WEBVTT 00:00:00.010 --> 00:00:06.190 All right John 17 high priestly prayer of Jesus 00:00:06.190 --> 00:00:12.289 this is the final chapter in a five chapter section 00:00:12.289 --> 00:00:18.530 in John known as Peace message fill in the blank, 00:00:18.530 --> 00:00:22.570 please upper room discourse, right? Yep room 00:00:22.570 --> 00:00:28.070 discourse The first four chapters are Jesus in 00:00:28.070 --> 00:00:32.979 the role of prophet disclosing God's character, 00:00:33.640 --> 00:00:39.880 His nature, we might say, and His will. Not certainly 00:00:39.880 --> 00:00:43.100 the entirety of it, but certainly the aspects 00:00:43.100 --> 00:00:46.939 of it that are going to encourage the hearts 00:00:46.939 --> 00:00:50.899 of His disciples. Remember that they've had their 00:00:50.899 --> 00:00:53.060 emotions jerked around all over the place, right? 00:00:53.060 --> 00:00:55.740 In that upper room, they came in on a cloud nine 00:00:55.740 --> 00:00:58.320 thinking He was going to be ushered any moment 00:00:58.320 --> 00:01:02.340 into David's throne and and take his kingdom 00:01:02.340 --> 00:01:04.359 and they were going to have a when they were 00:01:04.359 --> 00:01:06.299 arguing about what their positions would be in 00:01:06.299 --> 00:01:10.359 it right and all of that and Jesus has to severely 00:01:10.359 --> 00:01:15.040 You might say give them some emotional whiplash 00:01:15.040 --> 00:01:18.760 And reveals a whole bunch of things that are 00:01:18.760 --> 00:01:21.780 very devastating to hear and but in chapter 14 00:01:21.780 --> 00:01:24.579 That's where we get that famous section that 00:01:24.579 --> 00:01:27.000 uses that a lot when he goes to visit people 00:01:27.000 --> 00:01:29.650 in the hospital who are dying you know, let not 00:01:29.650 --> 00:01:32.069 your hearts be troubled. He says that actually 00:01:32.069 --> 00:01:33.909 twice. He starts the chapter with it and ends 00:01:33.909 --> 00:01:37.510 with it. And so the truth that He's giving them 00:01:37.510 --> 00:01:42.250 about God, God the Father, Himself, Jesus Himself, 00:01:42.370 --> 00:01:44.530 and the Holy Spirit, right? Remember that all 00:01:44.530 --> 00:01:51.790 three of them are mentioned in this plan. And 00:01:51.790 --> 00:01:54.829 of course, it's not the sum and substance or 00:01:54.829 --> 00:01:57.510 the entirety of it. In fact, Jesus near the end 00:01:57.510 --> 00:02:00.769 says, I have more to say to you, but you're not 00:02:00.769 --> 00:02:02.870 able to bear it right now, right? And of course, 00:02:03.090 --> 00:02:05.810 they're running out of time because the Judas 00:02:05.810 --> 00:02:08.210 and that whole entourage is coming very soon 00:02:08.210 --> 00:02:13.810 to arrest him. But the things that he has told 00:02:13.810 --> 00:02:16.530 them in those four chapters are meant to encourage 00:02:16.530 --> 00:02:21.349 them. But there's, you might say, about halfway 00:02:21.349 --> 00:02:25.969 through chapter 15, there's some words that... 00:02:25.979 --> 00:02:28.379 You might say, well, how does it encourage them? 00:02:28.419 --> 00:02:29.800 Because he tells them the world's going to hate 00:02:29.800 --> 00:02:33.620 you, right? Well, he ends that whole section 00:02:33.620 --> 00:02:37.759 with another famous verse in John that would 00:02:37.759 --> 00:02:41.419 be 1633. I have said these things to you that 00:02:41.419 --> 00:02:45.919 in me you may have peace, right? In the world, 00:02:46.379 --> 00:02:52.439 you will have what? More peace? Tribulation. 00:02:53.219 --> 00:02:58.409 But take heart. Why? I have overcome the world. 00:03:00.050 --> 00:03:04.150 Now, remember that for them, at that point, the 00:03:04.150 --> 00:03:07.909 word world meant the Jewish system that was extent 00:03:07.909 --> 00:03:11.889 at that time. For us, in applying this, it can 00:03:11.889 --> 00:03:14.169 be the system that we're in today, the culture 00:03:14.169 --> 00:03:16.810 and time that we're in. But those words are still 00:03:16.810 --> 00:03:19.789 appropriate for us too. He has overcome. Thank 00:03:19.789 --> 00:03:22.189 you for praying for our leaders. That's important. 00:03:22.729 --> 00:03:28.270 We're commanded to do that. but we can take comfort 00:03:28.270 --> 00:03:34.270 in knowing that Jesus and the Father are in control, 00:03:34.509 --> 00:03:37.909 right? God is sovereign. We say that a lot here, 00:03:38.150 --> 00:03:40.530 because you know why? Because it's true. Well, 00:03:40.530 --> 00:03:43.849 it's not only true, but it's also the soil out 00:03:43.849 --> 00:03:46.069 of which our peace and our joy grows, right? 00:03:46.090 --> 00:03:49.430 Look at that last verse in chapter 16. I said 00:03:49.430 --> 00:03:52.289 these things to you, that in me you made what? 00:03:53.129 --> 00:03:58.050 Have peace right in the midst of so Jesus's words 00:03:58.050 --> 00:04:01.330 of consolation to them in the last chapter and 00:04:01.330 --> 00:04:04.750 a half That sound weird to us Well, how does 00:04:04.750 --> 00:04:06.949 it how does it bring comfort to them to know 00:04:06.949 --> 00:04:09.949 that that that world system or that? particularly 00:04:09.949 --> 00:04:12.409 that Jewish system is going to hate them and 00:04:12.409 --> 00:04:14.469 kick them out of the synagogues and and even 00:04:14.469 --> 00:04:17.290 when it kills them Thinks that it's doing God 00:04:17.290 --> 00:04:22.060 a service by doing that Well, he can say that 00:04:22.060 --> 00:04:25.180 by saying that they will have peace not with 00:04:25.180 --> 00:04:29.639 the system, but they will have peace in Him knowing 00:04:29.639 --> 00:04:32.980 that He is Lord over that system and that He 00:04:32.980 --> 00:04:37.279 is in control of it. And listen, Christian, the 00:04:37.279 --> 00:04:42.439 circumstances that happen to you are in His hand. 00:04:43.199 --> 00:04:50.469 It's not happenstance. It's not accident. Well, 00:04:50.469 --> 00:04:54.569 maybe I slipped through the cracks. No. You can 00:04:54.569 --> 00:04:56.949 take that to heart. He has overcome the world 00:04:56.949 --> 00:04:59.269 and that's the ground of your peace. That's the 00:04:59.269 --> 00:05:01.790 ground of your joy. Right? That's because of 00:05:01.790 --> 00:05:04.449 the resurrection. Yeah. They didn't understand 00:05:04.449 --> 00:05:07.350 that I believe at this time. They didn't understand 00:05:07.350 --> 00:05:09.490 that peace because of all the things that were 00:05:09.490 --> 00:05:12.329 going to happen. This was before he actually 00:05:12.329 --> 00:05:15.449 went to the cross. That's right. But after that, 00:05:15.829 --> 00:05:19.269 the resurrection... and they look back and they 00:05:19.269 --> 00:05:22.230 can see the peace that they would have. That's 00:05:22.230 --> 00:05:23.449 right. And I think a lot of that is the Holy 00:05:23.449 --> 00:05:26.209 Spirit. Well, we can apply that today, too. That's 00:05:26.209 --> 00:05:28.470 right, the Holy Spirit, yeah. Resurrection and 00:05:28.470 --> 00:05:30.649 Holy Spirit, I agree. I think it's those two 00:05:30.649 --> 00:05:33.170 things. And also one other thing we're going 00:05:33.170 --> 00:05:36.790 to talk about in chapter 20, which is the resurrection 00:05:36.790 --> 00:05:43.550 chapter, that's often left out, is Jesus' post 00:05:43.550 --> 00:05:46.310 -resurrection appearances. to them as a group. 00:05:46.589 --> 00:05:49.649 They gathered together as the Church and He taught 00:05:49.649 --> 00:05:53.069 them. He opened the Scriptures. It says that 00:05:53.069 --> 00:05:55.170 about the two disciples and wrote to Emmaus, 00:05:55.189 --> 00:05:57.870 but it sort of characterizes, I think, what He 00:05:57.870 --> 00:06:01.089 was doing after the resurrection. He was taking 00:06:01.089 --> 00:06:03.870 them through the Scriptures and showing them 00:06:03.870 --> 00:06:06.589 how the Scriptures spoke of Him and how He needed 00:06:06.589 --> 00:06:10.050 to fulfill all of that. So yes, the resurrection, 00:06:10.550 --> 00:06:12.910 that post -resurrection teaching, and then the 00:06:12.910 --> 00:06:14.709 coming of the Holy Spirit. Did you have something? 