The living presence of Christ
Bill Beckham 28th May 2006
John 14 v 1-31 Jesus is preparing his disciples for his going away
The living presence of God is in us as a group and as individuals. Religion is based on objects, ritual, teachings. Christianity is centred on the presence and revelation of the living God. The Bible is God's revelation of himself. He appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Samuel Wesley on his deathbed in 1735 said to his son John 'the inward witness, son, this is the proof, the strongest proof of Christianity'. Bill Beckham says it's the only proof of the living God. John Wesley found that inward dwelling presence of God a few years later.
If we're going to win this world it won't be done academically or by arguments or with the trappings of religion, but by the proof of the inward witness of the revelation of God in the lives of people. They will receive the inward spirit if we have that inward spirit. God himself will speak to them.
Omnipresence – God is everywhere, through time and space, Psalm 39 v 1-12 (over)
Abiding presence – constant, indwelling, John 15 v 17-23 (in)
Manifest presence – evident, discernible, living, John 14 v 16-17 (with)
The role of the Holy Spirit
John 14 talks of heaven and Earth. Heaven is a house with many rooms. On Earth the Holy Spirit will be here with us, the Father is with us here too.
John 14 v 17 'with you and in you'. With and in – different understandings of how the Spirit relates to us.
John 14 v 16 counsellor – walking alongside
John 14 v 18 I (Jesus) will come to you.
John 14 v 23 my father and Jesus will make their home with him
The work of the Spirit is to make sure the father and the son are also participants of our lives here. God is in us and with us. With us in groups, in us as individuals.
The Holy Spirit teaches us to experience Jesus as a spiritual reality not as a physical experience. The disciples had been with Jesus physically, and needed to transition to knowing him spiritually. This is how we experience him today, it is more real than the physical.
It's like electricity, we don't see it but we see the evidence of it. It's not real in the same way as a table which we can see and touch, but we know it's real.
Experience Jesus spiritually
Mark 16 v 12-13 & Luke 24 v 13-35 The road to Emmaus. He appeared to them, they reported it to the others, but were not believed, as others who has seen Jesus were not believed. The Jesus sightings didn't mean anything until they experienced him spiritually, then they believed.
They did not recognise him whilst walking on the road. He was in a different form.
How do we know Christ is present, we can't see or touch him. This is what Jesus was trying to address in John 14, trying to prepare them.
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Jesus promised he wouldn't leave us and that we wouldn't be alone.
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I must believe. We experience it as we believe.
How do we live in the presence? Rev 3 v 20 I stand at the door and knock, if you open the door I will come in. We need to invite him. Hear his voice, open the door, invite him in, eat with him (indicates a relationship). This is how we activate the presence.
If we hear his voice and even open the door but don't invite him in, we have a shallow relationship with Christ. We need to sit down and eat with him regularly.
What happens when we live in the presence, personally and in cell. The indwelling presence allows us to experience the fullness of the Trinity, relates it to our lives. Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Also, Jesus is with me every day in all circumstances. Holds me, loves me, enjoys me, teaches me, comfort me, protects me, walks with me, give gifts to me. Every day in all circumstances. Even through the valley of the shadow of death. 1 Cor 15 v 55-57 O death where is your sting.
If we're having problems with death or sin or law it's because we're not abiding in the presence. If we're being stung. These things will happen regardless but we won't get stung by them.
1 Cor 5 v 8 keep the festival. The indwelling Christ gives us joy in our lives. Regardless of circumstances.
Are we keeping the festival? How's the joy in your life?
We are being changed
The indwelling Christ changes me into his image. If we have the Trinity indwelling us, we should be being changed! All we have to do is invite him in, and he's the one who changes us.
Also, we are being prepared for heaven. It's a short time here, the reality and the longer time will be in heaven. God is preparing us for what we'll be like when we're with him. Here we are like an acorn, but in heaven we'll be magnified into a mighty oak, out of the spiritual essence of what we are.
We need to experience the touch of the presence of him in our lives. He touched us when we became Christians, for the touch to continue I have to hear his voice, open the door, invite Jesus in and eat with him. Daily living in this relationship.
It's our choice, every day and in every situation.
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