That's What He Said

Is this what Jesus said? Remember With great power comes great responsibility, But that's not what he said. Jesus didn't play it safe. He flipped tables. He said to love your enemies. He said to take up your cross. He said things that made people walk away. Some of what he said was misunderstood. Some of it made people uncomfortable, but all of it life changing. So those were a few of the things that Jesus did not say. What we're gonna do over the next five weeks is we're gonna spend time looking at the things that he did say. Jesus said a lot of very powerful things. Some of them were very simple, inspiring and motivational. A lot of what Jesus said, a little to understand, a little more confusing. And it requires some real digging to determine what Jesus meant. And some of what he said really requires you to know the full context of what was happening. And it's important that you read all of what he said. So if you have a standard Bible, uh, most of the scripture, most of the text will be in black. But where we see Jesus quoted, those letters are in red. I want to caution you though. So when, when I write my notes for sermons, uh, what's on your listening guide is the scripture and the fill in the blanks. Well, those things in my notes, I put them in black. My personal notes, my little reminders of stories I want to tell, I print those in red. My awesome admin in our ha campus, Brie, uh, she printed my notes for me one time and as she was looking down, she saw the black print and all the red print. And she looked at me and she said, I didn't know Jesus said all this stuff. But look, not all red letters are things that Jesus said, but we are gonna focus on the red letters of scripture over these next few weeks. So really glad you're here. Whether you're watching at campus or watching online, my name is Chuck. I'm our hazard campus pastor, and excited to kick off this new series. That's what he said. We're gonna talk today about something that Jesus said. It's not really hard to understand, uh, but it it's hard to hear. Now, not all quotes are that way. I'm gonna share with you three quick famous quotes. Uh, you guys have probably seen this one. And, uh, it's maybe one of the most famous of all times. John F. Kennedy Jr. Said, ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country. Not confusing, very simple, inspiring, motivational. Not all quotes are that way. Some are difficult, some are complicated. Einstein once said, time is an illusion. What does that, what does that even mean? Is time not a real thing? Who, who knows what he actually meant? That would require some digging. Some of Jesus' quotes or that way, or one of my very favorite quotes by the great theologian, Mike Tyson. Mike Tyson once said, everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face. Now, what you may not know about this quote from Mike Tyson is, I think he actually said something way more powerful right after that, then like a rat, they stop in fear and they freeze. It's so important to read everything that was said and to read it in context, to get the real impact. Today we're gonna talk about the fact that Jesus said there is going to be trouble. There's going to be trouble. He, he said a lot of controversial things, a a lot of misunderstood things, not this one. He was very, very clear, there will be trouble. So after leaving the upper room and they had the last supper, Jesus is preparing his disciples for what life is gonna be like without him. So, so from that time over about the next, uh, 12 to 20 hours, he shares with them a lot of important information. And we're gonna start in John chapter 15 verses 18 through 20. So if you're, if you have a Bible, go ahead and take it out to John chapter 15. Uh, if you don't, we'll put 'em up on the screen for you. Uh, or there's a listening guide, whether you're watching online or you physically have a listening guide at one of our campuses. So they've left the upper room. Jesus has given them kind of their last instructions, the last things for them to expect. And here's what he says in John 15, verse 18. If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belong to the world, it would love you as its own, as it is, you do not belong to the world. But I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you, A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you. Also, if they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. Now, look, that that can be a lot. I wanna go back through this and we're gonna break this down for you, uh, in small pieces. Instead, if the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. Here's what Jesus is doing. Jesus is saying, I have experienced what you're going to experience, what you're gonna feel over the next days and over the next weeks and over the next years, what you're gonna feel. I've been there, there, there's a connection between you and I. We we experience much of the same. He says, if you belong to the world, it would love you as its own. And I think what Jesus is saying is that's not who you are. They hate you because you're not like them. And that's a good thing. That's a good thing. I need you to be different as it is, you do not belong to the world. He says, I have chosen you out of the world. It's a good thing that they hate you because you're not like them, because I have called you to be different. That's what they hate about you. Now, look, there was a lot of people that, that loved Jesus. What they didn't love was what Jesus was preaching. Because what Jesus was preaching was really counterintuitive to society at that time. Jesus was saying things like, love your enemies. Jesus was saying things like, turn the other cheek. These are not things you did. And that's, in fact, I would say today a lot of those things, that's not what we want to hear. That's not what we wanna say. Jesus is saying, my way is different and I've called you to something different. That's why the world hates you. Remember what I told you, A servant is not greater than his master. We're, we're gonna experience the same things. