FBCWest

There are times in our lives when we may face circumstances when we truly wonder whether God is in control and can solve our problems. Jesus is going to show a situation where his betrayal and his seizure is such that he is not a victim, but he is in control. And not only to make sure that God's purposes are accomplished, but he protects his own. Come and see how God is in control of even circumstances that seem to be out of control.

Sermon Notes

John 18:1 Jesus goes to a garden with His disciples

John 18:2 & 3 Judas knowing where Jesus often went led a Roman cohort and officers

John 18:4 – 7 Even though Jesus is to be arrested He takes charge

John 18:8 & 9 Jesus tells them to let His disciples go

John 18:10 & 11 Peter tries to defend Jesus, but Jesus tells him this is the cup Jesus is to drink

We're going to continue looking at how Jesus was praying for His disciples that were present with Him. He's going to continue to do that, but He's going to make a surprising prayer request for future disciples, which means He's going to pray for you and me. Come and see what His prayer requests are for you and me.

Proclamation of the Word

Message by Pastor Joe

Sermon Notes

John 17:13 Jesus continues to pray that the joy He has will be complete in them

John 17:14 Jesus gave them the Father’s word and the world hates them

John 17:15 & 16 Jesus does not ask them to be taken out of the world, but be protected from the evil one

John 17:17 – 19 Jeus asks the Father to sanctify His disciples and He has sanctified Himself for them

John 17:20 Jesus prays for future disciples

John 17:21 Jesus prays that the future disciple be one as the Father and He are one

John 17:22 Jesus gave the disciples the glory given to Him so that they may be one as the Father and He are

John 17:23 If the disciples are in Jesus and Jesus in the Father, they will be perfected in unity and know that the Father sent Jesus and the Father loves the disciples just as He loves the Son

John 17:25 & 26 The world does not know the Father, but Jesus knows the Father and the disciples know that the Father sent the Son and Jesus has made the Father’s name known and is making it known so that the Father’s love of the Son may be in them and Jesus in them

Jesus would frequently throughout the scriptures go by himself and pray. His disciples asked him to teach them how to pray and we call that teaching the Lord's Prayer, although that's not really what it was, it's the disciples prayer. We only have two or three opportunities in the scriptures to see Jesus's actual prayer. One was when he was praying at the tomb of Lazarus, he spoke out loud so that the people might come to believe. We see him praying in the Garden of Gethsemane where he asked this cup to be passed from him. In John 17 which we're going to take a look at today, he prays an extensive prayer. We're only going to look at the first part of that prayer and he's going to ask for four different matters to be answered by the Father. Come and see what those four requests are.

Proclamation of the Word

Message by Pastor Joe

John 17:1

We celebrate what most of the world calls Easter or some called resurrection Sunday. I happen to call first verse but that's for a different time. The fact that Jesus rose from the dead is essential to the Christian faith. If he did not raise from the dead then our faith is in vain and the scripture says that. There are a number of people who have witnessed the resurrection of Jesus. The Apostle Paul outlines how many different appearances plus others and as well as over 500 people saw Jesus. We have this tendency that Jesus rose from the dead, appeared for a little while, then left. In reality he rose and was around the earth for 40 days before he ascended. Of all the various accounts of his resurrection we're going to take a look at one of my very favorite accounts. That's about two men who are traveling on a road from Jerusalem to Emmaus. We'll see and discuss their experience.

Proclamation of the Word

Message by Pastor Joe

Sermon Notes

Luke 24:13 & 14 2 men were walking and talking about what had happened in Jerusalem

Luke 24:15 – 24 Jesus comes and joins in their discussion, but they are prevented from recognizing Him

Luke 24:25 – 27 Jesus explains what has happened and taught them the Scriptures

Luke 24:28 – 31 Jesus eats with them and as He breaks bread they recognize Him and He vanished

Luke 24:32 The men state “Didn’t our hearts burn as He was speaking and teaching the Scriptures

Luke 24:33 – 35 They go back to Jerusalem and relate what they saw and witness to them that Jesus actual rose from the dead

Palm Sunday. All those universally Christian churches on this day will celebrate Palm Sunday and as a part of that celebration will read or preach on what is called the triumphal entry. I want to take a little departure from that. I think that was an important entry by Jesus into Jerusalem but I think there is another real triumphal entry. Come and listen to what that alternative may be.

