First Church of god in Harvey
Sunday Morning April 22nd, 2012
Let us pray
Welcome….…..
This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it. Some people come to church to see their friends, but I came to praise the Lord. Some people come to church to jump and shout, and that is alright, but I came to praise the Lord. Some people come to church to get away from their problems, but I came to praise the Lord. So, why are you here? I trust you are here to praise the Lord.
It is no accident why you are here today. You might think you had it all planned out, “but long before you were conceived by your parents, you were conceived in the mind of God.” The Great Almighty God ‘planned where you’d be born and where you’d live for his purpose. Your race and nationality are no accident. God left no detail to chance.” God planned it that I would be born in Jamaica, he planned it that I would be in Harvey, Illinois, today. It is said that, “God was thinking of you even before he made the world.” Can you believe that? God was thinking of you before he made the world. Don’t you know that you are important to God. Listen to what David says in the first portion of psalm 139 verse 14, “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made…”
“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Despite all that we were faced with last week, today we can still say, this is the day which the Lord hath made, and we will rejoice and be glad in it. Today we will give thanks unto the Lord, because he is good. Not only is the Lord good, but his mercy endureth forever. Last Wednesday night in our prayer meeting, I felt the Spirit of God moving in an extraordinary way, and I want to believe that something good is about to happen. I want to believe that God is about to shower us with his blessings. Maybe you might be seeing gloom and doom, but God does not see things the way we do…elaborate…
A few weeks ago while Bro. Charles Johnson was teaching the Sunday School class, my thought was drawn to St. Johm14, and today I will be using a portion of this scripture for our text. Our scripture reading will be taken from St. John 14: verses 1 through 7. Let’s all stand and read from the screen. Please tell somebody, It is all about Jesus.
My to-pic for today is, “The Way To God.” Number 1….Jesus is the way; Number 2..Jesus is the truth and Number 3…Jesus is the life.
As we listen to the news, as we surf the internet, as we read the paper, it seems all we are hearing is bad news. How much bad news can we take? It seems to me that God’s people are against each other, because somebody does not believe it the way they do. It seems to me that people are searching for something, and anything that seems good or look good, they are willing to accept. Saints of God we are living in perilous times; we are living in the last days. The apostle Paul writes in 2 Timothy 4 verse 3, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.” In our Bible class last Wednesday night, we were reminded how a man who had turned away from the truth was able to bring about the destruction of thousands who were seeking for something to satisfy. These people had failed to realize, that only Jesus can truly satisfies.
Jesus chose twelve men, the apostles; for a time they were called disciples or learners. They had no jobs, because they had given up the livelihood they were engaged in; their fishing, their tax gathering, their agriculture. So here we had twelve men following Jesus around, going from place to place, apparently having nothing to do. It seems these men were just idle men, but they were disciples or learners, observing what their master was doing. They had to learn before they could teach. Strange enough today, there are so many who want to teach, but who do not want to learn. So here we have the disciples learning from the master teacher.
The disciples were hearing the message, but it seems they were not understanding the message. In Luke 22 verse 24 di-vi-sive-ness (strife, dissension, quarrel, rivalry, jealous dispute) had set in among them, as to which of them would be the greatest. There was a fight going on among God’s people, does that sound familiar? In John 13 verse 18 it was now known that there was going to be “desertion and betrayal by one of them…” In John 13 verse 38 it was now known that one who was close to the master would deny him. The disciples had reasons to be troubled, things were happening that would cause them to be disturbed, troubled.
Have you every been disturbed? Have you ever been greatly troubled? On Tuesday night I was at my computer getting ready to pay my bills online. I had made sure the night before that my account was balanced, and that there was enough money to pay my bills. To my surprise I saw an account balance in red, which means an overdraft. I thought it was a joke, but upon further investigation I came to realize that someone got a hold of one of my old check, I have no idea how, and wrote thousands of dollars against my account, and forged my signature. My account was overdrawn, but there was no money to cover the check, I knew it was going to be alright, but I was troubled because I could not pay my bills…elaborate…
So here we find the twelve disciples they were greatly troubled. To use some other words to describe them, they were, “disturbed, agitated, perplexed, worried, tossed about, confused, distressed.” When you are in such a condition, you need some encouragement, you need something to settle you down, you need peace. Some people when they are troubled will take a drink. Some people when they are troubled will smoke a cigar. Some people when they are troubled will try to get high, but when the child of God is troubled that child of God needs encouragement. So the master teacher started to speak, the one who gives deliverance from trouble, the one who knows how to bring calm in the mids’t of a storm, the one who knows how to give peace to those who are troubled, let not your heart be troubled; don’t be upset; don’t be distressed, take it easy, ye believe in God, believe also in me. Jesus was saying in the mids’t of all the bad news, I have some good news for you. In the mids’t of what seems to be doom and gloom, I have some good news for in you. I believe God is saying to us today, in the mids’t of all that is happening, I have some good news for you.
