Goals for a Lifetime
John 14:1-14 1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going." 5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" 6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." 8 Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." 9 Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
1. Eliminate Worry
John 14:1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled.”
Matthew 6:25-34 25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Philippians 4:6-7 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
2. Trust Jesus More
John 14:1-3 …Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
-The disciples were worried that Jesus was going to leave them. They may have thought that their best days were behind them. He is calling them to trust Him with their lives, their future, their eternity!
-Jesus said He was going to His Father’s house to prepare a place for them and that He would be back. One way we trust Jesus is to truly believe what He says! If He makes a promise, there is no need to question it, He will do it! We will be with Him forever!
3. Know Jesus More
John 14:4-11 4 You know the way to the place where I am going." 5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" 6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." 8 Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." 9 Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.
-He is the Way to Heaven and to the Father
-He is the Truth – the only truth that leads to heaven
-He is the Life – source of life, resurrection kind of life!
-He is the exact representation of God the Father (Heb. 1; Phil. 2)
-He is equal with the Father – Jesus isn’t some lesser god. He is fully God and equal with the Father. This angered the Jewish leaders when He made this claim, but it was still very true.
-Jesus said, “I am the way.” Do you know the Way? There is no alternate route and no Plan B! Acts 4:12 – No other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
4. Ask Jesus for More
John 14:12-14 12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
(What does He want to do in your life? Don’t be afraid to ask!)
-Greater things than these
-How big can you dream as you seek to do greater things to serve and minister to others?
-It’s not about getting rich or getting what you want, it is about bringing glory to the Father (v. 13)
So, how are you doing? Worry much? Don’t let your heart be troubled. Don’t worry. It only causes harm. How’s your trust level? Are you able to commit your past, your present, and your future to the Lord? Do you trust Him to handle it? Do you know the way? Do you know Jesus? If not, I’d love to introduce you to Him today. As you get to know His heart, you will find out that He loves people! That is why He wants to give you whatever you ask as you seek to help others around you find Him and come to know Him! He has so much more if we will just ask and step out in faith. Lord, I want more of You in my life! I want people to be healed when I pray for them. I want people to come to know who you are by the way I live and love!
-Dream BIG! Jesus has amazing dreams for your life! Let them come!
