1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,900 He is glorious. 2 00:00:06,900 --> 00:00:13,780 Behold the one who has come for us. 3 00:00:13,780 --> 00:00:15,740 Welcome to Hub City Vineyard. 4 00:00:15,740 --> 00:00:17,780 To get connected or to give online, 5 00:00:17,780 --> 00:00:23,680 you can go to connect.hcv.church or give.hcv.church. 6 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:25,660 If at any time during this message 7 00:00:25,660 --> 00:00:28,300 you feel called to make a change in your life, 8 00:00:28,300 --> 00:00:33,060 text changeme to 970-00. 9 00:00:33,060 --> 00:00:34,760 Thank you and enjoy the message. 10 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:36,540 Hey, good morning, everyone. 11 00:00:36,540 --> 00:00:38,800 How's everybody doing today? 12 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:41,180 I just walked out here and realized that I wore blue 13 00:00:41,180 --> 00:00:44,080 and I'm supposed to be wearing red because it's February. 14 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:45,780 So please forgive me for that. 15 00:00:45,780 --> 00:00:46,980 If you're joining us from home, 16 00:00:46,980 --> 00:00:49,380 thank you for welcoming us into your space. 17 00:00:49,380 --> 00:00:51,520 One additional announcement that I did make 18 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:53,580 on Friday night at our Freedom Night, 19 00:00:53,580 --> 00:00:56,880 for those of you who came, we had an awesome encounter 20 00:00:56,880 --> 00:01:00,320 worshiping God and letting go of the struggles 21 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:02,360 that God has highlighted in our life. 22 00:01:02,360 --> 00:01:06,920 And at that night, I spoke about what our end of the year 23 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:08,860 Christmas offering is going to be. 24 00:01:08,860 --> 00:01:12,640 So many of you know that last year we raised $56,000 25 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:15,400 and gave it away to Blood Water Mission, 26 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:17,380 who will make a difference in Africa 27 00:01:17,380 --> 00:01:20,500 by building wells to provide clean drinking water 28 00:01:20,500 --> 00:01:24,840 to families and communities in those areas. 29 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:26,380 The cool thing about that, 30 00:01:26,380 --> 00:01:28,120 I just found out, I got an email back 31 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:29,460 from Blood Water this week. 32 00:01:29,460 --> 00:01:33,360 Jess and I have been invited to go to Kenya in May, 33 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:35,320 which we will be going to. 34 00:01:35,320 --> 00:01:37,500 But while on that trip, 35 00:01:37,500 --> 00:01:39,400 after speaking with Blood Water Mission, 36 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:43,600 they actually have wells being built in Kenya 37 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:46,200 that we are going to get to see and take pictures of 38 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:48,500 to send back to all of you, 39 00:01:48,500 --> 00:01:50,300 just to highlight what your money, 40 00:01:50,300 --> 00:01:53,140 what our Christmas gift did this past year. 41 00:01:53,140 --> 00:01:54,940 So I'm super excited about that 42 00:01:54,940 --> 00:01:56,240 and I know it's gonna make a difference. 43 00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:59,180 Now this year, fast forward to Christmas, 44 00:01:59,180 --> 00:02:01,180 we've been praying, we've been asking God, 45 00:02:01,180 --> 00:02:04,260 what do we focus on, what can we give away, 46 00:02:04,260 --> 00:02:05,420 money to to make a difference. 47 00:02:05,420 --> 00:02:07,860 This year it's gonna go to freedom. 48 00:02:07,860 --> 00:02:11,920 We are gonna give our Christmas gift 49 00:02:11,920 --> 00:02:15,600 to different organizations that are focusing on 50 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:17,460 ending human trafficking. 51 00:02:19,300 --> 00:02:22,680 We're gonna partner with A21 around the world. 52 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:26,480 A21 builds houses, recovery houses for victims 53 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:30,080 that are saved and set free from human trafficking 54 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:32,120 where they can live and recover. 55 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:34,420 And we're also gonna partner with some local agencies 56 00:02:34,420 --> 00:02:36,320 that are making a difference locally 57 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:37,660 in the state of Maryland 58 00:02:37,660 --> 00:02:39,660 to end human trafficking in the state. 59 00:02:39,660 --> 00:02:41,360 Yes, it does happen here. 60 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:45,120 And we now have a team that is raising awareness. 61 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:47,100 We are going to do a walk for freedom. 62 00:02:47,100 --> 00:02:48,500 Actually, it could be a walk run. 63 00:02:48,500 --> 00:02:49,340 We don't know yet. 64 00:02:49,340 --> 00:02:52,100 We're working on that as far as the details in October. 65 00:02:52,100 --> 00:02:54,440 But we want to as a community of faith 66 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:58,880 be a part of ending human trafficking in 2024. 67 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:01,720 So our Christmas gift this year in December 68 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:03,720 is going to go to that effort. 69 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:05,320 Is that okay with everyone? 70 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:06,220 All right, cool. 71 00:03:06,220 --> 00:03:07,980 Just wanted to make sure. 72 00:03:07,980 --> 00:03:09,180 Just wanted to make sure. 73 00:03:09,180 --> 00:03:12,620 So it is the month of love, of course. 74 00:03:12,620 --> 00:03:15,700 And we're kicking off a new series called Love Letters. 75 00:03:15,700 --> 00:03:19,060 Does anybody wanna guess what this series could be about? 76 00:03:19,060 --> 00:03:19,900 There you go. 77 00:03:19,900 --> 00:03:22,400 That's not very hard to figure out. 78 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:25,200 We're gonna focus on God's love the entire month. 79 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:27,600 Now the cool thing about love letters, listen to this. 80 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:31,940 The longest and probably simplest love letter ever written 81 00:03:31,940 --> 00:03:36,940 was from a Parisian painter named Marcel de Leclerc in 1875. 82 00:03:38,220 --> 00:03:40,880 It was addressed to Magdalen de Villalour. 83 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:43,380 The letter contained one phrase, 84 00:03:43,380 --> 00:03:46,560 j'ai vu ami, I love you, 85 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:51,360 1,875,000 times. 86 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:53,800 Now the lover didn't write the letter himself 87 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:55,800 but hired a scribe. 88 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:58,060 He could have just said, right, I love you, 89 00:03:58,060 --> 00:04:00,600 1,875,000 times. 90 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:04,380 However, he actually dictated the letter word for word. 91 00:04:04,380 --> 00:04:06,740 Each time he would say the phrase, 92 00:04:06,740 --> 00:04:09,320 he would ask the scribe to repeat it back 93 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:10,940 before writing it down. 94 00:04:10,940 --> 00:04:12,880 By the time the letter was finished, 95 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:15,820 I love you was spoken and written. 96 00:04:15,820 --> 00:04:20,820 5,625,000 times. 97 00:04:20,820 --> 00:04:22,020 Now I don't know about you 98 00:04:22,020 --> 00:04:24,520 but that's a lot of expression of love. 99 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:27,800 Husbands get busy, okay? 100 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:30,060 We got a lot of work to do. 101 00:04:31,340 --> 00:04:32,660 Now I don't know about you 102 00:04:32,660 --> 00:04:34,040 but if you ever laid in bed at night 103 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:36,000 and you just kind of had one of those feelings 104 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:38,540 you couldn't go to sleep, you're staring at the ceiling 105 00:04:38,540 --> 00:04:41,640 and you just feel unloved and alone. 106 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:42,720 I mean you could be married, 107 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:44,380 your spouse could be laying beside you 108 00:04:44,380 --> 00:04:46,880 but you just have this sense within you 109 00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:49,820 that you wish you had someone to hold you 110 00:04:49,820 --> 00:04:52,520 and tell you that they loved you. 111 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:54,760 See the love we experience here on earth 112 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:58,060 will never compare to God's love for us. 113 00:04:58,060 --> 00:05:01,660 Our hearts have been made to cry out for a love 114 00:05:01,660 --> 00:05:04,260 that can only come from the creator. 115 00:05:04,260 --> 00:05:08,440 A man or a woman may seem like that's the best fix 116 00:05:08,440 --> 00:05:11,880 but only God's love is lasting solution. 117 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:15,440 This truth is actually written throughout the Bible. 118 00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:17,380 Did you actually know that the Bible 119 00:05:17,380 --> 00:05:20,240 is God's love letter to us? 120 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:22,280 That throughout the scriptures, 121 00:05:22,280 --> 00:05:25,160 I know there's some weird parts in the Old Testament 122 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:27,320 but ultimately it's the unending story 123 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:30,560 of God's pursuit of his creation. 124 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:33,760 In Isaiah 43, this is a great example 125 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:35,700 of a love letter from God. 126 00:05:35,700 --> 00:05:39,500 One way to study the Bible is to read it 127 00:05:39,500 --> 00:05:42,140 and then to write it down in your own words. 128 00:05:42,140 --> 00:05:45,240 This actually helps you to better understand it 129 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:46,640 as you read it. 130 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:48,340 So I wanna challenge you this week. 131 00:05:48,340 --> 00:05:53,340 Read Isaiah 43 as if God was writing a letter to you. 132 00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:58,280 Then after reading it, write it down in your own words. 133 00:05:58,280 --> 00:05:59,520 I did it this week. 134 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:02,120 Here is my love letter from God 135 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:04,960 that I wrote down in my own words. 136 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:09,120 Chris, I created you, I formed you. 137 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:11,800 Fear not, for I have redeemed you. 138 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:13,940 I have called you by name. 139 00:06:13,940 --> 00:06:15,400 You are mine. 140 00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:18,480 When you pass through the waters, I'll be with you. 141 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:20,880 The waters won't overwhelm you. 142 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:24,080 When you walk through fire, you won't be burned. 