Palm Sunday: “Who has understood our message?” Isaiah 53

Over the course of lent, I purposely used multiple teachers, leaders, and artists to lead us on a journey - being emptied of self and filled with the Person, Spirit, Truth of Jesus - to recognize more deeply the heart and intentions of Jesus and

Each voice, each heart, reflected, personally, a unique, distinct view of Jesus and His word, a facet of His heart as reflected by the one commissioned with their task

• Skitch, aka Alex - do you know, have you heard

• Aaron - it is not enough to know, but to understand, here is the meaning… 

• Alex - be quiet, be present, move slowly, hear His whisper and the whisper of the heart before you… 

• Jeff - our Father wants to hear you, He wants to bless, He wants to respond – come, pray in the name of Jesus 

• Jason – remain in me and I will remain in you: so remain, abide, speak, yes, but even more, listen - remain in me, my words, says Jesus – you will bear much fruit

• Rachel - we are on a journey, there is a river that flows through us, on which we are being led… new life in Christ, Jesus

• Anita - see, touch, feel and know, more -  “10I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead”

• Matt - lifting Jesus high, that we might see and believe - as the work that God requires is that we believe in the one that He sent

• Wednesday night fellowship – and the sharing of Jesus impact on our lives…

• And what’s to come…

John 3:11- We speak of… and yet… who has believed our message?

Isaiah 53:1; John 12:38  “Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

Like a Son, looking to His Father, bewildered at what He sees, so the suffering servant would be grieved for at the lack of belief, the lack of faith among His own and wept over Jerusalem (Mat 23:37-39; Luke 19:41), yet equally astonished, amazed, at the faith of a gentile… (Matt 8:10; Lu 7:9)

John 1:11 - He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

John 3:11 - Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.

John12:38/Isaiah 53:1 - “Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

Not as expected, not understood, but to those who would see and hear and believe and receive - He enters in, in peace, granting the right to become children of God to all who would believe 

John 1:12-13 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—born of God.

Luke 2:14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests!”

They did not understand… See, He comes on a donkey, a foal, entering into the city, the hearts of those who would receive - peace, He comes in peace: John 12:12-15; Matt 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44

• Parable of the soils - receives with joy, but, the cares of this world choke it out

• The soil that is ready… 

  • These are the ones who have believed the message - that God so loved the world that He would send His one and only Son…

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:17)

I have told you these things so that you will have peace (Jo 15:25), I go to the Father, but I will come back for you - Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. (Jo 14:12,17,28; 16:10,17,22)

In the meantime, I will not leave you as orphans, but will send the Spirit who will guide you into all truth… (Jo 14:18; 16:13) because In this world you will have trouble, but take heart, be at peace, for I have overcome this world… (Jo 16:33)

So, remain in my love as I have remained in my Father’s love - do that by abiding in me, with my Father, by the Spirit of truth and my words. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. (Jo 15:7-11)  

.

John 17: The hope of oneness with God and one another

Jesus Prays for All Believers

20“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

24“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

25“Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26I have made you e known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” 

The prequel to the upper room: John 12:12-19

Where have we been, where are we going?

• John 12-13 

  • one last presentation to Judas of the kingdom’s heart - humility, servitude, love of God, and God’s Son - here is the bread, go, do quickly what you must do

  • Jesus shows the extent of His love - washing the feet of the disciples - even Judas, the offer of grace to all, even if they remain hard and reject

  • Jesus is present with His disciples - engaging each one, expressing His love

• John 14 - the rest who remain, are clean, and having been cleansed by God’s word, their hearts being purified and shown as faithful to Jesus, Jesus goes on to express to them the Father’s intentions

  • It is to those who remain faithful, who are here, that will receive the Holy Spirit - the peace of Christ

• John 15 - as you are in my love, Jesus says, abiding in Jesus, kept - tended to, care for, pruned by the Father, to maximize fruitfulness, remain in my love - abiding in Jesus and His word, His commands, His love - abiding in

  • Jesus - person, character, and nature - love and loving truth expressed in mercy and grace

  • Striding with the Spirit - which is the nature of God in us(Galatians 5)

  • Remain in Jesus - His word

  • Walk in/by/with/under the influence of the Spirit by that word

• John 16 - you are filled with grief, but you will see me, and then your grief will be turned to joy, and that joy, a joy that cannot be taken away - there is so much I would love to tell you, but you can not bear it now - but when the comforter comes - He will guide you into all truth \

  • Advocate

  • Comforter 

  • Encourager

  • Indwelling Spirit

• John 17 - Jesus prays, that we would be one, and being one with God in Christ, we are now, not only  to be one in and with Him but with one another - as we are the body of Christ (Eph 5; 1Peter 2) - 

What is it that Jesus had come to do?  How was it misunderstood? How would Jesus make it clear to those who “would receive it?” (John 1; 3; 14)  

Easter

• As Jesus builds His church, we “go, and make disciples 

• As it is that God, so loved the world… He sent

• Jesus sends us, as He was sent, He sends, to so love our God, that we would go in and with and by His love - 

Christ, Our Only Source for Life - John 15:1-11

Read

John 15:1-11

Reflect

The Image of Abiding (Verses 1-3)

Jesus - The True Vine

The Father - The Vine Dresser

Fruitless Branches - Dead “Judas branches.”

