Week 02

Sermon Conversations with Alex and Aaron

There’s only so much we can cover in a Sunday morning gathering!
Each week, you’re invited to tune into our podcast at 11 am on Thursdays – recorded (and sometimes prerecorded) for later, online viewing.

What can you expect? Pastors Alex, Aaron, and the occasional guest having a casual conversation, diving deeper into ideas related to last Sunday’s teaching.

Ask Questions about the Sermon Series, PENTECOST – “Jesus in Us — So Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled”
by texting 720-316-3893 prior to, or during the “LIVE” Thursday podcast.

Blog sites:

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Apple Podcast:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/guys-drinking-tea/id1616539767

During Jesus’ “Last Supper” with his disciples, they celebrated the Passover meal, a remembrance of the supernatural Exodus of the people of Israel from Egypt. The ceremony is brimming with symbolism meant to lead participants into an appreciation of God’s faithfulness and power as well as an expectation of his tangible presence. During this extraordinary commemoration, Jesus spoke these mysterious words to his disciples:

“…. And I will pray to the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”

“A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” John 14:16-21 NKJV

His words reveal a life-changing truth about our connection to the unseen world. His words are simple, yet complex and difficult to grasp. They disclose that Jesus will enable his disciples to more fully experience the relationship they have observed him enjoying with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.

So, does our daily experience of inclusion with his life turn out to be as straightforward as these words suggest? Hardly — all Christians are perplexed by and marvel at the mystery of the Trinity. Daily interaction with God as more than one person is rarely crisply delineated in our experience. For that reason, familiarizing ourselves with this mystery is worth pursuing.

Indulge me as I share this story:

When I lived in Washington DC, I had a close friend who lived with her parents. The interior of their home disclosed a mystical world crowded with ancient tapestries, paintings, religious icons, and samovars. She told me these objects were inherited from both sets of her grandparents who were exiled along with other Czarist associates during the Communist takeover in 1917. Her family continued the Russian Orthodox practices of their ancestors. During one visit, she explained that Orthodox icons were not idols, but images designed to bring the viewer into a worship experience. At the time, I was skeptical of her claims.

In subsequent years I’ve developed appreciation for ancient Christian practices that hold rich symbolism (such as the Passover meal). I’ve asked myself, “was my friend right to hold that icons serve a greater function than being admired for their aesthetic beauty?”

Spiritual Practice:

I invite you to explore aspects of an Orthodox icon with me as a way to further appreciate the mystery of the Trinity. This icon entitled “Holy Trinity” was painted by 15th Century Russian Orthodox monk Andrei Rublev. It depicts Abraham’s three visitors from Genesis 18. Since today’s text is about our participation in the Trinity, try using this icon to help you reflect on the words of Jesus in John 14. Here is a 17 minute audio narrative explaining the purpose of icons in general along with ways you might incorporate the Rublev icon in your contemplation of the Trinity. Another illustrated explanation of the layout of the icon itself as well as its intended position in a church building provides additional insights.

For this devotional, which has been a hard one for me to write, I have used the Amplified version of the Bible, because it includes the different ways that other versions describe or expand on what I hope to share here.

Jesus, in the upper room, is talking to his disciples, and because we can read what he said, he is talking to us, too. In John 14:18 he says, “I will not leave you as orphans [comfortless, bereaved, and helpless]; I will come [back] to you.”

As an adult, I have learned to understand what Jesus was saying, but as a child who was an orphan, I didn’t. I have written in former devotionals about my father dying when I was four and my mother dying when I was eleven. I’ve also written in more detail about the various places and family members I lived with as I was growing up. The ten years from when my mother died and my 21st birthday when I moved out on my own were particularly difficult.

“Do not let your heart be troubled (afraid, cowardly). Believe [confidently] in God and trust in Him, [have faith, hold on to it, rely on it, keep going and] believe also in Me”. John 14:1 AMP

There were many times I was afraid in those years and definitely cowardly in my fear. The only help was that our neighbors took me to church, and, though the aunt and uncle I was living with didn’t go, I was allowed to. It was there that I found a “safe place” for a while each Sunday and sometimes other times in the week.

“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever—the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive [and take to its heart] because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He (the Holy Spirit) remains with you continually and will be in you”. John 14:16-17 AMP

“Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby)—the Spirit of Truth.” In 1953, there were no people available, either in the church or out of it, who could be any of these descriptions for a grieving, lonely, emotionally and sometimes physically abused orphan living with blood relatives.
My aunt enlisted some of her friends to remind me how grateful I should be that she and my uncle took me in when I had no one else who wanted me.

I was thirteen when I gave my life to Jesus and, as I describe it, “He welcomed this not-so-docile lamb into His fold”. My circumstances did not change, in fact, my aunt got more verbally abusive, but I was still allowed to go to church. Since that time, I have slowly begun to understand and live in his comforting message:

“After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. On that day [when that time comes] you will know for yourselves that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you. John 14:18-20 AMP

How about you? In your life story, have you been able to see how God (Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit) are working in you in ways you were not aware of at the time? Take some time to ponder all of John 14:1-31 and ask Him to bring his truth into your life, your mind and heart.

In John 1:1-13, the Apostle John introduces Jesus to the world as the pre-existent “Word of God”, and in 1 John 1:1, as the “Word of life”, whom the apostles “have heard…seen…touched” — as a man. John has also revealed to us that the Word was the life that was “the true Light which enlightens every [person]…“

But, 

11 “Unto his own he came and His own people did not receive Him.” 

But,

12 … to all who did “receive him”, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born…of God.
John 1:11-13

Maybe these are the passages where we got the clue that Jesus was meant for us.

Maybe you first heard about Jesus as you sang “away in the manger”? Later, you might have memorized John 1:12 in Sunday school like I did, along with
John 3:16. Did these verses open the door to your heart that showed you that you can sing, “Yes, Jesus loves me”?

After you received Jesus, did you wonder as I did, whether it might not be such a free gift. I certainly was too “bad” to be worthy. If it would depend on me,
I haven’t even come close. How about you?

So, is the gift of the Spirit contingent upon our obedience and not really a gift? Or does the Spirit actually empower obedience, when we first receive the gift, the promise of eternal life, as he then continues to empower us as we submit to Jesus in faith? Read Galatians 3 to inform your belief:

Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?

Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith — just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”? Gal 3:2, 5-6 ESV

In this passage, Paul confirms that when we receive Jesus (repent of our sins, believe in his substitutionary “gift” of forgiveness and accept him as our Lord),
we are baptized into Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection by his Holy Spirit.

For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Galatians 3:27

Then we go on living in his Spirit as he abides in us.

The Holy Spirit is always actively involved in promoting the promise of the Gospel, convicting the world of unbelievers of our need for a savior.

“…. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come [at Pentecost], He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. John 16:7-11  (Emphasis added.)

So when Jesus emphasizes righteousness, what does he teach us about why we are accepted by him?

Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” John 6:29

During his farewell address to his disciples, Jesus shared how he will be our companion even when he is with the Father:

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
18 “I will not leave you as orphans (comfortless); I will come to you.  John 14:15-18  (Emphasis added)

Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.  John 14:22-23 KJV (Emphasis added)

So when Jesus said “[he] will come to [us]” (John 14:18), and “we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (John 14:23): he is referring to abiding, through his Holy Spirit, in any who believe. And this is Christ in us:

“…to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To whom God would make known the glorious riches of this mystery among the nations, who is Christ in you, the hope of the glory. See, Colossians 1:21-28 (Emphasis added.)

This mystery is revealed in us who believe. Meditate on the miracle of the Holy Spirit living in you, revealing Christ to those around you.