Celebrate What God has Done!

There was once a great and mighty citadel of the faith. It’s members were many, it’s band large, it’s youth growing in the faith, it’s members organized and energized, it’s outreach far and wide, it’s services many and multiplied, and it’s reputation, as one of the premier citadels of the mighty army.

Long it endured in the golden circle of great bastions, led by great heroes of the faith forward and onward. But not so long ago the citadel experienced a mighty fall. It’s leader had done terrible things in secret and the secrets were exposed.

The once mighty citadel fell into disrepair, the doors closed, and the facility was shut. Yet five years later, the citadel rose from the grave, led on by a series of new heroes who attempted valiantly to bring the fallen citadel back to it’s once mighty prestige.

The citadel that had once been dead, rose back to life, though it never did regain the renown and might it once held. Yet the rebirth was secure, and a new day had come, and all would be well.

This is the story of The Salvation Army Owosso.

In many of the most difficult transitions and changes in our lives we eventually come to a point where we realize everything is going to be ok. We’ve walked through the dark feelings, the grief, the depression, and we’ve found a new path.

The disciples of the Lord Jesus have been through an astonishing and difficult journey. They first saw Jesus betrayed and arrested. Peter himself denied he even knew Jesus. They saw their dearest friend their Lord crucified, killed, and buried.

Yet three days later they saw the unthinkable happen, Jesus rose from the dead. Nothing like this had ever happened in human history. Suddenly everything was different.

Jesus helped Peter and the others to repent after having abandoned him during the crucifixion. He encouraged and restored them. And they were shocked.

Have you ever had an experience in your life where you thought it was all over and suddenly, everything changed?

It’s an extremely energizing experience. It fills you with hope. You begin to believe that there is good in the world and that good things can happen.

So Jesus is with the disciples, appearing them again and again over a period of forty days.

Then we see a particular occasion when Jesus gives the disciples special instructions:

“On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” –Acts 1:4-5

In difficult changes in life, traumatic events, sudden shifts, we do experience pain and grief, yet at the other end of the transition we often find a very unexpected and blessed gift.

For the disciples they are told to wait patiently for God the Father to send the Holy Spirit to live within them.

Again we see waiting, patience, trusting God in the waiting. But they’ve just saw Jesus rise from the dead. They’ve seen a dead man alive again and eating with them and teaching them. They’ve seen the impossible happen.

Yet I bet it was still hard to wait for the Spirit. We’ve all seen God do amazing things in our lives and in the lives of those around us. But how quickly we forget and begin to doubt again.

In Owosso, when I moved here, I was hit very hard by fear and depression, coming here to a place where I knew no one. It would’ve been easy to give up or quit. But I found a family of people that I love. The gift was waiting on the other side of fear and pain.

C.S Lewis after great loss in his life indicated he was surprised by joy suddenly. He said joy bursts into our lives when we stop trying to manipulate events and do the good in front of us God has given us to do.

Next we see the disciples question Jesus:

“Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” – Acts 1:6-8

The disciples expect that now, right now, Jesus will set everything right. Right now. They assume Jesus will take his seat on the throne of Israel and begin overthrowing the roman empire.

But that isn’t what happens at all.

When big changes happen we assume, alright well this must be the end. It’s all over. But it’s actually just one step along the way.

I know every place I’ve been to do ministry, it feels permanent while I’m there, it feels like the end all be all, until I move to the next place God calls me.

Many days it feels like Jesus could return any moment. But time keeps going.

Jesus redirects us away from what we’re expecting, to what he’s actually planning.

So, so, so many times I have expectations about what God is going to do next. Or what God wants me to focus on. Or what God has for me to do that day. And God will completely change my focus, and completely redirect me toward something totally different.

Can you relate? Like C.S. Lewis said, those things we think of as interruptions are actually our life.

“The great thing, if one can, is to stop regarding all the unpleasant things as interruptions of one's 'own,' or 'real' life. The truth is of course that what one calls the interruptions are precisely one's real life -- the life God is sending one day by day.” -C.S. Lewis

God uses change to redirect.

Which is sometimes hard.

Can you imagine how the disciples have longed for the restoration of Israel? Day and night they must’ve longed for it. Their whole lives they had believed a messiah would come who would defeat the romans.

Instead Jesus essentially says actually you’re going to be leaving Israel, I’m not going to restore Israel right now. I’m sending you to the world to preach the gospel. I wonder if they felt disappointed or even angry.

But God redirects us toward His plan, not our own. Our emotions catch up later.

Next, we see the big moment, Jesus is gone.

“After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” –Acts 1:9-11

The disciples have their instructions, wait for the Holy Spirit. Jesus is now gone, back up to heaven, to the right hand of the Father.

Jesus is promised to return one day, by two messengers of God who suddenly appear with the disciples.

Can you imagine seeing Jesus rise up into the sky? That is crazy. He lifts off the ground and launches into heaven. That’s beyond anything we could imagine. And yet two thousand years ago it happened right in front of their eyes.

They were on the mount of olives. Which leads many to believe that when Jesus returns, he will return on the mount of olives.

But the disciples are caught up in the moment. I think sometimes in big changes we freeze up. We’re so traumatized we just stop. We get stuck in trauma. We get stuck in depression. We give up, in the extreme troubles.

Don’t get stuck in the past. Don’t get stuck in the way things used to be. Embrace the new.

It’s a good reminder from the messengers of God, don’t just stand here looking into the sky. Get to work. The victory is won. The Lord has given us good work to do. Now let’s get to it!

Next, we see in verses 12-14: “Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.” –Acts 1:12-14

What do the disciples do? They keep gathering together. And they engage in constant times of prayer.

When my day is messed up, or I’m feeling depressed or I’m upset, the best thing I can always do and go somewhere quiet and begin praying. Not just a few words, but a good long sustained prayer, telling God exactly how I feel.

Prayer is the answer.

Always remember that. I can’t think of many situations where prayer isn’t the answer.

Early on in recovery I would feel thirsty for a drink, and I would go into the side bedroom at my mom’s old house, and get on my face before God, on my knees, and say, "God help me."

When I was devastated because a romantic relationship didn’t work out, I would find that quiet place, and pray, "God help me."

When work was crazy and I feel so exhausted and empty and stressed, I find that quiet place, and sit down on my chair, and say "Lord, I just can’t right now."

When drama blows up on social media and people are criticizing me, I shut the computer off, lay down in bed, and start talking to God in the darkness.

Get alone and prayer. Better yet, get together with a group of others and pray together. I would say of all the meetings we’ve hosted at The Salvation Army, the ones I loved most were our prayer meetings. Once a month, or once a week during kettle season, we would gather in the morning in the chapel and pray together for a good hour. It was wonderful.

