1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,000 that the natural man cannot please God. 2 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:13,000 You cannot make any choices in and of your natural self that in any way please God. 3 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:22,000 So God has to change that nature so that you can will and do according to his will. 4 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:26,000 That you now have a free will for the first time as believers. 5 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:29,000 You really do now have a free will for the first time. 6 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:32,000 So we've looked at that but this inevitably comes up. 7 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:35,000 Well what about all of the invitations in Scripture? 8 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:39,000 And I don't want you to over correct. 9 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:45,000 You know there's a lot of notes here on the sovereignty of God just in general but particularly salvation. 10 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:49,000 And so that's what this last section on your notes in page 8 is. 11 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:54,000 Diana you got notes this morning? Good to see you guys. 12 00:00:54,000 --> 00:01:00,000 Good to see you anyway. 13 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:03,000 He's not listening. Orpheus is ignoring me. 14 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:10,000 Seek the Lord while he may be found. Okay that's the topic of page 8. 15 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:16,000 So did you choose God or did he choose you? 16 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:21,000 In essence Scripture says we have no ability to choose God naturally. 17 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:25,000 So God must undertake to rescue some from condemnation. 18 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:33,000 He does this by electing us from eternity past and orchestrating the circumstances of history which he controls as creator and sustainer. 19 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:37,000 Remember those two ideas are separately linked. 20 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:43,000 You can't just think of God as creator who like a deist believed that God sort of just set everything up, 21 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:49,000 wound it up like a giant clock and sort of walked off to do some other things while the mechanism sort of runs itself. 22 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:54,000 That's not at all the picture that Scripture gives us of God. 23 00:01:54,000 --> 00:02:00,000 He is a sustainer as well. If he were to walk away for one millisecond from the universe what would happen? 24 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:03,000 It would cease to exist. 25 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:10,000 And that's what he's going to do when he uncreates it to make way for the new heaven and new earth. 26 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:18,000 But anyway, okay so he does this by electing us from eternity past and orchestrating certain circumstances of history 27 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:24,000 which he controls as creator and sustainer to bring his son into the world to make possible our redemption. 28 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:32,000 Supplying his word and his Holy Spirit calling us to himself at the right time, giving us life to be able to hear and respond. 29 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:37,000 And then supplying his resources, the word, the Holy Spirit, the church, etc. 30 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:42,000 to enable us to walk in this life in a way that pleases him. 31 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:50,000 Eventually resulting in our being glorified with new bodies to live with him in the ages to come. 32 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:55,000 I'm trying to rival the apostle Paul for the longest sentence there. 33 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:58,000 I think Paul holds the record. 34 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:02,000 Anyway, I'm just trying to condense it down. 35 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:07,000 And then he rewards you for the works that he prepared in advance for you to walk in. 36 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:13,000 Come on, come on God, you know, okay, alright. 37 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:16,000 No, no, no, let me give you some more. 38 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:20,000 You get in the sense of the generous heart of God? 39 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:26,000 That's what he's doing. He's showing his love and he's showing us off. 40 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:28,000 But do we have a say in this? 41 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:35,000 Many passages of Scripture also give an invitation to anyone who wants to come to God to receive this gift of eternal life 42 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:39,000 and we don't want to ignore those. They're there, for sure. 43 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:44,000 And I didn't spell them all out here, but I'm giving you some quotes. 44 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:49,000 But let's look at one of my very favorites, okay, and your Bible is there. 45 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:54,000 If you want to turn to Isaiah 55, okay, this comes out of the Old Testament. 46 00:03:54,000 --> 00:04:00,000 Some people struggle with whether the God of the Old Testament is the same as the God of the New Testament 47 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:03,000 because there's such a contrast there. 48 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:08,000 When, in fact, what they're confusing is not the nature of God but his role 49 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:12,000 and his unfolding progressive revelation, okay. 50 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:16,000 He has a purpose in revealing himself the way he has. 51 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:22,000 But here is an Old Testament invitation, okay, Isaiah 55. 52 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:25,000 This whole chapter is just amazing, okay. 53 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:29,000 We're going to read verses 1-7. 54 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:33,000 In fact, somebody might want to read that. 55 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:36,000 You all are too quiet here. Did you get just started at this point? 56 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:38,000 Talk. 57 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:44,000 Anyone? 58 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:48,000 Oh, everyone who thirsts come to the waters 59 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:52,000 and you who have no money come by and eat. 60 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:57,000 Come by wine and milk without money and without cost. 61 00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:00,000 Why do you spend money for what is not bread 62 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:04,000 and your wages for what is not satisfied? 