00:06:15.959 --> 00:06:19.500 It's just encouraging to me to see how patient 00:06:19.500 --> 00:06:23.860 he was with him because I need that mercy and 00:06:23.860 --> 00:06:28.720 that grace and that steadfast patience just like 00:06:28.720 --> 00:06:31.339 they do. That's right. That's right. And he is. 00:06:31.339 --> 00:06:35.939 That's right. And he cares for us as much as 00:06:35.939 --> 00:06:37.759 he cares for them. And we'll see that when we 00:06:37.759 --> 00:06:40.060 get to verse 20 where he prays for us as well. 00:06:40.279 --> 00:06:44.360 And I like it because it shows us just how Now, 00:06:44.399 --> 00:06:46.980 I would say they just they didn't get it. We 00:06:46.980 --> 00:06:49.540 don't get it sometimes. We don't get what God's 00:06:49.540 --> 00:06:51.240 trying to tell us. That's what he's saying. But 00:06:51.240 --> 00:06:54.540 I'm saying is he kept repeating and repeating 00:06:54.540 --> 00:06:56.600 and kept telling. How many times do we have to 00:06:56.600 --> 00:06:58.360 do that? We have to get back, dive back into 00:06:58.360 --> 00:07:00.740 the scripture. That's how we get our word from 00:07:00.740 --> 00:07:05.420 him. And it's like, Rick, get this. Don't you 00:07:05.420 --> 00:07:07.680 get this? Right. You know, that's why Chapter 00:07:07.680 --> 00:07:11.970 15 is the back side. Go ahead and stop him. Bob, 00:07:11.990 --> 00:07:17.509 you can help with that illustration. But you 00:07:17.509 --> 00:07:19.050 know, that's why what he says at the beginning 00:07:19.050 --> 00:07:21.910 of chapter 15 is so important too, right? Abide 00:07:21.910 --> 00:07:24.329 in Me, right? Divide in the branches. That whole 00:07:24.329 --> 00:07:27.629 illustration is meant again to help them and 00:07:27.629 --> 00:07:32.129 us remember that it's not you come to Jesus one 00:07:32.129 --> 00:07:34.949 time when you're 12 years old, walk the sawdust 00:07:34.949 --> 00:07:37.379 trail, and then you've got your... fire insurance, 00:07:37.519 --> 00:07:38.680 and you're good for the rest of your life. Do 00:07:38.680 --> 00:07:41.000 you go to heaven? No, no, no. We need to stay 00:07:41.000 --> 00:07:44.420 there, right? Because we need constant transformation 00:07:44.420 --> 00:07:48.180 and sanctification. All of us do. Okay? We all 00:07:48.180 --> 00:07:51.459 need that. We need to be reminded again and again, 00:07:51.480 --> 00:07:53.300 like you said, Rick, and like you're saying, 00:07:53.439 --> 00:07:56.120 Dad, and God is so patient with us, and He'll 00:07:56.120 --> 00:07:58.860 teach us the same lesson again for the umpteenth 00:07:58.860 --> 00:08:02.040 time. You know, that's like, oh, yes. We're thankful 00:08:02.040 --> 00:08:05.829 for that. I remember. Yeah, yeah. John Calvin, 00:08:05.930 --> 00:08:09.250 I think it was a great theologian of faith, he 00:08:09.250 --> 00:08:12.290 said, I preach the gospel to myself every day. 00:08:12.790 --> 00:08:16.290 And he's right. You're not your own. This might 00:08:16.290 --> 00:08:19.550 be a good verse to hang a laminated piece of 00:08:19.550 --> 00:08:22.910 paper from your shower that says when you wake 00:08:22.910 --> 00:08:24.850 up in the morning, if you're like me, the first 00:08:24.850 --> 00:08:28.509 thing I do is take a shower, right? You are not 00:08:28.509 --> 00:08:32.129 your own. You're bought with a price. Every believer. 00:08:32.429 --> 00:08:34.549 Oh, that's right. Today it's not me. It's about 00:08:34.549 --> 00:08:37.529 him, right? Got to get that in our heads. I'll 00:08:37.529 --> 00:08:40.169 bring Ezekiel and talk about stiff neck. Yeah. 00:08:42.929 --> 00:08:46.210 Bob's got them. Leah, did you get one? Good to 00:08:46.210 --> 00:08:47.929 see you this morning. Good to see you last night, 00:08:48.350 --> 00:08:50.710 too. We get to talk a lot, so it's good to see 00:08:50.710 --> 00:09:00.450 you. Okay. So, John 17, then Jesus takes off. 00:09:00.809 --> 00:09:04.250 The prophet hat as it were and puts on his priestly 00:09:04.250 --> 00:09:06.870 hat right and he starts talking now to the father 00:09:06.870 --> 00:09:09.950 About first himself. That's the first that was 00:09:09.950 --> 00:09:13.289 part one the notes entitled part one right now 00:09:13.289 --> 00:09:16.269 We're in part two Jesus prays for his disciples 00:09:16.269 --> 00:09:18.970 and then part three is coming up Which is where 00:09:18.970 --> 00:09:22.590 Jesus prays for all believers, okay? And that 00:09:22.590 --> 00:09:26.090 starts with verse 20 our section if you have 00:09:26.090 --> 00:09:30.379 your Bibles you can turn there verses 6 through 00:09:30.379 --> 00:09:33.639 19. I'm not going to reiterate because we spent 00:09:33.639 --> 00:09:36.600 our entire time going back over, which we did 00:09:36.600 --> 00:09:39.500 three weeks before our little trip to Europe, 00:09:39.620 --> 00:09:44.240 which we enjoyed, by the way, quite a bit. So 00:09:44.240 --> 00:09:45.659 I won't do that again. We've kind of been through 00:09:45.659 --> 00:09:48.960 that. But basically, what I'm trying to do in 00:09:48.960 --> 00:09:53.240 the write -up here on your notes, both pages 00:09:53.240 --> 00:09:57.950 there, is to show the relationship between, in 00:09:57.950 --> 00:10:02.330 our middle section of Jesus' prayer, the relationship 00:10:02.330 --> 00:10:08.470 between the Father's keeping, it's translated 00:10:08.470 --> 00:10:11.769 keep, okay, but it really means to protect. It's 00:10:11.769 --> 00:10:13.809 not just, oh yeah, yeah, I've got something, 00:10:14.350 --> 00:10:16.269 you know, like I give you my keys, you know, 00:10:16.330 --> 00:10:19.029 here, keep this for me. Okay, yeah, whatever. 00:10:19.529 --> 00:10:22.519 There's not a casual... keeping there. It has 00:10:22.519 --> 00:10:28.980 the idea of protecting and guarding. And here's 00:10:28.980 --> 00:10:33.940 the key concept. Valuing what you are protecting. 00:10:34.600 --> 00:10:37.960 Right? Okay? And it's not just found with what 00:10:37.960 --> 00:10:41.940 Jesus says how the Father has entrusted His people, 00:10:42.240 --> 00:10:46.039 the Father's people now, to Jesus for safekeeping. 00:10:46.519 --> 00:10:49.179 But now Jesus is turning them back over to the 00:10:49.179 --> 00:10:51.019 Father for safekeeping, because he's going to 00:10:51.019 --> 00:10:53.620 go to the cross and he can't guard them anymore, 00:10:53.620 --> 00:10:55.779 right? And in fact, he's going to ascend to heaven. 00:10:55.879 --> 00:10:57.919 We're going to see in our section. And he says, 00:10:57.919 --> 00:10:59.620 I don't ask that you don't take them out of the 00:10:59.620 --> 00:11:02.259 world, but that you protect them or keep them 00:11:02.259 --> 00:11:05.460 from the evil one, right? And so he's entrusting 00:11:05.460 --> 00:11:08.539 this treasure of God's people back to the Father, 00:11:08.559 --> 00:11:11.740 as it were. But there's also a sense of keeping 00:11:11.740 --> 00:11:17.039 in that these disciples have received this truth, 00:11:17.840 --> 00:11:22.179 this revelation about God from Jesus, and they 00:11:22.179 --> 00:11:25.940 are keeping it as well. So they value God's Word 00:11:25.940 --> 00:11:28.820 and God's truth, and they show that by keeping 00:11:28.820 --> 00:11:31.659 or obeying it, right? So you can go through the 00:11:31.659 --> 00:11:33.279 notes there and you can see how that word is 00:11:33.279 --> 00:11:38.240 used in other places, like where Jesus criticizes, 00:11:38.519 --> 00:11:42.419 not criticizes, but maybe... Well, I don't mean 00:11:42.419 --> 00:11:45.679 that negative way right but he he points out 00:11:45.679 --> 00:11:49.179 to the religious leaders how they Keep or observe 00:11:49.179 --> 00:11:51.820 their traditions above the Word of God, right? 00:11:51.919 --> 00:11:55.500 So that in other words they value their traditions 00:11:55.500 --> 00:11:58.919 over Scripture, right? And he uses the word there 00:11:58.919 --> 00:12:01.580 that mean the same thing. The other thing is 00:12:01.580 --> 00:12:06.620 is The giving right and and that expresses God's 00:12:06.620 --> 00:12:11.480 love. Okay And so both of those two words are 00:12:11.480 --> 00:12:16.139 there. God's love, love gives, right? Love gives, 00:12:16.279 --> 00:12:19.539 love is invisible. It's seen in its effect of 00:12:19.539 --> 00:12:22.639 giving, giving time, giving service, giving, 00:12:23.100 --> 00:12:25.840 you know, listening to somebody, really listening, 00:12:26.460 --> 00:12:29.399 okay, is an act of love, right? You're giving 00:12:29.399 --> 00:12:31.600 your time to that person and your attention to 00:12:31.600 --> 00:12:34.360 them. That's important. And by the way, that's 00:12:34.360 --> 00:12:38.009 a different thing than hearing, right? I used 00:12:38.009 --> 00:12:39.490 to tell all girls when they were growing up, 00:12:39.730 --> 00:12:43.070 with these you hear, with this you listen. Listening 00:12:43.070 --> 00:12:47.190 is active engagement of your mind, not just hearing, 00:12:47.490 --> 00:12:49.309 not just waiting for the person to be quiet so 00:12:49.309 --> 00:12:55.049 you can say what you want to say. Love gives, 00:12:55.389 --> 00:12:59.169 we've seen that love protects, it gives, and 00:12:59.169 --> 00:13:02.789 it works not only God to us and the Father to 00:13:02.789 --> 00:13:04.690 the Son and the Son to the Father, but us to 00:13:04.690 --> 00:13:07.549 God as well. How do you show your love? by keeping 00:13:07.549 --> 00:13:11.330 His Word, by obeying it, right? You show that 00:13:11.330 --> 00:13:14.429 you value and love God by obeying Him, right? 