WEBVTT 00:00:03.040 --> 00:00:06.879 We continue our sermon series, What's in a Name, 00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:08.939 where we're looking at the distinctives, the 00:00:08.939 --> 00:00:12.539 titles of Jesus in the Gospel of John. We're 00:00:12.539 --> 00:00:15.160 connecting them to our three forms of unity, 00:00:15.339 --> 00:00:19.660 which are the Belgic Confession. We're going 00:00:19.660 --> 00:00:22.019 to do this alphabetically. Belgic Confession, 00:00:22.160 --> 00:00:26.320 Canons of Dort. Heidelberg Catechism, if you're 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:28.820 here and go, what gibberish did they just say? 00:00:29.079 --> 00:00:33.219 That is in our Reformed tradition. We are a confessional 00:00:33.219 --> 00:00:36.079 church. So we stand on the Word of God first 00:00:36.079 --> 00:00:38.759 and foremost. No ifs, ands, or buts about it, 00:00:38.780 --> 00:00:41.219 period, end of sentence. The next sentence is 00:00:41.219 --> 00:00:45.020 we also look to our confessions, which are writings 00:00:45.020 --> 00:00:48.320 that stand on the Word of God. Our confessions 00:00:48.320 --> 00:00:51.799 would mean... absolutely nothing without the 00:00:51.799 --> 00:00:54.079 gospel. We are not a church that will ever uphold 00:00:54.079 --> 00:00:56.759 our confessions over Scripture, but we understand 00:00:56.759 --> 00:00:59.079 that they help us understand Scripture, that 00:00:59.079 --> 00:01:02.140 God has endowed people much, much smarter than 00:01:02.140 --> 00:01:06.209 me. Amen? I cannot believe you actually did that. 00:01:06.310 --> 00:01:09.290 But that's okay. Now it's on the interwebs. But 00:01:09.290 --> 00:01:11.930 it is something that we can draw from. And there's 00:01:11.930 --> 00:01:14.810 some beautiful understanding. So maybe you're 00:01:14.810 --> 00:01:17.049 here today and you don't know what our confessions 00:01:17.049 --> 00:01:18.849 are. You don't really know Heidelberg Catechism. 00:01:18.870 --> 00:01:21.310 What is that? Belgian Confession. Canons of Dort. 00:01:22.170 --> 00:01:24.569 Look them up this week. They're actually fascinating 00:01:24.569 --> 00:01:27.810 writings that really break down the truths of 00:01:27.810 --> 00:01:30.629 Scripture. And we as a confessional church uphold 00:01:30.629 --> 00:01:35.569 those. So I try to utilize that lens because 00:01:35.569 --> 00:01:39.959 it can be helpful. It can add along our journey 00:01:39.959 --> 00:01:42.340 of faith as we hopefully daily are continuing 00:01:42.340 --> 00:01:45.340 to kind of deepen our waters of faith so that 00:01:45.340 --> 00:01:48.099 we have that energy and we have that gospel that 00:01:48.099 --> 00:01:50.680 we can go forward with. So we're in the gospel 00:01:50.680 --> 00:01:53.719 of John, and last week we got up to a pretty 00:01:53.719 --> 00:01:57.200 pivotal moment in Jesus' ministry. It is the 00:01:57.200 --> 00:01:59.219 raising of Lazarus, but notice we didn't even 00:01:59.219 --> 00:02:02.920 get to that last week because we got to his claim 00:02:02.920 --> 00:02:06.689 as the resurrection and the life. So you've got 00:02:06.689 --> 00:02:09.590 Lazarus' sisters. One meets them. One's holding 00:02:09.590 --> 00:02:12.090 back. We talked about that last week. But now 00:02:12.090 --> 00:02:13.810 we're to the point, if you kind of can remember 00:02:13.810 --> 00:02:15.990 last week, we're now to the point where he's 00:02:15.990 --> 00:02:18.250 made this declaration. There was a profession 00:02:18.250 --> 00:02:21.569 of faith. Lord, if you had been here, then my 00:02:21.569 --> 00:02:24.770 brother would not have died. But you are all 00:02:24.770 --> 00:02:26.530 the things that you say that you are. So there 00:02:26.530 --> 00:02:29.669 is a profession of faith, if you will, but there 00:02:29.669 --> 00:02:33.150 has not been a quote -unquote miracle yet. But 00:02:33.150 --> 00:02:36.590 Jesus says, I am the resurrection and the life. 00:02:36.689 --> 00:02:38.969 So I have a question for you this morning. How 00:02:38.969 --> 00:02:42.169 many of you know somebody that I would say kind 00:02:42.169 --> 00:02:45.469 of oversells themselves and under delivers? You 00:02:45.469 --> 00:02:47.770 don't have to raise your hand. Don't point. But 00:02:47.770 --> 00:02:51.090 understand that there are people in life that 00:02:51.090 --> 00:02:54.310 they can talk a good game. They talk a good game, 00:02:54.409 --> 00:02:56.810 right? And maybe they don't walk that same level 00:02:56.810 --> 00:03:00.189 of game, whether it's in sports, in academics, 00:03:00.409 --> 00:03:04.270 maybe even just in everyday life. Maybe you have 00:03:04.270 --> 00:03:07.110 that neighbor that always is talking about what 00:03:07.110 --> 00:03:10.129 they're going to do to the outside of their house 00:03:10.129 --> 00:03:13.250 or their lawn. They have all these grand ideas, 00:03:13.389 --> 00:03:16.430 yet they never do anything, nor do they pick 00:03:16.430 --> 00:03:18.770 up after their dog when they're on my lawn or 00:03:18.770 --> 00:03:22.300 something like that. Very not specific. But understand, 00:03:22.699 --> 00:03:25.939 I live on Melbrook Drive. Understand that there 00:03:25.939 --> 00:03:28.840 are people like that. And you could, maybe you're 00:03:28.840 --> 00:03:31.800 a skeptic about Jesus or a believer. Is Jesus 00:03:31.800 --> 00:03:34.199 really who he says he is? The thing I love about 00:03:34.199 --> 00:03:39.439 Jesus, there's many. He was a man that talked 00:03:39.439 --> 00:03:42.680 the talk and walked the walk. Because think if 00:03:42.680 --> 00:03:46.280 you're Lazarus' family. Jesus, a good friend, 00:03:46.340 --> 00:03:49.270 someone who's known for doing miracles. You know, 00:03:49.310 --> 00:03:52.069 raising the centurion from sleep to life, though 00:03:52.069 --> 00:03:54.189 they thought she was dead. All of these things. 