63 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:07,000 Listen carefully to me and eat what is good 64 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:10,000 and delight yourself in abundance. 65 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:12,000 Incline your ear and come to me. 66 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:18,000 Listen that you may live and I will make an everlasting covenant with you. 67 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:22,000 According to the faithful, mercy is shown today. 68 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:28,000 Behold, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. 69 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:33,000 Behold, you will call a nation you do not know. 70 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:37,000 A nation which knows you will run to you. 71 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:41,000 Because of the Lord your God, even the Holy One of Israel, 72 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:43,000 will be glorified to you. 73 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:46,000 Seek the Lord while he may be found, 74 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:49,000 call upon him while he is near. 75 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:53,000 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts 76 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:55,000 and let him return to the Lord, 77 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:58,000 and he will have compassion on him and to our God, 78 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:01,000 for he will abundantly pardon. 79 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:03,000 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, 80 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:06,000 nor are your ways my ways, the clergyman will reward you. 81 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:09,000 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, 82 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:11,000 so are my ways higher than your ways, 83 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:14,000 for my thoughts are not your thoughts. 84 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:16,000 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven 85 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:19,000 and do not return there without water and earth, 86 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:21,000 and make it bear and sprout, 87 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:26,000 and furnishing seed with the sower and bread to the eater. 88 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:32,000 So will my word be which goes forth from my mouth, 89 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:34,000 but will not return to me empty, 90 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:36,000 without accomplishing what I desire 91 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:39,000 and without succeeding in the matter for which I serve. 92 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:41,000 Okay. 93 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:45,000 Pretty awesome. 94 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:47,000 Good passage there. 95 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:50,000 Particularly verses 6 and 7, right? 96 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:53,000 And also verse 1, 97 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:57,000 come anyone who thirsts, come to the water. 98 00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:00,000 Reminds me of what Jesus says in John 7, right? 99 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:04,000 The very last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, 100 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:07,000 when they have that final... 101 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:09,000 They have a water ceremony every day, 102 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:13,000 but the final day is the big water festival, 103 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:16,000 you know, water ceremony coming up into the temple there 104 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:19,000 in the morning as the sun is rising and pouring water out 105 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:21,000 and all of that. 106 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:26,000 And he stands up there in that jam-packed temple court 107 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:30,000 and shouts out, if anyone is thirsty, let him come to me. 108 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:36,000 Very similar invitation there from our Lord. 109 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:38,000 And then verses 6 and 7, 110 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:40,000 seek the Lord why he may be found. 111 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:42,000 Call upon him while he is near. 112 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:44,000 Let the wicked forsake his way, 113 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:46,000 and righteous man his thoughts. 114 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:49,000 Let him return to the Lord that he may have compassion on him 115 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:53,000 and to our God for he will have by the thing of the heart. 116 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:57,000 One of the things that Purse says that's very sobering is that 117 00:07:57,000 --> 00:08:03,000 it's very possible there could be times when the Lord can't be found. 118 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:06,000 And there are times when he's not near. 119 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:09,000 He needs to take advantage of the times that he calls. 120 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:12,000 You really have to call again. 121 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:14,000 That's right. 122 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:17,000 He may not. 123 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:21,000 So, and there's a lot more there in, 124 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:24,000 even at the very tail end of Revelation, right? 125 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:36,000 Revelation 22.17, that's the last one in your list of references there. 126 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:39,000 Which by the way, at the end of Revelation talks about that too. 127 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:44,000 When I come to the water and living waters and drink, 128 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:46,000 anyone who is thirsty. 129 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:51,000 By the way though, what's interesting in these invitations, 130 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:55,000 we're studying in the Gospel of Mark also, 131 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:59,000 we just started that in our men's group at the Ramble. 132 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:08,000 And Jesus talks about, let's hope that's what I'm going to say here. 133 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:17,000 Oh yes, he's being criticized by the Pharisees and the scribes 134 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:19,000 for healing on the Sabbath, right? 135 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:23,000 And he says it's not the sick or the well who need a physician. 