Greater things; anchored in a promise, moving with a purpose

Pastor Jason

Greater Things- • Sermon • Submitted 6 months ago • Presented 6 months ago

John 14:12–14

Mission

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Introduction: Embracing “Greater Things” Amid Uncertainty

Church family, Can you believe it’s November all ready? I am not ready for winter to come!

Today we’re beginning a new 4 part series called “Greater Things.”

But this is more than just another series—it’s a call for us to step into what God has in store for us, and church it’s bigger than we could ever imagine.

As we look back on the past three years together as a church, we can see that God has been doing something immeasurably more than most of us thought possible.

Our little Baptist church has grown from 40 people to now 160—a remarkable blessing.

But this isn’t just about numbers; it’s about lives, stories, and hearts that are being transformed by the love of Jesus. And to this I say ALL PRAISE AND GLORY BELONG TO to the GOD of Immeasurably More!

With this growth, we’re facing some new challenges as a church. Many challenges that we have not had to walk through before.

and one of those challenges is that Our current building is too small, And because of this we need MORE Space, and as we have prayed about this, God has opened a door for us to move to a larger space.

And Again we say Praise the Lord!

But let me tell you, this new building is not just about more room; it’s about creating space for more people in our community to encounter Jesus, its about more families finding hope, and more lives to be changed.

Its about our Mission as a church- which is “Making and Equipping More Disciples.”

Church family - Just because this building is full does not mean that we have accomplished our Mission, That we can can get comfortable in our assigned seat s, That we should close the doors and say Sorry were full You need to go somewhere else- NO There is still so much More that God has in store for our church.

And I believe as your pastor that He’s calling each of us right now in this season of growth, to step up and take part in what He is doing.

Change can be Scary.

Change can be hard for each of us to do.

Right?

But what We can be sure of is this… When We are changing because of Gods leading it will always be worth it.

It will always bring more peace knowing we are tight where God wants us to be,, more value knowing we are serving our eternal King,

and it will bring more blessings into our lives knowing that we are living for the glory of our God.

This week, as we approach the election, we’re reminded of the world’s uncertainty and the shifting foundations around us.

Its kind of scary right now for some people isn’t it?

Because we dont know what tomorrow may bring!

We dont know what our future may look like in this country.

Church I think the reality is this, “We are very comfortable in our Christianity, We have experienced Religious freedom like no other culture in all of the churches history since its birth on the day of Pentecost.

Friends, we are so blessed to live in this country at this time.

and I encourage you all to vote and to pray for our leaders because elections do matter.

But even as we participate in our nation’s future,

Dont ever lose sight of the truth that this world is not our Home- and our true foundation is NOT in this government or the stability of our culture - Our true foundation is in Jesus Christ.

And its in these times of uncertainty that our natural desire is to hunker down, to build up walls of defense, to secure our comforts so that we can weather out the storm,

But friends I do not beleive God wants his church to hunker down- He has called us to

More.

“Love Me More”

Look like jesus More

“Obey me More”

Serve one another More

Make More

Equip More..

Friends the life of the christian is not about arriving - its about More

and In John 14:4-14, Jesus is going to call his church to More but He also gives them two incredible promises—That will equip them to do what He has called them to do.

This morning as we face uncertainty in our Country and in our church moving to a new location I want us to dive into these promises, keeping in mind that we serve a God of “immeasurably more.”

Promise #1 : We are Anchored in Christ

A Pathway to Heaven (Verses 4-7)

John 14:4–7 (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. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

In this passage, Jesus has just told His disciples that He’s leaving to go to the Father, and understandably, they become anxious.

They’re worried about facing a future without Jesus by their side, fearful of the unknown.

Just like many of us today, they were comfortable with things as they were and hesitant about change.

In their uncertainty, they wonder why they can’t follow Jesus to where he is going.

So, Jesus reassures them with a powerful promise that this is what’s best for them, But they will one day be reunited with Him

And Thomas, one of the discipels says Lord - We dont Know the way to get to where you are going!

—and then He speaks these words in verse 6.

John 14:6 (ESV)

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

In this verse, Jesus reassures His disciples, saying, “Don’t worry; you can get to where I’m going.”

He reveals that He is preparing a place for them in heaven and promises that He Himself is the way to get there: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

This powerful statement reminds His anxious followers that they don’t need to fear—Jesus already has their future secure.