What is the good news Jesus? In my father’s house are many mansions. The word “mansions,” means abiding place. It means places, residences, rooms, dwellings, areas, spaces for living.” There is a place for everyone of us, no one will be homeless, “a place for every believer to dwell and live.” God’s house, the one that Jesus is gone to prepare for us, is real, it does exist. There are many different teachings as to where this dwelling place, this mansion, or this house might be. R.R. Byrum in his book on Christian Theology says and I quote, “The Scriptures represent heaven as a place under the figures of a house, a mansion, a city, and a new earth.” He goes on to say, ‘we cannot know the location of heaven, except that it is somewhere away from this earth.. Not a few of assumed that it will be located on this earth.” He goes on to say that, “Jesus ascended to heaven in the sight of the apostles, and “gazing upward,” they watched him go. The righteous “depart” to be with Christ. When Jesus was about to go to heaven, he told is disciples he was going away to prepare a place for them and that he would come again and receive them to that place, that they might be with him. This place is to be prepared before Christ come again: therefore, this earth cannot be that place.”
Dr. Lillie McCutcheon who passed away many years ago, was a Church of God pastor in Newton Falls, Ohio. She wrote a book entitled “The Symbols Speak.” In her book she wrote about, “The New Heaven and the New Earth.” Here is what she says, and I quote, “It is this holy city , the place Jesus went to prepare, that John describes as his vision climaxing the Revelation, saying, And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away. (Rev. 21:1a) John comprehended in a vision what Peter saw by faith when he foretold the destruction of the earth, then hastened to say, nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, where dwelleth righteousness.” (2 Peter 3:13)
“With the passing of the earthly sphere of planetary heavens and this earth, a new world becomes the habitation of the saints. In the heavens of that eternal dwelling place “there is no need of the sun, neither the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.” (Rev.21:23) Storm clouds or dark curtains of night will be unknown because, “there shall be no night there.” (Rev. 21: 25b) The new earth shall be free from the curse of sin; thorns and thistles shall not encumber the fields of glory. The rtee of life abundantly yields fruit perpetually for the healing of nations.” I am talking about the place that Jesus says he was going to prepare for us, I am talking about heaven.
Jesus said, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again , and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” Jesus said he was going to go away, and that he was going to come again. It is said that verses 4 through 7 of our text is “one of the most critical in all scripture. Jesus declared in unmistakable terms how a person gets to God, and he makes it clear :there is no other way to God.” There are people who are giving the impression that there are many ways to God, but the way to God is by jesus alone. Jesus told these troubled disciples, whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. The disciples were listening very keenly, and one of them spoke up, his name was Thomas. There are people who will hear things that they do not agree with or do not understand, but will say nothing. They figure out if I say something they might think I am dumb. Thomas was not too concerned as to what others might thinks, and so he spoke up, Lord we don’t know where you are going, and how can we know the way?
Here were twelve troubled disciples, “thinking that Jesus was about to lead them to set up the Kingdom of God on earth, freeing Israel and establishing it as the greatest nation on earth. Then all of a sudden He began to talk about going someplace in addition, He insisted they could not follow Him.” No wonder they were troubled. They had walked with the Master for approximately three years. They were learning how to be good followers, and now they have received the shock of their lives.
These disciples were listening but they were not understanding. How often we see people coming to the house of God, and hearing the same things over and over again, and not really understanding. These disciples were “thinking in terms of an earthly and temporal government, of worldly positions and power, of wealth and possessions, of pomp and ceremony. This was their problem. Jesus had told them where he was going in simple and clear terms.” Jesus had told them he was going to die and rise again. He had told them he was going to go to the Father, but they refused to accept what they had heard.