The disciples gather together it says “constantly” in prayer. Daily I think this means, they would have set times where they would all gather and talk to God. What if you did that? Outside of church, you invited people over and prayed? How would your life change? How would your church change?

Next we see in verses 15-26 that the disciples gather to find a replacement for Judas, who had betrayed Jesus.

It says in 23-26: “So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.” –Acts 1:23-26

This is a good reminder that not everyone who gathers among us in the church are actually of us. Many will come and go.

Many have come to me after services and asked me, “Where is so and so?” And I would often simply say, I have no idea. Many simply stop coming. That’s not always a bad thing either.

They may have moved to a new area, or God called them elsewhere. But, just as often, I think it’s they’ve abandoned the mission.

Often, as we pray God will remove from the body people who are disruptive or dangerous as well. So always pray in those circumstances. Just as much, pray for those who depart, that God would restore them to the fellowship.

Not everyone makes it through a hard transition. Many will give up unfortunately and depart. Pray for them. And if you can, go and visit them, and minister to them. Maybe they need a loving friend to encourage them to come back.

Yet God will often add someone new to take their place, someone who will become a new part of our family. Praise the Lord! 

So the disciples wait and wait, they meet together and pray, they keep the fellowship, and finally, finally, finally the day comes.

Notice how they kept meeting together, they didn’t drift apart. So then it says:

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” -Acts 2:1-4

Breakthroughs and victories come when we least expect it.

The power of God descends suddenly, rapidly, unexpectedly.



In the driest seasons of my life, where it feels like God is a million miles away, and the coldness and bitterness of daily life seems to reign supreme, and I’m just trying to hold on the downward trajectory of sorrow and pain, it’s in those moments when it seems least likely that God could ever break through into that dryness, it’s in those times, when I’ve waited patiently, that suddenly God breaks through, and the dry desert turns to a lush blooming forest.

Do you believe He can? You haven’t seen it yet. You’ve tasted the rough sand in your mouth for so long. Do you still believe He can? I still believe.

The Holy Spirit bursts forth into that place where the disciples are gathered and they are shocked and excited, and amazed! Tongues of fire separate and descend into each believer. They are filled with the Spirit. And they begin speaking in new languages. They are empowered by God now, for victory, for service.

Peter preaches a mighty sermon to the crowds who witness this event, and three thousand people get saved. This begins their ministry, empowered by the Spirit of God.

They now do what their Master did. They mimic what Jesus did. They proclaim it bravely. Through the Holy Spirit, the body of believers grows. And they prosper. They achieve victory.

And it brings celebration, devotion, love, unity, and every good thing. That’s what we’ve seen here at the salvation army, and we should celebrate.

It says in Acts 2:42-47: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

Celebration. Rejoicing. Praising God. Enjoying the favor of all people. Signs and wonders performed by the apostles. Devotion to the teachings of God, fellowship with one another, and eating together, and to prayer.

These are all hallmarks of the church, the body of Christ, us.

They sold property and possessions and gave to anyone in need. Everyday they met together. They met in each other’s homes. Their hearts were sincere.

And the Lord kept adding to their number daily, those who were being saved. Wow.

Now that’s a reason to celebrate. Celebrate what God has done here, what God is doing, and what God will do in the future friends.

Review of Main Points:

1. In change we often find a surprising gift

2. God uses change to redirect us

3. Trauma causes us to Freeze Up

4. Prayer is the Answer

5. Some will depart during transitions

6. Breakthrough comes when we least expect it

7. Celebrate

He is faithful. He is faithful for the future just as much as he has been in the past. Trust Him for the road ahead. Though it seems so very uncertain, God is trustworthy, our part is to hold on tight as God begins to do a new thing in our lives. The future is bright. Praise the Lord!

Jesus Asks: Do you Love Me?

On February 8th of 2023 a revival broke out at Asbury University and lasted for 144 hours. It started with a simple chapel service where a message was given that led students to seek God. This revival led to thousands and thousands of people descending on the small town to experience the revival. The news of it spread across the globe. Evangelical leaders attempted to come and take the stage, but the students refused, they didn’t want any figure head or big name leader, just the Holy Spirit in control.

You might wonder, what brought about this revival? Was it a great sermon? Nope. Was it amazing worship music? No. Was it a call to evangelism? No. Was it filled with great apologetics? No. Was it social justice? No. Was it a hellfire sermon? No. Was it an encouraging prosperity message? No.

One simple fact made it so very powerful: The Holy Spirit brought repentance. People honestly confessed their failures, people honestly confessed that they had not kept Jesus first. The love of God changed their hearts through this honest submission.

We saw how Jesus prayed for his disciples and then they left for the garden of gethsemane. There Jesus knew he would be arrested by the authorities.

Just as Jesus had predicted, he was arrested, betrayed by Judas Iscariot, and he was taken into custody.

I imagine it was a dark, dark night. I imagine the sorrow and fear among the disciples was strong.

The Roman soldiers and temple guards came to Jesus and his disciples and said they were looking for Jesus of Nazareth. And Jesus replied, “I am he.”

Judas gave a signal to the guards to let them know which of the disciples was Jesus, so he came and kissed Jesus on the cheek, to indicate, this is the correct one to arrest.

Peter in a fit of anger and fear struck out with his sword. But Jesus commanded him to put his sword away.

Nine of the disciples fled at that moment. But Peter and John followed the group of soldiers as they led Jesus away.

Then it says, in John 18:15-17, “Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. That other disciple was well known to the High Priest, so he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the High Priest's house, 16 while Peter stayed outside by the gate. Then the other disciple went back out, spoke to the girl at the gate, and brought Peter inside. 17 The girl at the gate said to Peter, “Aren't you also one of the disciples of that man?”

“No, I am not,” answered Peter.”

Peter once said to Jesus, even if everyone else denies you, I will never deny you (Matthew 26:33).

To that Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” (Matthew 26:34).

Let’s examine ourselves. How was our conduct over the last few years? Did we keep Jesus first in everything?

Or have we been living double lives?

Did we attend church faithfully? Or did we show up rarely?

Did we tithe and give offers? Or were we selfish with our money?

When's the last time you shared your faith with… anyone?

When’s the last time you brought someone new to church with you?

Have you prayed day and night for the people in this community and in this church?

Or have you been lazy and self-focused?

Have you seen victories over sin in your life, or are you living in secret sin?

Sometimes, when we see failure, we have to look in the mirror. Like Simon Peter, he failed Jesus. He denied he even knew him.