00:03:54.229 --> 00:03:56.949 The servant. And Jesus makes this declaration. 00:03:57.789 --> 00:04:02.189 I am the resurrection and the life. You know 00:04:02.189 --> 00:04:03.770 what? Let's not even put it in Lazarus' day. 00:04:03.849 --> 00:04:06.669 Put it in your family. Think of a loved one that 00:04:06.669 --> 00:04:09.289 died maybe in the last five years. And you're 00:04:09.289 --> 00:04:12.090 sitting at Smith's funeral home or wherever you 00:04:12.090 --> 00:04:15.650 are. Casket in the room. And Jesus shows up and 00:04:15.650 --> 00:04:18.290 gives this declaration. I am the resurrection 00:04:18.290 --> 00:04:23.189 and the life. My guess is there would be a high 00:04:23.189 --> 00:04:25.910 percentage of us that would interpret that, that 00:04:25.910 --> 00:04:31.069 would hear that, and go, prove it. And I say 00:04:31.069 --> 00:04:32.790 that because we live in a very skeptical age. 00:04:33.069 --> 00:04:36.529 We are skeptical about everything. And guess 00:04:36.529 --> 00:04:39.730 who makes that even harder to believe in things 00:04:39.730 --> 00:04:45.439 in 2025? Us. We, ourselves, make ourselves skeptical 00:04:45.439 --> 00:04:48.300 about everything. And I'm thinking that might 00:04:48.300 --> 00:04:50.160 be a little bit of what they were thinking. Now, 00:04:50.160 --> 00:04:52.160 that's the gospel according to me. We don't know 00:04:52.160 --> 00:04:54.959 that yet. Though there is some angst, right? 00:04:55.019 --> 00:04:56.939 We talked about that last week. There's some 00:04:56.939 --> 00:05:00.980 angst in this passage. But one of the things 00:05:00.980 --> 00:05:04.360 we're going to look at is that Jesus walks into 00:05:04.360 --> 00:05:08.040 his words and brings them to fulfillment. Because 00:05:08.040 --> 00:05:09.879 as we talked about last week, Jesus could have 00:05:09.879 --> 00:05:12.639 been talking about his resurrection. And he was 00:05:12.639 --> 00:05:15.759 in some respect. But he's going to double down 00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:18.120 on the situation. And we're going to go from 00:05:18.120 --> 00:05:22.000 John 14 and John 11. Because there's an aspect 00:05:22.000 --> 00:05:25.000 of John 11 that we need to understand. 14 and 00:05:25.000 --> 00:05:29.139 11 just to kind of tie the narrative together. 00:05:29.399 --> 00:05:31.040 Because the thing we're going to talk about today. 00:05:31.160 --> 00:05:33.220 So not only does he say that he's the resurrection 00:05:33.220 --> 00:05:35.139 and the life. That was last week's distinction. 00:05:35.360 --> 00:05:38.329 The titles. He's going to double down, and he's 00:05:38.329 --> 00:05:41.490 going to say that he is the way, the truth, and 00:05:41.490 --> 00:05:43.670 the life. Because if we're looking at both of 00:05:43.670 --> 00:05:45.790 those sets of distinctions, that Jesus is the 00:05:45.790 --> 00:05:48.329 resurrection and the life, that he is the way, 00:05:48.370 --> 00:05:50.970 the truth, and the life, so doubling down on 00:05:50.970 --> 00:05:55.750 life, really that's all we need. If you think 00:05:55.750 --> 00:05:59.769 about your life, he's the way, so we don't need 00:05:59.769 --> 00:06:03.110 to ever be lost. He is the truth, so we understand 00:06:03.110 --> 00:06:05.689 what to believe, why to believe, when to believe. 00:06:06.329 --> 00:06:11.110 And he is the life over death. And then he is 00:06:11.110 --> 00:06:14.009 the resurrection, the life, which says, even 00:06:14.009 --> 00:06:18.310 death itself is now conquered through me. I don't 00:06:18.310 --> 00:06:21.069 know what more we need. Yet some of us will go, 00:06:21.209 --> 00:06:24.689 I wish he was the winning lottery ticket. I wish 00:06:24.689 --> 00:06:27.230 he was the new car. I wish all of a sudden we 00:06:27.230 --> 00:06:29.430 get this kind of like genie mentality or ATM 00:06:29.430 --> 00:06:34.170 mentality that because Jesus does what he says 00:06:34.170 --> 00:06:37.029 he's going to do and is who he says he is, that 00:06:37.029 --> 00:06:40.589 we can put our own spin on it. But maybe, just 00:06:40.589 --> 00:06:42.949 maybe this morning, what Jesus is uncovering 00:06:42.949 --> 00:06:48.029 for us is maybe this is all we really need. In 00:06:48.029 --> 00:06:50.810 our heart of hearts, in the deep parts of our 00:06:50.810 --> 00:06:55.720 soul, None of us want to be lost. None of us 00:06:55.720 --> 00:06:59.160 want to be alone. And all of us want to know 00:06:59.160 --> 00:07:02.240 that there's somebody that sees us, that loves 00:07:02.240 --> 00:07:05.639 us, that knows us. That in these kind of five, 00:07:05.819 --> 00:07:07.939 four distinctions, if you will, resurrection 00:07:07.939 --> 00:07:10.860 and life, way, truth, and life, Jesus does that 00:07:10.860 --> 00:07:13.639 for us. So let's dive in. We're going to be in 00:07:13.639 --> 00:07:15.600 John 14, and then we're going to flip to John 00:07:15.600 --> 00:07:19.220 11. Okay, so John 14, starting with verse 1. 00:07:19.910 --> 00:07:22.230 Jesus says, do not let your hearts be troubled. 