WEBVTT 00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:02.799 John chapter 14, we're gonna be starting verse 8. 00:00:02.959 --> 00:00:14.640 So we're continuing on, you know, through our study of John, and we're continuing on through this long discourse of uh that Jesus is giving to his disciples. 00:00:14.880 --> 00:00:27.839 And just to give you a picture of what's going on, they're reclining around this U-shaped table at the Last Supper, they're in this upper room, and Jesus is giving them some last instructions. 00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:30.640 This is the night before he's gonna go to the cross. 00:00:30.800 --> 00:00:43.679 So he's giving them the last instructions, he's giving them a handful of reassurances, and he's really giving them a lot of heads up on the things that are to come, on what to expect on what is coming next. 00:00:43.840 --> 00:00:48.719 So keeping all of that in mind, let's stand if you're able for the reading of God's Word. 00:00:49.039 --> 00:00:53.520 John chapter 14, starting in verse 8. 00:00:54.159 --> 00:00:58.399 Lord said Philip, show us the Father, and that's enough for us. 00:00:58.640 --> 00:01:04.159 Jesus said to him, Have I been among you all this time, and you do not know me, Philip? 00:01:04.400 --> 00:01:07.760 The one who has seen me has seen the Father. 00:01:07.920 --> 00:01:09.920 How can you say, Show us the Father? 00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:14.239 Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? 00:01:14.480 --> 00:01:18.079 The words I speak to you I do not speak on my own. 00:01:18.319 --> 00:01:21.280 The Father who lives in me does his works. 00:01:21.599 --> 00:01:25.120 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me. 00:01:25.359 --> 00:01:28.319 Otherwise, believe because of the works themselves. 00:01:28.640 --> 00:01:39.439 Truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do, and he will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. 00:01:39.680 --> 00:01:45.680 Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 00:01:45.920 --> 00:01:49.200 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. 00:01:49.439 --> 00:01:52.560 If you love me, you will keep my commands. 00:01:52.719 --> 00:01:58.400 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another counselor to be with you forever. 00:01:58.719 --> 00:02:00.719 He is the Spirit of Truth. 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:05.840 The world is unable to receive him because it doesn't see him or know him. 00:02:06.159 --> 00:02:10.960 But you do know him because he remains with you and will be in you. 00:02:11.199 --> 00:02:12.240 Let's pray. 00:02:12.560 --> 00:02:15.360 Lord, I thank you so much for this passage. 00:02:15.599 --> 00:02:23.439 Lord, I know that there's something in here for us as a church as a whole, but also for each individual that's here today. 00:02:23.680 --> 00:02:25.439 Lord, so would you point us to that? 00:02:25.599 --> 00:02:39.439 Would you show us what it is that you want us to learn here, that you want us to apply to our life, that you want to change in us so that we can become more and more like Jesus. 00:02:39.599 --> 00:02:44.800 So would you speak here today and show us what that is right in this passage? 00:02:44.960 --> 00:02:48.159 May we have open ears and open hearts, we pray. 00:02:48.319 --> 00:02:49.360 In Jesus' name. 00:02:49.599 --> 00:02:50.080 Amen. 00:02:50.400 --> 00:02:51.680 You may be seated. 00:02:52.560 --> 00:03:04.159 So two weeks ago, we left off in chapter 14, and Jesus had told them that he was going to a place that they couldn't come to yet. 00:03:05.039 --> 00:03:12.080 But that he would be preparing a place for them and would come and he would then take them to himself. 00:03:12.479 --> 00:03:24.240 And he continued to tell them that he and the Father are one, and that he desires that same oneness he shares with the Father with us for all eternity. 00:03:24.479 --> 00:03:28.319 And that's why he's preparing that place for us. 00:03:28.960 --> 00:03:34.479 So there's one thing that I want to give you a heads up on before we jump into these verses. 00:03:34.639 --> 00:03:42.639 You know, a lot of what we're going to be talking about today is dependent upon us walking by the Holy Spirit. 00:03:44.159 --> 00:03:49.680 But Jesus doesn't bring that up until towards the end of the passage that we're in today. 00:03:49.840 --> 00:03:56.560 So we're going to have a lot of teasers and cliffhangers about the Holy Spirit until we get to the end. 00:03:56.639 --> 00:03:57.840 But we're going to get there. 00:03:57.919 --> 00:04:04.800 We're going to spend a good chunk of the end of this message talking about the Holy Spirit and what it means to walk by the Holy Spirit. 00:04:05.039 --> 00:04:08.400 So we're going to have a lot of those, like, but not yet. 00:04:08.560 --> 00:04:10.000 First, we we need to go to. 00:04:10.240 --> 00:04:11.520 So just be prepared for that. 00:04:11.680 --> 00:04:22.720 Now, our passage two weeks ago ended with Jesus telling his disciples that he is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one comes to the Father except through him. 00:04:22.959 --> 00:04:24.160 Just like we just say. 00:04:24.800 --> 00:04:28.160 And then he's said in verse 7, you can look at that with me. 00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:29.920 We're going to get a little bit of a running start. 00:04:30.000 --> 00:04:34.639 In verse 7, he says, If you know me, you will also know my Father. 00:04:34.879 --> 00:04:40.240 From now on, you do know him and have seen him. 00:04:40.639 --> 00:04:43.600 Which leads to Philip's statement here in verse 8. 