CCF Sunday Messages

What does the Holy Spirit do in our lives? How does He bring peace in the midst of a storm? What role does the Holy Spirit play in teaching us and bringing to remembrance the Word of God when we need it? Warren, our associate pastor of outreach, continues through John 14 as Jesus teaches his disciples about this "Helper/Counselor" that will come when He returns to the Father.

As we continue in John 14, even though Jesus is physically going away from His time on the earth, the promise of God's life in us is a huge benefit, even greater than just having Jesus physically present, He now says he will come and make a *home* in our hearts! If Jesus, by the Spirit, will be living in us, what impact will this have in the way we live? We will do the things that He asks us to do! And with God in us, our lives will be totally transformed from what we used to be!

As we continue in John 14, even though Jesus is physically going away from His time on the earth, the promise of God's life in us is a huge benefit, even greater than just having Jesus physically present, He now says he will come and make a *home* in our hearts! If Jesus, by the Spirit, will be living in us, what impact will this have in the way we live? We will do the things that He asks us to do! And with God in us, our lives will be totally transformed from what we used to be!

As Jesus continues to explain that He must go away, He expresses that they will do the works He has done, and in fact, will do *greater* works than He did! But how? He answers that next--if He goes away, someone else will come as their helper, counselor, someone to come along side. And that will be God's Spirit and the Spirit will leave in each believer! Through this multiplication of God's presence in every believer, these works will be greater, as the limitations of one man in one place is overcome with a worldwide body of Spirit-filled believers doing His work!

As Jesus continues to explain that He must go away, He expresses that they will do the works He has done, and in fact, will do *greater* works than He did! But how? He answers that next--if He goes away, someone else will come as their helper, counselor, someone to come along side. And that will be God's Spirit and the Spirit will leave in each believer! Through this multiplication of God's presence in every believer, these works will be greater, as the limitations of one man in one place is overcome with a worldwide body of Spirit-filled believers doing His work!

Following the Passover meal, John records several chapters of Jesus sharing with His disciples before the prayer in the garden and His arrest. Ending chapter 13, Jesus is explaining to them that He must leave provoking a strong response from Peter. When Jesus tells Peter that instead he will betray Him three times, you can imagine the confusion and anxiety building--and so verse 1 of chapter 14 Jesus says: "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me." The solution for our doubts and anxiety is to trust in Jesus!

Following the Passover meal, John records several chapters of Jesus sharing with His disciples before the prayer in the garden and His arrest. Ending chapter 13, Jesus is explaining to them that He must leave provoking a strong response from Peter. When Jesus tells Peter that instead he will betray Him three times, you can imagine the confusion and anxiety building--and so verse 1 of chapter 14 Jesus says: "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me." The solution for our doubts and anxiety is to trust in Jesus!

We looked at 2 Corinthians chapter 5, where Paul shows the change that happens--because of God's love in dying for us!--that we no longer live for ourselves, but we are now a new creation. Now that we have been reconciled to God, we have that same ministry of reconciling others, as if God was "pleading through us", that others would come to understand His great love and gift of salvation!

We looked at 2 Corinthians chapter 5, where Paul shows the change that happens--because of God's love in dying for us!--that we no longer live for ourselves, but we are now a new creation. Now that we have been reconciled to God, we have that same ministry of reconciling others, as if God was "pleading through us", that others would come to understand His great love and gift of salvation!

John chapter 13 has us marching ever closer to the cross, and today's message from Pastor Steve walks through the events John records in the "upper room" where Jesus is spending the Passover meal with his disciples. In this section following the washing of His disciple's feet, Jesus notes that He will be betrayed by one of them as they recline to eat the meal. Judas goes out as Jesus tells Him that "what he must do, do quickly". As we finish this section, Jesus gives them a "new commandment": to love one another.