WEBVTT 00:00:09.359 --> 00:00:14.240 Welcome to ECB's weekly sermon podcast. ECB is 00:00:14.240 --> 00:00:16.519 an international church in Bangkok, Thailand, 00:00:16.699 --> 00:00:19.739 with dozens of nationalities worshiping together. 00:00:20.039 --> 00:00:22.920 We invite you to connect with us from wherever 00:00:22.920 --> 00:00:27.140 you are through our website, ecb .asia, or our 00:00:27.140 --> 00:00:30.980 mobile app. And now we pray that you are blessed 00:00:30.980 --> 00:00:35.100 by this week's sermon. Starting in March, we 00:00:35.100 --> 00:00:40.039 began this series called Above All. And today 00:00:40.039 --> 00:00:42.179 we will continue on this series and we're going 00:00:42.179 --> 00:00:46.200 to finish it. It's the last study on the whole 00:00:46.200 --> 00:00:48.600 series. So I pray that the Lord will use this 00:00:48.600 --> 00:00:51.840 time to really consolidate your understanding 00:00:51.840 --> 00:00:56.140 of what Jesus has done. Before we enter into 00:00:56.140 --> 00:01:01.759 this time, please join me as I pray. Lord, as 00:01:01.759 --> 00:01:04.640 we were singing, the very same power that raised 00:01:04.640 --> 00:01:06.920 Jesus from the dead is the one that lives in 00:01:06.920 --> 00:01:12.549 me. That is so profound, so true. It is true. 00:01:13.849 --> 00:01:18.049 It is true. I will get to see that even more 00:01:18.049 --> 00:01:20.510 today as we study your word. I'm asking you, 00:01:20.569 --> 00:01:25.890 Lord, you know that I can only open the word 00:01:25.890 --> 00:01:28.549 and preach a sermon, but only you can reach the 00:01:28.549 --> 00:01:32.030 heart. I'm asking you, Lord, reach the heart. 00:01:33.469 --> 00:01:37.950 Use me in your power and in your grace. to take 00:01:37.950 --> 00:01:41.569 us where you want us to be. In Jesus' name we 00:01:41.569 --> 00:01:49.109 pray, amen. I would like to start this last study 00:01:49.109 --> 00:01:53.810 of the series by doing a quick summary. And what 00:01:53.810 --> 00:01:57.069 we discover at the beginning is that when the 00:01:57.069 --> 00:01:59.629 book of Hebrews talks about what Jesus came to 00:01:59.629 --> 00:02:04.469 accomplish in our salvation, we discover that 00:02:04.469 --> 00:02:10.039 Jesus Hebrews says, had to become a human being, 00:02:10.120 --> 00:02:13.340 flesh and blood, because by only becoming a human 00:02:13.340 --> 00:02:16.960 being, he could die, and only by dying, he could 00:02:16.960 --> 00:02:22.400 break the power of Satan over humanity. And as 00:02:22.400 --> 00:02:27.719 we started the studies, section by section, what 00:02:27.719 --> 00:02:31.319 emerges is that the problem that humanity had, 00:02:31.599 --> 00:02:38.759 it was, classified in these three distinct areas. 00:02:39.259 --> 00:02:43.020 First is that there's a spiritual being called 00:02:43.020 --> 00:02:48.419 Lucifer or Satan, who is the one that leads the 00:02:48.419 --> 00:02:52.400 opposition against God, and he's called the prince 00:02:52.400 --> 00:02:56.520 of this world. He is the prince of the kingdom 00:02:56.520 --> 00:03:00.460 of darkness, the kingdom that humanity was under 00:03:00.460 --> 00:03:06.500 after... the first humans decided not to love 00:03:06.500 --> 00:03:11.699 God and follow Him. And because after those humans 00:03:11.699 --> 00:03:17.379 became sinners and mortal, sin and death spread 00:03:17.379 --> 00:03:21.780 to everyone. And as sinners, now Satan had the 00:03:21.780 --> 00:03:27.740 power to accuse because we were guilty. And he 00:03:27.740 --> 