Associated with Jesus but not alive in Him.

Fruitful branches - Genuine believers that are alive in Christ.

The Importance of Abiding (Verses 4-6)

Why abiding/remaining important? Because the Christian life is impossible without Jesus.

The Impact of Abiding (Verses 7-11)

Effective Prayer

Supernatural Fruit - Glorifies God/Mark of Discipleship

Ongoing intimacy with Christ

Abundant Joy

Respond

Seek Christ’s face and never stop seeking.

Submit to the Father’s pruning.

Questions (For Individual or Group Study)

How will approaching prayer as intimacy with Christ change what you pray for?

What would look different in your life if you were intentionally seeking Christ’s face daily?

What difference will others notice as you grow in your enjoyment of Jesus?

How will remaining close to Jesus impact your relationship with others? (Please read and reflect on verses 12-17)

“Live such holy lives…” John 14:30-31; 15:9-16:11; 1Pet 2:11-12

Praying in and by the name of Jesus.  We are set apart by our faith in Jesus - set apart from this world and unto Christ, children of God, filled by His Spirit.  In so, we carry His name, we live in allegiance to Him, so that it is by His name, the Son of God, Jesus, that we live and move, speak and pray.  As we walk with, as we remain in truth - the Word and the Spirit - Jesus’ words and the Spirit's presence, gives us life, prunes us,  forms and shapes us, purifies and cleanses, refines us like silver, like gold (1Pet 1) and our lives reflect Him, more and more - having “...been crucified with Christ, I no longer live but Christ lives in me.  The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me“ (Gal 2:20). 

So, when we pray, we pray in his name: 

John 14: 12-14, Jesus says:

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. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

This passage has everything to do with life here and now because Jesus in entrusting His mission to His disciples. Jesus is speaking about PRAYING IN HIS NAME. In the Jewish culture names carried a special significance.  A person’s name was more than just a tag or mark to identify someone – it was actually an integral part of that person, and it revealed that person’s essential character.  To act in another person’s name was to use that person’s authority as a basis for one’s actions.  In essence, you would be acting as a special advocate or proxy.  

The one entrusted would want to be certain they understood and knew the person very well.  To pray in Jesus’ name requires that we try to understand Jesus’ mind so that our prayers represent His will as closely as possible.  To pray in Jesus’ name is to bring prayers into accord with the essential character of Jesus. It’s a way of bringing our prayers in alignment with the will of Jesus.  Praying in Jesus’ name, is praying for those things that Jesus can gladly bless. To pray in Jesus’ name requires that we be in close relationship with Him, and that we do everything we can to understand and submit to his will.  The whole discipline of life is to enable us to enter into a close relationship with Jesus. It’s a joy to Jesus when a disciple takes time to develop a more intimate relationship with Him.  When we develop an intimate relationship with Jesus we are never lonely, we don’t need sympathy, and we can always pour out of ourself and into others, without ever getting empty …. Because Jesus simply flows through us! Through a close daily relationship with Christ, we begin to be more Christ-like, and our prayers are aligned with the will of Jesus.  

Prayer is the greater works! Our duty is to pray ….. we are called to pray to Him all the time ….. and our prayers will be answered when they are aligned with God’s character and will.   

When we live, we live according to that name, according to who we are, because of whose we are - Jesus’ - and that life in Him, guided into all truth - truth in our thinking, believing, saying, doing, and praying - should all be reflective of that name - conscious of our being who He has made us to be and Who it is we represent, Whose name we carry, and “...live a life worthy of our calling…” (Eph 4:1)

Why?  

1Peter 2:11-12 “Beloved, I beg of you, as wayfarers and as foreigners, depart from all these desires of the body that makes war against you soul.  And let your way of life be beautiful before all children of men, those who speak wicked words of you, that they may see your beautiful works and praise God in the day of examination.”

John 14:30-31; 15:9-16:11

9“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17This is my command: Love each other.

The World Hates the Disciples

18“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ b If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. 22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. 24If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’ c

The Work of the Holy Spirit

26“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. 27And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.

John 16:1-15

1“All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. 2They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. 3They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. 4I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you, 5but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. 7But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

12“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

We do not belong to this world, any more than Jesus belongs to this world…

John 15:18“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.

No longer of this world, but children of God (Jo 1:12-13; 3:5-6; Ro 8:16; Ga 3:26; Ph 2:15; 1Pe 1:23; 1Jo 5:19), and co-heirs with Jesus, seated in the heavenly realms (Eph 1:3; 2:6; Col 2:12; 3:3), we are Jesus’ righteousness, and, that is what we are, goes before us, comes through us, and touches the lives around us. (2Cor 5:15-21; 1Jo 2:29;)

“16So… we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way - we do so no longer.  17therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old is gone, the new is here!  All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was/is reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting people's sin against them.  And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.  20We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21God made him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Why do we not see Jesus and the world from a worldly point of view anymore?  Because we are no longer of this world.

