Scripture John 16:31-33
Two people have
mentioned to me how we spent an entire year emphasizing the importance of being
at worship. And now look at us – we can’t even invite anyone to come. However, that is not true and all we need to
do is change one word to make that work just as well. There is an importance of being AT worship
but an even greater importance to being IN worship. We are still in worship
together here.
Doing all we did
to try and increase people’s presence and participation in worship then have
this situation take place would be like Jesus teaching and teaching and
teaching the disciples about himself and the kingdom of God and them finally
getting it and believing in him and then all of a sudden everyone has to be
sent away from Jesus to their own homes.
John 16:31-33
You believe at last!" Jesus answered. 32 "But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be
scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not
alone, for my Father is with me. 33 I
have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you
will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
Here
is this crazy dichotomy – we are more isolated and alone across the globe than
we have ever been – yet we are also closer together. The world has a common
enemy and we don’t care who finds the solution as long as somebody does. As a
church, we are quarantined as much as we are able (some people continue in
their jobs, but many are stuck at home), yet I am sharing 10 minutes every
morning with those who are interested and here we are still gathered in mind
and spirit though apart in the body. Praise God for the technology that allows
us to do this.
We
are here because we believe Jesus is bigger than the Corona Virus and that
Jesus alone brings abundant and eternal life. We believe! That is what Jesus
just said, you believe at last!
What is it they believe? Our text
is toward the end of the Last Supper Sermon (quite lengthy) and just prior to
our text we read; John 16:29-30 Then
Jesus' disciples said, "Now you are speaking
clearly and without figures of speech. 30 Now
we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have
anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God."
They
believe Jesus is from God! Jesus says, FINALLY!!!
You believe at last!
Then he goes on to say, Belief is
first, but not all will be easy. 32 "But a time
is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home.
Seriously, can you imagine what it would be like to have everyone scattered to
their own home? That could never happen. Imagine our current situation with NO
technology NO phones NO electricity NO cars NO stores open. Imagine it like
that right before Jesus goes to the cross.
He is looking for you, but you are isolated, and scared in your own
home. You will leave me all alone. There
is good news for Jesus. Yet I am not alone, for my
Father is with me. Why does
he tell this to the disciples? I have told you these
things, so that in me you may have peace. In other words, don’t beat
yourself up, I will be ok – my Father will look after me. When you isolate
yourself from me – don’t feel guilty because of what you have done to me. I am
ok. When you recognize you have closed yourself off from me, that is when you
can begin to receive my peace. It is the fool who doesn’t realize he has
neglected me that will have no peace. You realize you have locked me out of
your house like a virus you want to keep at arm’s length. It is that
recognition that begins the restoration process and in that very moment I want
to give you peace knowing that you are opening yourself back up to me.
In this
world you will have (the Corona Virus)
trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
The Personnel
Journal reported this incredible statistic: since the beginning of recorded
history, the entire world has been at peace less than eight percent of the
time! In its study, the periodical discovered that of 3530 years of recorded
history, only 286 years saw peace. Moreover, in excess of 8000 peace treaties
were made—and broken.
Duke University
did a study on “peace of mind.” Factors found to contribute greatly to
emotional and mental stability are:
1. The absence
of suspicion and resentment. Nursing a grudge was a major factor in
unhappiness.
2. Not living in
the past. An unwholesome preoccupation with old mistakes and failures leads to
depression.
3. Not wasting
time and energy fighting conditions you cannot change. Cooperate with life,
instead of trying to run away from it.
4. Force
yourself to stay involved with the living world. Resist the temptation to
withdraw and become reclusive during periods of emotional stress.
5. Refuse to
indulge in self-pity when life hands you a raw deal. Accept the fact that
nobody gets through life without some sorrow and misfortune.
6. Cultivate the
old-fashioned virtues—love, humor, compassion and loyalty
7. Do not expect
too much of yourself. When there is too wide a gap between self-expectation and
your ability to meet the goals you have set, feelings of inadequacy are
inevitable.
8. Find
something bigger than yourself to believe in. Self-centered egotistical people
score lowest in any test for measuring happiness.
When your bills are paid, when the
weather is great, when your marriage is good and your family is all doing well,
when you are healthy, when your job is secure, when there is no war or major
world threat, it is easy to be at peace. But that is cheap peace – nothing
wrong with it – we all want that – but what about having the ability to have
peace when your health is threatened, when your relationships are in turmoil,
when your job is on the line, when your finances are taking a dive – what would
it look like to have peace in times like that – and is that even possible. Jesus said: In
this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
PAINTING OF
PEACE
Long ago a man
sought the perfect picture of peace. Not finding one that satisfied, he
announced a contest to produce this masterpiece. The challenge stirred the
imagination of artists everywhere, and paintings arrived from far and wide.
Finally the great day of revelation arrived. The judges uncovered one peaceful
scene after another, while the viewers clapped and cheered. The tensions grew.
Only two pictures remained veiled. As a judge pulled the cover from one, a hush
fell over the crowd. A mirror-smooth lake reflected lacy, green birches under
the soft blush of the evening sky. Along the grassy shore, a flock of sheep
grazed undisturbed. Surely this was the winner.
The man with the
vision uncovered the second painting himself, and the crowd gasped in surprise.
Could this be peace? A tumultuous waterfall cascaded down a rocky precipice;
the crowd could almost feel its cold, penetrating spray. Stormy-gray clouds
threatened to explode with lightning, wind and rain. In the midst of the
thundering noises and bitter chill, a spindly tree clung to the rocks at the edge
of the falls. One of its branches reached out in front of the torrential waters
as if foolishly seeking to experience its full power. A little bird had built a
nest in the elbow of that branch. Content and undisturbed in her stormy
surroundings, she rested on her eggs. With her eyes closed and her wings ready
to cover her little ones, she manifested peace that transcends all earthly
turmoil.
Philippians
4:6-9
Do not be anxious about anything, but in
everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to
God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers,
whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or
praiseworthy — think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard
from me (what they have learned from Paul would
be the words of Jesus), or seen in me — put it into practice. And
the God of peace will be with you.
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