143 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:26,840 And the flame shall not consume you. 144 00:06:26,840 --> 00:06:30,240 I am the Lord your God, your Savior, the Holy One. 145 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:34,320 You are precious in my eyes and honored and I love you. 146 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:36,820 Fear not, for I am with you. 147 00:06:36,820 --> 00:06:39,100 I created you for my glory. 148 00:06:39,100 --> 00:06:41,960 I formed you and made you. 149 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:46,900 See friends, God loves us and he has written us love letters 150 00:06:46,900 --> 00:06:48,840 and for the entire month of February, 151 00:06:48,840 --> 00:06:52,680 we're gonna be discussing the letter that John wrote to us 152 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:54,640 in the book of 1 John. 153 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:57,140 John the Apostle, one of Jesus' disciples, 154 00:06:57,140 --> 00:06:59,920 spent three years with Jesus. 155 00:06:59,920 --> 00:07:01,720 He wrote the Gospel of John, 156 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:04,220 of course an account of Jesus' life. 157 00:07:04,220 --> 00:07:07,280 Then he became a pastor in Ephesus. 158 00:07:07,280 --> 00:07:11,360 He wrote this letter along with the second and third letter 159 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:14,800 to the churches around Ephesus in Asia Minor, 160 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:18,900 which is now modern day Turkey, near the end of his life. 161 00:07:18,900 --> 00:07:21,600 Now in these letters, you will discover 162 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:25,280 that he is expressing his heart as a pastor 163 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:26,640 for these churches. 164 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:29,820 And it is my prayer that as we go through this book 165 00:07:29,820 --> 00:07:33,120 this month, that you encounter two truths 166 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:36,720 that I believe will radically change your life. 167 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:41,080 And the first is that you have eternal life. 168 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:44,900 See, one of the main purposes of the book of 1 John, 169 00:07:44,900 --> 00:07:47,800 interestingly enough, is that you can find it 170 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:49,960 at the end of the Gospel of John. 171 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:51,500 So when you look at John's Gospel, 172 00:07:51,500 --> 00:07:55,100 at the very end John says this in John chapter 20. 173 00:07:55,100 --> 00:07:58,840 The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs 174 00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:01,540 in addition to the ones recorded in this book. 175 00:08:01,540 --> 00:08:04,840 But these are written so that you may continue to believe 176 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:07,680 that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, 177 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:11,640 and that by believing in him, you will have life 178 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:14,280 by power of his name. 179 00:08:14,280 --> 00:08:17,520 See, that is the theme for John. 180 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:20,080 And in here, in John's first letter, 181 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:24,420 he uses phrases like eternal life over and over again, 182 00:08:24,420 --> 00:08:26,460 in fact, 10 different times, 183 00:08:26,460 --> 00:08:29,880 an average of twice in each chapter. 184 00:08:29,880 --> 00:08:32,520 To go along with that, he also uses words 185 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:36,320 knowing and perceiving another 50 times. 186 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:39,700 So John wanted the men and women in the churches 187 00:08:39,700 --> 00:08:42,040 around him that he was pastoring 188 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:43,760 that they had eternal life. 189 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:47,080 And friends, I want you to know that as well. 190 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:51,060 And it's so important because so many people 191 00:08:51,060 --> 00:08:54,160 can be easily deceived about eternal life. 192 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:56,580 And that's why John is writing this letter. 193 00:08:56,580 --> 00:09:00,640 Some of the people in his churches were deceived. 194 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:03,600 They were saying, oh, well, I'm a Christian, 195 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:06,200 and I believe in God, 196 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:08,760 but it wasn't coming out in their life. 197 00:09:08,760 --> 00:09:10,760 They were simply speaking the words 198 00:09:10,760 --> 00:09:13,520 to associate with the churches. 199 00:09:13,520 --> 00:09:16,760 But they weren't experiencing the change that God desires. 200 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:18,720 There was no evidence of change. 201 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:22,480 And even today, that deception continues 202 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:24,300 in the American church. 203 00:09:24,300 --> 00:09:26,440 I mean, there's all kinds of people 204 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:30,140 who think they're Christians, but they're not 205 00:09:30,140 --> 00:09:34,560 because they simply check a box in a census, right? 206 00:09:34,560 --> 00:09:37,660 Or they put in their profile page, I'm a Christian, 207 00:09:37,660 --> 00:09:39,920 or they grew up in a Christian home. 208 00:09:39,920 --> 00:09:43,020 Friends, that does not make you a follower of Jesus. 209 00:09:43,020 --> 00:09:45,300 That makes you an associate of him. 210 00:09:46,220 --> 00:09:49,820 So my first prayer is that as we go through this book 211 00:09:49,820 --> 00:09:52,640 this month is that you understand 212 00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:54,080 the meaning of eternal life. 213 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:57,580 My second prayer, and just as important, 214 00:09:57,580 --> 00:10:00,940 is that you would experience God's everlasting love. 215 00:10:00,940 --> 00:10:05,340 So it's eternal life to know that you are living in it, 216 00:10:05,340 --> 00:10:10,340 and not only that, but the word love is used 50 times 217 00:10:10,720 --> 00:10:12,920 in just 100 or so verses. 218 00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:16,600 That means on average almost every other verse 219 00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:20,380 in 1 John talks about love. 220 00:10:20,380 --> 00:10:23,820 Now when we say God loves you, right, 221 00:10:23,820 --> 00:10:26,980 that's a very common phrase that you hear in the church. 222 00:10:26,980 --> 00:10:30,220 In fact, it's constantly being used, 223 00:10:30,220 --> 00:10:32,200 but what does it really mean? 224 00:10:32,200 --> 00:10:35,900 Not just to hear it or know it in your head, 225 00:10:35,900 --> 00:10:38,820 but to experience it in your heart. 226 00:10:38,820 --> 00:10:40,240 There's a big difference. 227 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:43,440 There's a big difference between knowing and experiencing. 228 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:47,060 For example, think about someone you enjoy 229 00:10:47,060 --> 00:10:49,400 and want to spend time with. 230 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:51,080 You know, if I was to think about people 231 00:10:51,080 --> 00:10:54,080 I love to spend time with, it's my family. 232 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:56,140 I love spending time with Jess and the kids. 233 00:10:56,140 --> 00:11:00,060 I'm still looking forward to the family times 234 00:11:00,060 --> 00:11:01,980 and vacations that we spend at the beach 235 00:11:01,980 --> 00:11:04,740 every summer during the year. 236 00:11:04,740 --> 00:11:08,380 I mean, that time together, those memories that we create, 237 00:11:08,380 --> 00:11:10,060 they last a lifetime. 238 00:11:10,060 --> 00:11:12,540 I mean, every time my memories pop up on my phone 239 00:11:12,540 --> 00:11:14,540 and it starts scrolling beach pictures, 240 00:11:14,540 --> 00:11:17,540 I find myself crying tears of joy. 241 00:11:17,540 --> 00:11:18,540 Why? 242 00:11:18,540 --> 00:11:21,220 Because I love to spend time with them. 243 00:11:21,220 --> 00:11:22,940 It's not just vacation. 244 00:11:22,940 --> 00:11:25,860 Many of you know that spring's right around the corner 245 00:11:25,860 --> 00:11:30,460 because didn't a groundhog not see a shadow or something? 246 00:11:30,460 --> 00:11:32,580 And we all believe in that, right? 247 00:11:32,580 --> 00:11:34,740 We all believe in the groundhog. 248 00:11:34,740 --> 00:11:38,380 Don't you love the groundhog? 249 00:11:38,380 --> 00:11:39,380 Yeah. 250 00:11:39,380 --> 00:11:40,380 Yeah. 251 00:11:40,380 --> 00:11:42,060 You know, for me, it's not about the groundhog. 252 00:11:42,060 --> 00:11:43,060 It's Bill Murray, right? 253 00:11:43,060 --> 00:11:46,340 I mean, and some of you are so young, 254 00:11:46,340 --> 00:11:47,660 you're like, who's Bill Murray? 255 00:11:47,660 --> 00:11:49,780 And what's it have to do with the groundhog? 256 00:11:49,780 --> 00:11:52,620 Well, you're just too young. 257 00:11:52,620 --> 00:11:54,220 Go watch some movie called Groundhog Day 258 00:11:54,220 --> 00:11:57,060 and you'll understand it. 259 00:11:57,060 --> 00:11:58,060 But see, spring's coming. 260 00:11:58,060 --> 00:12:01,940 And many of you know that I spend a lot of my spring 261 00:12:01,940 --> 00:12:03,860 coaching my kids. 262 00:12:03,860 --> 00:12:05,820 You know, I love being a part of their lives 263 00:12:05,820 --> 00:12:07,300 and coaching their sports. 264 00:12:07,300 --> 00:12:10,020 I'll be coaching Lily in softball very soon. 265 00:12:10,020 --> 00:12:13,540 Phoenix, our four-year-old Phoenix starts T-ball. 266 00:12:13,540 --> 00:12:15,980 Give me a high five for all those T-ball coaches. 267 00:12:15,980 --> 00:12:18,300 We're looking forward to wiping snot 268 00:12:18,300 --> 00:12:20,140 and teaching them to hit a ball. 269 00:12:20,140 --> 00:12:22,260 You know, it's all kinds of fun. 270 00:12:22,260 --> 00:12:25,060 And then of course, I'll be spending time with Nolan 271 00:12:25,060 --> 00:12:27,540 as we work on his baseball. 272 00:12:27,540 --> 00:12:31,060 And the reality is, I do those things, 273 00:12:31,060 --> 00:12:33,820 not so much that I want to coach. 274 00:12:33,820 --> 00:12:38,620 I do them because I love spending time with my family. 275 00:12:38,620 --> 00:12:39,620 Right? 276 00:12:39,620 --> 00:12:43,820 And that's what it's all about when it comes to a relationship with God. 277 00:12:43,820 --> 00:12:48,380 God desires that we enjoy our relationship with Him, 278 00:12:48,380 --> 00:12:51,260 that we enjoy spending time with Him. 279 00:12:51,260 --> 00:12:53,380 And allow your relationship with Jesus 280 00:12:53,380 --> 00:12:56,300 to become a mere religious exercise. 