July 9, 2017 Pastor Ken Hepner John s Gospel, Jesus Is the Son of God: 66. Peace in the Midst of Turmoil John 16:29 33 Introduction: We are studying John s Gospel account of the life and ministry of Jesus the Son of God. John wrote to focus on the truth that Jesus is both the Son of God and the Son of Man. He is the Word made flesh, who came into this world to make it possible for us all to enter into a relationship with God as our Father, Jesus as our Savior, and the Holy Spirit as indwelling Counselor. John wrote 25 years after Matthew, Mark, and Luke had completed their accounts. John isn t trying to reemphasize what they wrote. John writes to help us to see things that the other authors didn t include in their stories about Jesus, to fill in gaps in the information about Jesus life and teachings. Because John wrote his Gospel we have an enormous amount of truth about the events at the end of Jesus life, and in particular the last week of His life that we would not have if he had not chosen to write this gospel message for us. From the last words of John 12 through John 19, these seven chapters contain some of the most meaningful statements Jesus made about His Life, Death, and Ministry. John records His introductions to the Father God and the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, making the presence of Jesus known and felt in our spirits made alive by His life. We have them to read and embrace because John paid very careful attention to every word Jesus said, and then obeyed the Spirit s leadership as he was led by the Spirit of God to write this Gospel. These are the very last hours of Jesus life on earth. As He walked through the streets of Jerusalem, with His followers, our Lord teaches His followers as much as He can, and because John wrote these words of Jesus for us, we get to listen in on their conversation. Jesus is painting the stark contrast between the people who accept this World System of Things and those who welcome the Holy Spirit to dwell in their hearts as inner Counselor! Our focus is the Kingdom of God here on earth -- Embracing Jesus as Savior is inviting Him to be Lord, Master, our King. We become His royal subjects, members of His kingdom of the heart. His kingdom is not of this world system of things. It is, in fact the exact opposite of this world system When Jesus stood before Pilate, He said: My kingdom is not of this world. If it were my servants would fight to prevent my arrest. But now my kingdom is from another place. John 19:36. In an earthly kingdom, when the king conquers a new territory and takes possession of it, the king doesn t live there and rule there in person. He sends a governor and installs him in that place to establish the nature of his kingdom rule in that place. The Governor represents the will and the values of the new ruling monarch.
The King of the kingdom of God is Jesus himself. You and I are the conquered territory and the Holy Spirit is the Governor. He has brought the kingdom of God to earth, and it is here now living in us because He has sent His Governor to reign in your heart and mine. This inner Governor the Holy Spirit lives here on earth in us, installing and establishing the rule of God, the Essence and Nature of His holy kingdom in our hearts and lives in our corner of the world. We have all been conquered by the love of heaven in our hearts. Jesus has repeatedly explained to them the way of His kingdom is the way of holy, self-emptying, other-oriented love, lived in the midst of a world system that defines love as selfish; meaning how the lover benefit from loving and being loved. The world system is a set of values, a way to think, a philosophy of life. It seeks to squeeze everyone into its pattern of thinking. If you don t think like the world thinks you are labeled as bigoted, hate-filled, and intolerant! As we pick up the narrative in this paragraph, Jesus has been talking about heart attitudes and the lives of His followers in the world system of things. Jesus is telling His followers the inner Governor will lead us to have different thought processes and attitudes of the heart. Jesus outlines how we are clearly different from those who buy into the world! He says we will live, decide, act, and pray in His Name. One of the clear purposes the Governor has for your life and mine is to Confront and Destroy what prevents Jesus from reigning in us, and here on the earth. What prevents the Lordship of Jesus from manifesting in our lives is the presence of sin, which is in essence Selfishness and Self-Interest in us. Luke 9:23 If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 5:24, 25 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. I can t think of a better litmus test for the presence of sin and self-interest in our hearts than the things we are going to talk about this morning. If there is anything in life that will call us to see our need of death to our sinful self-interest, it s our need of inner peace from heaven in the midst of turmoil, trouble, and persecution! I was really struck in my heart this week with the incredible similarity in the subject matter and the topics Jesus addressed in the last words of John 16 and Matthew 5:9 12. Jesus speaks about being given peace in Him, making peace in our lives as we live in the midst of turmoil or tribulation, as the people of the world persecute us. I ll be using both texts today!