00:07:22.370 --> 00:07:25.870 Believe in God, believe also in me. My Father's 00:07:25.870 --> 00:07:28.189 house has many rooms. If it were not so, I would 00:07:28.189 --> 00:07:31.689 have told you that I am going to prepare a place 00:07:31.689 --> 00:07:35.449 for you. And if I go and prepare a place for 00:07:35.449 --> 00:07:38.550 you, I will come back and take you to be with 00:07:38.550 --> 00:07:41.870 me, that you also may be where I am going. You 00:07:41.870 --> 00:07:44.730 know the way to the place where I am going. But 00:07:44.730 --> 00:07:47.170 Thomas said to him, Lord, we don't know where 00:07:47.170 --> 00:07:49.980 you are going. How can we know the way? Jesus 00:07:49.980 --> 00:07:53.139 answered, I am the way, the truth, and the life. 00:07:53.339 --> 00:07:56.019 No one comes through the Father except through 00:07:56.019 --> 00:07:59.060 me. Now let's go back to John 11. And John 11 00:07:59.060 --> 00:08:02.899 reminds us of kind of Jesus continuing from last 00:08:02.899 --> 00:08:05.399 week. And after she said this, she went back 00:08:05.399 --> 00:08:08.500 and called her sister Mary aside. The teacher 00:08:08.500 --> 00:08:13.100 is here, she said, he and is asking for you. 00:08:13.199 --> 00:08:15.939 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and 00:08:15.939 --> 00:08:19.610 went to him. Now Jesus had not yet entered the 00:08:19.610 --> 00:08:22.269 village, but was still at the place where Martha 00:08:22.269 --> 00:08:24.750 had met him. When the Jews who had been with 00:08:24.750 --> 00:08:27.329 Mary in the house comforting her noticed how 00:08:27.329 --> 00:08:29.629 quickly she got up and went, they followed her, 00:08:29.750 --> 00:08:32.950 supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn 00:08:32.950 --> 00:08:35.330 there. When Mary reached the place where Jesus 00:08:35.330 --> 00:08:39.169 was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, 00:08:39.230 --> 00:08:43.090 Lord. If you had been here, my brother would 00:08:43.090 --> 00:08:47.029 not have died. So we're re -entering the tension. 00:08:47.730 --> 00:08:51.570 We're re -entering this tension. And it kind 00:08:51.570 --> 00:08:53.789 of comes to us in two different ways. A very 00:08:53.789 --> 00:08:56.970 practical way with this confession, right, with 00:08:56.970 --> 00:08:59.730 Mary and Martha. If you had only been here, my 00:08:59.730 --> 00:09:04.789 brother would not have died. Which is an interesting 00:09:04.789 --> 00:09:07.429 thing if you break it down. If you break it down, 00:09:07.549 --> 00:09:10.620 she is... Living in the temporal. She is living. 00:09:10.659 --> 00:09:15.000 I don't want my brother dead. And if Jesus was 00:09:15.000 --> 00:09:16.820 here, he would have saw that maybe he was sick 00:09:16.820 --> 00:09:19.519 or saw that he was declining or saw something 00:09:19.519 --> 00:09:26.059 and would have intervened before the death had 00:09:26.059 --> 00:09:28.259 occurred. Remember, he's been dead now four days. 00:09:28.600 --> 00:09:31.799 So culturally speaking, it was dunzo. They thought 00:09:31.799 --> 00:09:34.220 that that was it. The body was now completely 00:09:34.220 --> 00:09:36.519 dead. We went into a little bit of that last 00:09:36.519 --> 00:09:39.919 week. So she's making kind of an observation 00:09:39.919 --> 00:09:42.740 that really is out of selfishness. And I don't 00:09:42.740 --> 00:09:45.740 think anybody can blame her. If the Messiah, 00:09:46.120 --> 00:09:48.659 the one that she knew, right? Lazarus, Jesus, 00:09:48.820 --> 00:09:52.480 really close, good friends, he's known. She knew 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:55.799 that she knew he would have intervened prior 00:09:55.799 --> 00:10:00.100 to death. There's still a death issue here. And 00:10:00.100 --> 00:10:04.169 Jesus reenters that tension in John 14. Because 00:10:04.169 --> 00:10:05.909 that is what's read in what we know, kind of 00:10:05.909 --> 00:10:09.769 Maundy Thursday, the Last Supper. That he is 00:10:09.769 --> 00:10:13.889 telling the disciples, I'm going to die. And 00:10:13.889 --> 00:10:17.409 I'm going to rise again. And I'm going to prepare 00:10:17.409 --> 00:10:21.509 a place for you so you are with me when you die. 00:10:21.830 --> 00:10:24.889 That is that ultimate direction. We talk about 00:10:24.889 --> 00:10:27.950 it almost every week. The goal has never been, 00:10:28.049 --> 00:10:31.409 never will be earth. The goal has never been, 00:10:31.450 --> 00:10:33.870 never will be what you do in your profession, 00:10:34.049 --> 00:10:37.250 not even your families. Though those are important 00:10:37.250 --> 00:10:38.929 things and we need to be good stewards of that. 00:10:39.129 --> 00:10:43.210 The goal has been, always will be glory and getting 00:10:43.210 --> 00:10:47.929 as many people as we can there. So Jesus is entering 00:10:47.929 --> 00:10:53.289 this tension around death. And if we're being 00:10:53.289 --> 00:10:55.929 completely honest this morning, none of us handles 00:10:55.929 --> 00:11:00.080 death well. 20 years in the ministry. Sitting 00:11:00.080 --> 00:11:03.320 with a family who has lost a loved one or is, 00:11:03.419 --> 00:11:06.639 you know, kind of is in the process of losing 00:11:06.639 --> 00:11:10.019 a loved one is a very sacred time for a family. 00:11:10.259 --> 00:11:13.139 Because a thousand different emotions can happen 00:11:13.139 --> 00:11:17.320 all in one minute. But Jesus is telling us, I 00:11:17.320 --> 00:11:21.000 meet you in this place. And this definition of 00:11:21.000 --> 00:11:24.200 physical death is not the final definition for 00:11:24.200 --> 00:11:28.190 you and me. That if we understand him and follow 00:11:28.190 --> 00:11:32.029 him as the way, there is a way where he is going 00:11:32.029 --> 00:11:36.950 and we will be with him. Jesus is reminding them 00:11:36.950 --> 00:11:39.490 that though in the culture it says there are 00:11:39.490 --> 00:11:42.490 many ways to find that enlightenment, to find 00:11:42.490 --> 00:11:46.509 all of the things for you, much like 2025, he 00:11:46.509 --> 00:11:53.559 is that only way. So we see the struggle. We 00:11:53.559 --> 00:11:55.679 see the struggle that Jesus is claiming to be 00:11:55.679 --> 00:11:58.580 the only path. And if we're being honest, it's 00:11:58.580 --> 00:12:01.039 a struggle. Because there are things that we 00:12:01.039 --> 00:12:04.799 want to follow, do, think, say, live, that are 00:12:04.799 --> 00:12:06.820 different than the way Jesus wants us to do it. 00:12:08.059 --> 00:12:10.940 It's more comfortable to do this. I don't want 00:12:10.940 --> 00:12:13.320 to go that route. I don't want to die to self. 00:12:13.460 --> 00:12:15.620 I don't want to pick up my cross. I don't want 00:12:15.620 --> 00:12:18.480 to follow Jesus. And for some of us, we choose 00:12:18.480 --> 00:12:23.659 not to. We go, no, I want this. I want the instant 00:12:23.659 --> 00:12:26.220 pleasures of the world. I want the success, the 00:12:26.220 --> 00:12:30.320 fame, the finances, whatever it is. But Jesus 00:12:30.320 --> 00:12:33.659 is saying something very specific here by calling 00:12:33.659 --> 00:12:36.480 himself the way. You see, in the ancient world, 00:12:36.639 --> 00:12:40.080 paths and roads were crucial for travel and communication. 