Paraclete (John 14:15-24 Jeff Kliewer)

Worship, Church Announcements, and Prayer for Missions

Hello. Yeah, but there's a lot of people.

Yeah.

As we join together in worship it is always Always exciting today is especially exciting. We have some activities that are going to go on outside after service we have a God who is amazing as Believers we have a God that we can call Abba father.

We have we have a God who cares for us in so many ways. I want to read a quick passage out of Proverbs chapter 3 verse 12 my son. Do not despise the Lord's discipline. That sounds like a kind of a weird one to open up with but here's the point this is an important point for us as Believers my son do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof for the Lord reproves whom he loves and as a father the son in whom he Delights the reality.

My brothers and sisters we we do fall and we do fall short and we do sin. But here is the good news good news. Number one Jesus died on the cross for my sins and for your sins and so when the father looks at us, he looks at us through the blood of Jesus Christ and Here's good news.

Number two. God Continually is drawing us closer to him. And so those moments where we have fallen short those moments where we have sinned. He is a loving father and he will discipline and reprove us not to beat us down.

But to draw us closer to him. We rejoice in both of these truths some announcements. As I just said after first service, please stick around outside. We're going to have The blessings of baptism. We have several individuals who are prepared and are going to give a public testimony of their faith in the waters of baptism.

So please join with us out there as we celebrate that in the public pray that there will be somebody that walks by the road. Sees what's going on and out of curiosity comes in and here's one of the testimonies and their hearts are drawn to him.

What a great opportunity. This is and then also we're going to have some time of fellowship some great food so enjoy the afternoon together Wednesday evening not tomorrow Wednesday evening as our congregational meeting, please come out and join with us for that the next VBS planning meeting will be next Sunday if you're part of it join in the meeting if you're Interested in it join in the meeting, but it will be next Sunday we have a movie night coming up.

It's going to be for the church family. This isn't the normal.

First.

Wednesday third way that whatever it is. There is a movie that's at the Cherry Hill Lowe's. And so we're going to have a time of fellowship. Initially, there'll be a place. We're going to stop by have dinner earlier in the evening and then join in.

It's a 630 showing the sound of freedom. Jim Cavazzo, how do you say that? Caviezel, I don't know how to say it, but it's his movie the sound of freedom. And so we're going to join in with that. There will be emails coming out for sign up.

So you'll get more information on that. This coming Saturday is our cleanup Saturday. So please join with us Saturday morning as we clean up. As we clean up the building at this point in time. I'm going to ask.

Oh, no, that will come later. No, this is now. Oh. Wait a minute first is this. And then I get to pray. Out of the foyer and on the back table are these blue sheets. A week from tomorrow Jeff and I will be leaving for Fullerton, California.

For the pastor's national conference and a week from Wednesday Jeff will have the opportunity. To defend his faith and to and to proclaim to the pastors his faith. And we are going to shower him with prayer for a full week.

So this blue sheet that's out there, please take one maybe one for family or if you want to find. The idea is for a week. We are going to have a walk through a prayer on this sheet preparing Jeff's heart preparing our heart.

Interceding for him in front of the throne. For the opportunity that he will have this coming Wednesday at the congregational meeting. We'll basically be launching a week of prayer and the following Wednesday.

Which is the 21st is when Jeff will have the opportunity to speak. We want to shower him with prayer. Please take these and join with us if you feel motivated and one of the topics on this Sheet speaks really to your heart turn it into a day of prayer and fasting, but let's go before the throne.

For Jeff, let's turn to prayer. Lord, we do. Thank you for the gift of salvation. Lord, we are undeserving but your love. We thank you for the grace that you give us. So that we might have a real relationship with you and for the Holy Spirit that teaches us to call you ABBA.

Father. Lord we thank you you watch over us as the Proverbs proclaim. We rejoice that the Lord reproves whom he loves and Lord as your children you love us and you desire the best. For us we rejoice in that.

We come here this morning Lord seeking you. Be with us. We pray Lord for those in need. We remember those that are grieving and we continue to pray for those in physical need be with them. We pray. Be with our pastor as he opens the word as he brings your truth to us.

