How Jesus Revitalizes When You’re Running On Empty
John 20:19-31
Background image of tank on empty
We’ve all done it. We’ve set our mind to something. We committed ourselves. We let others know our intention. We research and studied. We trained and prepared and when the moment came, we hesitated. And in that moment, we knew the opportunity had passed. Fear swept over us and we were paralyzed in the moment. And then came the sense of failure, the feelings of guilt that we had let down the people around us. And we felt worthless and foolish. And we may have even questioned who we really were.
When Jesus Christ was crucified and died on the cross, His followers fell apart. They scattered to the winds. They were devastated. It wasn’t supposed to happen that way. They had given everything up to follow him. For three years they had watched, been taught, mentored, challenged and corrected so they could follow Him no matter what. Yet when Jesus was arrested all of His followers ran away. They fled like cowards. Some of them even denied they knew Him. In the days after Jesus’ death, they were frightened, discouraged, defeated, disillusioned, demoralized and depressed. In a word, they had hit rock bottom and were running on empty.
Three days later, Jesus came back to life and that night, He went to meet the disciples. What happens in that room so forever changed them that the transformation is unbelievable. Those who were once cowards are now full of courage. Those who were once empty are now empowered. And those who were once defeated, discouraged and demoralized are now confident and daring. They’re bold, afraid of nothing and no one and they’re ready to take on the Jewish leadership, the Roman Empire and the entire world. What happened? What changed them? How did Jesus refill their empty tanks when they were running on empty?
This week is the beginning of our new series “Running on Empty.” We know a little bit about that since Katrina, don’t we? I want to begin with a little survey. How many of you when you’re driving never let your gas tank get below half empty? Anybody here? How many of you fill up when you get three-quarters empty? You never let it go beyond a quarter left. How many of you see how far you can go after the little light goes on? How many of you think “E” means “Enough to keep going”? How many of you have ever in your lifetime run out of gas?
No matter where you are, ¾ full, ½ empty, ¼ full or the ‘e’ light is on, you need to fill up. Today we’re going to look at how Jesus refills our tank, revitalizes and re-energizes us when we’re running on empty. I don’t know what kind of week you’ve had and I don’t know what kind of month you’ve had but I do know what kind of the past 2 years you’ve had. We feel like were running on empty, just out of gas and thoughts are running through our mind like, “I don’t know whether I can go on. I’m at the end of my rope. I’m ready to throw in the towel. I’m at my wit’s end. I feel like I’m going to pack up and leave this place once and for all.” If you’re feeling frustrated, fatigued, fearful or just weary. If you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired – you’ve picked a good Sunday to come to church. I’ve got good news for you: there’s a solution available to you. The seven things that Jesus did with His disciples when they were at their lowest and running on empty He wants to do in your life.
“Redeemer” ppt slide background
The first thing that Jesus does when He wants to refill your tank when you’re running on empty is first He meets you where you are. The disciples were scared to death, hiding in a room with the doors locked. They were probably second-guessing themselves. Were we wrong? Was Jesus not who He claimed to be? Was He not really God? Were we deluded and made fools of? And Jesus passes right through the locked door and greets the disciples. When you’re running on empty, Jesus doesn’t wait for you to come to Him. He comes to you. He takes the initiative and goes to where you are. In the midst of their fear, self-doubt and questioning, Jesus shows up. When He did, they didn’t recognize Him. Why? They weren’t expecting Him. This is very common. In fact it happens in your life all the time. God shows up in your life and you don’t even know it. He shows up in circumstances and situations and people, and you don’t even recognize Him. Why? Because you’re not looking for Him. When you’re running on empty, it can feel like God’s a million miles away but know this: He’s closer than you realize. He’s here and He’s near and He wants to help you today.
Second, He gives you encouragement. Notice the very first thing Jesus says to them: “Peace be with you.” I love this. In other words, “Calm down you guys! Chill out! Take a deep breath. Relax. It’s going to be ok. I’ve got it under control.” Notice what He didn’t say. Jesus could have walked into the room and the first thing He said to His followers, “Why did you leave Me? Why did you abandon Me? Where were you when I needed you most?” But Jesus didn’t criticize them, rebuke them or scold them, even though they probably deserved it. Instead he says, “Peace be unto you.” Why? He understood their confusion. If you don’t get anything else today get this: nobody understands how you feel as much as Jesus does. God understands how you feel more than you understand how you feel. He knows exactly what you’re feeling so He can relate to you at that moment. There’s nothing you can’t talk to God about. There’s nothing too big or too small, too insignificant or too frivolous because He understands everything you’re feeling at every moment of your life. Go ahead and talk to Him about it. Unload yourself and receive encouragement from Him. The Bible says, “Do not worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks...” You’ve got two alternatives in life: you can pray or you can panic. You can worry or you can worship. God is saying you don’t have to worry about anything but pray about everything. “…And God’s peace which is so great that we cannot understand it will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” No matter what you’re facing, there’s no need to stress if you’ve given it to God. Only then will peace come.
