Well good morning! I need to hit a few housekeeping items. There are two "huge" opportunities coming up that are going to deepen Lakeside's impact in Spfld.
First, there is the Intentional Church Conference that's coming up in Decatur. You can think of it as the Intentional "Christian" Conference. We are taking van loads of people to Decatur so you can learn how to "live your life on mission." This is a way our church wants to invest in you, and remove the blinders so you can see how God can use you to change his world. We're covering the cost. We're giving everyone who goes a book. The conference is a First Christian Church in Decatur. This is a church that was Lakeside's size that has been flourishing. We want to learn from them. Take out your connection and mark your interest. Look for an email from Daniel Thompson.
Second, and we make no apologies about this, we need to expand our parking lot, and we want to do it without adding any new debt. We need around $150,000 dollars to add 48 concrete spaces to the north. The work will begin this Spring. On Easter we are taking up a special offering to build this parking lot. Every space represents a family that could be reached for Jesus. Friends this is the next step for a growing church--I hope you are excited as I am about what God is doing here! Will you make your mark this Easter as we invest in future together?
So last week we started this new series we're calling "Under Pressure." We live in a world where people feel extraordinary pressure. Last week, the State Journal Registrar featured in article in the voice called "Under Pressure." It's all about the pressure teenagers feel growing up. Parental pressure. Peer, relationship pressure. Academic, Performance, College/career, Extracurricular pressure. Job pressure (many students working). Teens are stressed out and under pressure!
If you were to rank the pressure you feel from 1 to 10, what's your number? Now turn to someone near you and tell them your number! Go ahead, what's your number? Why do you feel so much pressure in your life? I hope you ask others to pray for you, so that you aren't facing that pressure alone.
Did you know Jesus never promised we wouldn't face trouble in our lives? He didn't even promise this to his closest disciples. In John 16:33 Jesus says, "In this world you will have trouble..." But here is the thing. Even in the face of pressure, we can find peace. We can know joy. Jesus says, "you will have trouble... but take heart (take cheer) I've overcome the world." Wouldn't you like to know about finding peace in the midst of the pressure? I'm so excited to talk about this today!
Let's begin with a couple of verses. In John 14:1 Jesus says, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me." Our faith in Jesus enables us to find peace no matter the trouble we encounter. Do you believe that? In John 14:27 Jesus says, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." No matter how much the pressure builds up outside, we should be totally at peace inside. John 14 is the peace chapter. Everything you need to know about finding peace is in John 14.
Let me tell you five ways to find peace, Jesus' way. Before I do, you should know that in John 14 pressure is mounting on the disciples. Jesus has told them that is about to be betrayed, that he is going to suffer and die, and later rise from the grave. But of course, the disciples didn't understand that last part. It was very evident to them that something terrible was about to happen to them all, and that Jesus would die.
If you were to poll the disciples, their stress level would have been 10. If you were to poll Jesus, his stress level would have been off the charts--remember he was under so much pressure in the final hour of his life, in that garden, "his sweat became like drops blood."
But we're not talking about outer pressure, we're talking about inner peace. Despite the pressure without, Jesus had peace within. Despite the trouble, in John 14 Jesus is teaching his disciples ahead of time, how they can know peace, so that when they experience his death they might not be afraid.
One way we can have peace is knowing our eternal destiny.
In John 14:2-3 Jesus says, "My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am there to prepare a place for you? And if I go there to prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."
One thing I've never taken for granted is having a good home. So when I was younger, yes, our family hit some hard patches. But in general, no matter what pressurs I experienced at school (in relationships, academically, etc), I knew I could come home every night and rest well, knowing I was loved, and that I was safe. In college, Lara's family was that kind of place. In marriage, Lara & I have built a wonderful peaceful home together. A home should be like a refuge--no matter what pressures you face out there, you know at the end of the day, you'll be at home with the one you loved.
This is Jesus point. No matter how displaced you feel by pressure, I'm preparing a place for you in my Father's house. And if I prepare such a place, I'm coming back to take you so that you will be where I am.
A second way we can have peace is (always) knowing the path forward.
