Closing Out the Series

I have had a difficult time making a post entry in the last couple of weeks, because our church is in the home stretch of selling our present building and purchasing a new building at a better location that will afford us the great opportunity of reaching a different demographic of non-Christians (more about this in a later post entry).

But the Lord allowed us to conclude the series on the I AM statements of Jesus Christ that are housed in the Gospel According to John. The final two statements are different but they were born out of the same situation.

In Chapter 13, Jesus was in the Upper Room on the night of the last supper that Jesus would have with his followers. It was at the last meal during the Passover Feast that Jesus got down on his knees to wash the feet of his disciples in order to teach them a great lesson on service and humility. It was here that Jesus told them that he would be betrayed, Peter would deny Him, and the rest of them would also reject Him.

This did damage to their incorrect idea as to who Jesus really was, for they were of Jewish origin, and the Jews believed that the Messiah would come as a political leader and warrior who would save the Jews from their enemies. Because Jesus destroyed their image of Jesus, it caused them to have troubled hearts. This word troubled means to be in a state of confusion, and because they were in a state of confusion, Jesus makes this claim in verse 1 of chapter 14, let not your heart be troubled, believe in God believe also in me. He then makes a great claim in response to the doubts of Thomas in verse 6, I AM the way, and the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except by me. Here is the sermon outline:

Title: Cure For A Troubled Heart

Thesis: When our world is mired in a state of confusion, our survival is based solely because of our complete trust that Jesus Christ is our exclusive access to having certainty in an uncertain world

I. Trust The Certainty of His Reconciliation - the way

II. Trust the Certainty of His Reliability - the truth

III. Trust the Certainty of His Resurrection - the life

After Jesus cures their troubled hearts, and Judas leaves to betray Him, Jesus tells his disciples let us arise and go down from here. As they were making their way towards the Mount of Olives, little did they know they were also heading towards the Garden of Gethsemane, and the betrayal of Jesus. They pass by a vineyard, which affords Jesus a classroom to teach them their role in the Kingdom of God on earth while he is no longer with them, he stoops down and picks up the branch of a grape, and he tells them in chapter 15:1, I AM the true vine, and my father is the vinedresser. Here is the sermon outline:

Title: Just Be A Branch

Thesis: We are able to be fruitful servants in the vineyard of God, because of our total confidence that Jesus Christ has offered himself to us as the source of our lives

I. Our Relationship in Him - verse 5 - I am the vine, you are the branches

II. Our Responsibility to Him - verse 5 - whoever abides in me, and I in him

III. Our Reward From Him - verse 7 - if you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you

Please keep our church in your prayers as we go through this transition.