12 and with him a great multitude with swords and staves from the chief priests and the scribes and
the elders and he that betrayed him had given them a token saying whomsoever I shall kiss
that same as he take him and lead him away safely and as soon as he was come he goes straight
way to him and saith master master and kissed him and they laid their hands on him and took him
and one of them that stood by drew a sword and smote a servant of the high priest and cut off
his ear and Jesus answered and said unto them are you come out as against the thief with swords and
with staves to take me I was daily with you in the temple teaching and you took me not but the
scriptures must be fulfilled and they all forsook him and fled and there followed him a certain
young man having a linen cloth cast about his naked body and the young man laid hold on him
and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked and they led Jesus away to the high priest
and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes and
Peter followed him afar off even into the palace of the high priest and he said sat with the
servants and warmed himself at the fire and the chief priests and all the council sought for
witnesses against Jesus to put him to death and found none for many bear false witnesses against
him but their witness agreed not together and there arose certain and bear false witness
against him saying we heard him say I will destroy this temple that is made with hands and within
three days I will build another made without hands but neither so did their witnesses agree together
and the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus saying answer is thou nothing what is
it which these witness against thee but he held his peace and answered nothing again the high
priest asked him and said unto him art thou the Christ the son of the blessed and Jesus said I am
and ye shall see the son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of
heaven then the high priest rent his clothes and sayeth what need we any further witnesses
you have heard the blasphemy what think ye and they all condemned him to be guilty of death
and some began to spit on him and cover his face and to buffet him and say unto him prophesy and
the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands and Peter was beneath in the palace
where it cometh one of the maids of the high priest and when he when he saw Peter warming
himself she looked up and said art thou and thou also was with Jesus of Nazareth but he denied
saying I know not neither understand I what thou sayest and he went out into the porch and the
cock crew and a maid saw him again and began to say to them that stood by this is one of them
and he denied it again and a little after they that stood by said again to Peter surely thou art
one of them for thou art Galilean and thy speech agreeeth they're there too but he began to curse
and to swear saying I know not this man of whom you speak and the second time the cock crew and
Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him before the cock crow twice thou shalt
deny me thrice and when he thought thereon he wept
father in heaven I pray that you please bless brother Corbin with the fullness and the power
of the holy ghost as he preaches a word in Jesus name we pray amen amen so firstly let me get this
out of here I don't know if that was intended for me but I don't know if I'm able to drink of that
cup so I'm sure I wouldn't appreciate it if some guest preacher got up and drank out of my cup so
before that happens we'll get that out of the way but before I get started I want to just say
you know it's always a privilege to get up here in this pulpit and preach to all of you folks and
you know I don't know if anyone here has there might be people here have no idea who I am even
though I've been the deacon of this church for I think four years now but you might not see me
because I'm not here on Sundays running the church plant down on in Tucson on Sundays so that's who I
am I am the deacon here believe it or not if you don't know that but again I always count a
privilege to get up here and preach to you folks and and I'm just glad you know for the opportunity
that has been given me to be the deacon here and to to minister alongside Pastor Anderson and
alongside all of you over these last few years it's been a real blessing to me and my family
and hopefully I can be a blessing to you tonight from the word of God I want to look there in Mark
chapter 14 just a few verses beginning in verse 12 where it says in the first day of unleavened
bread when they killed the Passover his disciples said unto him where wilt thou that we go and
prepare that thou mayest eat the Passover and he sent forth two of his disciples and sayeth unto
them go ye into the city and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water follow him
whithersoever he shall go in say ye to the good men of the house the master saith where is the
guest chamber where I shall eat the Passover with my disciples he will show you a large upper room
furnished and prepared there make ready for us the disciples went forth and they came into the
city and found us he had said unto them and they made ready the Passover and in the evening he
cometh with the 12th and what I want to preach tonight is a sermon entitled God's guiding to the
guest chamber God's guiding to the guest chamber this is kind of what we see taking place here
I'll read I'm going to say it again God's guiding to the guest chamber so no one
misunderstands the title as was misheard earlier this evening when I said they thought I said
God's guiding to the gas chamber okay so now that's alliterated that's a great title you know
and it's biblical you know maybe that sermon will be preached Sunday if pastors not feeling well I
said brother Segura I think you found your sermon for Sunday but that's not tonight this is God's
guiding to the guest chamber and it's an interesting story it's one that you know I think we kind of
I don't know if anybody has ever noticed this but it's almost as if maybe it was a miracle that they
went and found this man Jesus sends them and says hey you're going to see this guy carrying a
bearing water follow him he's going to take you to a certain house go in and say to the master
where's the room and they just go and do this and we don't really get the details how about
how that all came about was this just some kind of a miracle that this person would be there that
this person would have this room ready were they was he anticipating the Lord did God did the Lord
you know contact him earlier did he send another disciple you know the the the details of that I
guess aren't necessarily of that important but it's just it's always kind of stood out to me how
God had kind of guided his disciples to this particular place almost miraculously and I think