136 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:27,000 I came to call sinners and not the righteous. 137 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:29,000 And we got to talk about that a little bit. 138 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:33,000 The point Jesus is trying to make is not that these scribes and Pharisees 139 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:35,000 don't need salvation, right? 140 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:39,000 What he's putting his finger on there is that they don't recognize 141 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:42,000 their need for salvation, right? 142 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:44,000 That's the thing. 143 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:48,000 And that's the same thing here in Isaiah 55, 6, and 7. 144 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:51,000 Let the wicked forsake his way. 145 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:54,000 And the unrighteous man, his thoughts, 146 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:56,000 for he will abundantly part. 147 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:57,000 What is that? 148 00:09:57,000 --> 00:10:03,000 That says to me that you have a person here who has stopped 149 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:08,000 looking at everybody else and comparing themselves with everybody else 150 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:10,000 that the crowd of the Pharisees were doing, 151 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:14,000 and like we all have a capacity to do, and excusing their sin, 152 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:18,000 because this person did that to me or this happened and I couldn't, 153 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:21,000 you know, it made me mad or whatever, right? 154 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:27,000 And they simply, just like the publican in that parable that Jesus gave 155 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:31,000 with the Pharisee and the publican, the Pharisee prayed to himself 156 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:34,000 and I thank you, I'm not like others, and why was he doing it? 157 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:36,000 He was comparing himself to others, right? 158 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:42,000 But the tax collector says, God have mercy on me, I said. 159 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:44,000 And that's the response. 160 00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:46,000 It's the only response. 161 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:51,000 And the invitations have that tone in them again and again, 162 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:55,000 that we have offended a righteous and holy God, 163 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:59,000 we have offended his justice and we can't blame anybody else, 164 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:04,000 and you have no recourse other than to throw yourself on the mercy of God. 165 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:05,000 Period. 166 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:06,000 Right? 167 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:09,000 And, but all these invitations, that's why I like this one particularly, 168 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:11,000 it's so beautiful here in Isaiah, 169 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:14,000 people abundantly part, right? 170 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:16,000 God responds to that. 171 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:20,000 And as parents, you want that with your kids too, right? 172 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:22,000 When they do something that's wrong, 173 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:28,000 you don't want all the excuses and the rationalization and the blah, blah, blah, 174 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:29,000 and the lies, right? 175 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:32,000 You just want them to say, when they're confronted, 176 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:33,000 son, did you do this? 177 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:35,000 Sweetheart, did you do this? 178 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:37,000 Why? 179 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:39,000 You know? 180 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:41,000 Will you forgive me? 181 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:42,000 I was wrong, right? 182 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:46,000 I mean, that's what you want instead of all of the will, 183 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:47,000 but you know, 184 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:49,000 where the, no, I didn't do that, and you can, 185 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:52,000 I didn't eat the cookies, and they got cookies, you know, 186 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:54,000 whatever it is, you know, 187 00:11:54,000 --> 00:11:58,000 and sometimes as a parent, you have to really keep from laughing 188 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:01,000 when you're supposed to be serious in that moment, you know, you ever had that, 189 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:05,000 and especially with Sabrina with her big chocolate brown eyes 190 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:07,000 and her little sprouts looking up at me, 191 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:10,000 just, you know, getting a little watery, 192 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:13,000 because you know, and you can see the wheels turning, you know, 193 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:18,000 do I tell the truth or do I tell another one of my famous lies? 194 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:21,000 You just want your children to own up to it. 195 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:23,000 Yeah, I did what was wrong. 196 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:26,000 I had no excuse. 197 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:27,000 Will you forgive me? 198 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:29,000 That's really what the Lord is after, 199 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:33,000 and those invitations, time if you go reading, 200 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:36,000 in some form or fashion, allude to that. 201 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:39,000 Okay, so there's lots of examples of Scripture, 202 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:40,000 and there's some there. 203 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:42,000 These are given without qualification, 204 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:49,000 other than the point to a desire they have for what God is offering. 205 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:51,000 That's the whole point of thirsting, right, 206 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:56,000 and being hungry too, from John 6, we're talking about the bread of heaven. 