00:13:14.429 --> 00:13:16.570 Jesus has already said that in His disciples. 00:13:16.669 --> 00:13:21.629 So, let's get into the text then. And let's look 00:13:21.629 --> 00:13:24.730 at our outline there, bottom of page 2. First 00:13:24.730 --> 00:13:29.450 point is Jesus characterizes the disciples as 00:13:29.450 --> 00:13:32.830 those who show they are God by obeying His truth. 00:13:33.429 --> 00:13:37.529 One other pattern I want us to notice as we make 00:13:37.529 --> 00:13:40.250 our way through this prayer, remember there's 00:13:40.250 --> 00:13:41.970 three sections to it, right? Jesus has prayed 00:13:41.970 --> 00:13:46.490 for Himself, disciples, and then all believers. 00:13:47.610 --> 00:13:50.649 The main emphasis in Jesus' prayer for Himself 00:13:50.649 --> 00:13:54.990 is glory. The middle section we're in is truth. 00:13:55.789 --> 00:14:00.389 The emphasis is on truth. When we get to verse 00:14:00.389 --> 00:14:04.909 20, it's going to pivot a little bit to unity. 00:14:06.509 --> 00:14:08.809 And I'm just going to seed you with a thought 00:14:08.809 --> 00:14:10.409 and we're going to talk about it when we get 00:14:10.409 --> 00:14:13.070 to part three of this prayer. And that is what 00:14:13.070 --> 00:14:16.789 is the difference between uniformity and unity? 00:14:18.320 --> 00:14:20.580 There's some deep thoughts there, some profound 00:14:20.580 --> 00:14:23.659 things that we're going to cover when we get 00:14:23.659 --> 00:14:26.159 to that third section, okay? All right, but here 00:14:26.159 --> 00:14:28.919 is truth, okay? So let's look for that as we 00:14:28.919 --> 00:14:32.059 unpack these verses. So verses 6 through 8 is 00:14:32.059 --> 00:14:35.539 point number one, okay? I have manifested your 00:14:35.539 --> 00:14:39.720 name to the people whom you gave me out of the 00:14:39.720 --> 00:14:44.539 world. Yours they were and you gave them to me 00:14:44.539 --> 00:14:47.990 and they have kept your Word. Remember all the 00:14:47.990 --> 00:14:49.669 things we just talked about. You know, you can 00:14:49.669 --> 00:14:52.490 hear the keeping, you can hear the protecting, 00:14:52.789 --> 00:14:55.710 you can hear the giving all in that one verse. 00:14:58.009 --> 00:15:03.210 First of all, notice there's so much going on 00:15:03.210 --> 00:15:09.330 here. The fact that they belong to the Father, 00:15:09.590 --> 00:15:13.129 right? In our Bible study, now we're starting 00:15:13.419 --> 00:15:16.679 in Ephesians, and we've looked at the very beginning, 00:15:16.679 --> 00:15:20.500 the opening part of Ephesians, where Paul says, 00:15:20.779 --> 00:15:24.139 starting in verse 3, blessed be the God and Father 00:15:24.139 --> 00:15:26.620 of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us 00:15:26.620 --> 00:15:28.860 in the heavenly realms with all kinds of spiritual 00:15:28.860 --> 00:15:34.259 blessings in Him. He has chosen us in Him before 00:15:34.259 --> 00:15:38.460 the foundation of the world. God the Father has 00:15:38.460 --> 00:15:42.539 chosen and elected from eternity past people. 00:15:43.629 --> 00:15:49.730 for Himself. They're His. That's important, because 00:15:49.730 --> 00:15:52.990 as we work our way through this text, we're going 00:15:52.990 --> 00:15:57.190 to encounter this word sanctify. In fact, Jesus 00:15:57.190 --> 00:16:00.789 is going to use an interesting qualifier in addressing 00:16:00.789 --> 00:16:04.809 the Father. That would be in verse 11. He says, 00:16:04.809 --> 00:16:10.049 Holy Father. These two words, sanctify and holy, 00:16:10.230 --> 00:16:13.799 have a relationship to each other. Holiness, 00:16:14.179 --> 00:16:16.639 I was talking to my wife about this, and in fact, 00:16:16.960 --> 00:16:19.279 you all may remember, this has been a while now 00:16:19.279 --> 00:16:21.720 because I've been gone for a while, but in Ephesians, 00:16:21.720 --> 00:16:24.080 in our Ephesians study, we'll revisit that here 00:16:24.080 --> 00:16:28.759 later this month when we do the Bible study, 00:16:28.759 --> 00:16:30.440 right, and I'll lead that. I'm going to remind 00:16:30.440 --> 00:16:34.379 us again how important that word saints is in 00:16:34.379 --> 00:16:37.340 Ephesians, as Paul specifically uses that word 00:16:37.340 --> 00:16:39.220 to address believers. He doesn't just say believers, 00:16:39.240 --> 00:16:42.539 he says saints, saints, saints, saints. And that 00:16:42.539 --> 00:16:45.840 word simply means holy. That's all it means, 00:16:46.039 --> 00:16:48.320 really. It's hagios, okay? And when it doesn't 00:16:48.320 --> 00:16:50.299 have a noun, it's really an adjective, and when 00:16:50.299 --> 00:16:52.860 it doesn't have a noun explicitly given like 00:16:52.860 --> 00:16:55.480 holy spirit or holy kiss or holy city or holy 00:16:55.480 --> 00:16:59.480 Sabbath or whatever, holy ground, it's often 00:16:59.480 --> 00:17:02.740 translated by the translators as saints to drive 00:17:02.740 --> 00:17:05.220 home the point that what he means, that the noun 00:17:05.220 --> 00:17:08.940 is inferred. It means holy ones or holy people. 00:17:09.990 --> 00:17:14.190 And Paul's point in calling the Ephesians, really 00:17:14.190 --> 00:17:16.269 all the believers in that area, it may actually 00:17:16.269 --> 00:17:19.890 be the church of the Laodiceans. But it would 00:17:19.890 --> 00:17:21.849 include the Colossians as well, and that's a 00:17:21.849 --> 00:17:25.410 circuit trailer. So in addressing all the saints 00:17:25.410 --> 00:17:28.109 there, all the believers there with that word 00:17:28.109 --> 00:17:31.730 saints, what he's reminding us is not that we 00:17:31.730 --> 00:17:37.230 are morally superior to our neighbors, But rather 00:17:37.230 --> 00:17:42.329 that we are God's specific chosen people For 00:17:42.329 --> 00:17:45.289 his purposes and are set apart. All right, and 00:17:45.289 --> 00:17:48.950 you're gonna see that in this text Okay, where 00:17:48.950 --> 00:17:51.970 these disciples are those whom the father has 00:17:51.970 --> 00:17:55.329 chosen. They're his people Okay, and they have 00:17:55.329 --> 00:17:59.910 given he has given them to Jesus right and what 00:17:59.910 --> 00:18:02.750 has she just done? I have manifested your name 00:18:02.750 --> 00:18:06.869 to the people whom you gave me Out of where? 00:18:08.630 --> 00:18:12.410 Out of the world. Remember in John 10, when he's 00:18:12.410 --> 00:18:14.769 talking about, I am the Good Shepherd, I am the 00:18:14.769 --> 00:18:16.329 door of the sheep, I am the Good Shepherd. When 00:18:16.329 --> 00:18:18.369 he says, I am the Good Shepherd, near the end 00:18:18.369 --> 00:18:22.549 of that, he talks about, he says, and I have 00:18:22.549 --> 00:18:25.109 other sheep who are not of this fold, and them 00:18:25.109 --> 00:18:29.029 also I must bring, right? And the illustration 00:18:29.029 --> 00:18:30.869 he's using as he's talking about himself as the 00:18:30.869 --> 00:18:33.569 Good Shepherd is that they've got these two folds, 00:18:33.750 --> 00:18:37.920 okay? this Jewish system and then the Gentile 00:18:37.920 --> 00:18:40.500 system. And what he's saying there is I have 00:18:40.500 --> 00:18:42.900 sheep who hear my voice in that Jewish system 00:18:42.900 --> 00:18:45.839 and I call them and they are coming out. They 00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:47.940 don't belong to that system. They belong to the 00:18:47.940 --> 00:18:51.339 Father and they hear my voice and they belong 00:18:51.339 --> 00:18:54.059 to me as well, right? And then I have sheep, 00:18:54.079 --> 00:18:57.579 thank God, in the Gentile. system as well, and 00:18:57.579 --> 00:19:00.519 them also I must bring out. And so here you hear 00:19:00.519 --> 00:19:02.779 this saying, even though the illustration is 00:19:02.779 --> 00:19:09.000 not a flock here, but it's the same thing. You 00:19:09.000 --> 00:19:11.460 gave them to me out of the world, right? It's 00:19:11.460 --> 00:19:18.859 the same idea. It's the same idea. So, what are 00:19:18.859 --> 00:19:23.150 we saying here? What is Jesus saying? Here in 00:19:23.150 --> 00:19:28.309 verse 17, the main verse in this whole thing, 00:19:28.569 --> 00:19:30.789 your word is truth. Sanctify them in your truth. 