{"id":4293,"date":"2020-12-28T20:37:56","date_gmt":"2020-12-28T20:37:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/?p=4293"},"modified":"2020-12-28T20:37:56","modified_gmt":"2020-12-28T20:37:56","slug":"misguided-desires-for-heaven","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/misguided-desires-for-heaven\/","title":{"rendered":"Misguided Desires for Heaven"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

\n

36\u00a0<\/sup>Simon Peter said to him, \u201cLord, where are you going?\u201d\u00a0Jesus answered him,\u00a0\u201cWhere I am going\u00a0you cannot follow me now,\u00a0but you will follow afterward.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a037\u00a0<\/sup>Peter said to him, \u201cLord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.\u201d<\/span>\u00a038\u00a0<\/sup>Jesus answered,\u00a0\u201cWill you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you,\u00a0the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

14\u00a0<\/span>\u201cLet not your hearts be troubled.\u00a0Believe in God;[a<\/a>]<\/sup>\u00a0believe also in me.<\/span><\/span>\u00a02\u00a0<\/sup>In\u00a0my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that\u00a0I go to prepare a place for you?[b<\/a>]<\/sup><\/span><\/span>\u00a03\u00a0<\/sup>And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you\u00a0to myself, that\u00a0where I am you may be also.<\/span><\/span>\u00a04\u00a0<\/sup>And you know the way to where I am going.\u201d[c<\/a>]<\/sup><\/span><\/span>\u00a05\u00a0<\/sup>Thomas said to him, \u201cLord,\u00a0we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?\u201d<\/span>\u00a06\u00a0<\/sup>Jesus said to him,\u00a0\u201cI am\u00a0the way, and\u00a0the truth, and\u00a0the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.<\/span><\/span>\u00a07\u00a0<\/sup>If you had known me, you would have\u00a0known my Father also.[d<\/a>]<\/sup>\u00a0From now on you do know him and\u00a0have seen him.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

8\u00a0<\/sup>Philip said to him, \u201cLord,\u00a0show us the Father, and it is enough for us.\u201d<\/span>\u00a09\u00a0<\/sup>Jesus said to him,\u00a0\u201cHave I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip?\u00a0Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, \u2018Show us the Father\u2019?<\/span><\/span>\u00a010\u00a0<\/sup>Do you not believe that\u00a0I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you\u00a0I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.<\/span><\/span>\u00a011\u00a0<\/sup>Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. (John 13:36-14:11)<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/section>\n

Introduction<\/b><\/p>\n

If you were to ask a random number of people on the streets if they wanted to go to heaven, most people will say yes. Most of those people will probably think that they are going to heaven, or are not sure. Now among the majority of people who will say they want to go to Heaven, you will find about a thousand different views on what Heaven is, and thousand different views on what you have to do to get to Heaven. And unless you are asking a Christian, if you asked why they want to go to Heaven, none of those answers would be concerned with true righteousness and godliness, nor of union with Christ. There are an incredible number of misguided desires for Heaven out there.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But if you were to ask a random number of people at any given professing evangelical mega-church the same question as to why they want to go to heaven, you will certainly get a lot of good and right answers, but you will also get a great number of misguided desires for Heaven among that crowd as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But if you were to ask the disciples, at some point before the arrest of Christ, similar types of questions, you would be sure to also get some misguided desires for heaven. Indeed, if that could be true of such great men as those taught by Christ, it could be true of us as well. I plan today, by God\u2019s grace, to consider four different misguided desires for Heaven, found in various ways in our text today.<\/span><\/p>\n