he did it this way to kind of give us a picture of how God wants to guide us into a deeper fellowship
with him of course this is going to be the last supper we're going to read some of the passages
there in john 14 15 16 and 17 which are probably some of the most powerful passages in the new
testament you know we'll ask people from time to time what's your favorite book and a lot of people
will say john and amen to that and I know that john 14 15 those chapters you know are some of
my favorite chapters in the bible and that's what we're leading into where those chapters are going
to be expounded and in this upper chamber they're going to have that closer fellowship than they've
otherwise had they're going to hear some great powerful truths but it's all going to be done
in a very particular place and to get there they have to kind of go through a few of these steps
and God guides them into this guest chamber into this place where they're going to have deeper
fellowship that's the application I want to make tonight is that God in our lives you know he wants
to guide us to a deeper fellowship with him God works you know in certain ways to bring us into
that fellowship and often you know we think that the way God is going to you know draw us closer
to him might be this very dramatic event that takes place in our life you know people will
come up with all kinds of crazy things sometimes you'll run into people who will just say you know
I know I'm I'm saved because I saw an angel or something like that people have all these wild
stories about how they know they're saved or how they know they're close to God but really you know
those of us that truly are saved we find ourselves drawn closer to God through very ordinary things
just the day-to-day things sometimes obviously there are dramatic events that take place in our
life that cause us to be drawn closer to God but here in the story you say it's just it's you see
that's just these very simple things that God uses to just gradually bring them into this
upper chamber into this guest chamber where he has this deeper fellowship with them
you know we shouldn't always expect in life these dramatic events to bring us
closer into fellowship with the Lord that's something that we can have anytime we want it
every single person in this room you have the Holy Spirit you know you have the opportunity
to have a deep you know meaningful walk with God you can have a very close fellowship with God
you know and that's what any one of us should want for one another you know if we could we should all
wish that everybody in this room would have as deep a walk with God as they possibly could
and it's these ordinary things that God uses you know it's his word it's the ministry of the Holy
Spirit these are the means by which God is going to draw us into a deeper fellowship with him or
maybe even restore fellowship you know maybe we've fallen out with the Lord maybe we don't
we feel distant we feel far away from God and you know it's his word it's the ministry of
the Holy Ghost these are the simple things that are going to draw us closer to him
keep something in Mark go to Colossians chapter number three Colossians chapter number three
again it's the Bible it's these simple things that are going to deepen our walk with God the
Bible says the word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path he said in Proverbs trust
the Lord with all thine heart and lean out unto thine own understanding and all thy ways
acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths I mean what a blessing what a promise from the
word of God that God himself can guide us through this life God can give us wisdom
and knowledge and discernment that God can be we could even be said of God that he is our friend
that God can have such a close walk with us that he will actually direct our our paths we can have
this deeper walk and again I don't want to get all hocus pocus or mystical on you about having this
deeper walk with God I know that's something that gets really this mystique gets put on that
I'm talking about the practical manifestation of God's presence in your life what does that really
look like and how do we get more of that the first thing I want to point out is that it is a reality
that's available to us you know you might hear this you kind of start you know glossing over
and thinking oh yeah a deeper walk with God what's that even mean you know is that even a
possibility yes it is a possibility you know we can have a very real fellowship with God himself
look there in Colossians chapter number three verse 15 we'll see what this looks like you know
practically speaking it says and let the peace of God verse 15 rule in your hearts to the which
also you are called in one body and be thankful he's saying let the peace of God rule in your
heart you know that's part of having the fellowship with God if we have peace in our hearts how do we
know that we have a deep walk with God that we have a a close walk with the Lord do we have
peace in our hearts and it's interesting here that he says let the peace of God rule in your hearts
you know that's something that we have to let happen meaning that that's what God wants for us
you know God wants to have his peace rule in our hearts God wants that fellowship with us
the question is you know are we willing to let that happen you know if we don't even realize
this is a possibility for us that this is a reality that we can have that we can have this
peace in our hearts you know we're going to miss out on that he goes on and says in verse 16
let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom so how do you get this how do you get this
peace of God in your heart how do you have this deeper walk with God how do you get to that upper
you know that guest chamber with God well you let the word of Christ dwell in you richly with all
wisdom teaching and admonishing one another psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing with grace
in your hearts to the Lord see it's not this you know ethereal thing it's not this mystique it's
not this you know thing that's just kind of out there this fellowship with God it's a very
practical thing that we can have through reading God's word through spending time with him in
prayer through coming to church even having fellowship one with another through singing
the psalms the hymns you know it's a very practical thing and it's available to all of us
it'd be a real shame you know if anybody in this room lived their whole Christian life and never
knew what it is to have the peace of God ruling in their heart to be to know the the promise that
God is going to lead and guide their steps that's something that's available to all of us
you know what but if you would go over to second Corinthians chapter one unfortunately you know
