We had the privilege of Katie Hawkins joining us and sharing her thoughts with a sermon titled “:Troubled – Take Heart”
John 16:33 – “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”
Does the news of what is happening depress you? rob you of good cheer? Do we all have perfect families, how about loving your neighbors…are they all easy to love? Our hearts are easily troubled
In the noted scripture Jesus tells his followers very clearly that they are going to have trouble in this world. – But they are to take heart, or be of good cheer. But this is a question we frequently ask. Note – “in Him we will have peace,” contrast that to “in the world we will have trouble”
Katie delved a little deeper citing various scripture verses
John 13;1-2 Describes the scene where Jesus is meeting with his disciples at the last supper
Jesus taught them again about genuine humility and serving one another. He washed the disciples’ feet. We are cleaned or forgiven of our sins when we believe in Christ. But we get “dirty” walking around in the world, and we need to wash our souls by confessing when we mess up.
In Chapter 14:1 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled trust in God and trust also in me”
He tells the disciples that he is preparing a place for them and they will always be with him. Jesus then explains that He is the Way. No one comes to the Father except through Him.
In summary, believe in Him, do the same work as He did while He was on earth, and pray to my Father and He will hear you and answer you. Jesus then explains that He will give us a helper, an advocate – the Holy Spirit and he will lead you into the truth. He did not leave us orphaned, He is in us in spirit, and not just to be with you, but in you.
Chapter 14:27: Peace of Mind and Heart I give as a gift the world cannot give, so don’t be troubled or afraid
Katie reminded us that the world think peace can only come when all is well, everyone is behaving, the weather is a perfect sunny day but no too hot, and when we get our own way politically, at work, in marriage, But Jesus says – Nope, not that way. The world seeks resources, Jesus promises relationships, supernatural peace despite circumstances.
Verse 30 – he says i don’t have much more time………..
Although it looks like Satan is winning … he is given a free will like all of us to wreak havoc on the world….but in reality God is ultimately in control and will bring about His purposes despite what the enemy can do to us.
Verses 9-12, Jesus states that he has loved the disciples as the Father has loved Him.. Obeying his commandments they will remain in Christ’s love just as He obeys His fathers commandments. They will be filled with His joy and yes their own joy will overflow . So Jesus states his commandment to love each other in the same way He loves each of them
He goes on to tell them that the world is going to hate you, misunderstand you, because the world hated Him and obviously misunderstood Him to the point where they killed him. But Jesus urges them to hang on tight and know they have the Holy Spirit in them.
Katie then summarized what Jesus told the disciples in a word
HEART
H = Hold onto your belief in God
E = Enter into the Lord’s Kingdom
A = Act on those priorities Jesus laid out
R = Receive more of his love by opening your heart and mind to him through prayer
T = Take time to strengthen your belief.
Imagine if all of us Christians did this when troubles hit.. The impact we would have on our families, neighbors and community, would make a difference in this world.