Misguided Desire #1: A desire for Jesus on our own terms (13:36-38)<\/b><\/p>\n

So there in verse 36 Peter responds to what Jesus had just said in verse 31-35, of course Peter is most troubled by Jesus saying that where He was going, they could not follow, so he presses Jesus further as to why this must be. Jesus\u2019 response to Peter in verse 36 is very patient and gracious, reiterating that where He is going they cannot follow right now, but later they will. But still this did not satisfy Peter. We see Peter\u2019s noble zeal for the Lord, yet still with his rashness. When he says, \u201cWhy not can I follow you now?\u201d and then declares that he lay down his life for Jesus. Peter so passionately just wants to be wherever Jesus is, but yet he is not content with all of Jesus\u2019 ways. He wants to be with Jesus on his own terms. He determines the path that Christ lays out to be undesirable. But one cannot have Jesus except on Jesus\u2019 terms. This Peter must still learn.<\/span><\/p>\n

Calvin says, \u201cWhy cannot I follow thee now? By these words Peter declares that he was dissatisfied with Christ\u2019s answers.\u201d How often does this describe any of us? We have such a passion for Christ, yet we are dissatisfied with Christ\u2019s ways. We think that we know better.<\/span><\/p>\n

Peter could not go with Jesus to glory at this time because he was yet to be sanctified. He was yet to be humbled and then built back up. He was yet to be made suitable for Heaven. Peter thought he was ready to be a martyr, but he was not. He would deny Christ three times. But then eventually he would become a martyr, after he learned these lessons. Sometimes Christ reproves desires that we think to be noble and right, because Christ knows what we do not know about ourselves. He knows if we are not ready, or if that thing is not for us, or if our motivations are vain. How many times have you cried out to God, \u201cLord, I would do this for you, and that for you!\u201d You have such grand visions for your passion for the Lord. We think our desires are so great that God will be so proud and ready to pat us on the back and make straight the way. And then we are disappointed when we are met with God\u2019s frown on our plans. How could the Lord deny such noble desires as we think we have? How could the Lord deny Peter\u2019s desire to never depart from Christ and follow Him to death? The Lord knows better than we.<\/span><\/p>\n

I love what Calvin says here, \u201cHe means that Peter is not yet ripe for bearing the cross, but like corn still in the blade, must be formed and strengthened by the progress of time, that he may follow.\u201d This is the way of the Christian life: progress over time. Sanctification takes time. We aren\u2019t just wisped away into heaven when we become Christians. We are left here for a period of time. We are left here to go through pruning, and trials, and sufferings, and things that make us grow into fitness for Heaven. And by saying \u201cfitness for heaven,\u201d I do not mean any sort of merit that we earn, but I simply mean that our sanctification is necessary to take place before our glorification. Peter did not want these terms. He wanted to go right now into a martyr\u2019s death with no delay. But our Lord knew he was not ready. He would still deny Christ three times. He was not ready for a Martyr\u2019s death. There was more time and progress to be made in Peter.<\/span><\/p>\n

In many ways Peter was being presumptuous to declare that he would lay down His life for Christ. While we are to count the cost and know that to follow Christ means we follow Him to the point of death, we also are not to presume on what we will or will not do. Within such presumption there seems to be too large of a self-trust, or reliance upon one\u2019s own strength. As John Gill says, \u201cChrist speaks these words [questioning Peter\u2019s martyr complex and foretelling Peter\u2019s denials] as questioning, not Peter\u2019s sincerity, but his strength.\u201d I have no doubt that Peter truly meant what he said. We can be confident that Peter truly intended to lay down his life for Christ. But in being dissatisfied with Christ\u2019s ways, Peter resorted to relying upon his own strength to carry out his own ways. This is presumption and self-reliance, and boy are we guilty of this far too often. You see the call to count the cost and take up our cross to follow Jesus is not a call for depending upon our own strength, but a clear call to depend upon the entirety of the strength of Christ. For we are weak, and He is strong. And it is by faith, ever looking to Christ, that we are made ready for the day of our death.<\/span><\/p>\n