00:19:30.950 --> 00:19:35.390 Your word is truth. What he's getting to is that 00:19:35.390 --> 00:19:39.690 the thing that separates God's people from all 00:19:39.690 --> 00:19:42.769 the other people is how they respond to God's 00:19:42.769 --> 00:19:47.140 truth. When they hear the Word of God, it has 00:19:47.140 --> 00:19:49.880 a different impact and effect on them. It draws 00:19:49.880 --> 00:19:54.779 them to Him, as opposed to others who hate the 00:19:54.779 --> 00:20:02.619 truth. Chapter 3, right? Men love darkness rather 00:20:02.619 --> 00:20:06.059 than light or truth because their deeds are evil. 00:20:06.220 --> 00:20:09.400 They love their rationalization. They love their 00:20:09.400 --> 00:20:14.059 Darwinism. Buddhism or they love their Muhammad, 00:20:14.819 --> 00:20:19.660 whatever other system is taking the place and 00:20:19.660 --> 00:20:22.140 forming a construct of rationalization that helps 00:20:22.140 --> 00:20:25.460 to suppress and push down and explain away their 00:20:25.460 --> 00:20:27.880 conscience that's constantly telling them that 00:20:27.880 --> 00:20:29.559 you're a sinner and you've got to do something 00:20:29.559 --> 00:20:33.720 about this. You're in trouble with God. There's 00:20:33.720 --> 00:20:36.380 all these other constructs that we make that 00:20:36.380 --> 00:20:39.700 help us explain that away. But when you hear 00:20:39.700 --> 00:20:43.500 the truth of the scripture, if you're God's child, 00:20:44.200 --> 00:20:46.359 you'll hear His voice and you'll come to Him 00:20:46.359 --> 00:20:48.880 and you'll realize, God have mercy on me, a sinner, 00:20:48.980 --> 00:20:52.539 right? And thank God that He's provided a way 00:20:52.539 --> 00:20:57.160 of escape. Alright, so you can hear this. So 00:20:57.160 --> 00:21:00.640 again, these are saints, right? They're saints. 00:21:01.130 --> 00:21:03.250 But they're not saints because they're morally 00:21:03.250 --> 00:21:06.130 superior to the Pharisees and the Sadducees and 00:21:06.130 --> 00:21:08.210 everybody else right there They're saints because 00:21:08.210 --> 00:21:11.089 God has called them and that designation is his 00:21:11.089 --> 00:21:14.390 doing not theirs And he is sanctifying them calling 00:21:14.390 --> 00:21:18.890 them out of the world and the difference is Look 00:21:18.890 --> 00:21:21.750 at the end of verse 6 there. They have kept your 00:21:21.750 --> 00:21:25.089 word That's that word that same word that we 00:21:25.089 --> 00:21:27.210 did the study on they have protected and guarded 00:21:27.210 --> 00:21:30.410 it They don't just they don't just and I saw 00:21:31.299 --> 00:21:36.299 We saw a lot of high church. Fletch and I talked 00:21:36.299 --> 00:21:40.759 about high church versus I won't say low church 00:21:40.759 --> 00:21:44.559 where I grew up. We didn't grow up in big cathedrals 00:21:44.559 --> 00:21:48.859 and formalism. But some of these had these rituals 00:21:48.859 --> 00:21:51.180 when they start their mass, their service. And 00:21:51.180 --> 00:21:54.259 one of them is you've got this choir boy in the 00:21:54.259 --> 00:21:56.019 robes and he's holding up the Bible. Have you 00:21:56.019 --> 00:21:58.250 ever seen that? walking along and coming up the 00:21:58.250 --> 00:22:00.329 aisle, holding the Bible as they come forward. 00:22:01.430 --> 00:22:04.529 Well, that's not what he has in mind here when 00:22:04.529 --> 00:22:09.589 he says, they have kept your Word. It's not just 00:22:09.589 --> 00:22:13.609 that we have a book and we put on the front, 00:22:14.029 --> 00:22:20.289 Holy Bible. Don't let any dust settle on it or 00:22:20.289 --> 00:22:23.150 anything like that. It's the idea of they protect 00:22:23.150 --> 00:22:27.559 and value the Word. for themselves, right? And 00:22:27.559 --> 00:22:31.259 they obey it and they put it on a pedestal in 00:22:31.259 --> 00:22:34.140 their own lives or put it in priority in their 00:22:34.140 --> 00:22:38.380 own hearts, right? Not just that they've kept 00:22:38.380 --> 00:22:41.200 it dust -free or hold it up as they walk in the 00:22:41.200 --> 00:22:43.660 church. It's a form of symbolism, isn't it? Yes, 00:22:43.759 --> 00:22:45.619 yeah. I don't mean to criticize that. No, no, 00:22:45.619 --> 00:22:48.200 I get that. I'm just saying it seems like a form 00:22:48.200 --> 00:22:50.579 of symbolism. Yes, it is, it is. And a lot of 00:22:50.579 --> 00:22:52.460 these old churches in Europe, they have this 00:22:52.460 --> 00:22:54.599 elevated little pulpit somewhere, a little spiral 00:22:54.599 --> 00:23:00.019 staircase that goes up. That's where they often 00:23:00.019 --> 00:23:03.059 read the Scriptures. And that's fine. But remember, 00:23:03.200 --> 00:23:04.759 the Jews did a similar thing. If you've ever 00:23:04.759 --> 00:23:06.799 been to a Jewish synagogue, they still today, 00:23:07.019 --> 00:23:08.980 they'll have the scrolls there and they come 00:23:08.980 --> 00:23:12.440 in with their scrolls. It's a big deal. They 00:23:12.440 --> 00:23:14.039 even held one of the little pointers they have. 00:23:14.779 --> 00:23:16.960 Metal pointer a little finger on the end usually 00:23:16.960 --> 00:23:19.200 and it's sort of to help you keep your place 00:23:19.200 --> 00:23:22.400 as you're reading And they show all this great 00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:24.480 respect for them for the scriptures and Jesus 00:23:24.480 --> 00:23:27.819 said to them These are they would speak of me 00:23:27.819 --> 00:23:29.700 and you won't come to me, right? So the Bible 00:23:29.700 --> 00:23:33.920 itself won't save you The Bible is God's instrument 00:23:33.920 --> 00:23:37.420 by which he draws you to himself, right? It's 00:23:37.420 --> 00:23:39.519 the voice of the Good Shepherd. We go to the 00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:42.430 shepherd. We don't become enamored with With 00:23:42.430 --> 00:23:45.849 the the printed word necessarily we we trust 00:23:45.849 --> 00:23:48.789 the Savior that appoints us to All right, so 00:23:48.789 --> 00:23:50.990 that's a lot I know but that's in verse 6 now 00:23:50.990 --> 00:23:56.390 verse 7 John 17 verse 7 now they know that everything 00:23:56.390 --> 00:24:00.509 that you have given me Is from you. What is the 00:24:00.509 --> 00:24:06.170 everything that that he has given? Yeah When 00:24:06.170 --> 00:24:10.710 he says that was it that the trick is Early in 00:24:10.710 --> 00:24:12.470 verse 6 where He says, I have manifested your 00:24:12.470 --> 00:24:17.369 name. God's name, when He says your name, it 00:24:17.369 --> 00:24:21.509 doesn't just mean the covenant name of Yahweh, 00:24:21.529 --> 00:24:24.609 right, or something. What He's talking about 00:24:24.609 --> 00:24:30.710 is God's character, God's heart, you know. He's 00:24:30.710 --> 00:24:33.890 addressing this prayer to the Father, right? 00:24:34.069 --> 00:24:38.069 And God, think about this, God the Father specifically 00:24:38.069 --> 00:24:44.420 chose that name or title for Himself out of countless 00:24:44.420 --> 00:24:47.119 possibilities. I mean, He could have called Himself 00:24:47.119 --> 00:24:52.980 anything. He chose Father and not only for Jesus, 00:24:53.099 --> 00:24:55.660 but for us as well. And Jesus taught us when 00:24:55.660 --> 00:25:00.160 we pray to pray to the Father, your Father. And 00:25:00.160 --> 00:25:04.079 Paul says that He's given us the Spirit of adoption 00:25:04.079 --> 00:25:08.259 by whom we say Abba, Father. the Spirit's work 00:25:08.259 --> 00:25:11.460 in our hearts is to help us draw us closer to 00:25:11.460 --> 00:25:16.440 God and to see Him as our Father. And that is 00:25:16.440 --> 00:25:23.700 powerful. I remember as a new parent being very 00:25:23.700 --> 00:25:27.299 deeply moved by that because I know my heart 00:25:27.299 --> 00:25:31.039 from my children. It doesn't always come out 00:25:31.039 --> 00:25:34.259 very well. By the time it makes its way through 00:25:34.259 --> 00:25:40.140 my flesh, but I know my heart for them. I know 00:25:40.140 --> 00:25:42.420 that I want nothing but the very best for them. 00:25:42.920 --> 00:25:45.859 And to think that God, if that's true with me, 00:25:45.920 --> 00:25:48.079 Jesus said, if you being evil know how to give 00:25:48.079 --> 00:25:51.440 good gifts to your children, how much more? Your 00:25:51.440 --> 00:25:55.539 Father in heaven, right? So that's an amazing, 00:25:55.660 --> 00:26:03.680 amazing, amazing truth. Okay, so verse 7 now, 00:26:05.319 --> 00:26:08.240 Now they know that everything you have given 00:26:08.240 --> 00:26:12.740 Me is from you. So what is it that He has given? 