it's just kind of human nature that when we're going when things are going well you know we
that that walk sometimes maybe gets a little more shallow it kind of loses its depth not always but
it just seems like that's the way it kind of goes in life isn't when things are going well
maybe we're a little less apt to pray and read our bibles and memorize scripture
maybe we're you know not going to be seeking God as much as we otherwise would it's usually when
we go through those lows in life isn't it when we find ourselves in some kind of a low that we
really start wanting that peace of God to rule in our hearts you know that and that's just kind of
how it goes but the truth is we can have that all of the time you know we could go in to those lows
with the peace of God in our hearts if we wanted it if we have that walk with God this is something
Paul was very familiar with he said I'll read to you from second Corinthians chapter seven he said
when we were coming to Macedonia our flesh had no rest but we were troubled on every side without
were fighting within were fears nevertheless God that comfort us comforted those that are cast down
comforted us he's saying look we went through these these trials but God was there to comfort
us why is that because Paul was somebody who had a real walk with God you're there in second
Corinthians chapter number one look at verse three he said blessed be the God and father of our Lord
Jesus Christ the father of mercies and the God of all comfort the God of all comfort you know we
often preach and rightly so about the wrath of God the vengeance of God the judgments of God
you know that's that's definitely something that needs to be preached and is preached
but let's not forget also that God is a God of comfort that God is a God that wants to rule in
our hearts with peace he wants to give us joy you know God is a God of comfort and notice here in
verse four it says who comforted us comforted us in all our tribulation meaning when we go through
it sometimes we get this idea that oh if we have a walk with God if we have the peace of God in our
hearts we're never going to face any kind of tribulation we're never going to go through
trouble we're never going to go through persecution that's just not life you know life isn't fair you
know we've all heard that you know like we don't always get what we want in life life's not always
going to go the way we planned it we're going to have trials we're going to tribulations we're
going to go through hard things but praise God you know the God of all comfort will be with us
in all those tribulations and that's typically when people seem to seek God the most if you would
go back to Mark chapter 14 it ought not be that way you know we could always have the peace of God
ruling in our hearts but human nature you know just tends to be that we when we do well when
we're not going through tribulation you know we kind of tend to forget God the Bible says in
Philippians 4 I'll read to you it says be careful for nothing but in everything by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known unto God and the peace of God which path
is passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and mind through Christ Jesus that's
available to every one of us that we can have the peace of God that passes all understanding
oh brother Corbin tell me more about the peace of God describe it to me it passes understanding
you know it's one of those things you know having fellowship with God is something that's best
understood through experience it's hard to get up and articulate that and and to explain that
but you know it why because it's something that passes all understanding you know it's something
you have to experience for yourself and when I'm here to tell you in the beginning of the sermon
is that it's available to every single one of us that we could all have the peace of God ruling
in our hearts if we want it you know we could end up in that you know that uh that guest chamber
God could guide us to that deeper fellowship with him and I just want to give you some practical
points on what that how that would play out in your life some practical points on how to have
that peace of God uh ruling in your heart the first thing I want to point out here from Mark 14
is that in order to have that uh to be guided into that guest chamber so to speak
is that you have to desire fellowship with God if you don't desire it you know you might as well
just tune out right now you know if you want to have a have deeper fellowship with God that's got
to be something you want in your life and you know sometimes God works in our lives in certain ways
to bring us to that place where we will want it and praise God for that but it shouldn't it
shouldn't have to come to that you know we should all want the peace of God you know which passes
all understanding you know maybe a lot of people are making out their Christmas list all the things
they want you know from from other people maybe maybe on top of that list should be I want the
peace of God that passes all understanding to rule in my heart you know because that's something
that's available to every one of us we have to desire it though he says there in verse 12 of
mark 14 and the first day of unleavened bread when they killed the passover the disciples said
unto him where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat that thou mayest eat the
passover so they're asking him saying where should we go so they're they're wanting to fulfill this
keep something there go to luke 22 we kind of get the sequence of events here how this actually
played out as far as who who told who to go first or if they the disciples asked Jesus
but first you know they're they're willing they're they want to go have this this passover with
Jesus they want to have this fellowship with them you know can the same be said of us this morning
this evening can we sit there and say you know I want to know God better in the next year I want
to know the Bible better I want to have a deeper walk with God I want to have the peace of God rule
in my heart that passes all understanding do you even desire that you know that's where it all
starts if we don't desire it you know we're not going to get it we're not going to have it
here's the thing you know God's desire for fellowship you know there's no doubt about that
you know I think sometimes that's you know people might get this idea that God doesn't want to
fellowship with them oh I know God wants to fellowship with other people but maybe just you
know they have some kind of misunderstanding about who God is maybe they project things unto
God that aren't true and they just kind of think well you know I can't have that fellowship yes you
can you know and God wants to have that fellowship you know God wants to draw closer to us and when
