John 16 Tough Road Ahead
John 16
Tough Road Ahead
Secular:
Why is the apprentice such a big deal?
What is it with these folks and Donald Trump…
Why is there a long list of college and University students who want to serve as Interns on Parliament Hill, By St, Howe St…. Wall Street
Why do ministry people appeal almost desperately to Megachurches to get in the door…
There has been a lot of talk in the business world… the education world… and especially within the church about the value of a mentor…
What is it that a mentor can bring to our life?
- Accountability
- Spiritual Guidance
- New Perspectives
- Teaching
- Discipling
- Motivation
- Correction…
What is it that gives them this ability…
- Gifting
- Experience
- Vision
They have a big picture vision…
Biblical:
John 16:1 "These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling. 2 "They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God. 3 "These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me. 4 "But these things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them. These things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you. 5 "But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, 'Where are You going?' 6 "But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; 11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. 12 "I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 14 "He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.
Personal:
There are rough roads ahead… for everyone…
What keeps us on track?
The world would tell you…
Is it your intestinal fortitude….
Your knowledge… your savvy… your people skills?
I’ll tell you that it is a proper vision… is what keeps your life on track….
It is about being anchored your Vision of God…
… Vision of God
Who God is… Isaiah 6:1 “saw the Lord”
Gen 15:1 “the Word of the Lord came to Abraham in a vision. Do not be afraid. I am your vision and your shield.”
What God wants to Do…
Genesis 12:1 Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father's house, To the land which I will show you; 2 And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing;
Genesis 15:5 And He took him outside and said, "Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be."
What God is going to do… Apocalyptic…
Vision of what is to come…
Daniel
Revelation
God oriented… Given by God’s Grace…
Mark 4:9 And He was saying, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." 10 As soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables. 11 And He was saying to them, "To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables, 12 so that WHILE SEEING, THEY MAY SEE AND NOT PERCEIVE, AND WHILE HEARING, THEY MAY HEAR AND NOT UNDERSTAND, OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT RETURN AND BE FORGIVEN."
The Whole of Scripture teaches that the essence of vision is to see as God sees… past, present and future.
It about the person, work and love of God in history…
It is about the reality of God in the Present
As much as it is about an idealized future….
Bridge:
Mentors… Fellowship… Devotions… are all tools we can use to sharpen our Vision of God.
The hinge of our Personal Vision is a right of Vision of God…. The very cornerstone of our life…
VISION EXERCISE….
DRAW… or Write…
Body:
Vision for the Future… trouble is coming…
John 16:1 "These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling. 2 "They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God. 3 "These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me. 4 "But these things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them. These things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.
- Jesus has talked about his role as the Son of God… that He and the Father are one… that He is the Lord of Creation and of Judgement… and the Jewish leaders want him dead…
- But Jesus isn’t sharing this to scare the disciples…
- He has been warning them of the events of his death that are yet to unfold….
- Warning because the greatest danger for followers isn’t death… its apostasy… turning away from their faith.
- They don’t have a right understanding… vision of God… they have not known the Father or Jesus….
- Jesus anchors them in a right understanding of who He is… His Mission… His Father…
· Isaiah 6:1 In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. 2 Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory." 4 And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. 5 Then I said, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts."
· A Vision of God…changes us…
- 1 Corinthians 2:2 For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified
- Vision is our defence against trouble… because death is not our enemy but non-belief and apostasy
Vision for the Future… God’s Plan…
5 "But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, 'Where are You going?' 6 "But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
- Cut your finger while making dinner and we grimace and squirm… we think I don’t want to do that again…
- But we will sign up for surgery to fix something… by cutting us open, causing pain… all for the hope of a better future…
- A Vision of God sees that too…
- That whatever pain we endure in the short term… we recognize the nature of God…
- As loving
- As compassionate
- Merciful
- As redeeming
- Not loosing sight of who God is and our hope in him…
- Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
- Jesus said I am moving on… that was the plan from the beginning… and even though your not saying anything… you are not happy…
- But let me tell you…
- It is to YOUR advantage that I go…
- The work of the cross is ahead…
- And the promised Holy Spirit is to come
- Ever hear kids call out… “Are we there yet”
- I have said this before… when we went to Disney World… a 26 hour drive… 1 ½ hours my kids asked are we there yet…
- Now if I had let them out… McDonalds playland would have to be the highlight…
- Jesus is telling them to have hope and take comfort even through the journey ahead… because great things are in store for those who trust in his Name…
- A Vision of God anchors us…
- Vision is hope and our comfort
Vision in Who God is… Help is on the Way…
8 "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; 11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. 12 "I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 14 "He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.
- Vision is seeing who God is… Past, Present and Future
- John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
- Gen 1:1 The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.
- We need to know the God of the Old Testament, The God of the New Testament and the God of Today… for they are the same God.
- The judgement of the Prince of this World and his followers was, is , and will be as promised…
- In Daniel 7: 2 21 "I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and overpowering them 22 until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom.
- Book of Revelation… the promised judgment…
- The Spirit is coming to empower the saints to wage a war against death… offer something better than mere wealth… but offering eternal hope in Christ.
- The Spirit has indwelt us that we might understand the Word of God… that we would see God… the God of History… the God of Today… the God of the Future… that God would be our Vision…
- The Spirit has indwelt us that we might understand the Word of God… that we would take its promises to the core of our being….
- The Spirit has indwelt us that we might understand the Word of God… that we would take its commands to the heart of who we are and what we do….
- The Spirit has indwelt us that we might understand the Word of God… that we would have hope… that we would have life… life more abundantly
- The Spirit has come… that we would come into all understanding… know Father, Son and Spirit… know truth, life and hope…
- Vision of who God is… Past, Present and Future
Conclusion:
Vision for the Future… trouble is coming…
- Vision is our defence against trouble
- What is your anchor…
- A system
- A book
- A thought
- Our a Vision of God
Vision for the Future… God’s Plan…
- Vision is hope and our comfort
- The future apart from God is worthless
- The future with God is glorious
Vision in Who God is… Help is on the Way…
- Vision of who God is… Past, Present and Future
- Know God…
- Through His
- Meditate
- Study
- Submit