281 00:12:56,300 --> 00:12:58,980 Because I tell you what, if it becomes a duty 282 00:12:58,980 --> 00:13:01,700 or it just comes monotonous motion, 283 00:13:01,700 --> 00:13:03,500 there's not going to be any love. 284 00:13:03,500 --> 00:13:06,100 And more importantly, there's not going to be any joy. 285 00:13:06,100 --> 00:13:08,460 And no one outside of these walls 286 00:13:08,460 --> 00:13:11,700 is going to see God living inside of you. 287 00:13:11,700 --> 00:13:14,700 And friends, there's far too many Jesus followers 288 00:13:14,700 --> 00:13:18,020 that aren't experiencing that enjoyment today. 289 00:13:18,020 --> 00:13:19,780 And it's my prayer 290 00:13:19,780 --> 00:13:21,620 that as we go through this book 291 00:13:21,620 --> 00:13:24,940 and we understand God's eternal, 292 00:13:24,940 --> 00:13:27,060 eternal and everlasting love, 293 00:13:27,060 --> 00:13:29,220 as we understand His eternal life 294 00:13:29,220 --> 00:13:31,900 that we'll spend with Him for eternity, 295 00:13:31,900 --> 00:13:35,860 that our whole outlook on life will change. 296 00:13:35,860 --> 00:13:39,020 And all of that leads us to our first thought this morning. 297 00:13:39,020 --> 00:13:42,100 It's not just about spending eternal life with God. 298 00:13:42,100 --> 00:13:45,660 See, Jesus is eternal life. 299 00:13:45,660 --> 00:13:47,140 And this is key. 300 00:13:47,140 --> 00:13:49,900 If you want to know that you have eternal life, 301 00:13:49,900 --> 00:13:52,420 you have to know Jesus. 302 00:13:52,420 --> 00:13:55,300 I had to do a celebration of life yesterday 303 00:13:55,300 --> 00:13:58,060 for a young lady that passed way too soon. 304 00:13:58,980 --> 00:14:00,380 And as I was meeting with the family, 305 00:14:00,380 --> 00:14:04,140 they looked at me and we were just sharing memories 306 00:14:04,140 --> 00:14:05,980 and we were talking about our life. 307 00:14:05,980 --> 00:14:07,860 And the mom looked at me and said, 308 00:14:07,860 --> 00:14:09,380 the one thing that I do know 309 00:14:10,380 --> 00:14:12,940 is that she loved God 310 00:14:12,940 --> 00:14:16,900 and that she is now with Him in eternity. 311 00:14:16,900 --> 00:14:20,060 And it's that type of confidence 312 00:14:20,060 --> 00:14:22,620 that John wants us all to have. 313 00:14:22,620 --> 00:14:25,140 And that's the type of confidence 314 00:14:25,140 --> 00:14:28,580 that John desires for us to experience. 315 00:14:28,580 --> 00:14:30,540 This is what he writes at the end of the letter 316 00:14:30,540 --> 00:14:32,020 in 1 John chapter five. 317 00:14:32,020 --> 00:14:34,740 I've written this to you who believe 318 00:14:34,740 --> 00:14:36,460 in the name of the Son of God 319 00:14:36,460 --> 00:14:41,460 so that you may know you have eternal life. 320 00:14:42,620 --> 00:14:44,820 You know, as their pastor, 321 00:14:44,820 --> 00:14:47,700 John wanted his people to know 322 00:14:47,700 --> 00:14:49,740 and experience that eternal life. 323 00:14:49,740 --> 00:14:52,100 And that eternal life is experienced through what? 324 00:14:52,100 --> 00:14:54,740 It's experienced through Jesus. 325 00:14:54,740 --> 00:14:56,340 And he opens the letter this way 326 00:14:56,340 --> 00:14:58,460 in 1 John one through two. 327 00:14:58,460 --> 00:15:00,260 We proclaim to you, 328 00:15:00,260 --> 00:15:03,260 the one who existed from the beginning, 329 00:15:03,260 --> 00:15:05,380 whom we have heard and seen, 330 00:15:05,380 --> 00:15:07,020 we saw him with our own eyes 331 00:15:07,020 --> 00:15:08,580 and touched him with our own hands, 332 00:15:08,580 --> 00:15:12,620 he is the word of life. 333 00:15:12,620 --> 00:15:16,060 And John is communicating to the church friends. 334 00:15:16,060 --> 00:15:17,860 John spent time with Jesus. 335 00:15:17,860 --> 00:15:19,140 He saw him. 336 00:15:19,140 --> 00:15:20,140 He walked with him. 337 00:15:20,140 --> 00:15:21,140 He touched him. 338 00:15:21,140 --> 00:15:22,740 He listened to him. 339 00:15:22,740 --> 00:15:24,900 And through those experiences, 340 00:15:24,900 --> 00:15:27,060 he understood eternal life. 341 00:15:27,060 --> 00:15:28,780 And then John continues. 342 00:15:28,780 --> 00:15:29,780 This one, 343 00:15:29,780 --> 00:15:32,220 notice he doesn't even mention his name. 344 00:15:32,220 --> 00:15:35,100 It's just like he's pointing us to the one. 345 00:15:35,100 --> 00:15:36,620 This one who is life itself 346 00:15:36,620 --> 00:15:38,060 was revealed to us 347 00:15:38,060 --> 00:15:39,540 and we have seen him. 348 00:15:39,540 --> 00:15:42,020 And now we testify and proclaim to you 349 00:15:42,020 --> 00:15:46,380 that he is the one who is eternal life. 350 00:15:46,380 --> 00:15:47,940 He was with the father 351 00:15:47,940 --> 00:15:49,980 and then he was revealed to us. 352 00:15:49,980 --> 00:15:51,940 And that's the point of these verses. 353 00:15:51,940 --> 00:15:52,980 Follow this. 354 00:15:52,980 --> 00:15:55,500 The concept of eternal life 355 00:15:55,500 --> 00:15:59,140 cannot be separated from the person of Jesus. 356 00:15:59,140 --> 00:16:02,060 Jesus is eternal life. 357 00:16:02,060 --> 00:16:03,660 Right, without Jesus, 358 00:16:03,660 --> 00:16:05,100 we don't have eternal life. 359 00:16:05,100 --> 00:16:08,100 And this is exactly what the gospel of John 360 00:16:08,100 --> 00:16:09,580 teaches us about Jesus. 361 00:16:09,580 --> 00:16:12,540 So if you go back to John's gospel, right, 362 00:16:12,540 --> 00:16:15,180 you go back and you read through it. 363 00:16:15,180 --> 00:16:17,180 Notice what he says about Jesus. 364 00:16:17,180 --> 00:16:19,140 John 1, 4 through 5. 365 00:16:19,140 --> 00:16:22,860 The word gave life to everything that was created. 366 00:16:22,860 --> 00:16:24,980 And his life brought light to everyone. 367 00:16:24,980 --> 00:16:26,460 The light shines in the darkness 368 00:16:26,460 --> 00:16:29,260 and the darkness can never extinguish it. 369 00:16:29,260 --> 00:16:31,020 Then in John 14, 370 00:16:31,020 --> 00:16:32,020 he writes this. 371 00:16:32,020 --> 00:16:36,180 I am the way, the truth, and the life. 372 00:16:36,180 --> 00:16:40,260 No one comes to the Father except through me. 373 00:16:40,260 --> 00:16:42,700 And then in John 17, 3 we read, 374 00:16:42,700 --> 00:16:46,020 this is the way to have eternal life. 375 00:16:46,020 --> 00:16:50,900 To know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ, 376 00:16:50,900 --> 00:16:53,620 the one you sent to earth. 377 00:16:53,620 --> 00:16:55,580 See, this is eternal life. 378 00:16:55,580 --> 00:17:00,340 That you may know God and that you may know Jesus. 379 00:17:00,340 --> 00:17:02,260 And when we know Jesus, 380 00:17:02,260 --> 00:17:05,460 that's when we know we have eternal life. 381 00:17:05,460 --> 00:17:09,620 Now, listen, that's a bold claim to say 382 00:17:09,620 --> 00:17:12,820 to seven billion plus people 383 00:17:12,820 --> 00:17:14,340 that are living in this world. 384 00:17:14,340 --> 00:17:17,780 And countless more throughout the history before now 385 00:17:17,780 --> 00:17:21,020 that Jesus is the only hope 386 00:17:21,020 --> 00:17:24,100 for anyone and everyone to have eternal life. 387 00:17:24,100 --> 00:17:26,060 I mean, how is that possible? 388 00:17:26,060 --> 00:17:26,900 I mean, think about it. 389 00:17:26,900 --> 00:17:29,180 In a world of religions and ideas and thoughts, 390 00:17:29,180 --> 00:17:33,660 Jesus says, I'm the only way to eternal life. 391 00:17:33,660 --> 00:17:36,460 And John tells us this is true 392 00:17:36,460 --> 00:17:41,180 because Jesus is the revelation of God. 393 00:17:41,180 --> 00:17:43,740 And that's the language in 1 John 1, 2. 394 00:17:43,740 --> 00:17:47,780 The one who is life itself was revealed to us 395 00:17:47,780 --> 00:17:49,220 and we have seen him. 396 00:17:49,220 --> 00:17:51,700 It was revealed by God, 397 00:17:51,700 --> 00:17:54,300 the author of all life from the very beginning. 398 00:17:54,300 --> 00:17:57,820 Notice how it echoes Genesis 1, 1. 399 00:17:57,820 --> 00:18:00,860 In the beginning, God. 400 00:18:00,860 --> 00:18:03,020 So in the beginning there was God. 401 00:18:03,020 --> 00:18:08,020 Jesus is the revelation of God who was in the beginning. 402 00:18:08,860 --> 00:18:12,220 And the Bible is saying, see who Jesus is. 403 00:18:12,220 --> 00:18:15,740 He is the one who was with God, the father 404 00:18:15,740 --> 00:18:20,740 from the very beginning before anything else ever was. 405 00:18:21,300 --> 00:18:24,020 And this is important because there were people 406 00:18:24,020 --> 00:18:28,860 during this time that assumed that they were Jesus followers 407 00:18:28,860 --> 00:18:31,420 but they denied that Jesus was God. 408 00:18:31,420 --> 00:18:34,020 So they said they were Christians or Jesus followers 409 00:18:34,020 --> 00:18:35,940 but they were denying, no, Jesus isn't God. 410 00:18:35,940 --> 00:18:39,500 And John is warning the church, that's false teaching. 411 00:18:39,500 --> 00:18:40,820 Don't believe that. 412 00:18:40,820 --> 00:18:43,460 Jesus is the revelation of God. 413 00:18:43,460 --> 00:18:47,060 He is God in human flesh. 414 00:18:47,060 --> 00:18:51,860 See who Jesus is, what he's done, he's come to us. 415 00:18:51,860 --> 00:18:54,140 And that's the point here in 1 John. 416 00:18:54,140 --> 00:18:55,900 God has come to us. 417 00:18:55,900 --> 00:18:59,060 We've seen him, we've heard him, we've touched him 418 00:18:59,060 --> 00:19:00,380 with our own hands. 419 00:19:00,380 --> 00:19:03,580 And this is the reality of the Bible. 420 00:19:03,580 --> 00:19:07,980 So if you've ever wanted, if you've ever wondered 421 00:19:07,980 --> 00:19:11,180 what does God look like, if God could visit me, 422 00:19:11,180 --> 00:19:16,180 if God could sit beside me, you know who he is. 423 00:19:16,780 --> 00:19:18,700 His name is Jesus. 424 00:19:18,700 --> 00:19:22,860 He walked this earth with us and for us 425 00:19:22,860 --> 00:19:25,660 and it changes everything because the implications 426 00:19:25,660 --> 00:19:28,820 of that truth have ramifications for all of us 427 00:19:28,820 --> 00:19:31,140 in this room, all of us watching online 428 00:19:31,140 --> 00:19:34,980 and not just for our life now but our life forever. 429 00:19:34,980 --> 00:19:38,900 Right, it's not just about being in general our life 430 00:19:38,900 --> 00:19:42,420 but for every single detail of our life. 431 00:19:42,420 --> 00:19:45,020 Right, from our relationships to our jobs 432 00:19:45,020 --> 00:19:50,020 to our families to our income, Jesus should be involved 433 00:19:50,580 --> 00:19:53,260 in every single detail. 434 00:19:53,260 --> 00:19:56,580 And that's important because many people just view Jesus 435 00:19:56,580 --> 00:20:00,060 as just a good religious teacher. 436 00:20:00,060 --> 00:20:01,660 He had good teachings. 437 00:20:01,660 --> 00:20:04,380 We should model ourself after his teachings 438 00:20:04,380 --> 00:20:08,500 who did good things but they're not willing 439 00:20:08,500 --> 00:20:12,780 to follow him as God because if you're not willing 440 00:20:12,780 --> 00:20:14,940 to follow him as God that means you're not willing 441 00:20:14,940 --> 00:20:17,860 to allow him to be Lord over your life, 442 00:20:17,860 --> 00:20:19,700 to direct and guide your life. 443 00:20:19,700 --> 00:20:23,460 And it's just my fear that there's so many people 444 00:20:23,460 --> 00:20:26,460 in the church who live that way. 445 00:20:26,460 --> 00:20:28,700 They're content to show up to church, 446 00:20:28,700 --> 00:20:31,020 give Jesus a high five at the door, 447 00:20:31,020 --> 00:20:33,580 throw your hands up in a little worship 448 00:20:33,580 --> 00:20:35,940 but then Monday through Saturday just go 449 00:20:35,940 --> 00:20:37,940 and do whatever you want. 450 00:20:37,940 --> 00:20:40,100 And that's not Jesus. 