer of benediction, a prayer for blessing. Read 2. Blank check here regarding whatever we need to do God’s will! 3. Note it is the indwelling Christ who equips us with this a) Cross reference Philippians 2:12-13 5 C. The second way is faith 1. Turn and read Galatians 2:20 2. It is not I who is living my life now but Christ in me – remember – you in me and me in you! 3. The life we live right now is a life of faith in the one who lives in me to supernaturally express his life through me! 4. Illustrate: Jesus calls me to obey him in some specific way (not be angry or anxious or to be forgiving and pure, etc.) we have one of two options to go about it. a) First, we can trust ourselves by trying very hard, setting up accountability systems, following certain steps, being real sincere and committed this time b) Or we can put no trust in ourselves and rely upon the one who lives in us to do a miracle in and through me enabling me by his life living through me. 5. Turn and read Galatians 4:19 6. The Christian life is more about the life of Jesus being incarnated within us than us becoming better imitators of what Jesus did. D. The third way is to walk with the Holy Spirit in obedience. Let him lead you! 1. You cannot walk with the Spirit unless you are going in the same direction he is going. 2. Is the Holy Spirit speaking to you about: a) If he says, “this is the way walk in it” – then go that way! b) If he says you are going in the wrong direction – then stop and say no to that c) If he says release something – then let go of it d) If he says be still – then wait e) If he says go – then go E. So when Jesus went to be with his Father, he sent the Holy Spirit to live within us forever to help us live the life God wants us to live! 6 VI. Response A. As we sing this last song, I’m going to ask you to actually pray it to the Lord as you sing and respond as the Holy Spirit would lead you.

Praying in Jesus’ Name John 14:13-14 June 25, 2023 I. Introduction: A. Prayer has been a gift that God has given man since the beginning of time. But in the upper room discourse Jesus introduces a dimension, an element to prayer, that is essential for his people to navigate life between the time Jesus returned to his Father and when Jesus comes back to receive us to himself. 1. It is a dimension of prayer that many of us do mindlessly as we repeat words that we really do not understand what they mean. 2. It is a dimension of prayer that explains for us why so many of our prayers go unanswered, but if we begin to practice it, we will see many more answers to our prayers. B. Please turn to John 14 where this new dimension to prayer is found. 1. We learned last week that the backdrop and driver to the discussion in the upper room discourse is Jesus’ announcement that he is going to return to the Father and later come back for them. a) In this discourse are the essential things they needed to know while he was gone and they were apart from him 2. Then we come to the next section of this chapter where Jesus talks to them regarding his oneness with the Father. a) We are not going to cover this section this morning because a few weeks back when I introduced the book of John to us I had a complete message about Jesus’ relationship with the Father as seen in the book of John. b) We learned that Jesus and the Father not only were close to one another but that Jesus was fully equal with and one with the Father. We see the same thing here again. c) If you were not here, I would encourage you to go to YouTube to view that. Even more importantly, this is not only a passage to reread but also one to memorize and meditate on! C. However, I am going to read this whole section this morning as a reminder to some of the important things we learned that morning and because right at the 2 end of it, Jesus speaks about this promise in prayer that we want to look at this morning! 1. Read v4-14. a) Note in v11-12 he speaks about if you do not believe me about what I am saying about my oneness with the Father and that Jesus dwells in the Father and the Father dwells in Jesus, then at least believe on account of the works you have seen me do. b) Then in v13-14, we see this prayer promise in this context. D. Overview of our key passage this morning is simply this: 1. V13 is the promise; v14 restates it in summary form. 2. In v13 we see three things: a) The content of our prayers b) How these prayers are answered c) And the motive to our prayers • This morning I want to break down this promise phrase by phrase because these twenty words are packed with millions upon millions of words worth of meaning, application and testimonies of its truthfulness for us! Let’s start with the … II. Content to our prayers A. Reread v13a – emphasizing “whatever” B. This is an amazing promise – “whatever you ask!” Wow! 1. But to be honest with you there are many things I have asked God for that were never answered! 2. Can any of you relate to that? 3. If Jesus said that, then why is that the case? C. The next phrase explains for us why so many of our prayers are not answered. 1. Read 13a – emphasizing “in Jesus’ name” 3 2. For most of us, we add on “in Jesus’ name” at the end of our prayers as magical words that if we add them to our prayers then we will get what we want. 3. But here is the reality – “in Jesus’ name” is the qualifier for whatever, it both limits the ” whatever” and enhances what “whatever” means. D. A name represents all of who someone is, along with their character, all they have, their rights, privileges and authority and even their reputation. 