1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,360 This is that moment in time obviously we've seen something this week we worked hard this week and preparation yesterday 2 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:10,800 I was blessed on Tuesday with the lesson that we went through on Tuesday night 3 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:16,360 And so I hope this week you've had an opportunity to hear from the Lord and maybe in your own prayer time or read in your Bible 4 00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:21,760 Or whatever or even if it was yesterday in Grand Prix or Tuesday evening, whatever it was 5 00:00:22,080 --> 00:00:24,280 This is your opportunity to speak up. What do you got? 6 00:00:24,280 --> 00:00:26,280 What do you got? 7 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:30,280 So 8 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:34,000 Chakra I was listening to music and there was a 9 00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:40,600 There was a song I was listening to while I was at work and I was listening to my earbuds and 10 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:45,720 Like I get a lot of variety of music when I listen to music 11 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:52,840 I get country rap rock hip-hop the whole the whole thing is in my playlist. My playlist is very random 12 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:54,160 and 13 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:59,760 but lately I found myself listening to like I guess more Christian rap and 14 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:08,240 The first thing I found out was one some of these people that some of the musicians I listen to are so underrated 15 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:16,120 there's there's so talented but yet because they refuse to give into what the world wants and the secular music that the world does and 16 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:18,960 they don't get the recognition they should and 17 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:20,760 then 18 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:22,760 Which brings me my first thing is? 19 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:29,120 Sometimes when we do what we are supposed to and God we don't get the recognition we should 20 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:32,040 Because it's not what the world wants 21 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:34,880 so we have to remember that just because 22 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:41,520 We're not doing what they want us what what the world perceives is a good thing or hey 23 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:43,200 You should do it this way instead 24 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:49,720 We're doing it God's way just because we don't get the recognition that we think we deserve doesn't mean that God doesn't see that 25 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:52,360 right so whenever we're doing something we 26 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:57,480 Understand that just because the world might not recognize it doesn't mean that God does 27 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:02,000 Then this brings me to a second thing one of the songs I was listening to 28 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:07,400 Was I can't remember the name of the song I can't find it anywhere and it's annoying me 29 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:12,600 But there was a lyric in there and it said that we need this in clubs and it was talking about 30 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:15,000 like Christian pop music and 31 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:20,480 so I started going through and I've got a playlist of like 110 songs now of 32 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:28,880 Christian songs that are I guess more club type songs and they're all about the gospel and 33 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:36,280 Absolutely mind-blowing to know that there's all these songs out there that have such positive messages 34 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:38,560 But yet nobody wants to listen to it 35 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:45,360 Because it's about things that they don't want to hear about how yeah, we're all failures and yeah 36 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:47,400 We all fall short of the sense of the glory of God 37 00:02:47,920 --> 00:02:54,720 but God still forgives us and he still loves us and we're gonna do what God wants us to do regardless of what the world wants 38 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:56,240 us to do and 39 00:02:56,240 --> 00:02:57,400 it's 40 00:02:57,400 --> 00:03:04,680 and I guess it makes me feel good because it shows that you know there are people that are really really willing to 41 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:11,700 To stand and say no, this is what I'm doing. I found out that one of the Christian rappers 42 00:03:11,700 --> 00:03:14,620 I listen to a lot and it was pretty well known as KB 43 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:21,160 He's turned down like I think it was a hundred million dollar deal from a couple record labels 44 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:24,280 Because he refused to fear from his 45 00:03:24,920 --> 00:03:27,360 God that he does and it's like, you know 46 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:30,280 We that that's the stand that we as Christians need to take 47 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:36,000 We need to we need to take that stand and go no I'm doing this because God wants me to do this not because of 48 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:38,480 Anything else this is what God wants me to do 49 00:03:38,480 --> 00:03:43,400 So I'm gonna do it and I'm gonna do it regardless of what the world says and regardless of whether or not they recognize 50 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:49,520 What I'm doing because it's what God wants and God's the one that's gonna get the glory for it 51 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:53,320 Yeah, it's why you're speaking I was thinking about 52 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:56,120 Thought about this this week 53 00:03:56,120 --> 00:04:00,120 I'm going to plan tomorrow whatever my devotional anybody think Satan's got access to money 54 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:02,920 I'll bet he does 55 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:08,800 Absolutely plenty now. It's like I can restrain him from any kind of activity that if you can be bought off 56 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:15,240 You can be paid to not do what God wants you to do. He'll probably pay you there's a good way is a 57 00:04:16,160 --> 00:04:18,680 Artist that started as teenagers that bring us, you know 58 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:24,040 Just brought an encouraging message that there was really nothing about God in it that abandoned that and now work for 59 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:26,040 a 60 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:32,560 Machine basically that turns out song after song after song and some of its literally Satan worship or whatever and they're 61 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:40,320 Millionaires ultimately there's billionaires even there's plenty of money and not following God if you're about money if it's about making the bucks 62 00:04:40,840 --> 00:04:42,440 You can you can do it 63 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:46,500 But you got enough you gotta be willing to give up God to do it and then there comes a time 64 00:04:46,500 --> 00:04:51,000 The money won't get you where you're trying to get to it's a false God. They will never buy that 65 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:57,360 It's worse than that. I think money will take you to hell because it'll happen if you let it be the pursuit of your life 66 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:00,000 Jason 67 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:06,800 Video and it was this I think the cast that you would go around 68 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:10,160 public places and teach the gospel 69 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:19,280 In huge crowd and some people would ask a different question and one of the questions was 70 00:05:19,280 --> 00:05:28,120 Oh, it's good. I'm being up there and said unless you can get me physical records or 71 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:33,400 Medical features that Jesus came back alive. I would not believe it 72 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:36,200 in 73 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:41,840 What you spotted is if you need physical proof to know that somebody this 74 00:05:41,840 --> 00:05:48,880 Then you will live your life like what you see and what you feel is the only thing that's in your life 75 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:50,960 Yeah, yeah 76 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:56,520 He said you're asking for an unrealistic standard and you don't ask for that standard for anyone or anything else 77 00:05:56,680 --> 00:06:03,120 You believe stuff all the time just because you believe it and you don't need that medical records to believe 78 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:07,960 We believe it has a friend told you believe it because you saw something you believe it because there was evidence of any kind 79 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:11,960 Of feelings, etc. Yep. It's good work 80 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:22,600 That's right, you can't necessarily touch love right? 81 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:32,800 All right teams remember last time we decided to do a video game a dream of letters and you guys won because of it 82 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:36,080 I have candy and I'll pass it out after service 83 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:39,000 So I just want to get my candy out 84 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:42,360 Candy, huh? So good 85 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:47,800 No, this is candy 86 00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:53,080 This is what I identify with this is mine. This is what I say is candy 87 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:57,280 Who are you to say that this is not candy? I say this is candy 88 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:01,040 So you're right 89 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:06,120 Why would I want to identify with candy when I would say this is candy because this is candy 90 00:07:06,120 --> 00:07:08,120 This is what's coming after service 91 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:14,360 What I want to share today is that the thing is and I'm not making fun what people identify with this 92 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:20,320 I want to give people a chance to see what they actually identify with it's like the idea is if I identify with this is candy 93 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:24,320 No matter what there's no truth in this. This is not candy. This is water 94 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:31,600 This will never be used for candy if you know if I uh, I drank this you're right. I'd be doing great. Yeah 95 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:35,080 You can say there's some kind of sweetness and it's something like that 96 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:40,120 But what I love about it is that I was talking about what is true and the thing is 97 00:07:40,920 --> 00:07:47,240 Pontius Pilate as Jesus he goes what is true and Pontius love it just like I'm not that he said 98 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:49,800 What is truth like I want to know it was my what is truth? 99 00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:57,400 Whatever I'm out of here. And so what I want to courage us with is that when we talk about truth truth is 100 00:07:57,400 --> 00:08:01,680 You know, I've been thinking about this for a while now like I've had a lot of truth in my life 101 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:08,160 I went to church on my way. I've heard the gospel through the Word of God through to church, but it didn't save me 102 00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:13,200 You know, I've heard I like we're talking about money power happiness. I 103 00:08:13,840 --> 00:08:19,400 Lived a very sheltered life. I played video games all my life. I watched TV. I mean, I thought I was rolling 104 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:22,200 I mean there was nothing that I always said smile on my face 105 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:26,120 Always I'm still smiling. I'm like so tired today exhausted 106 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:32,720 But God's not exhausted in the Holy Spirit is not exhausted in me, but it's like I was just dead on the inside 107 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:37,400 So what I want to encourage you guys and all of us is that what is true? 108 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:40,040 Jesus is the truth 109 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:47,080 I'll pass that later for you. Okay, but anyway, so what is truth is Jesus? 110 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:51,760 The reason is I'm saying that is because you can know the word you can know the Bible 111 00:08:51,880 --> 00:08:53,440 You can know a bunch of religions 112 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:54,560 You can know all that stuff 113 00:08:54,560 --> 00:09:00,520 But none of that stuff can actually save you if it wasn't for Jesus if it wasn't for his which we've been saying 114 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:05,480 I love it to that DVR his death burial resurrection if it wasn't for that 115 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:10,120 We don't have a Bible. It wasn't that we don't have a church if it wasn't for God 116 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:17,520 We don't have a moment in time where we actually are going home or homes come into us. We have nothing 117 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:24,360 Literally, this is what truth is there are truths out there, but they don't have because to me 118 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:28,000 I always say truth stands the test of time. This is 2024 119 00:09:28,640 --> 00:09:32,740 2,000 years ago a thousand years ago 200 years ago 100 years ago 120 00:09:32,740 --> 00:09:39,480 No matter what if it wasn't for Jesus dying on that cross if it wasn't for Jesus being buried like I'm dead 121 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:41,480 I'm not coming back and then 122 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:46,360 Resurrection. Oh, yeah, I am coming back. You can't stop me if you wanted to I 123 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:54,120 Chose to die for every person the reason I share that is because of this is I want to encourage people because you know 124 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:56,200 I'm not saying we can't preach or be bold 125 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:59,760 We should be that's part of us because we're supposed to be a light. We're supposed to be a hope 126 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:04,760 We're supposed to be a truth. I just mean we do that every single minute, but that's the idea 127 00:10:04,760 --> 00:10:06,360 We're supposed to get outside of ourselves 128 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:12,080 We're supposed to give people a chance to share Jesus if it wasn't for that man that was seven year old man 129 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:18,240 It was some I saw vacuum cleaner. I was going to hell with the vacuum cleaner. I was dying with the vacuum cleaner 130 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:23,480 I was dying with a smile on my face. I'm really going to die someday and I'm going to hell 131 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:24,880 That's the craziest part 132 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:29,160 I think about every single day and that's a mural man would have been like well, you know 133 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:31,640 Yeah, he doesn't need to hear it 134 00:10:31,640 --> 00:10:36,680 You know or he doesn't want to hear this or maybe I should just