Homily                                                                 Pastor Christian Lindbeck

Jesus: The Promise

 

  1. Introduction
    1. Chapter 16 in the book of John.
      It has really been a marvelous journey through three years of Jesus’ Public life:

                                         i.    John’s Poetic Prologue introducing Jesus: The Word

                                        ii.    Year of inauguration: 

1.    His early ministry in Galilee, and the wedding at Cana

a.    Jesus: The Son

                                      iii.    Year of popularity.

1.    His travels, his ministry in hated Samaria,

a.    Jesus: Fount of Living Water

                                       iv.    The beginning of the Year of Opposition.

1.    The feeding of the 5000

a.    Jesus: The Bread of Life

2.    The Incident at Bethany

a.      Jesus: The Resurrection

    1. Now for the fourth week in a row we are in the rich Thursday-night discourse, before Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion.

                                                              i.      Already, we have discussed Jesus: The Servant Leader, Jesus: The Way, and Jesus: The Vine.

                                                            ii.      Today Jesus: The Promise   

  1. Pastoral Prayer


  2. Thursday Night – Paradigm Shift
    1. You may recall that this is still the same evening in which the apostles are arguing amongst themselves about who will be greatest in the kingdom!

                                                              i.      This is a great evening, and recently the have come to believe that they may be able to expect great things.

1.      Jesus keeps talking about this kingdom of his and how the apostles will sit on thrones with him.

a.      He is talking about his heavenly kingdom, and they are planning on land divisions.

                                                            ii.      Earlier Jesus had made a dramatic point by washing their feet, and perhaps    [18]   some begun to get the idea. Then he tells them that one will betray him and he, Jesus, will be killed. He tells Peter that the will deny him. I imagine he is getting the apostles attention!

    1. Here at the end of 15 and the beginning of 16 Jesus delivers to the disciples “The Promise” that they were not likely expecting.

                                                              i.      The promises they were expecting were fame, fortune and respect. The promise Jesus gives them is suffering and persecution
But…

                                                            ii.       That is not the end. The gospel is funny that way folks.  It delivers      [19]  REALLY BAD NEWS, so it can deliver THE BEST POSSIBLE NEWS EVER.

1.      Jesus: I am going to die…so he can LIVE!

2.      Jesus tells us we are retched, broken sinners who can not obey, and only the obedient see heaven. So he can tell us HE IS THE WAY

3.      Here he promises the disciples that they will be hated and persecuted…but to Take heart for he has overcome the world!

  1. Jesus: The Promise (look at your text with me)    Remember this is all before they are “sure” all of there hopes will be dashed
    1. Right at the beginning of 16 Jesus tells the disciples that what he is telling them is for their own good so they will NOT GO ASTRAY. So they will not be surprised.
    2. He knows that when life gets dark they will need to remember these words  

                                                               i.      You will be cast out of the synagogues, and kill you in God’s name

    1. BUT, he says in verses 20-22, it is like a woman giving birth: The pain is worth the joy of the infant.
    2. In v. 33 he conveys this simple promise: “In this world you will have trouble but take heart, for I have overcome the world.”
    3. Isn’t remarkable that he tells them this now?     One would think he would try to pep them  up before this difficult time. But Jesus brings them smack into the grim and wonderful truth, and I think he delivers this promise for a very particular reason. . . They will need to remember.

                                                              i.      They will need to remember his miracles, his work, his words, and his PROMISE.

1.      His promise is valid because he has demonstrated his authority to deliver it!

                                                            ii.      Jesus knows their lives are going to be difficult.
Worthwhile? You bet.           Easy? No way.

1.      They will need to remember his promise and take heart. All of the darkness will make sense because of the time they spent in the light.



  1. So what?   
    1. The whole Bible screams: remember my deeds and believe my promises! 

                                                              i.      Psalm 77

                                                            ii.      Desert wanderings

                                                          iii.      Abraham the covenant Abraham and Isaac

                                                          iv.      Pile these rocks, dig this well, tie this on your head, pound this onto your door mantle, eat and drink this…so you will remember!

    1. We scoff at the silly forgetful Israelites, but trust me we suffer the same affliction.  We are to remember God’s deeds and remember his promises, and believe.
    2. That is not what we want. We want constant reminders.      
      We want angles to wake us up in  the morning and send us out in God’s name
    3. Because when we are in touch with the living God, everything makes sense. For a few brief moments it is all sure; god is in heaven and I am His child. And then it is over, and we cry out. WAIT!  If I could only stay in that place I could be everything I am supposed to be. I can be courageous, evangelistic, humble, kind, just and loving. And Jesus and the gospel replies. REMEMBER my promise. Remember, remember, remember. That is the action of faith.  We may try to recreate it in our churches. Get that feeling again, but it only God’s to give.

                                                              i.      Here is the kicker, only weak faith needs it,

    1. So…So what?    
      I tell you what:       Receive this as your promise. In this life you will have trouble, but take heart for Jesus has overcome this world!