Hearing the Spirit

                                     Scripture Text

 John 10:27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

I. The command to hear the Spirit. Revelation 2:29 (NKJV) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Can you hear what the Spirit is saying to you? Our spiritual ear must be tuned to God just like a radio must be tuned to a certain station. The older radios had to be fine tuned with the radio dial because there was a lot of squeaking and static if it wasn't right on the station and it would fade in and out. We must fine tune our spiritual ear to what God is saying by His Spirit. Many voices speak to us everyday. There are a lot of voices out there trying to get our attention. Radio, TV, Internet, Facebook, Fake news, newspaper articles, government leaders. No matter when you try to tune in, you’re sure to hear the doom and gloom of the world, brought to you by none other than Satan himself through those that are deceived and believe his lies. And if that isn’t enough, if you aren’t giving heed to the voices of the world, your friends may tell you that you’re burying your head in the sand, that you need to listen to what’s going on in the world, so you can be informed. We don't need to be informed by the world. We need to be informed by the One who made the world and all that is in it. So How do we fine tune to the Spirit's voice above all the others?

II. Hear the Spirit through daily reading and studying of the bible. Jeremiah 29:13 (NKJV) ¹³  And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. There must be a wholehearted sincere determination to seek to hear the Spirit's voice. John 16:12-14 (NKJV) ¹²  I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³  However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. ¹⁴  He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. God reveals Himself and His ways through the bible. Hearing the Spirit means We must read and study God's holy word. The bible is the standard for what Christians believe. As you feed on the Word, your spirit and soul become one with the Holy Spirit as He speaks to you from the word. You will begin to reason and act as the bible says because the Holy Spirit loves to speak to those seeking God and who love His Word. In studying the Bible, you will learn to recognize the voice of God as compared to the voice of the world and the voice of the devil. The devil and the world lures us with lust, envy, love of money, pride, power, sexual perversions and other like stuff. The devil's lies have infiltrated the church because of it's refusal to hear the voice of God's Spirit. Government leaders glorify abortion and homosexuality. They aren't reading and studying God's word. They aren't listening to the Holy Spirit. The voice of the devil tells you that you don’t need God's word, make your own rules. The devil will tell you that God doesn’t love you or have any desire toward you whatsoever. The devil and the world tell you to “do your own thing”, please yourself, fulfill your desires and lusts, get ahead, and never mind how many you hurt along the way. The world and it's programs appeal to your flesh. The devil always appeals to the flesh. God appeals to the spirit of man. The voice of the Spirit speaks to us today. 1 John 2:15-17 (NKJV) ¹⁵  Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶  For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. ¹⁷  And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.                                                                                                                      a. Hear the Spirit through prayer. To get to really know someone there must be communication. Prayer is simply talking to the heavenly Father. He is concerned about the things going on in the world and what's on your heart. The Spirit speaks to us how to handle our problems and worries whatever they may be. Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV) ⁶  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷  and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. As you pray the Spirit speaks peace to your heart that you can't understand and He promises to guard your heart and mind from anxieties, worry and fear.         b. Hear the Spirit through regular church attendance. Hebrews 10:24-25 ²⁴ Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, ²⁵  not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. We hear the Spirit's voice today encouraging us to meet together to stir up love and promote works done for the good of others. You will hear the voice of the Spirit in every S.S. Class and church service when you come with your heart in the right place and open to a move of the Spirit in your life. Every time we meet the Spirit is working to draw us closer to God. Some people withdraw from church when trouble hits. They refuse to listen to the Spirit and it invites disaster, like a soldier in battle who lags behind the rest of his platoon and becomes an easy target for the devil. The devil as a roaring lion walks about seeking whom he may devour. We hear today the voice of the Spirit telling us that the day of Christ's return is at hand. Christians must live as if the Lord will come back at any moment. Christ must not find us lax in our devotion and preparation. In conclusion I pray you will take this message seriously and make every effort to seek God so you can hear His Spirit speak to you each day. Revelation 2:29 (NKJV) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

Invitation: The bible says in Romans 8:16 (NKJV) The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. Does the Spirit of God bear witness with your spirit that you are a child of His? If not now is the right time to make sure of your eternal destination. You may not get another chance. Confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive you and save your soul from hell and give you eternal life. 