00:26:13.839 --> 00:26:16.500 That the Father has given to Jesus and that Jesus 00:26:16.500 --> 00:26:21.200 has given to them? His words. Yeah, the truth. 00:26:21.900 --> 00:26:25.819 Think about how... I've really been, as I've 00:26:25.819 --> 00:26:27.779 been studying this, it's really been moving. 00:26:28.099 --> 00:26:31.440 It's true whenever something is in the forefront 00:26:31.440 --> 00:26:33.960 of your thought, you start seeing it everywhere. 00:26:34.619 --> 00:26:41.680 And I've just really been struck with how incredibly 00:26:41.680 --> 00:26:48.700 blessed we are to know what we know. Man, oh 00:26:48.700 --> 00:26:53.799 man. I mean, when you see people, even a lot 00:26:53.799 --> 00:26:57.039 of people who are in church and call themselves 00:26:57.039 --> 00:27:01.599 Christians, that are biblically illiterate, just... 00:27:01.519 --> 00:27:04.180 shockingly, biblically illiterate. I mean, just 00:27:04.180 --> 00:27:07.019 basics, basics, basics. And they don't even know 00:27:07.019 --> 00:27:11.460 that, you know, and it's, wow. So, so God, so 00:27:11.460 --> 00:27:13.680 again, you hear, you hear this, the value and 00:27:13.680 --> 00:27:15.720 the giving and the, and the receiving and the 00:27:15.720 --> 00:27:18.640 protecting here, right? And, and not only are 00:27:18.640 --> 00:27:21.730 God's People precious to him and you can hear 00:27:21.730 --> 00:27:24.430 the father giving his precious people to Jesus 00:27:24.430 --> 00:27:26.509 for safekeeping And now Jesus is giving them 00:27:26.509 --> 00:27:29.170 back to the father for safekeeping But you can 00:27:29.170 --> 00:27:32.849 hear the value of the word of God the truth and 00:27:32.849 --> 00:27:36.789 Jesus has given that to them All right, and they 00:27:36.789 --> 00:27:39.930 know that that is from the father remember Philip 00:27:39.930 --> 00:27:42.369 Near the beginning of all this that show us the 00:27:42.369 --> 00:27:44.609 father, right? And that's what Jesus has been 00:27:44.609 --> 00:27:46.970 doing. He's been revealing That heart of God 00:27:46.970 --> 00:27:49.809 is very different from the kind of God that they 00:27:49.809 --> 00:27:54.769 grew up with in hearing. I would suggest that's 00:27:54.769 --> 00:27:59.130 true for all of us. The longer that you spend 00:27:59.130 --> 00:28:01.690 in God's Word and let God speak for Himself, 00:28:01.710 --> 00:28:03.789 the more you'll fall in love with Him. But if 00:28:03.789 --> 00:28:06.250 you let religion get in the way and photobomb 00:28:06.250 --> 00:28:09.450 that, it'll give you a perverted or twisted, 00:28:09.910 --> 00:28:12.589 or it may be an easily manipulated form of God, 00:28:12.630 --> 00:28:15.750 but you won't love Him. the way you should and 00:28:15.750 --> 00:28:20.269 worship her. Yes? So, I thought about this occasionally. 00:28:21.250 --> 00:28:25.809 How do we discern how much time to spend alone 00:28:25.809 --> 00:28:28.529 praying to the Holy Spirit that as we read the 00:28:28.529 --> 00:28:32.230 Bible by ourselves, that we'll understand and 00:28:32.230 --> 00:28:34.789 understand the tree. And then how much time should 00:28:34.789 --> 00:28:40.190 we spend with other people in Bible study? Have 00:28:40.190 --> 00:28:41.829 you ever thought about that or is there any kind 00:28:41.829 --> 00:28:45.630 of indication? I don't know that there's a formula 00:28:45.630 --> 00:28:50.049 per se, but I can tell you this. You punched 00:28:50.049 --> 00:28:55.049 a button of mine. One of my pet peeves is people 00:28:55.049 --> 00:28:59.490 who profess Christ who can't seem to find a church. 00:29:01.069 --> 00:29:03.369 even really a Bible study. It's just me and my 00:29:03.369 --> 00:29:06.130 Bible and Jesus, you know, and that's all I need. 00:29:06.430 --> 00:29:09.269 Oh, my goodness. Now, the New Testament is very, 00:29:09.289 --> 00:29:12.529 very clear as we make our way through Ephesians, 00:29:12.529 --> 00:29:15.289 especially the chapter four. It's so abundantly 00:29:15.289 --> 00:29:19.930 clear that that God has given gifts to your brothers 00:29:19.930 --> 00:29:22.529 and sisters that He intends to them to give to 00:29:22.529 --> 00:29:24.809 you. But if you if you're not there, you're going 00:29:24.809 --> 00:29:28.470 to miss what God has to give to you, even in 00:29:28.470 --> 00:29:30.609 your alone time with the Holy Spirit in the Bible. 00:29:30.890 --> 00:29:33.230 It's just the way God has designed it to work. 00:29:34.150 --> 00:29:36.849 But on the other hand, of course, the other extreme 00:29:36.849 --> 00:29:40.930 is I get everything from Bible studies and church 00:29:40.930 --> 00:29:42.970 and whatever and don't spend time in the Word 00:29:42.970 --> 00:29:45.670 either. So I can't give you a formula, but I 00:29:45.670 --> 00:29:50.049 can say Dad is right in emphasizing repeatedly 00:29:50.049 --> 00:29:51.829 through the years that encouraging everybody 00:29:51.829 --> 00:29:55.670 to spend time every day in God's Word in some 00:29:55.670 --> 00:30:01.720 form or fashion and then be prepared. I would 00:30:01.720 --> 00:30:06.279 say the more time that I spend in God's Word, 00:30:06.339 --> 00:30:08.740 and not just read it to know stuff, but read 00:30:08.740 --> 00:30:12.480 it to really hear God speak to you. And then 00:30:12.480 --> 00:30:15.920 it sharpens you and encourages you and actually 00:30:15.920 --> 00:30:19.400 creates more of a thirst in your heart for more 00:30:19.400 --> 00:30:21.440 of it. And then when you gather with God's people 00:30:21.440 --> 00:30:24.220 and you hear even more, it's like, yes, give 00:30:24.220 --> 00:30:28.319 us any way I can get it, right? Any thoughts 00:30:28.319 --> 00:30:32.920 on... on that yourself. Okay. Prayer, the Bible 00:30:32.920 --> 00:30:36.559 says to be a constant state of prayer. Most of 00:30:36.559 --> 00:30:38.619 the time we think prayer is like our morning 00:30:38.619 --> 00:30:42.359 prayer or when we bow our heads or something 00:30:42.359 --> 00:30:45.339 like that. But prayer is just communication with 00:30:45.339 --> 00:30:49.740 God. That's right. So all the time, if you start 00:30:49.740 --> 00:30:54.480 your day out by reading the scripture, meditate 00:30:54.480 --> 00:30:57.869 upon that scripture all day. You know, and the 00:30:57.869 --> 00:31:01.049 Lord will reveal things from Scripture. He's 00:31:01.049 --> 00:31:03.450 not going to reveal anything that's not there, 00:31:03.990 --> 00:31:06.650 of course. But He will reveal other parts of 00:31:06.650 --> 00:31:09.869 Scripture to you as you meditate on that. That's 00:31:09.869 --> 00:31:14.930 right, that's right. And wear ear buds and listen 00:31:14.930 --> 00:31:16.849 to a service or something like that. Meditate 00:31:16.849 --> 00:31:19.069 like mowing grass. That's what I do every time 00:31:19.069 --> 00:31:22.119 I mow grass. Have a set of headphones on and 00:31:22.119 --> 00:31:24.859 I'll put a sermon on. That's right. And I'll 00:31:24.859 --> 00:31:27.440 meditate on that and mill light through, you 00:31:27.440 --> 00:31:30.759 know, and even afterwards I'm thinking about 00:31:30.759 --> 00:31:37.299 that. So don't confuse prayer with just 20 minutes 00:31:37.299 --> 00:31:40.849 in the morning or 10 minutes or however. That's 00:31:40.849 --> 00:31:43.990 something that we're constantly being communing 00:31:43.990 --> 00:31:49.369 with God. It don't have to be Dr. Anderson, it 00:31:49.369 --> 00:31:51.210 don't have to be anybody else. You just have 00:31:51.210 --> 00:31:54.549 to talk to him. He wants that fellowship. Please 00:31:54.549 --> 00:31:59.410 don't close your eyes when you're driving. You've 00:31:59.410 --> 00:32:05.049 got to have that desire to be in the world. Some 00:32:05.049 --> 00:32:06.900 people don't have as much time. You know, some 00:32:06.900 --> 00:32:08.380 people may have an hour and a half, two hours, 00:32:08.440 --> 00:32:10.619 whatever. But I'm saying that once you're in 00:32:10.619 --> 00:32:16.019 there, devote your attention to that, and once 00:32:16.019 --> 00:32:17.680 you start learning that, you're going to have 00:32:17.680 --> 00:32:19.079 that desire. You're going to fall more in love 00:32:19.079 --> 00:32:20.660 with