July 26th 2020

Clearwater Community Church - FL

July 26th 2020

Glory and Grace - The Gospel of John Continued

July 26, 2020 • Pastor Josh Kee • John 14:1–14

John 14:1-14 Sermon Info // July 26, 2020

Title: Glory and Grace

Outline:
1. 14: 1-4 :: Replace fear with faith
a. (v. 1) "Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God; believe also in me."
i. Exhortation: "Let not your hearts be troubled" - "be in control of yourself"; remove fear from your heart
ii. Command 1: "believe in God"
iii. Command 2: "believe also in me"
1. Jesus will take their trouble upon himself (12:27)
2. To trust the Son is to trust the Father
3. The remedy to our fear is belief in the trinitarian God
b. (v. 2) Foundation of belief
i. Jesus encourages his disciples by pointing them to their ultimate possession, which is to dwell in God's house as God's children
ii. (v. 2a) "In my Father's house there are many rooms"
1. "Jesus begins the discourse proper by telling the disciples of their inheritance, and invites them, heirs of the eternal house of God (8:35), to visualize and embrace even now the bountiful blessings offered to the children of God." (Klink, 615)
2. The faithfulness of God to keep his promises is the bedrock of our confidence and courage
. (v. 2b) "If it were not so, would I tell you that I am going to prepare a place for you?"
1. The going itself is the preparation
2. "The cross, resurrection, and ascension to the Father is the preparation, the provision of permanent dwelling with God." (Klink, 615)
iv. (v. 3) "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you with me, in order that where I am you also may be."
1. Promise: If I leave, I will return, guaranteed
0. Goal: "that where I am you may be also"
1. Being present with Christ is the goal of the cross, the resurrection, and the ascension

2. 14:5-7 :: Jesus is the I Am
a. (v. 5) Thomas's confusion
. (v. 6) "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"
i. Sixth of seven formal "I Am" statements (the Light of the world, the Gate, the Bread of life, the Good Shepherd, the resurrection and the life, the true vine)
. Jesus is the way, because he is the truth and the life
i. Summary: "Jesus destroys the wall that divides humanity from God (the way), denies the falsehood that distorts humanity in relation to God (the truth), and defeats the last and greatest enemy of humanity, death (the life)." (Klink, quoting Calvin, p. 618)
a. (v. 7) "If you have known me, you will know my Father also. From now on you know him and have seen him."

0. 14:8-14 :: The Christian’s Work
a. (v. 8) Philip's ignorance - "Philip said to him, 'Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.'"
i. They were looking for more - something else - but Jesus is enough!
ii. Jesus's glorification (death, resurrection, and ascension) will finish the work, usher in the Holy Spirit and illuminate the eyes of his followers so they apprehend the way, the truth, and the life
b. (vv. 9-11) Jesus's rebuke
. (v. 12) - The Christian's involvement in God's work
i. Christians are brought into God's redemptive work in Christ
iii. It is better to have Christ in us than Christ with us
a. (vv. 13-14) Prayer is the work
i. "Prayer is the lifeblood of Christian existence…and the most properly basic Christian activity." (Klink, p. 626)
1. We cannot accomplish the work on our own
2. We join Jesus in his mission primarily through prayer
3. Our prayers must be prayed in accord with all that Jesus's name stands for - as we pray accordingly, we can be confident that Jesus will give us
4. Jesus will accomplish it as we prayerfully submit to him in faith
5. The goal of Jesus's ongoing work through believers is the glory of his Father
ii. People are the mission. Prayer is the work. Christ is the hope. The Spirit is the power. To God be the glory.

Benediction:
Romans 15:13 - "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."

Discussion Questions:
1. What causes your heart to be troubled? Where are you prone to fear? What does it mean for you to “believe in God, and also in [Jesus]” right now?
2. Faith in Jesus stabilizes in a consistently unstable world. What anchors you in the midst of life’s storms? What false anchors are you prone to grasp for when life is hard? What false anchors is the church prone to grasp for in troubling times?
3. What shapes your understanding of truth? How can Jesus stabilize us in a day when truth and facts are constantly being blurred?
4. Meditate on this statement: Jesus shows us the Father, makes us pleasing to the Father, reconciles us to the Father, and gives us access to ask anything according to the Father’s character. We are brought into the heart of the Father and invited to join Jesus in his work, empowered by his Spirit.
a. Which parts of that statement catch your attention? Which parts do you struggle to believe? Which excite you?
5. “Prayer is the lifeblood of Christian existence…and the most properly basic Christian activity” (Ed Klink).
a. What does Jesus teach us about the importance of prayer in God’s continual redemptive work in the world?
b. How is your prayer life? What motivates you to pray, or to not pray?
c. What kinds of things do you typically pray for? Are they after God’s character, desiring to submit to him, or after what God might give you to make life better?
d. How can you join Christ’s work in prayer this week? Who can you pray for?

October 18, 2020

October 18, 2020 • Pastor Phil Burggraff • John 21

Passage: John 21:1–25 Theme: Glory and Grace Followed What following means for the church: 1. We have a mission to continue Jesus’ work. 2. Our catching of people depends solely on the person and work of Jesus. 3. Church life reflects participation in and fellowship with Jesus. What following means for the leader: 1. Our love for one another stems from Christ’s love for us. 2. Love for Christ leads to the action of caring for Christ’s sheep. 3. Our lives are at Christ’s disposal. Main Idea: Those focused on the glory and grace of Jesus Christ will follow their Lord wherever he leads to accomplish his mission and care for his sheep.

October 11, 2020

October 11, 2020 • Pastor Phil Burggraff • John 20:19–31

Theme: Glory and Grace Commissioned Passage: John 20:19–31 As the new creation of Jesus Christ, we possess: 1. Peace grounded in Jesus’ work (19–20) 2. a Mission started by the Father (21) 3. Participation in God through the Spirit (22) 4. the Authority of God on earth today (23) 5. a Faith based on witness to Jesus Christ (24–29) Main Idea: God culminates his work on earth in the body of his Son, the church. He has commissioned us to • Declare Jesus is the Christ. • Display Jesus is our life. Application Questions: • When you think of peace, what comes to mind? From what you recall from the sermon and what is spoken of elsewhere in scripture, how does the Bible describe peace? • How does v. 21, “as the Father has sent me, I am sending you,” impact your view of missions? What does it indicate about you personally? • How do we as believers forgive sins today (v. 23)? • What do vv. 24–29 teach us about belief? Do you truly “believe” Jesus’ words that you are blessed because you haven’t seen but believed? Why do you think we still look for signs/indicators from Jesus in order for us to believe? • How do we live out the purpose of the gospel in vv. 30¬–31 today?

October 4, 2020

October 4, 2020 • Pastor Phil Burggraff • John 20:1–18

October 4th 2020 - The Reality of the Empty Tomb John 20: 1-18 The reality of the empty tomb: • The report of Mary and the women (1–2) • The discovery of the two disciples (3–9) • The elicited response of the disciples (10) Truths that we can make from the empty tomb: 1) The empty tomb produces belief in those who are truly the children of God. 2) The empty tomb indicates a new creation has dawned. 3) The empty tomb demonstrates Jesus possesses the power and authority of God. Mary’s experience indicates the following concerning our sorrowful condition: 1. The resurrected Jesus made atonement to overcome grief with grace. 2. The resurrected Jesus made a relationship with God possible again for fallen sinners. 3. The resurrected Jesus made his followers into the true family of God. Main Idea: By his resurrection, Jesus overcomes grief by enabling a relationship that will never end.