I Go

I. Text: John 16:16-20

II. Background

A. Jesus prepared His disciples for His coming death

B. He was going to be crucified but God would raise Him from the dead Though the disciples would scatter, He would gather them back together

C. Though Jesus was leaving them, it was for good cause

III. I go so that you may work, John 15:16

A. Jesus spent much of His ministry preparing the disciples to take the gospel into the world.

B. They were witnesses of the ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus They were chosen to be special messengers, ambassadors, for Jesus, 2 Corinthians 5:20

C. Before He ascended back to the Father, He commanded them to take the gospel into the whole world.

D. Mark 16:15-16 They fulfilled His command, Colossians 1:5-6, 23

E. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would help them in their work

F. John 16:13-15 – He would give them the words of Jesus John 14:25-26 – He would remind them of Jesus’ words Luke 21:12-19 – He would give them words when tried by officials John 14:12 – Miracles would accompany their message

G. But the Spirit would not come until Jesus departed

H. John 14:15-18 – He would not orphan them

I. John 16:7 – He would send the Spirit when He left

J. Acts 1:4-8 – Reminder before He ascended to the Father Acts 2:1-4; 16-17; 33 – The Spirit was a testimony of Jesus’ ascension

K. From the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem, the disciples took the gospel message into the whole world as Jesus commanded.

L. Those who obeyed the message would have eternal life, John 14:21. Those who rejected the gospel would be lost, Mark 16:16.

IV. I go so that I may overcome the world

A. John 16:28-33 – I have overcome the world

B. Jesus knew that He would fulfill the Father’s mission.

C. John 17:1-5 – He finished the work that was planned John 18:36-37 – He became king of the eternal kingdom, the church, promised in the Old Testament

D. He conquered death and seized its power, 1 Corinthians 15:20-26

E. It has lost its sting for Jesus will raise us in the end. We can conquer death through Him, Romans 6:6-12

F. He had to suffer, die and rise to fulfill His work.

G. John 16:20-221 Corinthians 15:12-19

H. We can overcome the world through Jesus

I. 1 John 5:1-5 – We overcome the world through faith Romans 8:18 – The suffering of the world cannot be compared to the glory of heaven Romans 8:31-39 – Nothing can separate us from Christ’s love2 Timothy 4:7-8 – We can have Paul’s confidence of victory through Jesus Hebrews 10:26-27; 35-39 – Those who draw back will not overcome We should never give up for Jesus has prepared a place for us

V. I go to prepare a place for you

A. John 14:1-6 – Jesus would go to prepare a home for them

B. The apostles would suffer much—most would die cruel deaths for the cause of Christ—yet they had a home that waited for them after death. Think of the beautiful world that God created for us to live in for a small period of time; imagine what a wonderful place our heavenly home must be!

C. We have no home here

D. Hebrews 11:13-16 – Great men and women of faith looked for that heavenly home and released their hold on this world.

E. 1 Peter 2:11-12 - We are pilgrims and sojourners in this world

F. Pilgrim – A person who journeys to a sacred place; a traveler Sojourner – A temporary resident“This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through.”

G. Mark 10:17-22 - Rich young ruler

H. Ran to Jesus to learn how to gain eternal life Jesus loved him and told him what to do

I. He went away sorrowful for he had many possessions.

J. I wonder if Jesus were to ask us to give up our possessions, if we could easily look upon each of them and give them up for Him.“But I’ve invested so much time and effort; can’t I keep this for recreation? I need these things.”“Earth holds no treasures but perish with using, However precious they be; but there’s a country to which I am going; heaven holds all to me.” We sing it, do we believe it.

K. It is a joke to leave our comfortable homes to come to a comfortable building to sing, “living below in this old sinful world, hardly a comfort can afford” (Where Could I Go…).

L. We must leave the comfort of our lives to serve God. We must leave the safety and comfort of our living rooms to battle the enemy of darkness.

M. The evil of the world discomforts us

N. 2 Peter 2:6-9 – Lot’s soul was vexed by wickedness We must not be calloused to the evil of men lest we also be calloused to their lost condition.

O. Jesus has prepared a home in which we belong

P. Revelation 21:4, 23-27 – It will have no evil to vex us; God will be with us2 Peter 3:13 – We look forward to a place where righteousness dwells

Q. 1 Peter 1:3-5 – You have a reservation waiting for your arrival

R. What will you trade it for?

S. Mark 8:34-38 – What will you exchange for your soul?

T. Esau exchanged the right to be the father of the tribes of Israel for a bowl of stew. Judas exchanged the Son of God for thirty pieces of silver. The rich young man exchanged eternal life for worldly possessions.

U. What will you exchange your eternal life for?

V. Is it priceless so that no man could offer any amount for us to exchange our hope? Do we sometimes sell out for much less? Popularity? Ease? Recreation? Reputation? Self?

W. We will not accidentally arrive at our eternal home

X. Luke 13:23-24 – Strive to enter in the narrow gate Romans 2:6-8 – Our actions determine our destination

VI. Conclusion:

VII. Jesus loved us so much that he

A. Died to save us

B. Rose from the dead to give us life

C. And went to heaven to prepare a home for us.

VIII. Will we love Jesus so much that we will

A. Die to the world and to self in order to have life

B. Be raised so that Jesus will live in us

C. And strive to enter that home prepared for us?