00:03:30.860 could use that against us to separate us from 00:03:30.860 --> 00:03:35.199 God. But not only that, The Bible says that after 00:03:35.199 --> 00:03:39.759 dying, Satan had the power over death, and therefore 00:03:39.759 --> 00:03:45.139 he had the power to separate us from God. And 00:03:45.139 --> 00:03:50.139 therefore, when Jesus comes to do his ministry, 00:03:50.180 --> 00:03:53.719 and he dies and he resurrects, what the Bible 00:03:53.719 --> 00:03:56.580 describes is Jesus accomplishing a salvation 00:03:56.580 --> 00:04:00.800 that addresses all these three areas right to 00:04:00.800 --> 00:04:07.050 the core. First, as a human being, Satan was 00:04:07.050 --> 00:04:12.150 not able to control Jesus, to compromise Jesus, 00:04:12.330 --> 00:04:16.009 to dupe Jesus into becoming under his power. 00:04:16.490 --> 00:04:20.610 Satan tempted him, tried to deter him from his 00:04:20.610 --> 00:04:26.250 mission, but he couldn't. And because Jesus died 00:04:26.250 --> 00:04:30.730 and resurrected never, ever, Engaging in any 00:04:30.730 --> 00:04:35.689 form of sin, Satan had no power over Jesus, and 00:04:35.689 --> 00:04:38.509 therefore Jesus breaks the power that Satan had 00:04:38.509 --> 00:04:42.730 over humanity. And now Jesus has all authority 00:04:42.730 --> 00:04:48.509 instead. Secondly, by dying on the cross, we 00:04:48.509 --> 00:04:53.310 discover that Jesus took away the account of 00:04:53.310 --> 00:04:57.009 the record against us. And by dying on the cross, 00:04:57.230 --> 00:04:59.930 then he took away the power that Satan had to 00:04:59.930 --> 00:05:03.050 accuse us because there was nothing anymore that 00:05:03.050 --> 00:05:06.870 he could accuse us for because Jesus had paid 00:05:06.870 --> 00:05:12.529 for it. And that's why Jesus now breaks the power 00:05:12.529 --> 00:05:17.110 of Satan to accuse. But then after Jesus dies, 00:05:17.310 --> 00:05:19.750 before he resurrects, the Bible says that he 00:05:19.750 --> 00:05:23.939 went into Hades. the place of the dead. And in 00:05:23.939 --> 00:05:27.199 it, he broke the power that Satan had there. 00:05:27.399 --> 00:05:30.560 And he opened the way to heaven so that people 00:05:30.560 --> 00:05:34.160 now, God's people can go and be with God instead 00:05:34.160 --> 00:05:37.379 of being separated from him. And at that moment, 00:05:37.420 --> 00:05:40.500 through his death and resurrection, Jesus breaks 00:05:40.500 --> 00:05:43.839 the power that death had to separate. And one 00:05:43.839 --> 00:05:46.779 day, death will be the last enemy to be destroyed 00:05:46.779 --> 00:05:50.100 at the end of human history when Jesus returns. 00:05:51.920 --> 00:05:54.939 So by doing these things, Jesus accomplished 00:05:54.939 --> 00:05:58.620 a salvation that addressed all of these different 00:05:58.620 --> 00:06:02.279 things. And now he is inviting us to walk in 00:06:02.279 --> 00:06:07.360 the victory that he has accomplished. If all 00:06:07.360 --> 00:06:11.240 of this is new to you or you missed some of the 00:06:11.240 --> 00:06:13.800 studies, I encourage you to go to our ECB app 00:06:13.800 --> 00:06:18.079 or our ECB website. at ecb .asia, and you can 00:06:18.079 --> 00:06:21.220 access all these studies, including the videos, 00:06:21.379 --> 00:06:24.100 the audio, the PowerPoints, the study guide, 00:06:24.360 --> 00:06:28.379 all of that available for you. So this is the 00:06:28.379 --> 00:06:31.519 summary of what we have covered so far. Today, 00:06:31.759 --> 00:06:36.279 I want to turn to a very different part of the 00:06:36.279 --> 00:06:39.839 study. But before doing that, I want you to read 00:06:39.839 --> 00:06:42.959 this verse with me because this verse from Colossians 00:06:42.959 --> 00:06:47.720 summarizes beautifully What we just said. In 00:06:47.720 --> 00:06:50.079 the previous slides. Let's read it together. 