Sept 22, 2013 Sunday Sermon - Lift Up Your Eyes and Look Around

This Sunday we continued to look at some of the final thoughts of Jesus as he concludes the Last Supper Discourse, specifically John 16:1-15.  He has prepared His disciples by forewarning them of the trials and suffering that were to be their experience after He goes away.  Jesus addresses their sorrow over His announcing He would soon leave them.  I can imagine the confusion and anxiety this announcement must have had on this group of men who have given up everything to follow Him.  But He not only tells them He is leaving He also tells them they will actually be better of because of His leaving.

I wonder if you have ever thought how great it would be to walk and live with Jesus in the world like His disciples did?  I have.  But the message I got from this Sunday’s sermon and scripture passage is this:

Jesus says it is true that like His first disciples I am better off because He went away; better than actually walking and living with Him while He was in this world.  If He had not gone away to the cross, died, been buried, rose from the dead and ascended into heaven there would be no good news for any of us.   If Jesus had not gone away the Holy Spirit would not have come and I would be without the indwelling comforter and be lost in my sins.  If He had not gone away the Holy Spirit would not be in the world convicting the lost concerning sin, righteousness and judgement.  There would be no hope for any of us.  Thank God His ways are not our ways!

Like those first disciples I (we) need to remember this world is not our home; our journey on this earth is temporary.  Jesus has made “the way” open to enter God’s Kingdom.  It is now available to anyone who will repent and trust Jesus with their life forever.  

We need to turn from the inward focused life that we so easily fall into.  We need to lift up our eyes, look around, see what God is doing in the world around us (our home, workplace, community and church) and then join Him in what He is doing.