Being Thankful

 

Scripture Text

Psalm 100

Intro: The attitude when you enter church will determine how you perceive everything that takes place. We are to enter God's house with our focus on Him. When we focus on all the wonderful attributes of God our hearts are filled with thankfulness to Him.

I. We Are to Shout Joyfully to the Lord! Psalm 100:1 (NKJV) ¹  Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands! Here we are told every nation is to “Shout joyfully to God!” We who have been saved and made a child of God should give a joyful shout of praise to God for all He has done for us. Lets all praise God with a big Hallelujah! One day when Jesus returns to rule and reign on this earth, the devil and all his demons will be defeated. When this happens all nations will shout for joy. We who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus will join in with those of all nations to give a joyful shout of praise to God! This is a shout of victory over evil, over sin, over the devil and all wickedness! One thousand years of peace on earth as we rule and reign with Christ and then a new heaven and earth in which we will serve God forever! What a day that will be!

II. Being Thankful Means Joyfully Serving God! Psalm 100:2 (NKJV) ²  Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. If we are truly thankful We will serve God with our spiritual gifts and We serve Him with gladness. Our singing to God with joyful songs is a means of worshiping Him. As we worship we focus on God and show our reverent honor, respect and adoration to Him because He has given His only begotten Son to die for the penalty of our sins and make us His children. God now freely gives us all things through Jesus. When you think of God's love, mercy and grace in all He has done for us, it's not hard to serve Him, sing to Him and show Him the honor, respect and reverence due His name.

III. Being Thankful Means We Follow God! Psalm 100:3 (NKJV) Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. We acknowledge He alone is God and there is no other. He is sovereign over all. We acknowledge God is the One who made us, we belong to Him. In Genesis 2:7 God “formed” man out of the dust of the ground. He made us in His image and likeness. He has also made a covenant with us through the shed blood of Jesus. We now belong to Him. Because we are His, God instructs us, He leads us. We follow Him because we are the sheep of His pasture and He is our good Shepherd. Psalm 23:1-2 (NKJV) ¹  The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. ²  He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul! Because God is our Shepherd all our needs are met. God our Shepherd leads us His sheep to rest and refreshment. He restores our soul. Jesus said In Matthew 11:28-29 (NKJV) ²⁸  Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

IV. Being Thankful Means We Praise and Bless His Name! Psalm 100:4 (NKJV) Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. We are to enter God's house with our focus on Him, thanking, praising and blessing His name for all the wonderful things He has done for us. That's our reason for gathering together in His house. When we Bless His name, it means we proclaim as holy. It means we give all glory to Him as we lift up His name. We say good things about our heavenly Father when we leave this place. We tell others what awesome things God has done for us and what He wants to do for them. The truly thankful person is one who can see the hand of God in things around him and can see the hand of God working in their life. A thankful person sees the incredible things that God has done for them and others so that praise can be offered to God. It is not natural for people to simply thank God for all things, but it's something that has to be developed through constant exercise. It takes time to stop our mind and discipline it to thank Him for His Works in us. From His word we learn that everything perfect and good is from God.

James 1:17-19 (NLT) ¹⁷  Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. ¹⁸  He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession. Bless His holy name!

V. We Are to Thank God For His Unchanging Character! Psalm 100:5 (NKJV)  For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations. God has been, is and always will be good. Good means morally excellent; perfect; innocent; and righteous. God is and always will be merciful in His dealings with mankind. Mercy means compassion for the miserable and a desire to help. By the atoning sacrifice of Christ a way is open for God to exercise mercy toward mankind. He is truth! Truth means that which is true and in accordance with reality. God's character never changes. Every generation can count on God being the same as He was in history and will be the same for ages to come. Thank God that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Invitation: We are to be thankful to God for His Son Jesus Christ who died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. Do you know Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord? You come to know Jesus when you confess your sins to Him and ask Him to forgive you and save you from Hell and for Heaven. If you have not done that now is the right time.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we thank You, praise, magnify and honor Your name for all You have done for us. Help us to always remember to give You thanks on a daily basis. We recognize that You made us and we belong to You because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. Help us as we leave here to always bring honor to Your name by what we say and how we live our lives. May we always be good witnesses for You in front of others and when we are alone.