John 17:14 I have given them Your word and the world has hated them; for they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

Therefore, as His righteousness, with the Spirit indwelling us, we should… 

1Peter 2:12 “Live such good, proper, honorable, honest, excellent, beautiful, right - upright and righteous - lives among those who do not believe that

• Live such: to “up-turn” - living out your inner beliefs.  The ways in which holy living shows itself (Eph 4:22; 1Tim 4:12; Ja 3:13; 1Pe 1:15,18; 2:12; 3:1,11,16; 2Pe 2:7 and Heb 13:7)

• Have such honorable conversations with… (Matt 12:35; Eph 4:29; Col 3:16;4:6; 1Th 4:11; 1Pe 3:15; Lu 20:20-40)

Aliens and strangers - and that is what we are…

1Peter 1:1-2; 2:11-12 To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout… 2who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance…

…11Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles - strangers, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

Jesus is THE WAY to the Father

John 14: 1-14

Your way to eternal life is secure ….. as secure as your trust in Jesus. 

John 14: 1-2

Do not let your hearts be troubled. TRUST IN GOD, TRUST ALSO IN ME

John 14: 6

Jesus answered, I AM THE WAY, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

How do we know the way to God?

….. Only through Jesus!  JESUS IS THE WAY …. He is both God and man ….. trust Jesus to take you to the Father.

I will send another advocate, comforter - the Holy Spirit: John 14; Eph 1; 5

My heart is troubled - grieving and sorrowful – I have come to save the world. (Jn 3:16-18) Do not let your hearts be troubled - fearful and dreading – I have come to save the world…

…and though I am going away, I am not leaving you alone, as orphans, but in fact, I will be with you in an even more profound way.

• 1John 4:16-18 - Perfect love drives out fear - because fear - dread - has to do with punishment, payment for sin, when it is Jesus who has finished this work and when you received Jesus, you received that finished work - his payment, for our sin 

John 14:9-13 - I am who I said I am, the Father and I are One (John 8)

I must go so that I can send ANOTHER advocate, comforter, counselor (Isaiah), to be with you forever - the Spirit of Truth.

• Jesus has been and is (one) Advocate

• There is another to come to us all with like nature and intentions 

• Indwelling Holy Spirit

Paraklete - advocate, advisor, helper, aider, assistant, a legal rep who pleads our case - an intercessor (Rom 8) - from close beside, a legal advocate who makes right judgment-call because they are close enough to the situation - giving evidence that stands up in court

• so of the Holy Spirit destined to take the place of Christ with the apostles (after his ascension to the Father), to lead them to a deeper knowledge of gospel truth, and to give them the divine strength needed to enable them to undergo trials and persecutions on behalf of the divine kingdom: Jn 14:16, 26;15:26;16:7; Mt 10:19; Mk 13:11; Lu 12:11

John 14:15-21 

• As Jesus was and is and will be “Immanuel, God, with us” (Isa; Matt; Luke)

• To those who hear His commands and does then, He will show Himself to the - Jesus will reveal Himself and the Father to the one who loves them - John 3:3,14 3 “I assure you: Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God… 14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness (Nu 21:4-9), so the Son of Man must be lifted up (to be seen, looked upon), so that everyone who (sees, has have revealed, and) believes in Him will be saved to eternal life.”

John 14:22-27

• So the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth is “God, in us”

• As one sees and receives, loving and obeying - BECAUSE of that love - 

• Jesus, and the Father, We, will make our home with them

• And this peace given is the peace established between God and us

  • Established by God (Luke 2 “peace on earth, and tidings on whom that peace rests”)

  • Kept by God

  • As it is Jesus who gives us this peace - and He does not give as the world gives - but gives as only God can give

    • Forgiveness of sin

    • Saved from condemnation and death

    • Given life eternal 

    • Sealed by the Holy Spirit - a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance, treasures (Mt 6:20), kept in heaven for us (1Peter 1:3)

      • 1Cor 

      • Eph 1 

Do I love God?  Do I love Jesus?  Even a little?  Then it is God in us that enables, that has transformed the heart, that now comforts our hearts by His Spirit and word

• If we love Him, we will love His word

• If we love Him, we will obey His word

presence exchanged with the Holy Spirit’s indwelling – as He and the Father take upI

This Spirit IS God’s indwelling, the Father and the Son’s making Their home - residence - in us, and enables us to live according to the righteousness of Jesus, that He has now made us to be 

• John 3:3-8 born again - not of human will, but by the will of God John 1:12-13

• 2Cor 5:17; Gal 6:15 “new creatures… created in Christ Jesus…” Ephesians 2:10

• 1Peter 1:2 Sanctified by the Spirit for obedience to Jesus… to do the good works prepared in advance Ephesians 2:10

•  2Cor 1:22; 5:5; Eph 1:13; 4:30 we are Sealed by the Holy Spirit - a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance, treasures (Mt 6:20), kept in heaven for us (1Peter 1:3-4)

• Phil 1:6; 2:13 Confident in this - that it is God who works in us to desire His will and purposes…

• To express the faith given us (2Peter 1:1) in love (Gal 5:6; 1Thes 1:3)

• Ephesians 5:15-20 As we make the most of every opportunity - by that indwelling Spirit

Acts 1;2;7;10;11 the transforming power of the Love of the Father, the Gospel of Jesus, and the life of the Holy Spirit in and through us 

• Tongues? Sure.  Miracles? Yes.  Do demons flee?  Good. 