451 00:20:40,100 --> 00:20:41,540 I mean Jesus wants it all. 452 00:20:41,540 --> 00:20:44,340 He doesn't wanna be kept at an arm's length. 453 00:20:44,340 --> 00:20:47,820 He wants to be Lord over your universe. 454 00:20:47,820 --> 00:20:51,020 And let's be honest, we believe we're the center 455 00:20:51,020 --> 00:20:52,500 of the universe. 456 00:20:52,500 --> 00:20:54,380 I mean think about where your thoughts go 457 00:20:54,380 --> 00:20:56,780 and the first thing you do when you wake up. 458 00:20:56,780 --> 00:20:59,540 It's all about us. 459 00:20:59,540 --> 00:21:02,380 See eternal life hinges on us humbling ourselves 460 00:21:02,380 --> 00:21:05,060 and acknowledging who Jesus is. 461 00:21:05,060 --> 00:21:07,580 Jesus is eternal life. 462 00:21:07,580 --> 00:21:09,340 Not part of your life. 463 00:21:09,340 --> 00:21:11,620 Not just on Sundays, right? 464 00:21:11,620 --> 00:21:14,540 Maybe on Wednesday when you show up to men's group. 465 00:21:14,540 --> 00:21:17,260 No, your entire life. 466 00:21:18,260 --> 00:21:21,500 That's the first truth which leads us to our next doll. 467 00:21:21,500 --> 00:21:23,580 Jesus offers everlasting love. 468 00:21:23,580 --> 00:21:25,980 So Jesus is eternal life. 469 00:21:25,980 --> 00:21:28,020 Jesus offers everlasting love. 470 00:21:28,020 --> 00:21:29,180 First John four eight. 471 00:21:29,180 --> 00:21:31,460 But anyone who does not love 472 00:21:31,460 --> 00:21:35,540 does not know God for God is love. 473 00:21:35,540 --> 00:21:37,500 See here's the crazy thing. 474 00:21:38,660 --> 00:21:40,460 Many of us know that statement. 475 00:21:40,460 --> 00:21:41,900 Oh yeah, God is love, Chris. 476 00:21:43,260 --> 00:21:46,460 We've been created to enjoy God's love. 477 00:21:46,460 --> 00:21:49,340 Not just to know those three words, right? 478 00:21:49,340 --> 00:21:52,700 We haven't been created to say oh yeah, God is love. 479 00:21:52,700 --> 00:21:56,060 No, we've been created to enjoy it, to experience it, 480 00:21:56,060 --> 00:21:57,700 to be with God. 481 00:21:57,700 --> 00:22:00,180 Notice first John one three through four. 482 00:22:00,180 --> 00:22:03,220 We proclaim to you what we ourselves 483 00:22:03,220 --> 00:22:04,860 have actually seen and heard 484 00:22:04,860 --> 00:22:06,940 so that you may have fellowship with us. 485 00:22:06,940 --> 00:22:09,540 And our fellowship is with the Father 486 00:22:09,540 --> 00:22:11,540 and with his Son Jesus Christ. 487 00:22:11,540 --> 00:22:13,260 We are writing these things 488 00:22:13,260 --> 00:22:16,900 so that you may be fully share in our joy. 489 00:22:16,900 --> 00:22:20,020 Now notice I mentioned that the word love 490 00:22:20,020 --> 00:22:21,100 is all over first John. 491 00:22:21,100 --> 00:22:23,540 But you'll notice it's not found anywhere 492 00:22:23,540 --> 00:22:25,340 in the verses I just read. 493 00:22:25,340 --> 00:22:28,540 In fact it's nowhere written in chapter one. 494 00:22:28,540 --> 00:22:31,500 You don't see love mentioned at all. 495 00:22:31,500 --> 00:22:34,260 But that doesn't mean the love of God is not there. 496 00:22:34,260 --> 00:22:35,620 It's all over what we just read. 497 00:22:35,620 --> 00:22:36,700 Think about it. 498 00:22:36,700 --> 00:22:38,780 How do you know someone loves you? 499 00:22:38,780 --> 00:22:40,380 How do you know it? 500 00:22:40,380 --> 00:22:41,780 They show it, right? 501 00:22:41,780 --> 00:22:43,660 It comes out in their actions. 502 00:22:43,660 --> 00:22:44,980 They reveal it. 503 00:22:44,980 --> 00:22:48,140 They make known their love for you by their actions. 504 00:22:48,140 --> 00:22:49,860 I mean someone might frequently say to you 505 00:22:49,860 --> 00:22:51,660 that they love you but if they're not living it out 506 00:22:51,660 --> 00:22:53,100 do you believe it? 507 00:22:53,100 --> 00:22:54,380 Of course not. 508 00:22:54,380 --> 00:22:55,220 You need to see it 509 00:22:55,220 --> 00:22:58,780 because actions speak louder than words. 510 00:22:58,780 --> 00:23:01,820 So in this sense in order for love to be love 511 00:23:01,820 --> 00:23:03,180 it must be made known. 512 00:23:03,180 --> 00:23:04,580 What is John saying? 513 00:23:04,580 --> 00:23:06,260 He's saying I've seen it. 514 00:23:06,260 --> 00:23:07,100 I've heard it. 515 00:23:07,100 --> 00:23:07,940 I've touched it. 516 00:23:07,940 --> 00:23:09,140 I've experienced it. 517 00:23:09,140 --> 00:23:11,980 This is love. 518 00:23:11,980 --> 00:23:13,900 And that word fellowship 519 00:23:13,900 --> 00:23:17,180 is repeated four times in chapter one, twice. 520 00:23:17,180 --> 00:23:18,260 In what we just read 521 00:23:18,260 --> 00:23:21,460 and then once in verse six and once in verse seven 522 00:23:21,460 --> 00:23:24,340 fellowship comes from the Greek word koinonia 523 00:23:24,340 --> 00:23:28,980 and it means a close intimate bond. 524 00:23:28,980 --> 00:23:32,660 In fact it's used to describe a marriage relationship. 525 00:23:32,660 --> 00:23:35,020 So John just said we have a bond, 526 00:23:35,020 --> 00:23:39,780 an intimate relationship with the father and his son, Jesus. 527 00:23:39,780 --> 00:23:42,780 And he's pointing us to the reality 528 00:23:42,780 --> 00:23:48,340 that it's that closeness that he desires for us. 529 00:23:48,340 --> 00:23:49,980 That's love. 530 00:23:49,980 --> 00:23:51,140 But so many people, 531 00:23:51,140 --> 00:23:52,420 this is where the struggles come in 532 00:23:52,420 --> 00:23:53,940 they begin to question it because they think, 533 00:23:53,940 --> 00:23:56,140 oh wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. 534 00:23:56,140 --> 00:23:58,060 But Chris I sin. 535 00:23:58,060 --> 00:23:58,900 I make mistakes. 536 00:23:58,900 --> 00:23:59,740 I make bad choices. 537 00:23:59,740 --> 00:24:02,580 And I get that each one of us in this room have, 538 00:24:02,580 --> 00:24:04,980 we all deserve separation from God. 539 00:24:04,980 --> 00:24:06,620 We deserve judgment. 540 00:24:06,620 --> 00:24:10,780 We warrant it in fact because God is love. 541 00:24:10,780 --> 00:24:13,300 But the beauty of this passage is that God 542 00:24:13,300 --> 00:24:14,900 has not left us alone. 543 00:24:14,900 --> 00:24:17,420 He has not separated himself from us. 544 00:24:17,420 --> 00:24:20,700 He's made a way for us to reconnect. 545 00:24:20,700 --> 00:24:23,060 We reconnect through what? 546 00:24:23,060 --> 00:24:24,060 Jesus. 547 00:24:24,060 --> 00:24:26,700 We've seen him, we've heard him, we've touched him. 548 00:24:26,700 --> 00:24:29,500 All the way to the point of this, think about this. 549 00:24:29,500 --> 00:24:31,060 We crucified him. 550 00:24:32,620 --> 00:24:33,860 That's how we touched him. 551 00:24:34,820 --> 00:24:36,740 As rebellious sinners against God, 552 00:24:36,740 --> 00:24:41,500 God took on flesh and he was nailed to the cross 553 00:24:41,500 --> 00:24:43,860 in the most cruel form of death 554 00:24:43,860 --> 00:24:47,260 that we could ever conceive or even imagine. 555 00:24:47,260 --> 00:24:49,140 Yet Jesus endured that cross. 556 00:24:49,140 --> 00:24:50,740 Do you know why? 557 00:24:50,740 --> 00:24:51,780 Because he loves us. 558 00:24:53,220 --> 00:24:55,420 Because he desires to be with us. 559 00:24:55,420 --> 00:24:58,580 1 John 3, 16 says, we know what real love is 560 00:24:58,580 --> 00:25:03,020 because Jesus gave up his life for us. 561 00:25:03,020 --> 00:25:07,500 Jesus willingly and lovingly died for sin. 562 00:25:07,500 --> 00:25:10,620 He didn't commit. 563 00:25:10,620 --> 00:25:14,700 He endured the judgment of sin, death that we deserve. 564 00:25:15,740 --> 00:25:19,620 But he did it so that we could turn from our sin 565 00:25:19,620 --> 00:25:23,860 and believe and put our faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. 566 00:25:23,860 --> 00:25:26,580 He made a way for intimacy, 567 00:25:26,580 --> 00:25:28,340 just like a marriage relationship. 568 00:25:28,340 --> 00:25:32,060 Because that's what God desires for his creation. 569 00:25:32,060 --> 00:25:34,820 And this is so important to understand 570 00:25:34,820 --> 00:25:36,420 because it leads us to our next thought. 571 00:25:36,420 --> 00:25:39,740 Look, God is holy. 572 00:25:39,740 --> 00:25:44,740 And like Chris, you used that same statement last week. 573 00:25:44,740 --> 00:25:46,340 I sure did and it's important 574 00:25:47,220 --> 00:25:48,820 because we read in 1 John 1, 5, 575 00:25:48,820 --> 00:25:52,020 this is the message we heard from Jesus 576 00:25:52,020 --> 00:25:54,740 and now declare to you God is light 577 00:25:54,740 --> 00:25:57,780 and there is no darkness in him at all. 578 00:25:57,780 --> 00:25:59,380 Now in the previous verse, 579 00:26:00,580 --> 00:26:04,780 John wrote that you may fully share our joy. 580 00:26:04,780 --> 00:26:08,940 So here's the message that is intended to bring joy. 581 00:26:08,940 --> 00:26:10,100 God is light. 582 00:26:11,140 --> 00:26:15,620 Joy in our lives starts with a proper understanding of 583 00:26:15,620 --> 00:26:17,500 and focus on God. 584 00:26:17,500 --> 00:26:21,380 A God centered approach to everything. 585 00:26:21,380 --> 00:26:23,940 A kingdom minded focus. 586 00:26:23,940 --> 00:26:26,420 And that's very different from the way we normally think. 587 00:26:26,420 --> 00:26:29,860 We think joy starts with what? 588 00:26:29,860 --> 00:26:31,980 Focusing on ourselves. 589 00:26:31,980 --> 00:26:34,020 What we think we need, what we think we want, 590 00:26:34,020 --> 00:26:35,620 what we gotta have. 591 00:26:35,620 --> 00:26:39,420 That's where we always go first looking for joy accordingly. 592 00:26:39,420 --> 00:26:41,860 But that's not what the Bible says. 593 00:26:41,860 --> 00:26:46,340 The Bible says joy starts with seeing God is light. 594 00:26:46,340 --> 00:26:49,900 So what does that mean and why does that bring joy? 595 00:26:49,900 --> 00:26:54,180 For God to be light means he's the source of all goodness. 596 00:26:54,180 --> 00:26:55,020 So that means. 597 00:26:55,020 --> 00:27:00,020 And that's why we use the term holy, set apart. 598 00:27:00,020 --> 00:27:01,340 Right? 599 00:27:01,340 --> 00:27:03,220 God is the source of goodness. 600 00:27:03,220 --> 00:27:07,060 For God to be light is a picture of pure life 601 00:27:07,060 --> 00:27:08,300 that is found in him. 602 00:27:08,300 --> 00:27:10,580 Now remember back at the beginning of the Bible, 603 00:27:10,580 --> 00:27:11,860 where did life begin? 604 00:27:11,860 --> 00:27:13,340 Genesis one, three through four. 605 00:27:13,340 --> 00:27:18,340 Then God said, let there be light. 606 00:27:18,340 --> 00:27:23,340 And there was light and God saw that the light was good. 607 00:27:23,340 --> 00:27:28,340 And he separated the light from the darkness. 608 00:27:28,340 --> 00:27:30,780 Life began with what? 609 00:27:30,780 --> 00:27:32,100 Light. 610 00:27:32,100 --> 00:27:34,540 And it's no coincidence then that John writes 611 00:27:34,540 --> 00:27:36,740 in his gospel account of Jesus' life. 612 00:27:36,740 --> 00:27:40,620 He opens up by saying that Jesus in fact 613 00:27:40,620 --> 00:27:43,980 was the light of life for all men. 614 00:27:43,980 --> 00:27:45,660 The light shines in the darkness 615 00:27:45,660 --> 00:27:47,860 and the darkness can't overcome it. 616 00:27:47,860 --> 00:27:49,740 So in announcing the coming of Jesus, 617 00:27:49,740 --> 00:27:53,460 John is saying light has come. 618 00:27:53,460 --> 00:27:57,100 Light is walking on this earth. 619 00:27:57,100 --> 00:28:01,700 So for God to be light means he is the source 620 00:28:01,700 --> 00:28:06,380 of abundant life and God is the source of goodness. 621 00:28:06,380 --> 00:28:07,220 Why? 622 00:28:07,220 --> 00:28:08,460 Because he's perfect. 