Just When You Think You’ve Arrived
By Pastor Jim May
John 13:36 – 14:6
Simon Peter had made an assumption, and it’s the same assumption that we all make from time to time. He assumed that he had reached a place in his relationship with Jesus where he would never forsake Jesus and would never fail in his faithfulness to the Master again. We must never assume that we can’t miss the mark, for the moment we do, we are headed for a fall.
It has been my experience that when I think I’ve arrived, I discover that the train is just getting ready to leave the station for another learning and growing experience in life. It’s not that we don’t want to be faithful. It’s not that we desire the things of this world more than the things of God. It’s not that we have lost sight of the Savior and that we don’t place Jesus at the highest place in our hearts. No, it’s just that sometimes we get caught up in life and the first thing you know, we are doing that which we know is not right.
Now some would probably jump on their soapbox immediately, in their self-righteous indignation, and begin to spread the word – I saw Brother Billy Bob, or I heard Sister Sallie Sue do something, say something or go somewhere that they shouldn’t have. Some folks just love to put themselves on a pedestal and then play “King of the Hill” trying to keep everyone else on a lower plane. I don’t know about you but there’s nothing that bothers me more than someone trying to claim to be all that when the Bible says that, “there is none good, no not one”. Some folks must believe that they are the exception. My message to all of us this morning is this; Like it or not, whether you want to believe it or not, you’re not perfect and you never will be in this life. So be careful what you say and do, because what goes around; comes around.
Look with me at the Book of John, Chapter 13 and verse 36 and I think you will see something there that will really bless you.
John 13:36, "Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards."
Do you know where Jesus was going? You and I have the great advantage of having a greater understanding and perspective of what was going on at this point in scripture. We know that Jesus was getting ready to fulfill his purpose for coming to this world. He was going to die upon the cross and shed his blood so that the sin of men could be washed away. He was going to be sacrificed for all of us.
But Peter didn’t have that same perspective. He didn’t fully understand what was going on in the Plan of God. Though he had followed Jesus for over three years and had learned so much, he just didn’t get it.
Now don’t put down on Peter because I know an awful lot of Christians who have attended church for years, heard hundreds of sermons, attended Bible Conferences and Camp Meetings, read their Bible from cover to cover, yet they still don’t get it. They still have problems trying to figure out God and trying to find the will of God in their lives.
Have we not learned that the will of God is not just found in the final destination, but in the journey itself. Are you in the will of God right now? How do you know whether you are or not? Here’s the real test if you want to know it: Are you living for the Lord? Are you doing everything you can to be faithful in your commitment to Christ? Are you ever listening for the leading of the Holy Spirit in your heart? Are you hungry for more of God and desiring to be with Jesus and with the people of God? My friend, if all of that is true, then you can’t help but be right where God wants you to be for this moment in time.
Tomorrow, the Spirit may lead you in a different path. Tomorrow He may place a different dream or a new ministry in your life – but for right now, you are walking in God’s will. If you want to ever be in God’s will, then maintain that faithfulness, that dedication and commitment, and put Jesus first in your life and you won’t miss God’s will. We often think that God has to hit us with a bolt of lightning or some great revelation or give us some great position before we will think we are in God’s perfect will. Have you ever considered that God’s perfect will for your life is that you learn to grow, learn to be faithful right where you are? There’s always room for growing and changing to be more like Jesus but that can happen in more ways that we can imagine.
When we ask God for his will to be done in our lives, what answer do you think he will give? Will he allow you to miss the mark? Will he just let you wander around for years like a player on a chess board with no plan for your life? Of course not!
David said in Psalms 37:23-25, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread."
In numerous places in the scripture we are assured that when we ask Jesus for anything that he will give us what we need and that he will always give us that which is best for us. Our problem is that we don’t always understand what we should be asking for, so when the answer comes it may not be what we thought it should have been.
Luke 11:10-12, "For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?"
John 14:13-14, "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it."
I think that part of the equation is this: God doesn’t want us to start thinking that we have arrived at being in his perfect will because when we do, we tend to get satisfied and quit growing and changing. If I was to believe, which I don’t, that I am exactly the kind of Pastor that I should be, and that Victory Temple is the perfect church in every way, then I won’t be seeking the Lord for ways to change, make the church grow or be a better Pastor for you. I can assure you of one thing; none of that is true. I am far from being perfect and this church is far from perfect; but we are in the will of God, working toward becoming better and ever open to the leading of the Spirit. God is taking us on a journey. Sometimes our own plans get in the way, but eventually God will take us where he wants us to go and the quicker the better as far as we are concerned. But it will happen in God’s time and his way because if the Holy Spirit doesn’t build us and guide us then we’ll never get there.
