Time to grow up (2 things)

• 1^st – Do not stumble … vs. 1-7 (3 things)
  • 1^st – Jesus did not want the disciples to fall away – skandalizo… vs. 1
    • He knew that being a friend of God – meant hard times were coming…
      • The Gospel is not a message of an easy life – it is a message of eternal life…
      • II Corinthians 4:17 – “For our present troubles are quite small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever!”
      • What are we looking for – are we looking for an easy life – or heaven…
      • If we are looking for an easy life – we might want to reconsider being a friend of God
      • But if we are looking for eternal life – then Jesus is the ONLY WAY!
    • If we do not have the right perspective – we will stumble…
      • I lot of people come to Jesus – come to church – looking for a better life…
      • They think maybe if the give God Sunday mornings – He will bless them…
      • They will have more money – their kids will all be obedient – easy life…
      • But when that does not happen – when in fact life gets harder…
      • We fall away – stop coming to church / stop reading the Bible / give up on Jesus…
      • Because the focus in not on the eternal – we do not understand why life is hard…
      • We doubt and distrust Jesus – the one who gave His life that we might have hope…
      • ‘I tried Jesus, and it did not work’ – we end up walking away from the only answer!
      • Luke 18:8 – “When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
        
  • 2^nd – The Disciples would be persecuted… vs. 2-3
    • In an attempt to silence the Gospel – men would try to silence the disciples…
      • They would kick them out of church – try to humiliate them into silence…
        • And if that did not work – then they would kill them to keep them quiet…
        • And they would do so thinking they were serving God – killing Christians!
        • The reason is because these men DID NOT know the Father or Jesus!
        • History teaches us that all the disciples were martyred for Christ…
        • James the brother of John – was beheaded by Herod Antipas – Acts 12
        • ‘Doubting’ Thomas – was speared to death sharing Jesus in India…
        • Peter was crucified upside down – he did not feel worthy to die like Jesus…
        • John – was boiled in oil – but survived – sent to the prison island of Patmos!
      • This was nothing knew – people have always killed those who follow God…
        • Acts 7:52 – “Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One.”
        • The Prophet Isaiah was sawn in two – long ways – Hebrews 11:37-38
        • The Prophet Jeremiah was thrown into a well and left to die…
        • Being hated – mocked for following Jesus is the cost of friendship with God…
    • Do not fear men – they can only kill you…
      • Luke 12:4 – “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after have no more that they can do… Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell.”
      • There are parts of the world – muslims – where preaching Jesus can mean death…
      • But the worst they can do is kill you – then you go to heaven (not a bad thing)…
      • In most cases the worst thing that happens if we preach Jesus – we are made fun of…
      • People might accuse us of having ‘changed our religion’ – they miss the point…
      • More often they are just trying to change the subject to avoid conviction!
      • But keeping people from Hell is worth a little ridicule – worth being made fun of…
      • We are talking about your eternal destination – people are worth fighting for!
  • 3^rd – Jesus had not told the disciples these things before… vs. 4-7
    • In the three years they had been with Jesus – this was relatively new to them…
      • Jesus had not told them – because He was still there with them…
      • Parents do not share everything with their kids when they are young…
      • You do not tell a toddler how hard it is to put food on the table…
      • They do not need to worry about it – you are there to take care of them…
      • God may give us more than we want – He knows us better than we know ourselves!
      • But He will never give us more than we can handle – too much responsibility…
      • I Corinthians 10:13 – “God is faithful who will not [give you] beyond what you are able.”
    • But now Jesus was going away…
      • He was no longer going to be there – the disciples needed to stand on their own…
      • So He was teaching them now so they would remember – they would grow!
      • As your child grow up – you want them to be able to take care of themselves…
      • A parent is not always going to be there to provide – protect…
      • So you teach them lessons – so they can remember when you are not around!
      • God wants us to know as much of His Word as we can – be a student of the Bible…
      • Because there will come a day when we will need to remember what the Bible says!
    • The disciples were VERY sad…
      • They had stopped asking Jesus – ‘Where are you going’ – John 13:36…
        • The reality that Jesus was not going to be there for them had sunk in…
        • They result was they were all depressed – what would they do without Jesus!
        • There is nothing more terrifying – than for a child to step out on their own…
        • But ultimately – they will never become an adult until they do step out!
        • We can sit and listen to Bible teachings all day – every day…
        • But it is not enough to listen – there comes a point when we have to walk…
        • Step out in faith and begin to take responsibility – mature in our walk…
        • It is a VERY scary idea – but if we do not step out – we will never grow up…
        • The official name of the benches in churches – are called pews…
        • The reason is because is all you do is sit – pew – you start to go bad and smell!
      • If was for their good Jesus left – so the Holy Spirit could come…
        • Not that the Holy Spirit was not there – the Spirit had always been there…
        • The Spirit came down upon Jesus when He was baptized – Mark 1:10
        • The problem was the disciples – with Jesus there they did not need the Spirit…
        • Because they looked for Jesus to do everything – and took no responsibility…
        • So for their sakes Jesus had to go away – so they would step out!
        • If we are honest – we do not want responsibility – let someone else do it…
        • But it takes no faith to let someone else serve the Lord – be used by the Spirit…
        • What takes a step of faith is to believe that God can use me!
          