• Changed minds, hearts, lives - yes, there is evidence of

  • The Gospel - Rom

  • The Spirit’s power

  • Our names now written in the Book of Life

Do Not Let Your Hearts be Troubled: John 12; 13; 14

Do not let your hearts be troubled…

Jesus’ troubled heart… the man 

John 12:20-27 “now my soul is troubled…, and what shall I say ‘Father, save me from this hour?’”

John 13:21 Jesus was troubled in spirit, Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me 

John 13:25-27 “leaning back against Jesus, he asked Him, “Lord, who is it?”  Jesus answered, “the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped in the dish.”  then, dipping the piece of beard, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.  As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.

So Jesus told him, “what you are about to do, do quickly”

John 13:37b “...I will lay down my life for you.  Will you really lay down your life for me?  Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!

Troubled - to affect with great pain or sorrow 

• Disturbed, agitated, stirred up

• Put in motion back-and-forth, shake to and fro

• To set in motion what needs to remain still - at ease

• To trouble-causing inner perplexity 

• Getting too stirred up inside - upset

John 14:1  do not let your hearts be troubled… 

Troubled - to strike one’s spirit with fear and dread

An under-read text -usually relegated to funerals, and read there, for good reason

Jesus is not saying to His disciples that being troubled is a sin, He is recognizing that it is a condition of the human heart - it is a matter of longing, aching, fearful anticipation, anxiety, confusion, trepidation - that is why He addresses it, it is why He gives them a remedy, it is why He encourages them.

Troubled hearts - hearts that see what is coming, are startled by their surroundings, sorrowful and fearful of what is happening, and maybe even more so, what’s to come

Jesus, first, addresses the truth of the moment - He is not unaware, but in fact, knows and sympathizes - a merciful and faithful high priest - Hebrews 2:1-8

He knows our hearts – He is not calling us weak or sinful for being troubled, He knows we are weak and meets us in the moment of trouble with an affirming call to faith and courage – but where there is no trouble, there is no need for faith or courage. (Luke 12:32-34)

John 14:1a “Do not let your hearts be troubled.”

Jesus, next, gives a remedy of sorts, a truth, a reminder, a vision, something to look forward to - and that with great promise - BELIVE

Anchored in the truth: John 14:1b-2a “You believe in God - assumed - believe also in me.  My Father’s house has many rooms…”

Jesus gives a vision, a promise, expressed from that truth: John 14:2-4 “...if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?  3And 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.  You know the way to the place where I am going”

Jesus, then, shows the way: John 14:5-7 “Thomas said to Him, ‘Lord, we don’t know where we are going, so how can we know the way’”  Jesus answered “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.  7if you really know me, you will know my Father as well.  From now on, you do know Him and have seen HIm. 

Jesus, then, would encourage them: but that encouragement does not end with Him - His apostles, swept up by His Spirit, to remind us all of the future things - good things, things of His promises, but also, how we ought to live in the midst of such troubles.  Picking up, where Jesus left off… 

• Romans 13:9b-14 “...and whatever other command there may be are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  10Love does no harm to a neighbor.  Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. And do this, understanding the present time:  the hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, (Mk 13:33; Lu 21:36; 1Co 16:13; 1Pe 5:8 ) because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.  12The night is nearly over’ the day is almost here.  So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light (Eph 6:10-17).  13Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness (Lu 21:34; 1Cor 3:3; 15:32) not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy (Gal 5:20).  14Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ (Col 12-13), and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh (Rom 8:1-16; 2Tim 2:22; Gal 5:16-18; 6:7-8)

• 1Peter 4:7-12  “The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 8Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins (Prov 10:12; 17:9; James 5:20). 9Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. (Rom 12; 1Cor 12-14) 12Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come you to test you, as though something strange is happening to you.  13But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ.” (Matt 5:10-12; Rom 5:3; Phil 1:29; 3:7-16; Ja 1:2; 1Pet 1:7-9; 4:14)

• Ephesians 5:15-16,19 15Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil… 19Sing and make music in your heart… always giving thanks to God…”

• Colossians 4:2-6 “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3And for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.  4Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.  5Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.  6Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

• James 5:8 “You, too, be patient and strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near.

The mission: Jesus’ simple instruction is that we are to love one another John 13:12-16, 31-35 

“When He had finished washing their feet, He put on His clothes and returned to His place.  “Do you understand what I have done for you?  He asked them.  13You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord’, and rightly so, for that is what I am.  14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.  15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.  16Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger great that the one who sent him. 17Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”

When Judas was gone.  34”A new command I give you: Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

36 “Peter asked Him, “Lord, where are you going?”  Jesus replied, “where I am going, you cannot follow me now, but you will follow later,”

14:3,6  “Jesus said, “...I will come back and take you to be with me that you may also be where I am… You know the way to the place where I am going… I am the way.”

The Peace of Going God’s Way: (John 17; Rom 12; 1Cor 12)

The peace of going God’s way… As much as we live by grace, and in so, have life in Christ, we still live – day-to-day - in utter dependence upon His gift of life, that is, by His grace, and not only dependence upon God and His grace, but also the grace of a splendid interdependence with God the Holy Spirit (Jo 14;16; Rom 8; Ga 5) and one another (Jo 17; Ro 12; 1Co 12).  It was and is and will never be good for man to be alone!  He was never meant to be.

