The first statement in John 14:1 would be a totally absurd statement if it had come from any one but Jesus.
Jesus says, “Let not your hearts be troubled.”
The word troubled here means to be agitated, to cause one inward commotion, to take away calmness of mind, to make restless, or to render anxious or distressed.
Jesus is telling us not to be in inner turmoil, but to be at peace.
First, because Jesus is our Provision.
John 14:2-3
In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go and prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself that where I am you may be also.
Jesus provides all the we need:
Physically
Emotionally
Relationally
Mentally
Spiritually
He does not want us to look at any other source to be satisfied.
Second, because Jesus is the Way.
In John 14:4 Jesus tells the twelve that they know the way to the place that He has prepared for them.
In John 14:5 Thomas says that they don’t know where Jesus is going, so how could they know the way.
In John 14:6 Jesus says that He is the Way, the Truth, the Life.
Jesus being the Way means that we don’t follow rules, rituals, or religion, but a person - Jesus.
It is about a relationship, and in relating to Jesus as the Way, we follow Him by denying ourselves and taking up our cross every day.
Third, Jesus is the Truth.
There is mathematic truth
There scientific truth.
There medical truth.
There is historical truth.
There is archaeological truth.
There is spiritual truth.
All truth comes from Jesus and points back to Jesus.
We as followers of Jesus never need to be fearful of the truth, It will always prove that Jesus is who says He is.
Fourth, Jesus is the Life.
Colossians 3:4
When Christ who is your life appears then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Jesus never asked to be part of your life.
Jesus asked to be your life.
It is not about fitting Jesus into your life. It is about yielding your life to Jesus.
It is about submitting your will to Jesus’ will.
It is about surrendering everything you are and everything you have to Jesus.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is trusting Jesus as your Provision, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Jesus also claims that He is God.
John 14:7-11
If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him. Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know Me, Philip? Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’ Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in Me does His works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.”
Jesus is saying that He and the Father are the same. Jesus speaks the words of the Father and does the works of the Father.
Jesus is our Provision.
Jesus is the Way.
Jesus is the Truth.
Jesus is the Life
Because Jesus is God.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is knowing, following, and obeying Jesus as God and nothing less.
Because Jesus is God He gives us two promises.
John 14:12
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I do; and greater works then these will he do, because I am going to the Father.
We will do the works that Jesus did and greater ones.
Greater Works:
Pentecost
Paul taking the Gospel to the Gentiles
Billy Graham having preached to over two billion people
Bible in over 2,500 languages
We can do greater works because Jesus has gone to the Father and sent the Holy Spirit. It is not our works but the works of God through us.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is being God’s instrument to take the Gospel of His grace to the world.
John 14:13-14
Whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.
What A Promise!
Jesus is saying, “If you ask Me anything that is according to My will, I will do it.” Jesus doesn’t say He might do it or He could do it or He will think about doing it. He says “I will do it.”
James 4:2
You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.
We don’t have because we don’t ask.
Then in James 4:3 God reveals another reason we don’t have. It says, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
We don’t have because we ask based on the wrong motives. We want it for OUR passions. We are to ask and want it for God’s passions.
I have been praying for revival for over fifteen years. Two weeks ago God spoke to me about why I was praying for revival. I came to understand I was praying for revival because I wanted things to change in the church and become more like what I wanted. God told me that I was praying for the right thing but for the wrong reason.
I am still praying for revival but now I want revival for the honor and glory of God. I want revival for the church because God wants revival for the church.
I hear a lot of Christians wanting our country to change, but I have to be honest. Many American Christians are wanting the country to change so it will be like it was or to become more conservative or become safer or become more moral. Many are wanting God to make the American Dream happen.
We must, as God’s people, lose the attitude that it is about me and return to our first love as God’s people - Jesus.
The promise is Jesus will give us what we ask for when what we ask for is all about Him.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is praying according to God’s will, to glorify Jesus and watching God do awesome things beyond what we can imagine.
In Peace, Not Worry, Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls
Joe
Sunday, October 25, 2015
Sunday, October 18, 2015
Jesus Washes Dirty Feet
Several years ago a friend of mine said, “I love being a servant, until people beginning treating me like a servant.”
It sounds very spiritual and godly to talk about being a servant. It is very different when we actually function as a servant.
Jesus talks a lot about being a servant, but He backs it up by being a servant.
In John 13 we see the servanthood of Jesus demonstrated as He washed the feet of the Twelve.
