The Word Made Plain

Guest (Male): Welcome to the Word Made Playing with senior pastor Tony Clark of Calvary Chapel Newport News in Virginia. Currently, Pastor Tony is teaching in the book of John. Please open your Bible to John chapter 13 verses 31 through 38.

Tony Clark: See, the Father is clearly seeing in us when we are willing to die on our cross like Jesus died on his. We have to say what Jesus said in Matthew 26 in verse 39, Father, not my will, but your will be done. Dying on the cross means that we're willing to lay down our wills, our way, our wants in order for people in our lives to clearly see the Father in us. Oh, let me ask you this question. Who is it in your life that really needs to see the Father in you in order for them to be saved?

Oh, they will see the Father when we're willing to go to our cross as Jesus was willing to go to his. There's somebody in your life right now that really needs to see God, really needs to see the Father in you. In order for that to take place, you have to be willing to die to your way, die to your Well, see, and they need to do this for me and that In order for the Father to clearly be seen in us, we have to be willing to go to our cross. And And die to our plans, our will, our way in order for them to see the Father in us.

This is what happened with Jesus. Look at what it says there in verse 33. Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek me and as I've said to the Jews, where I am going, you cannot come. So now I say to you Now, in this verse, Jesus is now telling the disciples that he will be leaving them. Oh, I love it how Jesus addresses them uh uh by the affectionate term of little children. Oh, that Greek word is technia, and it refers to an infant just born. And this term is very appropriate because it was during this time at Passover that the parents will explain to their children how God delivered their ancestors from slavery in Egypt.

And Jesus goes on to tell them that he will only be with them a little longer, which speaks of the shortness of time that he had to be with them before his crucifixion. He says that there is going to come a time that you will seek me and as I've said to the Jews, where I am going, you cannot come. Oh, this is a reference to John chapter 7 verse 34 uh when Jesus told the Jews, referring to the religious leaders, you will seek me and not find me and where I am going, you cannot come.

Oh, the difference between these two statements are what he said to the religious leaders that they would not come to heaven where he was about to go. And what he said to his disciples is where I am going, which is heaven, you cannot come. Watch this at this present time. Because it is not your time to come. Oh, let me just share this here. I shared it first service. This is something that I believe that Jesus is telling to many of you who are here today. Because Jesus is saying to you what he said to his disciples, you cannot come to heaven at this time because it's not your time to come.

And I say this because someone has experienced a loss recently. A loss of a loved one or this is the anniversary of a loss. And yes, you missed them so much that you want to be with them, but it's not your time. It's not your time yet. It's not your time to go. When it's your time, you will go. And it's not your time. Just like he told the disciples, you cannot come with me at this time. You'll come later, but not at this time. It's not your time yet. You got to go on and and live for the Lord, but it right now it's not your time.

Oh, there's nothing wrong with being sorrowful. The Bible says we we don't sorrow as those who have no hope. It didn't say we don't sorrow. It just said we just don't sorrow as those who have no hope. We have a hope. But it's not your time. Somebody needs to hear that today. Because there are people that can be so caught up in grief that they think about doing something to themselves so they can go be with that loved one and I'm here to tell you it's not your time. It's not your time. It's not your time.

It's not your time. You will go, but it's not right now. It's not your time right now. Look what it says there in verses 34 and 35. He says, a new commandment I give to you, that you love one another as I have loved you, that you also love one another. And by this all will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another. These are some of the most powerful verses in all of the Bible. Some of the most powerful. In all of the Bible, Jesus said in verse 34, a new commandment I give to you that you love one another.

What's so new about this? Loving one another? Well, Leviticus 19 verse 18 tells us that we need to love one another. What's so new about this? Matthew 22 verse 39 says the same thing that we should love one another. So what's so new about this statement? Jesus said, a new commandment I give unto you that you love one another. Watch this. What makes it new is the very next phrase, as I have loved you. Jesus loved us so much that he died for us. Ephesians 5:25 says, husbands, love your wives. How? As Christ loved the church and gave himself for it.

