1997-07

SERMON NOTES

TITLE: THE "I WILLS" OF CHRIST

INTRODUCTION: Our text Scripture is just one of many times when the Bible records Jesus as saying the words, "I will." Now this one is very important for each of us, as it gives us assurance that when we open the door of our hearts to the Lord, He will come in; He will have fellowship with us, and allow us to have fellowship with Him. Now I know that many times we apply this verse when we are trying to witness to a lost person, but did you notice that this is written to the church, to believers? I wonder how many times we actually shut the Lord out of our hearts; how often do we in effect either shut the door in His face, or fail to open it to Him?

The promises made by our Lord are sure; they are steadfast; they will be fulfilled. We know that God wants us to hear and believe His promises. We know that when we truly repent and accept Christ as our Savior, then many other promises made by the Lord become ours.

What are some of them? Now this is not a complete list of every time that Jesus said the words, "I will,", but are just a portion of them.

Jesus said, in Matthew 10:32-33, "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven. (NIV) When we believe on the Lord as our Savior, we must be sure that we acknowledge that fact before men, the sooner the better, and the more often the better. We surely do not want to stand in the presence of God someday and have the Lord disown us.

Jesus, when He learned the centurion's servant needed healing, responded to the need. Matthew 8:7 states that Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him." (NIV) He still says to us today, "I will come and heal you." The Bible says that "By His stripes we are healed." Do you need healing right now? Come to the Lord, He is still in the healing business. Are you tired and weary? He said, in Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (NIV) Right now, here in the Father's house, there is peace, contentment and rest available for you.

In Luke 6:47 Christ said these words, "I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice." (NIV) Now how did He do that? He did that by living the life He taught about while He was walking on this earth. Look into the Word, see what Christ did, do that yourself, and you will be a good Christian; a good example to other Christians as well as to sinners.

He told us that we need to fear God, saying in Luke 12:5 "But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him." (NIV) We must maintain a good healthy fear of God, which the Bible says is the beginning of wisdom.

In John 6:37 He said, "All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away." (NIV) By this "I will" we are confident that He will never forsake us, but rather that He will receive us. It is His will, as well as the Father's will, that we believe on Christ so we can have eternal life, for He said in John 6:40, "For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." (NIV) We are able to look forward to eternal life because He came, with the intention of giving His life for us. John writes in

John 6:51 that Jesus said, "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." (NIV)

But He did not want us to have to wait till the end to be blessed by, and used by God. In John 14:13 He said, "And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. (NIV) In John 15:4, we are reminded that His will is for us to "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. (NIV) And finally, we are told that because He lives, we will also. John records these words of Jesus in John 14:18-19 "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live." (NIV)

Jesus does not deal in abstracts, nor alternatives. He gives clear, direct commands and promises. We must learn that, as Romans 4:21 says, what God has promised, ..."he was able to perform." Psalm 84:11 says he will not withhold any good thing from us if we walk uprightly.

Jesus' works and words are recorded for us throughout the gospels, and His words to the churches in the first portion of Revelation. His words are not empty ones, but are rather, like His works, powerful. Matthew 7:28-29 says that "The people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." In His words, we find deliverance and hope; His words are life. As Paul said, "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21)

When Christ used the term "I will" it speaks to us of assurance and dependability. Now when we use the term, through we mean to do what we say, many times we are unable to do so; other things beyond our control may prevent us, or we may change our minds. Jesus does neither. His words are truth, unlike those of Satan, which are lies. Satan makes many promises, but they are lies, for He is the father of liars. Listen to some of the devil's "I wills." "I will ascend, I will exalt, I will sit, I will ascend; I will be." He thought his rebellion against God would succeed, but it did not. His existence is characterized by two things, pride and rebellion. On the other hand, Scripture teaches Christ is meek and lowly, and always obedient to the will of the Father. Jesus comes to bring life, while Satan comes to steal, kill, and to destroy (John 10:10).

Let's look for a little while at promises, "I wills" which Christ made to all believers. Note that in 1 Thessalonians 5:24, it says, "Faithful is he that calls you, who will also do it." He is reliable. The promises I want to talk about now are special promises, full of meaning to all of us.

I. Christ's first special "I will" is a promise to all believers. It is one of the foundation stones of our faith., providing comfort, consolation, strength and hope. The first is from Matthew 4:19, where it says, "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." After we have accepted Him as our Savior and Lord, we should be bringing others to Him. That is His desire for us. Have you witnessed to anyone this week about their need for a Savior, our Lord?