John 13:4-5
He laid His outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around His waist. Then He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around Him.
The Creator, The King, The Lord, The Master of all creation was on His knees washing the dirty feet of humanity.
The duty of washing people feet was given to the lowest of the servants in the household.
Jesus had not just become a human being.
Jesus had just become a servant.
Jesus had become the lowest of servants.
Not only did Jesus wash the feet of Peter, James, John, Andrew, Mathew, but He washed the feet of Judas. He washed the feet of the guy who would betray Him.
What did Jesus know that gave Him the humility to act as that lowest of servants and wash the feet of these men?
Jesus knew that:
(1) His Hour Had Come
John 13:1a
Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His our had come
Jesus knew that what the Father had given Him to do was about to come to a climax. Jesus knew that He had obeyed the Father and all was in order.
We need to face life and death with the same confidence that Jesus did, knowing that we have obeyed the Father.
(2) It was time to depart and go to the Father
John 13:1b
To depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
Jesus knew that when He left this world, His earthly existence, He would go to the Father. This allowed Him to love His own even when His own misunderstood Him, denied Him, or even rejected Him.
(3) All things were in His hand
John 13:3a
Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands
Jesus knew that He was in control. He is always in control.
When they came to Jesus, Jesus asked them who they were seeking and they said Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus told them that He was Jesus. In John 18:6 it says, “When Jesus said to them, ‘I am he’, they drew back and fell to the ground.”
Even when Jesus is being arrested, He, not the ones coming to arrest Him, was in control.
(4) He had come from God
John 13:3b
And that He come from God and was going back to God
Jesus knew who He was.
Jesus knew why He had come.
Jesus knew what He was to do.
God doesn’t play hide and seek with us about who we are as His children, and what our purpose is. He doesn’t play hide and seek about what we are to do based on what our purpose is and who we are.
We, like Jesus, can know and in the knowing be free to follow God’s will.
(5) He was both Master and Lord
John 13:13
You call Me “Teacher” and “Lord,” and rightly so, for that is what I am.
Jesus is the Teacher.
Jesus is the Master.
Jesus is the Lord.
Jesus is all of that and more, and He washed the feet of His:
Students
Subjects
Inferiors
The grace and love that Jesus shows here reinforces the truth found in Isaiah 57:15.
For this what the high and lofty One says - He who lives forever, whose name is holy, “I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.”
Jesus is high and holy, but He chose to live with us and to give His life to save us.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is knowing that Jesus is the absolute ruler in our lives with absolute authority.
Why does Jesus wash the feet of the disciples?
In short, because He is God and He wanted to. We know that Jesus only did what the Father told Him to do.
Jesus did it as an example of humility.
John 13:15
I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
In Matthew 21:5 Jesus is described as humble. He showed the extent of that humility in the washing of the disciples’ feet.
Since we are being recreated in the image of Jesus we are to allow His Spirit to make us humble.
Jesus did it as a rebuke to pride.
In Luke 22 a conversation between the Twelve is recorded.
Luke 22:24-27
Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and one who rules like one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? But I am among you as one who serves.”
Jesus says this at the very time that He is washing their feet. Jesus adds great power to what He says by showing them pure service.
Jesus did it as a picture of daily cleansing.
John 13:10
Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.”
When we confess our sins, Jesus forgives us and cleanses us from the dirtiness of sin. We need only allow Him to clean us daily from the dirtiness of living in a broken, dirty world.
Jesus did it as a reminder of His union and communion with the believer.
John 13:8
“No,” said Peter, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me.”
Jesus physically, emotionally, and spiritually touches the lives of the Twelve.
Jesus wants to physically, emotionally, and spiritually touch our lives daily.
Raise the Roof and Removes the Walls is allowing the Holy Spirit to make us humble like Jesus and cleanse us and make us one with Jesus.
Humbly and Submissively with Jesus Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
It sounds very spiritual and godly to talk about being a servant. It is very different when we actually function as a servant.
Jesus talks a lot about being a servant, but He backs it up by being a servant.
In John 13 we see the servanthood of Jesus demonstrated as He washed the feet of the Twelve.
John 13:4-5
He laid His outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around His waist. Then He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around Him.
The Creator, The King, The Lord, The Master of all creation was on His knees washing the dirty feet of humanity.
The duty of washing people feet was given to the lowest of the servants in the household.
Jesus had not just become a human being.
Jesus had just become a servant.
Jesus had become the lowest of servants.
