A Promise

As we approach the solemn beauty of Holy Week, join me, Jon, in a reverent exploration of the moments that define our faith—the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We'll venture beyond the familiar symbols of Easter, immersing ourselves in the true story of God's boundless love and the sacrifice made for us. Our journey together will be marked by prayers, reflection, and an invitation to infuse our lives with the virtues Christ exemplified. Through this episode, experience the transformative promises of faith, hope, and love that Easter renews in each of us, and let's embrace the call to live out the profound implications of Resurrection Sunday.

In our discussion, we'll delve into the heart of John 14:6-7, where Jesus makes the profound declaration of being the way, the truth, and the life. This powerful message is a cornerstone of our faith, and together, we'll unpack its layers of comfort, faith, and promise. Explore what it means to truly know Jesus, to follow in his footsteps of love, compassion, and forgiveness, and to measure our own sacrifices against His unfathomable act of love. I'll encourage you to bring the spirit of Easter into your daily life, inviting acts of kindness and the sharing of God's blessings. Let's honor the enduring love and sacrifice of Jesus by making His message a living, breathing part of who we are.

Chapters

• 0:20 Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection
• 13:45 The Meaning of Easter

Transcript

Jon: 0:20

God bless you guys, and thank you so much for joining me in on Holy Week. In this episode, we're going to be talking about Jesus. We're going to be talking about a little further into his crucifixion and how his word comforts us, promotes us to have faith and gives us promise for everything we are to look forward to in our lives. In our last episode we spoke about how God is greater in us than what the world has to offer. Well, today we find out what was given so that God can live in our hearts. So I say welcome to all my new listeners and welcome back to all my followers. I honestly want to say that without you, we wouldn't be where we are and, as a podcast channel and ministry that continues to cover the love of Jesus Christ through scripture, I know that our ministry will continue to grow and we have God and you to thank for it. I proclaim in my faith that this channel is going to continue to grow in God, and I want to say that I'm so excited for what it all has in store for us. My name is John and it is an honor to be your host. This is season one, episode 11, and I feel that the best title for what we're going to be going over today is a promise. Now, before we begin, I want to open us up in prayer. So if you're driving, please be careful. If you want to bow your head and just add your own put or put your own words into this prayer. As I pray, I always welcome it because the more people that pray together, the stronger the movement, the stronger the Holy Spirit rejoices. So let's get into it.

Jon: 1:59

I'm excited for this episode and Holy Week. This is to honor God. Now, god, I am no one Lord. This I know Somehow, god, you have seen me through the sin, through the doubts, and, lord, you've reached in and saved me when I didn't deserve it. I don't know why you love me the way you do, god, but I do know that I cherish and covet you. Lord, thank you for all you've done for not only me, but for all of us. I may not know much, lord, but I do know that I can never repay the kindness that you've shown me. Lord, as we dive into your words today, as we try to grasp the meaning of this night, lord, as this week commences and continues to move forward, I ask for your guidance. Lord, this episode is not about me. It's not about what we do, lord. It's about remembering you and what you've given. Help me understand how to show more gratitude towards your faithfulness, lord, because it will never be enough. Lord, I cannot do anything that will ever be enough to repay you, but I want to show gratitude as much as I'm able to, and, as a song that I earlier heard says, your name is the greatest. Your name stands above them all, all thrones and dominions, all powers and positions. Lord, your name stands above them all. And on this night, lord, and in this week, we stand to remember you on the cross, as you remembered us and you forgave us. Thank you, lord. In Jesus's name, I pray Amen.

Jon: 4:00

Now, this episode, ladies and gentlemen, isn't about how long it is. So I don't know if it's going to be 40 minutes long, I don't know if it's going to be 30 minutes long, I don't know if it's going to be 10 minutes long, but I'm going to try to get through everything here that I've been able to put together so I can give you the message that God has shown me. I want you guys all to keep in mind that I am no longer since episode, I believe, five or six or seven, one of those three. I have not been editing my episodes. I may put together a small snippet like a clip if I stuttered or stumbled over a word that I just didn't get out properly, but overall these episodes are not edited. So that's why I'm saying right now I don't know how long this episode is going to be, but I pray that you stick through it with me.

Jon: 4:46

Now as we dive in here. I don't want to go into a profound, deeper message that's hidden amongst verses in scripture. This isn't about that. This is about the gift that Jesus Christ has brought to us as he was walking amongst us through his ministry here on earth, us as he was walking amongst us through his ministry here on earth. As Christians, we know what to do to find eternal salvations thanks to the son of God, jesus Christ, who was slaughtered like a lamb on the cross. I wanted to learn more about God Before I began to read his words.