Christ loved us in two ways. Number one, he loved us unconditionally and number two, he loved us sacrificially. He was willing to lay down his life for us, which he ultimately did. So with this in mind, we are called to love in the same way. In In In a way that it will cost our lives. That is what's new about this commandment, not just loving generally or definitely not loving sexually, which our world is obsessed with. Our world is obsessed It is unfortunate that the English language only have one word for love when there are many different types of love.

Uh the Greek language was more expressive. They have various words to describe the different kinds of love we have in the uh in in our world. And the everybody's talking about love. We just love. We love. We together. We love one another. We just love and we just loving. Can we just love? Isn't God is love and just love? And they mixing all these loves together. And they are talking about Eros love. The Greek word Eros is where we get exotic uh sensual. It speaks of sexual love and that's the love they're mostly talk about that we're obsessed with, that we're inundated with.

They take a commercial with a battery and turn it sexual. It's just It's It's just what the world does and they're all about sexual love and they constantly are pushing it in our face, sexual kind of love. But the love that God talks talks about, the love we have one for another is agape. It's agape. It is God's love. It's the highest form of love. It's a love that that's loved with no strings attached. That That's what makes it unconditional. It's a love that's willing to die. That's what make it sacrificial. So this is the love that we're called to love with love sacrificially to the point of death.

And maybe there is someone in your life that you're at odds with today. Just realize that there cannot be reconciliation until there is a death. In other words, someone has to die before there is reconciliation. Isn't that what happened with Jesus before we were reconciled, which means to be brought back into a right relationship with God? Jesus had to die in order for that to take place. Oh, the same is true for us. Wherever it is that you're at odds with someone has to die in order for there to be reconciliation. Die to selfishness, die to self-centeredness before there can be reconciliation.

The question is, will it be you? Oh, you protest, I am innocent. What's so with Jesus? So with Jesus. He was innocent. So am I saying that everyone will be reconciled to us when we die? No, because Jesus died and not everyone will be reconciled to him. But when we love sacrificially like Jesus did, he said in verse 35, all men will know that you are my disciples when we love one another like this sacrificially to the point of death. Oh, I love what the 3rd century apologist Tertullian, who's also called a church father, Tertullian said that this was what the unbelievers had to say about the Christians in their day.

I quote, see how they loved one another. Oh, they went on to say how ready they are to die for one another. The The The love the believers have for one another had such an impact on the world in the 3rd century that the Christian faith spread rapidly. Oh, I wonder what the world is saying about Christianity today. Oh, it is not See how they love one another. But see how they fight, how they can get along with each other. I All the time I'm pulling up some kind of story. The church put the pastor out and there was a fight in the parking lot.

The deacons pulling guns out, went back in and the pastor and his son fighting over the church. It's all kind of just mess every day. Mess. Is this what the world is Is this what we're showing the world? And And what does the world have to say about us? Oh, see how arrogant and judgmental they are. Jesus said, by this shall all men know that you are my disciples by the way you protest and look down on everyone. No, he didn't say that. He said, no, by the love you have for one another. Now, don't get it twisted.

Now, this doesn't mean that we don't confront sin, but we need to speak the truth in love like Ephesians 4:15 says. But and yes, no matter how lovingly we say things, there will be those who would think still think we're being judgmental. So they they just got to get over their feelings about that. We still do what we're called to do, speak the truth in love. It didn't say don't speak it. It says speak it and this is how you do it in love. And the Bible makes very clear that all you with all the world would know you're my disciples by the love you have for one another.

You know the problems in the world today? I don't blame the world. Did you know that? The world is just being the world. Satan is just being He's just being who he is, doing his thing. I don't blame the world. I blame the church. That's who I blame. Because the the Bible is very clear on how things can get squared away in the world. And it's not from the White House. Please stop looking there. Please. I beg you. Stop looking to the next election. Please. It's not there. The word of God makes very clear. He says, if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray, seek my face Watch this.

Turn from their wicked ways, then I hear from heaven, I forgive their sins and watch this, and heal their land. To me, did you hear White House in there anywhere? Did you hear political kind of maneuvering? You didn't hear any of that. He said if my people The problem is us. Or also in the in the in the Gospel of Luke, he said the harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few. He says, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Either we're not praying because he said when we pray to him, the Lord of the harvest, he will send out laborers into the harvest.