we see here in Luke 22 is that Jesus is actually the one that kind of initiates this preparation
he kind of initiates the setup for this fellowship that they're going to have it says in verse seven
then came the day of unleavened bread where the passover must be killed and he sent Peter and
John saying go and prepare us the passover they that we may eat and they said unto him
will will where wilt thou that we prepare so who initiates this this setup for the fellowship
it's God God you know he takes the first step he's saying hey I want to have this meal with you I
I've desired to have this meal with you I want to eat this passover with you I want to pray for you
I want to you know teach you things I want to have these profound you know just moments with
you a fellowship you know and he's the one that initiates that but obviously they have to say unto
him where wilt thou that we prepare saying okay yeah we're in you know Jesus says hey let's sit
down and have a meal we're probably all going to say amen to that you know we're going to say
when and where all you know whatever's on the schedule is coming off we're going to make it
happen because we would desire that so Jesus here is clearly expressing his desire to have fellowship
with them if you're still there in Luke 22 look at verse 13 and they went and found us he had
said unto them and they made ready the passover and when the hours come he sat down and the 12
apostles with him and he said unto them with with desire I have desired to eat this passover with
you before I suffer he's not saying you know this is just one other thing I just kind of got to get
out of the way before you know I could finish the work that my father's given me to do this
is just something you know this is on my to-do list to sit down and just have this you know pass
over with you and kind of get out of the way no this is something he desired this is something
that he wanted he wanted to have this fellowship with them you know and and God wants the same
thing for us you know God wants to draw an eye to us and speak to us and and tell us the things
that we need to hear you know and and often often you know as we read earlier they're very
comforting things you know maybe God wants to remind us you know how much he truly loves each
and every one of us how much he truly cares for each and every one of us you know we need to be
reminded of that you know that's these are the type of things that God wants to do for us he
wants to comfort us in this way he desires it you know but we have to hold up our end as well
so if we don't desire it you know we're not going to get it and let me just say this you know
if you don't desire fellowship with God you know there's something wrong with your heart first of
all but secondly you're the one that's missing out you're you're missing out big time if you're
not going to want to have fellowship with God I mean who are some of the people we might want
to hang out with now I'm not going to ask for anybody because you know who knows what you might
say right but what if we could say well you know you could have fellowship with God you could have
fellowship with the Lord you know that's something that's available to you anytime we can come boldly
before the throne of grace to find help in time of need anytime we want you know we have the
fellowship of the spirit we that's something that's just there do we avail ourselves of that
of that fellowship we have to desire it if we don't we're missing out I mean go to John 14
and again this is some of the best chapters imagine missing out on this meal imagine being
one of the apostles and you miss out on this meal you're like you know Jesus I got some other thing
I'm gonna go have Passover with the family you know I you know I know it's probably going to
be a cool meal but I got other plans and then catching up with them later and they start to
explain to you man he did this he said this he prayed for us like that and you'd be like what
he did what you'd be it's like it's like when you miss out on some game or something there's
some sporting event you want to see and then your buddy tells you about it you know you're just like
what how did I miss out on that that that that game or whatever you feel disappointed I mean
imagine this you miss out on the last supper with Christ you miss out on that fellowship
obviously you know this is a very unique situation this is something that's only available to them
but you know when we're skipping our bible reading when we just go weeks months years a lifetime
without reading the bible when we're not praying we're not seeking God we're not meditating on the
word of God we're not thinking on the things of God we're missing out on fellowship we're missing
out on uh you know wondrous things that we could behold out of his law God wants to speak with us
we're missing out on that comfort you're going to uh John 14 let's just look at a few things that
they would have missed out on instead of and John 13 verse 2 I'll just read to you and supper being
ended the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot Simon's son to betray him
Jesus knowing that the father had given all things into his hands and that he was come from God and
went to God he riseth from supper and lay aside his garments and took a towel and girded himself
after that he poureth water into a basin and began to wash the disciples feet
and to wipe them with the towel or with he was girded I mean that's like how he starts this
this whole thing Christ gets up out of his seat and starts to wash their feet I mean what if you
missed out on that one of the apostles like yeah well first he got up and he girded himself and he
washed our feet what you'd be like ah I missed it right John 14 verse 1 you'd miss out on this
I mean we're sitting here listening to it you know after having it reiterated to us but there
was people this this fell on their very ears they heard this for themselves first person he said let
not your heart be troubled he'd be leaving God believe also in me in my father's house or many
mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you if I go and
prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am there
you may be also I mean we a lot of people probably have that memorized I mean that's a
great verse in the bible God's promise that there's this mansion waiting for us that he's
going to receive us unto himself I mean it's just a small snippet of these all these great passages
but you know if one of the apostles had missed out on that he would have to wait around until
you know he'd have to outlive John which probably wasn't going to happen you know for long enough
for John to write this so he could get exact wording right oh well first you know because
