Promises, Promises! - Part B

Welcome to Connect with Skip Heitzig weekend edition. We're glad you've joined us for today's program. Connecting you to the never changing truth of God's Word through verse by verse teaching is what Connect with Skip Heitzig is all about. That's why we make messages like this one today available to you and others. Or rewatch your favorite teachings or find new ones to dive into more solid biblical teaching to help deepen your walk.

And be sure to subscribe to the channel so you never miss any new content. That's Connect with Skip Heitzig on YouTube. Now let's get into today's teaching from Pastor Skip Heitzig. I am my Father and you in me and I in you. That's a little hard to unravel.

Admit it. Every time we read statements like that, we go, what does that mean? When he says, I am in the Father and you in me and I in you, it sounds like that old Beatles song. I am he as you are me as you are we and we are all together.

Remember that? What Jesus is telling his disciples, and they're worried, his worried disciples, is that his death is not going to end their relationship. That the union they have is indissoluble.

It's permanent. And they're going to know that. They don't know it now.

They're confused now. But they will know it. It will be a supernatural knowledge. And the word here for knowledge doesn't mean textbook, I read it somewhere knowledge. It means I know it. I understand it because I know it. Because I've experienced it knowledge. That's what it means.

So if I could put it together for you so far. After the resurrection, when you're really alive, you're going to know by your own experience and apprehension just how close we are. Understand something that the resurrection of Jesus Christ brought sort of a sudden realization to the disciples of who Jesus Christ really was. They were wondering up to this point. When he gets up from the dead, they're going to understand it. Have you ever thought this? Have you ever wondered what it was like to hang out with Jesus for three and a half years up close? And all the while you're going, now who is this guy? They asked that question.

Who is this guy? When he calmed the storm on the Sea of Galilee, they said, who is this man? They were in a process of discovery. But then after it's all said and done, it's all over, and he dies and then gets raised from the dead and goes into heaven. Then to suddenly realize, oh my goodness, I was hanging out with God.

Right? What that would be like to have that dawn on you. That's exactly what happens to the author of the book you are reading, the Gospel of John. The author John, listen to how he begins another book he writes, 1 John chapter 1. He writes, the one who existed from the beginning is the one we have heard and seen.

I've been hanging out with God. The one from the very beginning of time is the one we have heard and seen. He goes on, we saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is Jesus Christ, the word of life. When Jesus rose from the dead, it proved that everything he had said about himself was true. You know, it's one thing to say, I am the way, the truth, and the life. Anybody could say that.

I could say that. You could say, I am the way, the truth, and the life. It's quite another thing for somebody who said, I am the way, the truth, and the life, to die and then three days later get back up. Now what he said is all important and credence is put to it because he validates his claim by his deeds. So the resurrection is what separates the men from the boys, the big leagues from the minor leagues. Jesus from Buddha, Krishna, Muhammad, Deepak Chopra, Oprah Winfrey.

You can say great things. Jesus said what he said and rose again from the dead. It was a promise of a supernatural knowledge and the disciples would get that knowledge. Jesus said when they would on that day, I think that's the day of Pentecost in particular, when the Holy Spirit comes upon them.

Here's the principle. It's only when God puts his supernatural life within us that we really get it. Our spiritual eyes are open.

They can't be any other way. We can't apprehend or know certain things unless God does a supernatural work within our lives. The disciples, they came alive with boldness and power because of this knowledge. Thomas, after the resurrection, when Jesus appeared to him, it's like he instantly got it. First he goes, well I don't believe and I won't believe unless I can put my fingers in his side and his hands and then Jesus just stood there.

And Thomas got it. He goes, my Lord and my God. If you've ever seen the Peanuts cartoons in newspapers, they were published for many years. I read once a Peanuts cartoon and it had four little cubes, four little sections to it. In the first section, the first cube, it shows Lucy and Linus talking. They're both looking out a window and it's raining outside. Lucy says to Linus, it's pouring. I hope the whole world doesn't flood. In the next frame, Linus says, don't worry, it won't.

It'll never happen. In Genesis 9, God told Noah it would never happen again and the rainbow is the sign of that promise. In the third frame, it shows Lucy again looking out the window with a big smile on her face and she says, you've taken a great load off my mind, Linus. And in the fourth frame, Linus says with a smile, sound theology has a way of doing that. You and I are able to read God's Word and have Him confirm things to our hearts and this understanding that He gives brings a sense of security to us. Something the most brilliant, trained minds in the world can never know unless they experience it. Supernatural knowledge. That's the second promise. Here's the third.

The promise of a supernatural presence. Verse 21. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.

Very important word because notice the next question. Judas, not as scary, it said to him, Lord, how is it you will manifest yourself to us and not to the world? Jesus answered and said to him, if anyone loves Me, he will keep My word and My Father will love him.

And notice this. We will come to him and make our home with him. Talk about the promise of presence, supernatural presence of God. We're going to come inside that person, kick off our sandals and be at home.

That's our new home. He who does not love Me does not keep My words and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me. Okay, look at the word manifest again.