Misguided Desire #2: Filled with Trouble (Escapism) (14:1-4)<\/b><\/p>\n

Knowing the disciples are now discouraged and troubled, Jesus seeks to comfort them. They have been told that one of the disciples would betray Jesus, Jesus has told them that He is about to go where they cannot follow Him, and now they are told that Peter will deny Christ three times. They have much troubling their hearts on the verge of the departure of their Lord. But Jesus does not want them to be troubled. \u201cLet not your hearts be troubled,\u201d He tells them. \u201cBelieve in God; believe also in me,\u201d He gives them as a remedy. Faith is the remedy to a troubled heart. To cure their troubled hearts Jesus tells them, \u201cBelieve me; and here is what I am doing for you, so that you know my departure is not for good, and it is for good reason. I am going to prepare a place, where we will always be together.\u201d In other words Jesus is saying, \u201cDo not be troubled by my departure or the difficult things that are about to happen. Instead, be encouraged, because my death and departure is not my failure, but my continuing work being accomplished to prepare for our eternal abode together.\u201d The departure of Jesus, and bad things happening in this world, are not a reason for despair. His departure is for our good. As the departure of Christ is a sad occasion, He does not go away in such a manner as to remain separated.<\/span><\/p>\n

Herein is the misguided desire for Heaven: many professing Christians will find themselves so burdened with trouble in this world that they are brought to such a despair, so as just to long to escape and get out of this world. And it sounds pious because they want to get out of here to go be with Jesus. Obviously it is a good desire that every Christian has to go and be with Jesus, but it is misguided when it is born out of a heart that is given over to trouble such that it is not leaning on Jesus.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Escapism is a major problem in modern evangelicalism. Escapism is a desire to be removed from your present circumstances and responsibilities because your heart is so overcome with trouble. This is a misguided desire for Heaven. Instead of offering an escape route or removing our troubles, Jesus just says, \u201cLet not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. I am continuing to accomplish my work for you. We will dwell together in due time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Is there something that troubles your heart today? Are there troubles so filling your heart that you are believing your troubles more than you are believing God? Are there things in this world that trouble you so that you just want to escape it, instead of remaining faithful where the Lord has placed you? Our hearts are prone to trouble. And we are prone to give in to our hearts. What is troubling your heart? Is it the state of the world? The uncertainty of the future? The fear of what could be coming in our nation? Are you troubled over whether or not you will be able to provide for your family? Are you troubled over the safety or the condition of your children? Is it pain or strains in relationships? There are many things that would seek to have our hearts. But whatever it is, Jesus says, \u201cLet not your heart be troubled.\u201d Because where He is going, we cannot go now, but we will be there one day. My understanding is that Jesus speaks of resurrection day when He comes again and the graves are opened to go before the judgment seat of God where we enter into our eternal estate. For those in Christ, it is to dwell with and forever be with the Lord. Why are you troubled? Believe in God.<\/span><\/p>\n

No matter what happens, we should be determined to let not our hearts be filled with trouble. We should be so secure in Christ that there is no trouble in this world that can fill our hearts, because our hearts are so filled with Christ. You see, when our hearts are filled with the troubles and cares of this world and we are given over to escapism, we become really ineffective in this world. We are filling our hearts so much with the world, that we are no good in the world. But when the troubles of this world can find no home in our hearts because our hearts are filled with the transcendent and with great hope in the future, that is what makes us most effective in this world. Being filled with trouble paralyzes us. But believing God frees us.<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the problems with desiring to escape out of this world and into Heaven, is that we are still in this world. And because we are here, that means, we are not ready for Heaven yet. We cannot escape or skip our sanctification and go straight to glory. We have to become suited and fit for Heaven by sanctification, in order to enter Heaven. And sanctification is something that happens on earth, in our lives, in time, and in history. Believing God means that we can walk in confidence that we will one day be forever with Him, so we can be faithful with whatever task or time God has put in front of us for us to do in the meantime. The problem with escapism is that there are things to do. God has given us responsibilities and duties, and if we bury them and do not act on them, we will not be happy when we answer to God for that one day. Filling our hearts with trouble will leave us susceptible to sitting on the talents God has given us to steward.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLet not your heart be troubled.\u201d One application of this that this teaches us not to listen, or be controlled by fear mongering media or talk shows. Because you can have as many of those as you want. And in some weird way, it is sometimes the case that our hearts are kind of a glutton for punishment. Our hearts like to be troubled. They are so easily troubled. We must combat this with faith in Christ. This world thrives on trouble and fear because it makes good money. We should not spend our time listening to any of that. Be informed, be prepared, but do not be spooked. Our hearts are not to be troubled, for we believe in God, not man. The things those shows and the media always leaves out are the promises of God and the providence of God. That is what we are to look to. There is endless trouble in this world, if you want it. There is also endless joy and hope.<\/span><\/p>\n

