INTRODUCTION: Today we begin a new series on the last words of Jesus He spoke after His resurrection and before He ascended to Heaven.
As I study the last words of Jesus I discovered that His words will help us today in the midst of this crisis we’re all facing.
Matthew, Mark, Luke and Acts give one chapter to the life of Jesus after his resurrection. John gives two chapters.
Today we’re going to John 20. (Share story of Mary going to the tomb and then Peter and John.) Then Mary has an encounter with the resurrected Jesus!
John 20:17 – “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”
DID YOU SEE WHAT JESUS JUST SAID?
(1). I’m Part of a Big Family
Ephesians 2:19- “…but you are members of God’s very own family,”
(2). Jesus is my Big Brother
Romans 8:29- “For he knew all about us before we were born and he destined us from the beginning to share the likeness of his Son. This means the Son is the oldest among a vast family of brothers and sisters who will become just like him.”
I LOVE THESE SCRIPTURES
Revelation 7:9-10- “After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a great roar, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!”
HERE’S A FEW MORE
Revelation 21:1-4- “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
WHAT DOES THIS TELL ME
That when I put my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior, I’m part of a BIG FAMILY, living in a temporary place, headed to my permanent HOME!
And this leads to the third point about what Jesus said that will help you live in this temporary place facing a temporary Coronavirus.
(3). God is My Father Now
“I am ascending to my Father and your Father,”
John 1:12- “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:”
When I put my faith in Jesus Christ God becomes my Father- permanently! EVEN WHILE I’M LIVING IN THIS TEMPORARY WORLD!
After Jesus has an encounter with Mary Magdalene he then has an encounter with with his disciples. Still in John 20.
In that interaction this happens.
John 20:22- “Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT?
In John 14 Jesus is communicating some very important information to His disciples. This is just before His death on the cross.
He’s telling them about the Holy Spirit! Their comforter, helper, teacher!
John 14:18- “No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you.”
God said, he would NEVER leaves us as orphans!
Orphan- Fatherless, comfortless.
Here’s my concern. This crisis we’re living in has revealed that some of us are living like “Orphans” when God said I will NEVER leave you as orphans.
Some of us are living like spiritual orphans. What are two indicators of being a spiritual orphan? FEAR and ANXIETY!
In the natural, there are many orphans out there and it’s tragic!!! And the real tragedy is that most of them have a Dad that has chosen to not be a Father, he’s checked out!
But it’s also sad when there’s a Dad out there who wants to be a Father but the child makes the choice to live Fatherless!
Friends we have a Spiritual Father that has promised He will never leave us as Orphans.
LET’S LIVE AS HIS CHILDREN!
CONCLUSION: I wonder if some us have been living as orphans, or in fear and anxiety, because we’ve set our eyes more on what is temporary than on what is permanent.
I wonder if we’ve been putting more trust in what is temporary than what is permanent?
2 Corinthians 4:17-18- “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
When days get difficult, I need to remind myself 1. I’m Part of a Big Family 2. Jesus is my Big Brother 3. God is my Father NOW!
Romans 8:35-37 – “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.”