1. His desire for us after we believe is that we catch others for Him, like a fisherman does fish.

2. His desire is for us to witness for Him (Acts 1:8), not just at home, but in our communities, state, country, and around the world.

3. Have you done what He wants you to do this week? Did you witness; did you help someone mature a little in the faith; did you meet a need?

II. Christ's second special "I will" is related to all believers as His body on earth, the Church.

Matthew 16:18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. (NIV) He is telling us that if we come to Him, and bring our lives as yielded vessels, He will make of us what He desires. He is still working on us, making us into what He wants us to be (song "He's still working on me, to make me what I ought to be. It took Him just a week to make the moon and the stars, the sun and the earth, Jupiter and Mars. How loving and patient He must be, He's still working on me).

1. We, though saved, are only rough copies of what He wants us to be. If we continue to grow in Him, someday we will be what he wants us to be.

2. We must go through a process of growing up; there is no shortcut, or easy way to become like Christ.

3. We must become willing vessels. At first, Peter was prejudiced against the Gentiles, until he saw a vision on the housetop at Joppa; it was still not easy for him to obey, but he did. Christ will complete the work He begins in us (Philippians 1:6). He does this so that our inner man can conform to the image of Christ, so others can see Him in us, and so we can do the work He wants us to do (Ephesians 2:10).

Also note the certainty here. Jesus did not say, "I might build my church;" nor did He say, "I will build my church if I don't change my mind." He said that He will build the church, and He will. He has also said that the "gates of hell will not prevail against it." He did not say the church would not come under attack, but that it would not be overcome. The church has been designed by God to be the body which bears His identity and carries His light. This body of believers is to be the vehicle which takes the gospel into the whole world. As such, Jesus wants it to be holy, spotless, without spot, wrinkle, or any such thing. Have you ever noticed that it takes only a spot in the wrong place, or a wrinkle in a strategic spot to ruin a painting, or a work of art, etc. That is all that is needed at times to ruin the witness of the church in the world. We need to be sure that we are not a spot or wrinkle on the body of Christ.

The victory of the church is assured. The church has been lied about, maligned, persecuted, hated, intimidated, and tried, but still lives on. Many governments, kingdoms, organizations, and powers have risen and fallen since Jesus made this statement, but the church lives on. She has lived through the flood of criticism, through the fires of temptation, oppression, and persecution, but she lives on. One day, Christ will present the church to Himself, a glorious bride.

What does the word "church" mean? The New Testament word for church is "ekklesia", meaning the "called-out ones." In time, it came to mean a body of called out believers. Note that it is not the Greek word for family, though we are the family of God. We are any number of families, called out from the world, to bind together and so be able to do the work of God set before us. We are called out of the world to show the light of Christ to the world. The church is to be that bright light beaming the message of Christ, who is the life of, and the head of, the church, His body. Ultimately, the church will be triumphant.

III. Christ's third special "I will" relates to His prayer to the Father, and the results of that prayer.

John 14:16 says, "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever--" (NIV) And in John 16:7 He said, "But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you." (NIV) John 15:26 records, "When the Counselor 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." (NIV) We know that Christ went away, and that He did send the Holy Spirit, for the Day of Pentecost experience happened a few days later. The Gift of the Father, the Holy Spirit, was sent in a way never before seen, and He did testify about Christ.

This "I will" is one designed to equip believers to do His work on earth, efficiently and effectively. Christ prayer here is for all of us to be filled with the Spirit. The Spirit also gives us the ability to believe and obey the call of God. Just before this, the Lord said that if we love Him, we will keep His commandments. In barest terms, this means that we will obey Him.

After the coming of the Spirit, the believers had a new dimension in their ability to work for God. The Spirit had been with them, but was now in them to perform the work of Christ. The Spirit was given for our good. One translation says it is "expedient" for us that Christ leave, so the Spirit could come.

Now when Christ was on earth, He was the strength, comfort, and consolation of His disciples. He left, but sent Another, "one who walks along beside us." The strength of Christ is in every Spirit- filled believer, and this is the will of Christ for each of us.