Jon: 5:22

Before I began to read his words, I always wondered what was the big deal about Easter. I just couldn't wrap my head around it. I would hear things like oh, it's Good Friday or this is Holy Week. Then, as a non-faithful Christian, because I still considered myself Christian, but I wasn't really following the faith, not necessarily the religion, but the faith. I knew that God was there, I knew that Jesus was our Lord and Savior, but I hadn't truly followed them in faith. So I couldn't say that I was a full Christian. So I'm just going to go back to that term non-faithful Christian, all right. So I would then look at Easter and I would say, okay, yeah, I'm a Christian, but then I would turn around and go egg hunting with my children and my wife on Sundays instead of going to church. And I look back now and I can't. I can't help but to think that I was such a fool.

Jon: 6:22

See, before I begin to explain and dive into scripture, I want to convey that the enemy because I will not give you the pleasure of calling him by his title often the enemy often takes things that were meant for god and perverts it, poisons it, twists it. However you want to call it he has done no different to this wonderful time, this, this Holy Week, that we actually ended up turning and calling it into Easter. Now I may upset some of you guys, it may come as a shock, but I'm not here to tickle your ears, guys. I'm here to try to stick to the gospel doctrine, as I am also learning it, and I'm here to tell you that, unfortunately, easter has nothing to do with rabbits, eggs, chickens, candy, chocolate none of that. It has nothing to do with it.

Jon: 7:13

Easter, unbeknownst to so many, is known to Christians as Resurrection Sunday. Amen, amen. This weekend is when our Lord and Savior, our light and our guide, died on the cross and rose to live again, making him our living God. In a small, insignificant town of Bethlehem, a nomadic carpenter with a love and kindness so grand that he never turned away anyone who sought his help. He was faithful and perfect, a man without sin in every way. Can you guys imagine that? Can you guys picture somebody who is absolutely perfect?

Jon: 8:06

And on Friday of this week, this year's date, it comes around to be 3-27-2024. He was crucified on the cross for speaking the truth. He suffered persecution and never did anything wrong. He died a physical death on Friday and resurrected three days later, on Sunday. This is why we call it Resurrection Sunday. But let's look at Jesus Christ as we seek to honor him for being our Lord and Savior. And as this week continues to progress, I cannot stop but to think of how Jesus, on Thursday night, sat with his disciples, knowing full well what was to come. Jesus knew that his time on earth was at an end and that he would be betrayed and denied by his own followers. Yet what did Jesus do on Thursday night during what we know as the last supper?

Jon: 9:11

To learn more about this, we're going to be reading a little bit from the book of John Now. In the book of John, chapter 14, verses one through four. Now I'm going to go through more verses in John following this, but I want to break down verses 1 through 4 first. Okay, it says your heart must not be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many dwelling places. If not, I would have told you I'm going away to prepare a place for you, told you I'm going away to prepare a place for you. If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you to myself. So where I am, you may be also. You know the way to where I am going.

Jon: 9:57

And as I continue to read and look into this with you, I want you to see that everything Jesus says in this part of the book of John promotes three things throughout the entire conversation that he's having with his disciples. The first thing is comfort. Jesus knowingly stops his worries because he is here on earth, he's a man. He still has them. He puts his worries in God and in the father, but he puts that aside. I'm sorry. He puts his worry aside, he puts the thoughts of his betrayal From his disciples Aside and with his words he seeks to provide comfort to All the people that are sitting in the room, to all the people that are sitting in the room and all the people that are to come, that are to read this. And we see that comfort starting to come in with the first six words of this verse. And it says your heart must not be troubled. Think about that when, if you were feeling worry, if you were feeling down, and your loved one comes and says hey, don't let your heart be worried, I got your back. Wouldn't that comfort you? This is what Jesus is doing for all of us through his words.

Jon: 11:28

Then the second thing comes up, and that is where he preaches faith, because faith is such an important part of what we are doing in our walk with Jesus Christ. He says. He then uses the comfort that he just gave us and gives us to preach about faith. Just gave us, or and gives us to preach about faith. Behind his teaching, behind the father and himself as the son. He flat out tells him believe in god, believe also in me. Then towards the end of the verse, he reinforces that by letting them know you know the way to where I am going. He strengthens his disciples faith and reminds them of his teachings.