let someone else do it 135 00:10:36,680 --> 00:10:40,800 No that man knew that God was saying hey that man comes in here 136 00:10:40,920 --> 00:10:45,040 You're going to share Jesus with him and if it wasn't I won't be here today 137 00:10:45,040 --> 00:10:50,760 I thank God for every person that stands up for what is true and that truth is 138 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:56,640 First there's tons of other truths. There's great truths out there, but that truth is Jesus 139 00:10:56,640 --> 00:11:05,200 Something to think about is that whatever you identify with when you're drinking when you think this is candy or this is water 140 00:11:06,640 --> 00:11:13,600 Test the spirits test to yourself. Is this true because the thing is when you test with Jesus, you're always going to find the truth 141 00:11:15,520 --> 00:11:18,680 Alright, let's pray to him. Do I have a young person who'd like to pray for us? 142 00:11:18,680 --> 00:11:21,760 So we're going to be tithing offerings a little more to them and then they can go to class 143 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:25,360 Volunteers 144 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:27,360 All right 145 00:11:55,360 --> 00:11:57,360 So 146 00:12:15,440 --> 00:12:19,280 You are my hiding place 147 00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:27,280 You always feel my heart with songs 148 00:12:27,280 --> 00:12:36,640 Songs of deliverance whenever I am a free 149 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:41,600 I will trust in you 150 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:47,760 I will trust in you 151 00:12:50,080 --> 00:12:52,080 Let the weak say 152 00:12:52,080 --> 00:13:02,080 I am strong in the strength of the Lord 153 00:13:05,920 --> 00:13:11,920 You are my hiding place 154 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:18,880 You always feel my heart with songs 155 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:26,880 Songs of deliverance whenever I am a free 156 00:13:26,880 --> 00:13:32,880 I will trust in you 157 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:38,880 I will trust in you 158 00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:42,880 Let the weak say 159 00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:52,880 I was laying in my bed and sleeping fitfully. I was having the equivalent of a nightmare 160 00:13:52,880 --> 00:14:00,080 I know what a nightmare is. Most of my nightmares I'm just going to say to tell you transparently involve either multiple tornadoes 161 00:14:00,560 --> 00:14:04,640 Striking the location where I am right right then and there or being chased 162 00:14:05,520 --> 00:14:10,080 But I haven't had any nightmares in a really long time. I don't really have bad dreams per se 163 00:14:10,080 --> 00:14:12,080 I know that I have a bad day 164 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:16,080 And I learned when I was a child that you can affect your dreams and I've been able to affect my dreams 165 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:24,080 So that when things are going wrong in my dreams, I can change what's going wrong in my dreams. Okay and so 166 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:32,080 This particular dream just this last week. I was sleeping in my bed and kind of fitfully tossing and turning 167 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:36,080 I knew I was only lightly sleeping and in my dream I was attending a funeral 168 00:14:36,080 --> 00:14:38,080 It was a cold gray rainy day 169 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:42,080 Funerals usually feel like a cold rainy day even when they're not a cold rainy day 170 00:14:42,080 --> 00:14:46,080 You know, I mean even in the sunshine you feel kind of dreary and down 171 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:50,080 At the loss of a loved one or a friend or seeing others who've lost a loved one or a friend 172 00:14:50,080 --> 00:14:56,080 And so in my dream I was approaching the funeral and there are people all gathered around 173 00:14:56,080 --> 00:14:58,080 They're all dressed in black or gray 174 00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:02,080 Dark colors and it was raining lightly and they all had their black umbrellas up 175 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:06,080 Some people were just standing in the rain without umbrellas 176 00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:11,080 And there was a minister there and he was preaching over the hole in the ground 177 00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:15,080 Which was covered over with those cloths and the bars were there and the casket was there 178 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:23,080 And I remember having the distinct opinion or the distinct feeling as I was approaching the grave 179 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:27,080 That it was too late, that I was too late 180 00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:33,080 That was what made this a nightmare that I was urgently coming in a hurry and I was too late 181 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:38,080 And I asked myself, am I late for the funeral? Is it because I'm missing most of the funeral or whatever? 182 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:43,080 And I asked myself, was I supposed to be officiating over the funeral? 183 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:46,080 Like I was supposed to be, no there's a guy there who's leading, he was clearly the first one 184 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:49,080 And I was trying to figure out why I was too late 185 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:57,080 And I felt kind of left out because they had gone on with the sermon or the speaking engagement at the funeral without me 186 00:15:57,080 --> 00:15:59,080 And I had missed most of the message 187 00:15:59,080 --> 00:16:04,080 And that was what was causing me to feel panic in my dreams 188 00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:06,080 And that's not really a nightmare but my heart was racing 189 00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:10,080 I know I was breathing unevenly, I was not sleeping well 190 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:13,080 I was tossing and turning on my bed, I felt like I was in pain 191 00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:15,080 It was definitely a nightmare 192 00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:20,080 I want you to bear that in mind then as we grab our Bibles and go and read 11 verses 193 00:16:20,080 --> 00:16:25,080 That will touch our hearts and strengthen us for the road ahead if we allow it 194 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:29,080 Maybe a little hooter holler or amen as we say, Acts chapter 1 195 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:32,080 And we're in the house but only just barely 196 00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:34,080 Thank you for those who participated in that little object lesson 197 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:38,080 In case you don't know why, we get excited because we get excited about a lot of other things 198 00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:42,080 We get excited about football, when football goals are scored by our big team 199 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:46,080 We get excited about Christmas presents when we get just the gift that we wanted or were able to give 200 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:49,080 Just the gift that we wanted to give 201 00:16:49,080 --> 00:16:53,080 We get excited about our car getting fixed or narrowly avoiding a car accident 202 00:16:53,080 --> 00:16:57,080 When you encounter the Word of God, there is a marker, a moment in time 203 00:16:57,080 --> 00:17:00,080 In which this is what it says and this will change your life 204 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:07,080 And so that's why we do that little object lesson to remind ourselves that from here on out this is God's Word 205 00:17:07,080 --> 00:17:10,080 Whether I get it right or not, God will get it right today 206 00:17:10,080 --> 00:17:15,080 So it's Acts chapter 1, we read last week the end of Acts, the ascension text 207 00:17:15,080 --> 00:17:20,080 And we talked a little bit about how that text was paired with this one 208 00:17:20,080 --> 00:17:23,080 And so now we're going to read the other half 209 00:17:23,080 --> 00:17:28,080 We're looking at the beginning of Acts and this is the moment in time at which Jesus is about to leave the disciples 210 00:17:28,080 --> 00:17:30,080 To the work that he has ordained for them 211 00:17:30,080 --> 00:17:32,080 And it says, Acts chapter 1 verse 1 212 00:17:32,080 --> 00:17:39,080 The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach 213 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:47,080 Until the day when he was taken up after he had by the Holy Spirit given order to the apostles whom he had chosen 214 00:17:47,080 --> 00:17:51,080 So he's saying, I already gave you the book of Luke basically 215 00:17:51,080 --> 00:17:56,080 Now I'm going to give you some more about what came next basically and they go together 216 00:17:56,080 --> 00:18:02,080 And he said, notice he said that the Holy Spirit had given them orders to the apostles 217 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:06,080 Whom Jesus had chosen or God had chosen, God the Father or the Holy Spirit chosen 218 00:18:06,080 --> 00:18:08,080 The capital H there means it's God 219 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:15,080 To these he also presented himself alive, that's Jesus, and after his suffering by many convincing proofs 220 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:22,080 Appearing to them over a period of 40 days and teaching, speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God 221 00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:24,080 We're studying the kingdom of God on Tuesday nights right now 222 00:18:24,080 --> 00:18:29,080 We finished lesson one already and we've got three more going on the next three weeks 223 00:18:29,080 --> 00:18:33,080 And this last week's lesson was about the king and how we know that Jesus is the king 224 00:18:33,080 --> 00:18:37,080 We say, who's the king? And we all said kind of like, well God, God is the king 225 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:40,080 God is the king of everything, God is on the throne so he must be the king 226 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:43,080 The Bible very clearly teaches that the king is Jesus 227 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:47,080 And we went through, in fact, very briefly went through the whole Old Testament 228 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:52,080 And looked at various points at which it points out very clearly that Jesus was the prophecy king who would come 229 00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:56,080 Jesus is the king, okay? And that we saw that clearly on Tuesday night 230 00:18:56,080 --> 00:19:01,080 And now this week we're getting into the kingdom and then the coming of the kingdom 231 00:19:01,080 --> 00:19:04,080 And then we'll mop it up in three weeks 232 00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:09,080 Jesus had presented himself alive to them after his suffering 233 00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:12,080 If you have a King James Bible there, it says after his passion 234 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:16,080 And by the way, that is pretty much the only point in the New Testament where it talks about passion 235 00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:22,080 And the passion of Jesus was his sacrifice, his crucifixion, and the terrible week that he went through leading up to that 236 00:19:22,080 --> 00:19:26,080 So you have passion in Christ, yay for you, but that's not really biblical 237 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:32,080 Okay? And your Bible doesn't say you should have passion for Jesus or passion in Jesus, right? 238 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:34,080 Because that word really isn't used 239 00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:39,080 For these he also presented himself alive after his suffering by many convincing proofs 240 00:19:39,080 --> 00:19:43,080 Appearing to them over a period of 40 days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God 241 00:19:43,080 --> 00:19:50,080 And gathering them together, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised 242 00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:59,080 Which he said, you heard of from me, for John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now 243 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:05,080 And so he's predicting the coming of the Holy Spirit on and in, if you will, and among, and we get that that happens, right? 244 00:20:05,080 --> 00:20:11,080 So the Holy Spirit is not only in believers, but among believers and on believers, etc. 245 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:14,080 He's more than just residing in us 246 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:19,080 And this has been predicted since John the Baptist was ministering, so before Jesus came on the scene publicly 247 00:20:19,080 --> 00:20:28,080 John was predicting that someone would come and that the end outcome of that would be that the Holy Spirit would baptize, immerse people 248 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:31,080 This is not baptism like what we do in the tank 249 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:36,080 He's talking about the Holy Spirit being on you and that happens now for us at the moment that we get saved 250 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:41,080 Okay, and so the Holy Spirit would come on them because he had not done so yet, verse 6 251 00:20:41,080 --> 00:20:47,080 And so when they had come together, they were asking him saying, Lord, is it at this time you're restoring the kingdom to Israel? 252 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:50,080 We're going to talk a little bit about that particular verse on Tuesday 253 00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:55,080 So I'm not going to drill down on it too hard right now, but the bottom line is they were asking him, is it now? 254 00:20:55,080 --> 00:20:59,080 Is it happening right now that the kingdom of Israel would be restored? 255 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:06,080 He said to them, it's not for you to know the times or epics which the Father has given by his own authority 256 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:09,080 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you 257 00:21:09,080 --> 00:21:12,080 And I'm going to stop there, even though that's not the verse, right? 258 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:17,080 I'm going to stop there because there's something that just happened right there, a really cool literary thing 259 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:21,080 And you don't necessarily see it in the English, but you can see it if you look for it 260 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:24,080 You see two words that we recognize as power in that verse 261 00:21:24,080 --> 00:21:28,080 Okay, so the first one is authority, it's translated as authority 262 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:33,080 It's a Greek word that means power, but it's a certain kind of power 263 00:21:33,080 --> 00:21:39,080 It's a power that is reserved for only a select person or individuals 264 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:41,080 And so that's why it's here translated authority 265 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:44,080 So we say the police have authority, some of us say the police have power 266 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:48,080 I submit to you that police have no more power than a normal human has 267 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:55,080 But they do have authority bestowed upon them by society, by the government, by their job, by their training, by their badge, etc. 268 00:21:55,080 --> 00:22:00,080 And so they can do things or even make somebody do things, they can put handcuffs on somebody, take them to jail 269 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:04,080 That you or I might not be recognized as being able to do 270 00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:07,080 Technically in our society you can do a citizen's arrest, right? 271 00:22:07,080 --> 00:22:12,080 And so you can arrest somebody, you better be sure what you're doing, because otherwise it's kidnapping, right? 