Good morning. One thing that our technologies allow is a greater understanding of the world in which we live. If we are curious about what is going on in Australia, we can access the information and get at least some idea of what is happening within minutes. The same is true of every other spot on the planet, even those places that are quite remote.
There is a lot of power contained in this world. Political power, the power of nature, the powers of ideas, the powers of good and the powers of evil. Very often, those powers of evil seem to get a lot of press and accordingly they grow in our understanding and in our fear. The world is often recognized as a very big, very bad kind of place.
Consider then the words of Jesus: “Take heart! for I have overcome the world.” Actually, the full verse is this: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
That is an awesome statement, “Take heart! for I have overcome the world.”
It is all the more awesome when we realize that Jesus is not saying that He has overcome the religions of the world. He does not say that He has risen above the politics of the world. He doesn’t even say that He has overcome the dangers and inequities of the world. Jesus says: “Take heart! for I have overcome the world.”
All of it.
2,100 years ago, on a darkened hill outside the city of Jerusalem, on a hill that was considered a place of evil, Jesus overcame the world. On a Friday afternoon He hung on a cross, being murdered for crimes He never committed. He was capable at any time of escape, but remained there through His own determination. Jesus overcame the world.
Jesus is the conqueror the world has no answer for. Jesus is the light that the darkness can never overcome. Jesus is the truth that all the lies ever told can never defeat. Jesus is the love that all the hate that has ever been can never outweigh. “Take heart! for I have overcome the world.”
I would like to share this passage which speaks of Jesus foretelling His overcoming of the world: Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
“Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour.Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” John 12:20-36
Strangers came to seek Him, and this was His message. Jesus was on a mission, the plan of God for our salvation. Jesus tells them that He is the One who will overcome.
Jesus overcomes death, and fear, and hate, and bigotry, and darkness, and doubt, and violence, and schemes, and the face of evil himself. Jesus says: “Take heart! for I have overcome the world.”
Whatever might be that could cause you to fear today, Jesus says to you: “Take heart! for I have overcome the world.”
Praise God for our victory in Christ Jesus!
Vern