623 00:28:08,460 --> 00:28:10,140 He's holy. 624 00:28:10,140 --> 00:28:13,140 Now to contrast that statement for you and I, 625 00:28:13,140 --> 00:28:14,540 there isn't a day that goes by 626 00:28:14,540 --> 00:28:17,140 that we don't mess something up, true or false. 627 00:28:17,140 --> 00:28:19,740 Why? I didn't hear too many truths. 628 00:28:19,740 --> 00:28:22,460 There's not a day that goes by 629 00:28:22,460 --> 00:28:26,660 that we don't mess something up, true or false. 630 00:28:26,660 --> 00:28:28,220 Thank you, all right. 631 00:28:28,220 --> 00:28:30,500 I just want to acknowledge that there's not too many 632 00:28:30,500 --> 00:28:32,220 Jesuses walking in this room. 633 00:28:33,980 --> 00:28:36,660 I mean, for simply saying something to our spouse 634 00:28:36,660 --> 00:28:38,980 that was hurtful, have you ever said something 635 00:28:38,980 --> 00:28:42,460 and you literally see it leaving your mouth 636 00:28:42,460 --> 00:28:45,500 and you're like grabbing it in slow motion, 637 00:28:45,500 --> 00:28:48,100 like no, too late. 638 00:28:49,420 --> 00:28:51,100 You've done that before, yeah. 639 00:28:52,660 --> 00:28:55,500 I mean, some of you got angry over a driver 640 00:28:55,500 --> 00:28:58,540 that was going too slow on the way to church this morning. 641 00:28:59,660 --> 00:29:00,940 Right? 642 00:29:00,940 --> 00:29:02,740 I mean, yesterday, let's be honest, 643 00:29:02,740 --> 00:29:05,620 many of you were gossiping with a friend. 644 00:29:05,620 --> 00:29:08,500 Oh, I was speaking truth, Chris. 645 00:29:08,500 --> 00:29:09,340 No, you weren't. 646 00:29:09,340 --> 00:29:13,260 No, you weren't. 647 00:29:13,260 --> 00:29:16,260 Isn't that a great Christian excuse? 648 00:29:16,260 --> 00:29:18,380 Oh, it was truth. 649 00:29:18,380 --> 00:29:20,500 Sure it was, yeah. 650 00:29:22,220 --> 00:29:27,060 It's so funny, I've so gravitated away from social media 651 00:29:27,060 --> 00:29:29,620 because when I'm on it, I just judge. 652 00:29:30,820 --> 00:29:32,020 God forgive me. 653 00:29:33,580 --> 00:29:37,060 And if you're doing it, just get off of it, right? 654 00:29:37,060 --> 00:29:39,020 And here's the reality, you know what I'm trying to say? 655 00:29:39,020 --> 00:29:40,180 We're not perfect. 656 00:29:41,860 --> 00:29:44,060 And that's what's different about God. 657 00:29:45,100 --> 00:29:47,820 God never has to worry about messing things up. 658 00:29:47,820 --> 00:29:49,580 He can't mess up. 659 00:29:49,580 --> 00:29:50,820 It's not in his character. 660 00:29:50,820 --> 00:29:53,780 He is perfectly good. 661 00:29:55,460 --> 00:29:58,260 And good is the key in that description 662 00:29:58,260 --> 00:30:03,260 because light is contrasted with darkness 663 00:30:03,260 --> 00:30:05,620 all over the Bible to depict what? 664 00:30:05,620 --> 00:30:08,500 Good and evil. 665 00:30:08,500 --> 00:30:11,660 So when John says there's no darkness in God, 666 00:30:11,660 --> 00:30:14,340 he's saying there's no evil in God. 667 00:30:14,340 --> 00:30:18,220 Everything in God is good. 668 00:30:18,220 --> 00:30:21,900 But the bad news is that while God is good and holy, 669 00:30:22,860 --> 00:30:24,740 we mess up. 670 00:30:24,740 --> 00:30:27,060 We make mistakes, we sin. 671 00:30:27,060 --> 00:30:31,740 And nine times between 1 John 1-6 and 1 John 2-2, 672 00:30:31,740 --> 00:30:33,940 John mentions sin. 673 00:30:34,780 --> 00:30:36,740 And that's more than once in each verse. 674 00:30:36,740 --> 00:30:38,700 And that's in addition to talking about darkness, 675 00:30:38,700 --> 00:30:40,980 unrighteousness, deception, and lies. 676 00:30:40,980 --> 00:30:45,980 So our sinfulness is all over the opening of this passage. 677 00:30:46,540 --> 00:30:49,580 And the problem, it's not just that we sin 678 00:30:49,580 --> 00:30:52,820 every once in a while, the problem is we were born into it. 679 00:30:54,020 --> 00:30:57,140 So we have a natural bent, if you will, 680 00:30:57,140 --> 00:31:00,540 to lean towards sin. 681 00:31:00,540 --> 00:31:03,100 First John 1-6, eight and 10. 682 00:31:03,100 --> 00:31:05,460 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God 683 00:31:05,460 --> 00:31:08,260 and go on living in spiritual darkness. 684 00:31:08,260 --> 00:31:10,540 We are not practicing the truth. 685 00:31:10,540 --> 00:31:14,100 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves 686 00:31:14,100 --> 00:31:15,340 and not living in the truth. 687 00:31:15,340 --> 00:31:18,260 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar 688 00:31:18,260 --> 00:31:21,100 and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. 689 00:31:21,100 --> 00:31:22,700 You see that bent? 690 00:31:22,700 --> 00:31:25,180 We all have that lean towards sin. 691 00:31:25,180 --> 00:31:27,660 And all of us do, including me. 692 00:31:27,660 --> 00:31:28,500 And what does that mean? 693 00:31:28,500 --> 00:31:31,020 That just means we have a bent or a lean 694 00:31:31,020 --> 00:31:33,540 toward disobeying God because if you go back 695 00:31:33,540 --> 00:31:36,300 to the beginning, right, what did we want? 696 00:31:36,300 --> 00:31:38,100 We wanted control. 697 00:31:39,060 --> 00:31:42,340 We wanted to be in control of our world. 698 00:31:42,340 --> 00:31:43,820 And if you want a definition of sin, 699 00:31:43,820 --> 00:31:46,300 John writes this in 1 John 3-4, 700 00:31:46,300 --> 00:31:48,740 everyone who sins is breaking God's law 701 00:31:48,740 --> 00:31:51,260 for all sin is contrary to the law of God. 702 00:31:52,540 --> 00:31:53,860 So in other words, what that means, 703 00:31:53,860 --> 00:31:57,380 let me put it in understandable terms, 704 00:31:57,380 --> 00:32:00,100 whenever we think, desire, or act, 705 00:32:00,100 --> 00:32:02,980 in a way the Bible tells us not to think, desire, 706 00:32:02,980 --> 00:32:04,500 or act, it is. 707 00:32:06,500 --> 00:32:07,340 Sin. 708 00:32:10,180 --> 00:32:11,540 Let's try again. 709 00:32:13,380 --> 00:32:16,940 When we fail to think, desire, or act 710 00:32:16,940 --> 00:32:19,220 in a way that the Bible says we should think, 711 00:32:19,220 --> 00:32:21,300 desire, or act, then we. 712 00:32:21,300 --> 00:32:22,460 Sin. 713 00:32:22,460 --> 00:32:23,460 It's much better. 714 00:32:29,020 --> 00:32:31,780 So now many of us can realize that, 715 00:32:31,780 --> 00:32:34,020 okay, Chris, I get your point, yes, I sin. 716 00:32:36,180 --> 00:32:37,020 I sin. 717 00:32:38,100 --> 00:32:41,100 But here, now listen, I wanna blow your mind here a second. 718 00:32:42,180 --> 00:32:45,740 I wonder how often do we actually stop 719 00:32:45,740 --> 00:32:47,540 and feel the weight of that reality? 720 00:32:48,420 --> 00:32:49,900 See, I'm guessing that for many of us, 721 00:32:49,900 --> 00:32:51,460 we've never actually stopped 722 00:32:51,460 --> 00:32:53,980 and felt the weight of that reality. 723 00:32:53,980 --> 00:32:57,260 And this is where I want you to see in this passage 724 00:32:57,260 --> 00:33:00,620 how bad this news is, and particularly in light 725 00:33:00,620 --> 00:33:03,100 of the good news that God is holy. 726 00:33:03,100 --> 00:33:05,860 You put those two pieces of news together 727 00:33:05,860 --> 00:33:08,300 and there's a massive problem. 728 00:33:08,300 --> 00:33:09,980 And the problem is not just for us, 729 00:33:09,980 --> 00:33:11,500 the problem is also for God. 730 00:33:11,500 --> 00:33:16,500 God is holy, perfect, faithful, just, without sin, right? 731 00:33:16,860 --> 00:33:21,540 We are the opposite. 732 00:33:23,620 --> 00:33:28,620 We tend to lean towards sin, toward darkness. 733 00:33:28,620 --> 00:33:30,420 Now listen, we're about to dive into 734 00:33:30,420 --> 00:33:33,900 the theological deep end here, okay? 735 00:33:33,900 --> 00:33:35,300 Everyone take a deep breath. 736 00:33:36,580 --> 00:33:39,580 Everyone stand up real quick, stand up, stand up. 737 00:33:40,620 --> 00:33:41,460 Sit back down. 738 00:33:41,460 --> 00:33:43,020 There we go, okay. 739 00:33:43,020 --> 00:33:44,100 There we go. 740 00:33:45,940 --> 00:33:48,540 Okay, now listen, it's important. 741 00:33:48,540 --> 00:33:50,220 You guys laugh, I did that for a reason, 742 00:33:50,220 --> 00:33:51,580 because you were losing focus, 743 00:33:51,580 --> 00:33:54,060 you're like, oh, theological deep end, I'm checking out. 744 00:33:54,060 --> 00:33:55,820 I don't need that, I'm not gonna understand it, 745 00:33:55,820 --> 00:33:58,820 it's gonna go right over my head. 746 00:33:58,820 --> 00:34:00,740 Okay, so let's do it. 747 00:34:00,740 --> 00:34:02,340 Ready, here we go. 748 00:34:02,340 --> 00:34:04,940 So God is holy, he's perfect, he's faithful and just. 749 00:34:04,940 --> 00:34:05,900 We're the opposite. 750 00:34:06,860 --> 00:34:10,140 As a result, we deserve his judgment. 751 00:34:11,340 --> 00:34:14,540 So for us, to sin means we've turned 752 00:34:14,540 --> 00:34:15,700 from the light to the darkness, 753 00:34:15,700 --> 00:34:17,140 we've turned from good to evil, 754 00:34:17,140 --> 00:34:22,140 and as a result, you and I deserve the judgment due sin, 755 00:34:23,500 --> 00:34:24,900 which is eternal separation. 756 00:34:24,900 --> 00:34:27,860 And suddenly we have this tension 757 00:34:27,860 --> 00:34:30,700 that is at the center or the core of the Bible. 758 00:34:30,700 --> 00:34:35,700 How can a holy God show his love to sinners 759 00:34:35,780 --> 00:34:38,380 when they are rightly due his judgment? 760 00:34:38,380 --> 00:34:41,420 And see, that's the most important question in the Bible. 761 00:34:41,420 --> 00:34:44,540 How can a God be true, just, kind and loving 762 00:34:45,620 --> 00:34:48,540 when in reality, we don't deserve it? 763 00:34:50,500 --> 00:34:52,140 And we gotta really feel that, 764 00:34:52,140 --> 00:34:54,220 because for many people, they don't think 765 00:34:54,220 --> 00:34:55,220 it's a problem at all. 766 00:34:56,020 --> 00:34:58,300 There's not too many people in the United States of America 767 00:34:58,300 --> 00:35:01,140 losing sleep every night, tonight, 768 00:35:01,140 --> 00:35:04,180 because God is kind to sinners. 769 00:35:04,180 --> 00:35:05,500 Like they're not worried about it. 770 00:35:05,500 --> 00:35:08,820 In fact, if we're honest, it's just the opposite. 771 00:35:08,820 --> 00:35:12,140 Humanity actually points its finger at God 772 00:35:12,140 --> 00:35:15,940 and says, how can you send someone to hell? 773 00:35:17,220 --> 00:35:19,460 I thought you were a loving God, 774 00:35:19,460 --> 00:35:24,460 how does a loving God do bad to other people? 775 00:35:26,460 --> 00:35:31,460 How could a loving God, have you heard that before? 776 00:35:31,460 --> 00:35:32,300 We all hear it. 777 00:35:33,620 --> 00:35:35,260 How does a loving God do this? 778 00:35:35,260 --> 00:35:36,540 How does a loving God do that? 779 00:35:36,540 --> 00:35:39,020 How could a loving God send someone to hell? 780 00:35:41,500 --> 00:35:43,940 Who are you, God, to judge someone? 781 00:35:43,940 --> 00:35:45,660 Hey, God, how can you tell me 782 00:35:45,660 --> 00:35:47,860 what's the difference between right and wrong? 783 00:35:47,860 --> 00:35:48,700 Hmm. 784 00:35:50,500 --> 00:35:54,500 That's what we think, that's what humanity thinks. 785 00:35:54,500 --> 00:35:56,940 But the question in the Bible is the exact opposite. 786 00:35:56,940 --> 00:35:58,380 See, it's completely right. 787 00:35:58,380 --> 00:36:00,780 The question in the Bible is, God, 788 00:36:00,780 --> 00:36:04,580 how can you be just and still let sinners 789 00:36:04,580 --> 00:36:05,940 experience eternal life? 790 00:36:06,820 --> 00:36:08,140 It's the exact opposite. 791 00:36:08,980 --> 00:36:11,260 And if we look at it, let's step back. 792 00:36:11,260 --> 00:36:15,340 One is very man-centered. 