Not only did Jesus wash the feet of Peter, James, John, Andrew, Mathew, but He washed the feet of Judas. He washed the feet of the guy who would betray Him.
What did Jesus know that gave Him the humility to act as that lowest of servants and wash the feet of these men?
Jesus knew that:
(1) His Hour Had Come
John 13:1a
Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His our had come
Jesus knew that what the Father had given Him to do was about to come to a climax. Jesus knew that He had obeyed the Father and all was in order.
We need to face life and death with the same confidence that Jesus did, knowing that we have obeyed the Father.
(2) It was time to depart and go to the Father
John 13:1b
To depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
Jesus knew that when He left this world, His earthly existence, He would go to the Father. This allowed Him to love His own even when His own misunderstood Him, denied Him, or even rejected Him.
(3) All things were in His hand
John 13:3a
Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands
Jesus knew that He was in control. He is always in control.
When they came to Jesus, Jesus asked them who they were seeking and they said Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus told them that He was Jesus. In John 18:6 it says, “When Jesus said to them, ‘I am he’, they drew back and fell to the ground.”
Even when Jesus is being arrested, He, not the ones coming to arrest Him, was in control.
(4) He had come from God
John 13:3b
And that He come from God and was going back to God
Jesus knew who He was.
Jesus knew why He had come.
Jesus knew what He was to do.
God doesn’t play hide and seek with us about who we are as His children, and what our purpose is. He doesn’t play hide and seek about what we are to do based on what our purpose is and who we are.
We, like Jesus, can know and in the knowing be free to follow God’s will.
(5) He was both Master and Lord
John 13:13
You call Me “Teacher” and “Lord,” and rightly so, for that is what I am.
Jesus is the Teacher.
Jesus is the Master.
Jesus is the Lord.
Jesus is all of that and more, and He washed the feet of His:
Students
Subjects
Inferiors
The grace and love that Jesus shows here reinforces the truth found in Isaiah 57:15.
For this what the high and lofty One says - He who lives forever, whose name is holy, “I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.”
Jesus is high and holy, but He chose to live with us and to give His life to save us.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is knowing that Jesus is the absolute ruler in our lives with absolute authority.
Why does Jesus wash the feet of the disciples?
In short, because He is God and He wanted to. We know that Jesus only did what the Father told Him to do.
Jesus did it as an example of humility.
John 13:15
I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
In Matthew 21:5 Jesus is described as humble. He showed the extent of that humility in the washing of the disciples’ feet.
Since we are being recreated in the image of Jesus we are to allow His Spirit to make us humble.
Jesus did it as a rebuke to pride.
In Luke 22 a conversation between the Twelve is recorded.
Luke 22:24-27
Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and one who rules like one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? But I am among you as one who serves.”
Jesus says this at the very time that He is washing their feet. Jesus adds great power to what He says by showing them pure service.
Jesus did it as a picture of daily cleansing.
John 13:10
Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.”
When we confess our sins, Jesus forgives us and cleanses us from the dirtiness of sin. We need only allow Him to clean us daily from the dirtiness of living in a broken, dirty world.
Jesus did it as a reminder of His union and communion with the believer.
John 13:8
“No,” said Peter, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me.”
Jesus physically, emotionally, and spiritually touches the lives of the Twelve.
Jesus wants to physically, emotionally, and spiritually touch our lives daily.
Raise the Roof and Removes the Walls is allowing the Holy Spirit to make us humble like Jesus and cleanse us and make us one with Jesus.
Humbly and Submissively with Jesus Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Jesus Is More
I heard a conversation between two people. The first person asked the second if he believed in Jesus. The second responded that he believed that Jesus existed. The first person said, “Then you believe in Jesus.” The second person responded again that he believed that Jesus had existed. The first person went away seemingly satisfied.
We throw that phrase, “Do you believe in Jesus?” around a lot. What are we really asking?
Many people believe that:
Jesus existed
Jesus was a great man
Jesus was a great teacher
Jesus was a prophet
Jesus does not really leave any of those options open to us.
In John 12:44-50 Jesus shares five things about Himself that move Him out of the category of “merely existed” or “being a great man” or “a great teacher” or “a prophet“. What Jesus shares puts Him in a higher category than an any human.
John 12:44-50
Then Jesus cried out, “When a man believes in Me, he does not believe in Me only, but in the One who sent Me. When he looks at Me, he sees the One who sent Me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should stay in darkness. As for the person who hears My words but does not keep them, I do not judge them, For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. There is a judge for the one who rejects Me and does not accept My words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. For I did not speak of My own accord, but the Father who sent Me commanded Me what to say and how to say it. I know that His commands lead to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told Me to say.”