Jesus has given His followers a Promised way to heaven

Jesus is the Way

First Jesus says, “I am the way.”

He isn’t pointing to a set of rules that we need to follow to be good enough, but to Himself as the only path to the Father the only that that will lead to eternal life.

Through His sacrifice on the cross, He became the bridge between God and humanity.

Now, some people might say, “Isn’t it a bit narrow to claim that Jesus is the only way?”

Isn’t it a bit close minded to think that other peoples religions will not lead them to Heaven?

Think of it this way: Imagine you’re on a plane with only one parachute, and the pilot says, “This plane is going to crash, and be destroyed, and This parachute is the only way for you to make it safely to the ground.”

You wouldn’t argue with him; You wouldn't try to find another way or try to find something else that might cushion your impact when you hit the earth, you’d grab the parachute and be thankful there’s a way at all!

In the same way, we should be grateful that God provided a way to heaven at all,

We should be thankful that God in great love freely offers us a way of escape.

and that way is Jesus.

In Acts 4:12 it boldly confirms this ….

Acts 4:12 (ESV)

12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Friends, Jesus is the Only Way to the father- All other ways will fail you and leave you eternal condemned in the lake of Fire

Jesus is the Truth

Next, Jesus says, “I am the truth.”

Now, let’s be honest—truth is hard to come by these days, isn’t it?

Just turn on the news, scroll through social media, or listen to political debates, and you’ll get a dozen different “versions” of the truth.

When Jesus says, “I am the truth,” He is offering us something unshakable, unwavering, and a clear reflection of God’s heart.

Jesus is the very revelation of God Himself, a truth that stands far above opinions, beyond human biases, and beyond the fractured, incomplete truths of this world.

Jesus is truth and If we want to know who God truly is, what matters to Him, and what He calls us to become, we look to Jesus.

Because He alone is the standard, the very embodiment of truth—the clear and unwavering reflection of the heart of God.

Jesus isn’t just one option among many; He is the truth we can rely on.

So when everything around us feels uncertain, when the “truth” seems to change with every headline, we have a foundation in the unshakable truth of who Jesus is.

But thats not all that Jesus claims… He goes on to Say I AM THE LIFE

Jesus is the Life

This promise speaks of both eternal life and abundant life here and now. Because of His victory over death, we have the assurance of life with God forever, as boldly stated in

1 Corinthians 15:55–57 ESV

55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Death no longer has power over us because Jesus has defeated it.

But Jesus’ promise of life doesn’t begin in our future eternity; it’s also about abundant life here and now.

Jesus came not only to secure our future but to transform our present.

He offers peace, joy, and purpose, unaffected by the uncertainties of this world.

We live in a world that is always changing, where every day brings new uncertainties.

But with Jesus as our life, we don’t have to be anxious about what’s coming next with the election, or with our church move, —because our hope is in Him.

When Jesus is our life, we experience a joy that isn’t dependent on our surroundings, a peace that can’t be taken away by any worldly event.

When Jesus is our life we live for purpose that is so much More than we could ever imagine- A Purpose that brings glory t

This first promise gives us the solid foundation of our faith. Jesus is the way the truth and the life.

Our eternal security is grounded in Him; we don’t have to fear the unknown because He’s already gone before us.

He’s prepared our future with God, and that assurance is what steadies us in the present.

But Jesus doesn’t stop with this promise of eternal security; He also gives us a second, incredible promise: that His followers, empowered by His Spirit, will do even greater things.

Look at this second promise with me this morning

Promise #2: A Promise of Power from Heaven (Verses 12-14)

John 14:12–16 (ESV)

12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. 15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,

No way! Did you catch the incredible promise Jesus is making here?

Not only does He promise us a pathway to heaven, but He also promises that His followers will do “greater things” than He did.

This doesn’t mean we’ll outdo Jesus in miraculous acts—after all, He gave sight to the blind, walked on water, fed thousands from just a few loaves and fish, and even raised the dead!

There’s no way we can outshine the Son of God in these miraculous works.

What Jesus is promising here is that His plan for His disciples—for everyone who believes in Him—is to spread His mission, reaching even more people than they could ever imagine.

He is speaking of the unstoppable reach, impact, and power of the gospel flowing through His followers.

