Foundry Community Church
Fifth Sunday of Easter - Year A
  • Come Thou Font of Every Blessing

      • Psalm 31:1–5NIRV

      • Psalm 31:15–16NIRV

      • 1 Peter 2:2–10NIRV

  • Sing Praise To God Who Reigns Above

      • John 14:1–14NIRV

  • Not too terribly long ago, my wife was uncharacteristicly having a bad day. Things weren’t going the way she wanted them to. Chaos seemingly had encroached on our otherwise peaceful home. But have no fear! I had sage words of advice to solve all her issues and bring peace and tranquility back to our home. You may wish to write them down, as they are truly magnificent in wisdom and efficacy.
    Are you ready?
    Remember, you asked for it…
    Here they are…
    Calm down.
    No more magnificent words of wisdom have ever been spoken. I’m sure of it, yet, for some reason, on that day…

    1. Calm in Christ's Comfort

    But, no matter how effective ~ or ineffective my words are, we can find that calm in Christ. Our Gospel reading this morning is such an example. Here, Jesus is telling His disciples about His impending death. He’s telling them that tHe is not going to be with them much longer. This is bringing a lot of trouble to the Disciple’s souls and Jesus just tells them, “Calm down.” Well… not so much, but let’s hear what Jesus tells us.
    John 14:1 ESV
    1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.
    Now, because this is Jesus talking, we know that this “Calm down” should be sufficient. Trust God, trust me. Sounds like good advice but if we don’t know the voice of the Good Shepherd, like we learned last week, This sounds like a used car salesman trying to sell us a “fine, gently used, cream puff.” So, Jesus recognizing that the Disciples needed some further assistance and His “Calm down” wasn’t gonna suffice, He goes on…
    John 14:2–7 ESV
    2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 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.
    So, Jesus tells them two things here.
    I’m going to prepare a place for you, all of you, there will be plenty of room for all of you with me!
    I’m coming back to get you and bring you to that place!
    Then He says something interesting and seemingly contradictory:
    John 14:4 ESV
    4 And you know the way to where I am going.”
    Wait. What? If you’re coming to get us, then why do we need to know the way, and I’m pretty sure you haven’t given any directions anywhere. Is this place close by? In Jerusalem, Somewhere in Judea or where?
    It’s kinda like that big city lawyer who needed to find that small country farm out in the middle of nowhere to meet with a client, and he got directions that read, turn left at the fourth fence post - The white ones, not the red ones, go down ‘bout yonder and turn right at the horse pasture ~ if you see a bunch of chickens, you’ve gone too far…
    Maybe that’s what Thomas was thinking…
    John 14:4–6 ESV
    4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
    We saw this last week when Jesus was saying “I am…” He said it a couple times. “I am the gate. Anyone who come by any other way is a thief and a robber.” Then He said, “I am the Good Shepherd, my sheep know my voice…” Here’s another place where he is revealing Himself as the Messiah. “I am…” He keeps on saying that. “I am…” As if they should recognize that phrase and connect it to something important somehow…
    He goes on.
    John 14:4–7 ESV
    7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
    He’s telling them, they need to know God. He understands that “No man has seen God at any time,” so He gives them the understanding of “You know me, and because you know me, you now know my Father.”
    But, Pastor, you titled this message “Finding Peace in Places of Turmoil.” What does this have to do with “places of turmoil.” So glad you asked! You can’t truly have peace, if you don’t know God! ~ And Jesus is “The Way, the Truth and the Life!” He is the “Prince of Peace.” There is no other way to having Peace except through Christ!

    2. Confidence in God's Refuge

    David understood a few things about turmoil. Keep in mind, that the shepherd boy David, was quite content being all by himself out tending sheep. He simply tended his sheep, worshipped God and enjoyed peace and contentment… Up till some wierdo, came by looking for him and told him that he was going to be King. David must have been thinking, “What a quack! I’m a simple kid out watching sheep, heck, I don’t even like being around people, much less being king…”
    So, of course we know the story, David kills Goliath, becomes best friends with Jonathan, King Saul’s son, the people are singing and dancing in the streets, “Saul has killed his thousands and David, his tens of thousands…” Saul gets angry and jealous, tries to kill David and has the whole country searching for him trying to kill him. David becomes king, Bathsheba happens, Absolom happens, you know, chaos, turmoil. Vastly different life than David had, was accomstomed to, or even wanted. Yet this is what he says in the midst of that…
    Psalm 31:1–4 ESV
    1 In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me! 2 Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me! 3 For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me; 4 you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge.
    David got it. He may not have asked to be king. He may not have deserved all the troubles that he faced, but in spite of that, he wasn’t complaining, “It’s not fair! I don’t deserve this! I didn’t ask for any of this! whah, whah, whah!” No. He was finding his place of peace in the midst of turmoil, in the presence of God.
    Then he says something else, that connects to Christ…
    Psalm 31:5 ESV
    5 Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.
    “Into your hand I commit my spirit…” Isn’t that what Jesus said as He died? This wasn’t mere words out of David’s mouth, it was complete surrender to God.
    “No matter what happens, how bad it gets, I trust You.” Peace in the place of turmoil.

    3. Courage from Our Chosen Calling

    God has a calling on us. It is out of our comfort zone. Guaranteed as we follow the calling of God on our lives, turmoil will happen. People will try to destroy us. They will go great lengths to hinder you, hurt you, defame you, destroy you, maybe even kill you. But there is peace in Christ.
    Look at what Peter said to the early church…
    1 Peter 2:4–5 ESV
    4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
    He’s saying God is building a church, not made of hands, but of the hearts of men. You are the stones that He is using to build His Church.
    1 Peter 2:6–8 ESV
    6 For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” 7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” 8 and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
    Jesus is the cornerstone, the very strongest point in the whole structure of the Church. Unshakeable, unmoveable, solid ~ safe in all the trumoil that life brings.
    And here’s the promise…
    1 Peter 2:9–10 ESV
    9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
    We are chosen by God to be a priesthood of men, a holy nation not for our glory but to proclaim His excellencies ~ Because He called you out of darkness into His marvelous light BECAUSE WE HAVE RECEIVED HIS MERCY!
    So, tie it all together. OK. You have been saved by His mercy. for a purpose. one you didn’t ask for. one you didn’t desire. because of that you are promised trials, tribulations, and troubles. ~ that you don’t deserve…~turmoil, but Jesus has made you an integral part of His Church, further, He has prepared a place for you, and He’s coming to take you there, because you know Him, You know the Father.
    So…
    Calm down.
    He’s got this.
    Be at Peace in this time of turmoil.

      • John 14:1NIRV

      • John 14:2–7NIRV

      • John 14:4NIRV

      • John 14:4–6NIRV

      • John 14:4–7NIRV

      • Psalm 31:1–4NIRV

      • Psalm 31:5NIRV

      • 1 Peter 2:4–5NIRV

      • 1 Peter 2:6–8NIRV

      • 1 Peter 2:9–10NIRV

  • MYSTERION
  • Doxology
  • Ye Servants Of God (Lyons)
  • Now Unto Him
Foundry Community Church
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