The question that Thomas asked is a good question, how can we know the way? It is said that the world proclaims: “we do not know where God is, not really. Even if He exists, we can only seek Him the best we can, trying to find out just where He is. Every man must find and discover his own way and hope he has found it.” Some people might think that the way to God is by attending church faithfully, but is that the way to God? Some people might think that doing all the good work that they can is the way to God, but is that the way to God? Some people might think that being kind to each other is the way to God, but is that the way to God? Some people might think that living an upright moral life is the way to God, but is that the way to God? Jesus said, “I am the way.” Is that really true, is Jesus Christ the only way to God? And the answer is yes. “The way to God is through Jesus Christ Himself.”
It is said that, “there is a difference between pointing the way to a particular place and taking someone by the hand and leading him there. The person who guides a person to their destination literally becomes the way himself.” Many years ago I was on the African Safari in Nairobi, Kenya. In our group was an African native who was our guide. This native knew the way, and all we had to do was to follow his instructions….elaborate.
Have you ever asked someone for directions, and they give you directions that put you completely away from where you want to go? I was going somewhere a few months ago, and I thought I had pass the place, and so I pulled into a service station and asked someone for directions. I thought this person knew the way, I thought I was heading the right way, but came to realize I was going completely out of my way. The strange thing was I had a GPS, but had decided not to use it. I had the solution, but decided to forget it. I had the way out, but failed to use it. When Jesus says, I am the way, he meant what he says. “Jesus Christ not only points out and tells a person how to walk through life and how to reach God, He personally shows the person the way.” If you are going the wrong way today, you need Jesus, because He is the way. In Proverbs 14 verse 12 we read, “There is a way which seemeth right unt a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”
Not only did Jesus says I am the way, but he also says, I am the truth. It is said that, “there is a difference between telling someone about the truth and living the truth before them. The one who lives the truth literally becomes the truth.” If I am always lying, if I am always twisting things around, if I am always trying to find an easy way out, who am I to tell you that you should always speak the truth. There are parents who will tell their children not to lie, but at the same time will find a way how to lie. The story is told of a mother who had told her daughter not to lie, but on this particular day, she told her if the bill collector comes to the door, tell him that she was not at home. Sure enough the bill collector came knocking, and this young girl who was taught by her mother not to lie, told the bill collector, my mother says to tell you that she is not at home.
It is said that “Jesus Christ is the Embodiment of truth. He is the picture of truth.” “Man can look at Jesus Christ and see a perfect picture of the truth of God.” When the disciples look at Jesus, they saw truth. “Jesus Christ is the Communicator of truth.”In St. John 18 verse 37 we read, “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” In St. John 8 verse 32, Jesus said, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
The way to God is, Jesus is the way; Jesus is the truth, and finally, Jesus is the life. Jesus said, I am the life. The person out there in the world might think he or she is living, they might think they are enjoying life, but real life can only be found in Jesus Christ. There are people out there having what they call a good time, money, prestige, all the material things, but that is not the real life. It is said that, “there is a difference between telling someone about life and actually living life. The one who lives is the one who possesses life, and the more perfect one lives, the more life one possesses. Jesus Christ lived perfectly, therefore, He possesses life perfectly. Listen to what Jesus says in St. John 11 verse 25, “I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me though he were dead, yet shall he live.” In St. John 10 and the last portion of verse 10, Jesus says, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
Jesus came that you and I might have life, not just any kind of life, but he wants us to have the abundant life. When I say abundant life, I am not talking about a prosperity gospel, but I am talking about that overflowing life. You might be poor, but as a child of God you can have that abundant life. That abundant life is offered to every man, every woman, every boy, every girl. It does not matter who you are, it does not mater where you came from, that abundant life is offered to you. One songwriter caught the vision and penned these lines, Life is offered unto you, Hallelujah! Eternal life thy soul shall have, If you’ll only look to him, Hallelujah! Look to Jesus who alone can save.” Do you want life, then look to Jesus, he is the only way to God. Look and live, my brother live, look to Jesus now and live; Tis recorded in his word, Hallelujah! It is only that you look and live.
Jesus said, I am the way, I am the truth, I am the life. In Matthew 11 verse 28, Jesus says, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Do you want that rest today? Are you tired of the way you are living? Are you fed up with how things are going, then Jesus is here to give you rest…….elaborate…
Let us stand
Call to discipleship
Closing song/prayer