00:12:40.740 --> 00:12:46.659 The way was also a term used to describe the 00:12:46.659 --> 00:12:49.340 followers of Christ after he rose and ascended. 00:12:50.350 --> 00:12:53.070 That he's using terminology because he's so good 00:12:53.070 --> 00:12:55.970 that way that people would understand. They're 00:12:55.970 --> 00:12:59.190 all trying to find the way. The Roman road back 00:12:59.190 --> 00:13:03.190 in this time of history, that was the main highways 00:13:03.190 --> 00:13:05.850 and byways that people got around. And Jesus 00:13:05.850 --> 00:13:10.809 is saying, no, do not follow those things. Follow 00:13:10.809 --> 00:13:15.659 me for I am the way. The Jewish people believe 00:13:15.659 --> 00:13:19.039 that access to God came through the temple and 00:13:19.039 --> 00:13:22.019 the sacrificial system. Jesus is now declaring 00:13:22.019 --> 00:13:26.000 that access to God is through him and him alone. 00:13:27.639 --> 00:13:31.620 So the Belgian Confession, one of our confessions. 00:13:32.670 --> 00:13:35.610 The Belgian Confession, Article 26, reminds us 00:13:35.610 --> 00:13:37.990 this morning that we believe that we have no 00:13:37.990 --> 00:13:41.610 access to God except through the one and only 00:13:41.610 --> 00:13:46.210 mediator and intercessor, Jesus Christ the righteous. 00:13:46.730 --> 00:13:49.470 April, leave that up there. This is important 00:13:49.470 --> 00:13:52.309 to understand because we live in an age, and 00:13:52.309 --> 00:13:54.870 guess what? It's nothing new. It's always been 00:13:54.870 --> 00:13:56.429 there. There's more than one way to get to heaven. 00:13:57.200 --> 00:13:59.220 You can follow other world religions. You can 00:13:59.220 --> 00:14:01.120 follow yourself. You can follow the money. You 00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:03.120 can follow the power. You can follow the whatever. 00:14:04.159 --> 00:14:06.220 But what the Belgic Confession is really doubling 00:14:06.220 --> 00:14:10.480 down on for us is we believe there is no access 00:14:10.480 --> 00:14:15.500 to God except through Jesus. So what does that 00:14:15.500 --> 00:14:21.940 mean? You can't earn your way to the table. You, 00:14:21.960 --> 00:14:24.100 you know, though it is good and right and faithful 00:14:24.100 --> 00:14:26.820 to give and to be a part of things, but you could 00:14:26.820 --> 00:14:32.679 have been a Gems leader for 60 years. And without 00:14:32.679 --> 00:14:36.919 Jesus, you can't Gems your way into heaven. You 00:14:36.919 --> 00:14:38.860 can't cadet your way into heaven. You can't Bible 00:14:38.860 --> 00:14:41.740 study your way into heaven. You can't pastor 00:14:41.740 --> 00:14:44.019 your way into heaven. You have to understand 00:14:44.019 --> 00:14:47.139 and submit that there is one road to the Father, 00:14:47.240 --> 00:14:54.850 and that is Jesus, and that is good. Yet, we 00:14:54.850 --> 00:14:58.610 work ourselves tirelessly to think we can earn 00:14:58.610 --> 00:15:04.769 that seat. Friends, that cannot be. Because then 00:15:04.769 --> 00:15:07.549 you can kind of backdoor Jesus, what he did for 00:15:07.549 --> 00:15:10.250 you out of love for you, to try to earn it yourself. 00:15:10.490 --> 00:15:12.649 And I look out here today, and I know we have 00:15:12.649 --> 00:15:15.870 some workhorses. I know we have a lot of worker 00:15:15.870 --> 00:15:19.570 bees. That a 70, 80 hour work week is not uncommon 00:15:19.570 --> 00:15:22.509 for you. I, as your pastor, or maybe just some 00:15:22.509 --> 00:15:24.230 guy talking to you because this is your first 00:15:24.230 --> 00:15:25.889 time here, that's probably not a good thing. 00:15:26.549 --> 00:15:32.090 Life balance is important, but we get this worker 00:15:32.090 --> 00:15:34.450 mentality. So that's fine. As a pastor, I'll 00:15:34.450 --> 00:15:37.789 utilize that. What do you, after submitting your 00:15:37.789 --> 00:15:40.669 life to Jesus, what is he calling you to do? 00:15:42.570 --> 00:15:46.710 Because if he's the way, he wants you to point 00:15:46.710 --> 00:15:49.850 people to the way. And the only way we can do 00:15:49.850 --> 00:15:52.809 that is by knowing him and recognizing him as 00:15:52.809 --> 00:15:56.730 Jesus Christ, the righteous. So have you fully 00:15:56.730 --> 00:16:00.429 embraced Jesus this morning as the way? Or is 00:16:00.429 --> 00:16:04.009 he a way? Is he an option? When it suits me? 00:16:04.090 --> 00:16:07.870 When it feels good? Or just on Sundays? Or is 00:16:07.870 --> 00:16:12.379 he the way in your life? None of us ever want 00:16:12.379 --> 00:16:16.860 to be lost. That feeling of being lost, that 00:16:16.860 --> 00:16:19.200 feeling of not knowing, has it gone down now 00:16:19.200 --> 00:16:21.779 because of GPS and all of those things? Absolutely. 