REFRESH Weekend (Audible)
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
Man I couldn’t be more happier to be with you all this weekend. Konnor said it best when we were planning this thing out. These types of events are what we identify as “catalysts” for our student ministries, and that’s a big deal. Here’s what a catalyst is:
catalyst
■ noun a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself undergoing any permanent chemical change.
catalyst
▶ a person or thing that precipitates an event.
—origin early 20th century: from catalysis, on the pattern of analyst.
catalyst
Catherine Soanes and Angus Stevenson, eds., Concise Oxford English Dictionary (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004).catalyst
■ noun a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself undergoing any permanent chemical change.
▶ a person or thing that precipitates an event.
Catherine Soanes and Angus Stevenson, eds., Concise Oxford English Dictionary (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004).
Konnor and I (and our leaders) believe that our student ministries, gathering together this weekend, increases our chance of deep change that could affect us personally, our friends, our families, our churches, and even our communities.
If I could take River Oaks in this hand…and Gateway in this hand, put them in the same container and drop “This Weekend” into it, there would be a chemical reaction due to the planning, coordinating, and structuring of this weekend.
But here’s the thing… The Weekend isn’t actually the catalyst. The Weekend could change at the drop of a dime. If severe weather hit or something crazy, we’d have to cancel. The only thing that could create such a strong reaction and change withOUT itself changing is what Konnor and I know to be true. Jesus is our catalyst, and He physically, spiritually, emotionally, naturally, and holistically changed things without himself changing.
JESUS is in fact a catalyst.
But Jesus isn’t physically with us, how do we “see” him in this, how does this in fact happen? How do we worship Him, Know Him, Follow Him, Obey Him, Abide, and get refreshed with Him?
I want to help you with what you can’t see. And Jesus knows this too.
In fact, he had a similar conversation with His close friends during His ministry and time on this side of eternity.
Transition
Tonight’s passage is taking us into the Gospel of John. And before we look at our passage I want to help us understand some context behind this Gospel that might indeed help our sight and encourage our belief. Because what we can’t see we struggle to believe and I want to help you with that and so does Jesus.
The Gospel of John is uniquely different from the other 3 Gospels. It was written by the disciple whom “Jesus loved.” All of scripture is equally inspired, yet, we can’t help but identify what inspired scripture identifies this man as and he was the one set apart to prepare the way for Jesus, baptized Jesus, and recorded this Gospel for us. His ministry was intense and deeply devoted to helping us believing on Jesus as the actual Son of God, the Messiah, and the King of Kings.
It also was written with the intent to help you see the divine side of Jesus. That is, the harder parts of Jesus that we struggle to believe. For example -
Introduction
The Gospel of John was written to persuade people to believe in Jesus (20:30–31). The opening verses declare that Jesus is God, stressing his unique relationship with God the Father. The book focuses on seven of Jesus’ signs (miracles), to show his divinity. Jesus called people to believe in him, promising eternal life. He proved he could give life by raising Lazarus (ch. 11) and by his own death and resurrection. John features Christ’s seven “I am” statements, his encounters with Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman, his Upper Room teachings and washing of the disciples’ feet (chs. 13–16), and his high priestly prayer (ch. 17). It includes the most well-known summary of the gospel (3:16).
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Jn.
So, you see, it helps to look at a passage that already, as a whole, is going in on what we regularly struggle with. It’s a good place to begin. It’s a good place for us to get some help with what we can’t see.
So let’s get started...
Jesus tells of his death - disciples confused - pain
Jesus washes the disciples feet - - I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. - confusion, foretold adversity
One of you will betray me - pain/confusion
Jesus foretells Peter’s Denial - pain/confusion
Jesus tells them He’s going away, they ask how can we know the way and he drops - I am the way, the truth, and the life.” - pain/confusion
Still confused...
He takes it home with - Promise
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.
25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
John 14:15-
IMPORTANT WORDS
() Helper - emphasis on the fact of “another,” you’re not left with just a, but multiple - there is indeed another person in my absence of helping restore the world back to order through you! The actual word here is parakletos - a pair of cleats. I’m going to use a funny analogy here, and then I’m going to dig into the technical side of this word.
Analogy - I ran cross country in High School and it was so much fun. I know that probably sounds weird to say but it was awesome! I randomly signed up for it because my basketball coach was tired of me crushing the team in our conditioning. So I get signed up. And the thing about cross country is that the sport is very different from the other sports I ran and it all started with shoes. My pair of cleats were actually called magic shoes because they gave me a leg up on the competition and helped me to run more agile. The Holy Spirit gives us an advantage in our walk with the Lord and is what renews and refreshes us on the inside as we seek Him and love Him.
Technical - Advocate, legal representative, mediator, intercessor. He’ll represent you in court and bring out on the inside what everybody can’t see from the outside.
John 14:
() orphan - aka “fatherless.” To be fatherless in these times would have been difficult. The culture was bent on men running the show and to not have a father was like waving a white flag in those times admitting defeat. Jesus is reminding us through the Holy Spirit here that we indeed are not fatherless, but we have a Father who’s done something about our fatherlessness and shame.
) live - the word is “zao” very similar to the word zoo. And you’re right, it’s okay to be an animal, jk. This word has a very important meaning for us. The word referenced here is used many times throughout the New Testament and the drive behind this interpretation is that this word is actually pointing to the physical means of what it means to live. Jesus is saying you might not physically see me, but you will physically live because I am physically alive even though you may not see me! Wow! He’s speaking to the lack of faith because of our sight and encouraging us to fight from the inside instead of using our sight.
18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.
- I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. The world won’t see me, but you will see me. Because I’m alive and live, you also will live.
18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
John 14
This is how Jesus accomplishes the question I asked earlier:
But Jesus isn’t physically with us, how do we “see” him in this, how does this in fact happen? How do we worship Him, Know Him, Follow Him, Obey Him, and Abide with Him?
IMPORTANT WORDS
orphan -
The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father (orphan reference) will teach all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. And what does it leave us with in the midst of our anxiety, fear, and worry? Jesus is leaving and I imagine we feel the same way in life about the way Jesus’ disciples felt when he said he was leaving… - it leaves us with
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
live - the word is “zao” very similar to the word zoo. And you’re right, it’s okay to be an animal, jk. This word has a very important meaning for us. The word referenced here is used many times throughout the New Testament and the drive behind this interpretation is that this word is actually pointing to the physical means of what it means to live. Jesus is saying you might not physically see me, but you will physically live because I am physically alive even though you may not see me! Wow!
The Holy Spirit gives us peace and an advantage during life’s most difficult test in these times! We’re not left alone y’all!
OUR PART
21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”
John 14:
Remembering is keeping through believing the commandments. Our minds and our relationships stay refreshed among the keeping of commandments. When we believe, it’s easy to keep. When we don’t believe, why keep or continue or remain? You must believe. And what you believe you can see!
GOSPEL PRESENTATION