The rock had become as shaky as a reed in the wind.

Next, in verses 18-25, “It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.

19 Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.

20 “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. 21 Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”

22 When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby slapped him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded.

23 “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?” 24 Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

25 Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?”

He denied it, saying, “I am not.” -John 18:18-25

Aren’t you a disciple of Jesus? Peter said, I’m not. What about you? What happens when everything falls apart? What happens when the rest of the followers scatter into the wilderness? What will you do?

Would you die for Jesus Christ? If the American authorities came to your door and threatened to arrest you and have you executed for your faith in Jesus, what would you do?

I hope and pray I would say, Jesus is my savior no matter what! They might say, well, if you deny Jesus, we’ll give you money, we’ll make you famous, you’ll be well taken care of, you’ll never have a problem again, just deny your savior.

I hope I would reply, “Never.”

But my own behavior is a sign. I say I would never deny Jesus. But how often is it that I can’t be bothered to even show up to church on Sunday? I can’t be bothered to visit someone struggling. I can’t be bothered to whisper a prayer. I can’t be bothered to help out, or tithe, or carry a few boxes into the corps, I can’t be bothered. Then why in the world should I believe that I would not deny Jesus?

Communities in the west are becoming increasingly hostile to Christianity. You can’t imagine what I’ve seen friends over the last five years. I’ve seen so many people abandon this church. I’ve seen our name salted in this community. I’ve seen other charities in the area stab us in the back. I’ve seen people spread rumors. I’ve seen people steal from us. I’ve seen people trash us on social media. My car was keyed by disgruntled clients. I was physically attacked. Theres never enough funding.

So considering all that, it’s just not a given that we’d all die for Jesus, can we really assume that? The community is growing increasingly hostile to Christianity. So we must examine ourselves, as America turns against God, would I be willing to die for my savior? If I say yes, then my action should match, I should be utterly devoted to Jesus, utterly focused on my church activity, utterly heart-burdened for those who don’t know Him out there.

Next, it says, “One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?”

Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.”
–John 18:26-27

We’ve talked about your part in all this, the part of the community, but what about me?

I’ve failed and fallen short in so many ways over the last five years. I can tell you that much. I can relate to Peter, just as all of us can.

Let me tell you about my failures. I’ve allowed fear to control and hinder my leadership. I’ve allowed pride to disrupt and influence the way I teach and preach. I’ve allowed lust to take hold in my life, in the past. I’ve not been bold enough in my leadership, I’ve been fearful to confront and rebuke people who were out of control. I didn’t reach out enough, spend enough time in your homes.

But for years I was doubleminded, and played a double-life. Thank the Lord he has purified that out of me through suffering and much sorrow. And that sorrow, sickness, pain and frustration led to repentance. I was humbled by the Lord, delivered from pride, and lust and fears, and that was a gift from the Lord.

Many of you noticed how sick I was for really the last two and a half years. And that was God’s gift to humble me and deliver me from pride, and doublemindedness, and make me whole before Him.

If you are in a dark season, pray and ask God if it’s for the purpose of repentance. Maybe God is bringing you through sorrows so you will confess your sin before him and repent. Not every sorrow season is like that, but if it is that, don’t miss this golden opportunity, it is a gift from God. Use the sorrow to draw you toward repentance.

Peter has denied Jesus three times. One might think, the story is over. But it is not over.

Similarly, with each of you, with this community, and with me, the story is not over.

Jesus is taken before the authorities. Jesus goes through his all night ordeal before the high priest and before the romans. Jesus is mocked and beaten. Jesus carries his cross to Golgotha. Jesus is nailed to the cross. Jesus is lifted up upon the cross. And Jesus dies for our sins upon that cross.

Jesus is the only one who can do it. Each of us, the disciples, even Peter, we fall short. We mess it up. We miss the mark. But Jesus doesn’t. Jesus gains total victory. Jesus wins the day. Jesus completes His mission.

Meanwhile the disciples are in hiding, behind locked doors, in fear of the roman authorities and the Jewish leaders. Three days go by, of I’m sure, much mourning, and sorrow and weeping.

The disciples hear then, of strange rumors of Jesus being alive again, but no one is sure what to believe.

One day Peter and the disciples go fishing. 

“Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.” –John 21:2-3

Peter seems to be going back to his old life, he used to be a fishermen, Jesus had called him to fish for people, but now Peter returns to his old ways.

Our own shortcomings may make us want to run to our old lives.

I wonder how many of you here, after the morning services are discontinued, after myself and Chelsey have departed will go back to your old lives? Forget everything that happened over the last five years…?

Then I wonder how many of you will hear the voice of Jesus calling to you from the shore.

The disciples heard a voice call to them: "He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”

“No,” they answered.

He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.” -John 21:5-6

When we’ve failed Jesus, Jesus comes to us and ministers to us. Jesus reminds us who we really are, and Jesus invites us to make a change.

The disciples go back to their old life, and Jesus meets them where they are, and calls them back home to Himself.

“Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.” – John 21:7-9

When we hear the voice of the master in our bitterness and regret and confusion and in our running away, we should be like Simon Peter and jump into the water and swim toward Jesus as fast as we can.

When we’ve failed we feel like it’s all over, we’re done, we’ve lost. But when we see Jesus show up, we jump for joy, because His love moves us so completely.

You mean he still loves me, even when I fail or make a mistake? Yes.

So many times you guys I’ve felt so sinful, after I sinned, I know I did something so bad, so nasty, and I come with a contrite heart to Jesus, and I ask His forgiveness and I feel then very quickly that he has forgiven me, and I lose it, I just want to cry with joy at his mercy, humility and compassion for me.

Next Jesus sits down with Peter, and he asks Peter a very important question. It says:

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.” -John 21:15-17

Peter had denied Jesus three times. And Jesus invites Peter here to repent of his denial.

Peter had said he loved Jesus, but by his actions he had denied Him. But that wasn’t the end of the story.

Jesus comes to Peter and asks him the same question three times, “Do you love me?”

And Peter is restored, as he declares from the heart, “ I love you Lord.”

Peter used his mouth to declare he did not know Jesus, now he declares with his mouth, I do know Jesus.

And Peter from this moment forward would proclaim Jesus to all, never denying His master again. Peter would one day even give His life for Jesus.

Jesus invites us to repent, and restores us completely as we turn back to Him.

What about you? Peter’s sorrow led to repentance. Examine your own heart today. Do you really love Jesus with all your heart? If you do, do your actions match up with what you’re saying?

Allow the Lord to bring sorrow if repentance is needed. Allow the Lord to prick your heart. Allow the Lord to speak into your life some hard truth today.