Never Changing Jesus

 

Scripture Text Heb. 13:8

Intro: We live in a world that is changing all the time. Nothing ever stays the same. Though times and leaders change, Jesus Christ does not. Jesus Christ is the same all the time. Jesus never changes! He has been, is now and will always be faithful to us.

I. Jesus served us faithfully yesterday. [John 1:1,14, Philippians 2:8]a. John 1:1-2 (NKJV) ¹  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²  He was in the beginning with God. John 1:14 (NKJV) And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. In times past Jesus Christ was with God in heaven and He was God. He looked upon the plight of corruption and sin that had separated mankind from God. So He left heaven for us, came to this earth in a fleshly body. Philippians 2:8 (NKJV) And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Jesus took on the form of a bond servant and humbled Himself even to the point of dying on a cross for us. He suffered to the ultimate degree for us: He took our sins upon Himself and bore our guilt and the punishment due us. Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price for us. He gave His life and shed His precious blood for us on the cross. He loved us and did everything necessary to save us from hell and make us acceptable to God.

II. Jesus serves us faithfully today. [Romans 8:34, Heb. 4:14-16] a. He is our mediator before God today. He has been raised form the dead and intercedes for us at the right hand of God. Romans 8:34 (NKJV) Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Jesus is even right now lifting us up before the Father. Hebrews 4:14-16 (NKJV) ¹⁴  Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. ¹⁵  For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶  Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Because Jesus is our High Priest and can sympathize with our weaknesses, we can go right before God's throne and obtain the mercy and grace we need today. Yesterday He suffered to the ultimate degree for us; today He has been exalted to the ultimate degree for us. He, the very Son of God, is our great High Priest who has passed through the heavens and been exalted to the right hand of the throne of God. And He has been exalted for one reason and one reason only: to shower mercy and grace upon His followers as He meets our every need. We can now come boldly before God's throne of grace with our needs. Are you taking advantage of this mercy and grace today?

III. Jesus will remain faithful to us forever.                                                   a.  "Jesus Christ is the same forever": forever—eternally, from now on, throughout all the ages. Jesus Christ has not only been exalted to the ultimate degree to meet our needs only for today, but He lives eternally to meet our needs forever and ever. John 14:1-3 ¹  "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. ²  In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. Here is how Jesus will return! 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 ¹⁶  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. ¹⁸  Therefore comfort one another with these words. At this time Jesus will then take us to the marriage supper of the Lamb there in heaven while the great tribulation is happening on earth. Then Jesus will return to earth with us in our glorified bodies and He will be the King over all the earth. We will rule and reign with Him on earth for a thousand years. Then the earth and the heavens as we know it will pass away according to Rev. 20:11 and there will be a new heaven and earth wherein no evil or death will ever present. Revelation 21:1-5 (NKJV) ¹  Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.²  Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³  And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴  And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." ⁵  Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." Jesus in the future will make all things new. He has made it possible for us to live in the new heavens and earth with the Father and Him where we will reign with Him forever and ever. Yes, Jesus will remain faithful to us forever!

Conclusion: Because of what Jesus has done in the past, what He is doing in the present, and what He will do in the future makes Him sufficient for any need we believers will ever have. Christ’s grace is presently and permanently available to all who believe in Him. No other religion has a risen Savior who has died for them and now lives in them and will be faithful to deliver them to heaven.  Thank God for the unspeakable gift of His unchangeable Son Jesus Christ.

Invitation: Do you know this unchangeable Jesus? Have you confessed your sins to Him and asked Him to forgive you for those sins? If not don't wait any longer. Do it now! Tomorrow might be too late!

Jesus' Agony in Gethsemane

 

                                                       Scripture Text

    Matthew 26:36-46

Intro: In two weeks we celebrate Easter. As we celebrate Christs' resurrection, we also want to remember the agony Jesus went through for each one of us as He went to the cross and shed His precious blood to purchase our salvation and give us eternal life.