him. That's right. That's the whole key 00:32:20.660 --> 00:32:23.259 thing is he wants you to know him intimately, 00:32:23.880 --> 00:32:25.779 to fall more in love with him. Same thing you 00:32:25.779 --> 00:32:28.380 was with your spouse. You wanted, when you first 00:32:28.380 --> 00:32:29.980 was dating, you wanted just to be with her, be 00:32:29.980 --> 00:32:31.519 with her, be with her. You still want to be with 00:32:31.519 --> 00:32:33.549 her. But I'm saying, when you first started, 00:32:33.630 --> 00:32:35.549 it was so hungry because you were learning. Same 00:32:35.549 --> 00:32:37.309 thing with him. That's right. The good thing 00:32:37.309 --> 00:32:39.670 about the scripture is, it's all learning. I 00:32:39.670 --> 00:32:42.029 mean, you'll never get to the total depths of 00:32:42.029 --> 00:32:43.730 it. That's right. You just keep going. And like 00:32:43.730 --> 00:32:45.650 you said, when you stem off other people's stuff, 00:32:45.730 --> 00:32:48.410 like what Larry said, that's great. I totally 00:32:48.410 --> 00:32:50.410 understand and believe that. You talk to them 00:32:50.410 --> 00:32:51.910 and pray to them throughout the day, meditate 00:32:51.910 --> 00:32:54.769 on what you hear. But you stem off other people's 00:32:54.769 --> 00:32:58.009 talk and not necessarily just the church service. 00:32:58.430 --> 00:33:00.869 but fellowshiping with people at work or whatever, 00:33:01.289 --> 00:33:03.930 and listen to what they have to say. You may 00:33:03.930 --> 00:33:05.589 not agree with it or whatever, but if you don't, 00:33:05.690 --> 00:33:07.109 then get back in order to see if they're right 00:33:07.109 --> 00:33:10.150 or wrong. And then, you know, use your judgment 00:33:10.150 --> 00:33:12.509 there. But you've got to have that, you've got 00:33:12.509 --> 00:33:15.630 to have that, you know, you've got to have that 00:33:15.630 --> 00:33:17.289 fellowship with you. And like Larry said, ear 00:33:17.289 --> 00:33:19.509 buds, listening, mowing grass, doing whatever, 00:33:20.549 --> 00:33:24.309 working whatever. And it gives a good perspective 00:33:24.309 --> 00:33:27.490 from someone else's point of view. Love you. 00:33:27.549 --> 00:33:31.549 Only that they're a good Bible fit, you know. 00:33:31.730 --> 00:33:34.190 Right, it comes with a qualification. Yeah, put 00:33:34.190 --> 00:33:36.029 on some good messages. And there's lots and lots 00:33:36.029 --> 00:33:37.970 of good resources out there. Some of them aren't 00:33:37.970 --> 00:33:40.329 quite as well known as others, but they're still 00:33:40.329 --> 00:33:42.130 very, very good. There's one thing about Bible 00:33:42.130 --> 00:33:44.289 in the year, you know, you can't shelve it at 00:33:44.289 --> 00:33:47.230 the end. Yeah. There's a lot of books you can 00:33:47.230 --> 00:33:48.809 say, well, I've gained a lot of knowledge on 00:33:48.809 --> 00:33:52.470 that. There's a lot to take in, yeah. Next? Yeah, 00:33:52.490 --> 00:33:54.890 right. A lot of weeks. I don't know, we have 00:33:54.890 --> 00:33:58.559 devotions at the end. Always do. That's right. 00:33:58.940 --> 00:34:01.680 And like you said, there's no formula to it because 00:34:01.680 --> 00:34:06.440 you're like, okay, here's four chapters. And 00:34:06.440 --> 00:34:08.920 you'll get about three words into the first verse 00:34:08.920 --> 00:34:11.579 and you're like, okay, that's about a half hour 00:34:11.579 --> 00:34:13.699 of like, wait a second, I didn't see that before. 00:34:14.239 --> 00:34:17.239 And then you cross -reverse it and you're never 00:34:17.239 --> 00:34:19.539 getting to the other chapters. That's right. 00:34:19.659 --> 00:34:22.159 That's right. That's my problem. That's why I 00:34:22.159 --> 00:34:24.119 don't read. I mean, it's just like three or four 00:34:24.119 --> 00:34:27.559 words. It's like... Wait a second, I never read 00:34:27.559 --> 00:34:32.199 that in there before. I read it many times, years. 00:34:33.300 --> 00:34:35.260 The pastor does that sometimes when he speaks. 00:34:36.880 --> 00:34:41.940 I didn't recognize that. I've seen that verse 00:34:41.940 --> 00:34:44.800 many, many, many times. It just wasn't the Holy 00:34:44.800 --> 00:34:51.300 Spirit trying to show you that particular information, 00:34:51.539 --> 00:34:53.780 which just seems to be very pertinent for the 00:34:53.780 --> 00:34:57.079 time of your life. That's right. Or your maturity 00:34:57.079 --> 00:35:03.360 or whatever. Yeah, that's right. Those secular 00:35:03.360 --> 00:35:06.340 words do that, you know. That's why I don't, 00:35:06.340 --> 00:35:09.059 I mean, me personally I know Dad and some others 00:35:09.059 --> 00:35:11.380 really like reading the Bible in a year, and 00:35:11.380 --> 00:35:14.760 I have done that, okay, but generally I don't 00:35:14.760 --> 00:35:16.579 myself do that because I have that very problem. 00:35:17.039 --> 00:35:21.519 I always hit some statement or some phrase or 00:35:21.519 --> 00:35:24.090 something in there that makes me go... Whoa, 00:35:24.170 --> 00:35:26.090 wait a minute. I just can't help myself. I just 00:35:26.090 --> 00:35:28.269 got a drill down on that. You know what I'm saying? 00:35:28.670 --> 00:35:32.110 So it's slow going for me. But yes, you're right. 00:35:32.289 --> 00:35:34.349 And that's what meditating is all about, right? 00:35:34.349 --> 00:35:37.409 That's what Larry is saying. Don't just read 00:35:37.409 --> 00:35:39.190 it, check the box. Okay, I brushed my teeth, 00:35:39.349 --> 00:35:41.170 had cereal, I did my quiet time. And then go 00:35:41.170 --> 00:35:44.969 on about your day. Let it really soak in. And 00:35:44.969 --> 00:35:47.070 you've heard me say many times, and I really 00:35:47.070 --> 00:35:49.329 firmly believe in this, I guess my way of saying 00:35:49.329 --> 00:35:52.130 the meditate thing is wrestle with the text. 00:35:52.750 --> 00:35:55.110 Wrestle with the text. If something doesn't make 00:35:55.110 --> 00:36:00.789 sense, wrestle with it and pray and seek resources, 00:36:01.190 --> 00:36:02.750 whatever that is, whether it's a sermon or whatever, 00:36:03.250 --> 00:36:05.590 and listen to others until it's resolved in your 00:36:05.590 --> 00:36:09.030 thinking. And you'll really grow by that. So 00:36:09.030 --> 00:36:13.989 God's truth, verse 7 then, God's truth, He says, 00:36:15.099 --> 00:36:17.960 Now they know that everything that you have given 00:36:17.960 --> 00:36:21.679 Me is from you. This valuable, valuable treasure 00:36:21.679 --> 00:36:24.900 that God the Father has given to the Son. Remember, 00:36:25.179 --> 00:36:27.480 throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus said again 00:36:27.480 --> 00:36:29.760 and again, I came to do not My will with the 00:36:29.760 --> 00:36:31.539 will of Him who sent Me. The words you hear Me 00:36:31.539 --> 00:36:34.900 say are the Father's words. In John chapter 3, 00:36:35.039 --> 00:36:38.019 the second half, after the Nicodemus episode, 00:36:38.380 --> 00:36:41.639 the second half, John the Baptist comes back 00:36:41.639 --> 00:36:45.150 and he tells his disgruntled disciples, Effectively, 00:36:45.150 --> 00:36:47.750 I'm of the earth and I'm only the witness from 00:36:47.750 --> 00:36:49.429 the earth and I can only give you so much. But 00:36:49.429 --> 00:36:52.389 He is from heaven. He's the witness from heaven. 