There is a transcendent God beyond the temporary fears and troubles of this world. The fear mongers don\u2019t believe that.<\/span><\/p>\n

Misguided Desire #3: Any way to heaven outside of Christ (14:5-7)<\/b><\/p>\n

Here we find one of the most famous verses in the Bible in John 14:6. You will usually hear just this verse preached on by itself, indeed it is a worthy verse to do just that, and I could\u2019ve done that, but I just couldn\u2019t take it out of the narrative, because I really appreciate the flow of thought here. Jesus explains that He must depart from the disciples to go and prepare a place for them, and then tells them that they know the way to where He is going. And Thomas responds essentially saying, \u201cLord how can we know the way, when we don\u2019t even know where you are going?\u201d Certainly an understandable question if you put yourself in the disciples\u2019 shoes. Thomas asks \u201cHow can we know the way?\u201d And I love Jesus\u2019 response. Jesus said to him, \u201cI am the way, and the truth, and the life\u2026\u201d \u201cLord, how do we know the way?\u201d \u201cI am the way.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jesus does not merely make a way or show us the way, or guide us to the way, but He Himself is the way.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is my contention here, based upon my understanding of the Greek construction of the text, and the surrounding context that when Jesus says, \u201cI am the way and the truth and the life,\u201d He is not talking about three different things, although all of those things are true of Him. Instead, He is talking specifically here about one thing, and that is the way to the Father. The first response that He is the \u201cthe way\u201d controls what follows. Jesus is not giving us a list of three different things that He is, but He is giving one answer to Thomas\u2019 question of \u201chow can we know the way?\u201d The whole conversation here is about the way to where Jesus is going. That is what is being discussed. So my understanding is that Jesus is saying, \u201cI am the way, the true way, and the living way.\u201d So Thomas asks, \u201cHow can we know the way?\u201d Jesus says, \u201cI am the way, and you know me, do you not?\u201d Jesus Himself is the way to the Father. He doesn\u2019t simply make a way or show a way, but you have to go directly through Him, through His person and work.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jesus is the true way, as opposed to a false way. He is the living way, as opposed to a dead one (dead end). He is the living way in opposition to the law, which is the administration of death. Or as opposed to sin, which is the way that leads to death. There are many ways that you can go, but if it is not through Jesus Christ, it is a false way, it is a way that leads to death, and not to the Father. Jesus the only way, He is the only way that is true, and the only way that leads to life.<\/span><\/p>\n

This combats the polytheism, subjectivity, etc. of our day. Many people believe that there are many different ways to Heaven. Or that all religions lead to the same place. There are those who believe that it doesn\u2019t matter what you believe, so long as you are sincere in your belief. The problem with all of that, is that it is not true. Jesus said that \u201cNo one comes to the Father except through me.\u201d Thomas sort of asks the question of all the agnostics: \u201cHow can we know the way?\u201d When someone asks that we can tell them that that question has already been answered. Jesus said, \u201cI am the way.\u201d That is how you can know, because Jesus has come and has revealed Himself to us. God has revealed Himself to us in Jesus Christ, so that we can know the way.<\/span><\/p>\n