Used twice. Jesus says, I'm going to manifest Myself. Judas says, okay, let's talk about the manifest thing. How come you're not doing it to the world and just to us?

The word manifest means to show, to exhibit, to disclose or to appear. Once the Lord does His work in our lives and gives us newness of life and now we get it, we have this spiritual supernatural knowledge of yes, this really is true, I get it now. Then what happens is a deepening process where we want to experience the presence of God more and more and more. It's like that when you dated your spouse. Some of you have to think back a long ways for this, but remember when you dated your spouse, you wanted to be with that person all the time.

All the time. Never wanted to call it quits for the night. You wanted to be together all the time. A phone call wasn't enough.

A text message, if it's a modern dating situation, is not enough. You want presence. You want presence.

That's the promise here. Once you taste the presence of God, nothing else satisfies. Nothing. When I was in college, I survived on really two things. Peanut butter. Skippy peanut butter. And number two, hamburger helper.

Now, with hamburger helper, it was perfect for me because I could cook a batch of it and I'd leave it on my stove for the rest of the week and I'd have meals. Then one day, somebody who had a lot more income than I had and was very generous took me out to a steak and lobster dinner. The combination. Steak and lobster.

Oh my stars. The taste. I didn't know anything tasted like that on earth. Now, after I tasted that, it was really hard for me to go back to hamburger helper. I was spoiled.

I was ruined. Once you taste what it is to have God manifest himself to you, you experience his presence, you want more and more and more of it. Now, Jesus promises his presence, I'll manifest.

We'll come in. That person will be our home. Judas, not Ascariot, he's called Judas the son of James in the Gospel of Luke. Judas says, okay, hey, now that you're speaking about the manifest deal, how come you're just manifesting yourselves to us, disciples?

There's a whole world out there. You know why you ask that question? Because all of the disciples were thinking about one thing, the earthly, immediate, messianic kingdom. That's what they thought Jesus was going to do.

So they're wondering about that. You're the king of the world. You're the messiah of the world. How come you're just like behind closed doors manifesting yourself to us?

Why don't you do it for the whole world? Now, Jesus answers the question and he gives with the answer the condition for anyone to experience God's presence. It's the clincher. He says, if anyone loves me, he will keep my word. And my Father will love him and we will come to him and make our home with him.

Now, this is the third time, if you're counting, in this section, the third time that we have read that Jesus brings in the condition for certain promises to be fulfilled and it's the condition of our obedience to him. You're listening to Connect with Skip Heitzig, Weekend Edition. Before we return to Skip's teaching, in his Jesus Loves booklets, Pastor Skip Heitzig shows you God's radical love for all people and challenges you to love all people like Jesus did. And when you give a gift of $50 or more today, we'll send you four of these booklets in our Jesus Loves Them bundle. Our thanks for your support to reach more people with God's love through Connect with Skip Heitzig. You'll fall more in love with your living Savior as you see just how much he loves all people and calls you to do the same.

Go to connectwithskip.com slash offer or call 800-922-1888 and request your bundle when you give. Now, let's continue with today's teaching from Pastor Skip. What Jesus is saying here, verse 23 and also verse 21, he's saying, I will not reveal myself to those who refuse to love me and obey me. I refuse to reveal myself or disclose myself to those who refuse to love me and obey me. Show their love by obedience.

Very, very important truth. You will never enjoy the fullness of the Christian life. You'll never enjoy the presence of God unless you're cooperating with God by a lifestyle that's conforming to him, obedient to him. You know, I believe it's possible to be saved but not satisfied. To have salvation, just not to enjoy salvation. It's like you start to grow and then you hit that snag where you stop obeying, you stop conforming, and yeah, you've given your life to Christ but you're just enduring the present while looking toward the future.

You've come to that place. Arthur W. Pink put it this way, this manifestation of Jesus Christ is made only to the ones who really love him and the proof of love to him is not emotional display but submission to his will. The Lord will give no direct and special revelation of himself to those who are in the path of disobedience.

I've known so many believers who live sub-relational lives with Christ because of this exact issue. That's the condition. You want to experience the fullness of my presence? Then if you say you love me, do what I say. Obedience. Three tremendous promises and now there's a fourth. It's the promise of supernatural revelation. Verse 25, These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Now hasn't Christ already promised the Holy Spirit? Well yes he has but he promised that he would be another Helper, another Counselor, another Comforter. Now he says he's going to be a teacher, a reminder. Question, you answer it. Up to this point, who has been the disciples' teacher?

Jesus, he says so, verse 25, These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. So he's been the teacher, they've been the pupils. How did they do in class? Now overall, the last three and a half years, would you give them an A? Would you give them a C? I know it's subjective.

Would you give them an F? Well let's see, let's just take a few classroom episodes, shall we? It's the time when Jesus said to his disciples, boys, I want to let you know what's going to happen. I'm going to Jerusalem, I'm going to be arrested. They're going to kill me, I'm going to die, but I'm going to rise again on the third day. Peter answered, no!