272 00:22:12,080 --> 00:22:17,080 But you can arrest somebody and declare this is a citizen's arrest and I'm putting you in jail, just the same as a police officer does 273 00:22:17,080 --> 00:22:21,080 But police officers are specifically authorized to do that 274 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:25,080 That is a power that is generally speaking reserved for them 275 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:30,080 But when you think about it broadly, we have that power too, right? 276 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:38,080 So that's what it means, this word for power that is referring to God in His own authority 277 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:41,080 It means a power that God has kept for Himself 278 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:46,080 A power that God has reserved for Him that you don't get to have, that I don't get to have 279 00:22:46,080 --> 00:22:50,080 So that power was what again? 280 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:55,080 The power that He's talking about was the power to know times or epics 281 00:22:55,080 --> 00:22:57,080 So you don't get to know exactly when Jesus is going to come back again 282 00:22:57,080 --> 00:22:59,080 You don't get to know exactly how things are going to go in the future 283 00:22:59,080 --> 00:23:03,080 You don't get to know exactly what God is doing at any given moment in time 284 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:05,080 You are not God's schedule keeper, right? 285 00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:07,080 I'm not God's schedule keeper, we don't get to know those things 286 00:23:07,080 --> 00:23:10,080 God has reserved that power for Himself 287 00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:13,080 But the beauty of it is while God has reserved that power for Himself 288 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:16,080 There is a power that God has not reserved for Himself 289 00:23:16,080 --> 00:23:20,080 And it says that we will get that or that the believers would get that 290 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:25,080 He says, you shall receive power, it's a different word for power 291 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:27,080 When the Holy Spirit has come upon you 292 00:23:27,080 --> 00:23:32,080 And this power is the dunamis power, which is where we get our word dynamite 293 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:38,080 Dunamis is a Latin word and it translates into the Greek very well 294 00:23:38,080 --> 00:23:40,080 And then it goes into the English, right? 295 00:23:40,080 --> 00:23:45,080 And so dunamis is explosive power, it's a power to get something done 296 00:23:45,080 --> 00:23:49,080 It's a power to change things, it's a power to make things happen, right? 297 00:23:49,080 --> 00:23:52,080 And God would give that power then to the believers 298 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:54,080 Jesus was promising it would come 299 00:23:54,080 --> 00:23:56,080 And when the Holy Spirit would come upon them 300 00:23:56,080 --> 00:23:58,080 They would have that kind of power 301 00:23:58,080 --> 00:24:00,080 Now they don't get the kind of power that God has reserved for Himself 302 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:04,080 But they get the kind of power that the Holy Spirit comes and brings 303 00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:07,080 And it's power to do something 304 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:09,080 Then it says what the power to do something is for 305 00:24:09,080 --> 00:24:11,080 So let's go back to the beginning of 8, it says 306 00:24:11,080 --> 00:24:14,080 But you shall receive power, that's that dunamis power 307 00:24:14,080 --> 00:24:16,080 When the Holy Spirit has come upon you 308 00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:18,080 And it says, and you shall be my witnesses 309 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:21,080 Both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria 310 00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:24,080 And even to the remotest parts of the earth 311 00:24:24,080 --> 00:24:27,080 So the power that God would send to stir things up 312 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:28,080 The power to make things happen 313 00:24:28,080 --> 00:24:31,080 You could say the power to blow things up 314 00:24:31,080 --> 00:24:33,080 That kind of power would be for this purpose 315 00:24:33,080 --> 00:24:36,080 So that they could be His witnesses 316 00:24:36,080 --> 00:24:39,080 And that word witnesses there in the Greek is the word martyr 317 00:24:39,080 --> 00:24:42,080 Which is where we get the word martyr from 318 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:46,080 So He's basically saying you can be my martyrs 319 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:48,080 You can be my witnesses 320 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:52,080 You can be the one that takes the truth about me 321 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:55,080 And about what God has done in you to the ends of the earth 322 00:24:55,080 --> 00:24:57,080 That's the kind of power that the Holy Spirit brings 323 00:24:57,080 --> 00:24:58,080 Here's the problem 324 00:24:58,080 --> 00:25:03,080 People have confused the kind of power that the Holy Spirit brings 325 00:25:03,080 --> 00:25:06,080 The Holy Spirit does not bring you power to pay your bills 326 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:12,080 He does not bring you power to give you a pretty place to live or a safe place to live 327 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:15,080 He doesn't bring you power to make your relationships right 328 00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:20,080 Now we can prayer and ask God for that power on a situational basis 329 00:25:20,080 --> 00:25:23,080 But if you're not given the Holy Spirit gift of healing for example 330 00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:24,080 You pray for somebody to heal 331 00:25:24,080 --> 00:25:27,080 God will hear and if you're a Christian especially 332 00:25:27,080 --> 00:25:30,080 And you ask the name of Christ the word says you will have what you ask for 333 00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:34,080 If you pray and believe that you have it, you'll have what you ask for 334 00:25:34,080 --> 00:25:39,080 But the Holy Spirit brings the Holy Spirit gift of healing to people who have the Holy Spirit gift of healing 335 00:25:39,080 --> 00:25:40,080 And who determines that? 336 00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:41,080 Well, it's the Holy Spirit 337 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:43,080 He determines who gets what kind of gifts 338 00:25:43,080 --> 00:25:50,080 And so you could then say that in individual people that this power for him it might be for healing 339 00:25:50,080 --> 00:25:51,080 The Holy Spirit comes in him 340 00:25:51,080 --> 00:25:52,080 He has the power to heal 341 00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:56,080 For him it might be for preaching or for teaching or whatever 342 00:25:56,080 --> 00:26:01,080 But what we can say we all get that goes to all Christians is the power to be his witness 343 00:26:01,080 --> 00:26:05,080 And the word witness comes from Martyr which is martyr 344 00:26:05,080 --> 00:26:07,080 In other words, you can put yourself out there 345 00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:08,080 You can blow up the world 346 00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:13,080 You can affect things in Jesus's direction if you will the way he wants you to 347 00:26:13,080 --> 00:26:18,080 If you're willing to he gives you that power by the appearance of the Holy Spirit 348 00:26:18,080 --> 00:26:21,080 And you're supposed to do that as they were supposed to do that 349 00:26:21,080 --> 00:26:25,080 Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and even to the remotest parts of the earth 350 00:26:25,080 --> 00:26:28,080 So the first thing I want you to see there is that that covers where you are 351 00:26:28,080 --> 00:26:33,080 It covers where you could be and it covers the furthest reach that you could ever reach 352 00:26:33,080 --> 00:26:35,080 But it doesn't mean you have to physically go there in our day 353 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:37,080 Because sometimes you can send a missionary 354 00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:38,080 Sometimes you can do Facebook 355 00:26:38,080 --> 00:26:41,080 Our podcast reach 17 countries things like that 356 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:43,080 So we're reaching the ends of the earth with the gospel 357 00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:47,080 Even right now as we're preaching this word here in little old East Aledo, right? 358 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:49,080 There's not that many people in this room 359 00:26:49,080 --> 00:26:51,080 But the total number of people that are compared to the world 360 00:26:51,080 --> 00:26:56,080 But the total number of people that will be affected by what we do is huge more than we can ever know 361 00:26:56,080 --> 00:27:00,080 And you all go out and talk in your places where you work where you live 362 00:27:00,080 --> 00:27:02,080 Where you go to school all those kinds of things 363 00:27:02,080 --> 00:27:06,080 And so what we hear here is supposed to affect far out there 364 00:27:06,080 --> 00:27:10,080 And it does perhaps not as far as it should because we've missed that 365 00:27:10,080 --> 00:27:12,080 That's what the power was given for 366 00:27:12,080 --> 00:27:14,080 That's the dunamis power 367 00:27:14,080 --> 00:27:15,080 We want our problems fixed 368 00:27:15,080 --> 00:27:21,080 But the truth is the power that's in the gospel same word by the way for salvation first to the Jew 369 00:27:21,080 --> 00:27:25,080 And then to the Gentile that we are not ashamed of that power is for a purpose 370 00:27:25,080 --> 00:27:29,080 And when they receive that power they too will become witnesses 371 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:32,080 It's a domino effect just as the gospel 372 00:27:32,080 --> 00:27:39,080 Gospel apostles if you will receive this power for the Holy Spirit gospel spreading for that purpose 373 00:27:39,080 --> 00:27:44,080 It spread and it spread and it spread and eventually reached me and I received Christ 374 00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:48,080 And when I received the power it's for this purpose to spread the gospel 375 00:27:48,080 --> 00:27:52,080 That the gospel would get out to the ends of the earth 376 00:27:52,080 --> 00:27:57,080 First where I am then where I might go and to the remotest parts of the earth 377 00:27:57,080 --> 00:28:04,080 Second thing you want to see and note in there is that they were being told maybe for the very first time ever that this was a big job 378 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:06,080 This was a really big job 379 00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:09,080 They're still asking about whether the kingdom is now going to be restored to Israel 380 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:13,080 And Jesus says you don't get to know that 381 00:28:13,080 --> 00:28:14,080 That's power reserved for God 382 00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:16,080 But let me tell you what you can do 383 00:28:16,080 --> 00:28:20,080 You can take this truth the truth that I am bestowing in you 384 00:28:20,080 --> 00:28:24,080 You can be witnesses to it to me and to what God has done in you 385 00:28:24,080 --> 00:28:27,080 And you can take it across the whole world 386 00:28:27,080 --> 00:28:30,080 It will spread to every living soul 387 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:32,080 And that's going to take a while 388 00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:36,080 This might have been the first very clear understanding 389 00:28:36,080 --> 00:28:40,080 That Jesus was probably not going to return again for the second coming in their lifetime 390 00:28:40,080 --> 00:28:44,080 Because he was saying your job is bigger than you can do 391 00:28:44,080 --> 00:28:47,080 You're going to spread this to the whole world 392 00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:50,080 Then verse 9 says and after that 393 00:28:50,080 --> 00:28:53,080 After he had said these things 394 00:28:53,080 --> 00:28:56,080 He was lifted up while they were looking on 395 00:28:56,080 --> 00:28:59,080 And a cloud received him out of their sight 396 00:28:59,080 --> 00:29:03,080 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while he was departing 397 00:29:03,080 --> 00:29:06,080 Behold two men in white clothing stood beside them 398 00:29:06,080 --> 00:29:09,080 And they also said men of Galilee 399 00:29:09,080 --> 00:29:11,080 Why do you stand looking into the sky? 400 00:29:11,080 --> 00:29:14,080 This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven 401 00:29:14,080 --> 00:29:18,080 Will come in just the same way as you have watched him go into heaven 402 00:29:18,080 --> 00:29:20,080 Which is very interesting when you think about it 403 00:29:20,080 --> 00:29:22,080 Because what he just said was 404 00:29:22,080 --> 00:29:27,080 Why are you standing there watching up into heaven as Jesus left? 405 00:29:27,080 --> 00:29:30,080 Because he's going to come back the same way that he left 406 00:29:30,080 --> 00:29:35,080 It sounds like they gave them the reason for why they were standing up there watching into heaven 407 00:29:35,080 --> 00:29:39,080 And at the same time ask him why are they watching up into heaven? 408 00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:41,080 They're saying why are you looking up there? 409 00:29:41,080 --> 00:29:43,080 He's going to come back the same way that he left 410 00:29:43,080 --> 00:29:46,080 And because he's going to come back the same way he left 411 00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:48,080 That's why I'm looking up there 412 00:29:48,080 --> 00:29:55,080 But hidden in the language is an inference that that time will come 413 00:29:55,080 --> 00:29:57,080 And when it comes it will be obvious 414 00:29:57,080 --> 00:29:59,080 His leaving up into heaven is obvious 415 00:29:59,080 --> 00:30:03,080 And when it comes it will be obvious and it will come future tense 416 00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:05,080 He will come future tense 417 00:30:05,080 --> 00:30:07,080 See when we say in English he will come 418 00:30:07,080 --> 00:30:13,080 It should be a minute, an hour, a year, or millennia 419 00:30:13,080 --> 00:30:15,080 Right? Thousands of years 420 00:30:15,080 --> 00:30:17,080 They're saying in the Greek 421 00:30:17,080 --> 00:30:20,080 It's going to be out in the future that he's going to come 422 00:30:20,080 --> 00:30:23,080 And when he comes you'll know it and you won't be caught off guard 423 00:30:23,080 --> 00:30:25,080 You won't be surprised, right? 424 00:30:25,080 --> 00:30:27,080 And like we say, well he'll come as a thief in the night 425 00:30:27,080 --> 00:30:28,080 It says elsewhere 426 00:30:28,080 --> 00:30:31,080 But he's saying here you don't have to stay and watch for him 427 00:30:31,080 --> 00:30:33,080 Because he's given you a task to do 428 00:30:33,080 --> 00:30:35,080 And when the power comes on you 429 00:30:35,080 --> 00:30:37,080 You're still busy doing that task 430 00:30:37,080 --> 00:30:39,080 That you can get wrapped up in the spreading of the gospel 431 00:30:39,080 --> 00:30:41,080 And miss the coming of Jesus 432 00:30:41,080 --> 00:30:43,080 But fear not, you will not miss it 433 00:30:43,080 --> 00:30:45,080 Because he will come like he left 434 00:30:45,080 --> 00:30:47,080 Very obviously, right? 435 00:30:47,080 --> 00:30:48,080 It'll be obvious 436 00:30:48,080 --> 00:30:50,080 Alright, that's our text for the day 437 00:30:50,080 --> 00:30:52,080 If you don't know it 438 00:30:52,080 --> 00:30:56,080 Elsewhere Matthew wrote down a little bit more detail 439 00:30:56,080 --> 00:30:58,080 About the message that they would send 440 00:30:58,080 --> 00:31:00,080 And I'll give you that in a second 441 00:31:00,080 --> 00:31:02,080 Three things from the text 442 00:31:02,080 --> 00:31:04,080 The first one 443 00:31:04,080 --> 00:31:06,080 The title of the sermon is left out 444 00:31:06,080 --> 00:31:08,080 Now I want you to just think for a second 445 00:31:08,080 --> 00:31:10,080 In this story 446 00:31:10,080 --> 00:31:12,080 Who's left out? 447 00:31:12,080 --> 00:31:14,080 In the story, who's left out? 448 00:31:14,080 --> 00:31:19,080 So as I arrived at that funeral in my dream 449 00:31:19,080 --> 00:31:21,080 And I was kind of freaking out 450 00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:23,080 My heart was racing, sweating 451 00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:25,080 It was a bad dream 452 00:31:25,080 --> 00:31:27,080 I asked myself 453 00:31:27,080 --> 00:31:31,080 The feeling of someone being left out was immense 454 00:31:31,080 --> 00:31:33,080 And that's what was terrifying me so bad in the dream 455 00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:35,080 And I asked myself 456 00:31:35,080 --> 00:31:37,080 Is it me? 457 00:31:37,080 --> 00:31:39,080 Was I being left out? 458 00:31:39,080 --> 00:31:41,080 And they were proceeding with the funeral 459 00:31:41,080 --> 00:31:43,080 Mourning the loss of the dead person 460 00:31:43,080 --> 00:31:45,080 Right, that's what funerals are about 461 00:31:45,080 --> 00:31:47,080 Maybe celebrating their life 462 00:31:47,080 --> 00:31:49,080 If it's done well, it's also celebrating their life 463 00:31:49,080 --> 00:31:51,080 And I was thinking to myself 464 00:31:51,080 --> 00:31:53,080 Are they leaving me out? 465 00:31:53,080 --> 00:31:55,080 Is that who's left out? 466 00:31:55,080 --> 00:31:57,080 Is that who's left out? 467 00:31:57,080 --> 00:31:59,080 Or was it the person in the grave? 