The peril of going our way… Therefore, for us to go our own way, that is, without His grace’s guidance (by His word and Spirit and the encouragement of one another) is to sin (Gal 5;6). Remember, to sin is to go our own way, according to our own ideas and plans, pride and self-sufficiency, whims and desires, and to do so makes my relationship with God and others ineffective and unproductive.

Jesus' peace is by grace and we realize that peace by remaining in, waiting on, Him - that is His commands, His words, would remain in us, as his Spirit does and we would go His way according to those commands - words and Spirit (Jo 14).

Grace and peace to you!! 1Cor 1:1-4; Rom 1:7; Eph 1:2

2To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:  3Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Thanksgiving  4I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5For in him you have been enriched in every way

Grace and peace are deeply intertwined and in the heart and life of the believer, inseparable in their effect

• Grace: the Lord’s favor - freely extended to give Himself away to them - “Here I am!” He is always leaning toward us!  Reaching to people because He is disposed to bless them with/by His nearness - His goodwill, loving-kindness, and favor - you are accepted! (Room 5; Heb 10)

• Peace: Peace with God in and from Jesus - the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with their current assignment or lot - whatever that might be (Ph 4:11-13)

Paul demonstrates this type of peace in his letter to the Philippians…

11I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

• Content:  satisfied - grace’s inward sufficiency is as valid in “low times” as it is in “high times” (temporal prosperity) - in other words, it is not conditional - God’s eternal grace and peace are the same regardless!

Remember our peace with God is from Jesus, not us

“My peace I give to you…” John 14:1-3, 23-27 

…to remove what was between us (enmity) and establish peace between us and God. 

• The state or feeling of being actively opposed or hostile to someone.

• Animosity, friction, feud, conflict, discord (the opposite of harmony)

  …to replace that enmity with friendship between us and God.

• a conception distinctly peculiar to Christianity, "the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is"

And Jesus doesn’t give like the world gives: Jesus: “...I do not give as the world gives” 

There is an objective truth - with faith in Christ, we HAVE peace with God.  That peace in Jesus is objectively permanent with regard to eternal life with God by Jesus having made peace between us. 

Luke 15:11-24 The objective nature of God’s peace, the subjective nature of our peace 

There is a subjective feeling - despite the objective truth that we are at peace with God, we don’t always “feel” at peace with God.  What is so important is that we understand that how we feel does not make our permanent peace with God null and void, neither does it mean I an no longer at peace with God, but this feeling or sense of peacelessness can cause us to doubt and make our relationship with God and others ineffective.

To counter these feelings we must trust in that real and actual peace that we HAVE and seek to restore the feelings of peace that are sometimes a warning to us that our relationships with God and others may be injured

Our sense of peace is very often “subject” to feelings that seem to be opposite to our actual peace with God - that He made AND keeps - so that subjectively, our feelings of peace with God, can be fickle.  But, why?  There can be lots of reasons for this - here are a few:

• Sin - to go our own way, by our own means, to fulfill our desires, as if… 1Cor 4:7; sin injures our relationship with God and others - James 4:1-(6)-15; Ps 51; 2Sam 11;12 

• Pride - causes God to oppose us - Ps 138:6; Pr 3:33; 1Peter 5:5-6 - going our own way, creating our solutions

• Inconsistency or complacency - weakens the confidence and assurance of our faith - 1Cor 3; Phil 3:7-16; Hebrews 6; 2Peter 1

• Broken earthly relationships - unforgiveness breeds discord and anxiety - Matthew 5; 18; Phil 4; James 4

• Not discerning well our times - having to LET perseverance to its work - patiently working the process of rejoicing in tests, trials, and tribulations - or - afflictions - Romans 5; James 1: 1Peter 1; Heb 12; Ps 34

  • Growing in wisdom and stature

  • Being conformed into the likeness of Jesus 

Here’s the truth:

Romans 5:1-4 ...since we have been justified through faith, we have PEACE with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.  And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.  not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character hope…

And He, God, the Father and the Son, seals His peace with a promise - Himself, God, the Holy Spirit

• John 14:15-16 if you love me, keep my commands.  And i will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate - and be with you FOREVER - the Spirit of Truth

• Romans 5:5 …this hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.  

That is God, not just with us - Jesus, but now, in us - the Holy Spirit 

• If Jesus is the peace offering that makes and gives peace, then… 

• The Holy Spirit is the seal of the promise of continued - that peace has been given, received, and thus made

• And, bonus, a fruit of the Spirit is - peace! Galatians 5:22-23

So let us remember: When we are at peace we can live in peace and even come to make peace - as long as it is up to us.  This journey is too hard for you - therefore, what is impossible with man, is possible with God!  So, let’s stick to His side, as He sticks to ours!

“My peace I give to you…” John 14:26-27

“My peace I give to you…” John 14:26-27 Jesus came to make peace between us and God - in the most practical sense, Jesus is redeeming the Jewish idiom of greeting and parting “shalom” or the wishing of God’s peace, or peace with God - dismissing one with good wishes:

“Go in peace, may happiness attend you”

Not merely wishing peace, but giving peace…. Jesus is here is making peace. Up to now, there was the wishing of peace, but now Jesus has come to make peace and therefore give peace - as only the Son can, not as the world does (peace on “my” terms)…

…to remove what was between us (enmity) and establish peace between us. 

