“Seeing past the immediate is vital for being in the bigger moment…
We’re going to be at John 18-19:
• The bigger picture here is about of the work of Christ, the cross, and its fulfillment of scripture…
• Today we’re going to look at some more subtle principles we can take from these scriptures…
John 18:1-11, 33-38
Jesus saw past the immediate:
• Jesus didn’t shrink back from this moment, or defend himself, or run… He in fact came for these very moments…
• V11 – the Father’s will mattered more than the pain that this night would lead to…
• It’s hard not to fight back… this is not a call to become cowards…sometimes we are called to fight… only there are times when in order to follow Jesus you have to follow His example here… there is a season for both…
Jesus never lost the perspective of the Kingdom of God and it’s greater worth. Greater than the comforts of this life…
• Too often we will fight for the kingdoms of this world… instead of trusting him for a greater Kingdom… let us focus on this Kingdom, the greater Kingdom…
• What kingdom will we choose to identify with? The Kingdoms of this world or Gods… Jesus would have had Peter cut off the other ear…
• The Kingdoms of Wealth… Sensuality… Comfort… Power & Control… Hardship (distracts us)…
John 19:8-11, 25-30
I love V10-11 – Jesus makes it clear who’s really in charge…
In all the seeming chaos Jesus never lost control of this moment… He endured it all, felt every nail, rejection, every blasphemy, whip, thorn and splinter… but the Fathers Kingdom was always first… V30
• Jesus’ life was never taken from Him… He finished the race for the Salvation of this world… and when it was finished, He gave up His spirit…
• In the seeming chaos of this life, you can trust that Jesus hasn’t fallen off the throne… but that His kingdom is going forward to the End’s of the Earth…
• Let us not allow the chaos of the immediate kingdoms of this world to control us, to distract us from the eternal and greater kingdom of our God…
• Let us not go chasing lens caps over waterfalls…
We’re living in a wild moment in history… this world is wrapping up… and our lives need to follow the example of Jesus and be laser focused on advancing His Kingdom above all else… and all other kingdoms…”