468 00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:01,080 Was it the person in the grave? 469 00:32:01,080 --> 00:32:03,080 Do I have some knowledge of understanding 470 00:32:03,080 --> 00:32:05,080 That that person is going to hell 471 00:32:05,080 --> 00:32:07,080 And so I'm thinking they were left out 472 00:32:07,080 --> 00:32:09,080 They're being left out of heaven 473 00:32:09,080 --> 00:32:11,080 Is that who was left out? 474 00:32:11,080 --> 00:32:13,080 Or as I arrived there 475 00:32:13,080 --> 00:32:15,080 I remember in my dream as I looked at them 476 00:32:15,080 --> 00:32:17,080 That the people were bereft 477 00:32:17,080 --> 00:32:19,080 They were mourning terribly 478 00:32:19,080 --> 00:32:21,080 Like really weeping, really upset 479 00:32:21,080 --> 00:32:23,080 And it was somebody that they very much must have loved 480 00:32:23,080 --> 00:32:25,080 That was in that casket and they were really beat up 481 00:32:25,080 --> 00:32:27,080 And I was asking myself, are they left out? 482 00:32:27,080 --> 00:32:29,080 And I submit to you 483 00:32:29,080 --> 00:32:31,080 That any one of those three things 484 00:32:31,080 --> 00:32:33,080 Could possibly be true 485 00:32:33,080 --> 00:32:35,080 I could have been upset because I was left out 486 00:32:35,080 --> 00:32:37,080 Except that I know where I'm going when I die 487 00:32:37,080 --> 00:32:39,080 I know what my purpose is 488 00:32:39,080 --> 00:32:41,080 And so however it goes 489 00:32:41,080 --> 00:32:43,080 I know that Jesus has got me 490 00:32:43,080 --> 00:32:45,080 Holy Spirit living in me 491 00:32:45,080 --> 00:32:47,080 And so right away my recognition that I am a father 492 00:32:47,080 --> 00:32:49,080 Lord Jesus and I'm okay 493 00:32:49,080 --> 00:32:51,080 Right away that fear subsided 494 00:32:51,080 --> 00:32:53,080 I'm good 495 00:32:53,080 --> 00:32:55,080 So then I thought maybe it's a person in the grave 496 00:32:55,080 --> 00:32:57,080 But you know how I feel about that, right? 497 00:32:57,080 --> 00:32:59,080 So a person dies 498 00:32:59,080 --> 00:33:01,080 Like if I do a funeral, I don't say 499 00:33:01,080 --> 00:33:03,080 This person's gone to hell, don't you go with them 500 00:33:03,080 --> 00:33:05,080 Or this person's gone to heaven 501 00:33:05,080 --> 00:33:07,080 We should all go with them 502 00:33:07,080 --> 00:33:09,080 That's not how I do a funeral 503 00:33:09,080 --> 00:33:11,080 Because that's not my job 504 00:33:11,080 --> 00:33:13,080 Is it your job to determine who went to heaven or hell? 505 00:33:13,080 --> 00:33:15,080 I submit to you they could leave this earth screaming 506 00:33:15,080 --> 00:33:17,080 Thinking they were going to hell 507 00:33:17,080 --> 00:33:19,080 Mad at God, angry at what happened 508 00:33:19,080 --> 00:33:21,080 Because they've not walked with him 509 00:33:21,080 --> 00:33:23,080 They've not lived the way they should have lived 510 00:33:23,080 --> 00:33:25,080 They would have been weeping and gnashing teeth 511 00:33:25,080 --> 00:33:27,080 Whatever they could do all of that 512 00:33:27,080 --> 00:33:29,080 And arrive a moment later in heaven perfectly placated and pacified 513 00:33:29,080 --> 00:33:31,080 Because they accepted Christ at some time 514 00:33:31,080 --> 00:33:33,080 And what they've been doing is not living out their faith 515 00:33:33,080 --> 00:33:35,080 And they actually did get saved 516 00:33:35,080 --> 00:33:37,080 And God did do it 517 00:33:37,080 --> 00:33:39,080 But then they walked away from the Lord 518 00:33:39,080 --> 00:33:41,080 Became what they said they would never be 519 00:33:41,080 --> 00:33:43,080 Refused to follow Him the way they said 520 00:33:43,080 --> 00:33:45,080 And so they feel unsaved 521 00:33:45,080 --> 00:33:47,080 And in feeling unsaved 522 00:33:47,080 --> 00:33:49,080 They leave this earth that way 523 00:33:49,080 --> 00:33:51,080 Only to arrive and at the same time 524 00:33:51,080 --> 00:33:53,080 There could be somebody laying in a hospital bed 525 00:33:53,080 --> 00:33:55,080 Who thinks they're saved and they're so peaceful 526 00:33:55,080 --> 00:33:57,080 And everything's okay 527 00:33:57,080 --> 00:33:59,080 They're blessed 528 00:33:59,080 --> 00:34:01,080 They're protected by some evil spirit 529 00:34:01,080 --> 00:34:03,080 Or whatever's comforting them right up to the moment of their death 530 00:34:03,080 --> 00:34:05,080 And they go straight to hell 531 00:34:05,080 --> 00:34:07,080 So we can't know 532 00:34:07,080 --> 00:34:09,080 We can't know who's saved and who's not saved 533 00:34:09,080 --> 00:34:11,080 You can know 534 00:34:11,080 --> 00:34:13,080 You can know whether you're saved or not 535 00:34:13,080 --> 00:34:15,080 The Bible says the Holy Spirit testifies with your spirit 536 00:34:15,080 --> 00:34:17,080 So you should know sitting here today 537 00:34:17,080 --> 00:34:19,080 You should know that you're saved if you are 538 00:34:19,080 --> 00:34:21,080 There shouldn't be any question 539 00:34:21,080 --> 00:34:23,080 You should be able to go, okay God 540 00:34:23,080 --> 00:34:25,080 I'm turning to you 541 00:34:25,080 --> 00:34:27,080 Am I saved? And you should have a comforting 542 00:34:27,080 --> 00:34:29,080 In your heart, you should know that you're saved 543 00:34:29,080 --> 00:34:31,080 Holy Spirit comforting you, He's present 544 00:34:31,080 --> 00:34:33,080 Now if you've been walking in sin 545 00:34:33,080 --> 00:34:35,080 You may need to repent to be able to hear 546 00:34:35,080 --> 00:34:37,080 You may need to turn to the Lord to be able to 547 00:34:37,080 --> 00:34:39,080 Have that sensation to know 548 00:34:39,080 --> 00:34:41,080 That it's true, I was talking to Ariana this week 549 00:34:41,080 --> 00:34:43,080 She's nine years old 550 00:34:43,080 --> 00:34:45,080 She said the Monday after I got baptized 551 00:34:45,080 --> 00:34:47,080 She said I got baptized on Sunday 552 00:34:47,080 --> 00:34:49,080 She said the Monday after I got baptized I prayed for the Lord 553 00:34:49,080 --> 00:34:51,080 And I said, God, I've been baptized now 554 00:34:51,080 --> 00:34:53,080 And I told everybody, everybody's watching 555 00:34:53,080 --> 00:34:55,080 Everybody that's out there 556 00:34:55,080 --> 00:34:57,080 And I've told all my friends, I've told everybody 557 00:34:57,080 --> 00:34:59,080 That I want to live for you and I'm just telling you now 558 00:34:59,080 --> 00:35:01,080 This is what she said to me, she said 559 00:35:01,080 --> 00:35:03,080 I want to live for you 560 00:35:03,080 --> 00:35:05,080 Like I said I would 561 00:35:05,080 --> 00:35:07,080 I want to be for you in everything 562 00:35:07,080 --> 00:35:09,080 And she said she had such a peace 563 00:35:09,080 --> 00:35:11,080 And a comfort and a joy 564 00:35:11,080 --> 00:35:13,080 She's never experienced that any other time in her life 565 00:35:13,080 --> 00:35:15,080 Now this is 566 00:35:15,080 --> 00:35:17,080 I'm giving you almost her verbatim words 567 00:35:17,080 --> 00:35:19,080 Almost exact words of what she said 568 00:35:19,080 --> 00:35:21,080 She said I had such a comfort and a peace and a joy 569 00:35:21,080 --> 00:35:23,080 Like I've never had, she said and I know I could not do that for myself 570 00:35:23,080 --> 00:35:25,080 So now when I'm struggling 571 00:35:25,080 --> 00:35:27,080 Or hurt or whatever, I know I can't fix it 572 00:35:27,080 --> 00:35:29,080 But I know 573 00:35:29,080 --> 00:35:31,080 He can 574 00:35:31,080 --> 00:35:33,080 And she said so 575 00:35:33,080 --> 00:35:35,080 If you know 576 00:35:35,080 --> 00:35:37,080 That God has done something for you 577 00:35:37,080 --> 00:35:39,080 That nobody else could do 578 00:35:39,080 --> 00:35:41,080 Then how could you ever 579 00:35:41,080 --> 00:35:43,080 Not believe 580 00:35:43,080 --> 00:35:45,080 And we talked about that, I said well that's really good 581 00:35:45,080 --> 00:35:47,080 Because 582 00:35:47,080 --> 00:35:49,080 People have to learn how to process things that have happened in their life 583 00:35:49,080 --> 00:35:51,080 And once you've processed it and you've put a label on it 584 00:35:51,080 --> 00:35:53,080 And you know what it is, you know that that came from God 585 00:35:53,080 --> 00:35:55,080 Now 20 years from now 586 00:35:55,080 --> 00:35:57,080 If somebody makes a really good argument to you 587 00:35:57,080 --> 00:35:59,080 To get you to stop believing in God 588 00:35:59,080 --> 00:36:01,080 And you might start thinking, aww, they've got good reasons 589 00:36:01,080 --> 00:36:03,080 But you have that moment 590 00:36:03,080 --> 00:36:05,080 You know that God did something in that moment 591 00:36:05,080 --> 00:36:07,080 So you'll never go back 592 00:36:07,080 --> 00:36:09,080 This is what Jesus is talking about 593 00:36:09,080 --> 00:36:11,080 Jesus is talking about people 594 00:36:11,080 --> 00:36:13,080 Having that moment 595 00:36:13,080 --> 00:36:15,080 He's saying you're going to have a moment where the Holy Spirit 596 00:36:15,080 --> 00:36:17,080 Power comes on you 597 00:36:17,080 --> 00:36:19,080 When the Holy Spirit comes and takes up residence in you 598 00:36:19,080 --> 00:36:21,080 That you're going to say, it doesn't matter what people say 599 00:36:21,080 --> 00:36:23,080 It doesn't matter how people would try to lead me 600 00:36:23,080 --> 00:36:25,080 It doesn't matter how people try to talk me out 601 00:36:25,080 --> 00:36:27,080 Of believing what I believe, because I know who he is 602 00:36:27,080 --> 00:36:29,080 I have met him personally 603 00:36:29,080 --> 00:36:31,080 And I am totally and completely 604 00:36:31,080 --> 00:36:33,080 In his hands and I want it to be that way 605 00:36:33,080 --> 00:36:35,080 Because he can do what I cannot do 606 00:36:35,080 --> 00:36:37,080 That's what Jesus was talking about 607 00:36:37,080 --> 00:36:39,080 And essentially he's talking about initiating 608 00:36:39,080 --> 00:36:41,080 The church as we have it today 609 00:36:41,080 --> 00:36:43,080 So you're a follower of Jesus Christ 610 00:36:43,080 --> 00:36:45,080 You have that today 611 00:36:45,080 --> 00:36:47,080 You should be able to, if you've repented, turn to the Lord 612 00:36:47,080 --> 00:36:49,080 And you may have made some mistakes or things 613 00:36:49,080 --> 00:36:51,080 But it says he is willing to cleanse you 614 00:36:51,080 --> 00:36:53,080 And purify you 615 00:36:53,080 --> 00:36:55,080 Of all unrighteousness 616 00:36:55,080 --> 00:36:57,080 He's willing to pull you back to him 617 00:36:57,080 --> 00:36:59,080 So you confess to him, you say, okay God, I got through a priest 618 00:36:59,080 --> 00:37:01,080 I'm not talking about getting on your knees 619 00:37:01,080 --> 00:37:03,080 I'm going to do something fancy 620 00:37:03,080 --> 00:37:05,080 I'm going to get down before God in your mind 621 00:37:05,080 --> 00:37:07,080 Or in your heart, a contrite heart is what God is looking for 622 00:37:07,080 --> 00:37:09,080 But the bottom line is 623 00:37:09,080 --> 00:37:11,080 There's no special formula 624 00:37:11,080 --> 00:37:13,080 Just you come into God through Jesus Christ 625 00:37:13,080 --> 00:37:15,080 He cleanses you of all unrighteousness 626 00:37:15,080 --> 00:37:17,080 And you're good to go 627 00:37:17,080 --> 00:37:19,080 And then you should have a feeling, a sensation 628 00:37:19,080 --> 00:37:21,080 Not an emotion, but a sensation, an experience 629 00:37:21,080 --> 00:37:23,080 Of the living God, because the Holy Spirit 630 00:37:23,080 --> 00:37:25,080 Is taking up residence in you 631 00:37:25,080 --> 00:37:27,080 If you can say, I've never had that 632 00:37:27,080 --> 00:37:29,080 I'm going to say to you, you're probably not saved 633 00:37:29,080 --> 00:37:31,080 Because that's what the Bible says happens 634 00:37:31,080 --> 00:37:33,080 And that's what Jesus said would happen 635 00:37:33,080 --> 00:37:35,080 And I understand 636 00:37:35,080 --> 00:37:37,080 There's a great deal of danger in this 637 00:37:37,080 --> 00:37:39,080 Because there's a sensationalist 638 00:37:39,080 --> 00:37:41,080 Sensationalist Christianity 639 00:37:41,080 --> 00:37:43,080 So, for example, one of my 640 00:37:43,080 --> 00:37:45,080 Favorite readers, a man named 641 00:37:45,080 --> 00:37:47,080 McKinney, books I like to read 642 00:37:47,080 --> 00:37:49,080 A pastor named McKinney 643 00:37:49,080 --> 00:37:51,080 And he talks about how in his day 644 00:37:51,080 --> 00:37:53,080 You couldn't be saved 645 00:37:53,080 --> 00:37:55,080 People would say, you're not saved 646 00:37:55,080 --> 00:37:57,080 If you have not had a sensation, had an amazing event 647 00:37:57,080 --> 00:37:59,080 The Puritans believe that a man 648 00:37:59,080 --> 00:38:01,080 Literally could not be saved 649 00:38:01,080 --> 00:38:03,080 Unless something amazing happened 650 00:38:03,080 --> 00:38:05,080 And people would say, you've been saved? 651 00:38:05,080 --> 00:38:07,080 Yeah, I've been saved 652 00:38:07,080 --> 00:38:09,080 What happened? Well, I was struck by lightning 653 00:38:09,080 --> 00:38:11,080 And I saw God 654 00:38:11,080 --> 00:38:13,080 And that moment, I knew I was living for the Lord from then on 655 00:38:13,080 --> 00:38:15,080 You might be familiar with the story of Sergeant York 656 00:38:15,080 --> 00:38:17,080 That's how it happened to him 657 00:38:17,080 --> 00:38:19,080 He was riding out to kill the man who stole his property 658 00:38:19,080 --> 00:38:21,080 While he was off serving his country 659 00:38:21,080 --> 00:38:23,080 And he didn't want to go to war, and God sent him to war anyway 660 00:38:23,080 --> 00:38:25,080 And there's a very specific story 661 00:38:25,080 --> 00:38:27,080 True story about Sergeant York 662 00:38:27,080 --> 00:38:29,080 He went out to kill the guy that stole his property 663 00:38:29,080 --> 00:38:31,080 While he was gone, stole it out from underneath of him 664 00:38:31,080 --> 00:38:33,080 And he's got his gun, and lightning strikes him 665 00:38:33,080 --> 00:38:35,080 And he winds up crawling from where he got struck by lightning 666 00:38:35,080 --> 00:38:37,080 Into the church, and they gather around him in prayer 667 00:38:37,080 --> 00:38:39,080 And they sing songs and hymns over him 668 00:38:39,080 --> 00:38:41,080 And he becomes a real Christian 669 00:38:41,080 --> 00:38:43,080 And then 670 00:38:43,080 --> 00:38:45,080 And I got the order of events, then he gets called off to war 671 00:38:45,080 --> 00:38:47,080 There you go, then he gets called off to war 672 00:38:47,080 --> 00:38:49,080 And then 673 00:38:49,080 --> 00:38:51,080 He doesn't want to kill anybody 674 00:38:51,080 --> 00:38:53,080 He wants to declare himself a pacifist 675 00:38:53,080 --> 00:38:55,080 But his church is not big enough to protect him 676 00:38:55,080 --> 00:38:57,080 So he winds up going to war 677 00:38:57,080 --> 00:38:59,080 The point is this 678 00:38:59,080 --> 00:39:03,080 Some people think you have to have a big sensation to get saved 679 00:39:03,080 --> 00:39:05,080 I don't really see it in the Bible 680 00:39:05,080 --> 00:39:09,080 You don't have to be struck by lightning, barely survive a car wreck, get shot in the head 681 00:39:09,080 --> 00:39:11,080 The pastor doesn't have to preach, and you just break down in tears 682 00:39:11,080 --> 00:39:13,080 And you fall, you're melting in a puddle on the floor 683 00:39:13,080 --> 00:39:19,080 So you have that moment that you're getting saved 684 00:39:19,080 --> 00:39:21,080 But you do have to have an experience of the Holy Spirit 685 00:39:21,080 --> 00:39:23,080 You do have to have a coming of God 686 00:39:23,080 --> 00:39:25,080 You do have to have a coming of God into your life 687 00:39:25,080 --> 00:39:27,080 You do have to have a line at which you cross the line 688 00:39:27,080 --> 00:39:29,080 And say, I'm living for the Lord from now on 689 00:39:29,080 --> 00:39:31,080 And they call that being born again 690 00:39:31,080 --> 00:39:33,080 And if you're not born again, you're not saved 691 00:39:33,080 --> 00:39:35,080 No matter how holy you are or what you know 692 00:39:35,080 --> 00:39:37,080 So that brings us back around to 693 00:39:37,080 --> 00:39:39,080 Who was left out 694 00:39:39,080 --> 00:39:41,080 I submit to you that it could have been me 695 00:39:41,080 --> 00:39:43,080 And I realized it wasn't me 696 00:39:43,080 --> 00:39:45,080 Because, at least in the nightmare that I was having 697 00:39:45,080 --> 00:39:47,080 Because I was saved, I was okay 698 00:39:47,080 --> 00:39:49,080 And it could have been the person in the grave 699 00:39:49,080 --> 00:39:51,080 But I was saved 700 00:39:51,080 --> 00:39:53,080 And it could have been the person in the grave 701 00:39:53,080 --> 00:39:55,080 But I couldn't know that, I didn't even know who was in the casket 702 00:39:55,080 --> 00:39:57,080 So I wasn't terrified to think that they were left out 703 00:39:57,080 --> 00:39:59,080 But then I looked at the mourners 704 00:39:59,080 --> 00:40:01,080 And how they were mourning, how bereft they were 705 00:40:01,080 --> 00:40:03,080 No joy, no peace 706 00:40:03,080 --> 00:40:05,080 No patience, no kindness 707 00:40:05,080 --> 00:40:07,080 No gentleness, they're all standing there in the freezing rain 708 00:40:07,080 --> 00:40:09,080 Mourning the lost person 709 00:40:09,080 --> 00:40:11,080 And as I looked at their faces, and they were twisted 710 00:40:11,080 --> 00:40:13,080 They looked angry 711 00:40:13,080 --> 00:40:15,080 They looked upset 712 00:40:15,080 --> 00:40:17,080 And I realized, it could be them 713 00:40:17,080 --> 00:40:19,080 Maybe they were left out 714 00:40:19,080 --> 00:40:21,080 And then I started to write this sermon 715 00:40:21,080 --> 00:40:23,080 And I realized, I didn't understand what it meant to be left out 716 00:40:23,080 --> 00:40:25,080 And I realized, I didn't understand what it meant to be left out 717 00:40:25,080 --> 00:40:27,080 The gospel is about 718 00:40:27,080 --> 00:40:29,080 The gospel is about 719 00:40:29,080 --> 00:40:31,080 Jesus Christ dying on the cross for sins 720 00:40:31,080 --> 00:40:33,080 And then going to heaven, and He's there making the intercession for us 721 00:40:33,080 --> 00:40:35,080 Even right now, right? 