00:04:43.839 --> 00:04:49.040 Lord, said Philip, show us the Father, and that's enough for us. 00:04:49.279 --> 00:04:57.279 Now, Jesus just said in the previous sentence, if you know me, you will also know the Father. 00:04:57.439 --> 00:05:00.879 From now on, you do know him and have seen him. 00:05:01.279 --> 00:05:07.839 But I think the disciples thought that they were actually going to physically see God the Father, or maybe they were just hoping for that. 00:05:07.920 --> 00:05:08.800 I don't know. 00:05:09.279 --> 00:05:15.920 But they hadn't realized that they have seen Jesus and have therefore seen the Father as well. 00:05:16.240 --> 00:05:21.519 So not grasping that yet, Philip says, Okay, well then show us the Father. 00:05:21.759 --> 00:05:24.480 So Jesus patiently responds, look at verse 9. 00:05:24.639 --> 00:05:30.879 Jesus said to him, Have I been among you all this time and you do not know me, Philip? 00:05:31.040 --> 00:05:35.759 You know, at my count, I went through from from chapter 1, verse 1. 00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:43.360 Jesus has already told them or alluded to the fact that he and the Father are one 15 times. 00:05:43.600 --> 00:05:48.319 It's more than once a chapter that Jesus has spoken to his disciples about this. 00:05:48.560 --> 00:06:03.360 And there's gonna be more as we go on through the book of John of Jesus speaking about his oneness with the Father, but they need the repetition because they still aren't quite getting it yet. 00:06:03.519 --> 00:06:06.480 That if they've seen Jesus, that they've seen the Father. 00:06:06.720 --> 00:06:10.079 But at least these disciples are asking honest questions, right? 00:06:10.160 --> 00:06:12.959 I don't think God minds us asking honest questions. 00:06:13.120 --> 00:06:18.319 We've already seen that just in this scene with Peter, with Thomas, and now with Philip. 00:06:18.480 --> 00:06:20.560 They're trying very hard to understand. 00:06:20.639 --> 00:06:22.399 So we need to give them credit for that. 00:06:22.720 --> 00:06:26.959 But they don't have the Holy Spirit indwelling them yet. 00:06:27.439 --> 00:06:36.240 Helping them to understand all of these things, helping them to understand scripture, to understand the things that Jesus is saying to them. 00:06:36.639 --> 00:06:47.759 You know, I can't imagine trying to understand Scripture and the teachings of Jesus and then living them out without the help of the Holy Spirit inside of us. 00:06:48.480 --> 00:06:53.600 And Jesus is going to get to that, but he first continues on regarding his oneness with the Father. 00:06:53.759 --> 00:06:55.360 Look at the second half of verse 9. 00:06:55.600 --> 00:07:01.279 He says, the one who has seen me has seen the Father. 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:06.879 Their oneness between Jesus and the Father, it's complete. 00:07:09.199 --> 00:07:12.319 Looking at one is looking at the other. 00:07:12.560 --> 00:07:22.319 You know, one of the main things that we cover when we go through premarital counseling with couples, engaged couples before they get married, is the process of becoming one. 00:07:22.480 --> 00:07:24.720 We talk a lot about that process. 00:07:24.959 --> 00:07:27.439 Which we find in Genesis chapter 2.24. 00:07:27.519 --> 00:07:35.759 It says this This is why a man leaves his father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they become one flesh. 00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:44.000 So we talk with these couples a lot about oneness being a lifelong process that they're going to be engaged in. 00:07:44.319 --> 00:07:51.199 Because you don't just say I do at a wedding ceremony, and then you're perfectly one from that point forward. 00:07:51.360 --> 00:07:53.839 And if you're married, you know what we're talking about. 00:07:54.000 --> 00:07:57.040 Like you're just, it's a process, it takes a long time. 00:07:59.600 --> 00:08:12.399 And I joke about this, but it's so true, I think, you know, in a lot of ways, that couples that really become one later in life, they can actually start to look like each other. 00:08:13.120 --> 00:08:31.439 And I don't mean that in a bad way where one becomes less masculine or one becomes less feminine, but sometimes they start to look similar as they age together, similar glasses, sometimes similar haircuts, similar clothes or shoes, you know, sometimes similar facial hair, you know, things like that. 00:08:31.680 --> 00:08:33.840 But I'm just kidding about that one. 00:08:34.080 --> 00:08:37.279 But don't email me, do not email me. 00:08:37.360 --> 00:08:38.960 That was just a joke. 00:08:39.440 --> 00:08:44.879 But I think all of that is actually part of that process of becoming one. 00:08:44.960 --> 00:08:47.679 You actually start to look a little bit alike. 00:08:47.919 --> 00:08:50.879 But there's a big difference with Jesus and the Father. 00:08:51.200 --> 00:08:55.519 They're not in the process of becoming one, like a husband and wife. 00:08:55.679 --> 00:08:56.799 They are one. 00:08:57.360 --> 00:08:58.240 Perfectly. 00:08:58.559 --> 00:08:59.519 No process. 00:08:59.840 --> 00:09:00.799 It's done. 00:09:01.039 --> 00:09:08.159 So much so that Jesus can say, the one who has seen me has seen the Father. 00:09:08.559 --> 00:09:19.519 These disciples of Jesus had been hearing and watching the Father for the last three years because they were seeing and watching Jesus that whole time. 00:09:19.759 --> 00:09:22.080 But they didn't realize it at the time. 00:09:22.320 --> 00:09:29.360 Which leads to Jesus saying at the end of verse 9, how can you say, Show us the Father? 00:09:29.679 --> 00:09:34.240 Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? 