Misguided Desire #4: A desire to see the Father apart from Christ (14:8-11)<\/b><\/p>\n

At the end of verse 7 Jesus told the disciples that they have seen the Father. Which is what prompts Philip to ask the question that he does. Jesus\u2019 response in verse 8-11 brings me back to the Christmas eve message I preached, if you were here for that. Colossians 1 tells us that Christ is the image of the invisible God and in Him the fullness of God is pleased to dwell. Philip says, \u201cShow us the Father.\u201d Jesus says, \u201cHave you not seen me and do you not know me?\u201d Jesus is how we see God.<\/span><\/p>\n

Guided Desire: Faith that rests in Christ alone<\/b><\/p>\n

John 14:6 teaches us that our faith is to be directed to Christ alone.<\/span><\/p>\n

Christ alone is sufficient to carry the weight of our faith. He is sufficient to be our only way to the Father.<\/span><\/p>\n

The unbeliever does not like the exclusivity of Christ because of the exclusivity. Because it demands the ways of Christ. Christ offers His benefits, but not apart from His ways. And it is His ways that are the hard part. It means we give up our sins, we give up our idols, our fleshly desires, to take on Christ\u2019s ways.<\/span><\/p>\n

But faith has seen the image of the invisible God. By faith we see Christ, and thus the Father. We see the life that He offers, the eternal dwelling place, we see His glory, and His majesty, and His beauty. That He is far better than all our other dead end dirt paths, and all our other roads we have traveled that lead only to death. By faith we see that Jesus is the only way to the Father, that He is the true way, every other way is a lie. We see that He is the living way, every other way leads to death. And then, by faith, we see that He is not only the only way, but the only way that we want, and the only way that we need. We see that He is all sufficient. There is none other that we need.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Not only is He the only way, but He is the sufficient way. He accomplishes everything necessary to bring us to God. We need not bring anything with us, indeed we cannot. He is sufficient and strong to accomplish all that needs to be done. We need only to trust Him. We need only to believe Him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Is your heart troubled with your sin? There is only one way to remedy such trouble. It is in Jesus Christ. It is to lay our sins on Him, at the cross. To repent of them and turn to Christ. He is the only way to remove the trouble of sin from our hearts. And He is the sufficient way to do so. His blood is enough. We need not be troubled with a guilty conscience over sin if we have taken them to Christ. So come and welcome to Jesus Christ.<\/span><\/p>\n

And if we have had the trouble of our sins removed, there is no trouble in this world that should burden our hearts. We are free! Death has no sting! The grave has no hold! We are forgiven. No more guilt, no more shame. All other trouble pails in the light of the fact, that in Christ, we have our sins forgiven. Christian, that is true of you, so why is your heart troubled?<\/span><\/p>\n

Jesus tells us, \u201cLet not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

