Our Sermons

Bible Passage: John 14:25-27
Pastor: Pastor Berg
Sermon Date:  May 20, 2018

These profound words of Jesus were spoken on the day before he would suffer and die. They were spoken first to a group of men who had been with him for three years, who had grown to love him, who depended on him. He had just told them that he was going away and they couldn’t come with him, at least not now. These profound words were meant to comfort, to encourage, to empower these men to endure the next few days and weeks and months and years.

In these words Jesus makes a sharp contrast between himself and the world. He says something that makes us stop and wonder. He says, “Not as the world gives do I give to you.” Have you ever taken the time to ponder what exactly that means? How does the world give? How is it different than how God gives?

Perhaps that question is worth spending some time on today as we celebrate God’s gift to his Church, the gift of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps it’s worth pondering because sometimes I wonder if we miss out on fully enjoying God’s gifts because we don’t know the difference. We don’t recognize the difference between how God gives and how the world gives. Perhaps all the while we’re wondering why God isn’t answering our prayers, why God isn’t blessing us like he promised, why God is allowing all this suffering and pain and sadness to take place; perhaps we’re looking in the wrong place? Perhaps we’re looking for the wrong kind of gift? Perhaps we’re expecting God to give like the world gives?

On this day of Pentecost, on this day where God kept his promise to send the Holy Spirit, we find great comfort in the promises Jesus made to his disciples and to us about the Holy Spirit. May he help us today to see the difference between the way the world gives and the way God gives. May he help us to Receive What God Gives How God Gives It.

“I have told you these things while staying with you.” What was it that Jesus told them? Our lesson today in John 14 is part of a 5 chapter discourse in John’s gospel. ALl of these words were spoken on Maundy Thursday. Jesus started by washing his disciples’ feet. He commanded them to love as he loved. He warned them that he would be betrayed into the hands of sinners. The told them that they would all fall away on account of him, even Peter. He said he was going to suffer and die. He told them he would rise again. He told them that were he was going, they couldn’t follow, at least not now. All these things he told them before he would leave. But the time had come for God’s plan to be fulfilled. So he talks about what’s going to happen when he’s gone.

“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I told you. Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, and do not let it be afraid.”

Can you see the contrast that Jesus sets up here? It’s a contrast between him and the world. I don’t give like the world. I don’t give in that same way. And the difference is clear in both the content of what God gives and the way God gives. So what does God give? Jesus tells us clearly: “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I told you.” Can you imagine the anxiety those disciples were feeling? Can you imagine trying to remember everything someone said for the last three years? It’s overwhelming! I have a hard time remembering what I said myself three years ago, never mind what someone else said. But Jesus calms the fears the disciples. He says, Do not let your heart be troubled, and do not let it be afraid.” There was no reason to fear or worry or doubt because the Father was sending them the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit would teach them everything. The Holy Spirit would review for them and remind them of everything Jesus had taught them. The Holy Spirit would be with them every step of the way. That knowledge, that comfort brought something the world can’t give and doesn’t give. Peace. True peace. And not just any peace, but Jesus’ peace. This is the peace that never ends. This is peace in our hearts. This peace only comes through the forgiveness of all of our sins, through the assurance of eternal life in heaven, through the knowledge that we are saved. That peace Jesus gave to his disciples right before he went out and accomplished it.

Are you ever anxious? Do you ever worry? Are your hearts ever troubled? Ever afraid? The promises Jesus made to his disciples he has made to you. Everything he gave to his disciples he has given to you. He has given you the Holy Spirit. He has given you everything you need to know about him, everything he said in his Word. The Holy Spirit helps us, teaches us to understand that Word. He uses that Word to remind us of what Jesus did, of what he wants us to do. And through that Word we have peace. We have the peace of knowing that our sins are forgiven. We have the peace of knowing that we have a place waiting for us in heaven. We have the peace of knowing that Jesus has done everything for us. That is so completely contrary to what the world gives us. The world offers no hope beyond this life. The world offers no peace beyond the next terrorist attack or the next school shooting. Instead of looking to ourselves, to the world for help, for comfort, for peace; let’s look to God. Let’s look to Jesus and receive what God gives.

But not only do we what to receive what God gives, but we want to receive it how he gives it!

So how does the world give? Interestingly, some maxims illustrate how the world views giving. Here’s one that you won’t find in the Bible: “God helps those who help themselves.” This is how the world gives. Do you see it? The world gives only after some effort is applied on our part. The natural opinion of the law that resides in the heart of every person wants to contribute, wants to help. Here’s another one: “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” That is how the world gives. We have to do something, we have to contribute something to receive something. And unfortunately, that way of thinking works its way into our thinking about God. We think we have to earn God’s favor with our works. We think that if we try our best, then God will have to be satisfied with that and then will be compelled to give to us. The only problem is the harder we try, the more we realize that we can never do enough. The more effort we exert, the more we find the same problems remaining. And that’s where questioning God comes into play. If I’m trying so hard, why isn’t God giving me what I want? If I’m doing the best I can, why are there still problems in my life?

Jesus told his disciples that he doesn’t give like the world gives. If he did, we’d never receive anything from God because we could never do anything to deserve it. No, God gives simply because he loves. God gives because he has pity on us, mercy on us. God gives freely, without expecting any effort up front, without expecting any payment in return. God sent Jesus to pay for all the times that we’ve complained, that we’ve doubted, that we’ve looked for God to give like the world. And Jesus came and lived perfectly and died innocently and rose victoriously and God gave all of that to us as a free gift. That’s how God gives! And Jesus was reminding his disciples of just that!

How does God give? God gives through means. That’s why I chose that picture for the cover of our bulletin. You see, the Holy Spirit is all-powerful, omnipotent. If he wanted to, he could go into the heart of every single person on earth and convert them. He could go directly to them, without them ever hearing about the true God, without them even knowing the the true God, and he could make them true believers. But that’s not how God has chosen to give. God loves to work through means. God comes to us through his means of grace, through his Word, through his Sacraments. That’s how God in his all-knowing, omniscient wisdom has chosen to operate. And that’s what you see in that picture. You see faith being created as the Word of God is preached. You see faith being created as that same Word is connected with the water of baptism. It’s through that Word connected with water that God washes away sin, that he takes up residence the heart of that child. You see faith being strengthened and sins being forgiven as God connects that same Word with the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper. Through that Word connected with the bread and wine, Jesus gives us his very body and blood. He forgives our sins in a most personal way. It’s through this Word and Sacraments that the Spirit teaches us, reminds us, strengthens us, and comforts us. That’s how God chooses to operate. And it’s there that we receive what he gives.

Friends, the temptation is there to look for God apart from his means of grace. The temptation is there to look for God to give the way the world gives. But looking for God to give that way is futile. Jesus tell us today:  “Not as the world gives do I give to you.” So let’s recommit ourselves to receiving what God gives how God gives it! Let’s recommit ourselves to those means of grace! Let’s recommit ourselves to spending time with his Word, to being faithful in worship, to making use of his Sacraments. Will all of our problems go away? No. Will trouble and temptation still come? Yes. But God promises his peace, his help, his comfort through those means. God promises that he gives all that we need through those means. Let’s receive what God gives how God give it! Amen.