00:06:50.699 --> 00:06:55.139 For he has rescued us. From the kingdom of darkness. 00:06:55.279 --> 00:06:59.000 And transferred us. To the kingdom of his dear 00:06:59.000 --> 00:07:03.660 son. Who purchased our freedom. And forgave our 00:07:03.660 --> 00:07:09.740 sins. That's it. Simple. Profound. This is the 00:07:09.740 --> 00:07:14.990 victory that Jesus has accomplished. And after 00:07:14.990 --> 00:07:18.610 understanding that, we need to dig a little bit 00:07:18.610 --> 00:07:21.970 deeper today to really understand the very last 00:07:21.970 --> 00:07:26.129 part of what Jesus has accomplished and what 00:07:26.129 --> 00:07:30.410 he's inviting us to experience. And I would like 00:07:30.410 --> 00:07:37.529 to ask this question. How is your heart? I don't 00:07:37.529 --> 00:07:40.029 mean, what are you doing? What are your plans? 00:07:40.649 --> 00:07:45.180 I'm talking about... The deepest part of you. 00:07:46.279 --> 00:07:51.199 How's your heart? How are you really, really 00:07:51.199 --> 00:07:57.660 doing? And you might realize that depending the 00:07:57.660 --> 00:07:59.740 day I ask you that question, your answer might 00:07:59.740 --> 00:08:05.019 change. Because there's something of all these 00:08:05.019 --> 00:08:08.920 inner part of our lives that seems to be a little 00:08:08.920 --> 00:08:15.500 bit kind of Complicated. In fact, Jeremiah, the 00:08:15.500 --> 00:08:19.319 prophet, reflecting on this, put it very simply. 00:08:19.399 --> 00:08:22.160 And he says, you know, the heart is deceitful 00:08:22.160 --> 00:08:27.100 about all things and beyond cure. Who can understand 00:08:27.100 --> 00:08:33.659 it? Yeah. Complicated. And at moments it feels 00:08:33.659 --> 00:08:39.980 as if it's beyond cure. Jesus was talking about 00:08:39.980 --> 00:08:43.500 this aspect of our lives to the people during 00:08:43.500 --> 00:08:46.980 his ministry. And in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 00:08:46.980 --> 00:08:52.379 15, he observes two things. One of them is that 00:08:52.379 --> 00:08:56.879 when people are not doing well in their heart 00:08:56.879 --> 00:08:59.960 level, they can still play the religious game. 00:09:01.200 --> 00:09:03.799 And he says, you know, these people honor me 00:09:03.799 --> 00:09:07.179 with their lips, but their hearts, it's a different 00:09:07.179 --> 00:09:13.549 story. Their heart is far from me. Have you ever 00:09:13.549 --> 00:09:17.309 felt that way? You read the Bible, you did the 00:09:17.309 --> 00:09:20.409 prayer, you sang the song, but it's like somehow 00:09:20.409 --> 00:09:23.049 there's like a disconnect. You feel distant. 00:09:24.769 --> 00:09:30.990 And Jesus says, yeah, sometimes people want to 00:09:30.990 --> 00:09:36.649 worship God, but their heart is not in it. And 00:09:36.649 --> 00:09:38.649 not only that, Jesus said in the same chapter 00:09:38.649 --> 00:09:43.169 that the heart gets a little bit uglier. Because 00:09:43.169 --> 00:09:51.110 he says, for from the heart come what? Evil thoughts. 00:09:51.870 --> 00:09:56.269 You have evil thoughts? Yeah? Comes from the 00:09:56.269 --> 00:10:03.649 heart? Murder. Adultery. All sexual immorality. 