Over the last few years, what have been your triumphs? What about your mistakes and failures?

Are you caught in a secret sin? He can set you free.

Are you struggling with depression? He can lift you up.

Do you feel like you didn’t go all in for Jesus the last few years? Recommit your heart to Him.

Do you feel like you’ve not served your fellow Christians faithfully? Ask God to help you practice your faith more actively.

Seek the Lord right now. Ask God for forgiveness. Ask God to change your heart. Ask God to transform you. God wants to move in your heart. And true repentance brings revival. Maybe today is the first day of a personal revival in your life. Be like Peter. Jesus came to him and asked him, do you love me?

Do you hear the voice of the Master Jesus saying it to you, “Do you love me?” Repent right now of any sins in your life. Or maybe you just need to repent of not putting Jesus first in your life? Take some time and pray right now. Jesus will restore you!

Review of Main Points:

1. Examining Ourselves: Where have we failed Him?
2. Examining the Community: Would we die for Him?
3. Examining Leadership: What about church leaders?
4. Where we fail Jesus succeeds
5. Our own shortcomings may make us want to run to our old lives
6. When we’ve failed Jesus, Jesus comes to us and ministers to us (and we run toward Him) 
7. Jesus invites us to Repent, and restores us completely as we turn back to Him

Unity in the Church: And the Boundaries of Unity

You can tell when you walk into a church, and spend any amount of time there, whether that church is united or not. What is Christian unity? We know it when we see it. We can feel it.

You can feel the peace around the table. You can sense the peace and unity in the service, the bible studies, the business meetings, and so on.

There is general unity. The believers there love Jesus, they are humble, and they enjoy the peace of unity. They don’t allow their egos to break it.

Similarly, we can tell very quickly when there is disharmony, disunity. You can sense the hostility. You can sense the annoyances and anger. You can see the pride and ego in the eyes of the people there who want their way. There is faction, rebelliousness, and it’s toxic.

For Christians to be united in any way is a testimony to the world that Jesus is real. I recall being in Escanaba, and there was a unity of 14 churches that had all agreed to join forces to create a rotating homeless shelter. And I always remembered that, being at the meeting of those church leaders, and seeing their unity, to work together to help the homeless was a powerful witness of Christian unity.

Yet at the same time, there is also a boundary to unity. We as Christians cannot be united with false teachings, sometimes the suggestion of unity is used as a guise to implement false teachings.

A church may split, if half the church says we are going to go against what the Bible says. We are going to throw out God’s design for marriage, and change it. Well, in that case, the true church should split off from those false teachers, because we cannot have fellowship with darkness. We cannot have fellowship with lies. That is the line.

But Jesus longs for the fellowship, the unity of true believers. He prays for it famously in John 17.

John 17:1-5 says, “After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:

“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.”

We have a perfect example from Jesus about what it means to walk in unity. On Earth, Jesus sought to do the perfect will of God the Father.

He was always focused on one thing: What is my Father’s will?

God gave Jesus work to do, and Jesus did that work successfully, joyously, and even when it was very hard and painful.

If our eyes are focused on God our Father in heaven, humbly seeking to do His will, we will walk in unity.

If we are self focused, and prideful, and rebellious, we will cause disunity among the believers.

So much of this, when we talk about unity, is going to be internal.

Next Jesus says, verses 6-8, “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.”

Jesus reveals the Father to us. Who is God? Jesus reveals the Father to us perfectly.

In unity we find our example in Jesus himself. How can I be a person of unity, a Christian of unity? By being an accurate example of Jesus to the world.

Jesus in His prayer here is talking about the disciples in a particular way, he says they obeyed the Father’s word.

It says they “accepted His word.”

They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me.

That is something I honestly believe about Jesus, that the Father really did send Jesus. I really believe that every word of the Bible is true. I accept His word as it is written.

Do you accept the word of God as written?

A hallmark of a person of unity is that they honestly accept God’s words as written.

But be on guard friends. It is very easy, so very easy to begin to twist God’s word to suit our desires.

We start to soften certain aspects. We start to ignore certain bible verses that make us uncomfortable. This is becoming increasingly common in modern Christianity. You see once prominent denominations that were so firmly embedded in truth, now going off into error. They change the word of God to suit their desires. The United Methodist church split. Even organizations like Cru and intervarsity are beginning to stray on certain key issues of our day.

The Salvation Army itself, is wrestling with these issues.

The hallmark of a man or woman of unity is that they first of all humbly seek to do God’s will, but second, they are a man or woman completely dedicated to the revealed word of God.

And I mean even up against your own theology that you hold right now. I think about the theology that I held ten years ago, and wow, what garbage it was. More and more I’ve allowed the word of God to disrupt my theological understanding. So many things I heard from so many bible teachers I later realized just weren’t true.

Know the word. Know it intimately and deeply. And then you’ll be able to discern.

Now watch out at the same time. You’re being told how important unity is. Suppose suddenly many leaders and pastors and groups start proclaiming that that its ok to have multiple wives. Or groups and leaders start saying, actually stealing is ok, or God’s grace means you can live in sin. Or we can redefine marriage. Or we should stop believing in miracles.

And then when you say, "Wait a minute that’s not what the Bible says" they say well you’re causing disunity by arguing with us about this.

That is false. Don’t ever fall for that trap. So many times false teachers bring in destructive heresies and false teachings, and then when Christians speak up against them they say, “Why are you causing disunity in the body?”

It reminds me of when King Ahab in the Old Testament saw the prophet Elijah he said to him, “When he saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?” -1 Kings 18:17

King Ahab is the one troubling Israel by leading the nation into idol worship. But he accuses Elijah of being the one causing trouble.

Biblical unity does not mean unity with unbiblical garbage and false theology. Christians must stand up boldly against false teachers and false teachings. Always remember that.

Next it says, “I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.” -John 17:9-12

We find in God protection, a power that surrounds us as Christians, that knits us together, and keeps us functioning as one.

Jesus held his disciples together in His power. Now the Holy Spirit holds us together as believers. God’s power keeps us united.

You may ask why then do church splits happen? You hear about it, I recall when I was in the upper peninsula, a very prominent church had split, the pastor had been removed, and he took with him half the congregation, and they started meeting at a local hotel conference area. Why does it happen?

I’ve seen it happen with The Salvation Army. The current corps officer leaves and the church vanishes once they leave, and it’s very sad.

Why would these things happen if God’s power holds us together? Because there are three factors at play in all things, God’s power is one. Second is free will, that is, human decision. Third, we'll talk about in a moment. 

