John 14:23–31
23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.
25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.”
In the name of Jesus. Amen.
Different holidays are celebrated in different ways. We just celebrated Mothers’ Day a few weeks ago. Flowers, chocolates, and gifts were given. Phone calls were made. And, probably, a few household chores like washing the dishes, vacuuming, and cooking were delegated to the non-mothers out there. All those are good ways to celebrate moms which is the purpose of Mothers’ Day. I doubt many people set off fireworks while singing “Joy to the World” for Mothers’ Day. Who knows? Maybe there are a few pyromaniac moms whose favorite song is “Joy to the World.” But, in my experience, moms typically police fireworks and the last thing on their minds between explosions are the words to the third verse of “Joy to the World.”
Tomorrow is Memorial Day, and it is good to remember those who have given their lives for our country by attending Memorial Day services, placing flowers on graves, and giving thanks for the sacrifice many have made so we can enjoy the freedoms God has given us in this country (Jn. 15:13). Even the barbecues and gatherings with friends are a fitting way to spend Memorial Day. Enjoy all those things as you give thanks to God for those who gave their lives for our country. But Memorial Day is tomorrow. Today is the Day of Pentecost. What is a fitting way to celebrate and remember Pentecost?
Honestly, it’s precisely what you are doing now. Here you are – God’s people in God’s house – gathered to hear the Gospel and the mighty works of God in your native tongue. You are following precisely in the footsteps of the apostles and first Christians by doing exactly what they were doing when God poured out the Holy Spirit on the whole world.
In our reading from Acts (Act. 2:1-21, 36), we find the first Christians all gathered together in one place on a Sunday. Just like you have gathered together with your brothers and sisters in Christ on a Sunday. As those first 120 Christians (Act. 1:15) were gathered, the Holy Spirit came upon them. Right now, the Holy Spirit is coming upon you as you hear God’s Word, are reminded of all the things Jesus has said (Jn. 14:26), and are pointed to Jesus, your Savior (Jn. 15:26). Those first Christians, who received the Holy Spirit, went out and proclaimed the Gospel in the languages of the people who were in Jerusalem. Today, you will be sent out of this place to proclaim the excellencies of Jesus who has called you out of darkness and into His marvelous light (1 Pet. 2:9).
You’ve heard me say that every Sunday is a celebration of the Resurrection even though the dazzling angel isn’t sitting on the stone, and every Sunday is a celebration of Christmas even though Jesus is no longer laid in the manger while the angels sing to shepherds. Every Sunday is a celebration of Easter and Christmas, but we should probably add: every Sunday is a celebration of Pentecost. Even though we don’t have the sound of a mighty, rushing wind and the tongues of fire, all the essentials of Pentecost are present here each and every Sunday. In other words, the Holy Spirit is here pointing us to Jesus and equipping us for a life of faith because our service is filled with God’s Word.
Dear saints, the Holy Spirit is given and poured out upon you in the normal, familiar things of our service. Sure, it’s great when we have those ‘mountaintop’ experiences where we feel very close to God. We thank and praise Him for those moments, but not every day is meant to be lived in a spiritual high. Your Spirit-filled lives are spent in the normal, mundane trenches of work and home. You come here to be fed by God’s Word and strengthened in your faith in Jesus. In that, the Holy Spirit equips you for another week of faithfully carrying out your God-given callings and vocations which is where serve your neighbor.
To prove that the Holy Spirit is at work in all these things, just consider what Jesus tells us in this Gospel reading (Jn. 14:23-31). Jesus says that the Holy Spirit will teach us all things and bring to remembrance all that He has said (Jn. 14:26). Now, Jesus first said this to the apostles who were later inspired by the Holy Spirit to write the Bible. That verse, John 14:26, is how we can know without any doubt whatsoever that when we read and hear the words of Jesus recorded for us in the Scriptures, we are reading and hearing the very words of God (see also Jn. 16:13-14). As the Holy Spirit declares to you everything that Jesus has said, He makes you holy so that you are a comfortable dwelling place for God. You, dear saints, are God’s home.
In the first verse of our Gospel reading here (Jn. 14:23) Jesus says, “if anyone loves Me, he will keep My Word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” You know that you are commanded to love Jesus with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mt. 22:37-38). Your problem is that this love is often difficult perceive. Is your love for God some emotion or feeling inside of you? Does it feel like you love God right now? How do you know if you love Him enough? What instrument should you use to measure your love for God? Well, Jesus tells you exactly how to measure your love for Him. Christ says, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep (or “guard”) My Word.”
You might not feel tremendous love for God, you might feel as though God is far away and distant, but you will still come to church to hear His Word. You will spend time meditating on His Word and contemplating what He has said. When you hear God’s Word faithfully preached, when you read and study your Bible, you are keeping and guarding Jesus’ Word. It doesn’t mean you do it perfectly. Our hearts are still full of sin. But you are here today, so you are keeping Jesus’ Word. The very fact you are present here, according to Jesus, is evidence that you love Jesus because you are keeping His Word.
Jesus says that when you keep His Word, the Father loves you. Then – this is so remarkable – the Father and Jesus will come and make their home with you. That is a good translation. We will often make a distinction between a ‘house’ and a ‘home.’ Greek does as well. A house is a building where people live. There are many houses in Grand Cities community, but only one is your home where you feel perfectly comfortable.
Dear saints, God makes His home in you. You aren’t just a house for God. You are His home.
When I was in Bible College, our choir would go on tour, and we would sometimes stay at other people’s houses. One night in California, I stayed in the house of a couple who were both eye doctors, and it was probably the nicest house I’ve ever stayed in. Everything was clean, fancy, and expensive. When I arrived there, the hosts said, “Make yourself at home.” I didn’t feel at home. I felt out of place because I was a poor college student. Another time, I stayed at a house of a rancher. When I arrived there, that couple also said, “Make yourself at home.” Part of me still wonders if my hosts said that to excuse the mess that their house was. Dirty furniture; a wet, musty towel in the corner of the bedroom; grimy dishes in the kitchen. Even though my dorm room was at least as messy as that house, I didn’t feel at home there either. There are all sorts of reasons we don’t feel ‘at home’ in other people’s houses. That is why it is so remarkable that Jesus says the almighty, all-powerful, holy God makes His home in you.
Jesus says that the Holy Spirit ignites in you a love for Him as you keep and guard Christ’s Word. And it is through that very same Word that the Holy Spirit makes you holy – He sanctifies you. Through faith, you are so holy and sanctified that the God who is holy, holy, holy (Is. 6:3) takes up residence within you, and He feels right at home.
It doesn’t matter if you think your life and heart are too messy for the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is perfectly comfortable dwelling in you because He has washed you, cleansed you, forgiven you, and filled you with the righteousness of Jesus, your Savior. Happy Pentecost. Amen.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,” 16 while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. 18 And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; 22 but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil. 23 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
Guard it. Keep it. Take it. Eat and drink it. Because Jesus joins that Word of deliverance and forgiveness of sins to bread and wine. With His little finger, He destroyers the stronghold and armor of the devil. He claims you as His own. And He guards and keeps you now and for all eternity. Amen.
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