Get In The Car With God
PPT 1 Series Title: Words
We have been for the most part speaking about our words this week we are going to look at a few of the words Jesus spoke.
PPT 2 Message Title: A Message From God, Get in the car with God.
As we begin let me just talk about the words of Jesus for a moment.
PPT 3 text
Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (AV)
Colossians 3:16 Let the Word of Christ-the message-have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! (MSG)
Give the words of Jesus plenty of room in your lives! Let His words dwell richly. Get fat with the words of Jesus. Stuff yourself. Pig out. Pack all you can inside yourself.
There are all kinds of words in this world, some will hurt you, some will teach you, some will incite you to anger, some will cause you to help others. But of all the words in the world there are none like those of Jesus.
The words I speak to you are spirit and life (John 6:63)
Illus: To the woman caught in the shame of adultery He said, "Neither do I condemn you go and sin no more." Can you imagine the turn around that brought in her life knowing the religious leaders were planning on stoning her to death. The words of Jesus will turn your life around!
PPT 4 text
Psalms 107:20 He spoke the word that healed you, that pulled you back from the brink of death. (MSG)
Illus: In Mark 5 is the story of a demon possessed man who lived in the cemetery, and we are specifically told no man could tame him. They often tied him up with chains and he would break out. Jesus with a word sent the demons out of Him. He can make bad things come out of you with His words. He can take cutting out of you, He can take crazy out of you, He can take suicidal depression out of you, He can put you in your right mind with His words
The religious leaders sent their officers to arrest Jesus, (John 7) they came back empty handed. When asked why they said, "Never a man spake as He spake." The were mesmerized by His words. Imagine police officers finding someone whom they had an arrest warrant to capture, and were sent out for that purpose and they came back and said, "we didn't arrest Him because His words were so gracious." They were taking back because for the first time in their lives they meant someone whose words were spirit and life.
In Luke 24 after talking with the resurrected Christ, the two disciples said, "Did not our hearts burn within us while we walked and talked with Him in the way." Never a man spake as He spake!
In Luke 13:12 a woman who was bent over double, Jesus said to her: "Woman thou art loosed!" And immediately her back was straightened out- He can straighten you out when life has bent you over backwards.
The life giving power of the Bible and especially the words of Jesus in the bible are the reason it is the best book in the world, and also make it the hardest book in the world to read. Because we have an enemy who doesn't want us in this book.
So now I want to look at just one of the things that Jesus said for our benefit, and we will break it down a little bit.
PPT 5 text
John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
These things? What things was He referring to? We shall try to answer that, because Jesus said that they have the potential to bring great benefit to our lives.
Jesus is talking about the potential for peace in a world that is full of hurt.
In this verse Jesus lays out a universal truth:
You shall have tribulation. No might's, no maybe's, you can take it to the bank. No exemptions. Rich poor, young old, male female.
Then He lays out a wonderful possibility:
You might have peace. Not you definitely will have peace, it is available, it is within your grasp, you could have it, or you could miss it. Part of the reason you would miss it, is because you aren't hearing the words that are supposed to bring it.
I want you to notice that tribulation is bookended with peace and good cheer. He softens the blow, because that is what He does for His people.
But He bookends the absolute truth of tribulation, and the possibility of peace, with two statements that show what He has done to help us get that peace we so desperately need in this world full of troubles:
These things have I spoken to you.... I have laid out some statements that will get you peace, I have told you truths that will help you.
You will have tribulation but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.
When things are going bad, be positive. Don't get down in the mouth, don't fall into depression, why? I have overcome the world.
When I read that the first thought I have is, how does Jesus overcoming the world help me? He won the gold medal in the decathlon what good is that to me? You got an A on your test how does that help me? How does someone in Des Moines winning the lottery help you?
Hold on to that question for a minute.
Since Jesus said, these things have I spoken unto you that in me you might have peace, we ought to look at some of the verses near this one to see what they say and how they might give us peace.
PPT 6 text
John 16:32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
He is talking to the disciples and says its about to get very ugly, you all are going to desert me. You are going to leave me on my own, you are going to abandon me. You are going to cut and run, turn your back on me as if we were never friends.
But in truth even though all you turn your back on me I won't be alone, the Father is with me.
Jesus' key to peace on earth was knowing the Father was always with Him. If you know the Father is with you, you can have peace when everyone turns their back on you. Why, because you still know you are loved by someone, and that someone can do anything, He is all powerful.
If we back up to the beginning of this chapter we read:
PPT 7
John 16:1 "These things I have spoken to you, that you may be kept from stumbling.