Jesus says that He is God.
Jesus says that believing Him is the same as believing God.
Jesus says that seeing Him is the same as seeing God.
If I said that believing in me is the same as believing in God or that seeing me is the same as seeing God, I would either be lying or crazy.
I have never healed anyone.
I have never calmed a storm.
I have never kicked a demon out of anyone’s life.
I have never miraculously fed thousands of people with a small amount of food.
I have never raised anyone from the dead.
Jesus did all these things and He did them more than once.
Jesus’ life backed up His claim to be God.
Oh, yeah. He rose from the dead!
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is knowing and following Jesus as God.
Jesus is light.
Jesus makes the claim that He is the very essence of light and that if we believe in Him as God we will never walk in darkness.
In Psalm 4:6 David prays, “Many are asking, ’Who can show us any good?’ Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord.”
Jesus is telling us that He is the light of God’s face.
If I or any mere human were to claim that we were the light of God’s face, then again, we would be lying or crazy.
Jesus as recorded in Matthew 17 shone with a light that was so overpowering that Peter, James, and John could not look upon Him. It says that Jesus’ face shone like the sun and that His clothes became as white as the light.
Jesus didn’t just claim to be light, He demonstrated the very essence of light.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is walking in Jesus as the Light.
Jesus is the Savior of the world.
Jesus says that He didn’t come into the world to judge the world, but to save the world.
In Luke 19:10 Jesus says, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Jesus hung out with sinners.
In Matthew 9:11 Jesus’ disciples are asked by the Pharisees, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Jesus ate with sinners because He came to be the Savior of the world.
We as the church need to really keep in mind that Jesus didn’t come into the world to judge or condemn people, but to save people. Many people see the church not as people who are in the world to help and serve out of love, but see us as being here to judge and point out all the bad things they do.
We need to become much more like Jesus in this area.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is surrendering your life to Jesus as your one and only Savior.
Jesus hears directly from God.
Jesus says that He does not speak on His own but what the Father commands Him to say.
Jesus claims to have direct communication from God and that He speaks only the word that is given to Him.
This is not just knowing God’s Word.
This is not just an impression.
This is not just a strong feeling.
This is a direct revelation from God.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is seeing Jesus and hearing His words as a direct revelation from God.
Jesus is eternal life.
Jesus says that the words He speaks are eternal life.
We have made eternal life something God gives us. Jesus says that eternal is Him and the words He speaks.
Jesus doesn’t give us eternal life, He is eternal life.
Jesus raised three people from the dead:
Jarius’ Daughter
Widow of Nain’s Son
Lazarus
Jesus didn’t do these with medicines or medical procedures or by enlisting any other people to help. Jesus by simply speaking restored life to these three dead people.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is living based on the truth that Jesus is eternal life.
In Acts 17:17 Luke writes that the early church turned the world upside down by proclaiming Jesus as King.
Jesus is the Lord of lords and King of kings. We as followers of Jesus need to proclaim Jesus not as a good man, a great teacher or a prophet. We need to proclaim to the world who Jesus says He is - Lord and Savior of all creation.
With Jesus as King Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
We throw that phrase, “Do you believe in Jesus?” around a lot. What are we really asking?
Many people believe that:
Jesus existed
Jesus was a great man
Jesus was a great teacher
Jesus was a prophet
Jesus does not really leave any of those options open to us.
In John 12:44-50 Jesus shares five things about Himself that move Him out of the category of “merely existed” or “being a great man” or “a great teacher” or “a prophet“. What Jesus shares puts Him in a higher category than an any human.
John 12:44-50
Then Jesus cried out, “When a man believes in Me, he does not believe in Me only, but in the One who sent Me. When he looks at Me, he sees the One who sent Me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should stay in darkness. As for the person who hears My words but does not keep them, I do not judge them, For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. There is a judge for the one who rejects Me and does not accept My words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. For I did not speak of My own accord, but the Father who sent Me commanded Me what to say and how to say it. I know that His commands lead to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told Me to say.”
Jesus says that He is God.
Jesus says that believing Him is the same as believing God.
Jesus says that seeing Him is the same as seeing God.
If I said that believing in me is the same as believing in God or that seeing me is the same as seeing God, I would either be lying or crazy.
I have never healed anyone.
I have never calmed a storm.
I have never kicked a demon out of anyone’s life.