I. Jesus Gives Peace Regardless of our Circumstances: John 16:31 33 a You believe at last! Jesus answered. But a time is coming, and has now come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace, Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. The word peace in the New Testament is the Greek word eirene, and its Hebrew counterpart Shalom and it is so much more than the absence of malice, violence, conflict, or strife. It is a word that denotes an active desire of the heart, well-wishing, longing to see all manner of good come to another, to see the life of another blessed with all good things of God to enjoy. There is a vast amount of difference between a Peacemaker, which Jesus says is blessed, and a Peacekeeper. Both the peacemaker and the peacekeeper want peace, but that is where the similarities end. How they approach attaining it are two very different things. One who makes peace is actively engaged in what has caused the problem to exist in the first place, and is willing to enter into the pain of life and help wherever he or she can. One who seeks to keep the peace employs the Ostrich approach head in the sand and the danger will pass by it will do anything to avoid conflict or strife. This approach causes those who believe it to look for the lowest common denominator, what can we agree on, what will offend no one, and focuses on that. It keeps the peace by saying and doing nothing that offends. When the stated value is keeping the peace at all costs, offending no one, the group has just empowered the values of the least spiritually minded person in the group! This has been the track some movements of Christianity have employed to accept the world s definition of marriage instead of what the Bible clearly states as God s ideal. Peacemakers are, in the truest sense of the word, Lovers of God and People. They are people who have willingly embraced a humble and meek attitude, pattern of thinking. What that means practically, is that they choose to be longsuffering, to forebear with others in love, and endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. They utterly detest strife, divisiveness, contention, and quarreling especially amidst the people of God. But they also Love the Truth of God as it is seen in Jesus. They engage with the truth of God in their hearts not to take sides or prove one right and another wrong, but to establish the truth as it is in Jesus. They labor to prevent full- blown conflict from breaking out amidst brothers and sisters in Christ, or if it has broken out, to keep it from spreading. It is the peacemaker s great joy of heart to promote and increase all that is good, right, and true in the hearts of people they care about, especially among the people of God. Peacemakers care deeply about the work of evangelism, making disciples of the kingdom. This is the ultimate form of peacemaking because it enables people to experience in a
firsthand way, having Peace With God. They know the truth that only God can change a human heart. But they also know that God changes hearts more readily when someone has taken the time to Pray in heartfelt intercession for the person, to Cultivate the ground of their hearts, to Sow the Seed of God s Kingdom truth, or water the planting. Jesus said the peacemakers are blessed and are called children of God. Children take on the attributes of their parents. As children of God, those of us who are actively engaged in sowing the good and beneficial things in the lives of others are actually demonstrating that we have the nature of His presence living in our hearts. The apostle Peter wrote about the truth that we actually take on the nature and the likeness of the Governor as He lives in our hearts. II Peter 1:3, 4 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. II. Peace In Jesus When our Inner World is Rocked! John 16:33 I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. Matthew 5:10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. There are lots of things to think about this issue of Being Willing to be Persecuted because we have been washed in the precious blood of Jesus and have experienced His presence coming to live in us. One could easily imagine that a person, who is characterized by humility, gentleness, strength restrained by holy love, hunger to know Jesus more intimately, and who love God and people, would be a blessing to the people who ve bought into the world system. But Jesus knew humankind far better than this simplistic thought. In John s account Jesus said in this world you will have Trouble, tribulation, Hard Things to endure. The word He used in the street Greek of the day is thlipsis. It means, to squeeze the life out of something. In old England there was a form of capital punishment called The Thlipsis. In this form of capital punishment they laid a person backward on a rock and stretched their arms to the ground, tying their wrists to stakes in the ground. Then they laid a huge rock on the chest and abdominal cavity. The more tired the victim got the more the life squeezed out of them until they were dead. This is likely where we got our euphemism, between a rock and hard place. This is the word picture Jesus used and John records for what the world is trying to do to you and me with hardship and trouble; squeeze His life out of us, as we live in the life of the Spirit! In Matthew s account He told His followers the plain truth that we could expect to be persecuted for righteousness sake. The word Matthew uses for persecution is the word