It's not going to happen to you Lord, we're going to prevent that from happening. What grade would you give them on that? F. I'd give them not a C or a D, an F. Well, Jesus said, get thee behind me, Satan. That's an F. Another classroom episode, they're on the Mount of Transfiguration.

Jesus is transformed, illuminated with Moses and Elijah. It's a wonderful moment, they're speaking to each other, God is speaking. And then Peter comes up and says really profoundly, hey, you guys, it's really good to be here. Okay, thank you Peter, needed that.

I'd at least give them a C just for the interruption. Here's another time. Jesus announced that he's going to Judea. The disciples say, boy, they're trying to kill you in Judea, I don't know if we should go. Thomas says, let's go with him that we can die too.

Always nice to have an optimist in the crowd, right? I'd give them at least a D if not an F for that. Then there's the time when two of his disciples, James and John, ask Jesus, do you want us to call fire down from heaven and kill all those people?

Just smoke them right now? F. These are Jesus' students. They're in their remedial class. It's special ed for these guys. Now did they ever learn, did they ever graduate?

Oh yes, they did. Peter, who got an F, gets an A on the day of Pentecost. Now it makes sense to him.

He who said, far be it from you, Lord, we'll never let you go to the cross, now on the day of Pentecost to all of the crowds in Jerusalem says these words, Jesus being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God. What a statement. He gets an A.

Went from an F to an A. Now you've had this experience where you have read through the Bible and you read a text and you go, yeah, I don't quite get that. Then one day you're reading and you go, wow, it dawns on you what that means. There's this revelation that takes place.

It's the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Now the promise in 25 and 26, real quickly, answers a very fundamental question that you and I and a lot of people have. How is it possible that 12 uneducated, for the most part, fishermen were able to remember in detail three and a half years' worth of activities and profound truths and record it without getting messed up? I mean, I can't remember what I preached a month ago, two months ago, a year. People say, do you remember two years ago when you... No.

How did they remember in detail the things that they recorded? That is the promise. The teacher, the reminder, the resident truth teacher, the Holy Spirit is going to bring these things to your remembrance.

So tremendous, tremendous promises that He gives us. Now, there's four promises I gave you. I want to give you four takeaway points.

Here's four application points for you based upon these four things that we just gave. These are things for you to do, to remember, to ask yourself. Question number one, ask this, how's my life?

How's my life? Am I existing? Am I living? And if I'm just existing, why is it that I'm just existing and how can I be raised based upon this promise to that level of life? Question number two, how's your knowledge? I don't mean, how much theology do you know? I mean, are you experiencing what you know?

Are you experiencing the knowledge you know? Question number three, how's your intimacy with Jesus Christ? He said He's going to come in and make Himself at home and He's going to bring the Father and the Holy Spirit. Do you live in such a way as to make Him comfortable wherever you take Him? In situations that you take Him in?

Would you ever be in a situation or in an activity where they would feel uncomfortable to be there and hear that and watch that? How's the intimacy going? Fourth and finally, how's my relationship to the Holy Spirit? Is He instructing me and teaching me? Am I learning from Him myself as He's living in me? Or do I always need my favorite Bible teacher on the radio to tell me what that means because I'll never know otherwise?

Is He teaching you and nurturing you? Ann Landers had been in newspapers around the country for years with her column. She got a letter from a girl who was writing about her aunt and uncle.

I want you to hear the letter. Dear Ann Landers, my uncle was the tightest man I've ever known. All his life, every time he got paid, he took cash out of his paycheck and put it under his mattress. Then he got sick and was about to die. As he was dying, he said to his wife, I want you to promise me one thing. What?

she asked. I want you to promise me that when I'm dead, you'll take all my money from the mattress, put it in my casket so that I can take it all with me. Well, he died and his wife kept her promise. She went in, got all the money. That day he died and went to the bank and deposited it and wrote out a check and put the check in the casket.

Awesome! Dude, if you can cash it, it's yours. That little funny story brings up a very important point. Just like a dead person can't cash a check, a spiritually dead person can't cash in on all these promises.

It takes life. Jesus said you must be born again. And when you are alive, like he promises here, really living, by his Spirit working inside of you, all of his promises are either going to lay there and you're going to look at them and read them and underline them and exegete them and study them, or you're going to cash them and they're going to be yours.

You'll go from intimacy to intimacy, glory to glory. Thanks so much for being with us today. Before you go, remember that when you give $50 or more to help reach more people with the gospel through Connect with Skip Heitzig, we'll send you a copy of the Jesus Loves Them bundle to help you understand God's abounding love for all people. Request your copy when you call and give 800-922-1888.

That's 800-922-1888. Or visit connectwithskip.com slash donate. We'll see you next time for more verse by verse teaching of God's word here on Connect with Skip Heitzig weekend edition. Make a connection, make a connection at the foot of the crossing. Cast your burdens on his word, make a connection, connection. Connect with Skip Heitzig is a presentation of Connection Communications, connecting you to God's never changing truth in ever changing times.