1. To do something in someone’s name means you are doing something in behalf of that person as their official representative. E. Now when I connect along with limit and enhance the meaning of “whatever” with Jesus’ name that means that I would be asking for the things that Jesus would ask for in this situation. They are things that are in line with his character and his agenda. F. Let me build on that a bit more by the context and a few other places this promise is repeated. 1. We already have seen in this passage that the context to this promise is doing the works of Jesus. a) So the first thing I would ask about my prayers is, are they not only consistent with what Jesus would ask but is it to further his work and kingdom or my own welfare? 2. Look at John 15:7 – read a) So here, we see that the “whatever” is in the context of those whose lives are filled with and controlled by God’s Word. b) So I must ask are my prayers consistent with God’s Word or even are my prayers driven by and full of God’s Word 3. Read John 15:16 a) So here, we see that the “whatever” is in the context of bearing fruit for God, fruit that remains. b) So I must ask, are my prayers consistent with the things that bear fruit for God? c) In a few weeks, we will spend a big portion of the message seeing what bearing fruit for God means. 4 4. John also wrote the book of 1 John and he addresses this same topic in 1 John 5:14-15. Read a) Here the anything and “whatever” is limited by God’s will 5. So to be able to apply this promise and actually see answers to our prayers we must ask things that are in accordance with the character of Jesus, the work of Jesus, God’s Word, bearing fruit for Jesus and according to God’s will rather than just whatever we want! G. This has big implications for how we pray about the sick and about troubles both our own and the troubles of those we love. 1. Have you ever considered what we ask God for at those times? – usually it is for health and deliverance and God fixing things 2. How often have you considered how Jesus would pray for that situation – a great practice to do before you even pray? a) When we need healing, delivering or fixing Jesus might pray that: (1) He might even pray that our sickness or dying would bring glory to God rather than God would heal us. (2) We would endure these times in faith and gratitude before God. (3) Use these things and times to (a) Open doors to bring the gospel to the lost or model for the believer how Jesus would walk in these times (b) Make them more like Jesus (c) Teach them to rely upon his Spirit rather than themselves. H. Praying in Jesus name is more about praying for what Jesus wants than praying for what we want! It is praying as a representative of Jesus! It is asking what Jesus would ask for. It’s prayers consistent with his heart for the things that he cares about. It is praying Jesus’ heart for Jesus’ work! • The second we see in this passage is … III. How these prayers are answered A. I am going to deal with the two other aspects of this verse much more quickly than the first. Reread v13b 5 B. Note here how the prayer is answered. Jesus says “and I will do it” – 1. Jesus is the one who answers our prayers; he does what we are asking for! 2. Seems so simple, clear and we say of course. But I believe that in most of our minds and practice we a) See our prayers as a means of God seasoning our efforts with his blessing as we go about what we are doing rather than expecting Jesus to do a miracle here. b) Like our prayers result in God pouring out of a saltshaker of blessing upon what we do. • The final part of this verse speaks about IV. The motive in our prayers A. Read v13c B. It is when the motives of our prayers are that God would be glorified that we see this promise go into operation. 1. Remember what James 4:2-3 says 2. Two reasons we are not experiencing the presence and power of God in our lives are because we are not asking God for things and secondly we are asking for things for our own benefit rather than God’s glory C. Finally, in this part of the verse we get some insight into how God is glorified. 1. Many people think God is glorified by us doing things excellently. We should give our best of what we do out of our worship of God 2. But what brings God glory is when Jesus does something for and through us rather than what we do for God! 3. Note how 13b and c flow together. V. Conclusion A. So when you put your prayer life up against this passage how does it look? 1. Are you praying for what Jesus would want or what you would want? 2. Are you looking for Jesus to actually intervene in your life and do something or are you just hoping he will add his blessing to what you are doing? 6 3. Finally, are you asking God to do these things so he would be glorified or so your life would be more comfortable and happy? B. I would ask you in closing to consider something you have been praying about for a while that is just seems God is not answering it. 1. Consider what Jesus would pray about this situation in light of his character, his purposes, his work, his word, his will and his glory. 2. Start praying about it in that way and expect Jesus to show up and do things that only he can do.