722 00:40:35,080 --> 00:40:37,080 So who's left out? 723 00:40:37,080 --> 00:40:39,080 People who don't know Jesus are left out 724 00:40:39,080 --> 00:40:41,080 People who don't know Jesus are left out 725 00:40:41,080 --> 00:40:43,080 But it's hard to decide who that is for sure 726 00:40:43,080 --> 00:40:45,080 But what's happened is, God has left us out 727 00:40:45,080 --> 00:40:47,080 But what's happened is, God has left us out 728 00:40:47,080 --> 00:40:49,080 And it's not a bad thing 729 00:40:49,080 --> 00:40:51,080 It's actually a good thing 730 00:40:51,080 --> 00:40:53,080 He's not called us home yet 731 00:40:53,080 --> 00:40:55,080 He's not sent us to be with Him for an eternity 732 00:40:55,080 --> 00:40:57,080 Yet 733 00:40:57,080 --> 00:40:59,080 We are here now, left out on display 734 00:40:59,080 --> 00:41:01,080 Left out to be seen 735 00:41:01,080 --> 00:41:03,080 Left out to be spoken 736 00:41:03,080 --> 00:41:05,080 You look at the word martyr 737 00:41:05,080 --> 00:41:07,080 I'm going to say to you that every time I see the word martyr, it has a negative connotation 738 00:41:07,080 --> 00:41:09,080 I did not want to be a martyr 739 00:41:09,080 --> 00:41:11,080 Anybody here want to be a martyr? 740 00:41:11,080 --> 00:41:13,080 Want to be killed for your faith? 741 00:41:13,080 --> 00:41:15,080 Shot in the head, burnt at the stake, crucified? 742 00:41:15,080 --> 00:41:17,080 You want your nails pulled until you tell them 743 00:41:17,080 --> 00:41:19,080 Who shared Jesus with you 744 00:41:19,080 --> 00:41:21,080 Like they do in the Middle East when they pick up a Christian 745 00:41:21,080 --> 00:41:23,080 In Afghanistan or whatever 746 00:41:23,080 --> 00:41:25,080 Pull their fingernails one at a time 747 00:41:25,080 --> 00:41:27,080 Until they tell them who told them about Jesus 748 00:41:27,080 --> 00:41:29,080 Until they tell them who told them about Jesus 749 00:41:29,080 --> 00:41:31,080 It's bad 750 00:41:31,080 --> 00:41:33,080 It's bad 751 00:41:33,080 --> 00:41:35,080 And so then, they don't tell them 752 00:41:35,080 --> 00:41:37,080 Most of the time I'm told 753 00:41:37,080 --> 00:41:39,080 And then they kill them and leave them in the street 754 00:41:39,080 --> 00:41:41,080 So everyone else knows, don't go to Jesus 755 00:41:41,080 --> 00:41:43,080 Because you go to Jesus, this is what's happened to you 756 00:41:43,080 --> 00:41:45,080 And you go to that person, I don't want to be a martyr 757 00:41:45,080 --> 00:41:47,080 I submit to you 758 00:41:47,080 --> 00:41:49,080 That according to the way I read this verse 759 00:41:49,080 --> 00:41:51,080 We're all martyrs 760 00:41:51,080 --> 00:41:53,080 Every single one of us, this is what it said 761 00:41:53,080 --> 00:41:55,080 But you shall receive power 762 00:41:55,080 --> 00:41:57,080 And the Holy Spirit has come upon you 763 00:41:57,080 --> 00:41:59,080 And you shall be my witnesses 764 00:41:59,080 --> 00:42:01,080 Both in Jerusalem and in Al-Judea and Samaria 765 00:42:01,080 --> 00:42:03,080 And even to the end, the remotest parts of the earth 766 00:42:03,080 --> 00:42:05,080 And the word witnesses there is 767 00:42:05,080 --> 00:42:07,080 Marturro, it's martyrs 768 00:42:07,080 --> 00:42:09,080 All of us 769 00:42:09,080 --> 00:42:11,080 If you don't want to be a martyr for Jesus 770 00:42:11,080 --> 00:42:13,080 If you don't want to give up you 771 00:42:13,080 --> 00:42:15,080 Your preferences, your old man, your old self 772 00:42:15,080 --> 00:42:17,080 The things that you were into 773 00:42:17,080 --> 00:42:19,080 If you don't want to give that up and be a follower of Jesus 774 00:42:19,080 --> 00:42:21,080 You don't want to be a Christian 775 00:42:21,080 --> 00:42:23,080 Because the old you dies and the new you comes 776 00:42:23,080 --> 00:42:25,080 All old things pass away 777 00:42:25,080 --> 00:42:27,080 And all things are made new 778 00:42:27,080 --> 00:42:29,080 That's what it means to be a Christian 779 00:42:29,080 --> 00:42:31,080 We're all martyrs, he died for us 780 00:42:31,080 --> 00:42:33,080 And if one died for us, we all die 781 00:42:33,080 --> 00:42:35,080 That's called martyrdom, we all die 782 00:42:35,080 --> 00:42:37,080 What are you witnessing to? 783 00:42:37,080 --> 00:42:39,080 You're witnessing to the fact that you were somebody 784 00:42:39,080 --> 00:42:41,080 And you're not the same somebody anymore 785 00:42:41,080 --> 00:42:43,080 Now you're living for Jesus 786 00:42:43,080 --> 00:42:45,080 That's what you're witnessing to and you take that to the end of the earth 787 00:42:45,080 --> 00:42:47,080 And when somebody's sick they need to know about Jesus 788 00:42:47,080 --> 00:42:49,080 And when somebody's hurt they need to know about Jesus 789 00:42:49,080 --> 00:42:51,080 When their emotions are in a turmoil 790 00:42:51,080 --> 00:42:53,080 They need to know about Jesus 791 00:42:53,080 --> 00:42:55,080 When their bills aren't paid 792 00:42:55,080 --> 00:42:57,080 They need to know about Jesus 793 00:42:57,080 --> 00:42:59,080 Did Holy Spirit power come so we pay our bills 794 00:42:59,080 --> 00:43:01,080 Solve our emotional issues 795 00:43:01,080 --> 00:43:03,080 Deal with our relationship stuff, no 796 00:43:03,080 --> 00:43:05,080 But if that person's in the midst of trials 797 00:43:05,080 --> 00:43:07,080 And difficulties or whatever 798 00:43:07,080 --> 00:43:09,080 And they're not taking Jesus 799 00:43:09,080 --> 00:43:11,080 Whatever happens that comes out of that 800 00:43:11,080 --> 00:43:13,080 Even if it all gets better, it's not actually better 801 00:43:13,080 --> 00:43:15,080 You get a medicine to deal with your depression 802 00:43:15,080 --> 00:43:17,080 You take it, you feel better, you go to hell 803 00:43:17,080 --> 00:43:19,080 Not because of the medicine, not because of the depression 804 00:43:19,080 --> 00:43:21,080 But because you don't know Jesus 805 00:43:21,080 --> 00:43:23,080 We should be taking Jesus 806 00:43:23,080 --> 00:43:25,080 Everywhere and the Holy Spirit 807 00:43:25,080 --> 00:43:27,080 Power is for that purpose 808 00:43:27,080 --> 00:43:29,080 We are left out 809 00:43:29,080 --> 00:43:31,080 On display 810 00:43:31,080 --> 00:43:33,080 Now I've thought about that 811 00:43:33,080 --> 00:43:35,080 Nightmare a number of times since I had it 812 00:43:35,080 --> 00:43:37,080 And I thought about how 813 00:43:37,080 --> 00:43:39,080 They have a funeral meal 814 00:43:39,080 --> 00:43:41,080 A lot of times after funerals 815 00:43:41,080 --> 00:43:43,080 And people was breaking up 816 00:43:43,080 --> 00:43:45,080 After the funeral 817 00:43:45,080 --> 00:43:47,080 And I've envisioned in my mind 818 00:43:47,080 --> 00:43:49,080 Talking to all of those people 819 00:43:49,080 --> 00:43:51,080 Who were at that funeral 820 00:43:51,080 --> 00:43:53,080 And telling them, yes, it's terrible that your loved one is dying 821 00:43:53,080 --> 00:43:55,080 And the truth is, if your loved one has died 822 00:43:55,080 --> 00:43:57,080 And did not know Jesus, they're going to hell 823 00:43:57,080 --> 00:43:59,080 And they're not going to be in heaven 824 00:43:59,080 --> 00:44:01,080 And that's terrible 825 00:44:01,080 --> 00:44:03,080 But don't you go with them 826 00:44:03,080 --> 00:44:05,080 And say, I can't take, whatever, I can't say anything about the person 827 00:44:05,080 --> 00:44:07,080 I can't do anything about that 828 00:44:07,080 --> 00:44:09,080 But you're still alive 829 00:44:09,080 --> 00:44:11,080 There's still a chance 830 00:44:11,080 --> 00:44:13,080 Yesterday I witnessed to an atheist 831 00:44:13,080 --> 00:44:15,080 He's still an atheist as far as I know 832 00:44:15,080 --> 00:44:17,080 He hasn't told me otherwise 833 00:44:17,080 --> 00:44:19,080 But the bottom line is I was able to tell him about the truth 834 00:44:19,080 --> 00:44:21,080 That he will eventually stand before God 835 00:44:21,080 --> 00:44:23,080 And answer for what he does in this lifetime 836 00:44:23,080 --> 00:44:25,080 And he's got to get ready for that 837 00:44:25,080 --> 00:44:27,080 Similar to the message 838 00:44:27,080 --> 00:44:29,080 The gospel message of the Grand Prix 839 00:44:29,080 --> 00:44:31,080 The bottom line is 840 00:44:31,080 --> 00:44:33,080 We've got to tell 841 00:44:33,080 --> 00:44:35,080 I submit to you, if the power has come so that we tell 842 00:44:35,080 --> 00:44:37,080 Wait for this now 843 00:44:37,080 --> 00:44:39,080 If the power has come so that we can tell 844 00:44:39,080 --> 00:44:41,080 So that we can be martyrs, so that we can be martyros 845 00:44:41,080 --> 00:44:43,080 So we can be witnessing to the truth about Jesus 846 00:44:43,080 --> 00:44:45,080 And we're not witnessing to the truth about Jesus 847 00:44:47,080 --> 00:44:49,080 Let me say this again 848 00:44:49,080 --> 00:44:51,080 If the power has come for that purpose 849 00:44:51,080 --> 00:44:53,080 And we're not witnessing to the truth about Jesus 850 00:44:53,080 --> 00:44:55,080 Then we have no power 851 00:44:55,080 --> 00:44:57,080 That another man doesn't have 852 00:44:57,080 --> 00:44:59,080 That another woman doesn't have 853 00:44:59,080 --> 00:45:01,080 You don't have it 854 00:45:01,080 --> 00:45:03,080 So if you don't have the power of the Holy Spirit 855 00:45:03,080 --> 00:45:05,080 To witness 856 00:45:05,080 --> 00:45:07,080 And that's why he came 857 00:45:07,080 --> 00:45:09,080 If you don't have the power of the Holy Spirit 858 00:45:09,080 --> 00:45:11,080 To die to sin, to die to your old self and live for Jesus 859 00:45:11,080 --> 00:45:13,080 If you don't have the power of the Holy Spirit for that 860 00:45:13,080 --> 00:45:15,080 Then you don't have the power 861 00:45:15,080 --> 00:45:17,080 Which is a problem 862 00:45:17,080 --> 00:45:19,080 Because if you don't have the power 863 00:45:19,080 --> 00:45:21,080 You probably don't have the Holy Spirit 864 00:45:21,080 --> 00:45:23,080 And if you don't have the Holy Spirit, you're not saved 865 00:45:23,080 --> 00:45:25,080 And you're going to answer to God one day 866 00:45:25,080 --> 00:45:27,080 Both for your unwillingness 867 00:45:27,080 --> 00:45:29,080 To follow Jesus as your Lord and Savior 868 00:45:29,080 --> 00:45:31,080 And for your dismissal 869 00:45:31,080 --> 00:45:33,080 Or your refusal 870 00:45:33,080 --> 00:45:35,080 Of God's presence in you 871 00:45:35,080 --> 00:45:37,080 God wants to reign you 872 00:45:37,080 --> 00:45:39,080 But there's no place on earth that God wants to reign 873 00:45:39,080 --> 00:45:41,080 That the enemy doesn't also want to reign 874 00:45:41,080 --> 00:45:43,080 Right? 875 00:45:43,080 --> 00:45:45,080 And he can mock or pretend 876 00:45:45,080 --> 00:45:47,080 To be the power of God 877 00:45:47,080 --> 00:45:49,080 So we got to get it straight 878 00:45:49,080 --> 00:45:51,080 We got to realize that the power of God that was given to us 879 00:45:51,080 --> 00:45:53,080 Was so that we could be witnesses 880 00:45:53,080 --> 00:45:55,080 That is what it was given for 881 00:45:55,080 --> 00:45:57,080 Do you have the Holy Spirit gift of service? 882 00:45:57,080 --> 00:45:59,080 Great! If your service 883 00:45:59,080 --> 00:46:01,080 Serves and does things, makes you feel good 884 00:46:01,080 --> 00:46:03,080 You feel more fulfilled 885 00:46:03,080 --> 00:46:05,080 Whatever, that's all great 886 00:46:05,080 --> 00:46:07,080 But it wasn't given for that purpose, it was given for the witness 887 00:46:09,080 --> 00:46:11,080 So that people can know about the saving power of God 888 00:46:11,080 --> 00:46:13,080 So people can know about the sacrifice of Jesus 889 00:46:13,080 --> 00:46:15,080 The DVR of Jesus 890 00:46:15,080 --> 00:46:17,080 The death, burial, resurrection 891 00:46:17,080 --> 00:46:19,080 The people can know that they too 892 00:46:19,080 --> 00:46:21,080 Can have Holy Spirit gifts 893 00:46:21,080 --> 00:46:23,080 You can't get saved to get a Holy Spirit gift 894 00:46:23,080 --> 00:46:25,080 But you can get saved to get saved 895 00:46:25,080 --> 00:46:27,080 And you'll get a Holy Spirit gift 896 00:46:27,080 --> 00:46:29,080 But if you tell them 897 00:46:29,080 --> 00:46:31,080 You need to get a Holy Spirit gift 898 00:46:31,080 --> 00:46:33,080 And that happens by the way, there's a very large denomination 899 00:46:33,080 --> 00:46:35,080 That says if you can't speak tongues, you ain't saved 900 00:46:35,080 --> 00:46:37,080 And that's not true 901 00:46:37,080 --> 00:46:39,080 But they affiliate it with the coming of the Spirit as a sign 902 00:46:39,080 --> 00:46:41,080 And you could reasonably say 903 00:46:41,080 --> 00:46:43,080 That if a person can speak tongues 904 00:46:43,080 --> 00:46:45,080 And you could identify that that's what they were doing 905 00:46:45,080 --> 00:46:47,080 And you knew for sure that they were speaking 906 00:46:47,080 --> 00:46:49,080 The Holy Spirit gift of tongues 907 00:46:49,080 --> 00:46:51,080 Then you could say they're saved 908 00:46:51,080 --> 00:46:55,080 And the problem with that is, could the enemy make a person speak in a language that you don't understand? 909 00:46:55,080 --> 00:46:57,080 Sure he could 910 00:46:57,080 --> 00:46:59,080 And so you can't identify a person being saved 911 00:46:59,080 --> 00:47:01,080 Just because they're speaking a language you don't understand 912 00:47:01,080 --> 00:47:03,080 Because it might not be the Holy Spirit that's doing it 913 00:47:05,080 --> 00:47:07,080 We can't know who's saved and who's not saved 914 00:47:07,080 --> 00:47:09,080 But this we can know 915 00:47:09,080 --> 00:47:11,080 The power that was given was power that was given to those who were left out 916 00:47:11,080 --> 00:47:13,080 That's us, left out here 917 00:47:13,080 --> 00:47:15,080 Outside the Kingdom as ambassadors 918 00:47:15,080 --> 00:47:17,080 Still serving the Lord, left out of going home 919 00:47:17,080 --> 00:47:19,080 Yet was given to us 920 00:47:19,080 --> 00:47:21,080 To be witnesses 921 00:47:21,080 --> 00:47:23,080 That's why we were given the power 922 00:47:23,080 --> 00:47:25,080 That's why the left out people were put on display 923 00:47:25,080 --> 00:47:27,080 That's why the left out people were 924 00:47:27,080 --> 00:47:29,080 Filling with the Holy Spirit 925 00:47:29,080 --> 00:47:31,080 So that we can share the Gospel with anybody we possibly can 926 00:47:35,080 --> 00:47:37,080 You're going to say, why doesn't Jesus just do it? 927 00:47:37,080 --> 00:47:39,080 Why doesn't God just do it? 928 00:47:41,080 --> 00:47:43,080 Well, the truth is 929 00:47:43,080 --> 00:47:45,080 He does 930 00:47:45,080 --> 00:47:47,080 The Holy Spirit takes up residence in us 931 00:47:47,080 --> 00:47:49,080 And it's His purpose 932 00:47:49,080 --> 00:47:51,080 To share the Gospel with everybody in the world 933 00:47:51,080 --> 00:47:53,080 Jesus wanted to share the Gospel with everybody in the world 934 00:47:53,080 --> 00:47:55,080 The truth about salvation with everybody in the world 935 00:47:57,080 --> 00:47:59,080 And essentially He did 936 00:47:59,080 --> 00:48:01,080 Because now everybody that accepts Him 937 00:48:01,080 --> 00:48:03,080 Receives the Holy Spirit of God 938 00:48:03,080 --> 00:48:05,080 That's how it works 939 00:48:05,080 --> 00:48:07,080 And not only that 940 00:48:07,080 --> 00:48:09,080 According to Jesus' words 941 00:48:09,080 --> 00:48:11,080 The Holy Spirit is already providing conviction 942 00:48:11,080 --> 00:48:13,080 To people who have not yet believed 943 00:48:13,080 --> 00:48:15,080 So you haven't believed yet, you're already being convicted 944 00:48:15,080 --> 00:48:17,080 And that's why we know right from wrong 945 00:48:17,080 --> 00:48:19,080 Primarily because, and I understand 946 00:48:19,080 --> 00:48:21,080 Men have a conscience 947 00:48:21,080 --> 00:48:23,080 And we can see the effects of our actions 948 