00:10:04.350 --> 00:10:08.440 Theft. lying and slander. All of this comes from 00:10:08.440 --> 00:10:11.019 the heart and these are the things that defile 00:10:11.019 --> 00:10:13.799 you, that contaminate you, that compromise you. 00:10:16.799 --> 00:10:18.980 It's like, okay, Jesus, you're getting a little 00:10:18.980 --> 00:10:22.700 bit too personal here. It's like, you are reading 00:10:22.700 --> 00:10:32.000 my mail here. But it gets even worse because 00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:37.330 the Apostle Paul tells us, that our inner life, 00:10:37.409 --> 00:10:39.889 all of these things, when they get worse and 00:10:39.889 --> 00:10:42.809 worse and worse, it's a reality, especially if 00:10:42.809 --> 00:10:48.490 Jesus is not your Savior. He says, Satan, who 00:10:48.490 --> 00:10:52.389 is the God of this world, has blinded the minds 00:10:52.389 --> 00:10:54.870 of those who don't believe, and they are unable 00:10:54.870 --> 00:11:00.500 to see the glorious light of the good news. It's 00:11:00.500 --> 00:11:02.919 like not only there's an internal thing, but 00:11:02.919 --> 00:11:05.860 there's this external spiritual thing. And all 00:11:05.860 --> 00:11:09.159 of it combined, it's like, okay, how is my heart? 00:11:09.399 --> 00:11:12.279 Based on what we just read, I can tell you, you 00:11:12.279 --> 00:11:14.519 know, your heart is broken and can be distant 00:11:14.519 --> 00:11:21.299 and even blinded. And depending on where you 00:11:21.299 --> 00:11:24.960 are in your relationship with God, those words 00:11:24.960 --> 00:11:31.179 will change. But the heart is a complicated thing 00:11:31.179 --> 00:11:38.019 and it's not pretty. But the good news is that 00:11:38.019 --> 00:11:43.840 God cares about your heart the most. Your inner 00:11:43.840 --> 00:11:49.279 life, that deepest part of your being. And the 00:11:49.279 --> 00:11:52.299 Word of God says that God wants to do something 00:11:52.299 --> 00:11:57.730 in there. He heals the brokenhearted. And he 00:11:57.730 --> 00:12:02.629 bandages their wounds. What God is interested 00:12:02.629 --> 00:12:07.330 in doing. Is in reaching that deep place that 00:12:07.330 --> 00:12:11.990 is broken. And entering into a process of healing. 00:12:13.669 --> 00:12:18.409 Now hear me right. I'm not saying God is interested 00:12:18.409 --> 00:12:24.269 in fixing you. He is interested in healing you. 00:12:25.870 --> 00:12:30.629 And there's a big difference. When the bike needs 00:12:30.629 --> 00:12:34.909 fixing, you go, done, okay, let's use it again. 00:12:35.950 --> 00:12:39.549 But when your arm is broken, you don't go, okay, 00:12:39.769 --> 00:12:44.149 fixed, let's use it again. It's like, oh, you 00:12:44.149 --> 00:12:46.909 have to enter a journey, a process that is more 00:12:46.909 --> 00:12:49.909 complex, and there are many more parts of the 00:12:49.909 --> 00:12:54.690 body compromised here, so the whole thing is... 00:12:54.940 --> 00:13:00.600 And takes time. And God is interested in inviting 00:13:00.600 --> 00:13:04.379 you. With your broken heart. And the mess that 00:13:04.379 --> 00:13:08.240 is inside. To enter into a journey. Where he. 00:13:08.500 --> 00:13:14.360 Not you. He can heal the broken hearted. And 00:13:14.360 --> 00:13:23.210 he can bandage their wounds. That's why. As we 00:13:23.210 --> 00:13:29.590 enter this study today. How does God heal a broken 00:13:29.590 --> 00:13:35.450 heart? What has Jesus accomplished. That can 00:13:35.450 --> 00:13:38.909 reach that deep part of our being. And what is 00:13:38.909 --> 00:13:45.370 he inviting us to? In order to understand this. 00:13:45.970 --> 00:13:52.870 We will have to understand. What Jesus. After 00:13:52.870 --> 00:13:57.129 his resurrection. Because after Jesus resurrected. 