they'd catch up with them after the supper and they're hearing it you know second hand
well he girded himself you know they washed our feet and then he said something about these
mansions you know and then and you're just like oh what did he say well you had to be there you
had to be there for the fellowship you had to go through these steps to get to that upper room you
had to do you had to desire it in order to hear these things I mean they heard it verse six and
he saith unto them I am the way the truth and the life no man cometh unto the father but by me I mean
these powerful verses that we quote out soul winning these verses that we use to comfort
ourselves and one another you know these were spoken in that guest chamber that God guided his
disciples to miraculously in order to have this fellowship verse 23 Jesus answered and said unto
them if I'm any if a man love me he will keep my word and my father will love him and we will come
unto him and make our abode with him I mean I remember the first time that was pointed out to
me after I first got saved that if we love God and we we keep his words that his father his father
would love us and will come unto us and make his abode with us you know that's that's a powerful
truth that we have we can have the fellowship of the spirit with God himself when we you know have
a deeper walk with God when we're obeying the commandments when we're living a godly life
when we're reading our bibles you know we're having this deep fellowship where God is coming
and abiding with us and they heard this there in that room go to John 16 he said in John 15 you
know all these great verses that are in these these passages that were uttered up there in that
guest chamber he says I am the true vine and my father is the husband and every man that beareth
every branch of me that beareth not fruit he taketh away and every branch that beareth fruit
he purgeth it that I may bring forth more fruit you're in John 16 look at verse 12 I have yet many
things to say unto you but you cannot bear them now howbeit when he the spirit of truth has come
he will guide you into all truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear
that shall he speak and he will speak those things uh uh excuse me to show those things to come look
that's the promise to us today that the spirit of God still speaks to us today and I'm not saying
and he speaks audibly to us I'm saying he speaks through this word I'm saying we have the witness
in our of the spirit in our hearts we can have this fellowship with God that's a promise that's
made to us it's available to us that the spirit will still speak to us if we will get to that
place of fellowship with God if we allow ourselves to be led there if we will uh desire it for
ourselves verse 33 these things I have spoken unto you they that in me you might have peace
in the world ye shall have tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the world you ever see
people who just go through tribulation who just go through great hardships in life and it's like
they go through it with with with such grace and such so easily it almost makes you envious you
ever wonder why they're able to do that I you know I venture to guess it's probably because they have
a a real walk with God they have a deep meaningful walk with God they have a daily walk with the Lord
they have the comfort of God that comforts them in all their tribulation it's already there
because they've already desired this fellowship and they are able to go through the tribulations
of life and be of good cheer knowing that you know God has overcome the world you know I mean
we could sit here and probably talk about several different I mean I think about you know uh Pastor
Shelley out in steadfast and it's just you know constant persecution but you know what he's he
just he just goes through it with a smile on his face you know and just on to the next one
why because that's a man that has a walk with God you know we probably could all think of people
like that in our lives hopefully you know we're one of them imagine having missed out on John 17
we won't take the time where he prays for them he prays this great prayer for his apostles you should
have been there Andrew you should have been there Thomas and he prayed for us it was really good
right we're missing out a lot on a lot if we don't desire fellowship with God if we'd rather
just stay busy with whatever we stay busy with just stay distracted with all the things out there
that can distract us and pull us away from having fellowship with the Lord we're missing out you
know and it's going to be a real shame if we get to heaven and stand before God he said well I
would have I would have done this for you and I would have done this for you I wanted to tell you
this and I wanted to tell you this I wanted to explain that I wanted to help you here and I
want to help you there and you're just you just missed out I mean how disappointed would one of
these guys be missed out if they had missed out on any of this you know it's the same thing for
us if we don't desire fellowship with God if we don't seek the Lord we're missing out we will
regret it mark it down you know having fellowship with the Lord you know that should come from a
place of desire and not just duty you know obviously sometimes we just have to do things
out of duty we just read our bibles because that's what we're supposed to do but you know
hopefully we're finding ourselves reading our bibles because we want to you know I usually
typically around this time of year I'll preach to the people down in Tucson about a bible reading
sermon about trying to admonish them to read the bible and that's something you preach throughout
the year I mean I've kind of just come to the realization people will read the bible when they
want to you can sit up there and you could preach to your blue in the face read your bible read your
bible read your bible but people will start doing it when they want to and I'm here to tell you
you'll start wanting to read your bible when you realize that there'll be times where God will
speak to you through his word God will speak to you through his word anyone who's spent any time
in sincere you know bible reading has probably had that happen to them they've turned to a passage
they've read it and it's just hit them in such a powerful way maybe it's brought them to their
knees it's brought tears to their eyes maybe it's caused them to cry out you know with joy in their
heart maybe it's helped them get through something that's God ministering to you through the bible
you know reading the bible isn't you know just something we do out of duty it's something
that we ought to be doing out of a sincere desire to have God speak with us you know God wants to
draw near to us you would go back to mark 14 you see this all the time with Jesus he said