00:48:23,080 --> 00:48:25,080 But the primary reason that unsaved people know what's right and what's wrong 949 00:48:25,080 --> 00:48:27,080 Is because of the Holy Spirit 950 00:48:27,080 --> 00:48:29,080 Providing them with conviction 951 00:48:29,080 --> 00:48:31,080 You say, well I'm saved, I know that 952 00:48:31,080 --> 00:48:33,080 Because the Holy Spirit convicts me when I willingly sin against God 953 00:48:33,080 --> 00:48:35,080 The Holy Spirit convicts unsaved people 954 00:48:35,080 --> 00:48:37,080 All the time 955 00:48:37,080 --> 00:48:39,080 All men 956 00:48:39,080 --> 00:48:41,080 So we'll convict all men of their sins 957 00:48:41,080 --> 00:48:43,080 And we'll teach you all the things that I've taught you 958 00:48:43,080 --> 00:48:45,080 Jesus says 959 00:48:45,080 --> 00:48:47,080 And that leads us then to what is the witness 960 00:48:47,080 --> 00:48:49,080 If we were given the power 961 00:48:49,080 --> 00:48:51,080 Because we were left out 962 00:48:51,080 --> 00:48:53,080 And we were given the power to witness 963 00:48:53,080 --> 00:48:55,080 So people can see 964 00:48:55,080 --> 00:48:57,080 Then what is the message 965 00:48:57,080 --> 00:48:59,080 That we are supposed to be delivering 966 00:48:59,080 --> 00:49:01,080 What is it that we are about as witnesses 967 00:49:01,080 --> 00:49:03,080 And it may be a little more 968 00:49:03,080 --> 00:49:05,080 Complex than this because it is about leaving behind your old self 969 00:49:05,080 --> 00:49:07,080 But very simply put 970 00:49:07,080 --> 00:49:09,080 Matthew said it this way, Jesus came up and spoke to them 971 00:49:09,080 --> 00:49:11,080 Saying, all authority has been given to me 972 00:49:11,080 --> 00:49:13,080 In heaven and on earth 973 00:49:13,080 --> 00:49:15,080 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations 974 00:49:15,080 --> 00:49:17,080 Baptizing them in the name of the Father 975 00:49:17,080 --> 00:49:19,080 And the Son and the Holy Spirit 976 00:49:19,080 --> 00:49:21,080 Teaching them to observe all that I commanded you 977 00:49:21,080 --> 00:49:23,080 And lo, I am with you always even to the end of the age 978 00:49:23,080 --> 00:49:25,080 Everybody, every Christian 979 00:49:25,080 --> 00:49:27,080 Christian, we were talking about this 980 00:49:27,080 --> 00:49:29,080 Yesterday as well as we were walking 981 00:49:29,080 --> 00:49:31,080 Ariana, so we got on the 982 00:49:31,080 --> 00:49:33,080 Topic of what the Jehovah's Witness 983 00:49:33,080 --> 00:49:35,080 Believed happens to people after they die 984 00:49:35,080 --> 00:49:37,080 And 985 00:49:37,080 --> 00:49:39,080 I looked up on phone 986 00:49:39,080 --> 00:49:41,080 To make sure I was 100% sure, I thought I knew 987 00:49:41,080 --> 00:49:43,080 But I wasn't sure, I didn't want to say it without knowing 988 00:49:43,080 --> 00:49:45,080 For 100% sure, and basically they believe in the 989 00:49:45,080 --> 00:49:47,080 Cessation of the Spirit, that after you die 990 00:49:47,080 --> 00:49:49,080 You cease to exist 991 00:49:49,080 --> 00:49:51,080 Except for 144,000 992 00:49:51,080 --> 00:49:53,080 People, which they believe 993 00:49:53,080 --> 00:49:55,080 Is the number that they get that out of a verse in Revelation 994 00:49:55,080 --> 00:49:57,080 Who will be going 995 00:49:57,080 --> 00:49:59,080 To heaven 996 00:49:59,080 --> 00:50:01,080 So they're it, all time 997 00:50:01,080 --> 00:50:03,080 Everybody that's ever lived, 144,000 998 00:50:03,080 --> 00:50:05,080 People, any much 999 00:50:05,080 --> 00:50:07,080 They better not be right 1000 00:50:07,080 --> 00:50:09,080 And they're not right, because that's not 1001 00:50:09,080 --> 00:50:11,080 What the Bible says 1002 00:50:11,080 --> 00:50:13,080 But they selectively choose certain scriptures to make 1003 00:50:13,080 --> 00:50:15,080 Up their way of believing 1004 00:50:15,080 --> 00:50:17,080 And that's what happens in most false religions 1005 00:50:17,080 --> 00:50:19,080 And yes, I'm saying Jehovah's Witness 1006 00:50:19,080 --> 00:50:21,080 Are a false religion, in fact I'll call it a cult 1007 00:50:21,080 --> 00:50:23,080 If you want me to, because that's what it is 1008 00:50:23,080 --> 00:50:25,080 Now that being said 1009 00:50:27,080 --> 00:50:29,080 Jesus is here saying 1010 00:50:29,080 --> 00:50:31,080 Go ye therefore and make disciples 1011 00:50:31,080 --> 00:50:33,080 What's a disciple? Someone who learns 1012 00:50:33,080 --> 00:50:35,080 From the master and teaches others what they have learned 1013 00:50:35,080 --> 00:50:37,080 Of all the nations 1014 00:50:37,080 --> 00:50:39,080 People of all races, from all countries 1015 00:50:39,080 --> 00:50:41,080 All cultures, all backgrounds, etc 1016 00:50:41,080 --> 00:50:43,080 Baptizing them, that's immersion 1017 00:50:43,080 --> 00:50:45,080 Immersing them in the name of the Father 1018 00:50:45,080 --> 00:50:47,080 The Son and the Holy Spirit 1019 00:50:47,080 --> 00:50:49,080 Then teaching them to observe 1020 00:50:49,080 --> 00:50:51,080 All that I commanded you, in other words 1021 00:50:51,080 --> 00:50:53,080 Everything I told you to do, what did he tell them to do? 1022 00:50:53,080 --> 00:50:55,080 Well, what have we been just saying? 1023 00:50:55,080 --> 00:50:57,080 Receive Holy Spirit power 1024 00:50:57,080 --> 00:50:59,080 Be left out, receive Holy Spirit power 1025 00:50:59,080 --> 00:51:01,080 To deliver a witness 1026 00:51:01,080 --> 00:51:03,080 To all people in the world 1027 00:51:03,080 --> 00:51:05,080 How are you or I or any Christians 1028 00:51:05,080 --> 00:51:07,080 Ever going to deliver a witness to all people in the world? 1029 00:51:07,080 --> 00:51:09,080 Well, it's accomplished through multiplication 1030 00:51:09,080 --> 00:51:11,080 One little church in East Toledo gets started 1031 00:51:11,080 --> 00:51:13,080 And suddenly the podcast 1032 00:51:13,080 --> 00:51:15,080 Is going to 17 countries all around the world 1033 00:51:15,080 --> 00:51:17,080 How wonderful that is, now it's not a ton of people 1034 00:51:17,080 --> 00:51:19,080 In those 17 countries, but it's getting out there 1035 00:51:19,080 --> 00:51:21,080 Some guy in Guam 1036 00:51:21,080 --> 00:51:23,080 Listen to our podcast, hears about Jesus 1037 00:51:23,080 --> 00:51:25,080 Starts talking to his family, his friends 1038 00:51:25,080 --> 00:51:27,080 Whatever, he goes to a little church there, they start a podcast 1039 00:51:27,080 --> 00:51:29,080 It's going to 17 countries, whatever 1040 00:51:29,080 --> 00:51:31,080 It multiplies and magnifies 1041 00:51:31,080 --> 00:51:33,080 As God sees fit, but I'm telling you right now 1042 00:51:33,080 --> 00:51:35,080 I know this with absolute certainty 1043 00:51:35,080 --> 00:51:37,080 That the Gospel is getting out into the world 1044 00:51:37,080 --> 00:51:39,080 The only question is 1045 00:51:39,080 --> 00:51:41,080 As it's getting out into the ends of the earth 1046 00:51:41,080 --> 00:51:43,080 Why is it not getting to Judea and 1047 00:51:43,080 --> 00:51:45,080 Samaria? Why are we not 1048 00:51:45,080 --> 00:51:47,080 Delivering it to the lands where we live? 1049 00:51:47,080 --> 00:51:49,080 Why are you not talking to people that you know 1050 00:51:49,080 --> 00:51:51,080 About the things that you know? 1051 00:51:51,080 --> 00:51:53,080 And the answer is because it doesn't go very well 1052 00:51:53,080 --> 00:51:55,080 As RJ was sharing the inspirational moment 1053 00:51:55,080 --> 00:51:57,080 Percentage wise, you might have to share the Gospel 1054 00:51:57,080 --> 00:51:59,080 Cleanly, simply put 1055 00:51:59,080 --> 00:52:01,080 With 10 people to get 1 or 2 people to believe you 1056 00:52:01,080 --> 00:52:03,080 Right? 1057 00:52:03,080 --> 00:52:05,080 Now there's a lot of reasons why that could be 1058 00:52:05,080 --> 00:52:07,080 But I want you to notice this 1059 00:52:07,080 --> 00:52:09,080 One thing, does it say 1060 00:52:09,080 --> 00:52:11,080 That we receive the Holy Spirit 1061 00:52:11,080 --> 00:52:13,080 Power, boom! Holy Spirit 1062 00:52:13,080 --> 00:52:15,080 Power 1063 00:52:15,080 --> 00:52:17,080 So that we can go and get people saved 1064 00:52:17,080 --> 00:52:19,080 No, it says so we can go 1065 00:52:19,080 --> 00:52:21,080 And take the Gospel, starting here 1066 00:52:21,080 --> 00:52:23,080 Going there, and eventually everywhere 1067 00:52:23,080 --> 00:52:25,080 You're supposed to deliver it 1068 00:52:25,080 --> 00:52:27,080 Now the Gospel is not the Gospel without a question 1069 00:52:27,080 --> 00:52:29,080 To respond, but you're supposed to deliver it 1070 00:52:29,080 --> 00:52:31,080 In every opportunity that you have 1071 00:52:31,080 --> 00:52:33,080 Everywhere that you go 1072 00:52:33,080 --> 00:52:35,080 Last week we talked about 1073 00:52:35,080 --> 00:52:37,080 Talking about God, so I conducted an 1074 00:52:37,080 --> 00:52:39,080 Experiment starting Monday morning, everybody 1075 00:52:39,080 --> 00:52:41,080 That I ran into, every single person I said 1076 00:52:41,080 --> 00:52:43,080 Something like, God is good, God is blessing 1077 00:52:43,080 --> 00:52:45,080 Me, God is a just in time deliverer 1078 00:52:45,080 --> 00:52:47,080 God wants what's best 1079 00:52:47,080 --> 00:52:49,080 For you, God has compassion, I was coming right off 1080 00:52:49,080 --> 00:52:51,080 The list of things that people proposed at the end of 1081 00:52:51,080 --> 00:52:53,080 Services, we said good things about God, what you could say 1082 00:52:53,080 --> 00:52:55,080 And I started doing it, you know what happened? 1083 00:52:55,080 --> 00:52:57,080 Everybody that I talked to 1084 00:52:57,080 --> 00:52:59,080 Was fairly easily sorted 1085 00:52:59,080 --> 00:53:01,080 Fairly easily divided into, yeah 1086 00:53:01,080 --> 00:53:03,080 I want to talk about that, let's talk about that some more 1087 00:53:03,080 --> 00:53:05,080 Or yeah, whatever, you're talking about God, I want nothing 1088 00:53:05,080 --> 00:53:07,080 To do with that 1089 00:53:07,080 --> 00:53:09,080 So it made it really easy for me 1090 00:53:09,080 --> 00:53:11,080 And so then, the people that were over here, we'll talk about that more 1091 00:53:11,080 --> 00:53:13,080 I started talking about Jesus with them 1092 00:53:13,080 --> 00:53:15,080 Talking about God with them, taking a little bit more 1093 00:53:15,080 --> 00:53:17,080 And as I did that, some of them 1094 00:53:17,080 --> 00:53:19,080 Were already professing to be saved 1095 00:53:19,080 --> 00:53:21,080 They're like, they're already 1096 00:53:21,080 --> 00:53:23,080 Professing to be saved, right? 1097 00:53:23,080 --> 00:53:25,080 And so, I didn't have to try to win them 1098 00:53:25,080 --> 00:53:27,080 To Christ, but I did try to clarify that they were 1099 00:53:27,080 --> 00:53:29,080 Actually saved, right? I think you should go to Revelation 1100 00:53:29,080 --> 00:53:31,080 320 1101 00:53:31,080 --> 00:53:33,080 I think you should talk about the Holy Spirit presence, have they had a 1102 00:53:33,080 --> 00:53:35,080 Born again moment, that kind of thing, and I did try to do that 1103 00:53:35,080 --> 00:53:37,080 And then the other half of the group 1104 00:53:37,080 --> 00:53:39,080 I talked to them about how to be saved 1105 00:53:39,080 --> 00:53:41,080 Crazy thing is 1106 00:53:41,080 --> 00:53:43,080 Miss Chris, who works the phones for the 1107 00:53:43,080 --> 00:53:45,080 Life station, she has a lot of health concerns, whatever 1108 00:53:45,080 --> 00:53:47,080 She started doing the same thing, and on Wednesday 1109 00:53:47,080 --> 00:53:49,080 She led a man to Christ by using 1110 00:53:49,080 --> 00:53:51,080 That method, just started talking about God 1111 00:53:51,080 --> 00:53:53,080 And he was in a very bad spot 1112 00:53:53,080 --> 00:53:55,080 And he's like, lost his job, lost his 1113 00:53:55,080 --> 00:53:57,080 Finance, lost his place to live 1114 00:53:57,080 --> 00:53:59,080 His life is falling apart, his health is a mess 1115 00:53:59,080 --> 00:54:01,080 His Medicare doesn't pay for medicines that he needs 1116 00:54:01,080 --> 00:54:03,080 His life is a mess 1117 00:54:03,080 --> 00:54:05,080 She started talking to him about God, he was open to it 1118 00:54:05,080 --> 00:54:07,080 62 years old, never been to church 1119 00:54:07,080 --> 00:54:09,080 Nobody ever shared the gospel with him, and she led him to Christ 1120 00:54:09,080 --> 00:54:11,080 And he prayed to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior 1121 00:54:11,080 --> 00:54:13,080 I spoke with him Friday 1122 00:54:13,080 --> 00:54:15,080 Afternoon, and he is still 1123 00:54:15,080 --> 00:54:17,080 Professing Jesus and trying to figure out what it's going to mean 1124 00:54:17,080 --> 00:54:19,080 And he said, I guarantee you one thing for sure 1125 00:54:19,080 --> 00:54:21,080 I will be in your church at some point in time 1126 00:54:21,080 --> 00:54:23,080 He lives a little further away 1127 00:54:23,080 --> 00:54:25,080 And he wants to walk to wherever he goes to church 1128 00:54:25,080 --> 00:54:27,080 So he can be there consistently, and he doesn't want us to come pick him up 1129 00:54:27,080 --> 00:54:29,080 That's what he says 1130 00:54:29,080 --> 00:54:31,080 So the point is this, you start by talking about 1131 00:54:31,080 --> 00:54:33,080 God, talking about what you know 1132 00:54:33,080 --> 00:54:35,080 That's where the Holy Spirit power is 1133 00:54:35,080 --> 00:54:37,080 If you want to get in the house and the door is locked, what do you do? 1134 00:54:37,080 --> 00:54:39,080 You get out the key 1135 00:54:39,080 --> 00:54:41,080 If you want to get in the house and the door is locked, what do you do? 1136 00:54:41,080 --> 00:54:43,080 You get out the key 1137 00:54:43,080 --> 00:54:45,080 So you get out the key, and it lets you unlock the door 1138 00:54:45,080 --> 00:54:47,080 And then you open the door and you go in 1139 00:54:47,080 --> 00:54:49,080 And you're left out to receive 1140 00:54:49,080 --> 00:54:51,080 The Holy Spirit power, to witness 1141 00:54:51,080 --> 00:54:53,080 About what God has done 1142 00:54:53,080 --> 00:54:55,080 If you're not doing that 1143 00:54:55,080 --> 00:54:57,080 You're not tapping into the one guaranteed power 1144 00:54:57,080 --> 00:54:59,080 That we were given 1145 00:54:59,080 --> 00:55:01,080 The other power, knowing what God's up to 1146 00:55:01,080 --> 00:55:03,080 The other power, knowing who will get saved and who doesn't 1147 00:55:03,080 --> 00:55:05,080 The other power, understanding the epics and the times 1148 00:55:05,080 --> 00:55:07,080 And when Jesus is going to come again 1149 00:55:07,080 --> 00:55:09,080 That was reserved for God himself 1150 00:55:09,080 --> 00:55:11,080 We don't get that 1151 00:55:11,080 --> 00:55:13,080 So you don't want to share Jesus with somebody because you're afraid they won't accept it 1152 00:55:13,080 --> 00:55:15,080 You don't get that power 1153 00:55:15,080 --> 00:55:17,080 That was received for God 1154 00:55:17,080 --> 00:55:19,080 A reserved for God 1155 00:55:19,080 --> 00:55:21,080 Only God has that power, only he will know 1156 00:55:21,080 --> 00:55:23,080 Whether somebody is going to respond or not 1157 00:55:23,080 --> 00:55:25,080 So you do what you do 1158 00:55:25,080 --> 00:55:27,080 You exercise the power that you were given 1159 00:55:27,080 --> 00:55:29,080 Share your witness 1160 00:55:29,080 --> 00:55:31,080 You don't have to talk about anything 1161 00:55:31,080 --> 00:55:33,080 But what you already know 1162 00:55:33,080 --> 00:55:35,080 You don't have to go to school to learn 1163 00:55:35,080 --> 00:55:37,080 You don't have to take a witness course to learn 1164 00:55:37,080 --> 00:55:39,080 You don't have to purchase tracks 1165 00:55:39,080 --> 00:55:41,080 All you have to do, all you're required to do as a Christian 1166 00:55:41,080 --> 00:55:43,080 Is talk about what you already know 1167 00:55:43,080 --> 00:55:45,080 And everything you already know is good 1168 00:55:45,080 --> 00:55:47,080 The Psalmist wrote it this way 1169 00:55:47,080 --> 00:55:49,080 I'm flipping to Psalm 19 1170 00:55:49,080 --> 00:55:51,080 If anybody has followed along in their Bibles 1171 00:55:51,080 --> 00:55:53,080 And we're in our conclusion now 1172 00:55:57,080 --> 00:55:59,080 The heavens are telling of the glory of God 1173 00:55:59,080 --> 00:56:01,080 And their expanse is declaring the work of his hands 1174 00:56:01,080 --> 00:56:03,080 Interesting isn't it 1175 00:56:03,080 --> 00:56:05,080 That they're witnessing 1176 00:56:05,080 --> 00:56:07,080 Day to day pours forth speech 1177 00:56:07,080 --> 00:56:09,080 And night to night reveals knowledge 1178 00:56:09,080 --> 00:56:11,080 There is no speech nor are there words 1179 00:56:11,080 --> 00:56:13,080 Their voice is not heard 1180 00:56:13,080 --> 00:56:15,080 Their line has gone out through all the earth 1181 00:56:15,080 --> 00:56:17,080 And their utterance is to the end of the world 1182 00:56:17,080 --> 00:56:19,080 In them he has placed a tent for the sun 1183 00:56:19,080 --> 00:56:21,080 Which is a bridegroom coming out of his chamber 1184 00:56:21,080 --> 00:56:23,080 It rejoices as a strong man to run its course 1185 00:56:23,080 --> 00:56:25,080 See the sun has a certain job 1186 00:56:25,080 --> 00:56:27,080 And the sun does its job 1187 00:56:27,080 --> 00:56:29,080 And here in poetic language 1188 00:56:29,080 --> 