Pakistan Ministry Training – This is a sermon from a student being given Pakistan Ministry training. This training is very difficult but students can receive this training free of charge on the internet.
LET NOT YOUR HEART TROUBLED Expository Sermon in the Preaching Class by Gill
By: EcoSikh
“Envoy of Christ’s Church” – Pakistan
John 14:1-5
The last week of September 2013 has been disastrous for Pakistan. Two casualties occurred one after another. I’ll put it this way, on Saturday, September 2013, I just came out of my home to preach in the church Envoy of Christ on the way. I met with a boy 14 years of age who wanted asked me if there was any home to be rented out. I replied, “There is no such home because the families living in this area have their own homes.” My answer perturbed the boy because their landlord had demanded his home back from them, and that day was the dead line to vacate home, otherwise, the landlord would take possession of his home forcibly. I kept walking to the church while thinking about the boy and his family and home he was looking for and where they were living right then. So I preached the Word of God, and the next day was Sunday. I ministered to the Lord right there. After the Sunday church Service, the news came on T.V. channels that suicide bombers have attacked a church in the city of Peshawer, and as a result, hundreds of people had lost their lives, and many were injured. Many persecuted Christians affected. Two days later. a massive destructive earthquake hit the southwest of Balochistan province in Pakistan. Not only where I was, but on the whole Pakistani nation was in the state of agony, distress, fear, and mourning. As a minister of God, I was thinking over all these disasters, and a passage in the Gospel of John was repeatedly coming before my eyes. At first,not understanding the meaning of it, so I prayed to the Lord, and He answered me. Let us read the passage so that I can share it with you.
John 14:1-5 Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. 2. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would I have told you. I got to prepare a place for you. 3. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you with myself, that where I am you may be also. 4. And you know the way to where I am going, 5. “Thomas said to him, Lord we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to Father except through me.
In the first verse, John 14:1 Jesus said, “let not your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.” Jesus left them and knew everything that would turn against them. They would have to endure all kinds of opposition. Scribes and rabbis would not allow them to preach the Gospel, and even they would not hesitate to kill them. Although Jesus had taught many things and revealed mysteries to them, He thought it necessary to tell them to be courageous in all kinds of situations to come. He has commanded that as you believe in God, you believe also in Him. God has delivered the Israelites out of the slavery of Egypt and allowed them to dwell in the promised land. “Believe in me. I have delivered you out of the slavery of sin, and now, eternal life is yours.”
Verse 14:2 In my father’s house are many rooms, if it were not so would I have told that I got to prepare a place for you. Here Jesus is telling his disciples about heaven where He is heading to, that there are many rooms for believers to live in for eternity in my father’s house. He is assuring them he is going ahead of them to prepare a place for them where the people will live forever, and then he will come back to take them and you with himself so that where Jesus is, we will also be with him – God the Father and Jesus, our elder brother. What a place to live where Jesus is.
Verse 14:3 And you know the way to where I am going. Thomas said to him,” Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”. Jesus said to him, “ I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus is saying, “You know the way where I am going.” But one of His disciples, Thomas, asked Jesus, “We do not know where you are going, so how we can know the way?” . Jesus had taught the disciples for almost three and half years but Thomas says we don’t know the way and destination where you are going. Jesus made it clear to them that I am through whom you can go and you have to go to my father. Jesus said, “I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus is the only Way to God. Jesus had explicitly told the disciples that He was the only way to heaven, and Jesus has made this way by traveling through the cross to reach his father, although He came from heaven. That is why He said, “Whosoever does not pick up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. Whosoever finds their life will lose it; and whosoever loses his life for My sake will find it (Matthew 10;38-39).” In the book of Hebrews 10:19-22 we read: “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having bodies washed with pure water.” So this is the Way to heaven where there is Jesus and God the Father.
THE TRUTH: Jesus cannot lie because He is The Word, became flesh, and made his dwelling amongst us. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son who came from the Father, full of Grace and Truth (John 1:14). and the Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 1;20; For no matter how many promises God made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.
THE LIFE: Jesus is the Life. No doubt, He is life because according to John 5;26, For as the Father has life in himself, so He has granted the son to have life in himself. The very famous verse, John 3:16, says; “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whosoever believes in him shall have eternal life.”
In this passage addressing His disciples, Jesus said, “Let not your heart troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me.” Actually, Jesus guarantees you will have a room. The solution is to keep your heart from being troubled during trying times and to trust in God (Psalm 42;5) a solution that the Jews had known all along, and to also, trust in Jesus. Both are essential.