00:09:34.720 --> 00:09:40.000 You know, you may have noticed the book of John can be highly repetitious, can't it? 00:09:40.240 --> 00:09:48.480 But if the disciples back then needed it repeated to them over and over and over again, I'm willing to bet that we do too. 00:09:48.720 --> 00:09:58.559 You know, this concept is repeated so much that Jesus asks Philip outright, right here, how can you say, show us the Father? 00:09:58.720 --> 00:10:02.480 I think Jesus is a little flabbergasted at this point of just like, really? 00:10:02.799 --> 00:10:04.799 You're not quite getting it yet? 00:10:04.960 --> 00:10:12.320 But Jesus goes on, second half of verse 10, he said, The words I speak to you, I do not speak on my own. 00:10:12.559 --> 00:10:16.559 The Father who lives in me does his works. 00:10:17.200 --> 00:10:21.039 This right here is our goal as disciples. 00:10:21.279 --> 00:10:28.320 As we become more like Jesus, to be able to say, the words I speak are not my own. 00:10:28.639 --> 00:10:32.720 Everything I do is God working through me. 00:10:32.879 --> 00:10:34.399 Isn't that the ultimate goal? 00:10:34.559 --> 00:10:40.000 I don't think we're ever gonna get there, this side of eternity, but that is what we're shooting for. 00:10:40.799 --> 00:10:45.279 Again, something we cannot do without the Holy Spirit, but that's coming. 00:10:45.519 --> 00:10:48.480 Alright, first let's look at verse 11. 00:10:48.960 --> 00:10:53.440 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me. 00:10:53.679 --> 00:10:57.840 Otherwise, believe because of the works themselves. 00:10:58.080 --> 00:11:18.399 You know, even if Philip and the other disciples are struggling to take Jesus at his word, they can at least look at the works that God is doing through him, the miracles, the signs, the acts, the teachings, and know that he is one with the Father, that he is from the Father, and that the Father is in him. 00:11:18.879 --> 00:11:31.519 You know, they could have believed in Jesus just from his words, or just from his works, but Jesus graciously gives them both, his words and his works. 00:11:31.679 --> 00:11:35.279 And regarding Jesus' works, look at what it says here in verse 12. 00:11:35.600 --> 00:11:46.639 Truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do, and he will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. 00:11:46.879 --> 00:11:50.879 You know, as you can imagine, this is a highly controversial verse. 00:11:51.039 --> 00:11:59.519 There's lots of opinions about this verse, because some look at this verse and think, you know, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. 00:11:59.840 --> 00:12:02.159 How do we do something greater than that? 00:12:02.399 --> 00:12:19.840 You know, some look at this verse and say, This is proof that Jesus was talking to these soon-to-be apostles to do the works, um, do these works, and it's only for them to do within the New Testament period, and that promise died with the disciples. 00:12:20.080 --> 00:12:29.919 Some people look at this verse and say, we're doing something wrong if we're not seeing greater works than Jesus did every Sunday in our Sunday morning services. 00:12:30.399 --> 00:12:35.279 But the enduring word commentary has a great summation of this verse, and I want to read it to you. 00:12:35.440 --> 00:12:39.200 A lot of commentators and language experts agree with this. 00:12:39.279 --> 00:12:47.120 They say, Jesus did not mean greater in the sense of more sensational, but greater in magnitude. 00:12:47.360 --> 00:13:00.000 Jesus would leave behind a victorious working family of followers who would spread his kingdom to more people and places than Jesus ever did in his life and ministry. 00:13:00.559 --> 00:13:18.240 And I think that makes a lot of sense because we see throughout the book of Acts and the New Testament as a whole, really, his disciples, now apostles, Paul included, doing incredible things through God's power as the Spirit led them and equipped them to do those things. 00:13:18.480 --> 00:13:26.000 They're preaching, we see in the book of Acts, and thousands of people are coming to faith in Jesus all at once. 00:13:26.320 --> 00:13:32.399 These apostles are going all over the known world and they're planting these churches everywhere. 00:13:32.720 --> 00:13:37.679 Acts tells us that they're turning some cities upside down with the gospel. 00:13:38.399 --> 00:13:43.679 You know, their ministry reached much broader than Jesus ever did while he was on this earth. 00:13:43.919 --> 00:13:48.799 And it lasted a lot longer than his three-year ministry that he had. 00:13:49.039 --> 00:13:57.440 You know, it was still Jesus' ministry, but it would be through them, through the power of the Holy Spirit in them. 00:13:58.720 --> 00:14:01.840 But we can't neglect the first part of verse 12 here. 00:14:02.320 --> 00:14:08.720 When Jesus says, Truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do. 00:14:09.039 --> 00:14:11.679 That includes us, doesn't it? 00:14:12.000 --> 00:14:15.440 The ones who believe in him today. 00:14:16.320 --> 00:14:21.679 Jesus' ministry lives on in his disciples in a taskadero. 00:14:23.360 --> 00:14:36.559 Teaching of the wonders of God, telling people about the love and forgiveness of Jesus, loving each other so that others will know that we are his disciples as he has instructed us. 00:14:38.399 --> 00:14:56.080 We are to continue on with everything Jesus was doing while he was here on earth, but with a greater reach and for a longer period of time, and that will happen through the work of the Holy Spirit inside each one of us. 00:14:56.879 --> 00:15:01.600 No wonder Jesus said it's better for him to go and the Holy Spirit to come. 00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:14.480 Now, before we jump into verse 13, um, in verses 13 through 15, I want to reiterate something first that we've already touched on many times here in the book of John. 00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:23.360 The oneness that Jesus experienced with the Father means that he and the Father cannot desire two different things. 