793 00:36:15,340 --> 00:36:20,340 One is very man-centered perspective, us. 794 00:36:20,820 --> 00:36:22,340 How can you do this, God? 795 00:36:23,700 --> 00:36:26,180 The other is a what? 796 00:36:26,180 --> 00:36:30,420 God-centered perspective, kingdom mindset. 797 00:36:30,420 --> 00:36:32,700 And the good news is that God is holy. 798 00:36:32,700 --> 00:36:34,340 The bad news is that we sin. 799 00:36:34,340 --> 00:36:37,140 And all that leads to the best news ever, 800 00:36:37,140 --> 00:36:40,740 which is our final thought, Jesus died for God. 801 00:36:40,740 --> 00:36:42,060 First John 1,7. 802 00:36:42,060 --> 00:36:44,180 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, 803 00:36:44,180 --> 00:36:46,780 we have fellowship with each other in the blood of Jesus, 804 00:36:46,780 --> 00:36:49,100 his son cleanses us from all sin. 805 00:36:49,100 --> 00:36:52,500 And now some of you, I'd say 75% of you 806 00:36:52,500 --> 00:36:53,780 are sitting there thinking, 807 00:36:53,780 --> 00:36:55,700 Chris, did you just misspeak? 808 00:36:57,460 --> 00:37:02,460 Did you just say Jesus died for God? 809 00:37:03,460 --> 00:37:05,820 I thought he died for us. 810 00:37:05,820 --> 00:37:07,380 That's the best news. 811 00:37:07,380 --> 00:37:11,180 I thought he died for us, that's the best news, 812 00:37:11,180 --> 00:37:13,340 that Jesus died for, remember, 813 00:37:13,340 --> 00:37:14,780 what are we trying to shift? 814 00:37:15,700 --> 00:37:16,540 Perspective. 815 00:37:19,060 --> 00:37:22,940 We're trying to shift perspective from us-centered 816 00:37:24,340 --> 00:37:29,060 to God-centered, kingdom mindset. 817 00:37:29,060 --> 00:37:33,180 And the kingdom mindset, that perspective says no, 818 00:37:33,180 --> 00:37:37,420 Jesus died for God first. 819 00:37:38,500 --> 00:37:39,700 Think about it. 820 00:37:39,700 --> 00:37:42,740 Think about God, okay? 821 00:37:42,740 --> 00:37:44,780 And you see it in First John. 822 00:37:44,780 --> 00:37:47,460 Don't get me wrong, Jesus did die for us, 823 00:37:48,620 --> 00:37:49,780 but here's the reality. 824 00:37:50,980 --> 00:37:54,100 Many followers of Jesus have never realized 825 00:37:54,100 --> 00:37:56,860 that his death just wasn't for us. 826 00:37:56,860 --> 00:37:58,860 His death was ultimately for God first. 827 00:38:00,380 --> 00:38:02,620 We're not the center of the universe. 828 00:38:02,620 --> 00:38:03,460 Who is? 829 00:38:05,020 --> 00:38:06,500 God. 830 00:38:06,500 --> 00:38:07,620 God is the center of the universe. 831 00:38:07,620 --> 00:38:09,620 Everything revolves around him. 832 00:38:09,620 --> 00:38:12,860 That's why First John is teaching us God is light. 833 00:38:12,860 --> 00:38:13,900 That's where it all starts. 834 00:38:13,900 --> 00:38:15,140 In him there's no what? 835 00:38:15,140 --> 00:38:16,060 Darkness. 836 00:38:16,940 --> 00:38:19,980 Then in the verse, we read that the blood of Jesus' son 837 00:38:19,980 --> 00:38:21,860 cleanses us from all sin. 838 00:38:21,860 --> 00:38:23,820 How is that possible? 839 00:38:23,820 --> 00:38:28,740 How can Jesus' blood cleanse guilty, 840 00:38:28,740 --> 00:38:31,740 mistake-ridden sinners from their sin? 841 00:38:31,740 --> 00:38:35,020 Well, notice, he himself, First John 2.2, 842 00:38:35,020 --> 00:38:38,220 is the sacrifice that atones for our sins, 843 00:38:38,220 --> 00:38:40,540 and not only for our sins, but for the sins of all, 844 00:38:40,540 --> 00:38:41,940 the whole world. 845 00:38:41,940 --> 00:38:43,500 Now we're gonna learn a new word 846 00:38:45,020 --> 00:38:47,140 from the English Standard Version. 847 00:38:47,140 --> 00:38:52,140 He is the propitiation for our sins, 848 00:38:52,340 --> 00:38:54,180 and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world. 849 00:38:54,180 --> 00:38:55,140 It's a great word. 850 00:38:55,140 --> 00:38:58,940 The only time you're gonna hear this word is in the Bible. 851 00:38:58,940 --> 00:39:01,980 Okay, that's it. 852 00:39:01,980 --> 00:39:04,140 Propitiation, everyone say that. 853 00:39:04,140 --> 00:39:05,580 Propitiation. 854 00:39:05,580 --> 00:39:06,420 All right, say it again 855 00:39:06,420 --> 00:39:08,140 and don't spit on your neighbor's head. 856 00:39:08,140 --> 00:39:09,980 Propitiation. 857 00:39:09,980 --> 00:39:13,700 Because there's a bend to sin, propitiation. 858 00:39:16,460 --> 00:39:19,140 But many of us don't even know what it means. 859 00:39:19,140 --> 00:39:21,140 Right, we don't even know what propitiation means. 860 00:39:21,140 --> 00:39:23,660 Propitiation is a word that simply refers to 861 00:39:23,660 --> 00:39:28,660 a sacrifice that settles judgment or satisfies wrath. 862 00:39:30,100 --> 00:39:33,020 Throughout the Old Testament, the Israelites, 863 00:39:33,020 --> 00:39:35,300 when they sinned, what did they have to do? 864 00:39:35,300 --> 00:39:37,940 They had to sacrifice an animal. 865 00:39:37,940 --> 00:39:39,580 Many of you learned a few weeks ago 866 00:39:39,580 --> 00:39:43,540 that Chris didn't want to be a pastor back then 867 00:39:43,540 --> 00:39:45,340 because I can't even shoot an animal, 868 00:39:45,340 --> 00:39:47,620 much less cut its head off. 869 00:39:47,620 --> 00:39:50,980 Okay, I couldn't imagine doing that. 870 00:39:50,980 --> 00:39:52,460 But worse yet, I couldn't imagine 871 00:39:52,460 --> 00:39:54,780 plucking into your boils, okay? 872 00:39:58,140 --> 00:40:02,980 So that sacrifice was a propitiation. 873 00:40:02,980 --> 00:40:04,620 It was a symbol for the penalty of sin. 874 00:40:04,620 --> 00:40:08,100 As a result, God forgave the people. 875 00:40:08,100 --> 00:40:10,740 But in the New Testament, the whole point 876 00:40:10,740 --> 00:40:13,940 is that those Old Testament sacrifices, it's not enough. 877 00:40:15,180 --> 00:40:17,780 None of those sacrifices could pay the full price 878 00:40:17,780 --> 00:40:19,340 of people sinning against God. 879 00:40:19,340 --> 00:40:21,700 So the question remains, how can a holy God 880 00:40:21,700 --> 00:40:23,620 show his love to guilty sinners? 881 00:40:23,620 --> 00:40:26,540 He solved the problem by sending his son, Jesus, 882 00:40:26,540 --> 00:40:29,620 who never sins, never broke God's law, 883 00:40:29,620 --> 00:40:32,220 but kept God's law perfectly. 884 00:40:32,220 --> 00:40:35,020 He didn't deserve the penalty due sin. 885 00:40:36,740 --> 00:40:39,180 And that made him, think about it, God in flesh. 886 00:40:40,380 --> 00:40:44,620 He was qualified to pay the divine penalty due sinners. 887 00:40:45,660 --> 00:40:48,260 And that's what Jesus did on the cross. 888 00:40:48,260 --> 00:40:53,260 And he did it, not for us, but for the glory of God. 889 00:40:54,380 --> 00:40:55,220 And how do I know that? 890 00:40:55,220 --> 00:40:57,780 Well, let's look at his prayer, John 12. 891 00:40:59,060 --> 00:41:02,020 Now my soul is deeply troubled. 892 00:41:02,020 --> 00:41:05,380 Should I pray, Father, save me from this hour? 893 00:41:05,380 --> 00:41:08,820 But this is the very reason I came, notice. 894 00:41:08,820 --> 00:41:13,500 Father, bring glory to your name. 895 00:41:14,380 --> 00:41:17,260 See, the glory, the goodness, the light of God 896 00:41:17,260 --> 00:41:18,660 drove Jesus to the what? 897 00:41:18,660 --> 00:41:20,180 To the cross. 898 00:41:20,180 --> 00:41:23,260 And Paul says it this way in Romans chapter three, 899 00:41:23,260 --> 00:41:26,340 for God presented Jesus as a sacrifice for sin. 900 00:41:26,340 --> 00:41:28,540 People are made right with God when they believe 901 00:41:28,540 --> 00:41:31,540 that Jesus sacrificed his life, shed in his blood. 902 00:41:31,540 --> 00:41:33,900 This sacrifice shows that God was being fair 903 00:41:33,900 --> 00:41:37,260 when he held back and did not punish those who sin 904 00:41:37,260 --> 00:41:38,100 in times past. 905 00:41:38,100 --> 00:41:41,580 Again, English standard version, not King James, 906 00:41:41,580 --> 00:41:46,580 English standard version, whom God put forward 907 00:41:46,580 --> 00:41:50,780 as a propitiation by his blood to be received by faith. 908 00:41:50,780 --> 00:41:52,380 This was to show God's righteousness 909 00:41:52,380 --> 00:41:54,340 because his divine forbearance 910 00:41:54,340 --> 00:41:56,900 he had passed over for a sense. 911 00:41:56,900 --> 00:42:01,500 See, Jesus died to show that indeed God was holy. 912 00:42:01,500 --> 00:42:04,900 He's perfect, he's righteous, he's good, and he's loving. 913 00:42:04,900 --> 00:42:07,380 The one crowning moment in all of human history 914 00:42:07,380 --> 00:42:11,220 is that Jesus died to satisfy the judgment of God 915 00:42:12,540 --> 00:42:13,600 on all of us. 916 00:42:13,600 --> 00:42:16,600 Because he passionately loves us 917 00:42:16,600 --> 00:42:19,600 and he wanted to be reconnected to us. 918 00:42:19,600 --> 00:42:23,640 Chinese church leader, Watchman Nee, puts it this way, 919 00:42:23,640 --> 00:42:26,640 if I would appreciate the blood of Christ, 920 00:42:26,640 --> 00:42:29,120 I must accept God's evaluation of it 921 00:42:29,120 --> 00:42:33,120 for the blood is not for me, but for God. 922 00:42:34,280 --> 00:42:37,280 I mean, Jesus died for the glory of God 923 00:42:37,280 --> 00:42:39,360 in all of his holiness and justice and love, 924 00:42:39,360 --> 00:42:40,680 and that's key. 925 00:42:40,680 --> 00:42:42,600 We've got to be grateful for that. 926 00:42:42,600 --> 00:42:47,080 See, we've got to realize we need to turn the tables 927 00:42:47,080 --> 00:42:48,560 and have a what? 928 00:42:48,560 --> 00:42:52,220 Kingdom-minded focus of what the cross is. 929 00:42:53,440 --> 00:42:54,920 A God-centered view. 930 00:42:54,920 --> 00:42:58,340 The cross is first and foremost about God. 931 00:42:59,840 --> 00:43:01,480 It's not about us. 932 00:43:01,480 --> 00:43:04,320 It's a decoration to the world that God is holy 933 00:43:04,320 --> 00:43:08,920 and that his love is holy and his judgment is real. 934 00:43:08,920 --> 00:43:13,080 The cross is intended us to think more highly of God. 935 00:43:16,560 --> 00:43:19,640 You look at the cross and you see God is holy. 936 00:43:19,640 --> 00:43:21,480 Is that your view? 937 00:43:21,480 --> 00:43:23,960 Because Jesus died for God, and that's the point here. 938 00:43:23,960 --> 00:43:28,040 It changes everything about our view of the gospel. 939 00:43:28,040 --> 00:43:31,800 God has made a way for you to be forgiven of all your sin. 940 00:43:31,800 --> 00:43:35,880 In his great love, he sent his son to be poured out 941 00:43:35,880 --> 00:43:40,040 with that judgment that we deserve instead one on Jesus. 942 00:43:41,440 --> 00:43:44,560 And that's John's challenge to his church, 943 00:43:44,560 --> 00:43:46,160 which leads to our action steps. 944 00:43:46,160 --> 00:43:50,400 Church, you're called to walk in the light. 945 00:43:50,400 --> 00:43:51,880 And what does that mean? 946 00:43:51,880 --> 00:43:54,560 When we walk in the light, what is God? 947 00:43:54,560 --> 00:43:57,020 God is light, thank you. 948 00:43:57,020 --> 00:43:58,720 Remember, we learned to just learn that. 949 00:43:58,720 --> 00:44:01,360 So that's why John's challenge is we've got to walk 950 00:44:01,360 --> 00:44:02,880 in the light because we want to walk 951 00:44:02,880 --> 00:44:05,720 in all of God's goodness. 952 00:44:05,720 --> 00:44:08,320 We want to walk in all that God has for us, 953 00:44:08,320 --> 00:44:10,880 his abundance to therefore live the good life. 954 00:44:10,880 --> 00:44:12,640 But here's the problem. 955 00:44:12,640 --> 00:44:15,880 What's the world tell us is the good life? 956 00:44:17,600 --> 00:44:22,600 A bigger house, a large car payment. 957 00:44:22,640 --> 00:44:26,240 Have you watched those new commercials? 958 00:44:26,240 --> 00:44:28,680 Listen, have you watched those new commercials 959 00:44:28,680 --> 00:44:30,680 of the new cruise ship? 960 00:44:30,680 --> 00:44:31,960 I mean, that thing looks amazing. 