It Shall not Pass Jn. 1:1-14 New International Version (NIV)

It Shall not Pass

John 1: 1-14 NIV

Purpose:          To find joy in the fact that God in Jesus is going to take care of us always

The Word Became Flesh

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

² He was with God in the beginning.

³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome^[a] it.

⁶ There was a man sent from God whose name was John.

⁷ He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.

⁸ He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

⁹ The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

¹⁰ He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.

¹¹ He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

 ¹² Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Footnotes:

John 1:5 Or understood

This is the Word of God,

for the people of God.

Praise be to God.

Amen

It Shall not Pass

John 1: 1-14 NIV

Purpose:          To find joy in the fact that God in Jesus is going to take care of us always

Outline

I.       Introduction

II.      How can we find joy in hart experiences?

III.    Explanation of the text

IV.    Conclusion[s]

V.      Prayer

It Shall not Pass

John 1: 1-14 NIV

Purpose:          To find joy in the fact that God in Jesus is going to take care of us always

          Do you remember that the last week, I started the sermon with a question. Have you ever wondered about the meaning of your life??? And also this question is deeply connected with our fulfillment in our lives. Today, have you pondered about the suffering in your life??? Because suffering in any life is a reality and a lot of times, it is a mystery. I am talking not of the suffering as a result of our poor choices and even our ignorance. I am talking about the suffering that unconsciously or consciously we don't look for.   

          Of course, when I was a little girl, I remember that the nuns who took care of my education, always used to tell me that I have to very joyful when suffering comes to my life. Later, in my Catechesis class I heard the same!!! I was mad. I had trouble understanding these good women telling me that I had to be joyful in suffering. Later, I has very upset with God because of the suffering in my own life. As time passed, I was so confused for the suffering in the entire world, that I just decided to ignore it. If we decide to be blind or ignore an issue then we don't need an emotional, spiritual, and intellectual understanding of the issue.

          However, God didn't leave me alone. I was not at peace. Seriously, troubled me to understand and to apply this perception of joy when one of my classmates bullied me, or when other criticized me, or when I was very sick on my bed. Or when my mom died. Or when my dad had another heart attack. It just didn't make sense at all. Who in the healthy and well mind wants to be joyful in troubles!!! For sure, not me!!!

         

          Until one day, I was getting ready for my formal job the company called BARCEL which was the leader company in snacks through the entire Latino America, not just Mexico. I was the secretary of the Human Resources while I was studying in college. Every day, I had to dress up, but this day was so special because it was my first important meeting with other high executives of the company, I wanted to escalate positions. When, I  walking in the main entrance of the building and one of my high hills  just broke. I was limping. When I was pouring my coffee, I found out that the meeting had moved to one hour earlier. It was taking place in the right moment someone in a hurry just pushed me and I poured out my coffee in my beige skirt. It seemed like I couldn't make it to the bathroom. Finally, you reach home after 50 minutes stuck in the traffic. And, the power is gone in the entire house. The food in the fridge is stinky and you are starving. You go to bed with an empty stomach and a headache and praying that tomorrow will be a better day.

          The reality is that some days, it seems that we are a magnet for a bad luck. And, God through the His Word, the Bible, is telling me that I have to be joyful!!! I challenged God and screamed  at him, telling Him, "Now!!! What!!! Do you want me to be joyful??? No!!! Sorry!!! I cannot do that. You have to show me how!!! I am tired of suffering and problems!!!"

          Here is John telling us that Jesus Christ was in the beginning with God. Actually, He was God Himself. Jesus Christ was so powerful that everything was created through Him. the entire world, you, and me. God is telling me that HE Is LIFE!!! And He shines through the darkness. Oh, God, some days, I cannot see the light. Some days, I cannot feel Your power. Some days, I believe that I have been defeated by the suffering and problems of the world!!! But, Jesus keeps telling me that if I believe in Him, then He is going to live, to dwell in me!!!

[Climax of the sermon]

          Here my dear ones, is when things start becoming complicated to understand, to accept, and to apply.

          Why things start becoming complicated??? Because, we are talking about character. Character is the way one thinks, feels, and behaves.[1] It is they way one and each one of us decides to live his/her life.

          Jesus knew that since the beginning, He was going to have troubles and suffering. When He was a baby, I am sure that sometimes Mary was busy and Jesus had to wait for food or change of diapers, or drinking His milk. When He had to learn how to walk, how to talk, how to behave. You know when we start learning is painful. We pump our heads when we are learning how to walk. He suffered rejection from His own people, even His family, they thought that He was crazy, when He started preaching about the Kingdom.

          The truth is that no one likes to suffer physical, emotional, or any kind of trouble including Jesus Christ. It is painful. Pain and suffering are not together in a common human understanding.

          Here is the key. We are not common humans. We are children of God. As a children of God, our common human understanding of joy cannot be apply into a divine levels. OUR JOY IS DIVINE NOT HUMAN.

          Our divine joy tells us that it shall not pass even with the most difficult and painful of troubles in our lives. And, you know why our joy is divine and shall not pass, because the Spirit of Jesus Christ who lives inside us, is telling us, is reminding us that no matter what we face, each one of us, we are going to be ok. The assurance of knowing that we are going to be ok, beside any problem, besides any tribulation, besides any suffering. Our Divine Joy inside us is something that It shall not pass. We have the totally assurance that we are going to be right.  

Let us pray,

Dear and Good Father

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[1] http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/character (Accessed on 12/18/2015).