Happily Ever After?

Today at True North was a bitter sweet day...it was our high school seniors final day as high school students in the ministry. What has been so neat is watching many of these young people be transformed radically from the inside out by the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is sad to see them go but at the same time exciting to anticipate all God is going to do in and through them in the years to come. Bobby gave a great message that I think powerfully resonated within everyone's hearts and minds.

In today's culture, especially American culture, we have this idea or notion that each of us will live happily ever after...or at least that is the goal. But for the Christian is that a reality? Is that what the Bible teaches? No, not at all. In fact the Bible teaches almost something exactly opposite...but although we may not have a happily ever after here on this earth...we will live happily ever after with our Maker for eternity in the kingdom of Heaven one day.

Peace...was Jesus the archetypal figure of the modern peace movement? Absolutely not. Jesus did not preach a national or relational human peace but rather a peace between a Holy God and unholy man. Jesus wants us to have a peace with God because we are naturally enemies of God. John 14:27 says that the peace we have is a different kind of peace from that of the world, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." Humanity wants peace and unity, but in a fallen world the only possible peace is found through the blood of Christ toward God!

Our text, John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Jesus preached these precious words to His closest followers, the disciples the night he was to be taken from the Garden and crucified. A message of exhortation, warning and a promise that applies to each of us today. What can we take away from these words?

We need to be established in our relationship with Christ! We must make sure first and foremost we are right with God...that we have established peace with Him in our hearts. The only way to do this is through repentance and faith in Christ's provisionary work on the cross of calvary. If God has really saved you you will have a REAL peace. In the book of Jeremiah we see how false peace is often promised to people yet God explains they have no peace with them because they have not established peace with Him. Jeremiah 6:14-15 "They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious.'Peace, peace,' they say,when there is no peace. Are they ashamed of their loathsome conduct? No, they have no shame at all;they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen;they will be brought down when I punish them," says the LORD. " We must make sure that the peace we have claimed to have obtained is genuine and real and the peace we proclaim is the peace of the Gospel.

Right after Jesus explains how to obtain peace He is quick to prepare the disciples for the life they are about to live. The happily ever after life? Not quite. More of a life full of hardship, trials, and persecution. People will hate you and turn on you because of the peace you have. John 15:18 says, "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first." There is a promise of persecution here...it is part of the package of Christianity. The world didn't like Jesus so why would it like you, someone who follows Him? Why is Jesus telling us and the disciples this? John 16:1 answers our question, "All this I have told you so that you will not go astray." Much of the persecution is going to come from within the "church" or from people who claim to be "Christians". We must prepare ourselves....here are some great encouraging verses on how to do this:
-1 John 13:13-14 "Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. " ---> Knowing this reminds us that if the world hates us we are followers of Him whom they hated first.
-2 Timothy 3:12 "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted..."---> This leads us to know that if we are being persecuted we are living the life we have been called to.
-1 Peter 4:12-13 "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed." ---> What a promise we have to look forward to!!

Jesus doesn't leave us here in discouragement but rather strengthens and encourages us with the ending of the verse in John 16:33. "...But take heart! I have overcome the world." We must be victorious in the love of Jesus. The more we stick up for Christ the more we will be squeezed/persecuted by the world but we can have confidence that Jesus Christ has already overcome the world on a cross over 2000 years ago. And we can know that if we are Christians with His strength we too will overcome the world.
-Psalm 23:4-6 "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,I will fear no evil,for you are with me;your rod and your staff,they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil;my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."
-Psalm 27:13-14 "I am still confident of this:I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD;be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD."
-Romans 8:28-35---> Everything works for good...not everything will be good but everything works for good for those in Christ and if He is for us nobody can be against us in fact NOTHING can separate us from His love.

So although we may not have a happily ever after here on this earth...we will live happily ever after with our Maker for eternity in the kingdom of Heaven one day.