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you. Also, I find this very interesting. If I was persecuted, you'll be persecuted too. Now, his disciples would, would learn that better than anyone. All of them, except for the author of this, except for John, would eventually be martyred. They, they would be killed. They would be murdered because of their faith in Jesus. And he was telling this group of people, you will experience persecution. But he also said, but if they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. So you're gonna experience persecution. However, if you can win them over through that, the way that I won some over, they'll obey you the way they obeyed me. And Jesus was saying, there's going to be trouble, but there's great power in following me. So here, here's the big idea. Jesus never promised a comfortable life. In fact, I think it's quite the opposite. Jesus says there will be trouble. So he is talking to them and, uh, he's about to go to the cross and he's about to wrap it up by praying for them. Uh, and he, he wants to kind of summarize the purpose of this long talk that he's had through them in John 15 and, and to bring some peace to them and, and to bring some assurance that, that they'll overcome this persecution. And here's what he said in John 1633. Why? Why have I, why have I told you so many things in the last hours? I've told you these things so that in me, you may have peace in this world, you will have trouble. He, he's not suggesting it. He's not saying maybe he's promising these 11, you will have trouble, but take heart. I have overcome the world. You'll experience trouble in the world. The good news is I have overcome that. Now. He's speaking very specifically to these 11 people. But, but there's so much for us to learn from what he shared with his followers. I do not believe that we're gonna experience the same type of persecution that, that his 11 disciples would experience. I don't believe that very few people that you've ever met or known are gonna be murdered because of their faith in Christ. But he was saying this, you can expect trouble. You can expect trouble. Here's the great thing about that warning is if you can expect it, then be prepared to recognize it. Be ready to deal with it, be prepared. When it does come, you will not, you might, you will face trouble. So be prepared for that. Now, what, what might it look like as a, as a 2025 follower of Jesus to face trouble here? Here's what that probably looks like for us. It probably doesn't look like, uh, you've been preaching the word of Jesus. We're gonna chop your head off, which is what it meant for some of their disciples. That's not what it looks like for us. What it looks like is the world really hates some of the concepts that Jesus taught. The, the world really hates some of our, our Christian worldview and some of the, the, the thoughts and the ideals we have because of that, the world hates those things. So, so they may stand against a lot of the things that you stand for, expect that, expect that, that, that may cause a little bit of trouble. But he also said, take heart and rejoice in that. And rejoice literally means to, to be of good cheer. Don't rejoice over the trouble. We shouldn't celebrate because there's trouble. But we should celebrate the fact that Jesus has overcome that trouble, and that through our faith in Christ, we can overcome those troubles. Now look, if you're, if you're a new believer or a new Christian, you might say, well, man, or if you're not an unbeliever, you may say, that seems counterintuitive. If if Jesus is saying you're going to have trouble, you should expect trouble. Why? Why would anybody wanna follow Jesus if it guarantees trouble? Well, well, here's what I want to tell you. There is worse trouble. There's greater trouble. There's deeper trouble in not following Jesus. Who do unbelievers turn to when they face trouble? Who, who do unbelievers put their hope in? Who, who do unbelievers put their faith in? Who do unbelievers take refuge in? Well, it was followers of Jesus as his disciples. We take refuge in him. We take refuge in him. He, he is, he's our safe place. He's our source of comfort. He, he's the one that, uh, has always kind of got your back. I was a younger man. Um, I used to do some different things than I do now. And uh, when I was in my early twenties, uh, I might often find myself, uh, in a bar. And I remember one time very distinctly, uh, I was at the bar with some friends and cute, uh, including a young lady, uh, that I was with. Uh, and she was standing at the bar and I went to the restroom and I came back and there was a guy there, uh, and he was hitting on the girl that I was with. Now, hard to believe, but this guy was bigger than me. Um, hard also to believe. Uh, if we ended up fighting, the guy probably would've killed me. However, big brave Chuck walked her right up to him and was like, Hey man, what are you doing? And went on to tell him, I think it's a good idea if you leave. And he looks at me like, yeah, I don't think I'm gonna leave. And I said, well, look, if