00:16:22.299 --> 00:16:27.480 Remember when we used to use maps? So maps are 00:16:27.480 --> 00:16:29.980 things that have like towns and cities and to 00:16:29.980 --> 00:16:33.620 show where the roads are. Or do you remember 00:16:33.620 --> 00:16:35.700 when MapQuest first came out and you had to print 00:16:35.700 --> 00:16:38.740 out sheets and you had to try to do that while 00:16:38.740 --> 00:16:41.559 driving? Which no one ever thought that was a 00:16:41.559 --> 00:16:45.019 good idea, yet we would do it anyway. But now, 00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:48.980 okay, under the house of grace, how many of us 00:16:48.980 --> 00:16:52.299 still use GPS to places you absolutely, I didn't 00:16:52.299 --> 00:16:54.299 even ask the question and your hand is up, you 00:16:54.299 --> 00:16:56.940 absolutely know where it is, you've been there 00:16:56.940 --> 00:16:59.419 hundreds of times, you still put it in your GPS. 00:17:00.649 --> 00:17:02.970 Yeah, the rest of you are liars. That's absolutely 00:17:02.970 --> 00:17:06.250 junk, right? I know that you do, right? Maybe 00:17:06.250 --> 00:17:08.789 not for your house, but your kid's house, you 00:17:08.789 --> 00:17:13.410 still do it. But understand that Jesus isn't 00:17:13.410 --> 00:17:17.210 just some option. Jesus is not a rerouted route. 00:17:17.329 --> 00:17:21.049 He is the way. And as we're going to dive into 00:17:21.049 --> 00:17:25.240 the truth. You see, these are kind of a package 00:17:25.240 --> 00:17:28.319 deal. Way, truth, life, they all are built onto 00:17:28.319 --> 00:17:30.579 each other. Because if you don't believe that 00:17:30.579 --> 00:17:32.740 Jesus is the truth, guess what? You don't believe 00:17:32.740 --> 00:17:35.339 that he's the way. And ultimately, life at the 00:17:35.339 --> 00:17:36.960 end, we'll get there in about seven minutes, 00:17:37.200 --> 00:17:39.980 that's going to get real hard. But Jesus then 00:17:39.980 --> 00:17:42.640 doubles down, right? He's the truth. So we're 00:17:42.640 --> 00:17:45.200 going to read in John 14, 7 through 11, then 00:17:45.200 --> 00:17:48.920 John 11 to round out that story, that Jesus is 00:17:48.920 --> 00:17:56.410 the truth. Chapter 14, verse 7. If you really 00:17:56.410 --> 00:18:00.109 know me, you will know my Father as well. From 00:18:00.109 --> 00:18:04.269 now on, you do know him and have seen him. Philip 00:18:04.269 --> 00:18:07.849 said, Lord, show us the Father and that will 00:18:07.849 --> 00:18:11.769 be enough for us. Jesus answered, don't you know 00:18:11.769 --> 00:18:15.250 me, Philip? Even after I've been among you such 00:18:15.250 --> 00:18:18.970 a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen 00:18:18.970 --> 00:18:21.950 the Father. How can you say, show us the Father? 00:18:22.410 --> 00:18:25.390 Don't you believe that I am in the Father and 00:18:25.390 --> 00:18:28.609 that the Father is in me? The words I say to 00:18:28.609 --> 00:18:31.930 you, I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, 00:18:32.029 --> 00:18:34.670 it is my Father living in me who is doing his 00:18:34.670 --> 00:18:38.349 work. Believe me when I say that I am in the 00:18:38.349 --> 00:18:41.970 Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe 00:18:41.970 --> 00:18:44.950 on the evidence of the works themselves. Leave 00:18:44.950 --> 00:18:49.130 that one up before we jump. believe on the evidence 00:18:49.130 --> 00:18:53.210 of the works themselves. For all you analytic, 00:18:53.269 --> 00:18:56.990 scientific, engineering type people, right, which 00:18:56.990 --> 00:19:00.910 I am not, but I know plenty of you are, this 00:19:00.910 --> 00:19:04.029 is where I love that Jesus is going straight, 00:19:04.210 --> 00:19:06.869 not only to the heart, but to the mind of anybody 00:19:06.869 --> 00:19:10.829 that reads this. That he is giving empirical 00:19:10.829 --> 00:19:14.650 evidence of the fact that him and the Father 00:19:14.650 --> 00:19:18.519 are one. And for some of us, you need that evidence 00:19:18.519 --> 00:19:22.500 in order to believe. You need to understand and 00:19:22.500 --> 00:19:26.119 try to analyze that 2 plus 2 equals Jesus in 00:19:26.119 --> 00:19:29.339 your life. Now, pastorally, I'm going to say, 00:19:29.420 --> 00:19:32.299 you're going to be frustrated because more times 00:19:32.299 --> 00:19:34.859 than not, Jesus is going to ask you to believe 00:19:34.859 --> 00:19:38.200 in a higher understanding. It's called faith. 00:19:39.400 --> 00:19:41.839 Now, some of you can give scientific equations 00:19:41.839 --> 00:19:43.819 for faith, and for that, I applaud. For some 00:19:43.819 --> 00:19:46.819 of you, it's as easy as... God said it. I believe 00:19:46.819 --> 00:19:49.960 it. That's the end. Okay. And everywhere in between. 00:19:50.420 --> 00:19:52.960 But Jesus, this is the talking talk, walking 00:19:52.960 --> 00:19:57.819 walk. This is where he's going to prove unequivocally 00:19:57.819 --> 00:20:02.000 that he is who he says he is. Because he's going 00:20:02.000 --> 00:20:04.160 to do things like we're going to see in John 00:20:04.160 --> 00:20:07.640 11. So John 11, starting with verse 33. When 00:20:07.640 --> 00:20:10.440 Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come 00:20:10.440 --> 00:20:13.799 along with her also weeping, He was deeply moved 00:20:13.799 --> 00:20:16.700 in spirit and troubled. Where have you laid him, 00:20:16.799 --> 00:20:20.980 he asked. Come and see, Lord, they replied. Shortest 00:20:20.980 --> 00:20:24.519 verse in the Bible. Jesus wept. Then the Jews 00:20:24.519 --> 00:20:27.680 said, see how he loved them. But some of them 00:20:27.680 --> 00:20:30.480 said, could not he who opened the eyes of the 00:20:30.480 --> 00:20:34.039 blind man have kept this man from dying? Oh, 00:20:34.140 --> 00:20:36.940 we're right there. We're right in the mix. There's 00:20:36.940 --> 00:20:40.799 a tension. It's uncomfortable. They see his love 00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:44.339 for people. They see his love for Lazarus. They 00:20:44.339 --> 00:20:47.380 see this teacher, this miracle worker, as they've 00:20:47.380 --> 00:20:51.599 already declared. They see the love. Yet one 00:20:51.599 --> 00:20:54.000 thing they still demand, if they're being honest, 00:20:54.380 --> 00:21:00.680 physical evidence of conquering death. You're 00:21:00.680 --> 