I am nestled safely in the power of God holding us together, but with my own foolishness could I get all out of whack and cause massive problems? I certainly could.

It happened several years ago here, and several people left the church over a change in leadership. I've made dumb decisions as a leader that caused problems in the church as well. 

Friends, back when I was a young Christian I caused problems with the pastor because I was young, and energetic, and opinionated, and I put stuff on social media I should’ve never posted and it caused problems. Thankfully I’ve repented of that bad behavior.

That’s why its so important to know God’s word, go back to point two, we’ve got to build this understanding of unity one upon the other.

The scriptures show us a series of barriers to unity which come from 
Galatians 5:19-21 ESV, "Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."

The scriptures warn about dissensions, intentionally acting in a dissenting way against a faithful leader. 

The scripture warns against factions, and I’ve seen factions form in churches, this group against that group.

The scripture warns against backbiting, slandering others behind their back. Yet how often do we do that?

The scripture warns about selfish ambition, when instead of doing things for God’s glory, we do things for promotion and to show off ourselves.

The scripture warns about strife. Strife is the idea of showing that you’re better than someone else, arguing to show yourself as the correct one constantly.

The scripture warns about divisions. Being divided, intentionally splitting, and splitting off, and dividing up, and it's ugly. 

Sometimes to consider unity, we must look at what disunity looks like. I think we’ve all seen churches that are united, and it’s a glorious thing.

“How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” Psalms 133:1.

And we’ve also seen churches that are divided, and it’s unbearably uncomfortable and miserable to behold.

So we see God's power, and human free will at work. What about the third factor? The third factor is Satan/demonic influence. 

“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.” -John 17:13-19

Jesus prays and ask God the Father to protect his disciples from the evil one.

The evil one seeks to sow disunity among the body of Christ. We’ve seen it so many times throughout history, denominations splitting, churches splitting, believers divided, friends divided, and it’s ugly.

We have to remember that it’s not just ourselves that we’re fighting against when it comes to unity, we also have an enemy seeking to sow disunity.

If the enemy can get you upset about something, some decision that was made, some issue or controversy, whatever it might be, he can drive you out. I remember there was gentleman who attended the church, and he felt that I looked at him in a way that indicated that I didn’t like him, so he had left the church.

Don’t let the enemy peel you off from the body of believers. The enemy wants to target you, make you feel different, get you to run away from the safety of the flock, get mad about something, and then he’s got you where he wants you, disconnected from the body of believers, alone, isolated, and then he moves in with the lies and false thoughts, and pretty soon, he takes you out, sin takes over, and it’s a shipwrecked believer.

Next, it says, “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” -John 17:20-23

Next point, Jesus has given us the glory he received from the Father. We are now shining people, noble people, different people, set apart people, unique people. We must walk in that uniqueness and know that we are different.

You wear each day the rob of righteousness of Jesus Christ, His perfect righteousness, was His gift to you. And in exchange He took your filthy garments of sin and deleted them on the cross.

How then could you walk in the sins of disunity? We cannot. We must not. We are different people now.

Last scripture portion, “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

“Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” –John 17:24-26

Jesus promises to continue to live within us, reveal the Father to us, and to make sure that the love the Father has for Jesus, will continue to go from the Father, to Jesus, to us.

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

When we are united, knit together, connected, and of one accord, of one mind, then we will manifest true, deep, real love, and that will prove to the world that we are Christians. And that love will win many over to become Christians.

Now you may be thinking to yourself well, that will just naturally happen in a church. I think that’s somewhat true. I think it’s also not quite right. We need to be intentional about loving each other. We need to be intentional about helping each other. We need to be intentional about praying for each other.

How often do you connect with another church member during the week? When did you last pray for a brother or sister? When did you help a church member with a project or a need during the week? Well the church will handle that. You are the church! Others aren’t going to do it for you. You need to make it happen.

Last point today, I want to direct you to the beginning of the message. Unity among Christians is beautiful. But there is a limit to unity. It’s this: There can be no unity with falsehood.

The book of Jude talks about this. This has been attempted in the church from time to time. We attempt to be so unifying that we try to include false teachings. We try to include other religions, other philosophies, and then the people behind this celebrate how unifying they are being. But it’s a false unity. If you believe in Jesus and I believe in atheism, we can tolerate each other, befriend each other, but there can be no Christian unity there. One of the major flaws of American society is we’ve tried to include so much, be such a big umbrella of ideologies and philosophies that we’ve destroyed our social cohesion. Some ideas and philosophies are good, some ideas and philosophies are not good. But we're so desperate to be inclusive, and show our virtue, that we bring in bad ideas, and they harm our society. Similarly, in the church, if we bring in bad ideas, bad theology, false teachers, wrong teachings, under the flag of being inclusive and open, it will harm the body. 

False teachers often come in with ideas that contradict the Bible, contradict our faith, and when we challenge them and say, no, that’s not what the Bible says, we’re accused of causing disunity. But we should stand up against false teachings, not unite with them. 

Avoid the seduction of trying to show how open and inclusive you are. It's a tempting desire, it feels very virtuous. Conversely it feels a bit ugly to tell someone, that idea is not who we are, that concept is wrong. But it's necessary. Our society has struggled with this basic principle, and it's led us to ruin. We can't let it lead the church to ruin as well. 

The basic principle is this: Humble unity in love at all costs among Christians, dogged protection of the truth from evil ideologies and false teachings at all costs.

Review Main Points:
1. Unity is humbly walking in the Father’s will

2. Unity is being completely committed to God’s word

3. God’s Power keeps us united

4. The Enemy seeks to destroy unity

5. In Christ’s Glory we are shining people, noble people, set apart people (able to be united)

6. God’s love is made manifest in unity

7. Unity’s limit is there can be no unity with falsehood

Seasons of Grieving: When Grief turns to Joy

Grief and joy, two intense extremes. What is grief? 

“Author Edgar Jackson poignantly describes grief: Grief is teaching yourself to go to bed without saying good night to the one who had died. Grief is the helpless wishing that things were different when you know they are not and never will be again. Grief is a whole cluster of adjustments, apprehensions, and uncertainties that strike life in its forward progress and make it difficult to redirect the energies of life.”  -Charles Swindoll, Growing Strong, p. 171.

What about joy?

As a third-century man was anticipating death, he penned these last words to a friend: "It's a bad world, an incredibly bad world. But I have discovered in the midst of it a quiet and holy people who have learned a great secret. They have found a joy which is a thousand times better than any pleasure of our sinful life. They are despised and persecuted, but they care not. They are masters of their souls. They have overcome the world. These people are the Christians--and I am one of them." -Today In The Word, June, 1988, p. 18.