961 00:44:31,960 --> 00:44:35,320 I mean, there's like water slides, there's snowboarding. 962 00:44:35,320 --> 00:44:39,920 I mean, it's like you can bungee jump off the side. 963 00:44:39,920 --> 00:44:43,840 I'm just like, that looks amazing. 964 00:44:43,840 --> 00:44:45,760 I want to go on that ship. 965 00:44:45,760 --> 00:44:48,040 But then you would get around all the people 966 00:44:48,040 --> 00:44:50,280 and they would drive you absolutely bonkers 967 00:44:50,280 --> 00:44:52,520 and you would want to jump off the side of it 968 00:44:52,520 --> 00:44:54,680 to get away from everyone. 969 00:44:54,680 --> 00:44:55,840 What is it? 970 00:44:55,840 --> 00:44:57,880 It's a lie. 971 00:44:57,880 --> 00:44:59,440 It's not the good life. 972 00:44:59,440 --> 00:45:04,440 The good life is fellowship with God. 973 00:45:06,880 --> 00:45:07,720 That's it. 974 00:45:08,800 --> 00:45:09,640 That's it. 975 00:45:09,640 --> 00:45:13,840 The good life is having a passionate relationship 976 00:45:13,840 --> 00:45:15,120 with Jesus because everything else 977 00:45:15,120 --> 00:45:16,280 is gonna leave you empty. 978 00:45:16,280 --> 00:45:18,840 So five simple steps, I'm gonna get through these quick. 979 00:45:18,840 --> 00:45:19,920 I know I'm running a little long. 980 00:45:19,920 --> 00:45:22,760 I'm sorry we went deep theological talk today. 981 00:45:24,440 --> 00:45:26,520 But I know you all learned something 982 00:45:26,520 --> 00:45:29,920 and you're gonna leave here forever changed, amen? 983 00:45:29,920 --> 00:45:33,320 And the first is this, you got to examine. 984 00:45:33,320 --> 00:45:34,720 First John 1, nine through 10, 985 00:45:34,720 --> 00:45:38,360 but if we confess our sins, everyone say sins. 986 00:45:39,480 --> 00:45:41,080 Say it again. 987 00:45:41,080 --> 00:45:41,920 Thank you. 988 00:45:41,920 --> 00:45:46,520 Notice it says sins here in first John. 989 00:45:46,520 --> 00:45:51,520 Sins speaks to specific sins, not general sin. 990 00:45:53,760 --> 00:45:55,960 And so many people in their relationship with Jesus, 991 00:45:55,960 --> 00:45:58,520 they once say, God forgive me of my sin. 992 00:45:58,520 --> 00:45:59,800 And they don't wanna get specific. 993 00:45:59,800 --> 00:46:02,480 They don't wanna get to the cusp 994 00:46:02,480 --> 00:46:04,760 of what is going on in their heart. 995 00:46:05,660 --> 00:46:08,400 And it's not just about saying God forgive me my sin. 996 00:46:08,400 --> 00:46:09,880 It's not a one time thing that we do 997 00:46:09,880 --> 00:46:11,200 at the beginning of our relationship with God. 998 00:46:11,200 --> 00:46:12,800 Yes, that's important. 999 00:46:12,800 --> 00:46:14,800 But remember God is light. 1000 00:46:14,800 --> 00:46:18,120 And part of the purpose of light is to expose what? 1001 00:46:18,120 --> 00:46:19,200 Darkness. 1002 00:46:19,200 --> 00:46:20,040 Darkness. 1003 00:46:20,040 --> 00:46:21,880 Now I know none of you have darkness, 1004 00:46:21,880 --> 00:46:24,600 but he wants to expose it in our heart. 1005 00:46:24,600 --> 00:46:28,120 Not all of it, just a little bit. 1006 00:46:28,120 --> 00:46:29,680 Because the closer we get to the light, 1007 00:46:29,680 --> 00:46:32,000 the more clearly we will see the areas of our lives 1008 00:46:32,000 --> 00:46:33,520 that aren't lining up. 1009 00:46:33,520 --> 00:46:36,400 Right, in the past when we've gone to the beach, 1010 00:46:36,400 --> 00:46:38,400 I was talking about the beach, I love the beach. 1011 00:46:38,400 --> 00:46:39,960 We've gone out on the beach before at night. 1012 00:46:39,960 --> 00:46:41,120 I'm sure many of you have done this. 1013 00:46:41,120 --> 00:46:42,640 You take a flashlight, right? 1014 00:46:42,640 --> 00:46:44,880 And you turn the flashlight on and suddenly you look down 1015 00:46:44,880 --> 00:46:46,880 and there's crabs everywhere, right? 1016 00:46:46,880 --> 00:46:49,400 I think in the first service they called them ghost crabs. 1017 00:46:49,400 --> 00:46:50,240 You know what I'm talking about? 1018 00:46:50,240 --> 00:46:52,640 Everyone just nod a little bit, play with me. 1019 00:46:52,640 --> 00:46:53,800 All right, you know what they are. 1020 00:46:53,800 --> 00:46:56,040 So you got that light out and you shine it 1021 00:46:56,040 --> 00:46:58,680 and when the light hits the crab, what do they do? 1022 00:46:59,960 --> 00:47:00,800 They run. 1023 00:47:02,160 --> 00:47:03,240 They run into their holes. 1024 00:47:03,240 --> 00:47:05,200 Now my kids, they wanna run and dig into the holes. 1025 00:47:05,200 --> 00:47:07,200 I'm like no, because to me it seems like 1026 00:47:07,200 --> 00:47:09,080 they might get pinched, but accordingly they don't pinch. 1027 00:47:09,080 --> 00:47:10,520 I don't know if they do or not, 1028 00:47:10,520 --> 00:47:11,600 but I still don't want them to 1029 00:47:11,600 --> 00:47:12,760 because that might be painful. 1030 00:47:12,760 --> 00:47:14,480 I'm on a tangent, I'm sorry. 1031 00:47:14,480 --> 00:47:18,800 So the point is when the light shines on the crab, 1032 00:47:18,800 --> 00:47:21,920 it's when the light shines on the crabs, they run 1033 00:47:21,920 --> 00:47:24,760 because light exposes the darkness, oops, sorry. 1034 00:47:27,440 --> 00:47:29,720 So the same goes for us. 1035 00:47:29,720 --> 00:47:32,800 And my challenge to you is when God exposes light 1036 00:47:32,800 --> 00:47:36,560 into our darkness, don't run and scurry or hide. 1037 00:47:39,000 --> 00:47:44,000 Go to Him and confess, which is our next step. 1038 00:47:44,560 --> 00:47:47,080 If we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just 1039 00:47:47,080 --> 00:47:49,600 forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all wickedness. 1040 00:47:49,600 --> 00:47:52,120 And I love that image of God cleansing us. 1041 00:47:52,120 --> 00:47:56,000 How many of you were here when I climbed out of the 1042 00:47:56,000 --> 00:47:59,880 baptismal and spoke to you soaking wet? 1043 00:47:59,880 --> 00:48:01,440 Were some of you here for that? 1044 00:48:01,440 --> 00:48:03,000 Some of you aren't raising your hands and nodding 1045 00:48:03,000 --> 00:48:04,400 and saying you're lying to me. 1046 00:48:05,640 --> 00:48:06,800 I forgive you though. 1047 00:48:08,680 --> 00:48:12,160 The point is I was standing up here soaking wet, dripping. 1048 00:48:12,160 --> 00:48:14,280 It was probably the stupidest thing I ever did 1049 00:48:14,280 --> 00:48:16,200 because I had to stop chattering my teeth 1050 00:48:16,200 --> 00:48:19,200 because I was so freezing cold to share with you an example. 1051 00:48:19,200 --> 00:48:20,920 But I believe it was a good example. 1052 00:48:20,920 --> 00:48:24,160 But the point is that's the image I want you to see 1053 00:48:24,160 --> 00:48:25,840 of God cleansing us. 1054 00:48:25,840 --> 00:48:29,280 See when He exposes us and then we go to Him and say 1055 00:48:29,280 --> 00:48:33,000 God forgive me for that sin specifically, what does He do? 1056 00:48:33,000 --> 00:48:34,720 He cleanses us. 1057 00:48:36,920 --> 00:48:38,200 He cleanses us. 1058 00:48:39,640 --> 00:48:42,320 Think about it, that's why Jesus taught us to pray 1059 00:48:42,320 --> 00:48:46,440 that Father forgive us our sins. 1060 00:48:46,440 --> 00:48:50,360 He didn't say Father forgive us our sin. 1061 00:48:50,360 --> 00:48:52,160 It's plural. 1062 00:48:52,160 --> 00:48:56,040 And it's necessary to have an ongoing relationship with God 1063 00:48:56,040 --> 00:48:59,080 that we what, confess. 1064 00:48:59,080 --> 00:49:01,320 And for those of you that think that God's gonna get mad 1065 00:49:01,320 --> 00:49:04,080 at you and He's gonna be upset with you 1066 00:49:04,080 --> 00:49:09,080 and He's gonna, listen, listen, I have a lot of children. 1067 00:49:09,080 --> 00:49:12,880 I happen to have one that's four years old right now 1068 00:49:12,880 --> 00:49:14,200 and he doesn't listen. 1069 00:49:16,240 --> 00:49:20,560 Out of all of our children, he is the most disobedient child 1070 00:49:22,160 --> 00:49:24,320 and he doesn't listen. 1071 00:49:24,320 --> 00:49:27,360 And it makes me upset and frustrated. 1072 00:49:27,360 --> 00:49:28,920 Sometimes I get angry. 1073 00:49:30,040 --> 00:49:31,120 Sometimes. 1074 00:49:32,600 --> 00:49:36,560 But the point is, okay, though he is disobedient, 1075 00:49:36,560 --> 00:49:38,800 do I love him any less? 1076 00:49:38,800 --> 00:49:40,120 Of course not. 1077 00:49:40,120 --> 00:49:42,320 I don't love him any less, I love him more. 1078 00:49:42,320 --> 00:49:43,480 Now do I want him to listen? 1079 00:49:43,480 --> 00:49:44,680 Of course I do. 1080 00:49:47,600 --> 00:49:49,640 So here's my point. 1081 00:49:49,640 --> 00:49:52,040 Stop being so foolish to think that you can go 1082 00:49:52,040 --> 00:49:54,880 and hide in the sand all your sin. 1083 00:49:56,000 --> 00:49:57,200 God already knows it. 1084 00:49:58,280 --> 00:50:00,640 Don't be like a little crab that scurries to its hole 1085 00:50:00,640 --> 00:50:03,160 because you're in your hole and you can't move anywhere 1086 00:50:03,160 --> 00:50:05,960 and your sand falling in your face and you're miserable. 1087 00:50:05,960 --> 00:50:06,800 Yeah. 1088 00:50:07,800 --> 00:50:09,480 But God says, I see it anyway. 1089 00:50:10,520 --> 00:50:11,840 I know what's going on in your heart, 1090 00:50:11,840 --> 00:50:12,920 I know what's going on in your mind, 1091 00:50:12,920 --> 00:50:14,800 I know how you're living. 1092 00:50:14,800 --> 00:50:16,400 Confess. 1093 00:50:16,400 --> 00:50:20,080 I still love you, but get right with me. 1094 00:50:20,080 --> 00:50:22,280 Which leads us to our next step, receive. 1095 00:50:22,280 --> 00:50:25,760 So you gotta remember, examine, confess, receive. 1096 00:50:25,760 --> 00:50:27,400 My dear children, I am writing this to you 1097 00:50:27,400 --> 00:50:28,800 so that you will not sin. 1098 00:50:30,000 --> 00:50:31,800 But if anyone sins, we have an advocate 1099 00:50:31,800 --> 00:50:33,960 who pleads our case before the Father. 1100 00:50:33,960 --> 00:50:35,120 Listen to that. 1101 00:50:35,120 --> 00:50:37,560 He is Jesus Christ, the one who is true. 1102 00:50:37,560 --> 00:50:40,040 Friends, we receive grace. 1103 00:50:40,040 --> 00:50:42,560 We receive grace happily, in fact. 1104 00:50:42,560 --> 00:50:44,280 And that's the beauty of these verses. 1105 00:50:44,280 --> 00:50:47,600 The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sins. 1106 00:50:47,600 --> 00:50:49,640 God's not angry with you. 1107 00:50:51,600 --> 00:50:53,840 He's not angry with you, he wants you to come 1108 00:50:53,840 --> 00:50:56,720 and be close to him and be passionate and love with him, 1109 00:50:56,720 --> 00:50:59,520 but it only happens when we have our heart right. 1110 00:50:59,520 --> 00:51:02,280 So you receive the grace. 1111 00:51:02,280 --> 00:51:05,720 And unfortunately, the Bible calls Satan the what? 1112 00:51:05,720 --> 00:51:07,480 The accuser. 1113 00:51:07,480 --> 00:51:11,840 And when we sin, the enemy, you're not worthy. 1114 00:51:11,840 --> 00:51:14,320 You can't go to God, you can't seek forgiveness. 1115 00:51:14,320 --> 00:51:17,960 But listen, in those verses, picture a courtroom. 1116 00:51:18,840 --> 00:51:19,680 Right? 1117 00:51:19,680 --> 00:51:24,240 The judge is standing or sitting behind the desk 1118 00:51:24,240 --> 00:51:26,160 and the enemy is accusing you. 1119 00:51:26,160 --> 00:51:28,320 You can't get forgiveness, you'll never be free. 1120 00:51:28,320 --> 00:51:33,320 And Jesus stands up and says, he's forgiven. 1121 00:51:33,320 --> 00:51:34,600 She's forgiven. 1122 00:51:36,520 --> 00:51:37,880 That makes a difference. 1123 00:51:38,960 --> 00:51:42,200 That's why we receive God's grace happily. 