00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:28.159 Jesus and the Father cannot have a difference of opinion. 00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:32.080 All of their desires are exactly the same. 00:15:32.320 --> 00:15:40.000 Now keep that in mind as we read verse 13 here, and as that refers to us as Jesus' reciples, disciples. 00:15:40.080 --> 00:15:41.200 Look at verse 13. 00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:48.799 Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 00:15:48.960 --> 00:15:53.679 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. 00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:57.519 I think we should probably start off with what this doesn't mean. 00:15:57.840 --> 00:16:02.639 You know, it doesn't mean I want a Lamborghini in Jesus' name. 00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:10.240 It doesn't mean I want an A on this test that I didn't study for in Jesus' name. 00:16:10.480 --> 00:16:12.159 That is not what this means. 00:16:12.399 --> 00:16:24.799 This does mean anything we ask of God that comes from our oneness with Jesus is going to be Jesus' will, which is the same as God's will, right? 00:16:25.120 --> 00:16:37.039 So if we are praying for the desires of God to be accomplished in Jesus' name, it will be done so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 00:16:37.360 --> 00:16:42.080 And that's a key part of the verse that often I think gets overlooked. 00:16:42.399 --> 00:16:48.960 If you're praying for anything that will not glorify God the Father in the Son, it's not God's will. 00:16:49.600 --> 00:16:51.840 And it's not gonna be done for you. 00:16:52.159 --> 00:17:00.320 So unless you having this Lamborghini is part of God being glorified in the sun, you're not getting a Lambo. 00:17:00.480 --> 00:17:02.799 I'm sorry, that's not how it works. 00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:09.279 Which always leads to the question then, as we're talking about this, how do we know God's will then? 00:17:09.920 --> 00:17:15.519 And how do we desire for ourselves what God desires? 00:17:15.920 --> 00:17:27.519 You know, we're gonna get to the role of the Holy Spirit in all of this in this process at the end of today, but first, I want to talk a bit about our role in having the same desires as God. 00:17:27.839 --> 00:17:35.839 Psalm 37, 4 says this take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desires. 00:17:36.079 --> 00:17:42.799 You know, this verse was life-changing for me when I realized that I had been reading it backward most of my life. 00:17:43.119 --> 00:17:50.880 It means that God will implant his desires into our heart when we delight in him. 00:17:51.359 --> 00:17:57.200 You know, I always read it growing up as take delight in the Lord, and he's gonna give you anything you want. 00:17:57.440 --> 00:17:59.519 And that's not what this means. 00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:07.920 It's when we delight in him that he then implants his desires into our heart. 00:18:08.160 --> 00:18:19.200 His desires then become our desires as a result of being so in tune with him that we only end up wanting what he wants for us. 00:18:20.160 --> 00:18:23.920 You know, how do we know what God desires for us? 00:18:24.480 --> 00:18:25.519 Delight in him. 00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:31.440 And you can only delight in him if you're spending time with him, right? 00:18:32.480 --> 00:18:53.519 When you're spending time in the word, when you're spending time in prayer, in worship, in fellowship, maybe out in nature, just enjoying his creation, walking in obedience to the Holy Spirit, which means, all of that means walking in obedience to his commands. 00:18:53.839 --> 00:18:59.200 Which is why he says in verse 15, if you love me, you will keep my commands. 00:18:59.440 --> 00:19:10.079 And I think Jesus is referring to all of his commands here, but let's just think about his most recent commands to his disciples around this table. 00:19:11.680 --> 00:19:17.359 These commands that would be fresh in their minds at the time of him saying this to them. 00:19:17.599 --> 00:19:20.480 Because this comes right after he washed their feet. 00:19:20.640 --> 00:19:24.880 Remember and then he told them to do the same for one another. 00:19:25.279 --> 00:19:28.640 Tells them that he has a new command for them. 00:19:28.880 --> 00:19:31.519 To love one another as he has loved them. 00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:36.640 And then tells them, believe in God, believe also in me. 00:19:37.359 --> 00:19:45.759 And when you think about all of these commands that Jesus just gave them, it can all be wrapped up in what Jesus called the greatest command, right? 00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:53.839 To love God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and then to love others as he has loved them. 00:19:54.720 --> 00:20:05.279 And I personally just love that Jesus, his commands are not try harder, do better, be better, you know. 00:20:05.440 --> 00:20:06.880 Just sin less, you guys. 00:20:06.960 --> 00:20:09.519 You know, he's not telling his followers this. 00:20:09.680 --> 00:20:17.200 His teaching is in all four of the gospels are filled with believe in me, love God with all of your heart. 00:20:17.519 --> 00:20:21.359 Love one another as you love yourself, serve one another. 00:20:21.519 --> 00:20:24.400 He just keeps telling them in different ways to do this. 00:20:24.720 --> 00:20:32.880 Because sinning less becomes a result of following his commands to love God and love others. 