Just put yourselves in the shoes of the boy who was looking for a home for rent, as he and his family were troubled because of their landlord’s notice, and put yourselves in the shoes of the victim of the church in Peshawer. They are either dead or alive in hospitals. They had their home but now they are homeless. Put yourselves in shoes of those affected by the earthquake, the people who lost their lives, and or survivors of the quake. Survivors are looking to the Government and NGOs for the shelter, rescue and food, and medical treatment. Everyone is troubled and has no peace because they have gone through destructive experiences and want to have life and all necessities met.
But Jesus says earthquakes will hit you, and any kind of mishap can happen. You can be deprived of your homes, because this world is not for eternity. He has gone to prepare a place where there is no want of rooms, where dwells eternity. The reason is that it is God the Father’s household, and Jesus, our elder brother, and believers whom he does not feel ashamed to call them his brothers, are all there. For this, He says “pick up your cross and follow me, do not love to your brother, parents, children, or your homes more than me, and all this belongs to you in heaven in my father’s household. Don’t be troubled if I am not in this physical world. I am coming back soon to take all of you with myself so that where I am so you may be, also.”
The question is not whether the boy and his family who were desperately looking for a home could be successful to find a home for rent or not, or whether the survivors of the church attacked have been returned to their home sweet home, or whether the survivors of the earthquake in Balochistan have been rehabilitated or not. The question is what will happen before the coming of Jesus to take His people with himself. It is written in Gospel of Matthew 24; 6-10 “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nations will rise against nations and kingdoms against kingdoms, and there will be famines and earthquake in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. They will deliver you up to tribulations and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.”
Recently, an earthquake shook Balochinstan-Pakistan, Greece, near Papua New Guinea, off the coast of Baja California, and off Indonesia with aftershocks at northern Australia and northern Queensland. Syria is facing the famine due to civil war in its homeland. Daily, you hear in the news of wars, nation rising against nation, believers being torched, and hated everywhere but wait, this is not the end of world, as Jesus said it is the beginning of birth pains as you are affected by earthquakes, afraid of wars, have famine or are being persecuted for Jesus’ name or have left everything behind to follow Jesus. He says, “Let not your heart trouble you. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my father’s house there are many rooms for you to dwell in for eternity where there is Father God and our brother, Jesus (Lord of Lords). In God’s household, there is no death and no mourning, but rather, happiness. Jesus and his glory and his father are there with peace forever. He is coming soon. Follow him, for he is the WAY; Come to him, for he is TRUTH; Desire him, for he is Life; and remember his guarantee; Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe in me. In my father’s house are many rooms for you. Amen.
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I am preparing an expository sermon. This is a message for a multi-ethnic church starting the week without a pastor on a Thanksgiving Sunday.
This is to encourage and challenge the congregation to be thankful even in the most difficult situation on life –personally and as a church; and to remain faithful to the praise and glory of God.
PAUL’S THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER
(Philippians 1:3-11)
INTRODUCTION:
What are we thankful for today? We thank God for his many gifts. For happy occasions, it is easy thank God, but what about during unhappy occasions? What about if we are in the midst of urgency can we still thank God? Do we have the joy to do that?
Illus: There was a simple farmer who did not know much intellectually but knew how to walk with God. One day, he lost his only horse, which he needed for working in his fields. His neighbors remarked, “bad, very bad.” But the farmer answered, “good or bad, only God knows.” A few days later, the horse got tired of the competitive life in the jungle and decided to go home to his master. With him came other wild horses. His neighbors commented, “good, very good.” The farmer repeated, “good or bad, only God knows.” His only son who helped in their livelihood fractured his leg while trying to tame the wild horses. Once again, the neighbors reacted, “bad, very bad.” The farmer replied, “good or bad, only God knows.” Their country entered into war and all the able-bodied young men of their region were drafted into the military. The farmer’s son was not drafted because of his broken leg. The exclamation, as usual, “good, very good.” What do you think was the godly man’s rejoinder? “Good or bad, only God knows.”
As I was reading and meditating upon our passage for today I thank God for giving me the strength to challenge the church to be thankful even under the most difficult circumstance in life.
The Apostle Paul, of course, was no stranger to difficult circumstances, and yet in the midst of that Paul overflowed with thanksgiving. One of the letters he wrote while suffering in prison was his Letter to the Philippians, the first congregation that he founded in Europe.
Let us notice what he also wrote to the Colossians while in prison, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body,” Paul wrote, “And be thankful… And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:15-17).
Paul begins his letter with warm and sincere thankfulness and offers a prayer for the Philippians’ continued progress in the faith. The same thanksgiving and prayer you and I can expect for this church.
I –THANKSGIVING (vv.3-8) what were his Reasons for Thanking God?
- CONCERN FOR THE GOSPEL (v.5a) …partnership in the Gospel.