36\u00a0Simon Peter said to him, \u201cLord, where are you going?\u201d\u00a0Jesus answered him,\u00a0\u201cWhere I am going\u00a0you cannot follow me now,\u00a0but you will follow afterward.\u201d\u00a037\u00a0Peter said to him, \u201cLord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.\u201d\u00a038\u00a0Jesus answered,\u00a0\u201cWill you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":685,"featured_media":4294,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25,27,30],"tags":[274,1457,382,557,1414,598,678,679,699,765,1456,933,937,1172,1247,1458,1365],"class_list":{"0":"post-4293","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-faith","8":"category-gospel","9":"category-preaching","10":"tag-christ","11":"tag-desires","12":"tag-disciples","13":"tag-god","14":"tag-hearts","15":"tag-heaven","16":"tag-jenkins","17":"tag-jesus","18":"tag-joshua","19":"tag-lord","20":"tag-misguided","21":"tag-peter","22":"tag-philip","23":"tag-spirit","24":"tag-thomas","25":"tag-troubled","26":"tag-world","27":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2020\/12\/heavens.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4334,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/why-our-hearts-ought-not-be-troubled-or-afraid\/","url_meta":{"origin":4293,"position":0},"title":"Why Our Hearts Ought Not Be Troubled or Afraid","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"January 27, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"25\u00a0\u201cThese things I have spoken to you while I am still with you.\u00a026\u00a0But the\u00a0Helper, the Holy Spirit,\u00a0whom the Father will send in my name,\u00a0he will teach you all things and\u00a0bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.\u00a027\u00a0Peace I leave with you;\u00a0my peace I give to you. Not\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Commentary","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/commentary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/01\/waters.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/01\/waters.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/01\/waters.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/01\/waters.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4893,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/the-world-itself-could-not-contain-them\/","url_meta":{"origin":4293,"position":1},"title":"The World Itself Could Not Contain Them","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"March 28, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young,\u00a0you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.\u201d\u00a019\u00a0(This he said to show\u00a0by what\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sermon"","block_context":{"text":"Sermon","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/sermon\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/03\/caravaggio_-_martirio_di_san_pietro.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6593,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/he-gives-more-grace\/","url_meta":{"origin":4293,"position":2},"title":"He Gives More Grace","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"July 19, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Click HERE for sermon audio What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions[a]\u00a0are\u00a0at war within you?[b]\u00a02\u00a0You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sermon"","block_context":{"text":"Sermon","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/sermon\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/07\/R.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/07\/R.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/07\/R.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3646,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/lord-of-the-waves-commentary-on-matthew-1422-33\/","url_meta":{"origin":4293,"position":3},"title":"Lord of the Waves: Commentary on Matthew 14:22-33","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"November 6, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Immediately he\u00a0made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.And after he had dismissed the crowds,\u00a0he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When\u00a0evening came, he was there alone,\u00a0but the boat by this time was a long\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Commentary","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/commentary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/11\/060404_walk_hmed_11a-grid-6x2-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5453,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/angel-food\/","url_meta":{"origin":4293,"position":4},"title":"Angel Food","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"December 26, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Click HERE for sermon audio They\u00a0set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt.\u00a02\u00a0And the whole congregation\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sermon"","block_context":{"text":"Sermon","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/sermon\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/12\/d7e0e771-b6d3-4cc6-8cac-5b5852d5396e6d01227f08a5e5b989_61.351-d1_o2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/12\/d7e0e771-b6d3-4cc6-8cac-5b5852d5396e6d01227f08a5e5b989_61.351-d1_o2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/12\/d7e0e771-b6d3-4cc6-8cac-5b5852d5396e6d01227f08a5e5b989_61.351-d1_o2.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/12\/d7e0e771-b6d3-4cc6-8cac-5b5852d5396e6d01227f08a5e5b989_61.351-d1_o2.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/12\/d7e0e771-b6d3-4cc6-8cac-5b5852d5396e6d01227f08a5e5b989_61.351-d1_o2.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/12\/d7e0e771-b6d3-4cc6-8cac-5b5852d5396e6d01227f08a5e5b989_61.351-d1_o2.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4027,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/lord-to-whom-shall-we-go-john-660-71\/","url_meta":{"origin":4293,"position":5},"title":"Lord, to Whom Shall We Go? John 6:60-71","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"February 26, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 60\u00a0When many of his disciples heard it, they said, \u201cThis is a hard saying; who can listen to it?\u201d\u00a061\u00a0But Jesus,\u00a0knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them,\u00a0\u201cDo you take offense at this?\u00a062\u00a0Then what if you were to see\u00a0the Son of Man\u00a0ascending to\u00a0where he was\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Commentary","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/commentary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2020\/02\/sylwia-bartyzel-135274.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2020\/02\/sylwia-bartyzel-135274.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2020\/02\/sylwia-bartyzel-135274.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2020\/02\/sylwia-bartyzel-135274.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2020\/02\/sylwia-bartyzel-135274.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4293","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/685"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4293"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4293\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4294"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4293"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4293"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4293"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}