00:56:31,080 The sun is glad to rejoice 1189 00:56:31,080 --> 00:56:33,080 In doing its job 1190 00:56:33,080 --> 00:56:35,080 Are you satisfied with the job that God has given you 1191 00:56:35,080 --> 00:56:37,080 Its rising is from one end of the heavens 1192 00:56:37,080 --> 00:56:39,080 And its circuit to the other 1193 00:56:39,080 --> 00:56:41,080 And of them and there is nothing 1194 00:56:41,080 --> 00:56:43,080 Hidden from its heat 1195 00:56:43,080 --> 00:56:45,080 Now verse 7 says this 1196 00:56:45,080 --> 00:56:47,080 The law of the Lord is perfect 1197 00:56:47,080 --> 00:56:49,080 Restoring the soul 1198 00:56:49,080 --> 00:56:51,080 The testimony of the Lord is sure 1199 00:56:51,080 --> 00:56:53,080 Making wise the simple 1200 00:56:53,080 --> 00:56:55,080 The precepts of the Lord are right 1201 00:56:55,080 --> 00:56:57,080 Rejoicing the heart 1202 00:56:57,080 --> 00:56:59,080 The command of the Lord is pure 1203 00:56:59,080 --> 00:57:01,080 Enlightening the eyes 1204 00:57:01,080 --> 00:57:03,080 The fear of the Lord is clean 1205 00:57:03,080 --> 00:57:05,080 Enduring forever 1206 00:57:05,080 --> 00:57:07,080 The judgments of the Lord are true 1207 00:57:07,080 --> 00:57:28,000 The 1208 00:57:28,000 --> 00:57:31,000 If you allow God to keep you away from the hidden faults 1209 00:57:31,000 --> 00:57:33,000 To acquit you of the hidden faults 1210 00:57:33,000 --> 00:57:35,000 To keep you back from presumptuous sins 1211 00:57:35,000 --> 00:57:37,000 Where you think you know a presumptuous sin 1212 00:57:37,000 --> 00:57:39,000 Where you think you know 1213 00:57:39,000 --> 00:57:41,000 Thinking somebody is not going to get saved 1214 00:57:41,000 --> 00:57:43,000 Thinking somebody is not going to want to hear 1215 00:57:43,000 --> 00:57:45,000 Thinking it's not going to do any good to witness for Jesus 1216 00:57:45,000 --> 00:57:47,000 That's a presumptuous sin 1217 00:57:47,000 --> 00:57:49,000 But if God keeps you back from that 1218 00:57:49,000 --> 00:57:51,000 Let them not rule over me 1219 00:57:51,000 --> 00:57:53,000 Then I shall be blameless 1220 00:57:53,000 --> 00:57:55,000 And I shall be acquitted of great transgression 1221 00:57:55,000 --> 00:57:57,000 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart 1222 00:57:57,000 --> 00:57:59,000 Be acceptable in thy sight O Lord 1223 00:57:59,000 --> 00:58:01,000 My rock and my redeemer 1224 00:58:01,000 --> 00:58:03,000 I ask you why is the first half of Psalm 19 1225 00:58:03,000 --> 00:58:05,000 About the sun doing what the sun 1226 00:58:05,000 --> 00:58:07,000 The sun in the sky doing what the sun in the sky 1227 00:58:07,000 --> 00:58:09,000 Was made to do and how joyous it is 1228 00:58:09,000 --> 00:58:11,000 And the second half of Psalm 19 1229 00:58:11,000 --> 00:58:13,000 Is about the word of God, the message of God 1230 00:58:13,000 --> 00:58:15,000 Delivering the word of God 1231 00:58:15,000 --> 00:58:17,000 What it means to live the word of God 1232 00:58:17,000 --> 00:58:19,000 And what happens when you do 1233 00:58:19,000 --> 00:58:21,000 I'll tell you why 1234 00:58:21,000 --> 00:58:23,000 Because human beings have a tendency 1235 00:58:23,000 --> 00:58:25,000 Since the fall to not do 1236 00:58:25,000 --> 00:58:27,000 What they were made to do 1237 00:58:29,000 --> 00:58:31,000 At the moment you're born again 1238 00:58:31,000 --> 00:58:33,000 That tendency is supposed to go away 1239 00:58:33,000 --> 00:58:35,000 It is defeated once and for all 1240 00:58:35,000 --> 00:58:37,000 The old you die, the new you come 1241 00:58:37,000 --> 00:58:39,000 Born again 1242 00:58:39,000 --> 00:58:41,000 You're now a member of the kingdom of God 1243 00:58:41,000 --> 00:58:43,000 And there is business in the kingdom of God 1244 00:58:43,000 --> 00:58:45,000 And it is about witnessing for Jesus 1245 00:58:47,000 --> 00:58:49,000 We were left out on display 1246 00:58:51,000 --> 00:58:53,000 We were left out on display 1247 00:58:53,000 --> 00:58:55,000 We were inhabited by God's Holy Spirit 1248 00:58:55,000 --> 00:58:57,000 Who wants nothing more than a right relationship with men 1249 00:58:57,000 --> 00:58:59,000 And the power of God's Holy Spirit 1250 00:58:59,000 --> 00:59:01,000 Is to witness for God 1251 00:59:03,000 --> 00:59:05,000 If you fix your problems 1252 00:59:05,000 --> 00:59:07,000 Come up with good advice 1253 00:59:07,000 --> 00:59:09,000 Pay all your bills, overcome your health concerns 1254 00:59:09,000 --> 00:59:11,000 Fix all your relationships, etc 1255 00:59:11,000 --> 00:59:13,000 You will have done nothing more 1256 00:59:13,000 --> 00:59:15,000 Than what anyone else might have done 1257 00:59:15,000 --> 00:59:17,000 But if you will witness for Jesus 1258 00:59:17,000 --> 00:59:19,000 And make your life a witness for Jesus 1259 00:59:19,000 --> 00:59:21,000 You will have done the thing that God has reserved 1260 00:59:21,000 --> 00:59:23,000 For you 1261 00:59:23,000 --> 00:59:25,000 And you will have done the things that God has reserved 1262 00:59:25,000 --> 00:59:27,000 For you 1263 00:59:27,000 --> 00:59:29,000 And you will have done the things that God has reserved 1264 00:59:29,000 --> 00:59:31,000 For you 1265 00:59:33,000 --> 00:59:35,000 And then you can say 1266 00:59:35,000 --> 00:59:37,000 I was left out on display 1267 00:59:37,000 --> 00:59:39,000 But I will not be left out on the day 1268 00:59:39,000 --> 00:59:41,000 You're not going to be coming late 1269 00:59:41,000 --> 00:59:43,000 To the judgment seat of Christ 1270 00:59:43,000 --> 00:59:45,000 The judgment seat of Christ 1271 00:59:45,000 --> 00:59:47,000 That sends men to hell and others to heaven 1272 00:59:47,000 --> 00:59:49,000 You're not going to be coming late to that day 1273 00:59:49,000 --> 00:59:51,000 You're going to arrive early 1274 00:59:51,000 --> 00:59:53,000 You're going to arrive at the very first moment 1275 00:59:53,000 --> 00:59:55,000 And if you're a follower of Lord Jesus Christ 1276 00:59:55,000 --> 00:59:57,000 And you're saved 1277 00:59:57,000 --> 00:59:59,000 And you spent your life living in the power of the Holy Spirit 1278 00:59:59,000 --> 01:00:01,000 Which is to witness to others 1279 01:00:01,000 --> 01:00:03,000 Then when you get there 1280 01:00:03,000 --> 01:00:05,000 You'll already know why you're coming 1281 01:00:05,000 --> 01:00:07,000 You'll be coming to be found innocent of your sins 1282 01:00:07,000 --> 01:00:09,000 And translated into an eternal kingdom 1283 01:00:09,000 --> 01:00:11,000 Forever and ever 1284 01:00:11,000 --> 01:00:13,000 But the power 1285 01:00:13,000 --> 01:00:15,000 To do that 1286 01:00:15,000 --> 01:00:17,000 Is wrapped up in being a witness 1287 01:00:17,000 --> 01:00:19,000 For Jesus 1288 01:00:19,000 --> 01:00:21,000 So if a week goes by 1289 01:00:21,000 --> 01:00:23,000 You'll be able to see 1290 01:00:23,000 --> 01:00:25,000 So if a week goes by 1291 01:00:25,000 --> 01:00:27,000 And your life would not be a testimony 1292 01:00:27,000 --> 01:00:29,000 For the Lord 1293 01:00:29,000 --> 01:00:31,000 And your words would not be a testimony for the Lord 1294 01:00:31,000 --> 01:00:33,000 You begin to feel like 1295 01:00:33,000 --> 01:00:35,000 You have no power 1296 01:00:35,000 --> 01:00:37,000 That's not really true 1297 01:00:37,000 --> 01:00:39,000 You're left out, filled with power 1298 01:00:39,000 --> 01:00:41,000 But you begin to feel like you have none 1299 01:00:41,000 --> 01:00:43,000 People tell me, well I can't talk 1300 01:00:43,000 --> 01:00:45,000 I don't know what to say 1301 01:00:45,000 --> 01:00:47,000 I can't change 1302 01:00:47,000 --> 01:00:49,000 I can't win this fight 1303 01:00:49,000 --> 01:00:51,000 You have already done all of that 1304 01:00:51,000 --> 01:00:53,000 You have already done all of that 1305 01:00:53,000 --> 01:00:55,000 If you've accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior 1306 01:00:55,000 --> 01:00:57,000 You're just waiting to realize it 1307 01:00:57,000 --> 01:00:59,000 Witness to everyone 1308 01:00:59,000 --> 01:01:01,000 You say, well I've already witnessed 1309 01:01:01,000 --> 01:01:03,000 To all my family and all my friends 1310 01:01:03,000 --> 01:01:05,000 Every single person you encounter 1311 01:01:05,000 --> 01:01:07,000 All you gotta do is say, God is good 1312 01:01:07,000 --> 01:01:09,000 All you gotta do is say, God has a message for you 1313 01:01:09,000 --> 01:01:11,000 You can literally go 1314 01:01:11,000 --> 01:01:13,000 To a perfect stranger 1315 01:01:13,000 --> 01:01:15,000 And say, do you have a minute? Yes I do 1316 01:01:15,000 --> 01:01:17,000 Okay, let me tell you 1317 01:01:17,000 --> 01:01:19,000 God has sent me personally 1318 01:01:19,000 --> 01:01:21,000 With a message for you, will you hear it? 1319 01:01:21,000 --> 01:01:23,000 No, I don't want to talk about God 1320 01:01:23,000 --> 01:01:25,000 Okay, go on to the next person 1321 01:01:25,000 --> 01:01:27,000 Excuse me, do you have a moment? Yes I do 1322 01:01:27,000 --> 01:01:29,000 God has sent me personally 1323 01:01:29,000 --> 01:01:31,000 With a message for you, will you hear it? 1324 01:01:31,000 --> 01:01:33,000 I will, here's the message 1325 01:01:33,000 --> 01:01:35,000 And you can share the gospel 1326 01:01:35,000 --> 01:01:37,000 In the simplest forms 1327 01:01:37,000 --> 01:01:39,000 Ways you know how, your own personal experience 1328 01:01:39,000 --> 01:01:41,000 And say, have you had an experience like that? 1329 01:01:41,000 --> 01:01:43,000 Have you personally come to Christ? 1330 01:01:43,000 --> 01:01:45,000 Have you been born again? No I've not 1331 01:01:45,000 --> 01:01:47,000 But it is interesting to me 1332 01:01:47,000 --> 01:01:49,000 I'll tell you basically what the bible says about that 1333 01:01:49,000 --> 01:01:51,000 We all have sin 1334 01:01:51,000 --> 01:01:53,000 All short of the glory of God 1335 01:01:53,000 --> 01:01:55,000 The wages of that sin is death 1336 01:01:55,000 --> 01:01:57,000 But the gift of eternal life is available 1337 01:01:57,000 --> 01:01:59,000 Through Jesus Christ, God's son 1338 01:01:59,000 --> 01:02:01,000 All you have to do is accept that gift 1339 01:02:01,000 --> 01:02:03,000 And begin to live for Him as Lord and Savior 1340 01:02:03,000 --> 01:02:05,000 Call out upon Him, call, He says whoever calls upon Him 1341 01:02:05,000 --> 01:02:07,000 Will not be 1342 01:02:07,000 --> 01:02:09,000 Dismayed 1343 01:02:09,000 --> 01:02:11,000 He's not going to turn away from you 1344 01:02:11,000 --> 01:02:13,000 Will you do that? Yes I will 1345 01:02:13,000 --> 01:02:15,000 You just saved a soul 1346 01:02:15,000 --> 01:02:17,000 The tenth time or the thirtieth time? I don't know 1347 01:02:17,000 --> 01:02:19,000 But this much I know 1348 01:02:19,000 --> 01:02:21,000 Therein lies the power 1349 01:02:21,000 --> 01:02:23,000 Now if you do it only to receive the power 1350 01:02:23,000 --> 01:02:25,000 Then you're greedy 1351 01:02:25,000 --> 01:02:27,000 You're arrogant, because that's not why we do it 1352 01:02:27,000 --> 01:02:29,000 We are left out on display 1353 01:02:29,000 --> 01:02:31,000 Filled with His power 1354 01:02:31,000 --> 01:02:33,000 To be His witnesses 1355 01:02:35,000 --> 01:02:37,000 And only a man or a woman 1356 01:02:37,000 --> 01:02:39,000 Would ever think 1357 01:02:39,000 --> 01:02:41,000 In all of creation, only a man or a woman 1358 01:02:41,000 --> 01:02:43,000 Would ever think to fail 1359 01:02:43,000 --> 01:02:45,000 To be what they are 1360 01:02:45,000 --> 01:02:47,000 A dog is a dog and it will act like a dog 1361 01:02:47,000 --> 01:02:49,000 The sun is a sun, it will act like a sun 1362 01:02:49,000 --> 01:02:51,000 The stars are stars, they will act like stars 1363 01:02:51,000 --> 01:02:53,000 But only men and women 1364 01:02:53,000 --> 01:02:55,000 Only people, even children 1365 01:02:55,000 --> 01:02:57,000 You ever noticed what children act like? 1366 01:02:57,000 --> 01:02:59,000 They all act like 1367 01:02:59,000 --> 01:03:01,000 Children 1368 01:03:01,000 --> 01:03:03,000 Once they start getting old enough 1369 01:03:03,000 --> 01:03:05,000 And they have the ability to deny themselves 1370 01:03:05,000 --> 01:03:07,000 They deny doing what they're supposed to be doing 1371 01:03:07,000 --> 01:03:09,000 And they know it 1372 01:03:09,000 --> 01:03:11,000 At some level they know it 1373 01:03:11,000 --> 01:03:13,000 At some level they know it 1374 01:03:13,000 --> 01:03:15,000 I don't want to be left out 1375 01:03:15,000 --> 01:03:17,000 But the truth is 1376 01:03:17,000 --> 01:03:19,000 I've been left out on display 1377 01:03:19,000 --> 01:03:21,000 For all to see and point to Jesus 1378 01:03:21,000 --> 01:03:23,000 And I would ask you to join me in doing that 1379 01:03:23,000 --> 01:03:25,000 And yes, your heart may race 1380 01:03:25,000 --> 01:03:27,000 And your mouth may fill with cotton 1381 01:03:27,000 --> 01:03:29,000 And your palms may sweat 1382 01:03:29,000 --> 01:03:31,000 Because it's really important 1383 01:03:31,000 --> 01:03:33,000 It's souls 1384 01:03:33,000 --> 01:03:35,000 But if you manage to save one 1385 01:03:35,000 --> 01:03:37,000 And they manage to save one 1386 01:03:37,000 --> 01:03:39,000 The chain continues 1387 01:03:39,000 --> 01:03:41,000 But if you manage to save two 1388 01:03:41,000 --> 01:03:43,000 And each one of them manages to save two 1389 01:03:43,000 --> 01:03:45,000 And each one of them manages to save two 1390 01:03:45,000 --> 01:03:47,000 In a whole lifetime 1391 01:03:47,000 --> 01:03:49,000 If you could just save two 1392 01:03:49,000 --> 01:03:51,000 And somebody else 1393 01:03:51,000 --> 01:03:53,000 Those two save two 1394 01:03:53,000 --> 01:03:55,000 And those two save two 1395 01:03:55,000 --> 01:03:57,000 And the gospel spreads to the end of the earth 1396 01:03:57,000 --> 01:03:59,000 But devout Christians who love the Lord 1397 01:03:59,000 --> 01:04:01,000 Are not witnessing 1398 01:04:01,000 --> 01:04:03,000 And we need to repent 1399 01:04:03,000 --> 01:04:05,000 And turn to God 1400 01:04:05,000 --> 01:04:07,000 Because we're living without power 1401 01:04:07,000 --> 01:04:09,000 And it's ridiculous 1402 01:04:09,000 --> 01:04:11,000 There's no reason to do that 1403 01:04:11,000 --> 01:04:13,000 I ask the praise team to come forward now 1404 01:04:13,000 --> 01:04:15,000 And they're going to lead us in our closing hymn 1405 01:04:15,000 --> 01:04:17,000 And we're not praying for power 1406 01:04:17,000 --> 01:04:19,000 We're just praying 1407 01:04:19,000 --> 01:04:21,000 Lord make us what we're supposed to be 1408 01:04:21,000 --> 01:04:23,000 Lord you redeemed us 1409 01:04:23,000 --> 01:04:25,000 You brought us back 1410 01:04:25,000 --> 01:04:27,000 Now let us live like not back people 1411 01:04:27,000 --> 01:04:29,000 Lord you live in us 1412 01:04:29,000 --> 01:04:31,000 Now let us live like vessels of the Lord 1413 01:04:31,000 --> 01:04:33,000 Lord you empower us 1414 01:04:33,000 --> 01:04:35,000 To do witness 1415 01:04:35,000 --> 01:04:37,000 Old self gone 1416 01:04:37,000 --> 01:04:39,000 New self come 1417 01:04:39,000 --> 01:04:41,000 Verbally and physically living out 1418 01:04:41,000 --> 01:04:43,000 The gospel 1419 01:04:43,000 --> 01:04:45,000 Let's do that 1420 01:04:45,000 --> 01:04:47,000 Because that's what we were recreated for 1421 01:04:47,000 --> 01:04:49,000 What man was created for originally 1422 01:04:49,000 --> 01:04:51,000 And then what we were reborn to do 1423 01:04:51,000 --> 01:04:53,000 Take a witness, take a lesson from the son 1424 01:04:53,000 --> 01:04:55,000 The son does what the son does 1425 01:04:55,000 --> 01:04:57,000 Will you stand with me 1426 01:04:57,000 --> 01:04:59,000 Sing this song 1427 01:04:59,000 --> 01:05:01,000 And if the Lord is speaking your heart 1428 01:05:01,000 --> 01:05:03,000 Sometimes it's singing you to make public 1429 01:05:03,000 --> 01:05:05,000 What God wants me to do 1430 01:05:05,000 --> 01:05:07,000 X and I want to do it 1431 01:05:07,000 --> 01:05:09,000 If it's about witnessing 1432 01:05:09,000 --> 01:05:11,000 You just need to repent and you can get it right where you are 1433 01:05:11,000 --> 01:05:13,000 You say I haven't done it 1434 01:05:13,000 --> 01:05:15,000 I haven't shared the truth of what God has done in my life 1435 01:05:15,000 --> 01:05:17,000 With anybody ever or recently 1436 01:05:17,000 --> 01:05:19,000 And you just repent and turn to the Lord 1437 01:05:19,000 --> 01:05:21,000 And say I'll do it 1438 01:05:21,000 --> 01:05:23,000 As we sing this song 1439 01:05:23,000 --> 01:05:29,000 Just as I am 1440 01:05:29,000 --> 01:05:33,000 And let thou want me 1441 01:05:33,000 --> 01:05:37,000 But that thy Lord 1442 01:05:37,000 --> 01:05:41,000 Was shed for me 1443 01:05:41,000 --> 01:05:47,000 And let thou make me 1444 01:05:47,000 --> 01:05:51,000 Come to be a lamb 1445 01:05:51,000 --> 01:05:57,000 Of God I come 1446 01:05:57,000 --> 01:06:07,000 Just as I am 1447 01:06:07,000 --> 01:06:11,000 And waiting not 1448 01:06:11,000 --> 01:06:15,000 To rid my soul 1449 01:06:15,000 --> 01:06:19,000 Of wonder come 1450 01:06:19,000 --> 01:06:23,000 To thee whose back 1451 01:06:23,000 --> 01:06:29,000 And hands each spot around 1452 01:06:29,000 --> 01:06:39,000 Of God I come 1453 01:06:39,000 --> 01:06:42,000 We're going to stop singing at this time. I just want to share one last thing with you. 1454 01:06:42,000 --> 01:06:46,000 I have a couple of real quick announcements to kind of get your mind focusing on what's ahead. 