Do you realize the more sin that's involved in a situation, the more confused we feel? It's true. The further you walk into sin and death, the further you walk into darkness, the more disoriented you become. You don't know what to do. Do you say this, do you say that, do you turn left or turn right? Sometime a person's made so many sinful and evil choices, it appears there is NO WAY OUT.
But friends there is always a way out, no matter how great you're trouble. A way that we can have peace is quite simply, to keep our eyes on Jesus. If heaven is your destiny, Jesus says in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
To short path out of trouble, out of darkness into light, is following Jesus. He is the way, he is the truth, he is the life that is truly life. You haven't started living until you've started following Jesus. If you are in trouble, and you are drowning in confusion about what to do, I want to recommend you do something practical. Grab your Bible, turn to the gospel of Matthew, and read Matthew 5-6-7. God will really speak to you, if you would ask him to show you the way of Jesus in the midst of your trouble.
A third way we can have peace is praying for help.
In John 14:13-14 Jesus tells his disciples, "... I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask for anything in my name and I will do it."
What you probably noticed in this verse is Jesus says, "ask anything." If you could ask anything of God, and the answer be yes, your life and this world would descend into a hell of its own making. No where does Jesus just say, "ask anything of God."
So the phrase you probably didn't notice is Jesus says, "anything... so that the Father may be glorified in the Son." Nothing brings greater peace than when we get on our knees and ask how God might be glorified in our trouble. This is the key to powerful prayer. God what glorifies you in the pressure. In the garden, Jesus prayed, "Well not my will be done, but your will be done."
Within the boundary of God being glorified, ask anything you want! Your marriage is headed toward divorce. Someone is taking you to court. A person spits in your face. Your facing financial ruin, bills are piling up. Someone wronged you and your seething with rage. Someone insulted you, and you want to strike back. Someone lied, and betrayed your trust.
The way of peace is to step back and pray, "God how can I glorify you in this circumstance." It's to get into Gods' word and analyze, "What did Jesus do?"
A fourth way we can have peace to trust our Advocate, the Holy Spirit
In John 14:15-17a, Jesus says, "If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever--the Spirit of truth... you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you." In John 14:26 says, "... the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."
An advocate is someone who has your back, no matter what trouble you face. Jesus is telling his disciples, it's good that I have to go. Because when I go, I'm sending my Holy Spirit to advocate for you, and from within you. So what does this mean?
There are times, even as a pastor, when I've begun to stray from God's path. Maybe I was getting discouraged. Maybe I was growing impatient. Maybe I was feeling hurt by someone, or getting distracted by worldly ambitions. The devil is always working on us pastors!
Throughout my life, the Holy Spirit's voice is deafening. Because there he is, always reminding me of God's call on my life, reminding me of Christ's commandments, showing me how to walk in love, convicting me of the need to bear godly fruit, to be productive, to not be distracted, to be single minded in devotion to Jesus. When you love God, the Holy Spirit is always there pointing you to Jesus, advocating God's very best in your life. The Holy Spirit is our finest counselor. He is our helper. Our teacher, our mentor. The Spirit is our constant companion walking with us in trouble steering us to the way of Jesus. Peace is walking with the Holy Spirit.
A final way we can have peace is knowing we have a defeated foe.
Jesus point to the disciples is that yes, Satan is going to unleash pain, death, trouble, crucifixion. But I'll end with what Jesus says in John 14:30, "I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me. . ." The prince trouble maker of this world, the stress maker, the pressure maker, ... he has no power over Jesus. He is a vanquished foe. He has been defeated. He's not even a footnote, he's been trodden underfoot by Jesus. Any trouble stirred up by the evil one will be overshadowed by the coming glory of Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
We're going to have pressure. But PEACE is . . . knowing your destiny, keeping your eyes on Jesus, praying for help, listening to the Holy Spirit, and remembering the evil one has been defeated.
I asked what level of pressure you had. 1 to 10? But I want to end by asking what level of PEACE do you have? 1 to 10? You can have 10 pressure and 10 peace in Jesus.