A Joyful Life - SERMON NOTES

Below are Pastor Ben's sermon notes from this past Sunday, in case they may be helpful for further study. To listen to the sermon, click the link above.

Intro: (1) series recap (2) 15:11 → God the merrymaker, NFL linemen (3) three reasons for joy

The Presence of Jesus (16-22):
(1) v.16 → two “a little whiles,” one his death, the other his resurrection (2) v.17-19 → disciples still understandably confused (3) v.20 → first “little while” sorrowful, second one joyful (cf. Heb. 12:2) (4) v.21 → joy often connected to first feeling pain (cf. child birth) (5) when have
you experienced joy after pain? (cf. covid) (6) app to community → presence of others helps us through times of sorrow (7) joy connected to Jesus cannot be taken away, while joy based in anything else comes and goes (8) joy attacked through attempts to cut us off from God’s word and God’s people

The Provision of Jesus (23-27): 
(1) v.23 → invitation to pray using Jesus’ name, along with promise to answer → his merit, his mission (cf. not just a rhetorical tack-on (2) v.24 → answered prayer brings joy (cf. feeding of 5000, Canfields, POG) (3) v.25 → Jesus introduces the Father into the prayer equation, reassures them that what feels confusing will eventually make more sense → good reminder about the nature of prayer (4) v.25-27 → the provision of Jesus to us through prayer is directly related to the Father (5) NT → praying TO Father THROUGH Son by Spirit (cf. Mt. 6:9-11)

The Power of Jesus (28-33): 
(1) v.28 → Jesus makes clear where he is about to go (cf. v.25) (2) v.29-30 → an “aha” moment, in which they profess Jesus’ omniscience and divinity (3) when have you experienced a clear moment of Jesus’ power/control in your life? (cf. Ben/neighbors) (6) v.31-32 → Jesus sobers their “aha” moment by foretelling their coming failure (7) life with Jesus an ebb/flow between joyous “aha” moments and embarrassing failures (cf. missionary friend evading police) (8) v.33 → constant is finished victory of Christ (9) Jesus has won, is winning, and will win (cf. watching rerun of victorious game)

Conclusion: Handel’s Messiah → video clip of hallelujah chorus