Give him your words that he should speak and prepare our hearts to hear and to respond. We pray these things in Jesus name and now I will ask Jeff and Rick and Ron if you would come forward.

This is Rick Thompson. He is our new chair of the missions committee. So I'm going to ask Rick to bring an update on the D'Souza missionary family.

Good morning, I'm a first-service guy and if you don't recognize me You're forgiven and I hope you would forgive me if I don't recognize you. One of the things that I want to emphasize it's been said that the most important missionary work is done on our knees.

And we have in the church directory a list of all of our missionaries, and I would really encourage everyone to be Checking with those missionaries and also praying I try to pray for two of our missionaries each day of the week two different ones and move along that way.

However, it works for you. I would encourage you to do that a few months ago. The D'Souza's were here Francisco and Elian his wife and They were at the time ready to go to Europe with their son Fernando and they visited France and Germany and Greece and had a really good time from that point.

Fernando their son went to South Africa and Actually got engaged at that time. He will be married this December. So that's big news For the D'Souza family. He is director of Fellowship international missions in Allentown, Pennsylvania and He has Asked for prayer for a candidate's orientation which begins today and runs through this Friday.

So if you would remember the D'Souza's and their candidate training this week, I really appreciate it. Let's pray for them right now briefly. Father we are so thankful for the all the missionaries whom we support and we ask your blessing on them and we ask particularly for this week for Francisco and Fellowship international missions and that they would be a real blessing to you that they would get the important information and Be delegated to serve you where you Want them to we thank you for their service and their willingness to serve you.

Pray these things in Jesus name. Amen.

Amen, thank you, Rick.

Missionary Work, Malawi, and Commissioning Ron Jacobs

About two years ago. There was a gentleman young guy came walking in the church and I met him after the service. I said, where are you from? He said lo long way Malawi. I thought wow that that's amazing that you're here.

Well, he was Studying at Cairn University to get his master's degree. And so for that year while he was in the States living in Pensacola, he attended Cornerstone Church. So we got to know him well, and then he ended up going back to Malawi where he has been opening orphanages and serving people and preaching the gospel a powerful ministry.

You can follow Hamilton Banda on Facebook if you're if you have Facebook or any kind of any kind of way you can email and listen to his updates. So we're so blessed to be able to support and be part of Orphanages in Malawi.

Now, wouldn't it be great if we could go see what that looks like. Well as God's grace would have it. We have Rick as the missions committee chair. We also have a young understudy. This is Ron Jacobs and he is going to be working with Rick trying to help out with missions things and He has in his heart to use some of his own travel expenses and things from his business.

To be able to go and do mission trips to visit missionaries so tomorrow he is flying and staying for two weeks in Malawi and We'll come back to us and give us a report what the ministry is like there.

What are some of the things Ron that he's gonna have you do?

I have no idea.

Very good and that will include physical things building but also working with the orphans teaching and And preaching the gospel. God is gonna open doors for Ron. So I thought hey as a church Why don't we commission him and pray over him and send him halfway around the world.

Sound like a plan? So Ron, let's let's pray for you, brother. Hey guys, it's all just bow our hearts before the Lord. Heavenly Father we come to you now for Ron Jacobs asking that you would fill him with your precious Holy Spirit.

We pray that you would put a fire in his heart to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Lord, we pray that you would open doors of opportunity for him. He doesn't even know exactly what he's going to be doing.

But Lord, you already know you have a plan and Lord We pray that you would go before him and be his rear guard. Keep your hand of favor upon his head. Lord, we pray in Jesus name that you would protect him from all harm from diseases and from Changes to his body from the different kinds of water and all of those things.

We pray that none of these would have any effect on Ron, but that he would remain perfectly healthy through his mission trip. We also ask the Lord that some would come to saving faith through Ron's testimony and through his work there.

We pray that you would bless him and keep him. We pray that you would keep him from the evil one and guard him Lord God. Fill him with your Holy Spirit and send him out in the power of God. We pray in Jesus name.

Amen.

Thanks, Ron. Let's all stand together and worship the Lord.

We stand.

Together.

Together we say It's filled with his Lord. This is father. We are so thankful that the earth indeed is filled with your glory. We ask that you.