1  Christ entered the garden of Gethsemane. Matthew 26:36-37 (NKJV)³⁶  Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, "Sit here while I go and pray over there." ³⁷  And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. After the Passover meal, Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper. He then went with His disciples to Gethsemane for the purpose of praying. He got alone with three of His disciples, Peter, James and John. Jesus was facing death. His death was different than death for all other men. In death Jesus took all the sins of the world upon Himself. He stood before God the Judge and accepted the verdict of guilty for every man. He accepted the penalty and punishment of death for every man. His death meant separation from God, and this makes Christ's death different from the death of other men. Jesus did not want to face having to be cut off from His Father. He did not experience death for His sins; He had never sinned. He experienced death for all of mankind's sins. If there was any other way to save man, He wanted it. This shows His human nature.

2  He suffered—agonizing grief and pain (v.38)Matthew 26:38 (NKJV) ³⁸  Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me." Jesus felt pain unto death. He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Christ felt so much sorrow and heaviness, so much inner pain that it almost killed Him. Note His words in the verse 38: "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death." Christ was suffering so much agonizing grief and pain that He requested the presence of close friends. (v:38b). He needed them to pray for Him and be a comfort to Him. This is seen in His words, "Watch with me." Christ needed to be alone with God, but He also needed friends close by who were also praying for Him. Just knowing that they were close by praying and feeling for Him would be a strong encouragement. Luke 22:43 says God the Father had to send an angel to strengthen Him. Apparently all that Christ had been through and was about to go through was opened up to His mind. His whole being was now focusing in upon the suffering He had to experience as the sin-bearer for the world. The Father would withdraw and leave Him as He bore our sins. The mental vision literally compressed His physical body, almost to the point of crushing Him. V:44 The pain and agony were so intense that His sweat became like great drops of blood.

3  He turned to God—praying. Matthew 26:39 (NKJV) ³⁹  He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." Jesus fell on His face before God and prayed. He needed to be alone with God—He was desperate. He fell on His face—the pressure and weight were unbearable. Christ was broken, weighed down, fallen. He prostrated Himself on the ground. In desperation He cried out "O my Father." He cried out to His Father in brokenness and dependency; He knew that His Father would hear and turn to help Him. He is our example of what we should do when overwhelmed by a situation or circumstance.

4  He stood alone—neglected by His closest friends. Matthew 26:40-41 (NKJV) ⁴⁰  Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and said to Peter, "What? Could you not watch with Me one hour? ⁴¹  Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." He arose from prayer and went to the three who were supposed to be praying with Him. They were asleep. The companionship, the spirit of prayer and comfort He had sought, was not there. All were asleep. He had been left alone to wrestle with God by Himself. Christ warned His disciples of temptation. The disciples had failed to pray for Him, but they must not fail to pray for themselves. May we watch and pray to overcome temptation.

5  He continued to pray—agonizing for release. Matthew 26:42-44 (NKJV)⁴²  Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done." ⁴³  And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴  So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. He asked His Father to remove the cup a second time. (v.42) He found the disciples asleep a second time (v.43) He prayed a third time—the same words. (v.44) Jesus was struggling in the same agonizing spirit, struggling to be released from the life-threatening pressure. Three times He came before God pouring out His soul, with "strong tears," begging for release. Why did Jesus pray three times? He prayed three times in order to secure the peace of soul He needed to continue on with the Fathers plan. In so doing He has demonstrated for us the necessity of persevering in prayer in order to secure release from agonizing pressure. God answers persevering prayer.

6  He received release. Matthew 26:45-46 (NKJV) ⁴⁵  Then He came to His disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶  Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand." Christ's agony, His desperate need for friends to "watch" with Him was now gone. God had given Him great relief and peace of soul. The very tone of His words to His disciples revealed a calmness of spirit, a peace of mind, a relief of the physical and emotional strain that was about to kill Him. God had met His need in a most wonderful way. He called the disciples to go with him to meet the betrayer, Judas, and the coming crowd. Jesus went forth of his own will, advancing to meet his accusers rather than waiting for them to come to him.

Conclusion: As we approach Easter, let us remember the great price that Jesus paid for the souls of mankind. He suffered like no other has ever suffered and it was all for you and me and all who will call on His name for salvation. There is no excuse for anyone going to hell. Jesus suffered through Gethsemane and the cross so all mankind could be saved.