207 00:12:56,000 --> 00:13:02,000 You, only the living are thirsty and hungry, right, 208 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:07,000 did bodies don't hunger and thirst, right, 209 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:13,000 but a living person who is the life of God in them will be thirsty. 210 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:15,000 These are given without qualification, 211 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:20,000 except a point to a desire that they have for what God is offering. 212 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:23,000 Scripture lays these two truths out side by side 213 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:32,000 and does not offer any explanation of how what appears to us to be impossible is in fact possible. 214 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:36,000 We must then accept that they are both reconciled in the mind of God, 215 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:38,000 which is far greater than ours, 216 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:44,000 and that he is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think. 217 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:47,000 Perhaps the best answer to what Jesus is, 218 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:52,000 what Jesus says to his disciples when they realize the impossibility of the situation, 219 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:55,000 and this is from Matthew 19, 25, 26. 220 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:57,000 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, 221 00:13:57,000 --> 00:14:00,000 saying, who then can be saved? 222 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:02,000 Right? 223 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:06,000 But Jesus looked at them and said, with man this is impossible, 224 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:11,000 but with what? God. All things are possible. 225 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:19,000 Do you think God is able to take the sin nature and the willful stubbornness of men and women 226 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:24,000 and turn that around when he wants to transform that? 227 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:26,000 We'll get a message in this one. 228 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:29,000 Oh yeah. And not just New Testament, right? 229 00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:32,000 But he's not just cross, pre-cross. 230 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:36,000 He's not only able to do it, but he does it, and thank God that he does it. 231 00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:39,000 And they recognize it like nothing does they did. 232 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:41,000 Yes. 233 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:47,000 As this unlikely band of disciples hears these words in the upper room 234 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:50,000 and on the way to Gethsemane, 235 00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:54,000 they unknowingly are illustrations of how God uses the most unlikely people 236 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:58,000 in the face of overwhelming odds, the world of flesh and the devil, 237 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:04,000 to show forth His ability to do what nobody else can do. 238 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:15,000 Our salvation is the greatest display of God's power known to men or angels. 239 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:19,000 Think about that. 240 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:22,000 As amazing as it is for God to create and sustain the universe, 241 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:27,000 think about the amount of energy just to create and sustain our Son 242 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:31,000 and its energy output, let alone the countless stars of the universe. 243 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:36,000 All of that compares in the insignificance to the risen work of salvation. 244 00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:39,000 That's truly amazing. 245 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:41,000 Alright, how we do it on time? 246 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:45,000 The Bible uses terms describing us as if we are a creation. 247 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:47,000 Yeah. 248 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:49,000 Yeah, that's right. New creation. 249 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:53,000 We've created a specific works that He's already prepared. 250 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:59,000 Romans 9 calls it, Paul calls it, Messles of Mercy. 251 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:03,000 Alright, well, let's actually have a little bit of time there. 252 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:10,000 Any thoughts before we get into our actual text here? 253 00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:12,000 What was the text again? 254 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:15,000 Send your notes. Top of your notes. 255 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:17,000 John 15, right? 256 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:20,000 We're in John 15. 257 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:23,000 We finished the Vine and the branches, 258 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:31,000 and we are in chapter 15, beginning in verse 12 through 17. 259 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:37,000 I always put the text at the top of your notes as a subtitle. 260 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:42,000 So if you ever have that question, it's right there. 261 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:45,000 Alright, so let's get into our outline. 262 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:47,000 We'll start the text here. 263 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:52,000 In fact, let's go ahead and read that. Let's have somebody read that text for us here. 264 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:58,000 Chapter 15, verses 12 through 17. 265 00:16:58,000 --> 00:17:03,000 This is my commandment that you love one another just as I love you. 266 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:07,000 For your love has no limits that one might down his life from his plans. 267 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:10,000 And you are my friends, if the future I can move you. 268 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:12,000 So no longer do I call to the slaves, 269 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:15,000 for the slave does not know why his master is doing it. 270 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:20,000 But I have called you friends for all things that I have heard from your father, 271 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:22,000 and may know to you. 272 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:25,000 You did not choose me, but I chose you for the point of being 273 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:28,000 that you love the real and their free, 274 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:30,000 and that you frequently abide, 275 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:33,000 so that whatever you ask for the father of my name, 276 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:35,000 he may give to you. 277 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:38,000 This is my command that you love one another. 