We’re going back in time to a moment in history that is very important. It’s the moment when Jesus had gathered with his disciples, and they’re in a hidden place, and he’s explaining to them the things that are going to happen next.

Jesus is in fact giving them bad news. And this bad news is affecting them.

Jesus says in John 16:1-3, “All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me.”

The reason Jesus is giving them this information ahead of time is to prepare them for it. When they are persecuted, they can remember, wait, Jesus told us this would happen. And then they won’t fall away. They’ll stand firm.

Jesus even says in verse 4, “I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them.”

Years from now, when Peter and the other disciples are arrested and harassed and beaten by the Jewish authorities, they will think back to that conversation with Jesus and say, that’s right, the Lord told us this would happen.

They will then know, it’s normal to feel this way, it’s understandable that this is happening. I can handle this. It’s going to be ok. Often we panic when bad things happen, we assume things are out of control. But God's word reminds us, it's to be expected. We can react in foreknowledge, knowing it is well.

Today we’re talking about the topic of grief and joy. Grief and joy are emotions that surround transitions. Anytime a change is happening, we experience grief.

It doesn’t have to be a negative change either, it can be a positive change. It can be a job promotion. It can be a new baby. It can be a victory. But even with positive changes we can experience grief surrounding the changes in our lives.

I know for myself, as I prepare to move, I find myself feeling depressed at times, feeling uncertain, feeling troubled, and this weekend, my wife and I were doing fun things outdoors, going for bike rides, walks, bon fires, and I found myself pre-occupied with uncomfortable feelings. I couldn’t fully enjoy what we were doing. I felt myself grieved.

How do you deal with grief? I know many of us used to drink or use drugs, or have a smoke, or party, but we can’t do that anymore. We’re different now. So how do we deal with grief?

We have to face it head on. And that will take courage.

“In a sermon, Bill Hybels shared this story: A friend of mine has a brain-damaged daughter. Sometimes the sadness she feels over her daughter's condition overwhelms her, as it did recently. She wrote me this letter and gave me permission to quote from it:

". . . I can hardly bear it sometimes. My most recent wave of grief came just last year before her sixteenth birthday. As the day approached, I found myself brooding over all the things that she would never be able to do. What did I do? What I've learned to do again and again: I did what I believe is the only thing to do to conquer grief, and that is to embrace it. . . I cried and cried and cried, and faced the truth of my grief head on."

People who face their feelings and express them freely begin the journey toward hope.” -article from Preaching Today.

Talk about the grief. Pray about the grief. Bring your grief before God’s throne. Think about it. Express it. Consider what it means. Walk through the emotions. Spend time grieving. All of this takes courage. It’s easier to just hide from it in a bottle, or a hobby or a distraction. We hide from it by ignoring it and pretending it isn’t there. But that won’t bring healing.

Jesus notices the grieving of his disciples.

He says to them, “...but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away.” -John 16:5-7

His disciples are so grieved they are not even paying attention. They aren’t asking Jesus where he’s going. They’re just so hurt that he’s leaving.

They are filled with grief. Jesus again is explaining the future to the disciples. The disciples are broken in these moments. Devastated. They love Jesus and they don’t understand what is happening.

But they are learning they must face the grief head on. They are in it. They must walk through it.

And Jesus explains that on the other side of grief, they will find that the change is actually good. It’s God's plan. It’s the right thing.

In my times of darkest grief, which have been many in my life, I’m grateful to the Holy Spirit who is with me, in me, in my mind and heart, communicating to me constantly about God, the truth, and justice.

As Jesus says in 7-11: “Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.”

The Holy Spirit ministers to us in grief, often through another person, or in our minds and hearts, or through the word of God.

The Lord continues, “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.” -John 16:12-15

God will often answer my negative thoughts, God will speak immediate truth:

It’s not worth it – God says I’ve given you good work to do.

It won’t matter – God says it matters more than you realize

It won’t work – God says it’s already certain

It isn’t good enough – God says I approve of your service

It’ll never be ok – God says in my timing you’ll find peace

I can’t do it – God says with me you can do all things

I don’t have the strength – God says my power is made perfect in weakness

The Holy Spirit is always speaking to us. Sometimes it’s an encouraging word. Sometimes it’s a challenging word. But He’s speaking. And when the Spirit speaks, you know you’re hearing from God.

Next we see the disciples finally beginning to question Jesus about what he means.

"Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”

At this, some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.”

Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.” –John 16:16-20

Jesus knows that when he is crucified the world is going to celebrate. The world is going to rejoice that they finally got rid of Jesus. And he knows the disciples will mourn bitterly.

But Jesus knows that when he’s crucified that won’t be the end. It’s just the beginning. Because 3 days later Jesus will rise from the dead and be alive again.

And in those moments, Jesus knows, the disciples grief will turn to joy.

Similarly, in the big transitions in your life, the big moments of change, difficulty, grief, struggle, you mourn for a season. You grieve. You weep and shake in the difficulty. You come home each day thinking, “How can I keep going?”

But then after a certain amount of time, your grief slowly turns to hope, peace, even joy.

My wife and I just got married two months ago. And its been such a big transition in our lives. Huge transition. It’s throwing both of our routines into chaos. We’re both in our thirties, we’re set in our ways. And both of us are grieving in a way. Even though it’s a great change, it’s a blessing, it’s wonderful, it’s marriage. We both love it. But the change itself is hard.

But we talked yesterday, both just feeling out of whack, out of step, and we talked and said well in a few months we’re going to find a new normal. New patterns. And our struggle with turn to peace and a new comfort with the new patterns we’re forming now.

How does that work exactly? How can someone go from profound grief or pain, to joy and peace?

Jesus explains it will in verses 21-22, “A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.”

One of the most painful things in planet Earth is a woman giving birth. I’ve never felt the pain myself but I understand it’s brutal beyond words. But, when she holds that new baby in her arms, she forgets the pain, because joy overcomes the pain, so much so that the pain isn’t even remembered.

Joy overcomes grief. That’s a pattern in life. When I got saved in 2012, suddenly, what had been the most profound season of grieving in my life switched to a new season of profound joy.

A new joy the disciples get to experience is to pray in Jesus name.

Jesus teaches them about this next, he says, “In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

“Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.” -John 16:23-27

What will make the disciples joy complete? By praying in Jesus name. Ask and you will receive, Jesus says.

It’s not just because Jesus is going to ask for us when we pray in His name. No, that’s not how that works. We ask in Jesus name, because that goes directly to God the Father, and God the Father loves us dearly, and will answer that prayer Himself.