Invitation: Jesus suffered all that pain and agony for you. He shed His blood on the cross to wash away your sins. Have you confessed your sins to Jesus and asked Him to forgive you and save your soul from hell? If you have not, now is the time. Don't put it off!

The Hour Has Come!

 

Scripture Text John 17:1-8

Intro: Jesus declares in this scripture before us that His hour had come. "His hour" refers to His death on the cross for all mankind. Jesus lifted His eyes to heaven and called on God the "Father." He was asking God the Father to glorify Him in this hour so He could bring glory to the Father.

1.  It was the hour of glory. John 17:1 (NKJV) Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, Jesus began to pray as He was facing the cross. The first thing Jesus asked was, "Father...glorify Your Son." But note why: "That Your Son also may glorify You." The whole purpose for God sending Jesus to earth was to give eternal life to men; so in asking the two questions, "How is God glorified?" and "How is Jesus glorified?" the answer is simply: "by men receiving eternal life." Both God's glory and Jesus' glory are found in the completion of the great work of salvation that Jesus provided by His perfect life, death, and resurrection.

2.  It was the hour of power. John 17:2 (NKJV) as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. Jesus would be glorified by God giving Him the power and authority over all flesh. The reason Jesus was exalted to be the Sovereign Majesty of the universe is one-fold, and it is the most wonderful news in all the universe. The Father had given him authority over everyone in all the earth so that he could give eternal life to each one the Father had given him. Jesus' power was made known on the cross when He defeated the devil. Colossians 2:15 (NKJV) Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them through the cross. He now has all authority over all principalities and powers!

3.  It was the hour of eternal life. John 17:3 (NKJV) And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. The hour for Jesus to bring eternal life to mankind had come. Jesus would be glorified in that He would give eternal life to all that would believe in Him. Jesus would soon give His life on the cross. He would pay the price for mankind's sin. Jesus defines eternal life as knowing by experience the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the One He sent to earth. Because Christ went to the cross to pay for our sins, the hour of salvation has come.                     2 Corinthians 6:2 (NKJV) For God says: "In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. Eternal life comes by confessing your sins to Jesus and asking Him to forgive you.

4.  It was the hour of a finished work. John 17:4 (NKJV) I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. Jesus affirmed that he had brought glory to the Father on earth by doing everything God wanted him to do. The last phase of Jesus’ redeeming work was about to be accomplished through his death on the cross. Jesus spoke of his work as though it had already happened—his obedience to death on the cross was a certainty. Jesus finished His work as He died on the cross. In John 19:30 Jesus' last three words were “It is finished.” All that was needed for mankind to be saved was complete. Nothing can be added to Jesus' finished work!

5.  It was the hour of restored glory. John 17:5 (NKJV) And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. Looking beyond the Cross to his resurrection and ascension, Jesus asked the Father to restore the glory He had shared with Him before the world began. In saying this, Jesus gives us a glimpse of His relationship with the Father before the beginning of time in John 1:1-2 (NKJV) ¹  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²  He was in the beginning with God. Jesus wanted to return to the glory he had with the Father before the world was created. Jesus is now exalted in all His glory as He sits at the right hand of God the Father there in Heaven till the Father makes all His enemies His footstool. [Lk. 20:43]

6. It was the hour of a mission accomplished. John 17:6-8 (NKJV) ⁶  "I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. ⁷  Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. ⁸  For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. After praying for his own glorification, Jesus turned the direction of his petition to his disciples. These were the men God had selected to give to Jesus as his disciples in verse 6. To these men Jesus had revealed the reality of the Father’s person to them. And they had kept his word. Their faith wasn’t perfect, and they would fail their Savior in the coming hours; but their commitment was in the right place, and they would return to their faith in Jesus and obedience to God. They had received Jesus’ words as coming from God. Once His disciples believed Jesus had been sent from God, they were ready to learn that God had sent him to die as the payment for mankind's sin. Jesus was declaring that the disciples were ready for the next lesson, as difficult as it might be. The apostles, having received this knowledge from Christ, were to spread it through the whole world. His mission of preparing His disciples to carry on His work had been accomplished.

