Sermon Notes "Walk This Way"

My view from the choir loft

Today was our first Sunday for the choir to sing since summer is over...and we sang "Sweeter As The Days Go By"...

Click on the You Tube video above of Jake Hess and the Gaither Homecoming group singing this happy song. I don't think we sounded quite like this group, but it was close... :)  It was a great way to kick off our new choir season...and even though we didn't do an encore, the congregation gave us quite an ovation.  Here are the lyrics, if you'd like to sing along:

The more I trust Him, the more I love Him

Nothing good for me He'll deny

The longer I know Him, the better I can show Him

I couldn't stop now if I tried

It gets sweeter as the days go by

It gets sweeter as the moments fly

His love is richer, deeper, fuller, sweeter

Sweeter, sweeter, sweeter as the days go by

Oh, the moment He saved my His good grace He gave me

He place His love down deep in my heart

There's great joy in knowing with Him I am going

And never more from Him to depart

It gets sweeter as the days go by

It gets sweeter as the moments fly

His love is richer, deeper, fuller, sweeter

Sweeter, sweeter, sweeter as the days go by

Our text for the day was from John 14:1-4.  And since I was sitting in the choir loft, I forgot my pen to write notes...so I will have to wing this one totally from memory. This will be short and sweet...just like my memory!  LOL.  Forgive me, Pastor A.C., for not getting all the details! I will just hit the highlights that I can remember...and how they made an impression on me!  

Please read along with me:

1.  "Let not your heart be troubled; 

you believe in God, believe also in Me.

2.  In My Father's house are many mansions;

if it were not so, I would have told you.

I go to prepare a place for you.

3.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again

and receive you to Myself,

that where I am, there you may be also.

4.  And where I go you know, and the way you know."

I could stop right there. Just those four verses are a powerful enough message in themselves.  Who among us hasn't heard these precious words of our Lord spoken at times of deep sorrow...a funeral of a dearly departed loved one most likely...and the promise of God preparing a place for us in heaven gives great comfort.  And then those words in verse 3, where Jesus assures us that as He goes to prepare that place for us, He will come again and take us there to be with Him forever! 

But then, in verse four He says, "And where I go you know, and the way you know."

At this point we read on in verses 5 and 6:

5.  "Thomas said to Him, 

'Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?'"

6.  And Jesus said to him,

"I am the way, the truth, and the life.  

No one comes to the Father except through Me."

There it is in a nutshell...how do we get to those mansions in glory someday that Jesus has gone on to prepare for each of us?  

There is only one way.  Jesus makes it very clear when He declares:

"I am the way, the truth, and the life.  

No one comes to the Father except through Me."

(That verse bears repeating!)

(Internet Photo)

Then the Pastor took this a step farther...Yes, Jesus IS The Way...the only way to the Father...and to that heavenly home.  However...we also have a responsibility to lead others in "The Way" of Christ...

as believers we are members of the Body of Christ...and as such look at this:

I Corinthians 3:16

"Do you not know that you are the temple of God 

and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?"

Now, the Pastor took us down an interesting path here that I had never thought of before...go back to John 14:2 

2.  In My Father's house are many mansions;

if it were not so, I would have told you.

I go to prepare a place for you.

These "mansions" can also be called "rooms"...and they are in the temple of God...and do you "not know that you are the temple of God" ?  And perhaps...now just imagine this right now...that we, as members of the Body of Christ, are those "rooms" in the temple of God...as we make up the "temple of God"...and while we are here on earth, we are those dwelling places for God's Holy Spirit to dwell...and as such, we are also to be a light to all those who are seeking to walk in "The Way" of Christ...and to lead them to the Father through Christ...as we are His Temple, His Body...and "the way you know." (verse 4)   

Now, this is not to take away from our heavenly home in which there are "many mansions" that Jesus is preparing for us...but could it be that while we are here on earth, we are already living in those "mansions" as members of the Body of Christ...whose temple we are?  Think about it...It will make you think more seriously about the place we are dwelling in while we walk in "The Way" of Christ here on earth...You ARE the Temple of God...and the Spirit of God dwells in you!

Don't underestimate your value as a child of God here on earth...Jesus said further in John 14:12-14

12.  "Most assuredly, I say to you,

he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also;

and greater works than these he will do, 

because I go to My Father."

13.  "And whatever you ask in My name,

that I will do,

that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

14.  "If you ask anything in My name, I will do it."

I know this gets kind of deep...but it sure got my attention...Jesus is here with us right now...in our "mansion" in the "Temple" of God, our own "body"...a member of the Body of Christ...His Holy Spirit dwells within us...and through Him we are walking in the Way of Christ, and leading others to Him as we walk this journey together...

Wow! I think I got a lot more out of this message today than I realized...even without taking any notes! Why? Because God's Holy Spirit impressed it upon my heart so that I could share it with you.

We closed our service today singing a favorite hymn:

I'll Fly Away sung here by Joey and Rory

I'll Fly Away

Some bright morning when this life is over

I'll fly away

To that home on God's celestial shore

I'll fly away

I'll fly away, oh glory

I'll fly away in the morning

When I die, Hallelujah by and by

I'll fly away

When the shadows of this life have gone

I'll fly away

Like a bird from these prison walls I'll fly

I'll fly away

I'll fly away, oh glory

I'll fly away in the morning

When I die, Hallelujah by and by

I'll fly away

Oh, how glad and happy when we meet

I'll fly away

No more cold iron shackles on my feet

I'll fly away

I'll fly away, oh glory

I'll fly away in the morning

When I die, Hallelujah by and by

I'll fly away!

I hope you are prepared to go to that place that Christ is preparing for you...where you can be where He is!  And I also hope that you will lead some others in "The Way" of Christ to our heavenly home...as well as that Temple of God where His Holy Spirit dwells here today.  Something to truly think about!

Please Note : I want to repeat this disclaimer here...the notes, outline, and content included here are based upon my own personal understanding of the message that was being given.  I am not attempting to completely quote or reproduce this message or any other message I've shared previously.  Just as each person reading these notes may glean insights and thoughts that seem to directly apply to one's own situation and interpretation, my own delivery of these messages is skewed by my hearing and translation of what is being said.  Some may read my notes here and wonder if they were hearing the same message as I...and I say, God speaks to each of us as He wills...there are things He is trying to get across to each individual that may be entirely different than what the person sitting next to you in the pew is needing to hear...  That is how the Holy Spirit works! He knows what we need to hear and how to apply it to our hearts.  So it is with that understanding that I present these sermon notes to you.

Sermon Notes, FUMC Interlachen, FL, Pastor A.C. Myers, September 16, 2018