INTRO:
This summer CBS found a new way to capture viewers. It’s dubbed
"Reality TV". CBS launched the 13 week 'Survivor" show on May 31 which
drew 15.5 million viewers and by mid August that number had doubled. This
past Wed. night 51.7 million tuned in and in the last few minutes of the
show 58.6 million tuned in to see who won. Richard Hatch, who ironically
was called Rich for short, became rich. In fact, one million dollars
richer. But let me ask you, 'was this real TV?' Real surviving? The icon
pretty much gives the shows mission statement. It reads: Survivor, Outwit,
Outplay, and Outlast. Webster defines survivor as one who outlasts and
lives on in spite of troubles, difficulties, and tragedies but nothing
about outwit, or outplay. Nothing about backstabbing or manipulation, yet
this is what this show is all about. That's not real TV. That's not
authentic survival; it is artificial, animalistic survival. This was a
Hollywood take two production. A drama with a grand finale like 'who shot
J.R.?'. That's not reality TV. When human beings are actually trying to
survive they band together, not stab each other in the back. As World
magazine put it "One man is no match for an elephant, but a group of men
win rule the jungle”. Cooperation has always been man's way to
survive. You say 'well they did some of that.' I know, but then the
producers pit them against each other. And therefore my statement is
simply this: IT'S NOT REALITY TV. It is the same old Hollywood packaged a
different way. It is artificial not authentic. Now, I say all that to say
this, in our text today Jesus is leaving the disciples. Eleven men are
troubled, 'tarasso', stirred and confused. They know they are about to be
left behind on a deserted island called earth. They need to grab hold of
something reassuring. That's why Jesus said in verses 1 and 27,
‘Real peace’. The world offers artificial peace, but Jesus
leaves us real peace. And thus Jesus begins to give them 5 realities to
comfort them during troubled times. My friend, here are 5 realities to
comfort you and I in a troubled world; to comfort our troubled hearts. 1.
THE REALITY OF HIMSELF vs.1 Throughout all of John's writings, he always
writes to testify of the reality of Jesus. Remember, John is writing in 90
AD. All of the disciples are dead. False teachers are saying, “This
is the Christ or this one etc”. But John says 'no, we've seen and
testify of Him. See John 1: 1, 14 and 21:24 and I John 1: 1-3. 2. THE
REALITY OF HEAVEN vs.2 Note, heaven is a house. Not a tent or a
tabernacle. Everybody has a longing for a permanent, secure place to live.
Right now our souls are dwelling, tabernacled in this tabernacle- our
bodies. Paul said, 2 Cor. 5:1 “For we know that if our earthly house
of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not
made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 3. THE REALITY OF HIS RETURN vs.3
Notice His promise. He will come to get us. He gathers us, the believers,
one by one at death. As a child of God, just as sure and real as death is,
so will be the fact that Jesus will come to get you. There stood old
Peter. He is about to fail Christ, but Jesus will not fail him. You and I
have failed Him, but He will not fail us. He will return and get us. I
Thes. 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout,
with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God: and the dead in
Christ shall rise first:
I Thes. 4:17
Then we, which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them
in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with
the Lord. Isn't that wonderful to know? We are never one millisecond apart
from Christ. He said, "-where I am there you may be also. Christian, are
you ready? John says in his letter, I John 2:28 “And now, little
children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have
confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming”. If you are
without Christ, you are not ready. You will be left behind. How do you get
ready? Let's look at the next reality. 4. THE REALITY OF HOW TO ATTAIN
ETERNAL LIFE vs. 6 He didn't point the way - He said ‘I am the
way’. He didn't just teach the truth. He is the truth. He didn't
show you the life. He is the life. Apart from Jesus is death. The world
says this is narrow-minded thinking. In our world of tolerance, they say
that Jesus is just one of many ways to Heaven. Listen, my friend, Jesus is
not a good way to Heaven. He is not the best way to Heaven. He is the ONLY
WAY to Heaven. There is no getting around it. It's not about what you
think. Jesus didn't ask for our vote as the most appealing candidate for
Savior of the world. He said He is the Savior of the world-period. Instead
of worrying about it being a narrow way, praise God we can count on the
fact that it is the one sure-fire real way to get there. You know when
you've got a bunch of options, it causes confusion. You go to Burger King
or MacDonald’s and you have all those combo meals to choose from-
you just stand there. Stand there in indecision. Brother, that's what the
devil wants. He wants you to look at all the religions in the world.
"Let's try this one. No let's try this one." And while you play Russian
roulette with your soul, time is running out. Praise God, He's made it
simple. There’s One way, by the way of the cross. Have you been that
way? You can today, and be saved. 5. THE REALITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT vs.
16-17 When you mention Holy Ghost in a Baptist church people get nervous.
But listen, you can't be a successful Christian without the Holy Spirit in
complete control of your life. Many Christians are defeated because
instead of being full of the Spirit, they are full of themselves. Note vs.
16 He says "another. "Allos". Means another of the same kind. Someone just
like Jesus. Same quality and character of Jesus. [EX]--Go on vacation in
car. Next year in another type of car -vs-another type of transportation,
like a plane. And He, the Holy Spirit, is going to live in you. Vs.
17-18. Alongside you and abiding in you. Most Christians do not know the
reality of the Holy Spirit in their lives. [EX-]-Several years ago, a
42-foot sailboat got caught in stormy seas off the east coast. The boat
flipped upside down. The heavy keel then righted the vessel, but damage
was significant. A Coast Guard cutter quickly responded to the SOS call.
Seas were so rough they couldn't transfer the people, so they pulled along
side them, took the brunt of the storm and led them in. My friends, that
is the picture of the H.S. coming alongside us and protecting us from the
raging storms of life. Protecting us and guiding us home safety. (RBC
7-18-98) CONCLUSION: To the Lost in this congregation, death is real. The
only way to survive it is to put your trust in the One who conquered
death- Jesus Christ. See vs. 19 ... See Jesus lives. He conquered death,
sin, hell, and the grave. It is time to face reality. Without Jesus, death
& hell conquers you. It is an awful place. [EX] Bats in cave ex.
Christian, you know the reality of Jesus, heaven, His return, et. life, &
Holy Spirit. And yet you are still troubled about something today. What
you need to do is realize that He, the Holy Spirit, lives in you-vs. 17.
And then you need to repent and obey-vs. 15. A disobedient life leads to a
defeated life. Come rededicate your life today. 8/26/00 Royce
Hendry, Sand Hill Baptist