even when he was coming into Jerusalem oh Jerusalem Jerusalem which kill us the prophets
and stone us them that are sent unto thee how often I would have gathered thy children together
as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings and he would not look if we're distant from God
it's not his fault it's ours if we're not having this fellowship with God it's not his fault he
wants it it's our fault why because we get so busy with all these other things he said love not the
world this is what john said in first john love not the world neither the things that are in the
world if any man loved the world the love of the father is not in him now think about what he's
saying there if you love the world the love of the father is not in him is he saying that if you love
the world God doesn't love you no he's not he's saying that if you love the world it's you're too
busy loving the world that the love of the father is not in your love for God will be quenched be
squelched if you love the things of the world we can get so caught up with the things of the world
so distracted with all the things of the world it could actually you know just snuff out our love
for God it can take its place that's where admonished in Hebrews 10 let us draw near with
a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and
our bodies washed with pure water we should draw an eye to God so again we're just talking about
having fellowship with God tonight you know get it being guided to that guest chamber by the Lord
first point is you have to desire it and if you don't desire it you're going to miss out
you say oh I desire it I want it you know I want to have this this deeper walk with God
well amen the next thing you have to do is follow the instructions and this is kind of maybe the
more practical part of the sermon there in Mark chapter 14 if you look verse 13 we'll see some
practical instructions that were given for them to go and find this guest chamber that they were
eventually had this you know very powerful you know meeting with the Lord it says in verse 13
and he sent forth two of the disciples and sayeth unto them go into the city and there you shall
meet a man bearing a pitcher of water follow him so it's pretty straightforward you know there
wasn't any twists and turns here it wasn't complicated instructions it was just go into
the city you're gonna see a guy burying a pitcher of water follow him and he's gonna lead you to the
house and what I the first point I want to make about this is that when we want fellowship with
the Lord we want that deeper walk with God we come to him on his terms you know God's you know
sometimes I think people think that God is like a light switch they can just turn off and on
whenever they feel like you know well it's time for it's time for some fellowship with God we
just flip the switch on or God's some kind of vending machine you know or something like that
where if they just do x amount of this they'll get more fellowship with God when we come to God
it's on his terms he's saying okay we're going to go have this fellowship we're going to eat
the supper together but you need to go and find this guy with the water and then he's going to
lead you to where you need to be he's kind of dictating the terms isn't he we come to God on
history that's the way to the salvation isn't that what so many people struggle with in salvation
they want to come to God on their terms and we all know that Jesus said no man cometh unto the
Father but by me John 14 right there's another great passage that those chapters we know that
it's without without faith it is impossible to please him it's all by God's on his terms
that people get saved but even as his children those of us that are saying that's what I'm
preaching to tonight you know we still have to come to God on his terms especially you know if
we're people that someone has grown distant from God maybe we've gotten sins into our life that
have you know kind of broken that fellowship between us and God look there's still hope the
Bible says if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness you know and that's there but you know there's a process there in
order to restore that fellowship just like any you know wayward child that they were to come
back to their their parents that they had disobeyed you know they wouldn't just walk in
the room just like well I've decided not to do that anymore you know I'm not gonna upset you
anymore they would probably you know we'd want to see that they were sincere you know we know our
children are gonna change because of what because of the tears often you know we discipline our
children we see that their hearts change because of the way they react to that that discipline
okay it's the same way with us you know as God's children if we want to restore that fellowship if
we want to draw closer to God you know there we're coming to God on his terms I should have had you
go to James 4 we all know it I'll just read to you verse 7 it says submit yourselves therefore to
God resist the devil and he will flee from you you want to restore that fellowship you wanna have
that deeper walk you have to submit to God you're gonna come to him on his terms we don't get to
dictate this we have to resist the devil and he will flee from you know we got to get the sin out
of our life then we have to what draw an eye to God so then we start the drawing night of God
after we've submitted unto God submitted on the Word of God submitted on the will of God gotten
the sins out of our lives stop doing those things that that that quench the Holy Spirit that grieve
the Holy Spirit then we're able to draw an eye to God and he will draw an eye to you that's his
terms okay do these things and I will draw an eye to you when I see you drawing nigh to me I will
dry night to you cleanse your hands these sinners and purify your hearts eat double-minded be
afflicted and mourn and weep well that doesn't sound like any fun you know but that's that's
what God says he's saying hey you know if you want to draw an eye to me you want to get you're
gonna have to get some things right you know if we're out of sorts with the Lord that's where it
starts affliction mourning weeping let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to
heaviness humble yourselves in sight of Lord and he shall lift you up so this deeper fellowship
this this restoration comes on God's terms another way it comes to God's terms to think about this is
that Peter and John were sent to a specific place at a specific time you know they had to be in a
specific place at a specific time right and it's kind of the same way with us what I find
interesting about mark 14 is when he goes he tells him to find a specific man a man bearing
a pitcher of water you know why that why why did he find him at that exact time do that exact task