278 00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:41,000 Thank you. 279 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:47,000 Alright, let me remind you a little bit just real quick of the context here. 280 00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:54,000 First of all, where are they when Jesus is saying this? 281 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:56,000 The upper room. 282 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:58,000 They are not in the upper room. 283 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:01,000 This is part of what's called the upper room discourse, 284 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:10,000 but here in this part, they're not actually in the upper room. 285 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:15,000 How do we know that? 286 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:18,000 Well, read the very end of chapter 14. 287 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:20,000 Right? 288 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:21,000 Very last statement. 289 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:24,000 Rise, let us go from here. 290 00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:30,000 Jesus was already on the way, back, probably, at that point, 291 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:36,000 with the parade of soldiers, 292 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:40,000 but at least they were soon to be coming to that room 293 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:43,000 because Judas had left there, right? 294 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:46,000 And knew that that's where Jesus and the disciples were, 295 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:50,000 and I guarantee you that's the first place that he went 296 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:52,000 with the soldiers to arrest Jesus. 297 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:53,000 Okay, that's there. 298 00:18:53,000 --> 00:18:56,000 So Jesus tells the men to get up, 299 00:18:56,000 --> 00:19:00,000 and of course, you've got a group of people here, 300 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:02,000 fairly sizable groups, 301 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:05,000 and now everybody gets up right away and gets through things, 302 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:10,000 and it takes a few minutes, and they get out the door. 303 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:13,000 But as Jesus is walking with his disciples 304 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:15,000 through the dark streets of Jerusalem, 305 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:17,000 probably with some torches, 306 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:18,000 or something to see where they're going, 307 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:20,000 crossing the Kidron, 308 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:24,000 and going up to the Garden of Gethsemane, 309 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:26,000 somewhere along that route, 310 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:28,000 that's when these words are happening. 311 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:29,000 Okay? 312 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:32,000 And so he's talking about the vine and the branches, 313 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:37,000 and a lot of commentators think that some make it sound like 314 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:41,000 he sort of just happened to have left Jerusalem, 315 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:43,000 and they're now in the Garden area, 316 00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:45,000 and they see some vines there, 317 00:19:45,000 --> 00:19:46,000 and Jesus says, 318 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:48,000 oh, hey, here's a good random illustration, right? 319 00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:50,000 Well, we saw that's not the case. 320 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:52,000 We saw that that's an Old Testament metaphor 321 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:55,000 that has a lot of rich history there. 322 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:57,000 But they are probably, at this point, 323 00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:58,000 walking through a garden, 324 00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:01,000 and so it would be apropos that you would talk about 325 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:03,000 the vine and the branches. 326 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:08,000 But he is, we don't know exactly where, 327 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:10,000 but he is either in the garden 328 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:12,000 or on the way to the garden. 329 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:15,000 But he is, what he's doing here in our text 330 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:21,000 is he's closing out this section of the Upper Room discourse 331 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:24,000 where he is encouraging them. 332 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:25,000 Okay? 333 00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:26,000 It's important you understand that, 334 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:27,000 because the next set of notes 335 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:29,000 are going to have a very different turn. 336 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:31,000 A tenor, starting verse 18. 337 00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:33,000 Look at how verse 18 starts. 338 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:35,000 If the world, what? 339 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:36,000 Hates you. 340 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:37,000 Hates you. 341 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:39,000 Actually, it should be very translated, 342 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:40,000 since the world hates you, 343 00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:42,000 or the world is going to hate you. 344 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:44,000 It's not a, well, maybe the world will hate you or won't. 345 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:46,000 Now, what he's saying is, 346 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:47,000 they're going to hate you. 347 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:49,000 They hated me, they're going to hate you. 348 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:50,000 Okay? 349 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:53,000 So it takes a darker turn 350 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:55,000 about halfway through chapter 15. 351 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:56,000 Okay? 352 00:20:56,000 --> 00:21:00,000 But what he's doing here is, he is, 353 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:03,000 in this text that we just read, 354 00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:05,000 do you hear some echoes of things 355 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:08,000 you've heard already in this Upper Room? 356 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:11,000 What have you heard already? 