• The state or feeling of being actively opposed or hostile to someone.

• Animosity, friction, feud, conflict, discord (the opposite of harmony)

…to replace that enmity with friendship.

• a conception distinctly peculiar to Christianity, "the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is"

Jesus: “...I do not give as the world gives” 

There is an objective truth - with faith in Christ, we HAVE peace with God.  That peace in Jesus is objectively permanent with regard to eternal life with God by Jesus having made peace between us. 

There is a subjective reality - despite that objective truth of our peace with God, we don’t always realize or experience what that truth provides - felicity, tranquility, a feeling of peace…  our inability to “feel” peace does not make our permanent peace with God by faith in Jesus null and void, neither does it mean that I am not still at peace with God objectively, but this feeling or sense of peace-lessness, or the reason we cannot experience or realize that peace in realtime, can make our relationship with God and others ineffective.  To counter these feelings we must trust in that real and actual peace that we HAVE and seek to restore the feelings of peace that are sometimes a warning to us that our relationships with God and others may be injured 

• ·  Our sense of peace is very often “subject” to feelings that seem to contradict our (actual and real) peace with God - so that subjectively, our feelings of peace with God, can be fickle.  But, why? 

  • Sin - injures our relationship with God and others - Ps 51

  • Pride - causes God to oppose us - Ps 138:6; Pr 3:33; James 4:6; 1Peter 5:5-6 

  • Inconsistency or complacency - weakens the confidence and assurance of our faith - 1Cor 3; Hebrews 6; 2Peter 1

  • Broken earthly relationships - unforgiveness breeds discord and anxiety - Matthew 5; 18

  • Not discerning well our times - having to LET perseverance to its work - patiently working the process of rejoicing in tests, trials, and tribulations - or - afflictions - Ps 34

    • Growing in wisdom and stature

And he seals His peace with a promise - the Holy Spirit - John 14; Romans 5.  That is God, not just with us, but now, in us

• If Jesus is the peace offering that makes and gives peace, then… 

• The Holy Spirit is the seal of the promise of continued - that peace has been given, received, and thus made

• And, bonus, a fruit of the Spirit is - peace! Galatians 5:22-23

 So let us remember: When we are at peace we can live in peace and even come to make peace - as long as it is up to us.  This journey is too hard for you - therefore, what is impossible with man, is possible with God!  So, let’s stick to His side, as He sticks to ours!

Sticking to God’s side?  Nothing new – cultivating our relationship with Him and one another!

So, since we have peace with God, let us cultivate and realize that peace - Romans 5:1; Col 1:20

• Word, prayer, worship, fellowship, and service (keeps our spiritual fervor) - keeps afresh our assurance of our peace with God - 2Peter 1:1-11

Matthew 5:9

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. NIV

God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. NLT

To be like Jesus, to be called children of God, to be seen as such, we need to be peacemakers, so that as long as it is up to us, we are to live at peace with all people

To do that we must receive, have, cultivate, and experience - live in - God’s peace.  To “let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts…”

James 3:18 “peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness…” 

• peace between individuals, harmony, concord - an aut hor of peace

• Where harmony prevails, in a peaceful mind, peace, a course of like promoting harmony - in/with a mild and friendly spirit, to promote concord, to effect it - with one’s “natural” tendency born from a heart cultivated with and for peace.

  • We bring because we are

  • We make because we do

  • We desire because we have - we want you, us, we to have it also

In general, this should be the essence of your being - attitude, speech, and actions toward others Romans 12:9-16; Col 3:12-17; James 3:13-18

Examine your own heart - in making peace, one must have peace and be willing to do what needs to be done to be able to make peace, or bring peace, to others: “if you there remember that someone has something against you…”  Col 3:1-11; James 4:1-6 - have I done something? 

Now, look at others, and respond properly to others’ pain or sin inflicted upon you –

Romans 12:9-21 “as long as it is up to you…

Caveat - do not expose yourself to unsafe or abusive people or situations

• Jesus did not provoke those who wanted to harm Him, neither did He needlessly or carelessly expose Himself to them - as much as He was wise and had faith in His Father, Jesus learned from His earthly father discernment and discretion - John 7:1; 10:39; 11:53-54; following in the earthly father’s footsteps - Matt 2:13-23

• Fleeing - Proverbs 7; 2Tim 2:22 - strategically work around places of peril, don’t even go there!

Be careful the company you keep… 

• Psalms 1 and Proverbs 9:8; 17:12; Matt 7:6 exhort us to stay away from, to not entertain people who would bring us harm - 1Cor 15:33 - bad company corrupts good morals

But we can pray and want God’s best for them - the same miracle of life God performed in you

• Matthew 5 43“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor i and hate your enemy.’ 44But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

Providing for Family: Peace: 2Tim 5:8; Rom 12; Col 3; Mat 5

The first sphere of influence: Family.  To not care for one’s own family, denies the faith and is an act which renders one “worse than an infidel or unbeliever”  

1Tim 5:8 But those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers.

