Lessons: “Promises”

Lessons: “Promises”

Lessons: Promises

A Sermon by Dr. Bob Griffin, Teaching Elder at Sovereign Grace Church (very slow to upload; please be patient)

I.        PROMISED PROVISION
A.      PROVISION DETERMINED
Jn 14:15 Since you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
1.       WORDS
2.       ACTIONS
also I John 2:3-5 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected.; I John 3:24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him; I John 5:2-3 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.

B.      PROVISION DISCLOSED
Jn 14:16-17a I will also ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see or know Him.
1.       TRIUNE GODHEAD
also Gal 1:6-7 “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to another [hetero] gospel – not that there is another [allos] one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.”
2.       THE GIFT
also Acts 5:3-4 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?  While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.”

The greater work described in John 14:12-14 is impossible without the empowering described in John 14:15-18

C.      PROVISION DEFINED
Jn 14:17b You know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you.
1.       THE SPIRIT THEN
also Psalm 51:11 “Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me”; Genesis 6:3 Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever”
2.       THE SPIRIT NOW
also Rom 8:9 “You, however, are no longer living in your flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God indwells you. Anyone who does not possess the Spirit of Christ in him does not belong to Him.”; I Cor 12:13 “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, Jews or Greeks, slaves or free”

II.       PROMISED PROOF (of His resurrection/return)
A.      PROOF DECLARED
Jn 14:18 I will not leave you as orphans; I am returning to you.
1.       ORPHANS
2.       RETURN
Continuation of teaching from John 14:3 Since I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself

B.      PROOF DELIVERED
1.       ETERNAL LIFE
Jn 14:19 Soon the world will no longer see Me, but you will! Because I live, you will live as well.
also I Cor 15:5-11 = Peter, the Twelve, then 500 brethren, James and last to Paul (in a vision); I Cor 15:20-21But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.”; I Cor 15:23 “Christ the first-fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ”; Heb 13:5-6 “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”
2.       IN CHRIST
Jn 14:20 In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
also Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”; II Cor 5:17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.”

III.      PROMISED PLAN
A.      PLAN DIAGRAMMED
Jn 14:21 The one holding and keeping My commandments is the one who loves Me, and the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love and reveal Myself to him.
1.       OBJECT OF LOVE
also Rom 3:20 “Therefore, by the works of the law no one is justified in His sight”
2.       REVELATION
also Gal 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

B.      PLAN DEFENDED
1.       LIMITED
Jn 14:22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, what’s occurred that You will reveal Yourself to us, and not to the world?”
2.       ABIDING
Jn 14:23-24 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 abide with him. The one who doesn’t love Me doesn’t obey My words; these words you hear are not Mine but from the Father Who sent Me.”
also Rom 11:33 “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God”; Job 11:7 “Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?”

IV.      PROMISED PEACE
A.      PEACE DESCRIBED
1.       HEARING
Jn 14:25 I have said these things to you while I remain with you.
also I Cor 1:21 “the world thru wisdom cannot know God”; II Tim 3:7 “ever learning, never coming to knowledge of truth”
2.       UNDERSTANDING
Jn 14:26 But the Helper (the holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name) will teach you and bring to your remembrance all that I’ve said to you.

B.      PEACE DETAILED
1.       SUBSTANCE
Jn 14:27a I leave peace with you
also Col 1:20 having made peace thru the blood of His cross; Peace from God, bridging the gap
2.       SOURCE
Jn 14:27b I give My peace to you.
3.       SUPERIORITY
Jn 14:27c Not like [the peace] the world gives do I give to you.
also Is 48:22 “There is no peace for the wicked, says the Lord”; Jer 6:14 the prophet condemns false teachers who “heal the brokenness of the people superficially saying Peace, peace, when there is not peace.”
4.       SIGNIFICANCE
Jn 14:27d Don’t let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
also Jer 8:15 We waited for peace, but nothing good came; for a time of healing, but instead terror”; Ps 34:14 “Seek peace and pursue it”;
James 3:17The wisdom from above is above all pure, then bringing peace” – Wisdom from God’s Word; Rom 15:13 God fills with “all joy and peace when we believe”; Phil 4:6-7Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”

V.       PROMISED PRESENCE
A.      PRESENCE DISCERNED
1.       GOOD NEWS
Jn 14:28 You heard Me say earlier, ‘I am going away, and I will return to you.’ If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced that I said ‘I am going to the Father’, for My Father is greater than I.
2.       FOREWARNED
Jn 14:29 And now I have told you before it happens, so that when it does occur you may believe.
also Is 42:9 “Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them”

B.      PRESENCE DEMONSTRATED
Jn 14:30-31 I will not speak much longer with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no [power] over Me, but that the world may know that I love the Father I do what He has commanded Me. Stand up; let’s leave.
1.       OBEDIENCE
2.       STAND