Receive our joyful sounds of our heart Lord singing praises to you The only one worthy of our praise. Lord, we ask that your hand be upon pastor Jeff today Delivers your word Lord and that Hearts and eyes are open Lord and lives are changed through that Lord.

Father we thank you so much Lord for this beautiful day be given us and for the.

The.

Baptism we're gonna have Lord and we just pray that you bless that Lord bless the heart of those That are getting baptized today. What a glorious thing it is to see Lord people coming to you Lord during this Culture that we live in Lord that it's just forgotten how to blush Lord.

We pray that you help us and all of us and them particularly there Getting baptized Lord to stand strong. We're so grateful for who you are in Jesus name. We pray.

Thousand stories of what they think you're like. But I've heard tender whisper of love in the dead of night and you tell That you're pleasing. Never alone. You're a good good father. It's who you are It's who you are It's who you are And I'm loved by you.

To I am To I am. He's searching for answers Far and wide but I We're all searching for.

No.

Just what we need before we say a word. You're a good good father. It's who you are. It's who you are. By you to. I am perfect in every way and you're perfect ways. You are part of your ways. You are perfect.

You're perfect Lord. Yes, you're perfect. You are perfect. Your ways. You are part of your ways.

So.

Undeniable I I can hardly speak Explainable I Hardly think as you call me burst still as you call me burst still as you call me still into love Love love love. You're a good good father. It's who you are It's who you are It's who you are And I'm loved by you To I am To I am It's who I am and you're perfect.

You are part of your ways You are you are perfect in all of your ways. You are perfect. You are perfect in all of your ways. You are perfect In all of your ways. Blessed assurance Jesus is mine. Oh, what a foretaste Of glory divine.

This is my store. This is my song is my story is my song.

Perfect submission.

Perfect submission. Is that my say. Happy and blessed. Watching and waiting watching. This is my story This is my song.

My Savior.

Says my soul. This is my in my city. Awesome. Thank you. Let's pray.

The Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, and the Call to Obedience

Dear God, we ask you for help Lord we know that we can do nothing Good in ourselves that we are totally unable to please you in our flesh. We don't have the resources in us to obey your commands. We all stumble in many ways we all fall short of the glory of God.

But we thank you for the advocate the counselor the helper Jesus Christ Who died on the cross for our sins Who makes intercession for us at your right hand who pleads for us not on account of our? Righteousness or any good that we have done but by his own merits By his own blood shed for us.

Thank you for that help and Thank you. Also for the helper the paraclete the Holy Spirit who dwells in us Who strengthens us Who empowers us? To obey the commandments even to love you and to delight in the things that you have commanded us to do.

Thank you for the Holy Spirit so I pray now God that your Holy Spirit would come over me and upon me and Help me to preach and I pray for those listening that you would help us all to hear your word and That you by your spirit would change us from the inside out.

We're calling on you to help us in Jesus name. Amen. Remember back in the day When I was growing up in the 1980s. Some of you can relate that boys were allowed to run around the neighborhood and have all kinds of fun.

Just get home for dinner. You could be out for you for weeks not weeks, but hours. Playing basketball at the park making some makeshift boat to cross the lake and Having all kinds of fun. You just had to come home for dinner.

Well, that was really good. You were outside instead of looking at a screen but at the same time it did afford opportunity for mischief and For some forms of error. Well, we had in the neighborhood One of the boys who really began to love to play with fire it started with kerosene on sticks and and wood and making little fires and We would all get in on this and till Fenley finally it Escalated to the point where we decided to make a blowtorch we put gasoline in a sprayer and Connected that to a PVC pipe with a lighter in the middle.

Thinking that we would spray this gasoline and shoot fireballs out of the end of the PVC. Do not try this at home. It was only a miracle of God's grace that that fire didn't come backwards into the gasoline and And kill one of us very easily could have happened.

It was the grace of God protecting us. Church fire is a good gift from God. It's how we cook our food.

Fire.

Enables us to travel the internal combustion engine the power of fire to to move people about the world. Planes flying through the sky. The industrial revolution depends on the power of combustion and on fire.