Paul’s joy is prompted by the Philippians’ commitment to the Gospel. From the beginning of the ministry the Philippians were there proclaiming the gospel, establishing the believers in faith, strengthening and edifying each other. They were ready to suffer for the advancement of the Gospel in Philippi (1:30). They have given their life, time and finances. Paul was thanking God that they understood their marching order.
As some of you partnered from the inception of the church and for most of you who were called to be a part of her till 40 years and looking forward to more glorious years let us encourage and challenge each other to continue to be concerned for the gospel.
2.CONTINUANCE OF THE MINISTRY (v.5b) …from the first day until now.
Recalling their active progress in the faith assures Paul of their certain future. No matter what happened they continued. We believe that in the ministry there are a lot of hindrances, trials, hardships, and headaches. But a true church will just carry on doing what they know is right.
The Philippian believers persevered –they prolonged their fellowship, they endured –they are ready to defend the gospel (v.7)
Illustration: A pastor was challenging the church, “We need to be a stable church – the congregation responded, “Let it walk!” “The church needs to be stable and growing”, the pastor continued. “Let it run!”, the congregation shouted. The pastor with a commanding voice, “The church needs to be stable and growing and continue to remain strong”. “Let it fly!”, the resounding response of the congregation. “So then it requires your commitment and zealousness”, the pastor said. Then the congregation responded, “Never mind pastor let it walk.”
Are we willing to persevere and endure and commit for the ministry to continue?
3. COMPLETION OF THE WORK (v. 6) …bring it to completion. Carry it on. NIV
This is strong statement. It means to be fully and firmly persuaded or convinced. Paul’s confidence springs from a deep conviction that God is at work. God never gives up. God will go on working in and through us! Good news, bad news, difficulties, blessings, happy or unhappy occasions –they serve a purpose.
1 Thess. 5:24 says, “He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” God cannot leave His work incomplete. Paul’s certainty is on the faithfulness of God. And this is our certainty – God is faithful. He is not through with us yet. We’ve experience His providence, we’ve sense His purpose, we’ve felt His presence, we’ve seen His patience for so many years, let us believe His provision for another man to lead His church.
4. COMMUNION OF THE BRETHREN (vv.7-8) …partakers with me of grace.
They began, they continued, they rejoiced for the assurance of the completion and they commune. They built a strong relationship with Paul and with one another. They had participated with him in the defense of the gospel.
Like Apostle Paul, let us thank God for our partnership in the gospel, for the continuance of the ministry, for the completion of the work for our communion of fellowship with each other.
While Paul continues his thanksgiving, he can’t help but assure the Philippians that he too is remembering them in joyful prayer (v. 4). And he detailed his prayer for them in verses 9-11).
II – PRAYER (vv.9-11) Paul was saying, “You are not alone…Someone is praying for you!”
Here we see Paul’s passion for the spiritual maturity of the believers under his care through prayer. That was his great concern. We see this passion revealed in his prayer life. As Paul prays for the believers, he prays for their maturity. This is the very focus of his prayer life. Let this be our focus also for each other, to the glory of God.
A. Request -growing love exercised in wisdom
Paul’s prayer begins with an encouragement for the love that they have to grow more and more. (“still more” – KJV)
Warren Wiersbe commented, “The Philippian church was composed of a mixed group of people, but they were bound together by love.” Where unity is threatened (2:1-4; 4:1-3), love brings together (Col. 3:14).
Aside from his prayer for growing love, Paul prays for increasing maturity in knowledge and depth of insight also.
This leads us to the reason of his request, growing love exercised in wisdom enables the believer to be completely discerning, and that leads him to a pursuit of things that are excellent. What a passion, an excellent pastoral prayer.
B. Reason –discerning what is best
C. Results –
- being sincere and blameless – “Till the day of Christ” –
Paul is telling the first century Philippians that they are to live sincere and without offense until Christ returns. What a challenge to us believers in the 21st Century. If the thanksgiving of Paul and the results of his prayer are true to us this day until the return of Christ it will absolutely bring God glory and praise!
Wouldn’t today be a great day for every member of the church to get sincere about the work we have to do?
2. manifesting the fruit of righteousness
In such lives where growing love and increasing knowledge are taking place in every area of life, the outcome of which is purity and righteous living, and God receives the “glory and praise.”
3. bringing God glory and praise
Paul’s supreme ambition in life is the glory and praise of God. Just to see an example in his letter to the Ephesians he keeps on mentioning “to the praise and glory of our God.”
Jesus said in John 15:8, “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
Paul’s prayer says we need for our love to abound still more and more. We need to approve the things that are excellent and we need to be sincere and without offense until the day of Jesus Christ bringing God glory and praise!
CONCLUSION: In the light of Paul’s thanksgiving and prayer let us be thankful that we partner in the gospel and be certain that God will complete what He started good, be more loving to each other, be thankful in all circumstances, and be passionate in bringing God glory & praise.
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