357 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:13,000 What he's already told them? 358 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:18,000 He's going to hand it over to Pilate. 359 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:20,000 He didn't say he's going to hand it over to Pilate. 360 00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:21,000 He's going to die. 361 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:22,000 Yes, okay. 362 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:24,000 Well, actually he doesn't say it himself. 363 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:28,000 He just makes a blanket statement. 364 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:29,000 Great love is known in this that 365 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:31,000 he's like that for friends. 366 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:32,000 Okay? 367 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:37,000 But yes, clearly he is pointing to himself there, no doubt. 368 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:44,000 But what has, have we heard again 369 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:48,000 at really the beginning of this section, 370 00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:51,000 way back in chapter 13, 371 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:55,000 it's repeated twice here actually in our text. 372 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:56,000 What's that? 373 00:21:56,000 --> 00:21:57,000 He's leaving. 374 00:21:57,000 --> 00:21:58,000 Okay, he's leaving? 375 00:21:58,000 --> 00:21:59,000 Yeah. 376 00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:01,000 What is he, what is he repeating here? 377 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:06,000 There you go. 378 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:10,000 Turn back to chapter 13 379 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:14,000 and look again, somebody read verses 34 and 35. 380 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:16,000 This is way back to the beginning. 381 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:18,000 He's washing their feet now, right? 382 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:25,000 And he's, he's dismissed Judas Iscariot 383 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:30,000 and he says verse 33 is one of those punches 384 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:31,000 that he gives them, right? 385 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:33,000 Little children, get a little while. 386 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:34,000 I'll be with you. 387 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:36,000 You will seek me, as I just, as I told the Jews. 388 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:39,000 So now I say to you where I'm going, you cannot come. 389 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:40,000 Right? 390 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:43,000 And then he gives them verses 34 and 35. 391 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:45,000 Somebody will read that? 392 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:50,000 New commandment I give to you, that you love one another, 393 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:55,000 even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 394 00:22:55,000 --> 00:23:01,000 By this, all men will know that you are my disciples, 395 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:07,000 if you have loved for one another. 396 00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:12,000 Very next verse, Peter gives indication that he didn't hear that at all, 397 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:16,000 because he's still thinking about verse 33, right? 398 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:20,000 And remember, not just Peter, but Philip and Thomas and, 399 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:23,000 was it Thaddeus, right? 400 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:27,000 They all, they all, Judas, sorry, the other Judas, 401 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:29,000 well who is Thaddeus? 402 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:33,000 They all are worried about really what he has said 403 00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:36,000 and so he's taken a lot of words, 404 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:38,000 remember particularly chapter 14, 405 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:42,000 which starts and ends with, let not your hearts be troubled, right? 406 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:46,000 So he has been giving them a lot of words of comfort here 407 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:49,000 and those words are about to come to an end. 408 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:56,000 But as he is drawing those words of comfort to an end in our text, 409 00:23:56,000 --> 00:24:03,000 don't miss this all important point that he's trying to get through to them 410 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:09,000 and to us, love one another as I have loved you, right? 411 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:12,000 That's what he's trying to, he says it twice in our text. 412 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:16,000 This is my commandment, that, let's say, new commandment here, 413 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:19,000 this is my commandment that you love one another. 414 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:22,000 And then look at verse 17, these things I command you 415 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:28,000 so that you will love one another, right? 416 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:32,000 Let's close with this thought and then we'll start this next time. 417 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:37,000 We'll get into our text in more detail. 418 00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:46,000 Why is it so important that through the fog of the circumstances, 419 00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:49,000 remember they've been all over the emotional scale, right? 420 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:51,000 They came into that upper room on a high. 421 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:54,000 You know, Jesus had just been a few days earlier welcomed 422 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:57,000 in a triumphal procession into Jerusalem 423 00:24:57,000 --> 00:25:00,000 and the people were happy and the children were dancing and everything 424 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:03,000 even in the temple as he went day by day 425 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:05,000 and was teaching the temple and healing 426 00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:08,000 and putting the Sadducees and the Pharisees and the Lawyers 427 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:14,000 and all of these different factions of Jewish seats of power. 428 00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:16,000 He's putting every one of them in their place. 