Jon: 12:19

And then, the most important thing that adds, a culmination of comfort and the faith that he's giving us, is the promise, because we are comforted that we know that in our faith God is faithful. His words are full with hope, love and promise. He is faithful and he has never lied. And he goes to tell his disciples in a way again, to comfort them and remind them that his promise is fulfilled with faith in him and the father, by saying I am going to prepare a place for you. He's talking about a place for you in the kingdom of heaven, guys. What better place to be? Then he provides hope to all who believe in him by saying I will come back, so where I am, you may also be. And we know that Jesus reigns and that he is in heaven with his father. So if we're going to be going to where he is, that means we're also going to be going to heaven, so long as we have faith in him. His words, during this time of duress for him, are filled with love, compassion, promise and hope. He knows he's leaving us on this physical plane, and yet he follows his father's will through and through, no matter what his thoughts and feelings are. And in this moment his disciples don't quite understand what's going on here, but they know something is coming, they know something is up.

Jon: 13:45

And to the last four verses we just read his disciples. After hearing it, one of them speaks up and says Lord, we don't know where you're going. How can we know the way? And then that's when Jesus turns to him and tells him in John, chapter 14, verses 6 through 7, he says I am the way, the truth and the life. If you know me, you will also know my father From now on. You do know him and have seen him Again.

Jon: 14:20

He follows the three-part message of comfort, faith and promise in these next two verses that we just read. Can you guys spot the difference? Can you spot the breakdown? See, he comforts them by saying if you know me, I am the way. And when he says I am the way, jesus teaches us that to get to the Father and into heaven, we have to follow him, to put forth the effort to learn about and to put into practice his teachings. Through it all, he will show us the correct path, for his way is love, his way is compassion and patience, forgiveness and all things that are good. As Christians, we should look into ourselves every single day and we should continually strive to be more like Jesus.

Jon: 15:14

Then he goes on to preach to have faith, because in faith, he proclaims from now on, you do know him. He's talking about the father and you have seen him. Have faith in Jesus and know that. What he's saying is that we have already gotten to know the father through the son. We know that Jesus has never lied.

Jon: 15:36

And in the books of Proverbs, in the book of Proverbs, verse or chapter eight, verse seven, it goes to say for my mouth will speak truth Wickedness is an abomination to my lips. And what is wickedness? Wickedness is an abomination to my lips, and what is wickedness? According to the Bible, it's the state of being wicked or, I'm sorry, the state of being wicked is a mental disregard for justice. Righteous, here we go truth, honor, virtue, evil in thought and life, depravity, sinfulness and criminality. Jesus never spoke a word of deceit, he never spoke falsely.

Jon: 16:19

And in his ministry here on earth he teaches us to have faith in him, for he came down to earth to spread the good news of salvation. He goes on to give a solemn promise, telling his disciples that by knowing him they will also know the father, for jesus is the life. He's promising us that in him we are knowing God, we are knowing the father, and that he is the life. His sacrifice on the cross is the whole reason we are saved, because we are found in him. And Paul writes in Romans, chapter eight, verse 38-39, for I am persuaded that not even in death or life, angels or rulers, things present or things to come, hostile powers, height or depth or any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. For Paul understands that, the promise that God has for us, the promise of eternal salvation from the maw of damnation and death, which we rightfully deserve.

Jon: 17:48

Why do we deserve death, you may ask? It's because of our sin. We are drawn to sin, like moth to a flame Our flesh craves it and it seeks for it, even when we try to abstain from it. We are dirty, but the blood of Christ spilt on that cross washes us clean and makes us new Guys, isn't God? Isn't Jesus amazing? The blood spilled on the cross was intended to wash us, to pardon us of our sins.

Jon: 18:29

Jesus took on the weight of the world and all the sins of this world. As he willingly accepted the will of his father to go through the crucifixion and through it all, he still had the love to comfort his disciples and future generations with the words that he left behind for us. And I know that there's nothing I can say, do, build or offer that I can ever do to repay him. So I do the best thing I can do, which is to do like it says in Job, chapter 22, verse 21. And that's to submit myself to God for his sacrifice. God, I stumble over my words in just reverence for his sacrifices. For me and for you is more than enough. My brothers and sisters, my fellow followers, people listening, this is why we celebrate Resurrection Sunday, guys. I hate to say it, but I don't. At the same time, this weekend, again, is not about a bunny, it's about a creator. It's not about eggs. It's about the rebirth of Jesus. It's not about candy. It's about the fruit of life that was given to us by our Lord and Savior, jesus Christ, for it is written that believing in him shall lead us to eternal life.