dioko, To hotly pursue with the intent to overtake, to harm, to bring down. It is a word picture that denotes passionate hatred for the people of God in Jesus, by some people who are of this world system. The first key question that comes to mind is just who are the persecuted? It is those who are born of the Spirit, who have been washed of sin by the precious blood of Jesus, who have been adopted into God s family, who are in Jesus. The Scriptures are very clear that the followers of Jesus will in fact be treated badly because we know and love Him. John 15:18 21 If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: No servant is greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obey my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me. I John 3:13, 14 Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. II Timothy 3:12 In fact everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ will be persecuted. The second key question that comes to mind is why are they persecuted? The answer is plain and simple but requires a bit of thought. They are persecuted simply because they have desire in their hearts to live a righteous and godly life. They humbly bow before God and hunger and thirst for righteousness. They are persecuted because they are not of this world system of things, and their attitudes, their love, and their actions reveal the darkness of the actions and activities of others. The ego of the worldly person doesn t like being shown up by someone who is living a better, more peace-filled, more selflessly loving, and more joyous life. The worldly person looks on at the Spirit-led believer and hates what he sees. He says in his heart, If Christians would just keep their religion to themselves in the world that would at least be tolerable. But it is the spreading of their views, this phony loving of others, this encouraging people to be like them that can t be endured. They speak such condemnation to the good ways of the world that they ought not to be tolerated any longer for the way they live their lives. This is the way people of the world sincerely think and act toward the person who seeks to know and walk in the Spirit of Jesus, to live a God-honoring life! The reason this is true is plain enough. The desires that reside in the Governor s heart are the exact opposite of the spirit of the world order of things. The presence of the Holy Spirit, the inner Governor, living in the believer s heart, speaks conviction to those who have bought into the world system of things!
Jesus continues and deepens that thought in that text in Matthew 5:11, 12: Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Jesus went on to tell us as His followers that we can expect a specific kind of persecution and suffering if we really would know Him and walk with Him. We can expect people to take pot shots at us, slander us, and to pour out Verbal Persecution on us. We should expect to be Insulted by those who feel a need to make themselves look better than they are at our expense. If someone is living a better and more joyous life than you are there are two ways to approach that. You can decide to grow and be better or you can attempt to make the other person look small and less than through criticism and insults! We should expect to have people say False and Slanderous things about us. The reason they do this is that we have chosen to hold fast to the testimony of Jesus, our Master and Redeemer living in our hearts. When insults won t do people will invent things to say, lies that slander and smear the integrity of another. This is especially painful when the people who are speaking the stuff and believing the stuff about us are supposed to be our fellow believers! But I would be remiss in my duties if I didn t at least mention that as painful as it is when we are slandered and spoken against, the persecution we endure in this culture is a drop in the bucket compared to what is faced by millions of our brothers and sisters in Christ, situated in countries that are opposed to the Gospel of Christ every day. III. Jesus has Overcome the World System: John 16:33b In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world. Jesus is telling His followers the hatred, the trouble, the hostility, and the persecution they can expect from those who buy into the world system are inevitable for we who love Jesus and seek to honor God in the choices we make in how to live. But Jesus has not bought into the world system of things and how it sought to squeeze the love and the life of God out of His life. Because Jesus overcame the world system He is able to grant you and me victory over it as well. Listen carefully to the words we are about to read together as John describes what the world tries to do in our hearts, as we read them aloud: I John 2:15 17 Do not love the world, or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world the cravings of the sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does comes not from the Father, but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
And John describes the way you and I are called to live in Obedience to God s will and Overcome the world in our daily lives: I John 5:3 5 This is love for God: To obey His commands. And His commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. Pau aptly describes for us how the Cross of Jesus is our Victory over the World System. Because Jesus had no worldliness in His life, He was able to take our worldly ways and thinking and put it all to death for us on the Cross. Paul writes to the Galatians, 6:14: May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.