you know what's best for you, you'll leave. Now don't be too impressed at my courage at this point, 'cause, but the part that I didn't tell you is I have a buddy named Big Mark. Well, big Mark didn't get his nickname, like the ironic name. Big Mark was a massive human being. Big Mark had walked around to the backside of this guy, and as I'm over there chirping Big Mark just taps the guy on the shoulder, and he did reach down to tap the guy on the shoulder. And as the guy turned around, my buddy, big Mark and his kindness voice said, look, man, I'm not asking you to leave. I'm telling you to leave. And that guy could not have about faced any quicker. And he was gone. And, and, and here's why I tell you that, because I had a lot of courage when I was around Big Mark, big Mark made me feel safe. I knew that when I was out with Big Mark, I knew two things. One, there would be trouble, right? I, I knew there would be trouble, but I expected it. And I knew that Big Mark had my back. I'm not encouraging you to go drinking with really big people. It's not what I'm telling you. What I'm encouraging you with is this, there will be trouble. Do you have someone to lean on? Do you have someone to count on? Do you have someone that you know can overcome any trouble that you find yourself in? I do. And it's no longer Big Mark. And, and I want you to have that as well. Look at John chapter 14, verse 27. Jesus, again, speaking to his disciples, said, peace. I leave with you. My peace I give you. He says something, this is a little bit odd. He says, I do not give to you as the world gives. I believe what he was saying is when I say, I want to give you peace, it was very common, uh, back then. There dismount, there, there salutation. You say hello, you say goodbye. Shalom or peace was, was a common way to say goodbye basically. And Jesus is saying this peace, I'm talking about it. It's not like, like peace. We're leaving goodbye. This piece is different. I'm not giving you this as the world gives. This is different. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. This is the same. He's talking to the same people. It's gonna be hard. There's going to be persecution, but there is great peace in me. And not, not just any peace, but his peace and and trouble in the world. It, it, it's what pushes us either towards Jesus or it's what pushes us away from Jesus. Remember what we said earlier, there is going to be trouble. If you're a follower of Jesus, there is going to be trouble. If you're not a follower of Jesus, there's going to be trouble. But who do you have to lean on? Thi this is the idea of, of, you've maybe heard it said there's, there was peace beyond understanding. Like I don't understand why, but I just had great peace in, in that moment. Uh, you've, you've heard this, people on their deathbeds, I'm fine, I'm ready. It's okay. I know I'm going to be with Jesus. There's great peace in that. I experienced it physically one time, many, many, many years ago. Uh, I was a fireman in the city of Dallas. And I will just tell you, I was not A lot of firemen are big, brave guys who will do anything without fear. Uh, and look, man, I love those guys. I wasn't one of those guys. I just wasn't. I would do the job, but quite honestly, I did it in great fear. Well, early on in my career is when I became a follower of Jesus, I accepted Christ, uh, began to try to follow Jesus to the best of my ability. And I'll never forget this one moment, uh, where we're on our way to a call and, and I honestly, I would get nervous. There's flames blowing through the roof. There's, you know what, bad stuff can happen here, but I'll, I'll never forget this one call, the first time ever that they reported out and they said, flame to show. And I, I would, you know, always get a little nervous for the first time ever, I sat in the back of that fire engine as I got dressed and I prayed. I I, I've never done it before, but as a follower of, gee, I just felt like it was the right thing to do. And I prayed and I remember pulling the hose off and getting to the front door and pulling my mask down and strapping the helmet, gloves on and ready to go in. And there was this silence, there was this clarity, there is this sense of fearlessness, like everything was just going to be fine. And I, and I had never felt that before. I had never felt that lack of nerves, that lack of fear. There was just a sense of calm. Now what we were about to go into was still a mess. It was still chaos. It was still dangerous. There was great troubles in there, but I just had a sense of peace about the whole thing. And I just never had that great amount of fear again. And it was eye-opening to me in that moment. Like this Jesus thing is real. This this leaning on Jesus for your strength thing. It's real and it's powerful. And, and man, I want you to understand that. I want you to experience that. I want you to feel that for yourself again. It didn't take away the hard thing. It didn't take away the trouble, but there was peace in the midst of the trouble. Now look, we all have our things right? And we all have our hardships in life. We all have the hard things that we've undergone. Here's the important thing though, is, is when we lean on Jesus and we look to Jesus in the midst of the hard things, and we try to experience that peace beyond understanding once we come out of the hard things is you have to use the, the hard lessons that you had to learn. You have to use those to strengthen other people. You have to give some purpose to the hard things that you went through. We, we see this played out beautifully in Luke, uh, chapter 22. This is Jesus. Uh, he, he's talking to who we know as Peter. Uh, but, but Peter has betrayed Jesus and is kind of going back, uh, to who he used to be. And you're gonna see Jesus, he's gonna look at him, uh, and he's gonna call him Simon. He says, Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. And, and I think what Jesus is saying is, Peter, I get it. The the spiritual battle, that spiritual conflict, it, it's real. Satan is, is after your heart. I get that. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail even in the hard moments. I I told you there'll be trouble even in these hard moments that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back and he means turn back towards him, strengthen your brothers once you get through this. Peter, once you get through this and use this, use this. I, I, I believe we saw this done in a beautiful way Easter Sunday, this past, uh, Easter. If you weren't here, man, you need to go back and watch. And the way we ended, uh, that service is we shared the story of Lakota Gohar. Uh, Lakota shared his story, uh, on video. Uh, and he talked about a song that was powerful to him. And Lakota shared his hardships and, and the things that he was struggling with. And he shared about this moment where he knew man, he had to turn towards Jesus in the midst of his hardships. And I can't tell you the number of people across our campuses that I experienced personally that came to me and said, that was so incredibly powerful. Why? Why is that so powerful? Because Lakota's story is my story. And Lakota's story was your story. The the struggles are different. The the circumstances were different. But, but his story was this. I had a lot of trouble as promised. He had a lot of trouble. And then he had a moment where he realized he needed to take a refuge in Jesus. And then we see the victory through the difficulty. Your story's the same way. Your struggle's different. The the things that hurt might be different. Your your past experiences are different. The circumstances are different, but the trouble is the same. And, and the one that you need to take refuges in is the same. And, and Lakota sang that song at the end, the hard fought. Hallelujah. There was trouble. But now I can celebrate. And I'm so grateful that he was willing to share that story so that when it gets hard, Simon Simon, when it gets hard, when you get out of that, you need to strengthen your brothers with it. I I'm so proud that he shared that story. It's not a crazy story. It's not a near death moment. He, he didn't see Jesus in the cloud. It's not a crazy, sexy story, but it's so relatable and so is your story. So here's what I wanna challenge you with this week. What lesson are you learning? What, what hardship are you in the middle of? What, what difficulty are you going through? What lesson are you learning? And then how can you use that experience to strengthen other people? Let let me give you one powerful way to do it. And this, this, this may seem big and I may be crazy for asking, but what if you did exactly what Lakota did twice a year? Uh, we, we get the people of our church and we ask them like, will you share your story? And these are the stories you see at the end of our services. And, and what do all those stories have in common? There was hardship, there was an interaction with Jesus. And, and here's the other side. Not perfect life. Sometimes not a hundred percent healing, but it's way better because I took refuge in him twice a year. We record those stories. Would you do yours? Would you be willing to record yours? Or, or maybe you take the step of, go to one of our share classes and learn how to write your story. Learn how to tell your story. Learn how to share your story in a way that glorifies the Jesus that took refuge in. Let me pray for us. Heavenly Father, we, we thank you for the words of Jesus. And specifically today, we thank you that, that Jesus gave us this heads up, this warning to expect difficulty, to expect trouble, to expect things to be hard. But then he went and overcame hard and defeated death and defeated sin so we could too. God, I pray you'd help us to put our faith in that risen Christ to, to find that peace beyond understanding that comes only through him. And then to use our story to strengthen those around us. And if, and if you don't have the back half of that story yet because you've never taken refuge in Jesus and you're, and you're ready to do that, can I just give you an opportunity? If you're ready to put your faith in him, would, would you just pray silently to yourself as honestly as you can, just right there in your seat, just pray. God, I know your promise that it's gonna be hard. I'm experiencing that some because of my own doing life is, is God. Its difficulties. I realize that, that I sin and I choose outside of your will, but instead of holding that against me, God, you sent your son Jesus to die on the cross to to pay those penalties so I don't have to pay that price. I know that he died on that cross. And like we celebrated last week, I know that he rose from the dead defeating sin and death. And I wanna put my faith in that risen Christ, not only for the promise of an eternal life in heaven, but for the promise of peace in my life now. And if you prayed that for the first time, would you just begin for thank him? And please be sure to let someone know so we can help you with your next steps. God, we love you and we thank you for the promise and the hope and the peace that your son Jesus brings. It's in His name we pray. Amen.