well I think you know maybe there's an illustration here he says you'll find a man bearing a pitcher
of water follow him and to me when I was reading this and just thinking about it you know to me it
just seems like that's and you know kind of represents us following the Holy Spirit through
the Word of God you know the Bible often is likened unto different things you know bread
water meat honey these things and water is one of them think about in Ephesians out the the
cleansing of the water of the word right so they're following the Holy Spirit they're following this
man bearing a pitcher of water to me and you you know if we're gonna get to that deeper place of
fellowship with God in our lives we're gonna follow the Holy Spirit you know that man who's
bearing that water and we're gonna we're gonna be following him in his word you're not gonna
have fellowship with God outside of the Word of God folks and there's it's important understand
that because there's a whole lot of people out in this world they'll give lip service to the Bible
but then they seek to have this relationship with God apart from Scripture they'll just they'll just
dream up things about how they know they have fellowship with God just whatever comes to mind
you know I don't even want to repeat it up here because sometimes it's so crazy sounding but you
know the fellowship that you're gonna have with God it's gonna be found in the Bible you're gonna
have to like just they're not gonna get to that upper chamber just by following anybody they didn't
even know where to go they had to find this guy bearing the water you know we have to get into
the Word of God and let the Holy Spirit guide us through through it and speak to us and that's
something that you know he will do the Bible says in 1st Corinthians chapter 2 but as it is written
I have not seen nor ear heard neither have entered in the heart of man the things which
God has prepared for them that love them but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit
for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God I mean that's a promise that's given
to us that God has revealed unto us the deep things of God and not through you know we don't
fall into some trance or something it's not like we you know got we download this information or
something it's through this book this is the revelation of God to all mankind now these this
is the has been revealed to us through his holy apostles and prophets and it's something that's
given to us as that water in that vessel you know that's going to lead us to that deeper place of
fellowship in our lives that's why David prayed open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous
things out of thy law what a what a great you know what a stupid prayer David everyone knows
you can't behold wondrous things out of the Bible and wrong there's wondrous things that are there
waiting to be held out of the Word of God things that would speak to us and move us and comfort us
and convict us and guide us and lead us to that deeper place of fellowship if we will take the
time to behold it and follow that man bearing the picture follow the Holy Spirit in our Bible
reading you know I'm all for people you know having a schedule to read their Bibles I think
it's important that we should make a point of reading our Bibles however many times we deem
necessary for ourselves but you know it's just a word of warning don't let your Bible reading get
turned into a math problem you know take time you know the best best one of the best tips I ever
heard of Bible reading you know was from Pastor Anderson he said you know he said your Bible
reading should be like like stopping to smell the roses I thought that's I thought about that
several times throughout the years oh I'm gonna read the Bible all the X amount of times like well
if you're just reading the Bible to just check off a list how is you know you know are you really
gonna be led are you really gonna take the time to notice those little gems that are in them those
jewels are you really gonna take the time to meditate think about it and let God speak to you
the way you ought to you know it's like you know Peter and John are following this guy at the water
they're not burying anything they're they're trying to get the meal ready they got the support
meal they're excited right it's like but this guy's bearing water like I don't know if he's got it on
his head or what but if he's bearing a load he's probably not moving as fast as them he's probably
got this load he's kind of like yeah I'll take you there and just kind of get making his way
there just you just don't mind me it's like can you get stuck behind that guy you know on highways
doing 10 under right and you start signaling them this finger you're going like this like
time to get over get out of the way so I do I just you know get close and I do one of these
you know imagine them they're like they after like where's he taking us they keep okay can you
pick up the pace a little bit you know sometimes God wants us to slow down and let him you know let
the Holy Spirit speak to us let you know and and talk to us through the Word of God and reveal
things to us I believe that that's why David prayed that prayer open thou mine eyes and I
may behold wondrous things out of thy law because there are things that are there to be beheld the
man burying this burden he kind of sets the pace doesn't he you know God draws you closer as he
sees fit you know when we start to desire a sincere work with God a walk with God you know he's gonna
start putting his fingers on things and you start okay we're gonna deal with this we're gonna get
this barrier out of the way we're gonna get this and we're gonna get over this hurdle you know God
wants to have a deeper walk with us but sometimes you know in all our lives and we all have different
backgrounds and come from different places and had different experiences we have you know different
preconceived notions we all have different thoughts and attitudes about things you know
God has to deal with each and every one of us on an individual basis and he'll do that and he'll
set the pace with you and say okay we're gonna deal with this and then we're gonna deal with
this and while that's happening we're getting closer and closer to God it's a very personal
thing to have a walk with God and praise God for that that God isn't some cold distant far-off
deity just some nameless force of the universe that God is a has a name that God can draw close
to us that God knows us he knows every hair on our head he could count them God you know formed
us in the womb you know God knows our thoughts you know God is a personal God who cares about
us loves us wants to comfort us and he will draw nigh to us if we'll dry nigh to him if we allow