Fire is a good gift from God, but it must be kept in its place. Fire is meant to be kept in a fireplace Not running rampant like a wildfire in which which would cause great harm and even kill. In the same way sexual passion is a gift from God meant to be kept in its place.

And the fireplace of sexual passion is the marriage bed. A Man and a woman joined in union in marriage come together in the marriage bed. Hebrews tells us that the marriage bed is undefiled. There's nothing gross or unnatural or even dangerous about Fire kept in its place.

It is a blessing of God. But in our day Sexual sin has broken out of the fireplace and begun to run rampant across the culture. Sexual sin Has become in our day like the days of Israel when they were surrounded by pagan nations.

In Isaiah chapter 57 5 We see a description of lustful sexual passions no longer restrained to the marriage bed. But running about in the culture Isaiah describes it this way. They burn with lust among the oaks under every green tree.

Sexual passion outside of the marriage bed and. Then it goes on to say they slaughter their children in the valleys under the clefts of the rock. One of the fruits of sexual immorality is Unwanted pregnancies.

And the solution of our culture is to kill those babies conceived this way. It's as a as old as the fall of man sexual immorality. This paganism of the surrounding nations. Like we see in Isaiah 57 5 was also characteristic of the Roman Empire.

The Roman Empire at the time that the church was born sexual immorality Rampant in the culture and Paul describes it in Romans chapter 1. Verses 24 to 28. You can turn with me or just listen our main passage today will be from John chapter 14.

But first let's read Romans 1 24 to 28. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and Worshipped and served the creature Rather than the Creator who is blessed forever.

Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature and. The men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

As Paul describes this Homosexuality which was a part of the pagan culture in the days of the Roman Empire he describes this as the exchanging of natural relations for those that are contrary to nature.

And today as people discuss homosexuality many will make the point that it is only natural. A Person will say that they have only ever felt attractions for the same sex and so for them It is natural. But this of course is precisely the point of Romans 1 we read from verses 24 to 28 and the point is that people have excluded God from the equation.

God who is the Creator has been set aside in exchange For man as the creature in the place of God. And so what's happening when a person says that it's natural for them to practice homosexuality. They are saying that they define what is natural.

Their emotions their affections their desires become the standard of nature itself. But natural in the context of Romans 1 speaks to the design of God what is natural is what procreates and That is the the design of God for husband and wife in marriage.

It is the beautiful natural design of God as he made it and he has given us an owner's manual In the scripture to let us know What is his definition of natural. Now once the country the United States of America Passed as a Supreme Court ruling in 2015 the case of Obergefell the court took the initiative To redefine what marriage has always been.

They defined no longer marriage as between a man and a woman as God had defined it in the Garden of Eden. That a man shall leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and the two shall become one flesh.

There is a compliment a complementarity between male and female as God created them male and female in the Garden of Eden. They have exchanged that Definition of what is natural for the desires of men and so after Obergefell the redefinition of marriage it is no surprise That the next step was the T in the LGBT acronym.

It's a small step to go from desire to identity if the person if the creature is at the center of the universe. Defining for himself what is natural in terms of desire. It's a small step to say that he can also define what his gender or her gender is to be.

Because now the creature is already at the center of the equation.

This.

Movement in our culture has become a wildfire. Has anybody noticed that? There is a lot of attention given to the pride month of June. Gone are the days in Canada Where they could sing their national anthem and say God keep our land glorious and free.

And here in America Gone are the days that we can say America the beautiful God mend thine every flaw Confirm thy soul and self-control thy liberty in law. Because the law of the land no longer supports the liberty of God but it is a prayer in America the beautiful mend every flaw that should be our prayer for this country and Confirm thy soul in self-control.

Self-control is a fruit of the spirit the smoke of Sexual immorality. And the pride movement has swept across the country like the smoke from a wildfire here in June and under the banner of pride Many people are parading What is contrary the nature of God's design.

It's interesting that they have taken the title pride for this month. Proverbs 16 18 says pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 18 12 says pride before destruction a man's heart is haughty.

But humility comes before honor and Proverbs 29 23 says one's pride will bring him low. But he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor. First Peter 5 6 says humble yourselves therefore Under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you in the garden pride Ruined a beautiful angel Making a devil of him.