00:20:33.119 --> 00:20:42.559 It's in loving God and others more than our sin that sin starts to lose its luster and become less and less appealing to us. 00:20:42.880 --> 00:21:01.839 Now, at this point, if you're hearing all of this and Jesus is saying, follow my commands and love God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love others of you, love yourself, love others as I have loved you, and you're thinking about all that, and you're just thinking, you know, I don't have the ability to do any of this. 00:21:02.240 --> 00:21:03.279 You're right. 00:21:03.759 --> 00:21:04.799 You don't. 00:21:05.119 --> 00:21:06.319 Be warmed and filled. 00:21:06.400 --> 00:21:07.680 We'll see you next Sunday. 00:21:07.759 --> 00:21:09.519 You know, just no. 00:21:10.559 --> 00:21:17.279 Jesus has something amazing coming, he has amazing news for us because we should feel like that. 00:21:17.440 --> 00:21:19.119 Like, I cannot do this on my own. 00:21:19.200 --> 00:21:20.480 Look at verse 16. 00:21:20.720 --> 00:21:28.400 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another counselor to be with you forever. 00:21:28.720 --> 00:21:30.799 He is the Spirit of truth. 00:21:31.039 --> 00:21:36.880 Your translation may say he will give you another comforter or another helper. 00:21:38.400 --> 00:21:49.359 But remember at the end of chapter 13 and the beginning of chapter 14, the disciples were struggling with this fact that Jesus was going to go away and that they couldn't follow him. 00:21:51.599 --> 00:21:58.400 This is another reassurance to them that even though he's going, he's not leaving them on their own. 00:21:58.720 --> 00:21:59.759 Praise the Lord. 00:22:01.200 --> 00:22:07.119 Because another counselor, helper, comforter is coming. 00:22:07.359 --> 00:22:12.400 And this word, another, that we see right here in the Greek, it means of the same kind. 00:22:12.720 --> 00:22:16.799 So another counselor of the same kind as Jesus. 00:22:17.039 --> 00:22:19.599 Another helper of the same kind. 00:22:19.839 --> 00:22:24.720 Another comforter of the same kind as Jesus is coming. 00:22:24.960 --> 00:22:37.839 You know, after Jesus' resurrection and ascension, he would send a helper, counselor, comforter to be with us, to come upon us and to be in us. 00:22:38.640 --> 00:22:49.599 The spirit of truth to strengthen us, to guide us, to bear witness about Jesus to us, to be God inside us. 00:22:50.160 --> 00:22:54.720 You know, in John 16, Jesus is going to really expand upon this idea. 00:22:54.880 --> 00:23:00.960 He's going to say, When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. 00:23:01.279 --> 00:23:05.839 For he will not speak on his own, but he will speak whatever he hears. 00:23:06.079 --> 00:23:09.039 He will also declare to you what is to come. 00:23:09.279 --> 00:23:15.599 He will glorify me because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. 00:23:15.839 --> 00:23:22.480 In Romans 8, it says the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness, that he intercedes in prayer for us. 00:23:22.720 --> 00:23:30.640 In Galatians 5, it says that if we walk by the Spirit, we won't carry out the desires of the flesh. 00:23:31.680 --> 00:23:42.720 And Jesus' disciples to this point, they've experienced a filling of the Holy Spirit, where the Spirit would come upon them for a time, just like we see throughout the Old Testament. 00:23:43.039 --> 00:23:47.279 But they have not had the indwelling of the Holy Spirit yet. 00:23:47.599 --> 00:23:50.400 Where he is in them always. 00:23:50.640 --> 00:23:57.279 You know, and what a transformation we see in these guys when the Holy Spirit is then indwelling them. 00:23:57.519 --> 00:24:03.440 You know, going from a bunch of abandoners to a bunch of bold proclaimers of Jesus. 00:24:03.680 --> 00:24:06.319 Many of them are going to die a martyr's death. 00:24:06.400 --> 00:24:08.480 All but John, we learned in history. 00:24:08.720 --> 00:24:19.440 After the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, they were able to put their lives on the line when they were a bunch of deniers and abandoners at this time that Jesus is talking to them. 00:24:19.839 --> 00:24:27.920 You know, if you're here today and you're a Christian, you have had the indwelling since you placed your faith in Jesus Christ. 00:24:28.400 --> 00:24:32.319 We don't know anything different as modern-day believers. 00:24:32.480 --> 00:24:33.440 Praise the Lord. 00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:38.400 I don't want to know what it's like to follow after Jesus without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. 00:24:38.559 --> 00:24:41.359 We've seen the change in the disciples, haven't we? 00:24:41.839 --> 00:24:48.000 You see, Jesus knew that we don't have the strength to please God on our own. 00:24:48.960 --> 00:24:52.720 Praise God, he gave himself to make us righteous. 00:24:52.880 --> 00:24:54.160 We couldn't do that on our own. 00:24:54.319 --> 00:25:04.240 And he gave us the Holy Spirit to be inside of us so that we would have the ability to obey the commands of Jesus, which we don't have the ability to do on our own. 00:25:04.960 --> 00:25:11.759 We don't have the ability to love God with all of our heart and to love one another as Jesus loved us. 00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:16.319 We don't have the ability to do any of that on our own. 00:25:16.640 --> 00:25:18.480 So look at Jesus goes on. 00:25:18.559 --> 00:25:32.799 He says, the world is unable to receive him, speaking of the Holy Spirit, because it doesn't see him or know him, but you do know him because he remains with you and will be in you. 00:25:33.519 --> 00:25:44.480 You know, this gets uh a bit into next week's message, so I don't want to spend a ton of time on it, but ultimately it's the Holy Spirit inside of us that makes it possible to abide in Christ. 