00:36:52.690 --> 00:36:55.389 And He's giving you the very words of God. The 00:36:55.389 --> 00:36:58.829 very truth of God. Who God is. Who He really 00:36:58.829 --> 00:37:02.289 is. Not who you want Him to be. Not who the world 00:37:02.289 --> 00:37:05.090 says that He ought to be or any of that. It's 00:37:05.090 --> 00:37:09.010 who He really is in His heart. And then verse 00:37:09.010 --> 00:37:16.280 8. The words that you gave me right so if you're 00:37:16.280 --> 00:37:18.179 in doubt about the interpretation of verse 7 00:37:18.179 --> 00:37:20.780 verse 8 clears it up Right context this came 00:37:20.780 --> 00:37:24.619 another key Bible principle, right? And by the 00:37:24.619 --> 00:37:26.219 way if you are wrestling with the text something 00:37:26.219 --> 00:37:28.559 doesn't make sense Look at a look at immediate 00:37:28.559 --> 00:37:30.900 context first try to work it out very often you 00:37:30.900 --> 00:37:33.340 can work it out from the immediate context That's 00:37:33.340 --> 00:37:35.260 what's happening there And then sometimes you 00:37:35.260 --> 00:37:37.840 very often too you'll need to reach into other 00:37:37.840 --> 00:37:40.239 parts of scripture that speak more fully to that 00:37:40.239 --> 00:37:43.960 issue But verse 8 there clears it up for I have 00:37:43.960 --> 00:37:48.840 given them the words that you gave me and they 00:37:48.840 --> 00:37:54.500 have what? received accepted them and have come 00:37:54.500 --> 00:38:00.099 to know in truth that I came from you and they 00:38:00.099 --> 00:38:03.019 have believed that you sent me the thing that 00:38:03.019 --> 00:38:05.480 they were still not really clear about is what 00:38:05.480 --> 00:38:08.440 exactly was his mission, but they knew he was 00:38:08.440 --> 00:38:11.139 from God They absolutely knew that, and they 00:38:11.139 --> 00:38:13.719 knew He was the Messiah, and they had received 00:38:13.719 --> 00:38:16.000 these words. And Jesus has already, in those 00:38:16.000 --> 00:38:19.659 four chapters, begun to disclose to them what's 00:38:19.659 --> 00:38:21.739 about to happen in the hours, months, and even 00:38:21.739 --> 00:38:25.400 years ahead, as things are going to go in a very 00:38:25.400 --> 00:38:29.619 radically different direction than the Messianic 00:38:29.619 --> 00:38:33.139 picture that they had grown up with. They knew 00:38:33.139 --> 00:38:34.639 He was the Messiah and they thought He was going 00:38:34.639 --> 00:38:36.420 to take David's throne and kick Rome to the curb 00:38:36.420 --> 00:38:39.320 and usher in, reverse the curse and all of that, 00:38:39.400 --> 00:38:41.719 all those Messianic prophecies. And Jesus is 00:38:41.719 --> 00:38:44.260 saying, that's why I think that that segment 00:38:44.260 --> 00:38:46.099 of time after His resurrection and before His 00:38:46.099 --> 00:38:48.059 ascension was so important, because He had to 00:38:48.059 --> 00:38:50.460 take them back through the Scriptures and carefully 00:38:50.460 --> 00:38:53.780 parse out for them how those Old Testament Scriptures 00:38:53.780 --> 00:38:59.440 really were fulfilled in this first coming, right? 00:38:59.719 --> 00:39:01.739 That's very, very important. And that's why I 00:39:01.739 --> 00:39:05.539 think we see so much quotation of Scripture in 00:39:05.539 --> 00:39:07.139 particularly the Gospels, but really all the 00:39:07.139 --> 00:39:09.219 New Testament, right? There's so much quotation. 00:39:09.320 --> 00:39:11.300 Why is there so much quotation of the Old Testament 00:39:11.300 --> 00:39:14.519 Scriptures? Because they are repeating to us 00:39:14.519 --> 00:39:16.980 what Jesus had told them after His resurrection. 00:39:18.860 --> 00:39:21.460 So verse 8, for I have given them the words you 00:39:21.460 --> 00:39:24.420 gave me. They have received them and come to 00:39:24.420 --> 00:39:27.730 know. in truth that I came from you, and they 00:39:27.730 --> 00:39:30.690 have believed that you sent Me." Why is that 00:39:30.690 --> 00:39:36.530 so important? Because the words that Jesus gives 00:39:36.530 --> 00:39:40.449 are not just His opinion. It's not just His thoughts. 00:39:40.510 --> 00:39:45.750 He's not some rogue, false prophet who's had 00:39:45.750 --> 00:39:47.690 a vision in a cave somewhere that nobody else 00:39:47.690 --> 00:39:50.489 knows anything about. No, this is coming directly 00:39:50.489 --> 00:39:52.670 from the heart of God. I love that little phrase 00:39:52.670 --> 00:39:56.760 in one of our hymns. Jesus blessed Redeemer sent 00:39:56.760 --> 00:40:02.079 from the heart of God. I'm starting a study in 00:40:02.079 --> 00:40:04.519 Colossians now with our Thursday Bible study. 00:40:05.340 --> 00:40:07.800 And that's the whole theme of Colossians. It's 00:40:07.800 --> 00:40:10.800 kind of a twin book to Ephesians. They're very 00:40:10.800 --> 00:40:13.039 similar in many respects. But in Ephesians, the 00:40:13.039 --> 00:40:15.980 Fathers take center stage in Colossians, at least 00:40:15.980 --> 00:40:18.429 in the opening part. In the opening of Colossians, 00:40:18.590 --> 00:40:21.469 Jesus is taking center stage. He is the exact 00:40:21.469 --> 00:40:23.670 representation of God's being. He is everything 00:40:23.670 --> 00:40:26.829 God wants us to know about himself we can see 00:40:26.829 --> 00:40:32.210 in the sun. When you see Jesus being compassionate 00:40:32.210 --> 00:40:35.449 to people and patient, like you said, with people, 00:40:36.130 --> 00:40:37.969 that's the Father. He's revealing the Father. 00:40:39.469 --> 00:40:42.710 Okay, so that's point number one I outlined. 00:40:43.010 --> 00:40:46.010 Jesus characterizes the disciples as those who 00:40:46.010 --> 00:40:48.550 show they are gods by obeying His truth. They 00:40:48.550 --> 00:40:54.369 receive it, they hear it, and they know who Jesus 00:40:54.369 --> 00:40:56.150 is. They're His sheep, right? They've heard His 00:40:56.150 --> 00:40:59.250 voice. Now point number two, Jesus requests that 00:40:59.250 --> 00:41:01.690 the Father protect the disciples in the world 00:41:01.690 --> 00:41:04.789 system. Let's start with verse 9. This is 9 -12. 00:41:05.289 --> 00:41:10.570 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the 00:41:10.570 --> 00:41:13.349 world, but for those whom you have given me, 00:41:13.349 --> 00:41:17.250 for they are yours. This is now the third time 00:41:17.250 --> 00:41:20.289 we have encountered this almost exact same phrase, 00:41:21.110 --> 00:41:25.170 whom you have given me. You find it up at the 00:41:25.170 --> 00:41:30.369 end of verse 2, and given authority over all 00:41:30.369 --> 00:41:32.409 flesh to give eternal life to all whom you have 00:41:32.409 --> 00:41:34.650 given me. And then in verse 6, I have manifested 00:41:34.650 --> 00:41:36.690 your name to the people you have given me. And 00:41:36.690 --> 00:41:39.710 now in verse 9, I'm praying not for the world, 00:41:39.809 --> 00:41:44.880 but for those whom you have given me. One of 00:41:44.880 --> 00:41:47.699 the keys to Bible study, another one of the keys, 00:41:47.900 --> 00:41:50.119 besides context as king and wrestling with the 00:41:50.119 --> 00:41:53.920 Scriptures, another one is repetition is important. 00:41:54.539 --> 00:41:58.539 It's there for emphasis. He's trying to drive 00:41:58.539 --> 00:42:01.579 a point home, right? And the disciples are hearing 00:42:01.579 --> 00:42:04.719 this and they're realizing, oh, wait a minute. 00:42:05.139 --> 00:42:07.019 In fact, he's already told them, remember earlier, 00:42:07.099 --> 00:42:10.079 he said, you did not choose me, but I chose you 00:42:10.079 --> 00:42:13.699 and appointed you to go bear fruit. Right, so 00:42:13.699 --> 00:42:16.539 they thought that they had sort of stumbled on 00:42:16.539 --> 00:42:18.960 him and, hey, let's go tell Nathan, you know, 00:42:19.000 --> 00:42:23.940 hey, we found the Messiah. No, no, no. It only 00:42:23.940 --> 00:42:27.500 looks that way to you, okay. Woman at the well, 00:42:27.679 --> 00:42:30.000 you know. Woman at the well, right, right, right. 00:42:30.460 --> 00:42:33.280 And we have his wife. Yeah, Nicodemus too, you 00:42:33.280 --> 00:42:35.360 know. He thought he was going to visit the Messiah, 00:42:35.539 --> 00:42:37.219 but what he didn't realize was that he was being 00:42:37.219 --> 00:42:41.539 drawn. I'm praying. Notice also he says, Who's 00:42:41.539 --> 00:42:45.619 he praying for here? He's interceding for, as 00:42:45.619 --> 00:42:47.980 our High Priest here, he's interceding for his 00:42:47.980 --> 00:42:50.139 people, right? Not for the, not for the world 00:42:50.139 --> 00:42:53.320 system. Does that mean that he doesn't care for 00:42:53.320 --> 00:43:10.619 the other people who are in that system? Here, 00:43:10.739 --> 00:43:13.699 in this case, he's not praying for the people 00:43:13.699 --> 00:43:19.159 in that system. In other words, you can't just 00:43:19.159 --> 00:43:21.139 yank that out and try to understand it. Look 00:43:21.139 --> 00:43:23.280 at the rest of the context, particularly when 00:43:23.280 --> 00:43:26.519 it gets down to verse 15, where he says, I do 00:43:26.519 --> 00:43:27.659 not ask that you take them out of the world, 00:43:27.739 --> 00:43:30.360 but you keep them from the evil one. Remember 00:43:30.360 --> 00:43:33.960 that Jesus already in chapter 8 had said as the 00:43:33.960 --> 00:43:36.190 light of the world, right? He had turned the 00:43:36.190 --> 00:43:38.929 light on and he had, let's use this illustration, 00:43:39.170 --> 00:43:41.809 he had parted the curtain and revealed that the 00:43:41.809 --> 00:43:43.929 man behind their system was not who they thought 00:43:43.929 --> 00:43:46.170 it was, right? It's not God, it's not Abraham. 