What happens when we pray in Jesus name? People get healed. Souls get saved. People get delivered from addictions. The depressed are encouraged. Corruption is exposed in the world. Movies and music get made. Artwork gets created. Movements thrive. Churches grow. All because we pray in Jesus name.

And in all that, we find joy as we do God’s will. We find our joy made complete as we participate in the bringing of God’s kingdom to Earth. And when we pray in Jesus name, that’s what we do.

In any transition in our lives we want to run to prayer in Jesus name again and again and again. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been so messed up and upset and angry or hurting badly and I ran to God in prayer and found such encouragement and peace.

Lastly, Jesus says, “I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”

Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.”

“Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”–John 16:28-33

I want to draw your attention to the last verse there, Jesus says that we can have peace in all these difficult transitions.

Yes, there will be seasons of grief. Yes, there will be times of joy. But in all of it, we can find a place of peace.

We will have trouble in the world. That is certain. Trouble, problems, changes, difficulties, transitions, but, Jesus has set the stage. Jesus has overcome the world system. He has defeated the enemy. He has made the way for us to heaven. We just have to walk it.

So we should take heart.

How can we have peace Jesus says? Only he says, “In me.” Only in Jesus can we have peace.

When you find yourself pressed by change and grief, take heart. Encourage your own heart. Remind your heart of the promises of God. Turn your eyes to Jesus. And the troubles of this world will turn strangely dim, in the light of his mercy and grace.

In conclusion, understand that in grief, in change, you’ll feel like you can’t stand it. You’ll feel like it’s too much. You’ll want to give up. You’ll feel overwhelmed. But don’t give up.

Many do give up. And they get left caught in the grief, and the grief never ends. They get stuck in the process, and the grief becomes a constant companion. Or they run, and miss the blessing, because they ran back to their old ways, instead of facing the change boldly, bravely, and head on.

They missed the grief, and instead of healing they buried it. So in the future they'll have to go back and dig it up again, to find healing. Because grief buried grows a weed in the mind that affects the present. Is that you today? Then it's time to go back and dig up those pains, to bring them into the light of Christ, for healing. 

But, if you face the grief boldly and walk through the pain patiently, waiting weeks, months, even years, eventually you’ll find your grief slowly turned to joy. And in the end, you’ll find a place of peace, as the process is complete. And it’ll be the new normal. And you’ll have this peace that transcends all understanding, because you didn’t give up. You kept up the fight. And you’ve found the prize of joy and contentment and peace.

Review of Main Points:
1. Change brings grief – difficult emotions surround transitions

2. Face Grief head on – go through it to find healing, if we avoid it and bury it we'll have to dig it up later

3. The Holy Spirit ministers to us in Grief – let the Spirit speak truth into your situation

4. Grief will turn to Joy – after we’ve gone through the grief we find joy on the other side, if we've been bold to face it

5. Joy overcomes Grief – Joy takes over so much that we forget about the grief

6. Joy is made complete in God’s kingdom come – prayer in Jesus name is the key

7. We can have peace beyond the transitions of life, in Christ – peace is the final end point after difficult changes

Remain in Christ to the End: Abiding in the Vine

Jim Bright, an organizational psychologist did a survey asking people to give answers on different questions related to change, and how they react to change. The results were fascinating.

“1. One in three people would avoid change if they could.

Would you normally avoid change if you could?

If you said yes, then you'd join the 34% of respondents who agreed or completely agreed with that sentiment.

2. Over 76.51% of people said they could be fearless in a situation if they need to be.

Would you be fearless if you needed to be? Have you seen others being fearless?

5. Almost 1 in 3 people say that if they do not see immediate results for their efforts they usually give up and do something else.

32.2% say they do not persist if they do not see immediate progress, a further 21.3% are ambivalent. Less than half of people indicate they would persist in the face of a lack of immediate progress.” -Jim Bright, Jan 30th 2015, Results from an Online Survey

How does change affect you? Would you be able to persist in changes even if you didn’t see much positive progress at first?

The results from the survey that Jim Bright did are hardly scientific, just answers given by people online who decided to take the test, but the results are still interesting.

Examining the life of Jesus, at the moments before Jesus would go to the cross, we see change on a massive level. So we’re examining how the disciples respond to change. And how Jesus attempts to prepare his disciples for the change.

Jesus and his disciples had gathered in a private room to celebrate the Passover meal together. And Jesus had given his disciples many instructions about Himself, the Holy Spirit, and the future.

But then at the end of chapter 14 of John’s gospel Jesus said, “Come let us go from this place.”

He gathered the disciples and left. And I tend to think he must’ve come to a wall with a vine growing in it, or perhaps he walked through a vineyard with his disciples in the night.

And then he said this, in John chapter 15 verses 1-4, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”

The Lord knows that a big change is going to take place. And all he is doing in these chapters of John is getting his disciples ready for the change.

Notice it says in verse 3 that you are "already clean" because of the word Jesus spoke to them.

We as a church, as Christians, right now, at this moment in time, are clean, branches in the vine, and all in all stable in our faith.

The question is how do we continue that journey into the future? And Jesus gives us the answer in verse 4: "Remain in me," Jesus says, and he continues and says, “As I also remain in you.”

Jesus remains in us, therefore the command is "remain in Him. This is synergistic. Jesus remains in us after we have Him as savior. Most leave it there, and you get an incomplete theology. They skip where Jesus gives the command: "Remain in me." 

We cannot bear fruit apart from the vine, which is Jesus. So we must remain in the vine.

A branch generates fruit because it’s being fed by the vine it’s attached to. Could a branch ever generate fruit while it’s disconnected from the vine, sitting on the ground? No, it would certainly shrivel up and die.

First point today, you as a Christian, must, must, must remain in the vine, remain in Jesus Christ. And in all that, it must also mean remaining in the church, the body of Christ.

There are no lone wolf Christians. Stay together, stay connected, stay strong, fed by the vine, bearing fruit for Jesus.

Next, we get a warning, from John 15:5-8, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” –John 15:5-8

What happens to a Christian who does not remain in Christ? They drift off (Hebrews 2:1) They get complacent. They get caught in sins. They stop gathering with the saints. They stop praying and reading the word.

Such a branch that does not remain is thrown away and withers. Such branches are thrown into the fire and burned.

What does that mean exactly? It means that a Christian that falls away withers and fades away, they crumble.

It’s a very stark reminder of the need to remain in Christ. Abide, the word is. Which means, to remain.