00:25:44.799 --> 00:25:51.200 So we can become one with Christ, just as Jesus is one with the Father. 00:25:51.440 --> 00:26:00.799 You know, Jesus tells these guys, He remains with you and will be in you, which would happen at Pentecost. 00:26:01.119 --> 00:26:08.960 And as a result, we have the joy of the Holy Spirit being in us from day one as modern-day believers. 00:26:09.680 --> 00:26:14.720 And we are then called to walk by the Spirit. 00:26:15.039 --> 00:26:24.000 So I want to just take some time and talk about what it looks like to walk by the Spirit here to close out our service this morning. 00:26:24.160 --> 00:26:27.279 So I want you to turn in your Bibles to Galatians 5. 00:26:28.240 --> 00:26:31.759 It's a handful of books to the right in your Bible. 00:26:32.640 --> 00:26:42.079 And I want to end with talking about what it means to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit in our life and then obey it. 00:26:42.400 --> 00:26:52.960 So that we do know how to pray in Jesus' name, so that we do know how and have the power to obey Jesus' commands as he just said. 00:26:53.119 --> 00:27:01.279 And I think walking by the Spirit and hearing his voice is probably one of the toughest things to teach a young believer. 00:27:01.440 --> 00:27:06.000 So I want to really take some time here and talk about some things. 00:27:06.319 --> 00:27:14.079 Talk about what that looks like, talk about a good way to get started if you're asking that question of I don't know how to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. 00:27:14.160 --> 00:27:16.640 I don't know how to walk by the Spirit. 00:27:16.960 --> 00:27:20.400 You see, there's competing voices that are in our life. 00:27:20.559 --> 00:27:27.839 You know, as followers of Jesus, we get one more competing voice inside of us, the voice of the Holy Spirit. 00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:33.119 And that's the voice we want to follow, the only voice we want to follow from now on. 00:27:33.759 --> 00:27:42.079 You see, we have, speaking of voices inside of us, we have a conscience that speaks to us, a voice that we should be following. 00:27:42.160 --> 00:27:48.319 You know, we don't ever want to contradict that voice inside of us unless it's unbiblical, of course. 00:27:48.559 --> 00:27:54.799 We have another voice, we have our flesh that's the part of us that still wants us to sin. 00:27:54.960 --> 00:28:00.880 It still wants us to satisfy every appetite that we have and has no regard for consequence. 00:28:01.039 --> 00:28:04.079 It's just the kind of the gimme, gimme, gimme part of us. 00:28:04.319 --> 00:28:06.079 And then we have this other voice. 00:28:06.160 --> 00:28:07.119 We have the enemy. 00:28:07.279 --> 00:28:14.079 We have Satan and demons that are constantly tempting us, trying to get us to sin and to stray from Jesus. 00:28:14.480 --> 00:28:18.160 So the question becomes: how do we know which voice is which? 00:28:18.319 --> 00:28:20.799 How do we know which voice to listen to? 00:28:20.960 --> 00:28:26.240 Well, first, we can use the process of elimination by knowing God's word. 00:28:26.480 --> 00:28:28.880 That's why we have those reading plans on the back there. 00:28:29.039 --> 00:28:35.839 The more we know the word for ourselves individually, the better off we're going to be as a church. 00:28:36.079 --> 00:28:41.200 Because the Holy Spirit is never going to tell you to do something that contradicts God's word. 00:28:41.680 --> 00:28:49.839 So if you hear a voice telling you that you should do something, first just ask yourself, does this align with God's word or not? 00:28:50.079 --> 00:28:52.799 Oftentimes, that's all we need to do. 00:28:53.039 --> 00:29:06.160 You know, say you're eating at a restaurant and you get really bad service, and you get just outright rude service from somebody, and you hear this voice inside you say, You should burn this place down. 00:29:08.079 --> 00:29:14.319 Pretty sure that goes against about a hundred of God's commandments in the Bible. 00:29:14.640 --> 00:29:17.599 So you don't need to be like, is that you, Lord? 00:29:17.839 --> 00:29:20.079 Like, you know, right? 00:29:20.720 --> 00:29:21.920 So know the word. 00:29:22.400 --> 00:29:30.160 It will oftentimes discern what is the voice of the Holy Spirit and what is the voice of the enemy and what is the voice of your flesh. 00:29:30.480 --> 00:29:41.920 Second, the second thing that will help us is um we need to allow our conscience to be informed once again by God's word, because that's another voice we hear, it's our conscience. 00:29:42.160 --> 00:29:45.519 Talked a lot about that when we went through Romans 2 together. 00:29:45.680 --> 00:29:57.119 You can go back and listen to that if you want a little more in-depth uh about our conscience, but it says the work of the law is written on their hearts, their consciences confirm this. 00:29:57.359 --> 00:30:05.759 So we have this innate voice inside of us that God has given everyone that says, This is right and this is wrong. 00:30:05.920 --> 00:30:08.720 And we have that from the time we're little children. 00:30:08.960 --> 00:30:14.480 It's why uh people innately know that murder is wrong. 00:30:14.559 --> 00:30:16.880 You don't really need to teach people that. 00:30:17.200 --> 00:30:24.400 Even if they've never read God's word and don't have the Holy Spirit inside of them, you can ask a little kid and they'll say, No, that's wrong. 00:30:24.640 --> 00:30:27.759 And our consciences can become calloused. 