Jesus had told the disciples to be the "light of the world." In leaving, He endowed us with the ability to shine brightly in a darkened world. He began by the power of the Spirit in us. Christ Himself had been anointed by the Holy Ghost and power to do good, to heal all oppressed of the devil (Acts 10:38). Christ, though God in the flesh, was bound by His human nature, and was only able to minister in one place at a time. He could heal the sick, raise the dead, calm the sea, feed the multitude, and preach only to those immediately around Him. But since He was concerned for the whole of mankind, not just for those in His immediate bodily presence, He left, but sent the Spirit to fill all believers, so that the multitudes as yet unborn could be ministered to. This is the task He has left for us to do, and we must continue to do it. The Holy Spirit is blessing around the world today, as Peter said would happen in Acts 2:17. Jesus is ministering, through Spirit-filled believers, to the diseased, the sick, infirm; to those in darkness, and to all who will listen. This is all because He prayed to the Father to send another Comforter.

1. Jesus said He would ask the Father to send the Spirit to be a comforter, a "paraclete", a counselor, another of like kind as Himself, to be with us at all times.

2. Jesus and the Father sent the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth.

3. Jesus said the Holy Spirit will testify about Him. And when He does, we who have received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit must, and will, also testify about Christ to a lost and dying world.

Welcome, Holy Spirit, into my life; welcome, Holy Spirit, into the life of my family; welcome, Holy Spirit, into the life of this church. Welcome, Holy Spirit, into the lives of believers around the world. We need You.

IV. Christ's fourth special "I will" relates to His coming again. John 14:3 records that He said, "And 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." (NIV) Now this is a great promise, and is one which we need to look forward to with anticipation every day of our lives.

There are over 318 prophecies in the Bible where it is said that Jesus will come again. Now there will be two stages in this coming. First, He will come in the clouds to catch away the living saints, and those who have died in Christ, the event we call the Rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). But there is another time when He will come back to the earth, slowly, as He left it, and every eye shall see Him (Revelation 1:7). He comes to the earth then, and the saints rule with Him for 1000 years in a reign of righteousness and peace.

Most of the time when we talk of the second coming, we are speaking of the Rapture of the Church. Now if this is true, then there is something we must do.

1. We must purify ourselves (1 John 3:3; 2 Peter 3:14).

2. We can comfort each other with these words (1 Thessalonians 4:18).

3. We must be looking for His return ( 2 Peter 3:11-12).

Living for Christ, and looking for His imminent appearing is the great hope of the church. The world today is filled with sadness, gloom, darkness, sickness and death, but Christ will return, in power and glory, bringing redemption, righteousness, resurrection and rapture to the church. He said to us, "Because I live, you will live also" (John 14:19).

CONCLUSION: We should thank the Lord for His "I wills." He wants us to have fullness of joy now, and to live victoriously in His name. He has come that we might have not only life, but abundant life (John 10:10). He will do what He wills, what is His pleasure (Philippians 2:13).

His "I wills" are ever comforting and reassuring to all who believe in Him. If you need a lot of "I wills" in a short passage, try the second and third chapters of Revelation, where he says "I will" twenty-eight times. He says, "I will give you a crown of life; I will come unto you quickly; I will give him the morning star; I will not blot out his name out of the book of life; I will confess his name before my Father and the angels; I will write on him a new name."

If we will only hear His word, believe, and receive these promises as being for us; if we only become fully persuaded that He is able to do all He has said, and finally to have personal fellowship with each of us in heaven.

Matt 26:29 I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom." (NIV) This speaks of our future fellowship with Christ in heaven. We are assured of going there, for in John 6:54 he says, "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." (NIV) We must fully believe and identify with Him here.

One final "I will." Listen to this one. John 14:21 says "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him." (NIV) Isn't it great to have the promise of our Lord that not only will the Father love us, but that He (Jesus) will also love us, and reveal himself to us. What a great promise this is.

If we do not live for Him as we should, if our lives are not a witness for Him, then we may here Him say these words, recorded in Matthew 7:23 Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' (NIV) Wouldn't you rather hear Him say "well done, good and faithful servant" on that day. What are you doing about it? Are you fearful of what to say when witnessing for the Lord. In Luke 21:15, He said, "For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict." (NIV) Don't worry so much about what your are going to say that you do nothing. Rather, begin to witness for Christ, and He will keep His word to you.

I would rather know that He loves me. The little song says, "I'm my Beloved's and He is mine; His banner over me is love." Could you sing that with me?

Osage Gospel Lighthouse, Linn, MO 2-9-97 pm