00:21:02.480 going to say you're the way? You're going to 00:21:02.480 --> 00:21:05.680 say you're the truth? Fine. We still want him 00:21:05.680 --> 00:21:09.619 to prove it. And if we're being honest this morning, 00:21:09.700 --> 00:21:12.140 there are some of us that we camp there a lot. 00:21:13.519 --> 00:21:16.339 Lord, I still don't have the job I want or a 00:21:16.339 --> 00:21:19.440 job at all. I still have conflict in my marriage 00:21:19.440 --> 00:21:22.859 and in my family. I still can't get so and so 00:21:22.859 --> 00:21:25.960 to notice me. I still am not, I am still am not, 00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:30.900 I still don't have, insert whatever here. Friend, 00:21:30.940 --> 00:21:33.640 what we're doing then is looking at God as the 00:21:33.640 --> 00:21:36.099 genie from Aladdin. Or looking at God as some 00:21:36.099 --> 00:21:39.059 apostolic ATM. That if we give the right code, 00:21:39.160 --> 00:21:41.640 say the right things, he will give us everything 00:21:41.640 --> 00:21:45.619 we desire. It even says, ask and it will be given 00:21:45.619 --> 00:21:48.740 to you. But let me ask all the parents in the 00:21:48.740 --> 00:21:52.599 room. When your kid asks, and I know your kids 00:21:52.599 --> 00:21:54.460 always ask for really good things, right? And 00:21:54.460 --> 00:21:58.319 they're never dumb. Do you give them everything 00:21:58.319 --> 00:22:02.420 they want? Do you give your kids everything that 00:22:02.420 --> 00:22:05.430 they want? No, because if you did, guess what? 00:22:05.490 --> 00:22:07.789 They'd never be in school. They'd be behind the 00:22:07.789 --> 00:22:10.289 wheel of a car at five. And guess what? At times, 00:22:10.349 --> 00:22:14.289 you won't exist. Because if we're being honest, 00:22:14.569 --> 00:22:17.549 our kids don't always want parents. They want 00:22:17.549 --> 00:22:21.250 somebody else. I beat Johnny's dad nine times 00:22:21.250 --> 00:22:24.029 in the last two weeks. I don't even know who 00:22:24.029 --> 00:22:28.109 Johnny's dad is. But I wouldn't be me. The father 00:22:28.109 --> 00:22:31.630 gives to his kids what is best for the kids. 00:22:32.430 --> 00:22:36.690 Not always what the kids want. As your kids get 00:22:36.690 --> 00:22:39.609 older, let's just take holiday season where we 00:22:39.609 --> 00:22:43.789 give a lot of gifts. If you gave your kids everything 00:22:43.789 --> 00:22:48.390 they've ever wanted, you'd be poor. You'd be 00:22:48.390 --> 00:22:50.869 out of a house. You'd probably be out of a job 00:22:50.869 --> 00:22:53.630 because you'd have nothing left. Because when 00:22:53.630 --> 00:22:56.230 we are kids, we just want and want and want and 00:22:56.230 --> 00:22:59.789 want and want. But isn't it funny that even as 00:22:59.789 --> 00:23:02.380 adults, maybe that's what... God gets from us. 00:23:03.119 --> 00:23:07.039 I want, I want, I want, I want. I'm praying to 00:23:07.039 --> 00:23:09.019 you, God, I want these things, I want these things. 00:23:09.160 --> 00:23:11.079 Okay, I'll also pray for good weather so I'm 00:23:11.079 --> 00:23:13.480 not super selfish. But really, I want all these 00:23:13.480 --> 00:23:18.900 things. The way, the truth, and the life is exactly 00:23:18.900 --> 00:23:21.839 what all of us should ever want. Because it's 00:23:21.839 --> 00:23:25.519 all that we ever need. That we need to understand 00:23:25.519 --> 00:23:29.240 this understanding of truth. Is Jesus being the 00:23:29.240 --> 00:23:31.920 revelation of God? In the Greco -Roman thought, 00:23:32.099 --> 00:23:35.160 truth was seen as abstract and philosophical. 00:23:36.119 --> 00:23:39.299 Jesus now is doubling down on that and saying 00:23:39.299 --> 00:23:42.559 truth is not just an idea. It's not just a theory. 00:23:42.680 --> 00:23:45.920 It's not just a religious system. It's a person. 00:23:45.960 --> 00:23:52.799 That Jesus is truth himself. Maybe you've said 00:23:52.799 --> 00:23:55.759 it or you've heard other people say it. Did you 00:23:55.759 --> 00:23:58.180 do that? No, I didn't do that. I swear to... 00:23:58.180 --> 00:24:01.619 I know, but you don't want to say it because 00:24:01.619 --> 00:24:03.740 that's breaking an actual commandment. And I 00:24:03.740 --> 00:24:05.740 don't want you to do that, but understand that 00:24:05.740 --> 00:24:07.319 that's what it is. That's using the Lord's name 00:24:07.319 --> 00:24:09.680 in vain. We talked about it in junior high catechism 00:24:09.680 --> 00:24:12.400 a couple weeks ago. When we flippantly say, I 00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:15.559 swear to God, that is misusing the name of the 00:24:15.559 --> 00:24:18.859 Lord. That is using the Lord's name in vain. 00:24:20.019 --> 00:24:22.720 That understanding, if we're going to claim Jesus 00:24:22.720 --> 00:24:25.019 is all these things, then we better believe it. 00:24:25.369 --> 00:24:29.529 as well. That Jesus himself is truth. That Jesus 00:24:29.529 --> 00:24:34.029 is the clearest picture of God that we will ever 00:24:34.029 --> 00:24:38.029 have. And now let me turn that on its head. When 00:24:38.029 --> 00:24:41.349 we get up there, Jesus will be the clearest picture 00:24:41.349 --> 00:24:46.109 of you that the Father will see. Have you ever 00:24:46.109 --> 00:24:49.349 thought about that? Because if you get up there 00:24:49.349 --> 00:24:52.799 and you throw at those gates, the years you've 00:24:52.799 --> 00:24:56.960 put in gems, how many cars you made of cadets, 00:24:57.119 --> 00:25:00.279 how many hobo pies you made out of a fire that's 00:25:00.279 --> 00:25:02.799 given you so many gut issues over the years, 00:25:03.000 --> 00:25:05.720 if that's what you're going to bring to the gates 00:25:05.720 --> 00:25:10.700 of glory, what is the Father going to say? I 00:25:10.700 --> 00:25:17.420 never knew you. It's Jesus. That when we get 00:25:17.420 --> 00:25:19.839 up there, Jesus is going to be the clearest picture 00:25:19.839 --> 00:25:23.079 of us that the Father sees, as Jesus is the clearest 00:25:23.079 --> 00:25:26.119 picture of the Father that we have on this earth. 