Sermons (Page 38)

Betrayal is a uniquely hurtful experience because it comes not from an enemy, but from a friend. In fact, the closer the friend, the greater the hurt of betrayal. In the story of Judas’ betrayal of Jesus, we see Jesus’ friendship and kindness towards Judas, while Judas only continues to harden himself in his plan. All sin is like betrayal – turning against the one who has shown infinite kindness to us, and betraying our allegiance to the one to whom we…

How do you know what Jesus wants for you? How do you discern his priorities for your life? How do you discover what he wants to see happen in and through you? One way is to look at what he prays for you. John 17 provides us with the privilege of being able to listen in to Jesus’ prayer for us. He prays that we would see his glory, and for our protection & preservation, sanctification, mission, and unity.

In this passage of Jesus’ “Farewell Discourse”, he continues to prepare his disciples for his departure. He assures them of something very good (that they have friendship with Jesus), warns them of something somewhat bad (that they should expect the hatred of the world), and promises them something needed (the help of the Holy Spirit). For the Christian, friendship with Jesus should outweigh anything the world could offer, such that we so highly value our relationship to Him that we are willing to…

In the last of Jesus’ “I Am” statements, he compares himself to a vine, and his disciples to the branches. All who abide in him will find life and fruitfulness. All who do not abide in him will find death and judgment. Abiding in Jesus is 1) Essential, 2) Total, 3) Constant, 4) Spiritual. It results in fruitfulness, and in being pruned by God such that we become even more fruitful as Jesus’ disciples. 

In Jesus’ “Farewell Discourse”, he is preparing the disciples for his coming departure. He seeks to relieve their anxiety and sorrow by assuring them 1) that it is no final departure, but that he will return, and 2) that he is not leaving them alone, but leaving them the “parting gift” of the Holy Spirit. Christians should have confidence that they have the Spirit of God in them, enabling them to persevere through difficulties they will face in this life. And, they have…

Christians ought to be known for their love for one another. In preparing to depart, Jesus tells his disciples what he expects of them as they represent him in this world. Above all, they are to be people of love. We tend to think that we are more loving than we actually are, that loving others is easier than it actually is, and that other people’s lack of love is more of a problem than our own. Jesus’ gives us a…

Jesus tells us that his washing of the disciples’ feet is an example for us. His example teaches us that in order to serve like Christ, we should 1) serve in humility, 2) serve even in the hardest of circumstances, 3) take the initiative to serve, 4) serve even the least deserving, and 5) serve with love as our motive. When we realize that the footwashing points to the deeper cleansing Jesus accomplished for us by enduring the cross for…

What does devotion to Jesus look like? How do we grow in our love and devotion to him? This passage shows us an example of devotion to Jesus that is: 1) personal, 2) public, 3) costly, 4) humble, and 5) extravagant. And, we are reminded that we grow in our devotion to Jesus not by looking inward towards our ability to love God (which is always imperfect, failing, and faulty), but by remembering his love for us – and what Jesus…

In this passage we see 1) the rebellious schemes of men, set in contrast to 2) the plan of God. In all their scheming against Jesus, they only accomplish God’s plan – His plan to rescue his people by the substitutionary, sacrificial death of Jesus.