1455 01:06:46,000 --> 01:06:49,000 And then we'll pray together and we'll be through. 1456 01:06:49,000 --> 01:06:51,000 So first thing I just want to share with you is 1457 01:06:51,000 --> 01:06:56,000 Okay so you're sick and you're praying for healing 1458 01:06:56,000 --> 01:06:59,000 And there's a thought in your head that like you know 1459 01:06:59,000 --> 01:07:02,000 God allowed 1460 01:07:02,000 --> 01:07:05,000 And I know that's a tough word when you think about how good God is 1461 01:07:05,000 --> 01:07:07,000 And he allowed you to be sick 1462 01:07:07,000 --> 01:07:10,000 And we think about how the word says that nothing can separate us from the love of the Lord 1463 01:07:10,000 --> 01:07:13,000 And how he can turn that out for our good 1464 01:07:13,000 --> 01:07:15,000 If we love him or call him according to our purpose and turn it out for our good 1465 01:07:15,000 --> 01:07:17,000 So you're kind of like well I don't know 1466 01:07:17,000 --> 01:07:20,000 I mean obviously God doesn't want the sickness to be the end of me 1467 01:07:20,000 --> 01:07:23,000 If I'm going to have a public ministry still on earth 1468 01:07:23,000 --> 01:07:25,000 He doesn't want this to be the end of me 1469 01:07:25,000 --> 01:07:29,000 But I'm not half a cent sure that he wants to do a miracle to heal me 1470 01:07:29,000 --> 01:07:31,000 Because he allowed it 1471 01:07:31,000 --> 01:07:33,000 So there's some wonder there 1472 01:07:33,000 --> 01:07:35,000 Is this the right thing? 1473 01:07:35,000 --> 01:07:39,000 Or what if it's my relationship or a significant other or my place to live or my finance 1474 01:07:39,000 --> 01:07:42,000 We pray and we think well we know we want to pray according to the will of the Lord 1475 01:07:42,000 --> 01:07:44,000 We want to pray what God wants 1476 01:07:44,000 --> 01:07:46,000 And we say Lord your will not our will be done 1477 01:07:46,000 --> 01:07:48,000 And so that just like Jesus 1478 01:07:48,000 --> 01:07:50,000 Jesus prayed not to have to go to the cross 1479 01:07:50,000 --> 01:07:52,000 But he knew he had to go to the cross so he went to the cross 1480 01:07:52,000 --> 01:07:54,000 So if God could put Jesus through the cross 1481 01:07:54,000 --> 01:07:56,000 Maybe God could put me through this right 1482 01:07:56,000 --> 01:07:58,000 And so sometimes you wonder when you pray for God to intervene 1483 01:07:58,000 --> 01:08:02,000 Whether or not it is the will of the Lord to miraculously intervene and solve the problem 1484 01:08:02,000 --> 01:08:04,000 That's a question that can arise 1485 01:08:04,000 --> 01:08:08,000 When it comes to witnessing 1486 01:08:08,000 --> 01:08:10,000 That question is done away with 1487 01:08:10,000 --> 01:08:14,000 Because the Holy Spirit is sent in power 1488 01:08:14,000 --> 01:08:16,000 So that you can be his witness 1489 01:08:16,000 --> 01:08:18,000 Even unto the ends of the earth 1490 01:08:18,000 --> 01:08:20,000 So if you're ever doubtful about whether you can share 1491 01:08:20,000 --> 01:08:22,000 Ever doubtful about whether somebody can listen or not 1492 01:08:22,000 --> 01:08:27,000 Or ever doubtful about whether your efforts are being fruitful 1493 01:08:27,000 --> 01:08:29,000 I've shared with ten people and everybody 1494 01:08:29,000 --> 01:08:32,000 Three of them got mad at me and three of them just said they didn't want to hear it 1495 01:08:32,000 --> 01:08:34,000 And the other three listened but still they could sing 1496 01:08:34,000 --> 01:08:37,000 And this is the tenth person I'm trying to share 1497 01:08:37,000 --> 01:08:39,000 And you're wondering 1498 01:08:39,000 --> 01:08:41,000 You can pray and just say Lord 1499 01:08:41,000 --> 01:08:45,000 Let my witness be fruitful 1500 01:08:45,000 --> 01:08:50,000 Your power to do what it is that I'm supposed to be doing 1501 01:08:50,000 --> 01:08:52,000 That's what I'm asking for 1502 01:08:52,000 --> 01:08:54,000 And guess what? 1503 01:08:54,000 --> 01:08:56,000 The Bible promises it 1504 01:08:56,000 --> 01:08:58,000 It's there, the Holy Spirit power is there to make it 1505 01:08:58,000 --> 01:09:00,000 Now you may not get to see it 1506 01:09:00,000 --> 01:09:02,000 Why? Because the times, the ethics, the technologies are reserved for God 1507 01:09:02,000 --> 01:09:04,000 So you can lead somebody to Christ and you're rejoicing 1508 01:09:04,000 --> 01:09:06,000 Yay I let somebody to Jesus 1509 01:09:06,000 --> 01:09:08,000 I'm so excited today 1510 01:09:08,000 --> 01:09:10,000 And they're not even saved 1511 01:09:10,000 --> 01:09:12,000 Because they're professing but they're not really 1512 01:09:12,000 --> 01:09:14,000 They're just doing it for another reason 1513 01:09:14,000 --> 01:09:16,000 Right? But it's okay 1514 01:09:16,000 --> 01:09:18,000 So celebrate the sharing 1515 01:09:18,000 --> 01:09:22,000 Not depending on celebration 1516 01:09:22,000 --> 01:09:25,000 Your celebration on the outcome 1517 01:09:25,000 --> 01:09:27,000 That's what I'm saying 1518 01:09:27,000 --> 01:09:30,000 And watch the power of God be unveiled in our lives 1519 01:09:30,000 --> 01:09:32,000 To do what it was we were created to do 1520 01:09:32,000 --> 01:09:34,000 Celebrate the sharing 1521 01:09:34,000 --> 01:09:36,000 I think we should celebrate more of it 1522 01:09:36,000 --> 01:09:38,000 Our Facebook live feed affects so many people 1523 01:09:38,000 --> 01:09:41,000 That our podcast is reaching all over the world and like that 1524 01:09:41,000 --> 01:09:44,000 It's not thousands of people in countries all over the world 1525 01:09:44,000 --> 01:09:46,000 But there are dozens of people in countries all over the world 1526 01:09:46,000 --> 01:09:48,000 That listen to our podcast and the LifeStation podcast 1527 01:09:48,000 --> 01:09:51,000 And a little less than 1500 right now 1528 01:09:51,000 --> 01:09:53,000 Because the list is not full 1529 01:09:53,000 --> 01:09:55,000 People receiving our encouragement calls 1530 01:09:55,000 --> 01:09:57,000 We have people reaching out to LifeStation today 1531 01:09:57,000 --> 01:09:59,000 This week saying it was so awesome 1532 01:09:59,000 --> 01:10:01,000 We get those encouragement calls 1533 01:10:01,000 --> 01:10:03,000 And they're praising God for that because it's having an effect on their lives 1534 01:10:03,000 --> 01:10:05,000 We should be celebrating it, it's the sharing 1535 01:10:05,000 --> 01:10:07,000 Not necessarily the receiving 1536 01:10:07,000 --> 01:10:09,000 Yes, should we receive? Yeah we're rejoicing with angels in heaven 1537 01:10:09,000 --> 01:10:11,000 When somebody is professing to be saved 1538 01:10:11,000 --> 01:10:13,000 But you can receive power 1539 01:10:13,000 --> 01:10:15,000 Because the word says you can receive power 1540 01:10:15,000 --> 01:10:17,000 Because Jesus himself spoke these words 1541 01:10:17,000 --> 01:10:19,000 My power will come upon you 1542 01:10:19,000 --> 01:10:21,000 And you shall be my witnesses 1543 01:10:21,000 --> 01:10:23,000 He spoke those words 1544 01:10:23,000 --> 01:10:25,000 And we have this quote and it's a promise 1545 01:10:25,000 --> 01:10:27,000 And you can guarantee Jesus never said a thing that wasn't true 1546 01:10:27,000 --> 01:10:29,000 And so as we go out 1547 01:10:29,000 --> 01:10:31,000 You may debate sometimes when you're praying 1548 01:10:31,000 --> 01:10:33,000 I'm praying for my cousin to be healed 1549 01:10:33,000 --> 01:10:35,000 I don't know for sure if God's going to do that 1550 01:10:35,000 --> 01:10:37,000 I'm praying for Tony, Danny's uncle to be healed 1551 01:10:37,000 --> 01:10:39,000 I don't know for sure if God's going to do that 1552 01:10:39,000 --> 01:10:41,000 Because we don't know what's best 1553 01:10:41,000 --> 01:10:43,000 And we pray, Lord we really want what's best 1554 01:10:43,000 --> 01:10:45,000 But here we know what's best 1555 01:10:45,000 --> 01:10:47,000 Witness for God 1556 01:10:47,000 --> 01:10:49,000 That's always best 1557 01:10:49,000 --> 01:10:51,000 And God always wants it 1558 01:10:51,000 --> 01:10:53,000 Without exception 1559 01:10:53,000 --> 01:10:55,000 You say, but I can share the gospel with somebody 1560 01:10:55,000 --> 01:10:57,000 And they might kill me 1561 01:10:57,000 --> 01:10:59,000 Yeah, as I look at the history books that has happened 1562 01:10:59,000 --> 01:11:01,000 It's not an unheard of thing 1563 01:11:01,000 --> 01:11:03,000 But when somebody dies, the martyrs come into the kingdom of God first 1564 01:11:03,000 --> 01:11:05,000 You want to be sure to be in the kingdom of God? 1565 01:11:05,000 --> 01:11:07,000 Go as a martyr, go as a witness 1566 01:11:07,000 --> 01:11:09,000 And go into the kingdom of God 1567 01:11:09,000 --> 01:11:11,000 And let somebody, God forbid, kill you 1568 01:11:11,000 --> 01:11:13,000 While you're sharing the gospel 1569 01:11:13,000 --> 01:11:15,000 Instantly into the presence of Jesus 1570 01:11:15,000 --> 01:11:17,000 That's not so bad 1571 01:11:17,000 --> 01:11:19,000 Otherwise we're all going to get taken out by cancer 1572 01:11:19,000 --> 01:11:21,000 Or car accidents, or old age, or whatever 1573 01:11:21,000 --> 01:11:23,000 Some day anyway 1574 01:11:23,000 --> 01:11:25,000 So better we do what we were created for 1575 01:11:25,000 --> 01:11:27,000 And recreated for 1576 01:11:27,000 --> 01:11:29,000 And receive that power of God that He has left us out to receive 1577 01:11:29,000 --> 01:11:31,000 Than that we 1578 01:11:31,000 --> 01:11:33,000 Keep praying for all our problems 1579 01:11:33,000 --> 01:11:35,000 In our life to be fixed 1580 01:11:35,000 --> 01:11:37,000 While we're not doing what we were made for 1581 01:11:37,000 --> 01:11:39,000 Right? Thanks for listening 1582 01:11:39,000 --> 01:11:41,000 Alright, we're going to close in prayer at this time 1583 01:11:41,000 --> 01:11:43,000 Do want to let you know 1584 01:11:43,000 --> 01:11:45,000 Coming up, right around the corner, it's pretty fast 1585 01:11:45,000 --> 01:11:47,000 Faster than you might think 1586 01:11:47,000 --> 01:11:49,000 Because time and the clock just kick, kick, kick, kick, kick these days 1587 01:11:49,000 --> 01:11:51,000 But our anniversary 1588 01:11:51,000 --> 01:11:53,000 Is in the month of May 1589 01:11:53,000 --> 01:11:55,000 And so we will have our anniversary celebrations right around the corner 1590 01:11:55,000 --> 01:11:57,000 Right? 1591 01:11:57,000 --> 01:11:59,000 And we're still going to be mopping up this week 1592 01:11:59,000 --> 01:12:01,000 Some things from the Grand Prix and stuff like that 1593 01:12:01,000 --> 01:12:03,000 That we need to do, but we got to get ready 1594 01:12:03,000 --> 01:12:05,000 For our anniversary celebration 1595 01:12:05,000 --> 01:12:07,000 It's coming right around the corner, and we're talking about that during a team meeting today 1596 01:12:07,000 --> 01:12:09,000 And making final plans for our celebration 1597 01:12:09,000 --> 01:12:11,000 But you can plan 1598 01:12:11,000 --> 01:12:13,000 For a celebration around the 1599 01:12:13,000 --> 01:12:15,000 Third week of May, celebrate the anniversary of the church 1600 01:12:15,000 --> 01:12:17,000 That's coming fast 1601 01:12:17,000 --> 01:12:19,000 VVS over the summer 1602 01:12:19,000 --> 01:12:21,000 We always do VVS of some kind of 1603 01:12:21,000 --> 01:12:23,000 We structure it a couple different ways 1604 01:12:23,000 --> 01:12:25,000 A couple times where that's coming, right? 1605 01:12:25,000 --> 01:12:27,000 Talk about softball, alright? 1606 01:12:27,000 --> 01:12:29,000 So we have played softball for four years as a church 1607 01:12:29,000 --> 01:12:31,000 Since COVID hit 1608 01:12:31,000 --> 01:12:33,000 But we have a green light 1609 01:12:33,000 --> 01:12:35,000 And we are able to do it 1610 01:12:35,000 --> 01:12:37,000 We just need teams to play 1611 01:12:37,000 --> 01:12:39,000 And so we have three other churches that have said that they want to play 1612 01:12:39,000 --> 01:12:41,000 And if they manage to pull together 1613 01:12:41,000 --> 01:12:43,000 The team, and we pull together a team 1614 01:12:43,000 --> 01:12:45,000 And we'll have softball on Monday nights 1615 01:12:45,000 --> 01:12:47,000 Starting in June 1616 01:12:47,000 --> 01:12:49,000 And some practices between now and then 1617 01:12:49,000 --> 01:12:51,000 And practice during the season some 1618 01:12:51,000 --> 01:12:53,000 And so it's going to make for a busy summer 1619 01:12:53,000 --> 01:12:55,000 And listen 1620 01:12:55,000 --> 01:12:57,000 Busy is not the point 1621 01:12:57,000 --> 01:12:59,000 If we put stuff on our schedule and it is not God honoring 1622 01:12:59,000 --> 01:13:01,000 We have to say that's not for us 1623 01:13:01,000 --> 01:13:03,000 Alright? 1624 01:13:03,000 --> 01:13:05,000 So we all have to be on board with that 1625 01:13:05,000 --> 01:13:07,000 And all of us checking and all of us working together 1626 01:13:07,000 --> 01:13:09,000 And figuring out what is the right thing for our time 1627 01:13:09,000 --> 01:13:11,000 Okay? Let's pray together 1628 01:13:11,000 --> 01:13:13,000 And there is a gap 1629 01:13:13,000 --> 01:13:15,000 Between now and the team we are going against 1630 01:13:15,000 --> 01:13:17,000 And I have to do 1631 01:13:17,000 --> 01:13:19,000 A little bit of transportation and organization 1632 01:13:19,000 --> 01:13:21,000 And get the pantry ready to go, that kind of thing 1633 01:13:21,000 --> 01:13:23,000 And then we'll have some room for those who want to be 1634 01:13:23,000 --> 01:13:25,000 I don't know, team leaders definitely 1635 01:13:25,000 --> 01:13:27,000 Anybody else wants to say to see what's going on 1636 01:13:27,000 --> 01:13:29,000 We're all going to get in touch with you 1637 01:13:29,000 --> 01:13:31,000 Bob and Heaven, we do recognize 1638 01:13:31,000 --> 01:13:33,000 First of all 1639 01:13:33,000 --> 01:13:35,000 That you chose by your sovereign will 1640 01:13:35,000 --> 01:13:37,000 To set some people out 1641 01:13:37,000 --> 01:13:39,000 Set us apart 1642 01:13:39,000 --> 01:13:41,000 Make us different 1643 01:13:41,000 --> 01:13:43,000 Call us 1644 01:13:43,000 --> 01:13:45,000 To the Kingdom of God 1645 01:13:45,000 --> 01:13:47,000 And the word church 1646 01:13:47,000 --> 01:13:49,000 In the Bible at almost every single time 1647 01:13:49,000 --> 01:13:51,000 Is Ecclesia, and that's the called out 1648 01:13:51,000 --> 01:13:53,000 Assembly of believers 1649 01:13:53,000 --> 01:13:55,000 Which implies we are set out 1650 01:13:55,000 --> 01:13:57,000 We are out here 1651 01:13:57,000 --> 01:13:59,000 Kind of on the right edge 1652 01:13:59,000 --> 01:14:01,000 When our life is peaceful and calm 1653 01:14:01,000 --> 01:14:03,000 And everything is going fine 1654 01:14:03,000 --> 01:14:05,000 Our schedule all managed, our health is all good 1655 01:14:05,000 --> 01:14:07,000 Our finances are all good 1656 01:14:07,000 --> 01:14:09,000 And nobody is getting saved 1657 01:14:09,000 --> 01:14:11,000 Then we are exercising our abilities 1658 01:14:11,000 --> 01:14:13,000 As a human for the wrong purpose 1659 01:14:13,000 --> 01:14:15,000 We recognize that we were left out 1660 01:14:15,000 --> 01:14:17,000 To be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit 1661 01:14:17,000 --> 01:14:19,000 And His desire 1662 01:14:19,000 --> 01:14:21,000 Above all things is to see 1663 01:14:21,000 --> 01:14:23,000 Men saved 1664 01:14:23,000 --> 01:14:25,000 To see men hearing the Gospel 1665 01:14:25,000 --> 01:14:27,000 Which ultimately results in the power 1666 01:14:27,000 --> 01:14:29,000 Of salvation is in the Gospel 1667 01:14:29,000 --> 01:14:31,000 Ultimately results in men getting saved 1668 01:14:31,000 --> 01:14:33,000 Who are willing 1669 01:14:33,000 --> 01:14:35,000 That there should be a man living in Toledo 1670 01:14:35,000 --> 01:14:37,000 62 years old and never heard the Gospel 1671 01:14:37,000 --> 01:14:39,000 Never heard about God 1672 01:14:39,000 --> 01:14:41,000 Never darkened the doors of the church 1673 01:14:41,000 --> 01:14:43,000 That is a travesty of justice 1674 01:14:43,000 --> 01:14:45,000 I imagine it offends you mightily 1675 01:14:45,000 --> 01:14:47,000 We are not responsible for every single person 1676 01:14:47,000 --> 01:14:49,000 But each of us is responsible for some 1677 01:14:51,000 --> 01:14:53,000 And if everybody in the church everywhere 1678 01:14:53,000 --> 01:14:55,000 Would take everybody that they are responsible 1679 01:14:55,000 --> 01:14:57,000 For and share the Gospel 1680 01:14:57,000 --> 01:14:59,000 We have reached the ends of the earth 1681 01:14:59,000 --> 01:15:01,000 This week 1682 01:15:01,000 --> 01:15:03,000 And so Lord we just ask you 1683 01:15:03,000 --> 01:15:05,000 To forgive us where we failed you 1684 01:15:05,000 --> 01:15:07,000 We know that that forgiveness is available 1685 01:15:07,000 --> 01:15:09,000 Through Jesus 1686 01:15:09,000 --> 01:15:11,000 He paid the price 1687 01:15:11,000 --> 01:15:13,000 And we are so grateful 1688 01:15:13,000 --> 01:15:15,000 Thank you for forgiving us 1689 01:15:15,000 --> 01:15:17,000 For setting us up in a position 1690 01:15:17,000 --> 01:15:19,000 Where people may look in our general direction 1691 01:15:19,000 --> 01:15:45,000 And we could be that light that we are supposed to be