He said the harvest is plenteous. Are we seeing a plenteous harvest? No, we're not. I don't blame no one but the church. I blame us. The Bible says, let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity. We're naming the name of Christ, but we're not departing from iniquity. I saw a show last night, late last night, and I was just I I was I was blown away at what I was watching. People of my ilk in pulpits like this and what they're coming out and saying and and and and this is who I am right now and I'm still going to be pastoring.

Hey, let me tell you something. There are qualifications for those who stand behind podiums like this and they're qualifications for a reason. It's not just for any It's not just for just to fill up some pages in the Bible. There's some qualifications for a reason. And the standard is high because the call is high. That's why. And I'm just I'm just amazed. I blame the church. I blame I blame the church. I I mean, you know, it's amazing how the church was birthed out of a prayer meeting as the 120 were in the upper room.

The church was birthed. And you can barely find a prayer meeting at the at the common church. We talking about we want prayer in schools. Can we get it back in the church? That's just a thought. And And so I I don't blame anyone else, but I I blame the church and we we got to get our act together. If we want to see God do a great work and we do, look at God can do more in a millisecond than we can do in years of our programming and planning and God can just do in a millisecond.

I was I was You know, I was just You know, I was getting a little kind of funny. You know, I was the weather and I was like the storm. Oh, Lord, not the storm, not on the Sunday. Oh, Lord. Oh, you know how your people are. They ain't going They ain't going to come out. But they'd be at work tomorrow. But Lord, they you know But Lord, oh God, please. You know your people. They are a mess. Oh, help us, Lord. And Lord said, you know, I can do more on a stormy day than you And I just said, Lord, you only have to finish.

I already I got you. I got you. I got you. I understand. And sometimes we just lose focus, but we have It's It's us. It's us. It's us who call ourselves believers. This is what the issue is. This is what the problem is. It says, all men will know you're my disciples by the love you have one for another. Look at verse 36. Simon Peter said to him, Lord, where are you going? Jesus answered him, where I'm going, you cannot follow me now, but you shall follow me afterwards. Now, Simon Peter said, Lord, where are you going?

Peter Peter, did did you did you miss everything he just finished saying about love? He was still perplexed about how Jesus was leaving them that he mentioned verse 33. Peter didn't receive the truth about Jesus uh leaving them. He didn't receive that. He said, Lord, I can't get down with that. Even when Jesus told him that he had to go to the cross, you remember Peter was the one who protested. In Matthew 16 verse 22 it says, far be it from you, Lord. This shall never happen to you. Now, it's really easy for us to get on Peter and say, Peter, aren't you paying a Peter, you paying attention?

What's wrong with you? Jesus must go to the cross, Peter, and go back to heaven. Oh, Peter didn't want Jesus to ever leave them. How often do we accept Jesus not being with us? How often are we okay without sensing God's presence in our lives? How often are we like Mary and Joseph who in Luke 2:44 went a day's journey before they realized Jesus wasn't with them? Oh, we go a day's journey and more before we realize Jesus is not with us. And most of the time we have grown accustomed to not having his presence with us.

Oh, at least Peter didn't ever want Jesus to leave them. And may we long for Jesus to be with us like Peter is demonstrating here. It blows me away that Mary and Joseph went a day's journey before they realized Jesus wasn't with them. I wonder how long do we go and we not sense the Lord's presence and we're okay with that. How often are we okay with just sensing the Lord's presence when we come to church, whenever that is? And the rest of the time, we're okay with not sensing his presence. Peter Peter wasn't Peter was not He wasn't getting down with Jesus and he had to leave them.

Oh, it's been rightfully said, if you took the Holy Spirit away from the early church, 95% of what they did would cease. And it's also been rightfully said, if you took the Holy Spirit away from the church today, 95% of what we do will continue. Sad statement. Sad statement for the church today. Look what it says there in verse 37. Peter said to him, Lord, why can I not follow you now? I I would lay down my life for your sake. Peter Oh, Peter, he said he would lay down his life for the Lord's sake.