00:13:58.250 --> 00:14:03.009 Remember. He just have come out. Of dealing with 00:14:03.009 --> 00:14:07.289 Hades. And opening the way to God. And taking 00:14:07.289 --> 00:14:10.970 the power from Satan over that. So he comes there 00:14:10.970 --> 00:14:15.649 victorious. And now he comes on a mission. To 00:14:15.649 --> 00:14:19.769 start moving things forward. First part of the 00:14:19.769 --> 00:14:23.509 plan done. Second part of the plan done. Now 00:14:23.509 --> 00:14:27.070 the third part of the plan has to come in place. 00:14:27.429 --> 00:14:29.669 What was the first part of the plan? Well, get 00:14:29.669 --> 00:14:33.450 to the cross and die. Second part of the plan, 00:14:33.529 --> 00:14:36.750 go to Hades and destroy death. Third part of 00:14:36.750 --> 00:14:45.269 the plan, heal the heart and allow people to 00:14:45.269 --> 00:14:49.700 start experiencing God's healing. And therefore, 00:14:49.960 --> 00:14:54.379 he appears to the apostles. And in the words 00:14:54.379 --> 00:14:56.519 that he's going to start describing to them, 00:14:56.639 --> 00:15:00.720 he is going to give us the hint of the beginning 00:15:00.720 --> 00:15:06.000 of this healing plan to heal the broken heart. 00:15:08.139 --> 00:15:11.799 Now let's read. What the book of Luke tells us 00:15:11.799 --> 00:15:14.480 happened after Jesus resurrected. The apostles 00:15:14.480 --> 00:15:17.419 are there gathering. Some of them have seen Jesus 00:15:17.419 --> 00:15:20.740 resurrected. Some of them haven't. They are confused 00:15:20.740 --> 00:15:24.580 about what's going on. It's just everything was 00:15:24.580 --> 00:15:27.860 so vivid. The cross, the crucifixion, seeing 00:15:27.860 --> 00:15:31.120 Jesus being carried now to the tomb. All of these 00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:35.340 things were so fresh in their minds that the 00:15:35.340 --> 00:15:39.100 idea that Jesus was alive was... Was so confusing 00:15:39.100 --> 00:15:42.860 still. So as they are talking about all of these 00:15:42.860 --> 00:15:48.240 different things. While they were still talking 00:15:48.240 --> 00:15:52.080 about this. Jesus himself stood among them and 00:15:52.080 --> 00:15:57.419 said to them. Peace be with you. And they were 00:15:57.419 --> 00:16:00.639 startled and frightened. Thinking they saw a 00:16:00.639 --> 00:16:05.940 ghost. A ghost like that. And Jesus says to them. 00:16:06.409 --> 00:16:10.470 Why are you troubled? Why do doubts rise in your 00:16:10.470 --> 00:16:15.769 minds? Look at my hands. Look at my feet. It 00:16:15.769 --> 00:16:20.110 is myself. Touch me and see. A ghost does not 00:16:20.110 --> 00:16:25.710 have flesh and bones as you see I have. He is 00:16:25.710 --> 00:16:32.470 resurrected. His spirit came out of Hades. Enter. 00:16:33.080 --> 00:16:37.419 His body. His body resurrected. And now. He is 00:16:37.419 --> 00:16:43.399 going to. Prepare to go. And ascend. To the father 00:16:43.399 --> 00:16:48.379 in heaven. And at that moment. They are trying 00:16:48.379 --> 00:16:50.879 to figure out. What does that make any sense. 