429 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:19,000 This is when you put all the Gospels together, okay? 430 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:22,000 And he talks about just all this stuff 431 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:25,000 and there's so many people that are so ecstatic and excited 432 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:28,000 and his disciples are on cloud nine and they come to this upper room 433 00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:31,000 to celebrate this Passover because probably just on the other side 434 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:35,000 of this Passover he's going to take his throne of his father David 435 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:38,000 and we're going to sit and remember they are arguing about who's the greatest, 436 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:39,000 all of that. 437 00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:42,000 He hits them with all these punches and I'm going, you cannot come. 438 00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:43,000 I'm going to be betrayed. 439 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:46,000 You know, Peter's going to deny me all the blah, blah, blah. 440 00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:51,000 And they're just like, their head is swirling, you know, 441 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:54,000 and they're leaving the upper room and they're going in the darkness of the night 442 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:55,000 to this garden. 443 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:56,000 What in the world is going on? 444 00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:58,000 I don't understand. 445 00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:01,000 There's point in these, trying to get through them again and again and again. 446 00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:05,000 You guys got to love each other just like I loved you. 447 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:09,000 Why is that so important? 448 00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:12,000 Because of what's coming. 449 00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:15,000 Because they got to stick together. 450 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:17,000 Just like the church. 451 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:23,000 We've got to love one another in the church because of what's coming. 452 00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:27,000 Because that spiritual warfare that is out there. 453 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:31,000 That's why it's so important to have a love for fellowship. 454 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:37,000 Not just be part of the bigger church, but to be part of the community. 455 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:39,000 It's a century. 456 00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:46,000 It's a century for our growth and to sustain us. 457 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:51,000 And I'm still a firm believer when we get toward the last days 458 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:55,000 we're going to be very dependent on that. 459 00:26:55,000 --> 00:27:01,000 I'm already dependent on all of this for growth and things like that. 460 00:27:01,000 --> 00:27:06,000 But even for physical life, we're going to have to share it. 461 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:12,000 Love for church is extremely important. 462 00:27:12,000 --> 00:27:14,000 We've lost plenty. 463 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:16,000 Just like it was here. 464 00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:18,000 These guys are going to have to stick together. 465 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:23,000 If they didn't, the Bible would be even greater. 466 00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:29,000 They would have nobody to depend upon. 467 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:32,000 That's my fault. 468 00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:36,000 The Bible, they're needing to stick together. 469 00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:38,000 That's right. 470 00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:40,000 That was well said. 471 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:45,000 Anybody else? 472 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:49,000 The same kind of thing happened shortly after Pentecost. 473 00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:56,000 The newly established church had to stick together to survive, really. 474 00:27:56,000 --> 00:27:59,000 From a human perspective. 475 00:27:59,000 --> 00:28:04,000 There's a real sense in which when the church was born there in Jerusalem 476 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:10,000 and in the following years, that they almost had to create an underground economy 477 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:12,000 just to be able to support each other. 478 00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:16,000 You can see that behind the choosing of the deacons and those kinds of things. 479 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:20,000 Because you're exactly right, they had to. 480 00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:23,000 That was a church in its purest form. 481 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:30,000 When people were selling and giving, so were other people. 482 00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:32,000 They were carrying it to one another, one to five. 483 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:34,000 That seemed like it. 484 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:41,000 That was a purest form and for their own kind of blending. 485 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:45,000 But I can see it coming back. 486 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:51,000 I fully agree in core everything you said. 487 00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:56,000 I hope that that's something that we have a small church here 488 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:58,000 and I hope we never lose that. 489 00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:02,000 Because that's really the heart and soul of what a church is supposed to be. 490 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:06,000 It's not supposed to be a big Sunday, rah-rah session. 491 00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:11,000 When you go about your rest of your life, the rest of the week, 492 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:15,000 we live in a culture where our needs are supplied. 493 00:29:15,000 --> 00:29:17,000 We don't really have needs. 494 00:29:17,000 --> 00:29:20,000 We have a lot of what we want. 495 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:22,000 There's nothing wrong with that. 496 00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:23,000 I'm not criticizing that. 497 00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:24,000 I'm going to thank God. 498 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:26,000 We just got through the Thanksgiving. 499 00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:29,000 We thank God for the refrigerator full of all kinds of food 500 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:34,000 and the closet full of more clothes than you could possibly use all the time. 501 00:29:34,000 --> 00:29:37,000 A house over your head made with several homes. 502 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:40,000 Cars to drive, all that. 503 00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:45,000 And so unfortunately, church's experiences have kind of become more of this, 504 00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:46,000 almost like a movie theater. 