John 14: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.

John 14: 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. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”

John 14: Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 14: If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” 8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” 8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

John 14: Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

John 14: Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.

11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. John 14:1-11

July 17, 2011 Snapshots of Grace Part 2

The premise for our study: o When you see Jesus you see God. When you see Jesus interact with an individual you can see clearly how He would treat you, and how He feels about you.

Last week: o First “snapshot” o Luke 5:1-11 o “Lord, leave me…”

Second “snapshot” o Matthew 14:28-33 o Lord, save me!

Third “snapshot” - Matthew 16:13-18 Matthew 16:21 - From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.

“Get behind me”

“Get behind me” - “Satan” You are a stumbling block to me…”

Only moments before things had been bright and full of hope…

Only moments before things had been bright and full of hope… Now What?

How does God feel? 1 Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. 2 And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. ( Matthew 17:1-2 )

Outcast? Pushed away? Ostracized?

“God with us” still considered Peter an important and valuable friend.

Fourth “snapshot” – Luke 22:54-62 v. 22:31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; Jesus prayed for Peter & tried to encourage him.

Outright warning – “the rooster will not crow today until you have… “denied three times that you know Me.”

NEVER! Peter could not believe his ears And he went out and wept bitterly

How does God feel? “But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you.’” (Mark 16:7) Why single Peter out?

His instructions were clear… He wanted the big fisherman with the crushed heart and red tear filled eyes, to know He wanted him there when He showed Himself.

Lamentations 3: The L ORD ’s loving kindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. 24 “The L ORD is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I have hope in Him.”

At no time during all the failures in Peter’s life, or during the lives of the rest of the disciples, do we ever get the impression that Jesus ever considered abandoning them.

The prayer Jesus prayed to His Father on His last night before the cross, (Jn. 17) tells you a great deal about Jesus… o “they have kept Your word.” o “they know everything You have given Me, is from You.” o “they believed that You sent Me.”

He absorbed all the bickering, selfishness, pride, the denials & abandonment that were to come and left them smelling like a rose.

He did not misrepresent. It was just His way of looking at those, all those, who willingly, though imperfectly, commit themselves to Him.

Can I ask you a question?

Friend or Enemy SIN?

1 Behold, the L ORD ’s hand is not so short that it cannot save; Nor is His ear so dull that it cannot hear. 2 But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear. ( Is. 59:1-2 )

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 6:23 )