him to set the pace and to speak to us through his word so these are just some of the practical
tips basically it's you know read your Bible right read your Bible and and pray and do it
thoughtfully do it carefully do it with you know stop to smell the roses as I was told right
desire this you know and and and and that was my first point is you have to desire it and then you
have it was my second point I'm gonna find out real quick because I wrote that's why you write
it down folks oh you have to do what you're told you have to follow the instructions right that's
the real practical part of it and this is kind of the more practical end on this point is that
you know you have to dedicate a time and a place for fellowship don't you I mean think about any
other relationship in your life that you want to deepen with somebody you have to communicate with
them right you can't not talk to that person expect to have a deeper relationship with them
you can't you can't expect to have a closer friend without communicating with them you can't have a
closer relationship with your spouse if you ignore them all the time you know the opposite is what
happens you know and as I just got done preaching you know God is a personal God God is a man you
know God is you know somebody is an individual okay and we have to make sure that we give him
a time and a place in our lives if we want to deepen that relationship with them look there in
verse 15 if you're still there in mark 14 he said and he will make he will show you a large upper
room who the guy you're following right you follow the Holy Spirit in your Bible reading
he's gonna guide you to that that upper room that place of fellowship that deeper fellowship with
God he's gonna show you a large upper room furnished and prepared there make ready he's
gonna take you to a place that is dedicated a time in a place that is dedicated for the fellowship
that you're going to have with me you didn't say he's gonna take you to some broom closet you know
you need to clear that out and set things up now this place is already prepared it's furnished it's
ready to go it's dedicated it's a dedicated time and place for them to have this this fellowship
that they're about to have the Last Supper that's what we need to do in our lives just like any
other relationship we have to have a time and a place if to spend time with that person if we
want it to be a deeper relationship so this is a you know this is basically what I'm preaching
about tonight you know this is the practical application just have a time and a place that
you read your Bible and pray you say how do I have a deeper walk with God it's really not that
complicated you know it's it's reading your Bible it's praying and and that's the problem
that's why some people just never get it because they they want some kind of you know they want
some mystical thing they want some you know just outlandish thing they want it they want to they
want to do something hard they want to be told to go climb some mountaintop and and God will be
sitting up there and he'll speak these words of wisdom it's like no you know it's very practical
and I'm glad for it I'm glad that God it loves us so much that he's made it easy it's as simple
as you just getting up in the morning pouring a cup of coffee or your favorite beverage whatever
right and sitting down in the early morning hours at the kitchen table and and prayerfully and
thoughtfully reading the Word of God you know I mean I I was I would got the impression that I
was going to be preaching yesterday I was kind of I talked pastor he said I'm not feeling good
you're probably have to fill in for me tomorrow I said I'll be ready you know and I had some other
things I could have preached but I thought you know I just sometimes you let these sermons sit
around they get kind of stale I said these people deserve fresh bread up here right might not be
baked all the way through but it's fresh okay it's so fresh you know I thought of it this sermon
this morning well how did you do that I got up and I sat down on my table in my kitchen table
and I poured a cup of coffee and I opened up the book to mark 14 and I started reading and I just
had a thought I just wrote it down I said that'd be a good sermon and that you know that was just
God leading me God guiding me to preach this sermon to you you must need it you know so I
was hoping to get something else out of the Word of God this morning this is for you right so you
better be listening I hope you're taking notes all right I'm just kidding of course but again
I'm just making that you know it's that practical you say how do I have a deeper walk with God read
your Bible and pray it's not it's not some profound thing you know we don't want to turn
fellowship with God into this overly exaggerated experience yes it's profound the fact that you
and I can have a close relationship with God Almighty the Most High the Creator of the
universe I mean that's profound but you know it's also very practical it's it's that simple
just sitting down reading your Bible seeking God's face you know we have this this fellowship or we
excuse me have this promise in the Word of God that we can have fellowship with Christ that we
can be guided to this guest chamber so to speak where there's deeper fellowship waits for us I
mean the disciples have been following Jesus they've heard all kinds of teaching but man
these powerful passages that they're about to hear was done in a particular time and place and
they were guided there you know we have that same promise that we can have a deeper walk with God
if we want it here and now not just when we get to heaven here and now you know and it can be a
very sweet it can be a very powerful relationship in our lives that can bring us a lot of comfort
and a lot of joy and a lot of help it's there for us if we're desiring it and we're willing to do
what's needed to nurture that relationship it's there for us I hope every one of us in the new
year will avail ourselves of that and have a deeper walk with God this year than the one before
it's going pray dear Lord again thank you for this great promise in the Word of God thank you
for being God that is not a far off but it's night hand Lord and that knows our every thought
that knows every burden of our heart Lord that knows everything about us Lord and thank you that
you're a God that loves us and desires to have fellowship with us Lord I pray help us to seek
you and your strength and Lord help us to just be made better for having been here tonight we ask in
Christ's name amen all right we'll sing one more song before we go amen let's go ahead and turn
our hymnals to him number 425 425 no room in the end him number 425 begins no beautiful chamber no
soft cradle bed given the before 25 was singing together on that first
there is
no
Jesus
you