Oh, he also said in Matthew 26 verse 33, if all are made to stumble because of you, I will never be made to stumble. In Mark 14 verse 31 Peter kept saying insistently, if I have to die with you, I will not deny you. Finally in Luke 22 verse 33 Peter said, Lord, I'm ready to go with you both to prison and to death. Oh, I'm sure that Peter was very sincere, but he was sincerely wrong. Because he was confident in his flesh, confident in his abilities, confident in his talents. How do we know this for sure?

Well, look at verse 38. Jesus answered him, oh, will you lay down your life for my sake? Most assuredly I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied me three times. What an ironic statement Jesus makes here because it will be Jesus who would lay down his life for Peter. And when Jesus told Peter that the rooster shall not crow till you have denied me three times, this had such an impact on Peter to the point where he is strangely silent until chapter 18. We don't hear another word out of Peter.

This must have rocked his world. We don't hear him speak again to chapter 18. Oh, let us all beware of being overly confident in our spirituality or our knowledge of the Bible or how many years we've been walking with the Lord because it can lead us to do what Peter did and deny the Lord. Now, I'm sure many of you are protesting and said, I will never deny the Lord. And that that's what Peter said. And he did it not once but three times. See, being overly confident led Peter to sleeping instead of praying according to Matthew 26 verse 40 which led Peter to following the Lord at a distance according to uh Matthew 26 verse 58.

Which led Peter to warming himself by the enemy's fire according to John 18 verse 25. Beware of this progression happening in your life because you will look up and you are denying the Lord like Peter did and this can happen to any of us. You may not deny him with your words right away like Peter did, but you can deny him with your lifestyle. And you can do that at any time. Oh, let me conclude with this. As we have seen God God's love is the answer. Because what this world is lacking is God's love seen through us.

See, the world knows nothing about God's love, agape love. The God's supreme love. They know nothing about that. It This word agape was not even a part of the classical Greek language until the apostles introduced it into the language because the Greeks knew nothing about God's love. Oh, the same is true today. This world knows nothing about God's love unless it is seen through us. The church. The world knows nothing about love, loving unconditionally, love with no strings attached, love that seeks the highest good for another person. Love They know nothing about that. They love so much you willing to die for that person.

Oh, a mother uh a mother can know something about that, but not to the degree that God is describing here. And this is the love that God wants to show through us to the world. This is why it says, by this all men will know you're my disciples by the love you have one for another. This is how we're going to win this generation over to Jesus Christ and to win they see us from all nationality and races loving each other. Finally, beware of being overly confident in your walk with the Lord because it can lead you to sleeping instead of praying, following the Lord at a distance and warming yourself by the enemy's fire.

If this is you, just understand you're on the highway of denial. And I want to encourage you to run to Jesus for forgiveness before the rooster in your life crows three times. Come while there's still time to come. Let's pray. Father, thank you so much for your word. Thank you for sharing these things with us. And Lord, I just pray for your people here. I pray for those who are hurting. I pray that you will comfort their hearts. I pray for those who on the highway of denial, Lord. They Yes, they're still here, but they have drifted in their hearts.

And Lord, I just pray that you would draw them to you. I pray for those who are angry with you today, Lord, over something you allowed or didn't do for them. And Lord, I just pray that they would ask for forgiveness and run to you so you can heal their wounded heart. Lord, I pray finally for those who here who've never surrendered their life to you, Lord. I pray that they repent of their sin and believe that you died on the cross and was buried and rose again. Your word said they shall be saved. Draw people to you today in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Guest (Male): If the Word Made Plain has been a source of inspiration and encouragement to you, why not consider becoming a Word Made Plain giving partner to keep this listener supported program on the air? As a giving partner, you join forces with Calvary Chapel Newport News' Kingdom Vision of spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. You can make your tax-deductible gift online at calvarynn.org or send your gift of any amount to 15553 Warwick Boulevard, Newport News, Virginia 23608 and receive a gift from Calvary Chapel Newport News as our thank you. In addition to your financial support, we ask that you pray for the Word Made Plain broadcast that it touches hearts and generates change in the lives of people around the world.

We pray you've been blessed by God's word today and hope you'll tune in next time to hear the Word Made Plain.