Let’s put this verse in proper context. This is not merely a singular command. Normally, when we look at the Scriptures, and something is mentioned once, we might see it is something that is certainly important but lacks importance in comparison to those things mentioned multiple times. But in this context, we need to remember what is happening here that Paul is teaching Timothy how to pastor his people, to lead and instruct the church. 

This is an instruction to a pastor for body believers for the purpose of teaching them, the church, how to act, and that God was not surprised that we would use this letter, to train other pastors, who are affecting other churches and ministries. Therefore, though this command only is mentioned once in the scripture, the context, the recipient, the purpose of its writing, and the number of people that this would be influencing raise the level of importance in regard to how we perceive it. How we treat it, How we consider its value, and what we do with it.

“Denies the faith” - appears inauthentic - actions contradict one’s confession of faith or being a “Christian” - one’s words and actions fail to identify with that profession - in this case, their actions toward their family contradict one’s professed faith and cannot be identified as Christian, or Jesus’, moral and ethic, by one who sees or experiences that person’s attitude, words, or behavior. 

The one who does not provide for his family - is worse than an unbeliever?? Provide for, Peace: making peace, being at peace, even if the one with whom you are working wants no peace

Perhaps one who does not take care of their immediate family is one who refuses to make peace, to make whole - as long as it is up to them - and in doing so is denying the faith, (their thinking, believing, speaking, and acting - including providing that which is most basic, most important, are) contradicting their stated faith, or, their faith and its work in and through them - as Jesus sake “blessed are the peacemakers - they will be called children of God”

As even one who provides a feast, if it is in a house of contention, or home that has no peace, it is better to eat crumbs on a roof…

Proverbs 17:1 Better is a dry morsel [of food served] with quietness and peace Than a house full of feasting (or more appropriately sacrifices as “peace offerings” [served] with strife and contention. AMP (Pr 15:17)

Matthew 5:23-24 Jesus repeated this refrain when he said “when you go to worship, and there you remember someone has something against you, leave the gift and go to your best to be reconciled, and then offer your gift.“

Imitators of God - as dearly loved children… (Eph 5:1-2) - the sincerest form of flattery

As Jesus came to make peace to whoever would receive it, and leave - or - give those who won't up to their own heart’s desire, or lordship, we, when we act to bring peace act as Jesus - who loved even His enemy. 

Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

What is it then to be a peacemaker?  One who, having themselves experienced God’s peace now longs to bring that peace to others - peace with God, peace in and with self, and peace with one another.  As God makes peace with and through us that peace lives at peace with us, so we are to do the same.  If we are truly imitators of God, as dearly loved children - of God. 

So here’s the truth of providing for one’s own…

Proverbs 15:15 All the days of the oppressed are bad, but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.

So, here we go: as long as it is up to you, be at peace with all people, especially those of your own household.  

Romans 12:9-21   Making peace, as long as it’s up to me… and in the heart of another, it may not be up to you, but in your own heart - make peace, from peace: what’s in the heart flows from the mouth (Matt 12:34’ Luke 6:45)

I’ve made peace, but what about them??  Our degree of confusion or disappointment in a certain circumstance will be relative or commensurate to the degree of expectation and exaggerated even more if our expectation is based on the certainty of the result.  And we must understand that our peace, being at peace, does not depend on “them” - it is a choice to be at peace as we have peace (Gal 5:22) and it is  to choose to harbor peace and allow that peace to rule our hearts.

There is no promise of “peace” realized through the removal of the thing or person that is not peaceable  - not even in Phil 4 (as a “peace” from having been removed from a perilous circumstance)

• We assume certain types of “peace”

• We assume a certain resolution

• We assume the other will respond in kind and until they do there is not actually peace, or have done something wrong, or God’s not in this (yet??)

Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

And let the peace of the Messiah, to which you were also called in one body, control your hearts. Be thankful.

Let: do not inhibit or forbid

• How do we inhibit or even prohibit?

  • Hold tight or nurse or indulge or ruminate - to excessively repeat thoughts or think about a problem (to obsess over) 

  • Assume purposeful offense or easily offended as one who feels as though everything is meant to annoy - as others are committed to your being miserable

  • Exacerbate the situation by perpetuating

  • Not able to see trials and tests as opportunities worthy of rejoicing through perseverance - CHEERFUL ENDURANCE (not just surviving) one complains, grumbles, and argues - thus inhibiting peace even in the most difficult of circumstances.

    • James 1 -  joy, trials, perseverance, wisdom to see 

    • Philippians 2; 4

Let: allow

• To allow, to give permission or by not doing anything to stop it from happening 

  • How do we “allow”?

• To grant occupancy - “set Jesus apart as Lord in your heart” (1Peter 3) - see “rule”

  • Let it in

  • Let it remain

  • Promote it 

Peace: Tie together in or to a whole - let the peace of Christ rule your hearts - this is the first step

• Tied to Him, God in Christ - our Maker, Creator, and to Whom we are being created and conformed

  • Knowledge (and) truth

• security, safety, prosperity, felicity - because peace and harmony make and keep things safe and prosperous "the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is"

Why the “peace of Christ” ruling in me, ruling me, first?

Because - 1st it is the “peace of Christ” - that which is of Him to us and in us and for us - that gives us peace at all - as, before Jesus, we knew not peace, but only the occasional “relief”.