It would make me so sad, if I were to visit in a few years, and I were to find you having forsaken the faith, at the bar, angry and miserable, broken, wishing you’d stuck with it. Don’t let that be you. Never leave the vine. Stick it out to the end. To the very last day, repeat it to yourself, “I’m a Christian to the very end.”

It didn’t take years of me being away for me to see church members go that route. I saw it over the last five years. They left the fellowship, for some reason, or another. Maybe it was a secret sin. Maybe they just got tired of the Christian life. And the enemy targeted them once they left. They were an easy target, all alone in the wilderness. And soon, sins took over their life again, and they found themselves deep into the world again, wishing they could get back, but they couldn’t.

A former church member called me once, and she said I wish I could get back, but I can't. Something inside her had changed. It’s like when an alcoholic in 12 step groups relapses. They may have had years of sobriety, but once you’ve relapsed again, for some reason it’s so hard to get back into the sobriety life. I experienced that myself. Similarly, when a Christian falls away, it can be so hard to get back, because something fundamental has shifted within.

Don’t let that be you. Persevere in the faith. Abide in the vine. Stay close to the shepherd. Keep gathering with the rest of the sheep. Don’t drift off.

And if you do, if you remain in Christ, it also says, if God’s word remains in us, ask whatever we wish, and it will be done for us.

Ask for God to heal someone. Ask for God to deliver someone from sin. Ask God to change our country. Ask God to save someone from addiction. And God answers our prayers.

Ultimately then, God the Father gets the glory, and our actions prove that we really are disciples of Jesus.

Next Jesus tells the disciples this in verses 9-14, “9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command.”

Love each other. And the example is, look to how Jesus loved the disciples. He said love each other as I have loved you.

Our third point today is: Real love is the evidence that we are really Christians in the vine.

That’s a beautiful moment for someone, when they realize, something really is special about you. They watch your actions. They watch how you speak. What you do. And slowly but surely, they watch it all, and one day they sit back, and say to themselves, wow, they really are Christians. And they will often then think, Jesus must be real. I see it in their lives.

Conversely, when someone watches our lives, and they see that our actions don’t really match our words… They see us mistreat someone. They see us act selfishly. They see us ignore the needs of people around us. They see us cuss, or steal, or lie. And then that same person sits back and says, well, I guess they really aren’t special or different. They are just liars. And their faith is a sham. So they think to themselves, I guess there is no Jesus after all.

I’m sure we’ve all been on both sides of that one. I know theres been times I’ve failed to represent Christ correctly. And that’s sad. But there have been times as well, when someone noticed the love of Christ in me.

Small actions done with love can make a big difference. They may change someone story forever in fact.

Next Jesus says this in verses 15-17, “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.”

Friends, you know the word of God. You’ve been taught the word of God. It’s running through your veins. The blood of Jesus is flowing through you.

You are not simply servants of God, though you are, you are more than that, you are friends of God.

Jesus has made known to us everything from the Father, and I as your overseer have tried to faithfully teach you the word. So you do know the word.

You are friends of God. And you must remember that God chose you. He chose you to be here, now, at this moment in time, part of The Salvation Army church. You belong here. This is your church.

God chose you. And he appointed you to bear fruit for Him. To walk in the good deeds he planned for you to do, before all time began.

Things may change. Services change. Groups change. But the fellowship of the saints continues.

Fourth point, Friend of God, you were called here. Always remember that. He may call you somewhere else in the future, but right now, you belong here, and he brought you here for a reason.

Next Jesus warns the disciples of coming persecution, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.” –John 15:18-20

Fifth point today, persecutions will come, and future victories will come. You will continue to spread the gospel throughout Shiawassee county. Many will hate you for it and attempt to persecute you for it.

Jesus was persecuted, so we should expect persecution as well.

We don’t know what the future will bring. I don’t know what will happen in the coming years, as this facility changes into a 360 life center.

I do know that God will remain with you if you continue to abide in Him, wherever he leads you.

You will face persecution. Wolves will come into the sheep-fold and attempt to destroy the sheep. But cling close to the Shepherd, and he will protect you. The enemy prowls around like a roaring lion, resist him standing firm in the faith, and he will flee from you.

At the same time, Jesus also says, if many obeyed Jesus teachings, which is true, many did, then many will also obey the teachings of God you bring to them.

So there is also hope for great victories in the future.

There are people in this community who desperately need you to bring the gospel to them, to tell them about what Jesus Christ did for you, so they can believe that Jesus can save them too.

You will see women get saved from addictions and brokenness, you will see men get saved from sorrows and sins. You will see events that will prosper. You will see ministries that help meet human needs. You will see yourself rise up, and carry the gospel to the lost.

The chapter concludes this way, ““They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’

“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.” –John 15:21-27

In conclusion today, we must always remember that we as Christians are led by the Holy Spirit, who lives inside of us.

As things change in this church, as things change in this community, in Michigan, in the world, as the world gets darker, as we get closer to the end times, more and more we must look to the Holy Spirit to lead us. The Holy Spirit will guide us in the right directions as we submit to His leadings. Men may lie to us, deceive us, try to lead us astray, governments may try to manipulate us, church movements may go astray, but we must steadfastly remain led by the Holy Spirit, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and engaged in the work the Holy Spirit gives us to do.

The Holy Spirit will testify to us about Jesus again and again, reminding us of all the things Jesus taught us. And therefore we must testify about Jesus to the world, because we know all about Jesus and His life. We’ve been taught by our leaders, and by ourselves, from the word, and so we must share it with others.

Let’s Review Our Main Points:
1. Remain with Christ – after salvation comes constant abiding throughout our lives

2. Branches that don’t remain wither and fade away – too many Christians allow sin or drifting to cause them to fall away

3. Real love is the evidence that we are Christians in the vine – our fruit proves that we are his disciples

4. Friend of God, You were called here – Jesus chose you to be here, and bear fruit as part of this community

5. Persecutions & victories will come – you will face persecution, you will also find new victories

And lastly, remember, the Holy Spirit will guide you, remind you of the words of Jesus, and empower you to carry the gospel to those who need it most.

Can you work against yourself? Is the final question I ask you. Remember the survey, and the results on change. Can you stop yourself from giving up? From wanting to quit? From overreacting in your sorrow?

Remember, all the disciples, aside from John, left Jesus and hid, Jesus’ top Lt. Peter denied his master three times. But Jesus helped them to come back together, and the sending of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost prepared the disciples for a mission to change the world forever.

When the transitions come, remember, abide in the vine, hold close to Jesus, and invite the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, to keep you close, even in the pain and troubles that transitions bring. Pray to Him, and He will help you in those times, when big changes rock your world. You’ll find Jesus is the rock, and you’ll come through safely in the end.