00:16:51.179 --> 00:16:53.720 What's going on. And even though Jesus is inviting 00:16:53.720 --> 00:16:58.240 them. To see the evidence. For them to realize 00:16:58.240 --> 00:17:03.179 this is true. Jesus is like. What can I do to 00:17:03.179 --> 00:17:08.140 make you get it? I'm not a ghost. So then he 00:17:08.140 --> 00:17:13.759 says to them, he showed them his hands, his feet, 00:17:13.819 --> 00:17:18.599 and how they still did not believe it because 00:17:18.599 --> 00:17:24.039 of joy and amazement. Then he asked them, do 00:17:24.039 --> 00:17:26.900 you have anything here to eat? And they gave 00:17:26.900 --> 00:17:29.859 him a piece of broiled fish and he took it and 00:17:29.859 --> 00:17:33.900 ate it in the presence. So you can imagine Jesus 00:17:33.900 --> 00:17:35.819 appearing to them and saying, a ghost. No, I'm 00:17:35.819 --> 00:17:39.019 not a ghost. Look, I'm not a ghost. No, a ghost. 00:17:39.400 --> 00:17:44.019 And Jesus says, no. Do you have anything to eat? 00:17:44.160 --> 00:17:49.680 Fish, give me the fish. You see, I'm not a ghost. 00:17:53.420 --> 00:17:58.569 And at that moment, he says to them. This is 00:17:58.569 --> 00:18:02.309 what I told you while I was still with you. Don't 00:18:02.309 --> 00:18:07.910 you remember? Everything must be fulfilled that 00:18:07.910 --> 00:18:11.230 is written about me in the law of Moses, the 00:18:11.230 --> 00:18:14.470 prophets, and the Psalms. Basically, the entire 00:18:14.470 --> 00:18:19.569 Old Testament has prophesied about me, the Messiah, 00:18:19.589 --> 00:18:22.710 coming and fulfilling all of these things that 00:18:22.710 --> 00:18:26.299 you have seen happen. Why are you acting so surprised? 00:18:26.380 --> 00:18:31.000 I told you this before. And at that moment, he 00:18:31.000 --> 00:18:35.480 opens their minds so they can understand. Then 00:18:35.480 --> 00:18:38.519 he opened their minds so they could understand 00:18:38.519 --> 00:18:44.119 the scriptures. And he told them, this is what 00:18:44.119 --> 00:18:48.400 I mean. This is what is written in the Old Testament, 00:18:48.460 --> 00:18:52.160 in the first half of the Bible, ancient writings. 00:18:53.640 --> 00:18:58.480 Before Jesus was even born. This is what was 00:18:58.480 --> 00:19:02.720 written. The Messiah will suffer and rise from 00:19:02.720 --> 00:19:05.759 the dead on the third day. And repentance for 00:19:05.759 --> 00:19:08.000 the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his 00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:12.859 name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem. Right 00:19:12.859 --> 00:19:14.980 here where they are having that conversation 00:19:14.980 --> 00:19:19.160 at that moment. And before reading the next verses. 00:19:20.170 --> 00:19:23.089 Here is the outline. It's highlighting all these 00:19:23.089 --> 00:19:26.430 things. What Jesus came to accomplish. He says 00:19:26.430 --> 00:19:32.390 look. I had to suffer. I had to go through the 00:19:32.390 --> 00:19:35.690 cross. Because by dying on the cross. The record 00:19:35.690 --> 00:19:38.750 against us was cancelled. And the power of Satan 00:19:38.750 --> 00:19:43.220 to accuse removed. But not only that, I had to 00:19:43.220 --> 00:19:45.380 rise from the dead on the third day. Because 00:19:45.380 --> 00:19:48.940 I had to go to Hades and spend time there to 00:19:48.940 --> 00:19:52.220 break the power of Satan. And I rise now. I am 00:19:52.220 --> 00:19:56.480 alive. So that the power of Satan over death 00:19:56.480 --> 00:20:01.980 could be destroyed. But now there's a new phase. 00:20:03.740 --> 00:20:09.099 And that phase hasn't happened yet. It's going 00:20:09.099 --> 00:20:13.269 to happen now. So he tells them. Repentance. 