Third, he shows you His love. When Jesus shows the disciples the nail prints in his hands and feet, he’s not only identifying Himself, He’s showing how much He loves them. Jesus Christ died on the cross not just for the disciples or even the world but for you too. If there had been nobody else living on earth, He would have still come to earth and died for you so your sins could be forgiven and you could go to heaven. The greatest act of love ever done in your behalf was not by your parents, or spouse or boyfriend or girlfriend or anybody else but when Jesus died for you on the cross. No one will ever love you like Jesus does.
How does that help me when I’m feeling stressed out, overwhelmed and you’re running on empty? When you really remind yourself of the love of God for you in Christ Jesus, you once again feel that unconditional love of God and when everything seems to be out of control and falling apart, you relax. When you know the love of God and are experiencing that in your life, it doesn’t matter what’s going right in your life and what’s falling apart because our peace and our joy come not from the circumstances of our lives but from our relationship with Jesus. When you feel totally loved by God it turns off the pressure valve of everything that’s going wrong in your life. And you know that no matter what is happening, God loves you and He is in control and absolutely nothing will deter his will from being accomplished. For “… we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” That is what God says I want to do in your life so I bring you My love.
Fourth, He offers you forgiveness. Forgiveness is a huge re-energizer, because the two things that cause you to run out of energy and drain you emotionally and physically are guilt and resentment. The answer to both is forgiveness. You cannot be guilty and happy at the same time. You cannot be resentful and filled with joy at the same time. That’s a problem because we live in an imperfect world filled with sin. That means I don’t always do the right thing and you don’t either. I make mistakes. Sometimes I’m selfish. We hurt each other, sometimes intentionally, sometimes unintentionally. When I hurt you I feel is guilty. When you hurt me I feel resentment. Those two things – guilt over the things that I’ve done wrong in the world or the things I failed to do and resentment over the things that have been done wrong to me – are the twins that keep me stuck in emotionally empty positions. They drain the life out of me. If you’re ever going to be happy in life you’ve got to learn to let it go. How do you let go of your guilt and how can you let go of your resentment against other people? There’s only one way to do that. Forgiveness.
God has forgiven you. That’s why He died on the cross. So you are forgiven. Because of that, he expects you to do the same thing with other people. Pass it on. Cut them a little slack. Show them some grace.” If you don’t, your guilt and resentment will keep you on empty. It will keep you stuck in the past and prevent you from moving forward in life. So what do you need to let go of today? Who do you need to let off the hook? FEMA, your adjuster, the Road Home consultant, your family, your friends, your church? You say, “I just can’t do that! They hurt me!” That’s right. You can’t but God can. That’s why you need Jesus. You can’t do it on your own power. Forgiveness is not earned, it’s not easy and it certainly isn’t fun. But it’s what lets you get on with your life. Forgiveness is the key to happiness. “Happy is the person whose sins are forgiven and whose wrongs are pardoned. Happy is the person whom the Lord does not consider guilty any more.” Because of the cross and the resurrection, we have been completely forgiven and now we are empowered to share that same forgiveness with others.
Fifth, He fills you with His presence when you’re running on empty. Jesus said I don’t want to just be with you. I want to be in you. “Then Jesus breathed on them and He said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” Verse 22 What’s the Holy Spirit? It is God’s power and presence in your life. When the Spirit came, the disciples realized they were no longer alone in this life. God was with them all the time in a tangible way. You can be alone but you’re not lonely. In the gift of the Holy, Spirit, God says I want to be with you every moment of your life. It just takes away your loneliness when you realize He is with you and in you all the time.
Last week, my father died. He had been ill for many years, struggling with one amputation then another due to diabetes and then complicated with dialysis three times a week and on top of that, heart problems. The funeral was one of the most difficult things I have ever done. When I stood to speak, I had to pause and just let the emotions flow before more than 400 people there. And there have been times since when I have broken down. If you’ve ever lost a loved one, you know that it comes in waves. You handle it and then you don’t, then you handle it and then you don’t. When those waves of loneliness come on me I pray, “God, I need to feel Your presence right now. I need You to remind me that You’re with me and that You’re in me.” This sense of peace would come over me that could not be explained any other way. So it helps you take away the loneliness because even though I’m by myself, I’m not alone. God is with me.