00:30:28.000 --> 00:30:31.519 We have to recognize that if we ignore them too much. 00:30:31.759 --> 00:30:38.799 They can become legalistic, you know, depending on environmental circumstances and influences in our life. 00:30:39.039 --> 00:30:48.000 But the goal for any believer is to make the voice of our conscience the same as the voice of the Holy Spirit. 00:30:48.480 --> 00:30:55.279 Our spirit completely submitted to the Holy Spirit and being informed once again by God's word. 00:30:55.759 --> 00:31:03.519 Now, the third thing we can do, and it comes to the question of how can we tell between our flesh and the Holy Spirit? 00:31:03.680 --> 00:31:09.680 Well, our flesh, again, you know, it's I like to think of it as the appetites that we have. 00:31:09.839 --> 00:31:12.400 And those appetites can be good, you know. 00:31:12.559 --> 00:31:17.519 The body just saying you should probably eat something before you get hangry and yell at your family. 00:31:17.599 --> 00:31:25.119 You know, there's nothing wrong with having an appetite and satisfying that appetite if you're keeping it within the bounds of Scripture. 00:31:26.160 --> 00:31:32.000 We can have sexual appetite that can be good within the confines of marriage, but only there. 00:31:32.160 --> 00:31:42.880 You know, but our flesh will so often demand unbiblical appetites from us, of selfishness, of the attitude of me first, I'm gonna get my own. 00:31:43.119 --> 00:31:44.160 Gimme, gimme, gimme. 00:31:44.400 --> 00:31:47.599 You know, that's what that voice usually sounds like. 00:31:47.920 --> 00:31:56.319 Sometimes it'll tell you, you know, I have the right to have this certain thing, and nobody's gonna get in the way of that right that I have. 00:31:56.559 --> 00:32:04.720 You know, I think in this flesh versus holy spirit category, there's a few things that can help us discern those voices. 00:32:04.880 --> 00:32:08.000 Again, it helps a lot to know scripture. 00:32:08.160 --> 00:32:10.640 What does scripture say about our food appetite? 00:32:10.799 --> 00:32:13.359 What does scripture say about our sexual appetite? 00:32:13.599 --> 00:32:20.000 Our appetite for anger or selfish ambition or pride and recognition. 00:32:20.240 --> 00:32:26.559 But there's something in addition to this that I've found similar to Elijah in the wilderness. 00:32:26.720 --> 00:32:35.119 You know, the Holy Spirit is usually that still small voice inside of us, giving us that calm instruction of what to do. 00:32:35.359 --> 00:32:38.480 Our flesh is usually the one that's yelling at us in a panic. 00:32:38.559 --> 00:32:40.319 You know, hurry, do it now. 00:32:40.640 --> 00:32:42.000 You deserve this. 00:32:42.400 --> 00:32:46.079 You have a special circumstance that nobody else does. 00:32:48.559 --> 00:33:02.079 But I've found it's usually that still small voice that isn't in a hurry, that is giving calm and wise counsel, that is usually going against instant gratification. 00:33:02.480 --> 00:33:06.240 That's usually what he sounds like when he speaks to me, at least. 00:33:06.559 --> 00:33:19.279 But there's another way that the Holy Spirit talks to us, and it's not so much about right and wrong, and not so much about competing voices, but it can just be simple instruction that the Holy Spirit wants to give us, or discernment. 00:33:19.519 --> 00:33:24.880 I always say this from here because it always kind of feels like it to me of just like a little tap on the shoulder. 00:33:25.039 --> 00:33:29.119 The Holy Spirit just being like, hey, check the lock on that door. 00:33:29.680 --> 00:33:32.079 Hey, you need to pray for this person. 00:33:32.480 --> 00:33:35.359 Hey, you need to call this person and check in on them. 00:33:35.599 --> 00:33:41.359 You need to be extra cautious at this intersection that you're approaching. 00:33:41.599 --> 00:33:43.839 Hey, you need to speak up right now. 00:33:44.079 --> 00:33:47.200 More often it's, hey, you need to hold your tongue right now. 00:33:48.079 --> 00:33:54.960 But the only way to learn his voice of instruction in this way is to actively listen. 00:33:55.440 --> 00:34:00.000 And then to faithfully obey his voice, even in the smallest of things. 00:34:00.240 --> 00:34:08.960 But it first takes a desire on our own part and a willingness to obey, even when sometimes it makes us feel a little bit crazy. 00:34:09.119 --> 00:34:10.079 We're like, really, Lord? 00:34:10.239 --> 00:34:16.400 You want us to go talk to that stranger we've never talked to before and tell them about you, or whatever it might be. 00:34:16.559 --> 00:34:27.840 You know, a great place to start this process of listening or to hone your discernment skills of listening to the Spirit's voice is Galatians 5, and that's why you're there right now. 00:34:28.000 --> 00:34:29.199 Starting in verse 16. 00:34:29.280 --> 00:34:31.840 So Galatians 5, 16. 00:34:34.000 --> 00:34:43.199 It says, I say then, walk by the Spirit, and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. 00:34:43.440 --> 00:34:49.920 For the flesh desires what is against the spirit, and the spirit desires what is against the flesh. 00:34:50.159 --> 00:34:54.960 These are opposed to each other, so that you don't do what you want. 00:34:55.599 --> 00:35:00.079 But if you are led by the spirit, you are not under the law. 00:35:01.199 --> 00:35:11.360 We're gonna keep reading, but just stop right there for a second, because if you are walking by the Holy Spirit, he's never going to instruct you against the law, as we already talked about. 00:35:11.599 --> 00:35:18.079 And starting right here in verse 19, he'll tell us what the Holy Spirit will never tell you to do. 00:35:18.239 --> 00:35:22.159 He's never going to tell you what we're about to read, to act out in these ways. 00:35:22.480 --> 00:35:23.280 Verse 19. 