The Troubled Heart. (Okan to Daru)

METHODIST CHURCH NIGERIA

DIOCESE OF OSOGBO

FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER,

10TH MAY, 2020.

GOD’S WORD TO GOD’S PEOPLE

Theme: The Troubled Heart. (Okan to Daru)

Text: John 14:1 - 2

“Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.”

“Ema se je ki okan yin daru: e gba Olorun gbo, e gba mi gbo pelu. Ninu ile Baba mi opolopo ibugbe nio wa iba ma se bee, emi iba ti so fun yin. Nitori emi n lo pese aaye sile, fun yin.”

We read in the book of Job that “Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble” (Job 14:1). Jesus Christ himself attested to this when he said in John 16:33 that, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” This is very true today with the present attack of COVID-19, also known as Coronavirus, on the world at large. Everywhere around the globe now, men and women, old and young, rich and poor, and low and high are seriously troubled in their hearts for many reasons. Number one on the list of causes of troubled heart is the prevalent pandemic called Coronavirus, which is ravaging lives fast in our world. Others include, loss of job, death of loved ones, poverty, divorce, kidnapping, insurgency and prolonged lockdown (both total and partial) especially of religious centers like Church and Mosque. In a time like this, it is important for us to remember that sin and trouble are two friends which go together. Where there is sin, there you find trouble, they are better described in a Yoruba saying; “Ore ki yore, ako ba ni ki ya ra won.”

The moment sin came into the garden of Eden in Genesis chapter 3, the minds and hearts of Adam and Eve started to experience trouble and they began to look for way out. Their sin of disobedience attracted divine curses unto the entire human race and the banishment of the two from the garden of Eden is the banishment of the fallen human beings from the place of peace, joy, provision and health. Since God drove Adam and Eve out of Eden (Gen. 3:23-24), human beings had continued to look for lasting solution to their troubled hearts and precarious situation. I am here today with good news for all of us with troubled heart as a result of the global attack of COVID-19 and its prevailing effect on our social-economic, education and religious life.

The solution to our troubled hearts and confused situation in Nigeria is nothing, but “faith in Jesus Christ; the way, the truth and the life.” (John 14:1, 2&6). Our gospel reading today, the fifth Sunday of Easter, opens with our Lord’s loving admonition, “Let not your heart be troubled…” (John 14:1). This opening statement of Jesus’ loving and farewell admonition to his disciples is not surprising to us at all, because we all know that the Apostles were already troubled since the announcement of Jesus Christ that one of them was a traitor (John 13:21 & 22). Not only that, Jesus’ warning to Peter that he was going to deny him 3 times was certainly enough to give all of them a great concern. How about the realization that Jesus was going to leave them like a sheep without shepherd? (Jn. 13:33) Their hearts became more troubled because they did not know where he was going and it was impossible for them to go with him. But Jesus Christ calmed their troubled hearts with 6 wonderful assurances in John chapter 14 which I am going to list out and discuss just the first two in this message.

The same assurance is available to all who believe in Jesus Christ today. We can lay claim to them and then enjoy untroubled hearts as people of one way at any situation. These assurances are:

1.       The fact that we are going to heaven where there is no COVID-19 or any other pandemic. (John 14:1-6)

2.       Our knowledge about God is enough to give us the spiritual resources needed for calmness and as well keep us going at this turbulent time as this (Jn. 14:7-11)

3.       We have the privilege to pray which is one of the best remedies for a troubled heart. “Why worry when you can pray trusting in Jesus alone” (Jn. 14:12-15)

4.       We have access to the Holy Spirit, without whom we cannot live the Christian life expected of us as followers of Christ (Jn. 14:16-18)

5.       God’s love is available for every believer to enjoy, especially in a time like this when palliatives are not going round. (Jn. 14:19-24).

6.       Peace, one of the greatest gifts of God is always given to those who believe in God through Jesus Christ (Jn. 14:25-31, MHB 501)

My dear people of God, let not your heart be troubled as a result of the prevailing circumstances caused by Coronavirus and its management in our nation Nigeria, which has brought untold hardship on the masses. Jesus’ perfect peace as seen in John 14:27 assures us that, He alone can give true peace. Jesus Christ is the Master of all situations and he has the power to enable us take control of our lives as we surrender to him and receive his legacy of peace and calmness to our troubled hearts. Even if things become unbearable here on earth the fact that we (Christians) have another home in heaven (Jn. 14:2), a new city (Heb. 11:16) the kingdom of our God (2Pet. 1:11) where pain, sorrow, hunger, pandemic etc. cannot reach is enough to ease our tension. According to Jesus in John chapter 14, heaven is a real place. It is not a product of religious imagination as some would think, but a dwelling place of God and where Jesus Christ returned to after his resurrection. It is therefore a home for the children of God. It is said that Jesus was a Carpenter while here on earth (Mk. 6:3), but now that he has returned to glory, it is believed that he is using his skills to build a Church on earth and a home for the Church in heaven. No wonder, he promised in John14:3 to return to take his own people home. It is therefore true that some will go to our heavenly home through the valley of the shadow of death (physical death I mean), but those who are alive when Jesus shall return to earth at his 2nd coming will never see death (Jn. 11:25-26). They will be changed to be like Christ and will go to heaven with him (1Thess. 4:13-18).

This is why Stephen at his death was filled with joy, when he saw the glory of God and Jesus the Christ standing at his right hand in heaven. His trouble ceased and he held no grudges against his killers when he saw the glory of heaven where he was going to stay forever (Acts 7:55, 59-60). Like the Psalmist, in Psalm 31 verse 5, commit your spirit into God’s hand while you are still living so that he may receive you into his eternal kingdom whenever you are dead. Do you have a home in heaven? Try and win one for yourself today through your faith in Christ. Men and brethren, the assurance of a heavenly home at the end of our pilgrimage here on earth will enable us to bear joyfully with the obstacles and battles along the way. It was the same assurance that encouraged our Lord Jesus, “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.” (Heb. 12:2). The same thing happened to Paul when he wrote, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Rom. 8:18)” Are you still troubled in your heart?

Fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters in Christ, we do not need to reach heaven before we get to know what our God can do. As a matter of fact, we can know our heavenly Father better in a time like this, when the whole world is looking for solution to the pandemic which has shut everyone indoor in Nigeria. The Knowledge which can be of help to us in a time like this, when every other knowledge is failing us globally, is to know the fact about God, to understand the truth behind that fact, to believe in him and finally to have a deeper relationship (Communion) with him as our Father and Saviour (Jn. 15:1-5) I am convinced that the burning desire of every Christian should be to know God better than ever, like Philip who said to Jesus, “show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us” (Jn. 14:8) In response to his request, Jesus made it clear that once we get to know him, we have known the Father who has solution to all our life’s problems. Jesus and God are one indivisible, whosoever knows the Son has known the Father (God) and whoever believes in the Son has also believed in God who sent him. We must also realize that the words and works of Jesus Christ came from the Father and both reveal the true nature and character of God to us. Why then should our hearts be troubled because of ordinary COVID-19, when the Creator and President of the whole universe is our own Father? The assurance here therefore is that we know the only one who knows the source of COVID-19 and that is enough to give us the spiritual resources which we need today to overcome the power and effect of this pandemic and all other life threaten issues in our world. God is able to deal with everything which is troubling our heart today. Only believe in him and in his Son Jesus Christ and you and your family shall be saved and enjoy his supernatural power. Brethren, let not your heart be troubled again.

Let us pray.

Rt. Rev. A.K.O. Ogunrinde, JP, FICT.

Bishop, Diocese of Osogbo.

Chairman OS-CAN.