The sixth thing Jesus does when you’re running on empty is He gives you a new reason to live. When your life as you knew it and your livelihood have been disrupted and even taken away from you, you begin to question who you are and the life you’re leading. Chris Rose wrote about that a few months ago when he bumped into a friend who was a lawyer and moving up the corporate ladder and now has decided to do what she really wants: design jewelry. A lot of times, people are running on empty is because they don’t know the purpose of your life. They’re doing what they think they’re supposed to do or what will pay for their standard of living. But you were made for far more than money. You were made for meaning. So what do you do? You have to turn to God and let Him give you His purpose for your life. You’re not an accident. All of us need something greater than ourselves that pulls us beyond these little self-centered, meaningless, shallow lives. We need to discover what God meant for us to be in the first place – and that’s something greater than we ever thought.
Let me tell you something: God’s plan for your life is greater than any plan you could ever think of for yourself. Your little plans are puny compared to what God wants to do with your life. If you would just let Him have control in every area. But that takes courage to be able to say, “God, whatever You want to do with my life, I’m Yours. Use me for Your purpose in this world. I don’t want to live life according to the world’s ways. I want to go for the big stuff. I want to do what you created me for” It takes courage. God’s plan for your life is so much bigger than your plans. It’ll test you and it’ll stretch you and it’ll grow your faith.
That’s what Jesus did with the disciples. Crushed, guilt-ridden, fearful and defeated, Jesus comes to them and says, “As the Father sent Me, I now send you.” In that moment, he recharged their batteries, lifted their spirits and empowered their living. He knew they blew it at the most critical time but instead of chastising them, he says, I’ve got a plan: we’re going to take on the world and transform it.” And they did. This little group of 12 guys went out and soon the Gospel is all over the Middle East and within 300 years it’s overtaken the Roman Empire. Today 2.3 billion people claim to be followers of Jesus Christ. It was the biggest task ever given, far beyond what they could have ever dreamed for themselves.
Let me ask you a question: who are you living for? What are you living for? Is it just to rebuild your home or reclaim your life, to try to get things back to normal? Katrina has brought us an opportunity. Most people before Katrina lived shallow, self centered, mediocre lives. Now you have the opportunity to rebuild a city, change its culture and discover God’s purpose for their life in a ost-Katrina world. You can change not just your world but this city. The choice is yours: you can try to recreate your life or begin to live the life you were created for.
Seventh, the last thing Jesus did with His followers on that very first Easter was to give you hope. In spite of all their doubts and fears, Jesus gave them hope in themselves and in God. Thomas became known as doubting Thomas but he was the most honest and authentic of all the disciples. “Now Thomas was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him,‘We have seen the Lord.’ But Thomas said, ‘Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and I put my hand into His side wound, I’m not going to believe.’ A week later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them this time. Though the doors were locked Jesus came in and stood among them and He said, ‘Peace be with you.’ [That’s the third time He’s said this] He said to Thomas ‘Thomas put your finger in My hand. See My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. [Go ahead. It’s all right. Touch Me.] Stop doubting and believe.’ Thomas said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God.’” Thomas was honest and open about his doubts. When he heard that Jesus had died, he had lost all hope. Nothing drains your tank more than a lack of hope. We’ve got a lot of things draining our hope from a snail’s pace recovery, to a backlogged Road Home Program, to rising crime and not enough police on the streets, to an educational system in shambles to politicians on the take and failing morally, to a federal government not living up to its promise. If there was ever a time when we need hope, this is it. And the fact is, hope, real hope not going to come from City Hall or our elected politicians or the Federal government or even signs of recovery, it can only come from the one who was and is and always will be.
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John Maxwell writes about the hope which comes from God, “Hope shines brightest when the hour is darkest. Hope motivates when discouragement comes. Hope energizes when the body is tired. Hope sweetens while bitterness bites. Hope sings when all melodies are gone. Hope believes when evidence is eliminated. Hope listens for answers when no one is talking. Hope climbs over obstacles when no one is helping. Hope endures hardship when no one is caring. Hope smiles confidently when no one is laughing. Hope reaches for answers when no one is asking. Hope presses toward victory when no one is encouraging. Hope dares to give when no one is sharing. Hope brings the victory when no one is winning.”
Sermon title slide
James DeLoach tells the story of seeing “a picture of an old burned-out mountain shack. All that remained was the chimney...the charred debris of what had been that family’s sole possession. In front of this destroyed home stood an old grandfather dressed only in his longjohns with a small boy clutching a pair of patched overalls. It was evident that the child was crying. Beneath the picture were the words which the artist felt the old man was speaking to the boy. They were simple words, yet they presented a profound theology and philosophy of life. Those words were, "Hush child, God ain’t dead!" That vivid picture of that burned-out mountain shack, that old man, the weeping child, and those words "God ain’t dead" keep returning to my mind. Instead of it being a reminder of the despair of life, it has come to be a reminder of hope! I need reminders that there is hope in this world. In the midst of all of life’s troubles and failures, I need mental pictures (I need the resurrection) to remind me that all is not lost as long as God is alive and in control of His world.”