Lucifer used to dwell among the fiery stones and he was beautiful in moral excellence and As a guardian cherub the highest rank. He was in Eden the Garden of God. But his heart became prideful on account of his beauty and so he fell and became Satan likewise in the Garden of Eden.

Man and woman were made beautiful bearing the image of God but in their pride they rejected what God had to say and accepted the lie of the devil. Did God really say and ate the forbidden fruit and This killed them Spiritually and then physically as all men are dying.

Pride goeth before the fall. We in this country were blessed with the season of grace Where the gospel very often was preached and believed broadly to the point where it was salt and light in the culture.

But we were warned by Paul in the book of 2nd Timothy chapter 3 verses 1 to 5 that the end times would be marked by the pride of man and sexual immorality. Understand this that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.

For people will be lovers of self lovers of money proud arrogant abusive disobedient to parents ungrateful and unholy heartless unappeasable slanderous without self-control Brutal not loving good treacherous reckless swollen with conceit.

Pride is a mark of the last days. These days in which we are living.

Guys.

When somebody says That it is natural for them to have attractions and therefore they need to follow their heart. Understand that we who are born in Adam and Eve sin are born with a fallen sin nature Very often characterized by wild desires sometimes unnatural desires.

There is in the fallen inheritance of Adam and Eve a Brokenness which includes a sexual brokenness. This is to be expected and I will say something more. The one who is born in Adam and Eve sin, which includes everyone is Unable to restrain the passions of the flesh and Can do nothing to keep the commandments perfectly.

All will fall short and though the commandment is given thou shalt not commit adultery. All people are born in Adam sin and unable to control themselves. This is actually to be expected.

But God.

He has not left us here to wallow like pigs in the mire to wallow in our sin. All of us alike have fallen into sin and There is no one righteous. No, not one. The one who points a finger of condemnation is Likewise guilty because we have all broken the law at some point and any person who breaks the law is an is a lawbreaker.

So there is but one hope for sinners in our sin and it doesn't come from within us. The hope is not that we would ever be able to keep the commandments in our flesh. The only hope is that God himself would come to rescue us.

That he would put on flesh and yet never sin. That he would lay down his life for sinners like us and die the death that was earned for us in the Garden of Eden. This inheritance of death would be put upon him and he would bear the iniquity of us.

His name is Jesus. He is an advocate. He is a comforter. He is a counselor. He is the help from heaven for sinners who cannot help ourselves. We might be born in sin, but there is such a thing as being born again.

We have Jesus the advocate but we have also another helper. Whereas no person has self-control enough to obey the commandments. We have a paraclete. The fruit of the paraclete the fruit of the Holy Spirit includes self-control.

The one who has been born from above who has believed in Jesus Christ has received the Holy Spirit.

Into.

That person's life and The Holy Spirit can do in us what we cannot do for ourselves. Church. This message that we have of Jesus and his Holy Spirit is Such good news to the world. The world cannot know him and They do not see him.

And.

So they stumble headlong in the darkness and they fall and they trip and they're broken and they themselves Will describe their families and their life as in a ruin. But you have the remedy. You who have Christ have the one solution that this world lacks and We who have the Spirit of God do keep the commands of God.

We are no longer controlled by the flesh. We have been set free and the paraclete the helper keeps us in this righteous walk. Let's turn to John 14 for this most most precious promise. Jesus promised to give the paraclete John 14 verses 15 to 24 If you love me You will keep my commandments and I will ask the Father and He will give you another helper.

To be with you forever even the Spirit of Truth. Whom the world cannot receive. Because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him. For he dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans.

I Will come to you Yet a little while and the world will see me no more. But you will see me because I live you also will live in that day. You will know that I am in the Father and you and me and I in you.

Whoever has my commandments and keeps them he it is who loves me and He who loves me will be loved by my father and I will love him and manifest myself to him. Judas not Iscariot Said to him Lord Who is it that you will manifest?

How is it that you will manifest yourself to us and not to the world? Jesus answered him if anyone loves me he will keep my word and my father will love him and We will come to him and make our home with him.