• 2^nd – The work of the Spirit… vs. 8-15 (3 things)
  • Jesus had already told the disciples A LOT about the Holy Spirit…
    • The ‘helper’ – who gives us the power to serve / love / and know – John 14:16
    • The Spirit is the one who helps us remember the Word – teaches us – John 14:26
    • The Spirit is the one who gives us the words to say – stand up for Jesus – John 15:26
    • These are all the things the Holy Spirit does for those who love Jesus / believers…
  • 1^st – The Holy Spirit does not just help us – He also helps the world… vs. 8-12
    • He convicts the world of sin / righteousness / and judgment…
      • Sin – because the world did not believe in Jesus Christ…
      • Sin does not send people to hell – Jesus died and paid for our sins – John 3:16
      • People go to hell because they reject the gift of salvation offered in Jesus…
      • The Holy Spirit convicts / shows the world – the ONE WAY for sins to be forgiven…
    • Righteousness – because Jesus was going to the Father in Heaven…
      • The Holy Spirit convicts / shows the world – the one way to be right with God…
      • We may think we look pretty righteous – but to God our goodness is filthy rags!
      • Isaiah 64:6 – “All our righteousness are like filthy rags [menstrual cloth]…”
      • We are REALLY bad people – we are all – every one of us – TOTAL sinners…
      • Yet God loved us so much that He gave His life for us – made us righteous…
      • II Corinthians 5:21 – “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”
      • Now when God looks down on us – He does not see our sinful mistakes/flaws
      • He instead sees the perfect life of His Son Jesus – He sees us as perfect/flawless!
    • Judgment – because the prince of this world has already been judged…
      • Do not miss this – the war is ALREADY over – and satan has lost!
      • Revelation 12:4 – 1/3 of all the angels rebelled along with satan against God…
      • As a result God cast them out of heaven – they were banished to the earth…
      • But there is a final judgment that awaits these fallen angels – Jude 1:6
      • When they will be cast into the Lake of Fire prepared for them – Matthew 25:41
      • Satan is a bitter and spiteful looser – and he knows God loves us…
      • So he wants to take as many people as he can with him to hell…
      • But no one wants to be on the loosing team – we want to be with the winner…
      • So the Holy Spirit convicts / shows the world – God has won!
  • 2^nd – There was MUCH MORE Jesus wanted to teach the disciples… vs. 12
    • But they could not handle it now – they were not ready…
      • Jesus had given them the milk of the Word – they were not ready for Meat…
      • You cannot give a newborn baby a big plate of lechon – they will choke…
      • You give them milk – because it is easy to swallow and digest…
      • When we first come to know the Lord – we are not going to understand much…
      • There is a LOT about Jesus and God’s Word we do not comprehend…
    • Do not stay on the milk – move on to the meat…
      • It is cute to bottle feed a young infant – no surprise when they mess their diapers 
      • But when a 20-year-old adult is still on the ‘bottle’ – still wearing diapers…
      • It is a tragedy – something has gone terribly wrong…
      • We should not stay babes – as we get into God’s Word – we should grow…
      • Growing in the Lord to a place where we can begin to teach others about Jesus!
  • 3^rd – We mature – through the guidance of the Spirit… vs. 13-15
    • When Jesus sent the Spirit – He would guide them in ALL truth…
      • The Spirit would only tell them – what He had heard…
      • He does not speak on His own authority – He repeats what the Father has said…
      • And He always brings Glory to the Son – showing even the future to us!
    • The Spirit gradually reveals to us more and more of the truth…
      • When I first got saved I had more of the worlds values in me than Jesus’…
      • I was more concerned about my job / money – than I was about eternity…
      • But the more I got into the Word – the more the Word got into me…
      • The more I understood – the more clearly I could see – life is all about Jesus!
      • Years of being filled with the ideas of the world limits of our understanding…
      • But the Holy Spirit comes in ‘opens our eyes’ – guides us to the truth…
      • Life – true life – eternal life – is simply knowing Jesus – John 17:3
    • The Spirit gives us everything…
      • Everything the Father knows (which is everything) – He gave to the Son…
      • Everything the Son knows – He gave to the Spirit – and the Spirit gives it all to us!
      • Jesus does not want us to ‘fall away’ – instead He wants us to be filled…
      • Full of the Holy Spirit – full of all the knowledge of God – mature in the Lord!