July 9, 2017 John s Gospel, Jesus Is the Son of God: 66. Peace in the Midst of Turmoil John 16:29 33 Introduction: John wrote about Jesus coming into this world to make it possible for us to have a relationship with God as F, Jesus as S, and the Holy Spirit as indwelling C. These chapters are the last hours of Jesus life on earth. They contain some of John s most memorable statements about Jesus L, D, and M for us on the Cross. Jesus paints the stark contrast between the W S in people and the Holy Spirit dwelling in human hearts as C. Our focus is the kingdom of God on earth, Jesus came to inaugurate. Jesus testimony before Pilate John 19:36 The illustration of an earthly king conquering a territory and installing a governor who represents his king s values and will in that land. Jesus is the conquering King. We are the conquered territory. The Holy Spirit is the Governor who brings into our lives His E and N. One of the clear purposes of the Governor in our lives is to C and D everything in us that prevents Jesus from reigning in us! The presence of sin: S and S -I. Luke 9:23; Galatians 2:20; 5:24 25 Jesus calls us to embrace kingdom attitudes and desires. If there is anything in life that calls us to see our need to deal with selfishness and self-interest in our hearts, it is our need of heaven s peace in trouble and persecution. The similarity between John 16:31 33 and Matthew 5:9 12 I. Jesus Gives Peace Regardless of Circumstances: John 16:31 33a; Matthew 5:9 John quotes Jesus using the Greek word eirene. It is more than the absence of malice, conflict, strife, or violence. It is the desire for the very best for another person.
The huge difference between a P K and a P P are lovers of both G and P love the T of God as it is seen in Jesus care deeply about doing the work of evangelism, helping people they love to have P W God. Jesus says peacemakers are C C of God. Children take on the nature of their parents. As we become God s sons and daughters 2 Peter 1:3 4 II. Peace in Jesus When Our Inner World Is Rocked: John 16:33; Matthew 5:10 There are things to consider about being W to be P because we have been washed in the blood of Jesus and He has come to live in our hearts and souls. John says we can expect T and H T in life if we love Jesus and live His values in the world. He uses the Greek word thlipsis, to squeeze the life out of something. The form of capital punishment. In Matthew s account Jesus used the word P. The Greek word is dioko, to hotly pursue, to overtake with intent to harm. Who are the persecuted? John 15:18 21; 1 John 3:13 14; 2 Timothy 3:12 Why are they persecuted? Because they are not of this world system. Their attitudes, loves, and actions reveal the darkness of the actions of others. Matthew 5:11 12: Jesus continues, if you love me and follow me in life expect V P. Expect to be insulted, to have false and slanderous things said about your love for Jesus! III. Jesus Has Overcome the World System: John 16:33 Jesus didn t buy into the world system and how it sought to squeeze the life of God out of His life! Because He won the inner battle He wins for us all! 1 John 2:15 17 describes how the world system squeezes the life of God out of our hearts and desires. 1 John 5:3 5 describes the way we can live in O to God s will and O the world. Paul takes us deep into the victory of Jesus on the Cross and how you and I can access inner V over the W S in our hearts and minds. Galatians 6:14
Discussion Starter Questions for Home Groups 1. John invests six chapters of his Gospel, chapters 13 19, on the last 24 hours of Jesus life on earth. Why did he focus on that time period? 2. In the message there was an illustration of a king conquering another land. He installs a governor who establishes his rule and will there. As you think about the Holy Spirit as our inner Governor, what does He work to establish in us? 3. It is the purpose of the Holy Spirit to confront and destroy what prevents Jesus from reigning in our lives. What does He confront and what does He ask us to do with what He sees in our lives that must go? 4. Describe the difference between a peace keeper and people who are peacemakers. What does the peacemaker love and seek to do? 5. The word used for trouble, tribulation, hardships in life is the Greek word thilpsis. What does it mean? How does the enemy use trouble and hard places in life against us in our inner world? What is he trying to do? 6. Why do you think the world system of things is so vehemently opposed to the kingdom of Jesus living in human hearts? What fuels the animosity between the world system of things and the followers of Jesus? 7. What is Jesus method of bringing us to victory over the world system s desire to squeeze His life out of our hearts, souls, and minds? 8. Read together aloud 2 Corinthians 11:21b 33. Discuss how Paul was persecuted for serving Jesus. 9. Read together aloud Hebrews 11:32 40. Discuss what the author says about godly people being persecuted for their faith. 10. How will you personally apply Jesus promise to us in John 16:33 about inner peace? How will your desire to live the peace of Jesus in your life be affected by this promise? Share your thoughts with your group.