Rule or control one’s heart

• To direct, control, rule - to govern

• Act as an umpire or referee - making the call in a conflict between contending forces - who are those forces?  (Romans 7; 8; Gal 5) Arbitrate

  • My flesh and the Spirit

  • My flesh and your spirit

  • My flesh and your flesh

  • My spirit and your flesh

  • My spirit and your spirit

  • The Spirit

How do I promote or keep peace - regardless of their response?  Well, after finding your own peace - reminding yourself of God’s peace to us, with us, in us, we now let the Peace of Christ work inus, through us…

• Remember the peace you have in Christ - letting Him rule

• Not inhibiting God’s peace in to rule in my heart - by dwelling on the things or person with who we are not at peace, by allowing them or my feelings to rule instead

We must grant the peace of Christ - occupancy:  who or what are you giving quarter, harboring

• Set Christ, and His peace, apart as Lord, or ruler/governor of your heart (1Peter 3)

  • Not your feelings

  • Not one’s offenses

  • Not one’s rights and liberties 

  • Not someone else or the feelings we believe they have provoked

• Now let, allow, give permission to, submit to, make subject to - peace and peace’s effect - the thing you would let Lord you

How do we do this?

Colossians 3:12-15  

• Be thankful - grateful and appreciative

  • Of Jesus and His work and promises

  • The one, person and circumstance before you who is providing the opportunity to return Jesus and His peace to Lordship - and to love as Jesus loved - even our (perceived or real) enemy

    • Instead of your feelings, wants, desires

Back to… Romans 12:17 - that might begin by not avenging oneself 

Back to… Colossians 3:16  Work and serve as Jesus, as unto Jesus (because first, we are to love as Jesus loved) then do whatever we do as if it were for Jesus - the recipient of that love is not specified

Back to Romans 12:18-21 - even if they are our enemy - real or perceived (those closest to us) 

And one more time, Colossians 3:17

Do you want to be effective and productive in this kind of peace? This peace making? This peace bringing? This peacekeeping? And keeping might be just keeping your own peace in the middle of strife, the loan keeping the peace amongst the people.

There is only one way, and that is to be in view of the peace we have, by the mercy of God, and abide in that piece…

…then make every effort to add to your faith… 2Peter 1:1-15

And how we live amongst the believers, that is the fellowship of believers, should be a (mere) reflection of how we work to provide and promote peace in our homes with our family. Do not be fooled, this goes from the most intense place for this work to the next most intense place.

And remember, this, you and your peace and Jesus’ Lordship, will be tested, again and again, and again…

The privilege of being God’s children and joining Him in His mission: Go! (Mat 28; Phil 2)

The privilege of being God’s children and joining Him in His mission: Go!  …and make disciples of all…, …and teach them to obey, that is, to love me, and do it just like Me: as a servant! (Mat 28; Phil 2)

So, where do we start?  Our mission to the lost can only be an expression of how we live with and love those closest to us.  Acts 1:8   

It begins at home with those we live and work with - it is ours to love and serve others by praying, caring, and sharing.  Service with one another fuels our spiritual fervor, bringing to a boil our heart’s zeal for God, His people, and His mission - and this happens when we lovingly cooperate with God and each other. 

Service is love expressed to those we encounter as an expression of our love, in response to having been loved by God’s merciful and redeeming love.  To serve others is an act of loving obedience to Jesus and His commands as a grateful and humble response of the heart, a loved heart that desires to please the Him Who loves, GETTING TO express love the same way we have been loved.

Our hearts, our spirit, is stoked by service… 

Our heart’s passion is fanned into flame, by service - serving God in the service of others.  The god works we do bring our spirits to a “boil”  causing our heart’s love to spill over into the lives of one another - upon those God loves. 

Growing from: “I have to go”, to “I get to go”, to “ I want to go… let me go, here am I, send me!” (Matt 28; Isa 6; Heb 10)

Having seen God, been loved by God, now we get to love as God has loved us, and we do this, there is compassion being formed in us, not only for our brothers and sisters but for the world, the lost, growing in us is a compulsion to - Go!

To whom do I “Go!”…?

• Family

• Family of God 

• Neighbor 

• The lost - those who do not yet know

And how is it that we are to impact them? 

Romans 12:1-13 

Attitude and posture

Philippians 2:5-8

Ephesians 5:21

Loving those in front of us - beginning with those who are in front of us the most 

Matthew 20:25-28 

Mark 10:25-45

4 spheres of impact - 

• Family – 1Timothy 5:8  

  • Who are they?

  • What can I do?

  • How can I do it?

• Family of God - Galatians 6:9-10  

  • Who are they?

  • How are they?

  • What do I bring? (1Cor 12)

  • How can I bring it?

• Neighbor – Lev 19:118; Matt 5:43; Ja 2:8; Ro 13:8; Ga 5:14

  • Who is my neighbor?

  • How can I serve them?

  • How can I bring them hope and joy?

• The lost – 1Peter 3:13-16

  • Who in my life does not know Jesus?

  • Who is closest?

    • To me?

    • To the kingdom?

  • How can I pray for them?

  • How do I speak and live in front of them?  With them?

    • In such a way that they would ask me the reason for my hope?

  • Am I prepared to give a reason for my hope when asked

  • Is my attitude such that I would do so with gentleness and respect?