And here’s the key: verse 16 tell us that the reason Jesus’ followers can accomplish these greater works is that He promised to send “another Helper”—the Holy Spirit—who would live within every believer.

This means that we aren’t carrying out this mission in our own strength; we are empowered by the very Spirit of God Himself, the same power that raised Jesus from the grave.

The Book of Acts vividly shows this promise coming to life—the relentless advance of the gospel, fueled by the power of the Holy Spirit, transforming lives and breaking down every barrier in its path.

Paul describes this power at work with in us in

Ephesians 3:20–21 (ESV)

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

This power isn’t distant or limited—it’s the very power Jesus promised, now living and working within each believer.

What Jesus was telling His disciples In John 14 was that, through the Holy Spirit, they would be equipped for a mission that would reach farther and change more lives than they could ever imagine.

The gospel would go out to all nations, transforming lives across all generations.

Here’s the incredible part: this power wasn’t just for the first disciples.

In verse 12, Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.”

This promise wasn’t limited to the early church—it’s for every believer throughout all time and that includes us, church!

Jesus has given us two unshakable promises: the security of a foundation in Him as our way, truth, and life, and the power of His Spirit to accomplish greater things for His glory.

This is why our mission today reflects His own—to reach more people, to make more Disciples, equip more believers, and to impact our world with the life-transforming power of the gospel.

With a solid foundation that cannot be shaken, and With the Holy Spirit empowering us, there are no limits to what God can do through His church.

Now, let’s move forward on this foundation with purpose. Jesus has given us the promises of a secure path to heaven and the power of His Spirit so that we can step into the “greater things” He’s called us to.

These aren’t just promises to hold on to—they’re a call to action. There is more to do, more lives to reach, and more disciples to make and equip for His kingdom.

Let’s look at how we can live out this mission with purpose, focused on making and equipping more disciples.

Moving with a Purpose: Making and Equipping MORE Disciples

Following Jesus’ promise of “greater things,” we, as Clear Lake Baptist Church, are being called to boldly step forward into His mission.

He has invited us to be part of His work here, to make and equip disciples in Clear Lake and beyond.

Our mission has been to make and equip disciples,

As we have lived out this mission, God, through the power of His Spirit, has done what only He can do—He has grown His church, our church, to the point that we no longer fit in this building.

But friends, just because this building is full does not mean that the work God is doing through us is finished,

Our Mission needs to be making and Equipping More Disciples. because we are not dome.

There are still so many More in our community who need Jesus, who need the message of hope we are called to share.

The new facility that we believe God is leading us toward is a tool to help us accomplish more for His kingdom.

This move isn’t about comfort; it’s about more space to reach more people who need the gospel, to welcome more believers into a loving church family, to provide more opportunities to equip the Church, all so that we can send out More Gospel witnesses into this world. .

This new building isn’t just a structure—it’s a tool, a launchpad for making and equipping more disciples than ever before.

With more space comes more opportunities:

more possibilities to serve our community,

more avenues to disciple and teach,

and more ways to be a light with the gospel.

Together, with this new facility as our base, we can reach more people, We can see more changed lives, and we can faithfully expand our mission far beyond the walls of the church to all around the world!

Bring it Home: Ready for More

As we bring this message home,

Let me ask you a simple Question “ Are you ready for More?

Are you anchored in Christ, Empowered by the Spirit, and living for the glory of The Father?

Brothers and sisters I urge you to not become Comfortable in your Christian walk.

God has called you to Greater Things.

to reach more people with the gospel, and to see Mores lives transformed by His Spirit, and to Equip More Disciples who will go!

So Church let’s get ready for more. Let’s approach this move with hearts full of faith, excitement, and trusting in the One who is growing this church and who is leading us to more.

Let’s pray boldly, Let’s serve wholeheartedly, and let’s give generously to the greater things God has in store for us!

Because when we put our faith in Jesus—the God of “immeasurably more”—there is no limit to what He can accomplish through us.

And May the Words of Eph. 3the anthem of our Church

Ephesians 3:20–21 (ESV)

Lets Pray!

Closing Prayer: "Lord, thank You for the promises You’ve given us. You are our way, our truth, and our life. Thank You for preparing a place for us and for calling us to greater things. As we prepare to move, empower us with Your Spirit to reach more, to serve more, and to love more. May our faith be strengthened, our hearts encouraged, and may Your kingdom come through us. In Jesus’ name, Amen."

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