00:35:23.519 --> 00:35:56.480 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar, I'm warning you about these things as I warned you before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 00:35:56.719 --> 00:36:03.360 So if you're tempted to do any of these things, you don't have to ask, Lord, is that you? 00:36:03.840 --> 00:36:10.719 You know from this list alone that the Holy Spirit would never instruct you to engage in any of those things we just read. 00:36:11.039 --> 00:36:18.719 But you can know it's the Holy Spirit if you're being called to do what we see starting in verse 22. 00:36:18.880 --> 00:36:21.039 These are the things that He will instruct you in. 00:36:21.199 --> 00:36:36.800 Verse 22, but the fruit of the Spirit, the things he will instruct you to do, is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 00:36:37.039 --> 00:36:39.679 The law is not against such things. 00:36:39.920 --> 00:36:46.800 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 00:36:47.119 --> 00:36:54.400 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 00:36:54.800 --> 00:37:00.880 You know, I've never heard anybody say, you know, I was so tempted to have patience with my toddler. 00:37:01.840 --> 00:37:04.000 But I resisted that temptation. 00:37:05.679 --> 00:37:08.000 It's a voice inside of you. 00:37:08.320 --> 00:37:24.400 I mean, if the voice inside of you is saying, have patience, if the voice inside of you is saying, love your enemy, have self-control, have joy in the midst of your trial, or be faithful, you can know that it's the voice of the Holy Spirit. 00:37:24.480 --> 00:37:27.599 That is the fruit of the Holy Spirit being in you. 00:37:27.840 --> 00:37:35.119 So if you're wondering how to hear the Holy Spirit or how to walk by the Spirit, this is a great place to start. 00:37:35.440 --> 00:37:40.079 Sit down with Galatians 5 and just start to understand this and know this. 00:37:40.159 --> 00:37:51.440 It's going to help you to identify the voice of the Holy Spirit in your life so then you can walk by the Holy Spirit, and then he will then enable you to carry out the commands of Jesus. 00:37:51.679 --> 00:37:54.719 So I think this is our takeaway today. 00:37:55.039 --> 00:37:57.599 One, no scripture. 00:37:57.920 --> 00:38:03.840 It has so much to do with walking with and hearing the Holy Spirit in your life. 00:38:04.000 --> 00:38:10.800 And if you've started that Bible plan last year or two years ago or whatever it might be, and you didn't finish, don't start again. 00:38:10.960 --> 00:38:14.079 Just pick up where you left off and keep pressing through. 00:38:14.239 --> 00:38:17.119 Get the whole counsel of God's word in your life. 00:38:17.280 --> 00:38:23.760 That's going to help you identify the voice of the Holy Spirit in your life more than anything else that you can do. 00:38:24.079 --> 00:38:27.119 The second thing, delight in the Lord. 00:38:27.519 --> 00:38:31.199 And he will give you the desires of your heart. 00:38:31.360 --> 00:38:36.880 He will implant those desires, his desires for you in your heart. 00:38:37.679 --> 00:38:45.199 Three, engage in the process of becoming more one with Jesus. 00:38:45.679 --> 00:38:48.480 Just like he is one with the Father. 00:38:48.719 --> 00:38:55.679 I think the fourth thing, listen and obey when the Holy Spirit taps you on the shoulder. 00:38:56.000 --> 00:39:02.079 Become faithful in those small things, in those small instructions that you hear from him. 00:39:02.480 --> 00:39:07.679 And the last thing is we just talked about sit with Galatians 5, 16 through 25. 00:39:08.079 --> 00:39:18.719 Great place to start that process or to hone your ability to hear the Holy Spirit, to walk by the Spirit in your life. 00:39:19.039 --> 00:39:23.119 So with that, let's go walk by the Spirit. 00:39:27.599 --> 00:39:33.280 Lord, we thank you so much for the helper that is the Holy Spirit. 00:39:33.760 --> 00:39:41.119 We thank you that you've given Him to each person that believes in you with all of their heart. 00:39:51.599 --> 00:39:58.239 And Lord, as I said earlier, I don't even want to imagine what it would be like to follow you without the helper. 00:39:58.480 --> 00:40:00.480 So we thank you so much for Him. 00:40:00.639 --> 00:40:05.679 Lord, I pray that you would teach us how to walk by the Spirit. 00:40:05.920 --> 00:40:10.480 That you would teach us how to stay in step with the Spirit. 00:40:10.639 --> 00:40:23.199 That you would help us to have discernment of these competing voices that we have in our life between the flesh and the enemy and our own spirit and the Spirit of God inside of us. 00:40:23.440 --> 00:40:30.960 And help us to only want to obey and only want to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit in as we pray. 00:40:31.199 --> 00:40:34.079 Lord, help us to be faithful followers of you. 00:40:34.239 --> 00:40:36.559 Lord, we admittedly we can't do it on our own. 00:40:36.639 --> 00:40:43.519 We don't have the strength, we don't have the ability, but you've made a way by giving us the righteousness of Jesus Christ. 00:40:43.760 --> 00:40:50.480 Something that we cannot earn and have not earned, but is freely given to us in belief in Jesus. 00:40:50.639 --> 00:40:59.760 We thank you so much for that gift, and we thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit to be able to walk with you in this way. 00:40:59.920 --> 00:41:05.920 So teach us how to become more and more one with Jesus, like He is one with you. 00:41:06.159 --> 00:41:10.239 Lord, it's hard to tell where we begin and Jesus ends in our life. 00:41:10.480 --> 00:41:16.800 Teach us how to abide closer, that our dependence upon you would grow deeper and deeper every day, we pray. 00:41:16.960 --> 00:41:18.000 In Jesus' name. 00:41:18.239 --> 00:41:18.639 Amen.