Jon: 20:14

And as this weekend continues and this new week is about to begin, I want to challenge you all to think, to stop and think. What are you willing to sacrifice for someone you love Truly? Think about it. Then ask yourself am I willing to sacrifice the same thing for someone I have never met? And that is love that Jesus is trying to teach us through following him. So I want you to strive to be more like Jesus every day, and I know it's hard. I want you to strive to be more like Jesus every day as you take on the world, day by day, as we stated in the last episode, wearing the armor of God that he's left behind for us. I want you to take your world every single day and separate what sin and what the love of Jesus Christ is showing us, and I want you to do a good gesture to someone in need, regardless of your thoughts or past experiences or willingness. Remember that you are blessed by God with all that you have. Share God's blessing to others so that they too may see God's compassion through you.

Jon: 21:55

And maybe some of you are saying, john, I've always celebrated Easter for what it is. I never knew that this was about Jesus dying on the cross to wash us new, to make us new and cleanse us of our sins, to take the burdens of this world onto his own shoulders. And I tell you that's okay, because so long as you're willing to follow him, so long as you're willing to turn your life over to him and to honor his sacrifice, he's willing to save you too. So I invite you to get to know who Jesus Christ is. So I invite you to get to know who Jesus Christ is. And it's as easy as saying a prayer, and it's a simple prayer. He wants us to admit what we do wrong. He wants us to come to him and to let him save us. So bow your heads with me if you are not driving, and say this prayer with a willing heart.

Jon: 23:17

Father, I know that I'm a sinner. I do wrong every day, whether I see it or not. I know that your word teaches us that we are inherently going to sin. So, lord, I know that you sent your son, jesus Christ, down to earth to save us, to save me from the maw of eternal damnation, to offer us eternal life in him. Lord, I accept you as my Lord and Savior. I believe that the son died on the cross and rose three days later. Thank you, jesus, for you are all that I need in this world. You are all that I need in this world. You are all that I need in this life of sin, and it is through you that I find peace. It is through you that I find purpose. Thank you, god, for you are faithful. In Jesus' holy name, I pray Amen. In Jesus' holy name, I pray Amen. If you said this prayer, I want to be the first to welcome you to God's family, and first and foremost, for in Luke, chapter 15, verse 7, it says there's more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents. So know that there are choirs of angels rejoicing over you also. Welcome to guidance light.

Jon: 24:45

Your love and support for this channel has allowed us to have episodes downloaded in multiple countries like europe, africa and asia. Let's keep the fire going and continually spread the word of God and this channel to friends and family. I am blessed that God has allowed me to voice his words on this show. As you are all aware, guidance Light Ministries has launched a website where you can do things like submit prayer requests, send me emails, see the schedule for events and activities, look up and purchase official Guidance Light merchandise designed by my wife and I to help support the ministry. All of this is so exciting because together we are working towards the vision God has in store for us Not just for me, but for all of us as a collective family in Jesus Christ. Thanks to his guidance in my life, other platforms like Spotify and Amazon Music are starting to show followers and movements, so this is beyond exciting. My family and I are so excited to continually serve God and, by extension, to serve you, his followers and his family.

Jon: 25:48

What a meaningful journey has this episode been for me. I have been so excited to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord this Sunday. I hope that after this episode, you are too. I also want to say thank you so much for being a part of this channel. Your support of this show means the world to me and my family. Again, please visit us on our new website, wwwguidance-lightcom. It's filled with cool information, prayer requests, forms and official Guidance Light merchandise in our store, again to help us support this ministry in developing more content. Your support truly helps me and my family push through and focus on the vision that God has in store for us.

Jon: 26:29

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook. We post daily verses and reels, events and promotions, so make sure to follow us, not only for daily motivation, but to carve out just a few seconds for God each day. Please leave comments and review on our channel, as it helps algorithms promote our show so that others can hear what God may have in store for them. If you are going through something, send us a prayer request. It remains anonymous, but my wife and I pray for each one submitted. We are in this together and I'm excited for what God has in store for all of us in the future.

Jon: 27:04

Again, visit us at guidance-lightcom or email me at john at guidance-lightcom, and I'm pleased to know that I'm asking you for help. There's nothing wrong in asking for help and I'm asking it from you, and God bless you. We continually air one episode every Friday night into Saturday morning. If you are interested in a list of the verses we covered today. Please email me and I'll be more than happy to send them your way. Stay tuned for our websites, updates and everything we have in store for you. Thank you again, and may God continue to bless you and guide you and everything he has in store for you. It's been an honor and a pleasure on my behalf to be able to do this together, side by side with you. Thank you for dedicating your time to listening in to God's word and to listen to me in spreading it. This is John, with Guidance Light signing out with all the love I can muster. I look forward to hearing and seeing from you guys this week and with a new episode next week.