1124 00:51:42,200 --> 00:51:45,200 Our fourth step, we need to obey. 1125 00:51:45,200 --> 00:51:47,360 And we can be sure that we know him 1126 00:51:47,360 --> 00:51:49,880 if we obey his commandments. 1127 00:51:49,880 --> 00:51:51,680 Those who say they live in God 1128 00:51:51,680 --> 00:51:53,680 should live their lives as Jesus did. 1129 00:51:53,680 --> 00:51:56,640 We confess sin, we receive grace, 1130 00:51:56,640 --> 00:51:57,880 and then we want to obey. 1131 00:51:57,880 --> 00:51:59,520 We want to walk in the light. 1132 00:51:59,520 --> 00:52:01,840 We want to humbly obey him. 1133 00:52:01,840 --> 00:52:02,960 Are we ever gonna be perfect? 1134 00:52:02,960 --> 00:52:04,400 No. 1135 00:52:04,400 --> 00:52:08,840 But John clearly is allowing for sin in the picture here. 1136 00:52:08,840 --> 00:52:11,520 And here's the reality of what John wants us to see. 1137 00:52:11,520 --> 00:52:14,920 John wants us to realize we're never gonna be perfect. 1138 00:52:14,920 --> 00:52:19,280 It's not about holy perfection, it's about holy direction. 1139 00:52:20,720 --> 00:52:24,600 That as long as your direction is going towards Jesus, 1140 00:52:24,600 --> 00:52:27,000 then that's the direction you wanna be going in. 1141 00:52:27,000 --> 00:52:29,560 But if you're standing still, you're going nowhere. 1142 00:52:30,920 --> 00:52:33,680 And your relationship with God is gonna stall out. 1143 00:52:33,680 --> 00:52:36,400 You're gonna be boring, it's gonna become religious, 1144 00:52:36,400 --> 00:52:38,200 and then you're gonna disappear. 1145 00:52:40,120 --> 00:52:43,280 And God says focus on the direction. 1146 00:52:44,760 --> 00:52:46,440 Focus on where you're going. 1147 00:52:47,600 --> 00:52:49,080 I mean, here's the reality. 1148 00:52:49,080 --> 00:52:51,960 I shared this at our celebration of life yesterday. 1149 00:52:51,960 --> 00:52:53,240 There's gonna be a time coming 1150 00:52:53,240 --> 00:52:55,080 where there'll be no more death or mourning or crying 1151 00:52:55,080 --> 00:52:57,320 or paying for the old order of things is what? 1152 00:52:57,320 --> 00:52:58,960 Passed away. 1153 00:52:58,960 --> 00:53:00,440 And that's gonna be a beautiful time 1154 00:53:00,440 --> 00:53:02,880 that we all wanna be in as we spend eternity 1155 00:53:02,880 --> 00:53:04,920 with our creator, but here's the reality. 1156 00:53:04,920 --> 00:53:07,680 Until that time comes, we need to be moving 1157 00:53:07,680 --> 00:53:10,200 in the direction toward Jesus. 1158 00:53:11,520 --> 00:53:14,360 And as we're looking and moving towards Jesus, 1159 00:53:14,360 --> 00:53:15,560 then suddenly he's gonna give us 1160 00:53:15,560 --> 00:53:18,160 the opportunity number five to share. 1161 00:53:18,160 --> 00:53:21,840 He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins. 1162 00:53:21,840 --> 00:53:24,040 And notice, and not for our sins only, 1163 00:53:24,040 --> 00:53:25,520 but for the sins of what? 1164 00:53:25,520 --> 00:53:26,360 The whole world. 1165 00:53:27,520 --> 00:53:29,960 And here's what I wanna tell you. 1166 00:53:29,960 --> 00:53:32,680 When you have the opportunity to share 1167 00:53:32,680 --> 00:53:35,800 about Jesus' eternal life, his forgiveness, his grace, 1168 00:53:35,800 --> 00:53:38,680 when you're pointing people to what Jesus did on the cross 1169 00:53:38,680 --> 00:53:41,880 and you see someone come into a relationship with him, 1170 00:53:43,920 --> 00:53:45,160 you'll never be the same. 1171 00:53:46,080 --> 00:53:48,720 There'll be an exceedingly abundant joy 1172 00:53:48,720 --> 00:53:52,240 that wells up within you that says yes, 1173 00:53:52,240 --> 00:53:53,840 I wanna do it again. 1174 00:53:55,080 --> 00:53:57,960 And that's what John wants for his church. 1175 00:53:58,920 --> 00:54:01,840 John desires that his church shares about this grace, 1176 00:54:01,840 --> 00:54:04,480 this forgiveness, this joy, and this abundance 1177 00:54:04,480 --> 00:54:07,280 so that we're constantly just giving it away, 1178 00:54:07,280 --> 00:54:09,520 heaping it on people's heads, 1179 00:54:09,520 --> 00:54:11,320 pulling them out of the sand, 1180 00:54:11,320 --> 00:54:13,000 pulling them out of the trenches, 1181 00:54:13,000 --> 00:54:16,680 allowing them to see God's abundance in their own lives. 1182 00:54:18,120 --> 00:54:20,120 And I wanna challenge you, 1183 00:54:20,120 --> 00:54:23,760 don't allow the fear of man to keep you down. 1184 00:54:23,760 --> 00:54:26,560 And that's the only thing that keeps us down 1185 00:54:26,560 --> 00:54:30,400 from sharing the goodness that God has done for us 1186 00:54:30,400 --> 00:54:32,240 with others. 1187 00:54:32,240 --> 00:54:34,080 So we're gonna share in communion to close. 1188 00:54:34,080 --> 00:54:34,920 Don't stand up. 1189 00:54:36,240 --> 00:54:37,680 It's easier to give it out. 1190 00:54:38,560 --> 00:54:40,440 If you didn't get a communion element, 1191 00:54:40,440 --> 00:54:43,600 put your hand up so we can give them to you. 1192 00:54:46,760 --> 00:54:48,360 Look around, if the people's hand's up, 1193 00:54:48,360 --> 00:54:49,720 you can see who was late. 1194 00:54:49,720 --> 00:54:50,560 Who was late. 1195 00:54:54,880 --> 00:54:55,920 But don't judge them. 1196 00:55:00,000 --> 00:55:02,640 If you need gluten-free, you can be a holy roller. 1197 00:55:03,720 --> 00:55:04,560 Ah, there we go. 1198 00:55:05,520 --> 00:55:07,120 There's always one in the crowd. 1199 00:55:10,680 --> 00:55:13,440 Let's see if she can keep them up though. 1200 00:55:13,440 --> 00:55:16,000 Frank, anyone up here in the front? 1201 00:55:16,000 --> 00:55:21,000 Got it. 1202 00:55:21,080 --> 00:55:22,360 All right, so while they're going around, 1203 00:55:22,360 --> 00:55:24,760 I just wanna encourage everyone, 1204 00:55:24,760 --> 00:55:25,920 as we take communion together, 1205 00:55:25,920 --> 00:55:28,880 the bread is simply a reminder 1206 00:55:28,880 --> 00:55:31,000 of Jesus' broken body on the cross. 1207 00:55:31,000 --> 00:55:33,040 Jesus died for who first? 1208 00:55:34,880 --> 00:55:36,480 Jesus died for who first? 1209 00:55:36,480 --> 00:55:37,320 Okay, thank you. 1210 00:55:37,320 --> 00:55:39,040 All right, just checking. 1211 00:55:39,040 --> 00:55:41,000 Just a quick quiz. 1212 00:55:41,000 --> 00:55:41,840 Quiz. 1213 00:55:42,960 --> 00:55:45,040 Jesus' broken body. 1214 00:55:45,040 --> 00:55:48,800 The juice simply is a reminder of Jesus' shed blood 1215 00:55:48,800 --> 00:55:50,520 for the forgiveness of sins. 1216 00:55:51,560 --> 00:55:53,680 So, everybody good? 1217 00:55:53,680 --> 00:55:54,840 All right, let's stand. 1218 00:55:58,000 --> 00:56:00,320 All right, before we, now listen. 1219 00:56:00,320 --> 00:56:02,160 Before we take and share a communion, 1220 00:56:02,160 --> 00:56:04,360 I'm gonna pray a simple prayer, 1221 00:56:04,360 --> 00:56:06,240 because some of you may need to get right with God. 1222 00:56:06,240 --> 00:56:07,520 I don't want you sharing in communion 1223 00:56:07,520 --> 00:56:10,000 without being right with God. 1224 00:56:10,000 --> 00:56:11,280 So we're gonna pray a simple prayer. 1225 00:56:11,280 --> 00:56:13,720 For those of you that are in a relationship with Jesus, 1226 00:56:13,720 --> 00:56:16,720 I wanna encourage you if God put a flashlight on your heart, 1227 00:56:17,760 --> 00:56:20,280 ask for forgiveness for whatever He highlighted 1228 00:56:20,280 --> 00:56:21,480 before we take communion. 1229 00:56:21,480 --> 00:56:23,880 That's the point in taking communion, 1230 00:56:23,880 --> 00:56:25,120 so that we can what? 1231 00:56:25,120 --> 00:56:25,960 Get right. 1232 00:56:27,800 --> 00:56:28,640 So let's pray. 1233 00:56:28,640 --> 00:56:31,240 Jesus, I'm broken. 1234 00:56:31,240 --> 00:56:36,000 I'm full of doubt, shame, regret, sin. 1235 00:56:36,000 --> 00:56:38,960 I believe you're God's son. 1236 00:56:38,960 --> 00:56:41,320 I believe you died for me. 1237 00:56:41,320 --> 00:56:43,640 I believe you died for me. 1238 00:56:43,640 --> 00:56:46,440 Oh God, set me free. 1239 00:56:46,440 --> 00:56:48,200 Make me new. 1240 00:56:48,200 --> 00:56:51,160 Fill me with your Spirit. 1241 00:56:51,160 --> 00:56:54,080 In Jesus' name, amen. 1242 00:56:54,080 --> 00:56:55,320 On the night He was betrayed, 1243 00:56:55,320 --> 00:56:57,200 Jesus took bread and broke it. 1244 00:56:57,200 --> 00:57:00,280 He gave it to His disciples and said, take, eat. 1245 00:57:00,280 --> 00:57:02,160 This is my body which is broken for you. 1246 00:57:02,160 --> 00:57:04,520 Do it in remembrance of me. 1247 00:57:04,520 --> 00:57:09,520 Likewise, after supper, He took the cup of wine 1248 00:57:13,960 --> 00:57:16,880 and when He had given thanks, He drank it. 1249 00:57:16,880 --> 00:57:19,200 He said, this is the blood which is shed for you 1250 00:57:19,200 --> 00:57:21,000 and for many for the forgiveness of sins. 1251 00:57:21,000 --> 00:57:23,760 Drink it often and do it in remembrance of me. 1252 00:57:27,560 --> 00:57:29,080 Yes, God. 1253 00:57:29,080 --> 00:57:30,360 All right, now before we go, hold on. 1254 00:57:30,360 --> 00:57:31,280 I gotta do one more thing. 1255 00:57:31,280 --> 00:57:34,240 God highlighted something for me to do before we leave. 1256 00:57:34,240 --> 00:57:35,760 It's gonna be a little weird. 1257 00:57:35,760 --> 00:57:37,000 We did it first service though. 1258 00:57:37,000 --> 00:57:38,320 I know you guys are better. 1259 00:57:38,320 --> 00:57:41,080 You're more awake, you're stronger. 1260 00:57:41,080 --> 00:57:43,280 Okay, so we can do it. 1261 00:57:43,280 --> 00:57:46,760 I want us all to join hands. 1262 00:57:46,760 --> 00:57:49,040 Everybody, even crossroads. 1263 00:57:49,040 --> 00:57:52,840 I want a community of faith with linked hands. 1264 00:57:52,840 --> 00:57:54,680 Come on, you can do it. 1265 00:57:54,680 --> 00:57:55,760 You can do it. 1266 00:57:57,320 --> 00:57:59,480 You can do it, yes. 1267 00:57:59,480 --> 00:58:00,840 Oh, this is beautiful. 1268 00:58:01,720 --> 00:58:02,600 There you go. 1269 00:58:02,600 --> 00:58:03,440 All right. 1270 00:58:04,440 --> 00:58:06,560 All right, Johnny, pinky me. 1271 00:58:07,960 --> 00:58:09,280 You go that way. 1272 00:58:09,280 --> 00:58:10,120 There you go. 1273 00:58:10,120 --> 00:58:13,120 Now listen, I'm gonna invite the Holy Spirit to come 1274 00:58:14,000 --> 00:58:16,600 and I'm gonna ask God to reveal 1275 00:58:16,600 --> 00:58:18,920 someone in your sphere of influence 1276 00:58:18,920 --> 00:58:21,760 that you're called to share this good news with 1277 00:58:21,760 --> 00:58:24,000 and I'm gonna pray for all of us 1278 00:58:24,000 --> 00:58:26,760 that we have the faith to step out and share it this week 1279 00:58:26,760 --> 00:58:30,520 and that even includes praying for the sick. 1280 00:58:30,520 --> 00:58:33,440 That even includes praying for someone's marriage 1281 00:58:33,440 --> 00:58:34,280 to be restored. 1282 00:58:34,280 --> 00:58:36,560 I mean, whatever comes across your path, 1283 00:58:36,560 --> 00:58:38,360 you're gonna step out and do it. 1284 00:58:39,240 --> 00:58:42,720 So Holy Spirit, come, God, reveal to us 1285 00:58:42,720 --> 00:58:45,800 that person, those people in our sphere of influence, 1286 00:58:45,800 --> 00:58:49,440 God, that just need your grace, love, and forgiveness. 1287 00:58:49,440 --> 00:58:51,960 And I pray for this community of faith, God, 1288 00:58:51,960 --> 00:58:54,000 that they would boldly step out in faith 1289 00:58:54,000 --> 00:58:56,480 and see your kingdom come and your will be done. 1290 00:58:56,480 --> 00:58:58,720 Signs, wonders, miracles, miracles, 1291 00:58:58,720 --> 00:59:01,560 signs, wonders, miracles, more importantly, 1292 00:59:01,560 --> 00:59:04,600 new life in Jesus. 1293 00:59:04,600 --> 00:59:06,280 Use us, God. 1294 00:59:06,280 --> 00:59:29,120 Help us be the church.