505 00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:51,000 You know, you go, you may see some people that you know regularly. 506 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:55,000 But through the week, is there any support? 507 00:29:55,000 --> 00:29:57,000 You know, you're great for each other. 508 00:29:57,000 --> 00:29:59,000 But you're right. 509 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:02,000 Our need is no less great than their need. 510 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:05,000 They're about to lose the Lord, right? 511 00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:08,000 They're going to see him crucified and die. 512 00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:10,000 And they're going to need to lean on one another. 513 00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:15,000 And they're going to have to step in, as it were, 514 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:19,000 with the same kind of love that Jesus has shown to them. 515 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:21,000 They're going to have to show now to one another. 516 00:30:21,000 --> 00:30:23,000 And that is exactly right. 517 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:27,000 That is exactly what church is really all about, right there. 518 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:28,000 That's exactly right. 519 00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:29,000 Debbie? 520 00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:36,000 You're right. Monetary things don't really mean as much as encouragement. 521 00:30:36,000 --> 00:30:39,000 You know, when I was at the eye doctor that morning, I was like, 522 00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:40,000 Man, what a bummer. 523 00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:42,000 This is like, I got to tell my family. 524 00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:44,000 And that's why I told the church family. 525 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:46,000 And you guys all encouraged me. 526 00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:50,000 So I mean, that's worth so much more than monetary. 527 00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:55,000 To me, just, you know, just the encouragement to know that, you know, 528 00:30:55,000 --> 00:30:56,000 we've got this multi-text going. 529 00:30:56,000 --> 00:30:59,000 And at any time, any of us have a really hard time with something, 530 00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:02,000 we just say something, and everyone's there behind them. 531 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:04,000 And that's really amazing. 532 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:06,000 We do have a small church. 533 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:08,000 I don't know if you find that in a large church. 534 00:31:08,000 --> 00:31:09,000 I don't know. 535 00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:10,000 We've been really hard on a huge church. 536 00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:12,000 But we do have a large church. 537 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:15,000 And I really appreciate that. 538 00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:17,000 Yeah, it's harder for larger churches. 539 00:31:17,000 --> 00:31:18,000 They can't be done. 540 00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:21,000 They think what they do is they break up into smaller, 541 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:22,000 little rubles. 542 00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:23,000 They go blocks. 543 00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:27,000 Like that. But God, what's He doing when He put me in the church 544 00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:29,000 and He put us together? 545 00:31:29,000 --> 00:31:31,000 We need each other. 546 00:31:31,000 --> 00:31:32,000 We need to love each other. 547 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:34,000 Christ loves us. 548 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:40,000 And you know, really, too, Jesus is pouring out His heart to His disciples. 549 00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:44,000 His family, so to speak. 550 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:47,000 In a way, He's telling them what's coming. 551 00:31:47,000 --> 00:31:52,000 You know, it's not going to be easy on Him or them. 552 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:56,000 I mean, it's a two-way sharing. 553 00:31:56,000 --> 00:31:59,000 You know, oftentimes we overlook that. 554 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:05,000 We take away Jesus' humanity, so to speak. 555 00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:12,000 We just think of Him as God, not suffering, but He did. 556 00:32:12,000 --> 00:32:21,000 And His humanity, and I think He related to people in His humanity as well. 557 00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:23,000 That's right. 558 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:28,000 Well, let's close the prayer. 559 00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:31,000 Father, thank You for Your body. 560 00:32:31,000 --> 00:32:40,000 Lord Jesus, thank You for Your example of this kind of love that we are to show to one another. 561 00:32:40,000 --> 00:32:43,000 Father, thank You for this eternal love. 562 00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:49,000 I just finished the Thanksgiving season under my favorite lines and the solace there. 563 00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:59,000 For Thy love, for Thy self-best gift divine, to our race so free to give. 564 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:04,000 For Thy great, great love of Thine, peace on earth and joy in heaven. 565 00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:13,000 We just stand in awe of this amazing love, and then we can't grow deaf to this command, though, 566 00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:16,000 to love one another with that kind of love. 567 00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:25,000 So help us to be a body with all of our imperfections and our flaws and bumping and grabbing each one another 568 00:33:25,000 --> 00:33:28,000 as we travel this road of life together. 569 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:34,000 Help us to really sincerely, as Peter says, to see your heart, to really love one another, 570 00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:41,000 to care for each other, and when the need arises, the need for prayer, 571 00:33:41,000 --> 00:33:50,000 the need to come over and help out with something or whatever the needs are to be there for each other. 572 00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:55,000 Because this is a hard world to live in, and life can be really tough sometimes. 573 00:33:55,000 --> 00:34:03,000 And so we thank You that You not only love us, but You've given us to one another to love each other in Your name. 574 00:34:03,000 --> 00:34:07,000 And we thank You that we are members of Your family. 575 00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:10,000 We are, and we are also members of one another as a result. 576 00:34:10,000 --> 00:34:13,000 So again, thank You for this truth. 577 00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:41,000 So drive them into our hearts today in Jesus' name.