Peter was determined to follow Jesus. He had promised never to leave Jesus’ side. He didn’t know where Jesus was going, what was about to happen, but he just knew that he would be there with Jesus all the way. He was willing to die for Jesus.
Now think about that! Do we have that kind of commitment? I hope we all do. Peter had already determined to lay down his life for the Master if the need arose. If Jesus was attacked Peter had decided to defend him. He proved that commitment in the Garden when Jesus was arrested. He pulled out his sword and was willing to fight off all the soldiers single-handed if need be. He was laying down his life for Jesus. That’s more than I can say for a lot of Christians today. We won’t even lay down Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night. So many people won’t lay down an hour of their time if its not convenient to do so. They’ve never figured out that serving the Lord is always inconvenient.
John 13:38, "Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice." Jesus knew Peter’s commitment. He never doubted Peter’s love or his loyalty. But Jesus also knew how fickle the heart of man can be.
Here’s what Jesus was saying, “Peter, you think you’ve arrived; you think that you are willing to go all the way; to do what ever it takes. Well, Peter, you haven’t arrived yet. You are at the station and your train is getting ready to pull out on a long, hard learning experience. Peter, you are going to fail. You are going to deny Jesus three times before the morning comes. I know you think you are past the place where you can say a curse word; beyond that place where you can be led astray; beyond that place where you can have a fit of anger; beyond that place where you can be touched by temptation to commit sin; but you haven’t reached that point yet, and tonight it’s going to be proven to you.”
But I really am grateful and I love what Jesus had to say next. Sometimes I think we miss this because of the way that our Bible has been divided in chapters and verses because we often tend to think of a chapter break as a break in the train of thought as though it was a whole new subject.
Listen to what Jesus told Peter next in John 14:1-4, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know."
Yes, you are going to fail. No, you aren’t perfect yet. But don’t get discouraged. Though Satan may sift you like wheat, Jesus won’t let you fall if you just keep on going forward. Don’t allow those times of failure to rule your life. Get up, dust yourself off, and walk on in the Lord. Jesus said that we shouldn’t allow failures to trouble us, but that we should our trust in Him and believe in Him. It’s not our righteousness, not our obedience, not our good works that will bring us to our destination; it is the righteousness of Christ and the leading of the Holy Spirit that will bring us there. Jesus wants you to be in Heaven with him and he will not allow you to fall unless you turn away and give up.
Your heavenly mansion is already under constructed and probably finished by now. Your place at the table is already set just waiting for your arrival. Heaven’s choir is all assembled just waiting for you to come walking through those pearly gates. A place has been prepared for you, so just keep going and you will make it.
No matter what you do, or where God leads you, or what you may become in this life, you will never arrive at your destination though you live to be 100 years old or more. Nothing in this world is your final destination. Your final destination is that heavenly mansion that has been prepared for you in Heaven.
You know the way. You know where you are going. You know where Jesus was going and you know where he went.
John 14:5-6, "Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
Good old Thomas, old doubting Thomas as often call him; Jesus how can we know the way when we don’t even know where you are going? Now doesn’t that sound like so many Christians today? Lord how can I know that I’m in your perfect will if I don’t know where you are taking me, what I’m supposed to be doing or what your will is for me? How can I know the way if I don’t know the destination? That sounds like a logical question to the human mind, but the Holy Ghost doesn’t live within our logic, only within the Word. God’s way is not always our way, but only his way will lead us where we really want to be.
Jesus answered Thomas with a statement that we should never forget. If you want to be in the will of God, then follow Jesus and trust in him. If you want to reach your final destination, then follow Jesus and live for him. If you want to know your purpose in life, then look to Jesus. He is the Way, He is the Truth, and He is the Life. As long as you just keep following Jesus, you’ll find his will, you’ll be in His will, and you’ll reach that place that Jesus has prepared for you at the end of the journey.
Meanwhile, just enjoy the journey, and when you begin to think you’ve arrived, remember that it’s just another stop and the journey is about to continue on. Keep walking in the will of God. Don’t let the setbacks in life trouble your heart. If you fail God, don’t let your heart be troubled. Just confess it, release it and walk on with Jesus.
I can think of no better way to close this message than to quote the Words of Jesus one more time,
John 14:1-3, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."