00:25:28.299 --> 00:25:30.140 So what does that mean for people around you? 00:25:30.900 --> 00:25:33.440 What does that mean for your neighbors? Even 00:25:33.440 --> 00:25:36.460 the one that doesn't pick up after his dog. I 00:25:36.460 --> 00:25:39.680 may be the clearest picture of God they may ever 00:25:39.680 --> 00:25:43.299 see. Friend, I don't know about you, but that's 00:25:43.299 --> 00:25:46.829 terrifying. And the way I live my life and the 00:25:46.829 --> 00:25:48.930 way I talk to people, the way I drive my car, 00:25:49.049 --> 00:25:52.190 the way I work my work, the way I eat food in 00:25:52.190 --> 00:25:56.450 public, all these things. If you claim to be 00:25:56.450 --> 00:25:59.109 a believer, then people may put that on you. 00:26:00.690 --> 00:26:03.470 In whichever way they're going to do it. Jesus 00:26:03.470 --> 00:26:07.230 talks to us about that in Matthew 5. People are 00:26:07.230 --> 00:26:10.799 going to revile you because of me. They're going 00:26:10.799 --> 00:26:13.279 to try to pick apart your life because of me. 00:26:13.339 --> 00:26:18.059 But take heart, they did it to me first. The 00:26:18.059 --> 00:26:19.859 Heidelberg Catechism Lord's Question and Answer 00:26:19.859 --> 00:26:24.180 19 reminds us that God himself first revealed 00:26:24.180 --> 00:26:28.140 his gospel in paradise. And he fulfills, and 00:26:28.140 --> 00:26:31.940 he himself fulfills it through only his son. 00:26:33.299 --> 00:26:35.119 Ever thought that's why Adam and Eve couldn't 00:26:35.119 --> 00:26:38.450 go back into the garden? That God put that flaming 00:26:38.450 --> 00:26:40.730 cherubim so they could not go back. Their eyes 00:26:40.730 --> 00:26:42.849 were already opened with the knowledge of good 00:26:42.849 --> 00:26:45.529 and evil. What we forget is that tree of life 00:26:45.529 --> 00:26:49.490 was still there. And God knew that if we would 00:26:49.490 --> 00:26:51.990 have eaten of that apple, of the tree of life, 00:26:52.049 --> 00:26:55.809 we would have been forever in sin with no hope 00:26:55.809 --> 00:26:58.849 of salvation. That's why we see in Revelation 00:26:58.849 --> 00:27:02.329 the tree of life is now a way present and made 00:27:02.329 --> 00:27:05.049 a way to it through the person of Jesus Christ. 00:27:05.190 --> 00:27:07.950 If that's not the way, if that's not the truth, 00:27:08.250 --> 00:27:13.809 then I don't know what is. So here we go. We're 00:27:13.809 --> 00:27:16.490 going to round out the story. The way, the truth, 00:27:16.589 --> 00:27:19.349 and the life. How many lives am I at so far? 00:27:20.669 --> 00:27:23.349 A lot. Thank you. So the gems, they do a thing 00:27:23.349 --> 00:27:25.769 where we pick a word of things I'm going to say, 00:27:25.910 --> 00:27:27.950 and they have to mark down every time I say it. 00:27:27.970 --> 00:27:30.349 Thank God it's not the word um. That would be 00:27:30.349 --> 00:27:33.269 terrifying. The life, starting with John 14, 00:27:33.490 --> 00:27:37.690 verse 12. Very truly I tell you, whoever believes 00:27:37.690 --> 00:27:40.529 in me will do the works I have been doing, and 00:27:40.529 --> 00:27:42.589 they will do even greater things than these, 00:27:42.829 --> 00:27:45.849 because I am going to the Father. and I will 00:27:45.849 --> 00:27:49.829 do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father 00:27:49.829 --> 00:27:53.329 may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for 00:27:53.329 --> 00:27:56.170 anything in my name, and I will do it. Before 00:27:56.170 --> 00:28:02.069 we jump, that is not a license for us to ask 00:28:02.069 --> 00:28:06.250 God out of our selfishness. That that is a freedom 00:28:06.250 --> 00:28:10.710 and a liberty to seek first the kingdom of God 00:28:10.710 --> 00:28:14.410 as he instructs us to. And now back to Lazarus. 00:28:14.759 --> 00:28:18.500 chapter 11, verse 38. Jesus, once more deeply 00:28:18.500 --> 00:28:21.920 moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a 00:28:21.920 --> 00:28:25.660 stone laid across the entrance. Take away the 00:28:25.660 --> 00:28:30.680 stone, he said. Four days dead, okay? But Lord, 00:28:30.859 --> 00:28:33.599 said Martha, the sister of the dead man, by this 00:28:33.599 --> 00:28:37.259 time there is a bad odor, for he has been there 00:28:37.259 --> 00:28:41.950 four days. Okay. They want this to happen. They 00:28:41.950 --> 00:28:44.450 were assuming it could have happened. They bet 00:28:44.450 --> 00:28:47.049 that if Jesus was there, this would never have 00:28:47.049 --> 00:28:50.009 happened. Yet they're worried about the smell. 00:28:50.670 --> 00:28:54.130 Then Jesus said, did I not tell you that if you 00:28:54.130 --> 00:28:57.990 believe, you will see the glory of God? So they 00:28:57.990 --> 00:29:01.230 took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and 00:29:01.230 --> 00:29:04.309 said, Father, I thank you that you have heard 00:29:04.309 --> 00:29:07.640 me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said 00:29:07.640 --> 00:29:09.819 this for the benefit of the people standing here, 00:29:09.960 --> 00:29:12.920 that they may believe that you sent me. When 00:29:12.920 --> 00:29:15.779 he had said this, Jesus called out in a loud 00:29:15.779 --> 00:29:20.079 voice, Lazarus, come out. The dead man came out, 00:29:20.099 --> 00:29:22.220 his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen 00:29:22.220 --> 00:29:25.859 and his cloth around his face. Jesus said to 00:29:25.859 --> 00:29:29.460 them, take off the grave clothes and let him 00:29:29.460 --> 00:29:35.019 go. So we see the drama unfold. Jesus declares 00:29:35.019 --> 00:29:37.319 that whoever believes in him will do greater 00:29:37.319 --> 00:29:40.339 works. This does not mean greater miracles, but 00:29:40.339 --> 00:29:42.759 the expansion of the gospel through the church. 