I have never miraculously fed thousands of people with a small amount of food.
I have never raised anyone from the dead.
Jesus did all these things and He did them more than once.
Jesus’ life backed up His claim to be God.
Oh, yeah. He rose from the dead!
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is knowing and following Jesus as God.
Jesus is light.
Jesus makes the claim that He is the very essence of light and that if we believe in Him as God we will never walk in darkness.
In Psalm 4:6 David prays, “Many are asking, ’Who can show us any good?’ Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord.”
Jesus is telling us that He is the light of God’s face.
If I or any mere human were to claim that we were the light of God’s face, then again, we would be lying or crazy.
Jesus as recorded in Matthew 17 shone with a light that was so overpowering that Peter, James, and John could not look upon Him. It says that Jesus’ face shone like the sun and that His clothes became as white as the light.
Jesus didn’t just claim to be light, He demonstrated the very essence of light.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is walking in Jesus as the Light.
Jesus is the Savior of the world.
Jesus says that He didn’t come into the world to judge the world, but to save the world.
In Luke 19:10 Jesus says, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Jesus hung out with sinners.
In Matthew 9:11 Jesus’ disciples are asked by the Pharisees, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Jesus ate with sinners because He came to be the Savior of the world.
We as the church need to really keep in mind that Jesus didn’t come into the world to judge or condemn people, but to save people. Many people see the church not as people who are in the world to help and serve out of love, but see us as being here to judge and point out all the bad things they do.
We need to become much more like Jesus in this area.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is surrendering your life to Jesus as your one and only Savior.
Jesus hears directly from God.
Jesus says that He does not speak on His own but what the Father commands Him to say.
Jesus claims to have direct communication from God and that He speaks only the word that is given to Him.
This is not just knowing God’s Word.
This is not just an impression.
This is not just a strong feeling.
This is a direct revelation from God.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is seeing Jesus and hearing His words as a direct revelation from God.
Jesus is eternal life.
Jesus says that the words He speaks are eternal life.
We have made eternal life something God gives us. Jesus says that eternal is Him and the words He speaks.
Jesus doesn’t give us eternal life, He is eternal life.
Jesus raised three people from the dead:
Jarius’ Daughter
Widow of Nain’s Son
Lazarus
Jesus didn’t do these with medicines or medical procedures or by enlisting any other people to help. Jesus by simply speaking restored life to these three dead people.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is living based on the truth that Jesus is eternal life.
In Acts 17:17 Luke writes that the early church turned the world upside down by proclaiming Jesus as King.
Jesus is the Lord of lords and King of kings. We as followers of Jesus need to proclaim Jesus not as a good man, a great teacher or a prophet. We need to proclaim to the world who Jesus says He is - Lord and Savior of all creation.
With Jesus as King Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Exalting Jesus
I am continually amazed at the transparency of God and His Word.
In John 12:27 Jesus says, “Now is My soul troubled. And what shall I say? Father save Me from this hour? But for this purpose I have come to this hour.”
Jesus is troubled about the cross. He knows that is the purpose for which He has come into the world.
If the Bible was not truly the Word of God it would paint another picture of Jesus. It would not show His troubled soul here in this passage.
Jesus then in John 12:28 says, “Father, glorify Your name.”
Jesus wanted to glorify the Father in every circumstance of His earthly life.
Then God the Father does an awesome thing. He answers Jesus. The crowd hears something but is not quite sure what it was, and Jesus tells them that the voice had been for their benefit, not His.
Then in John 12:32 Jesus says, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.”
John 12:33 tells us this is a reference to how Jesus would die.
This verse also shares with us a very important truth.
When we exalt Jesus in our lives, He will use us to draw people to Himself.
What does it mean for Jesus to be exalted in our lives?
It means that we live based on who the Word of God says that God is.
God is Infinite.
Colossians 1:17
And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
Infinite means limitless or endless in space, extent, or size; impossible to measure or calculate.
God cannot be measured or calculated or compared to anything.
God is Good.
Psalm 119:68
You are good and do good; teach me your statues.
God being good means He is morally perfect. There is no sin, no sin at all, in God.
God is Just.
Psalm 111:7
The works of His hands are faithful and just; all His precepts are trustworthy.
God never acts in an unjust or unfaithful manner.
God is Mercy.
2 Corinthians 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.
God always shows mercy before any judgment is dispensed.
God is Grace.
Romans 3:24
And are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
Grace is God’s undeserved love for us. We cannot do anything to make God love us more or love us less. He loves us to the max all the time.