Proclamation of the Word

Message by Pastor Joe

Sermon Notes

Luke 19:28 – 40 Jesus enters Jerusalem that is called the Triumphal Entry

Zechariah 14:9 – 17 Jesus comes to the rescue of Jerusalem and then rules and reigns as the King, the Lord of Hosts

While heading to the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus is going to be talking to his disciples and figurative language initially about his death and resurrection. He tells them that their reaction is going to be very different than the world's reaction, but their reaction is only going to be temporary and eventually their change reaction will be permanent. It will also tell them that during their time here on earth, they will be facing tribulation, but they can have peace because of what Jesus is going to do. Come see what Jesus says, how we can have peace.

John 16:16 Jesus speaks figuratively about His death and resurrection

John 16:17 & 18 Disciples talk among themselves what Jesus might mean

John 16:19 – 22 Jesus tells them they will grieve and then that grief will turn to joy and that joy can’t be taken away

John 16:23 & 24 The Father will give to them things asked for in Jesus’ name

John 16:25 – 28 Jesus talks plainly to them about going to the Father and prayer

John 16:29 & 30 Disciples response is that they believe

John 16:31 – 33 Jesus tells them even though they believe they will be scattered, but He will not be alone and that He has overcome the world

There are times when we've all experienced situations where we don't feel comfortable or we're feeling like we're not really welcomed. Jesus is going to tell his disciples that not only they're not going to be welcome, but they're going to be hated. And he's going to explain why they're going to be hated and what the world is going to be reacting to them. Come and see why Jesus says the world hates his disciples.

Proclamation of the Word

Message by Pastor Joe

Sermon Notes

John 15:18 If the world hates you, it hated Jesus first

John 15:19 You are not of this world

John 15:20 & 21 You are not above your Master, they will treat you the same way

John 15:23 Hating Jesus equals hating the Father

John 15:24 & 25 Seeing Jesus and His works and rejecting Him confirmed the Scripture

John 15:26 & 27 The Holy Spirit and the disciples will testify regarding Jesus

There are times when we've all experienced situations where we don't feel comfortable or we're feeling like we're not really welcomed. Jesus is going to tell his disciples that not only they're not going to be welcome, but they're going to be hated. And he's going to explain why they're going to be hated and what the world is going to be reacting to them. Come and see why Jesus says the world hates his disciples.

Proclamation of the Word

Message by Pastor Joe

Sermon Notes

John 15:18 If the world hates you, it hated Jesus first

John 15:19 You are not of this world

John 15:20 & 21 You are not above your Master, they will treat you the same way

John 15:23 Hating Jesus equals hating the Father

John 15:24 & 25 Seeing Jesus and His works and rejecting Him confirmed the Scripture

John 15:26 & 27 The Holy Spirit and the disciples will testify regarding Jesus

If you knew you were going to die within a few hours, or that you were to take a trip that you were going to be gone for a long time, and your loved ones and the people you cared about were gathered around you, what would you talk about? I suspect it would not be the weather or some other inconsequential things that you would talk about things that would be very important to you, and if you repeated those things it might be because they're very important to you. At this point we're going to take a look at the Scriptures where Jesus is going to be arrested in a few hours, and He's going to be teaching His disciples some additional information, but He keeps repeating Himself on one particular topic. Come and listen to see what that one particular topic is and how it should apply to our ministry as well.

Sermon Notes

John 15:12 Jesus repeats His commandment to love fellow disciples as He has

John 15:13 Greater love is to lay one’s life down for his friends

John 15:14 We are Jesus’ friends if we do as He commands

John 15:15 His disciples are no longer slaves, but friends because He is disclosing what the Father has said

John 15:16 They dis not choose Jesus, He chose them and appointed them to bear fruit so that what you ask the Father will do in Jesus’ name

John 15:17 Jesus again repeats His commandment

Sermon Notes

John 15:1 Jesus is the true vine and the Father is the vinedresser

John 15:2 Branches that do not produce fruit are taken away. Branches that produce fruit are pruned so that more fruit may be produced

John 15:3 The branches are already clean due to the word of Jesus

John 15:4 & 5 The key to producing fruit is living in Jesus and Jesus living in you

John 15:6 Those who do not abide in Jesus dry up and are thrown into the fire

John 15:7 If you abide in Jesus you can ask what you want

John 15:8 The Father is glorified when you bear fruit and prove to be Jesus’ disciples

John 15:9 As Jesus abides in the Father and He has loved Him, abide in Jesus’ love

John 15:10 How to abide in Jesus’ love: Keep His commandments

John 15:11 Jesus has told us this so that His joy may be in us and our joy be complete