Technical Problems

To everyone who reads our recaps and attempts to watch the sermons each week, we apologize that the links have not been working! We are trying to fix it ASAP! If you would like a CD copy of the sermon from any of the weeks please e-mail us at Office@delriobiblechurch.com or Call Lauren at 830-768-1438. They are free!

Thank you for your patience!

=)

Promises for the Troubled Part 3

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Recap of 11/25/12 (John 14:15-16):

1. Jesus links love for Him with obedience to His commands. 

2.  “What is the measure of your love for Christ?  It is measured by your obedience to His Word.  Obedience is the true test of love.  If I say I love the Savior and you see in my life nothing but disobedience, then I’m only mouthing words…The foundation of spiritual power and spiritual experience is obedience. (John G. Mitchell)

3.  In the context of the Upper Room Discourse the specific command which Jesus has in mind is the command to love one another (13:34; 15:12,17).  If I love others as Jesus commands, I will: serve them, give myself for them, be forbearing, be forgiving, and will not return a wrong for a wrong.

4.  The result of obedience to Jesus’ commands is intimate fellowship with Him (John 14:21,23).  If I sense the lack of intimacy with Jesus there may be an issue of obedience in my life.

5. In the first of several mentions of the Holy Spirit in this discourse, Jesus promises His disciples another counselor to be with them in His absence to Heaven. The Holy Spirit is referred to as the Paraclete (a transliteration of the Greek word), Comforter (KJV),  Counselor (NIV), Helper (NASB).  He would be their advocate.  The term means “one who is called to the side of another to give help.”  The Holy Spirit would counsel them, direct them, comfort them, strengthen them.  “The Holy Spirit takes away our inadequacies and enables us to cope with life.  [He] substitutes victorious for defeated living” (William Barclay).

 

Promises for the Troubled Part 2

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Recap of 11/18/12 (John 14:7-14):

1. John 14:5-11 is one of greatest biblical statements of the person of Jesus Christ.  He alone is the way to God the Father (vs. 5,6); to know Jesus is to know the Father (vs. 7); to see Jesus is to see the Gather (vs. 9); Jesus’ words are the Father’s words (vs. 10); Jesus’ miracles are the Father’s works (vs. 11).

2.  Jesus tells the disciples that they would do even greater things than He had done, not meaning greater miracles (for though they did similar miracles, they didn’t do greater ones) but rather meaning greater in scope.  Through their ministry the gospel would reach the known world of the day while Jesus never traveled outside of Palestine.  They would reach greater territory and greater numbers of people.

3.  “It is marvelous that God speaks to us [John 14:10]- life-giving, world-creating words.  This marvel is matched by another—that He listens to us.  His listening gives all our words significance and makes all our prayer personal.”  (Eugene Peterson)

4.  Five observations about prayer.  Prayer must be:

-“in Jesus name” (praying in union with Him on the basis of His authority)

-in accordance with His will (1 John 5:14,15; 3:21,22) (is it something Jesus would ask?)

-bold (Hebrew 4:14-16)

-following Jesus example of consistent submission to the Father’s will.

-have as its goal bringing glory to God the Father.  “In prayer we call on Him to work out His purpose, not simply to gratify our whims.” (Dr. Merrill C. Tenney)

 

Promises For The Troubled

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Recap of 11/11/12 (John 14:6):

1. Christianity is not a religion or philosophy but a relationship. The answer to life and death issues is not a formula or a philosophy but a relationship with Jesus Christ.  Jesus is the “way, the truth, and the life.”

2.  The way to Heaven, the way to a relationship with God the Father is to follow Jesus.  He takes us there.  Jesus does not just know the way, He is the way.

3.  Jesus is the truth.  He didn’t just know truth-He embodied it.

4.  “No teacher has ever embodied the truth he taught—except Jesus.  Many a man could say: ‘I have taught you the truth.’  Only Jesus could say: ‘I am the Truth.’” (William Barclay)

5.  Jesus is also the “life.”  Jesus brings life worth living.  All other things we live for must ultimately disappoint and leave us dissatisfied or grasping for more and more, things such as pleasure, power, money, material, etc.

6.  Jesus claimed to be the only way to God, not one of many ways but the only way.  This truth is taught through-out the Scripture (see Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy 2:5).

What To Do For Heart Trouble

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Recap of 11/4/12 (John 14:1-5):

1. The disciples were troubled, perplexed by the events that Jesus had announced to them including His death, and their defection from Him.  It challenged their faith.

2. -“Every fresh test as well as every new revelation is a summons to faith.” (Harrison)

- “Life is full of tests and trials, afflictions and sorrows, as well as blessings.  The Lord permits these things to come into our lives because He wants the wean us away from transient things and to fix our hearts of eternal [truths].” (Mitchell)

3.  They were troubled in “heart.”  All action begins in the heart (the immaterial part of humans, otherwise called soul, spirit, etc.).  the heart refers to mental, emotional, and spiritual capacity.  It is the seat of intellect, will, emotion, understanding, and discernment.  We are to guard our hearts (Proverbs 3:1,3,5; 4:23)

4.  The answer to the distressed hearts of the disciples was to renew their trust in God the Father and the Son. Jesus encouraged them by promises/provision for them both eternally and temporally.  Eternally He promised them an eternal home (vs. 2) and His return for His own (vs. 3).  Temporally He promised them the prospect of greater works (vs. 12), answer to prayer (vv. 13-14), the gift of the Holy Spirit to be with them (vs. 15), and peace as only He could give (vs. 27).