Conclusion: Jesus faced His last hours on earth calling on the Father for the courage and boldness He needed as He faced the most difficult hour of His life. Jesus would face this hour sacrificing His precious life on the cross to pay for the sins of all mankind and then He would be resurrected from the dead to enter into His glory He had with the Father before the world was created. As we enter Easter season may we not forget all that Jesus accomplished for us in His final hour on earth.

Invitation: if you have not taken advantage of what Jesus accomplished for you, now is the time to confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive you. Invite Him into your life to take charge of you and your destiny. Then be baptized as a public witness of your faith in Him as your personal Savior and Lord.

What Can the Righteous Do?

Intro: Today our nation’s foundations of God and His word, truth, morality and the Christian faith are being undermined and destroyed. From today's scriptures we find the answer to what the righteous can do about keeping our foundations from being completely destroyed. Jesus promised us in Matthew 16:18b that “all the powers of hell will not conquer the church.”

I. First thing we can to do is keep our faith in God. Psalms 11:1-5 (NLT) I trust in the LORD for protection. So why do you say to me, “Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety! ²  The wicked are stringing their bows and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings. They shoot from the shadows at those whose hearts are right. ³  The foundations of law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do?” ⁴  But the LORD is in his holy Temple; the LORD still rules from heaven. He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth. ⁵  The LORD examines both the righteous and the wicked. He hates those who love violence. David contrast’s the problems on earth with the exalted position of the Lord in heaven. “What can the righteous do?” the fainthearted had asked (v. 3). David responded that the righteous can trust in the real Source of secure government whose throne is exalted in the heavens. The Lord who is in His holy temple still rules over the affairs of men, and Because He in His sovereignty is ruling over the earth, He sees and thoroughly investigates the activities of all mankind. We are to remember to count only on God’s power over all as David did in (Psalm 44:4-8 NLT) ⁴  You are my King and my God. You command victories for Israel. ⁵  Only by your power can we push back our enemies; only in your name can we trample our foes. ⁶  I do not trust in my bow; I do not count on my sword to save me. ⁷  You are the one who gives us victory over our enemies; you disgrace those who hate us. ⁸  O God, we give glory to you all day long and constantly praise your name.

II. We can pray. 2 Chronicles 7:13-15 (NLT) ¹³  At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour your crops, or send plagues among you. ¹⁴  Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. ¹⁵  My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place. God encouraged Solomon by the promise that if His judgment should fall on the nation for their sin, they need only turn to the Lord in earnest humility and repentance and they would find forgiveness and restoration. This promise is good for us today because we are His people. We can pray for our nation because we have been invited to by God Himself. We pray because we can’t solve our problems and we have needs that only God can provide. No man or political party can meet our needs. That’s why we need to pray and open up to God. Man without the Lord will always go the wrong way.

III. We can look unto Jesus. Hebrews 12:1-2 (NLT2)
¹  Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. ²  We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. This great cloud of witnesses that surrounds us are the people of faith who believed God and stood fast for God. They stood fast against all kinds of trials, temptations, opposition, death and evil governments. Their great faith and endurance should stir and inspire us to endure in our belief. They never buckled or crumbled in their faith when times got hard. We are to strip off Every “weight.” That means get rid of those things that hold us back, such as use of time, some forms of entertainment, or certain relationships and putting other things or people before God. It is especially important to get rid of all sin because it hinders our spiritual progress and brings God's judgment on our families and nation. Sins of any kind can cause believers to drift off spiritual course. We must run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by looking unto Jesus at all times and in every situation and circumstance. He is our example! We read God's word, pray daily and walk in obedience to Him and His way as Jesus did. We can make a tremendous difference.

Conclusion: It's time to get serious about our faith. There is much we who are righteous in Christ can do. It is time for us to wake up and begin to do these things listed above because our nation’s foundations are being destroyed. Our way of life as we know it is in the process of changing. We must fight the good fight of faith and continue steadfast in what we believe no matter what.

Invitation: Because of these trying times, we must be prepared to stand up for what we believe no matter what. So now is the time to “Make your calling and election sure.”

If you have never confessed your sins to Jesus and called on Him to forgive your sins, now is the time. The return of Christ is very near, so don’t put off making sure of your salvation, time is short.