Now He says later in the chapter, they are going to turn their backs on him, Peter would curse and swear that he didn't know Jesus, but he wasn't the only one, they all ran away in the garden and abandoned Him.
Sounds to me like they stumbled. I think when Jesus speaks of stumbling He has something more serious in mind. I think He is addressing the idea that they would mess up, and perhaps not get back up again.
Jesus didn't want them living in condemnation. I am telling you in advance I know everything that is about to happen. Peter before the rooster crows twice you will deny me three times. Sin is no surprise to God.
God knows all about your failures and missteps. The difference between success and failure is that a success gets up again. When everything is falling apart don't lose heart. Jesus told them about their failures ahead of time so that after they failed, they wouldn't think He could ever accept them back again. He told them ahead of time, I accept you failures and all, and I am doing everything I can to help you make as few mistakes as possible, and when you make mistakes I want you to get back up again and know My peace is available to you.
Let's go back 2 chapters in the bible
PPT 8 text
John 14:25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
These things have I spoken unto you... I think Jesus is trying to get us hooked on His words, we have to keep reading.
I think when Jesus said peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, something happened. His words come with the power to see them enacted.
A long time ago I was in a prayer meeting, and a dear sister in the Lord took my hand and simply said, "Peace be unto you." When she did I experienced and overwhelming sense of the peace of God. That was 45 years ago and I remember it like it was today. God's word is full of living power.
There is a world of difference between a peaceful setting, and Jesus' peace, MY peace give I to you. The same peace I have I give to you. That is one of the things Jesus said to help us in this world.
I need to wrap things up, but I have one last thing to cover.
Earlier I mentioned Jesus said we could be of good cheer because He has overcome the world, and I asked how is it that helps us. I mean it was good for Him, He got an A on the test how does it help me with my grade of "F".
I don't have time to lay it all out for you, but the short answer is, because He got an A there were rewards from His father that came with that grade. It's kind of like a really rich dad tells his teenage son that if he gets an A in algebra that the dad would buy Him a new car.
PPT 9 picture of the Batmobile
I began saying that the title of this message is, "A word from and God, and that word is get in the car with Jesus."
Let me explain what I mean by that. In our example a rich dad says to his son if you get an A on your test I will give you a new car. Well we didn't get an A on our spiritual test, in fact the bible says we have all failed, and sinned and come short of the glory of God. But here is the powerful lesson, even though we failed, Jesus passed with flying colors and was rewarded by God for doing that. (For this example He got a super powerful car like the batmobile) Now even though I failed, if I get in Jesus car with Him, I get the benefits that riding in that car provided even though I didn't earn them or deserve them.
If I get in the car with Jesus I enjoy all the benefits of riding in that car.
If He has a/c you have a/c, if He has rocket boost you have rocket boost.
If He has machine guns in the back of His car...you have machine guns
If He has armor plating you have armor plating....
We read in Ephesians
He descended into hell and led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men. (Eph 4:8) That was part of His reward. So then when we connect with Him we share in the spoils He has one.
Jesus in John 15 teaches about a vine and branches. He said I am the vine you are the branches. I am the source you are the recipient, I did the dirty work you get to enjoy the beautiful fruit. I have the roots that tap into God's supply, you get to tap into Me.
et in the car with Jesus and you get to enjoy the benefits.
Jesus got a new car for getting an A and even though I got an F he said he would take me for a ride in his new car, plus he is going to expunge my record. His dad is in charge of the records! No only will He get rid of my "F" but because of what Jesus did, He earned the right to put an "A" next to my name also!
Now you may be asking, "ok I get what you are saying, but it doesn't really say anywhere in the bible to get in the car with Jesus." True, but here is a passage that comes very close to saying that very thing:
PPT 10 text
Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Until recently the most common form of transportation in the world was an oxcart. That was the Old and New Testament most predominant means of transportation. Jesus is saying connect to me, take my yoke, learn of Me and you will find rest for your soul. It is a very similar to John 16:33 in Me, connected to Me you will have peace though the world is full of tribulation.
Let's go back to our main verse for one last look.
PPT 11 text
John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."
I overcame, I won the rewards, I have told you things that will really help you, but way beyond that I have peace that you can tap into, when your world is experiencing tribulation.
Take my yoke upon you.
Close; Do you need some of the peace He spoke of? How do you get in the car with Jesus, how do you take His yoke upon you? Let me tell you... Pray for the lost, and those in need of peace.