00:43:46.630 --> 00:43:50.289 You are sons of the devil. The man behind your 00:43:50.289 --> 00:43:53.789 system is the devil, okay? And so I think what 00:43:53.789 --> 00:43:56.670 he's saying here is leading up to, this is part 00:43:56.670 --> 00:43:59.900 of like Romans and the Ladder, He's he's leading 00:43:59.900 --> 00:44:04.800 up to this idea that his his prayer for protection 00:44:04.800 --> 00:44:08.159 Is not necessarily just that whole system. He's 00:44:08.159 --> 00:44:10.059 not asking that God the Father would preserve 00:44:10.059 --> 00:44:13.460 that system Okay, he doesn't say the people in 00:44:13.460 --> 00:44:15.260 the world He just says the world is the system 00:44:15.260 --> 00:44:17.980 is referring out of this to this system that 00:44:17.980 --> 00:44:23.000 is headed by Satan and is Marches under or wears 00:44:23.000 --> 00:44:26.920 the robes of the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob 00:44:27.420 --> 00:44:30.719 Okay? And marches in their synagogues and in 00:44:30.719 --> 00:44:32.599 their temple with their big scrolls, you know, 00:44:32.960 --> 00:44:35.139 and make a big to -do out of God's Word, but 00:44:35.139 --> 00:44:38.760 they refuse to obey it or even to allow it to 00:44:38.760 --> 00:44:43.059 speak to them and come to Jesus, right? And so 00:44:43.059 --> 00:44:47.679 what he's done is he's revealed that this system 00:44:47.679 --> 00:44:50.500 is broken and it's under judgment. In fact, he's 00:44:50.500 --> 00:44:52.420 already revealed that earlier. We looked at that 00:44:52.420 --> 00:44:57.500 in chapter 16, right? That's verse 8, the Holy 00:44:57.500 --> 00:45:01.960 Spirit. It's the prior chapter, chapter 16. And 00:45:01.960 --> 00:45:04.099 when He comes, He will convict the world concerning 00:45:04.099 --> 00:45:06.760 sin and righteousness and judgment. Sin because 00:45:06.760 --> 00:45:09.000 they do not believe in Me. Righteousness because 00:45:09.000 --> 00:45:11.099 I go to the Father. You will see Me no more concerning 00:45:11.099 --> 00:45:13.860 judgment because the ruler of this world, of 00:45:13.860 --> 00:45:17.480 this system is judged. He is not asking the Father 00:45:17.480 --> 00:45:20.039 to preserve that system, but He is asking to 00:45:20.039 --> 00:45:22.360 preserve the people who are the fathers out of 00:45:22.360 --> 00:45:27.210 that system. Let me be clear about this. It's 00:45:27.210 --> 00:45:30.750 not that He doesn't care about or love the unsaved 00:45:30.750 --> 00:45:33.469 people who are still lost and deceived in that 00:45:33.469 --> 00:45:37.550 system. It's that specifically here, as a high 00:45:37.550 --> 00:45:39.750 priest, He is praying for His people who will 00:45:39.750 --> 00:45:43.070 be persecuted by that system, just as He is about 00:45:43.070 --> 00:45:46.590 to be. And He's asking the Father to protect 00:45:46.590 --> 00:45:53.519 them. Right, that's right. Now that was for the 00:45:53.519 --> 00:45:57.679 system. I believe it was. That was for the system. 00:45:57.820 --> 00:46:03.840 Yeah, that's right. Don't give up on them. This 00:46:03.840 --> 00:46:07.260 corrupt, corrupt system. Now that's who He was 00:46:07.260 --> 00:46:09.739 bringing them for. On the cross, right? Right, 00:46:09.820 --> 00:46:14.420 that's right. And you know, even John tells us, 00:46:14.420 --> 00:46:17.760 chapter 12, like it is, that there were even 00:46:17.760 --> 00:46:19.699 many priests who believed in Him, but they were 00:46:19.699 --> 00:46:22.389 afraid because of their reputation. And they're 00:46:22.389 --> 00:46:24.110 going to get kicked out of synagogue. Right. 00:46:24.809 --> 00:46:27.670 And then there's two examples in John's gospel 00:46:27.670 --> 00:46:32.389 of very highly placed, wealthy, influential people 00:46:32.389 --> 00:46:35.389 who were the head of a part of that system, Nicodemus 00:46:35.389 --> 00:46:38.570 and Joseph Arimathea. Both are examples of God's 00:46:38.570 --> 00:46:41.409 grace, even to those leaders, right? The Jews. 00:46:41.630 --> 00:46:45.429 So there are still many in that system that will 00:46:45.429 --> 00:46:49.170 be called out. You know, that's not our tendency 00:46:49.170 --> 00:46:51.829 to do though, forgive those that hurt us. Yeah. 00:46:52.769 --> 00:46:57.409 Even if you love the Lord, our tendency is to... 00:46:57.409 --> 00:47:01.349 If you say that's not your tendency, then you're 00:47:01.349 --> 00:47:03.550 lying because most people have that honor. That's 00:47:03.550 --> 00:47:05.690 right. They want to rebel by it. That's right. 00:47:05.889 --> 00:47:08.110 That's the only way we are different. And I'm 00:47:08.110 --> 00:47:13.889 not trying to bring this up when Erica mentioned, 00:47:13.909 --> 00:47:19.230 not about Erica, but the guy got killed. Oh. 00:47:20.860 --> 00:47:25.340 When she actually forgave that guy. I really 00:47:25.340 --> 00:47:27.300 hope in her heart she did because she said it. 00:47:27.360 --> 00:47:29.639 That speaks volumes for her heart, for not only 00:47:29.639 --> 00:47:31.739 love for her husband, for her love for that. 00:47:32.059 --> 00:47:33.940 The same thing with Jesus when he's on the cross. 00:47:35.440 --> 00:47:38.380 It's hard to do. So that just speaks just how 00:47:38.380 --> 00:47:41.260 much love and intensity of love that he had. 00:47:42.519 --> 00:47:47.360 That's right. That's right. Yes. Vengeance is 00:47:47.360 --> 00:47:49.639 mine says the Lord I will repay leave it to him. 00:47:49.639 --> 00:47:53.260 We're not to judge them right delight in their 00:47:53.260 --> 00:47:59.679 judgment, but to love them Why doesn't God intervene? 00:48:00.500 --> 00:48:02.739 Why doesn't he just zap these people like he 00:48:02.739 --> 00:48:06.900 did Ananias and Sapphira? I mean, why can't he 00:48:06.900 --> 00:48:09.340 stop these wicked people from killing others? 00:48:09.639 --> 00:48:11.719 Why doesn't he just zap them with a lightning 00:48:11.719 --> 00:48:20.989 bolt? Wouldn't that be nice? You know that person's 00:48:20.989 --> 00:48:24.090 dead they can't do they can't hurt others Why 00:48:24.090 --> 00:48:26.269 can't it be like that because sometimes I think 00:48:26.269 --> 00:48:32.369 he's We say we say stuff like that's been bad, 00:48:32.369 --> 00:48:35.969 but he's gonna get bored somehow out of all this 00:48:35.969 --> 00:48:37.869 From all stuff. He's gonna be cool. That's my 00:48:37.869 --> 00:48:41.429 service, bro What if what if what if God had 00:48:41.429 --> 00:48:47.590 done that? at first to Saul. Saul was a major 00:48:47.590 --> 00:48:51.750 persecutor of the church, right? But God had 00:48:51.750 --> 00:48:55.010 mercy on him and gave him, eventually caused 00:48:55.010 --> 00:48:57.849 him to be, ironically, of all the people, right? 00:48:58.170 --> 00:49:01.150 To the Jews and Hebrew Hebrews to be the apostle 00:49:01.150 --> 00:49:04.210 to the Gentiles. God has a real sense of humor, 00:49:04.369 --> 00:49:07.510 but God is patient. Well, we're no better than 00:49:07.510 --> 00:49:13.980 they are. That's right. Peter and Jude both say 00:49:13.980 --> 00:49:17.519 that God has done that in the past. He has destroyed, 00:49:17.519 --> 00:49:21.219 like Sodom and Gomorrah for example, and the 00:49:21.219 --> 00:49:24.539 world that was before the flood as examples. 00:49:26.539 --> 00:49:30.739 But Peter says God is patient with you. Not wanting 00:49:30.739 --> 00:49:34.860 anyone to perish. So He's patient. Alright, let's 00:49:34.860 --> 00:49:39.639 close the prayer. Good to see everybody. Father 00:49:39.639 --> 00:49:41.880 thank you for your patience with us. Thank you 00:49:41.880 --> 00:49:45.480 for the value incredible value of your word the 00:49:45.480 --> 00:49:48.460 truth that we have in front of us It's not something 00:49:48.460 --> 00:49:51.480 we should take lightly at all But we should hold 00:49:51.480 --> 00:49:54.760 it treasure it and and keep it and guard it and 00:49:54.760 --> 00:49:57.019 protect it first in our own thinking and then 00:49:57.019 --> 00:50:00.239 in our churches and our families and then and 00:50:00.239 --> 00:50:02.380 hold our and then to our neighbors as well hold 00:50:02.380 --> 00:50:08.119 it out and not be afraid to to share it and to 00:50:09.480 --> 00:50:13.079 not to argue with others, but just from loving 00:50:13.079 --> 00:50:17.260 to tell them the truth. I pray for your blessing 00:50:17.260 --> 00:50:20.280 now on the service, rest of the service, and 00:50:20.280 --> 00:50:22.699 the lunch today, the fellowship, and then the 00:50:22.699 --> 00:50:23.719 Bible study this evening.