God is Holy.
Leviticus11:44
For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy.
God is separate and above His creation. He is pure and undefiled.
God is Perfect.
Psalm 50:2
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth.
There is nothing about God that is not perfect.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls means living based on who God is.
Exalting Jesus in our lives means that we live based on what God Word’s says about what God can do.
Psalm 145:19
He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He also hears their cry and saves them.
God saves us from the penalty and power of sin
Psalm 103:3
Who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases.
God forgives and heals.
Psalm 23:3
He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
God restores.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls means living based on what God can do.
Exalting Jesus in your life means living based on who God’ s Word says we are.
Ephesians 2:5
Even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved.
We are Saved and Alive.
Galatians 3:3
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us - for it written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.”
We are Redeemed.
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
We are Forgiven and Cleansed.
Ephesians 2:4
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us.
We are Loved.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls means we live based on who God says we are.
There are mnay more things that God is and does and many more things that God says we are and exalting Jesus means living based on all those truths.
It is time that the church, all followers of Jesus, live not based on what the enemy is telling us about God and ourselves, but on what God says about Himself and us.
The world does not need to see what we can do.
The world does not need to see us exalted.
The world does not need a human-based solution to our problems.
The world needs to see what Jesus can do.
The world needs to see Jesus exalted.
The world needs to see a Jesus-based solution to our problems.
Exalting Jesus in Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
In John 12:27 Jesus says, “Now is My soul troubled. And what shall I say? Father save Me from this hour? But for this purpose I have come to this hour.”
Jesus is troubled about the cross. He knows that is the purpose for which He has come into the world.
If the Bible was not truly the Word of God it would paint another picture of Jesus. It would not show His troubled soul here in this passage.
Jesus then in John 12:28 says, “Father, glorify Your name.”
Jesus wanted to glorify the Father in every circumstance of His earthly life.
Then God the Father does an awesome thing. He answers Jesus. The crowd hears something but is not quite sure what it was, and Jesus tells them that the voice had been for their benefit, not His.
Then in John 12:32 Jesus says, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.”
John 12:33 tells us this is a reference to how Jesus would die.
This verse also shares with us a very important truth.
When we exalt Jesus in our lives, He will use us to draw people to Himself.
What does it mean for Jesus to be exalted in our lives?
It means that we live based on who the Word of God says that God is.
God is Infinite.
Colossians 1:17
And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
Infinite means limitless or endless in space, extent, or size; impossible to measure or calculate.
God cannot be measured or calculated or compared to anything.
God is Good.
Psalm 119:68
You are good and do good; teach me your statues.
God being good means He is morally perfect. There is no sin, no sin at all, in God.
God is Just.
Psalm 111:7
The works of His hands are faithful and just; all His precepts are trustworthy.
God never acts in an unjust or unfaithful manner.
God is Mercy.
2 Corinthians 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.
God always shows mercy before any judgment is dispensed.
God is Grace.
Romans 3:24
And are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
Grace is God’s undeserved love for us. We cannot do anything to make God love us more or love us less. He loves us to the max all the time.
God is Holy.
Leviticus11:44
For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy.
God is separate and above His creation. He is pure and undefiled.
God is Perfect.
Psalm 50:2
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth.
There is nothing about God that is not perfect.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls means living based on who God is.
Exalting Jesus in our lives means that we live based on what God Word’s says about what God can do.
Psalm 145:19
He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He also hears their cry and saves them.
God saves us from the penalty and power of sin
Psalm 103:3
Who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases.
God forgives and heals.
Psalm 23:3
He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
God restores.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls means living based on what God can do.
Exalting Jesus in your life means living based on who God’ s Word says we are.
Ephesians 2:5
Even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved.
We are Saved and Alive.
Galatians 3:3
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us - for it written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.”
We are Redeemed.
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
We are Forgiven and Cleansed.
Ephesians 2:4
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us.
We are Loved.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls means we live based on who God says we are.
There are mnay more things that God is and does and many more things that God says we are and exalting Jesus means living based on all those truths.
It is time that the church, all followers of Jesus, live not based on what the enemy is telling us about God and ourselves, but on what God says about Himself and us.
The world does not need to see what we can do.
The world does not need to see us exalted.
The world does not need a human-based solution to our problems.
The world needs to see what Jesus can do.
The world needs to see Jesus exalted.
The world needs to see a Jesus-based solution to our problems.
Exalting Jesus in Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
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