Whoever does not love me does not keep my words and the word that you hear is not mine, but the father's. Who sent me? May God bless the reading and now the preaching of his word recall from John 14. But the point is the revelation of the father.

John 14 1 to 14 repeats the father 15 times. And so at the end of that section that we studied last week verses 12 to 14 we are promised that anything we ask in Jesus name will be given to us and We're told that we will do the same kind of works.

That Jesus did greater works will you do? Now did that mean that as Jesus walked on water for eight miles? Across the Sea of Galilee We will walk on water for a thousand miles. Was he saying that we don't need to buy a plane ticket for Ron Jacobs?

He's just gonna run across the ocean to Malawi, I mean that's a greater work than walking across the Sea of Galilee. What is meant greater works in verse 12? The greater works here are not greater in kind or quality.

It's not greater in terms of the Wow factor. It's greater in the actual effect. Jesus's ministry was limited to Israel and few believed in him during his earthly ministry. But when the Holy Spirit comes into us and he is at the right hand of the father.

We ask in his name and the gospel will go to Malawi. The gospel will go to New Jersey. And here we sit a room full of people because the Holy Spirit is in us. The greater work is the effect of the making known of the name.

That's the issue representing the father in the knowledge of the Son. It's a revelation of the father by the preaching of the name of Jesus. And yes, it will include miracles as God sovereignly gives them.

These things confirming as he desires. That's according to his sovereign will. Which things we will see? The point here though is the effect of the gospel and the revelation of God. And so as you come on to verse 15 We're not talking about a different thing.

How will they know? That God is in you if it's not walking on water Across your friend's pool. So they say wow, this guy really has God if that's not what's in view here. What is in view the answer is the keeping of commandments.

Look at verse 15. If you love me. You will keep my commandments notice. It says you will. This means that the keeping of God's commandments is not an optional Addendum to the Christian life you get saved and then hopefully you keep the commandments.

No, the mark of genuine love if you genuinely love Jesus Christ. Then you will be obeying his commandments. You will be keeping the commandments. Well, what are his commandments? One of the most prominent arguments that you will hear.

Against the Christian sexual ethic and the biblical teaching on sexual morality, but this could be extended to all areas of morality. One of the most common things that you'll hear is that Jesus never said what we have in the Old Testament.

Jesus never condemned abortion. Jesus never condemned homosexual practices and. And so somebody will say this means that Jesus approved of those things. Look again at our text. John 14 verse 15 says if you love me, you will keep my commandments.

The Ten Commandments are Jesus's commandments the entire entire moral law of God. Are his commandments? It's precisely because nothing is changed that he didn't change anything or say anything about them.

In fact what he did say in Matthew 5 17 is that he did not change them. I have not come to abolish the law but to fulfill the law. So what was right in the Old Testament is still right today and what was wrong in the Old Testament is still wrong today.

Notice that Jesus didn't speak to very much of the Old Testament moral law. In Deuteronomy chapter 18 we see a command against sorcery and going to mediums and necromancy contacting the dead. Jesus never spoke of these things.

Does that mean that we can go to psychics now and Contact the dead. Of course not. That's absurd. The law of God remains intact. In Deuteronomy 19 there are commands against laying and wait to murder.

Moving a landmark on your property to take some of your your neighbor's yard and make it part of yours. This is not repeated by Jesus. Does that mean that you can go ahead and do that? Of course not and in the same way the sexual ethics of Leviticus 18.

That a man shall not lie with a man as with a woman or forbidding incest or forbidding Bestiality. Jesus does not repeat any of those commands because all of them remain intact. These are his commands.

The woman caught in adultery. He did not need to repeat thou shalt not commit adultery. He wrote with his finger in the sand. Implying that his law what he has written by his finger remains intact. But what about Jesus saying you have heard that it was said, but I say to you.

Take that with regard to adultery. Did he undermine the teaching on adultery? You have heard it said that a man shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that if you even look at a woman with lust in your heart.

You violated the deeper meaning of thou shalt not commit adultery clearly. Jesus only intensified the teaching of the law. Pushing it not merely to the external but applying it even to the thoughts and the desires the intentions of the heart.