00:29:43.119 --> 00:29:46.559 In John 11, Jesus commands Lazarus to come out 00:29:46.559 --> 00:29:50.039 of the tomb. He has power over life and death, 00:29:50.200 --> 00:29:54.019 proving he is the source of all things. So what 00:29:54.019 --> 00:29:56.660 in the world do we take from this? The Canons 00:29:56.660 --> 00:29:59.660 of Dort, head to Article 8, reminds us of this. 00:30:00.269 --> 00:30:03.329 The death of the Son of God is a single and most 00:30:03.329 --> 00:30:06.630 perfect sacrifice and satisfaction for sins. 00:30:06.910 --> 00:30:10.529 Of infinite value and worth, abundantly sufficient 00:30:10.529 --> 00:30:15.930 to expiate the sins of the whole world. Everything 00:30:15.930 --> 00:30:19.250 you've ever done to everything you will do. Every 00:30:19.250 --> 00:30:21.509 thought you ever have, every sin you've done 00:30:21.509 --> 00:30:25.809 with your hand, anything. This is a perfect sacrifice 00:30:25.809 --> 00:30:31.210 for you and for me. There's fullness in this. 00:30:32.109 --> 00:30:36.069 Jesus is showing that he is the way, the truth, 00:30:36.269 --> 00:30:41.230 and the life. And here's the rub. Some of us, 00:30:41.230 --> 00:30:44.470 even right now, are struggling with a very active 00:30:44.470 --> 00:30:48.490 sin. Maybe it's the sin of lust. Maybe it's the 00:30:48.490 --> 00:30:52.210 sin of this, that, or the other thing. Go list 00:30:52.210 --> 00:30:53.869 through all the commandments. List through all 00:30:53.869 --> 00:30:57.390 600 laws. Maybe you are struggling actively in 00:30:57.390 --> 00:31:01.130 one of these. Maybe, just maybe, you feel yourself 00:31:01.130 --> 00:31:04.470 dead in that sin that's been longer than four 00:31:04.470 --> 00:31:10.390 days. Friend, Jesus is saying, come out. He wants 00:31:10.390 --> 00:31:13.549 to raise you to new life. He wants to teach you 00:31:13.549 --> 00:31:18.109 to conquer that sin in this world. Though it 00:31:18.109 --> 00:31:21.170 may always be a sin. It may always be a temptation. 00:31:21.450 --> 00:31:23.630 It may always be something you have to run back 00:31:23.630 --> 00:31:28.740 to dad for. Guess what? That's okay. Just as 00:31:28.740 --> 00:31:32.299 your kid knows there's nothing in the closet 00:31:32.299 --> 00:31:34.160 at 3 .30 in the morning that should scare him, 00:31:34.200 --> 00:31:37.700 they may still come to seek peace from the father 00:31:37.700 --> 00:31:40.200 and the mother or the Holland in our house, the 00:31:40.200 --> 00:31:45.819 mother. We know that we know these things are 00:31:45.819 --> 00:31:48.279 not out to get us, yet we believe they are and 00:31:48.279 --> 00:31:52.240 we run back to the father who is always there. 00:31:53.000 --> 00:31:57.759 Abundantly sufficient. Abundantly sufficient. 00:31:57.599 --> 00:32:01.599 He gives you and I more than we could ever dream. 00:32:02.119 --> 00:32:04.819 But maybe you're spiritually stagnant this morning. 00:32:05.000 --> 00:32:08.180 Maybe the walk in Christ is just dry. It's just 00:32:08.180 --> 00:32:10.680 not exciting. Maybe you're just really bored. 00:32:11.619 --> 00:32:15.339 What Jesus is calling you out of is your selfishness 00:32:15.339 --> 00:32:19.920 and your ego to say, stop making this about you. 00:32:21.079 --> 00:32:24.470 Get your butt out there and serve. Find the soup 00:32:24.470 --> 00:32:28.210 kitchen. Find intermission. Find the TMC. Find 00:32:28.210 --> 00:32:30.369 whatever ministry, if you're not from Archer, 00:32:30.410 --> 00:32:34.410 said we are involved in. Get involved. You want 00:32:34.410 --> 00:32:36.970 to make something not about you? Come every other 00:32:36.970 --> 00:32:40.009 Wednesday to Cadets or Gems. Help build into 00:32:40.009 --> 00:32:42.750 the life of somebody else. Because you're going 00:32:42.750 --> 00:32:45.289 to be called to a responsibility. You're going 00:32:45.289 --> 00:32:49.269 to be called to a boldness. And if you're going 00:32:49.269 --> 00:32:53.710 to teach it, you better live it as well. And 00:32:53.710 --> 00:32:57.990 that's hard, and that can be a hard, long road. 00:32:58.069 --> 00:32:59.750 But guess what? Look around. It's why you're 00:32:59.750 --> 00:33:01.329 not here by yourself, because that would be an 00:33:01.329 --> 00:33:06.250 awkward sermon. We do this together as the body 00:33:06.250 --> 00:33:10.190 of Christ. Do we live in the fullness of life 00:33:10.190 --> 00:33:12.789 that Christ offers, or are we spiritually stagnant? 00:33:12.890 --> 00:33:15.970 Remember, Jesus calls us to abundant and eternal 00:33:15.970 --> 00:33:19.690 life in him. So where do we go from here? How 00:33:19.690 --> 00:33:22.289 do we take this into our week? First, for our 00:33:22.289 --> 00:33:27.660 head. Know the way. Study how Jesus is the only 00:33:27.660 --> 00:33:31.460 mediator. Read John 14, Acts 4, Hebrews 10 and 00:33:31.460 --> 00:33:35.740 reflect. Do I fully trust in Jesus as the only 00:33:35.740 --> 00:33:39.740 way to salvation? For the heart, trust the truth 00:33:39.740 --> 00:33:43.140 that Jesus is the full revelation of God. Rest 00:33:43.140 --> 00:33:46.299 in him rather than searching for identity and 00:33:46.299 --> 00:33:50.039 truth elsewhere. Reflect what competing truths 00:33:50.039 --> 00:33:54.380 tempt you to doubt Jesus' sufficiency. And finally, 00:33:54.380 --> 00:33:58.000 for our hands and feet, walk the life. Share 00:33:58.000 --> 00:34:00.240 the hope of Christ with someone who is lost. 00:34:01.019 --> 00:34:03.599 Live with boldness knowing that eternal life 00:34:03.599 --> 00:34:08.420 is found in him. Challenge for that? Who in my 00:34:08.420 --> 00:34:11.119 life needs to hear that Jesus is the way, the 00:34:11.119 --> 00:34:11.539 truth?