00:20:13.269 --> 00:20:16.869 For the forgiveness of sins. Would be preaching 00:20:16.869 --> 00:20:21.450 his names. To all nations. Beginning at Jerusalem. 00:20:22.970 --> 00:20:27.170 And from that point on. He's going to start explaining. 00:20:27.690 --> 00:20:31.569 How this is going to happen. And he tells them. 00:20:31.670 --> 00:20:37.029 Then in the next verse. You are witnesses. Of 00:20:37.029 --> 00:20:41.670 these things. And you will. Be my witnesses now 00:20:41.670 --> 00:20:45.210 and proclaim the forgiveness of sins that I have 00:20:45.210 --> 00:20:51.349 now achieved. But I'm going to send you what 00:20:51.349 --> 00:20:58.609 my Father has promised first. So you will have 00:20:58.609 --> 00:21:01.410 to stay in this city until you have been clothed 00:21:01.410 --> 00:21:05.289 with power from on high. Because for you to be 00:21:05.289 --> 00:21:09.329 able to do this and enter the new... of this 00:21:09.329 --> 00:21:12.130 salvation that I have accomplished, this has 00:21:12.130 --> 00:21:18.410 to happen. What is Jesus talking about? What 00:21:18.410 --> 00:21:21.390 is this power from on high that they need to 00:21:21.390 --> 00:21:24.390 experience first? Well, Jesus had already talked 00:21:24.390 --> 00:21:28.789 about this a little bit earlier. During the last 00:21:28.789 --> 00:21:32.690 supper, he told them lots of things before he 00:21:32.690 --> 00:21:36.490 was crucified. And we can find that exactly in 00:21:36.490 --> 00:21:40.819 the book of John. In John chapter 14, He told 00:21:40.819 --> 00:21:45.720 them this, I will ask the Father, and He will 00:21:45.720 --> 00:21:52.119 give you another what? Another advocate. God 00:21:52.119 --> 00:21:55.279 is going to give you someone like me that is 00:21:55.279 --> 00:22:02.220 going to be for you. And this someone is going 00:22:02.220 --> 00:22:08.299 to do something very specific. This advocate 00:22:08.299 --> 00:22:15.960 will never leave you. When will this advocate 00:22:15.960 --> 00:22:23.019 leave them? Never. Once he comes, he will never 00:22:23.019 --> 00:22:27.579 leave you. And who is this advocate? Who is this 00:22:27.579 --> 00:22:30.039 person that will never leave them? He says in 00:22:30.039 --> 00:22:36.750 verse 17. He is the Holy Spirit. Who leads into 00:22:36.750 --> 00:22:44.269 all truth. He tells them look. I'm going to ask 00:22:44.269 --> 00:22:48.329 the Father to send you someone. Who is named 00:22:48.329 --> 00:22:52.910 the Holy Spirit. And he is going to lead you 00:22:52.910 --> 00:23:00.569 into all truth. And this Holy Spirit. The world 00:23:00.569 --> 00:23:04.549 cannot receive him. Because. It is not looking 00:23:04.549 --> 00:23:08.670 for him and does not recognize him, but you know 00:23:08.670 --> 00:23:14.569 him. Because he lives with you now, later will 00:23:14.569 --> 00:23:23.170 be in you. Jesus had told the apostles that there 00:23:23.170 --> 00:23:27.829 was going to be a moment that the Holy Spirit 00:23:27.829 --> 00:23:33.440 was going to come. And until now, they had experienced 00:23:33.440 --> 00:23:37.259 a dimension of that reality because the Holy 00:23:37.259 --> 00:23:39.680 Spirit was with them. Right? If they are with 00:23:39.680 --> 00:23:46.140 Jesus, and Jesus has the Holy Spirit, then the 00:23:46.140 --> 00:23:50.279 Holy Spirit is with them too. But something is 00:23:50.279 --> 00:23:53.839 going to change. At a point in time, the Holy 00:23:53.839 --> 00:23:59.039 Spirit now is going to be in them. And when Jesus 00:23:59.039 --> 00:24:02.079 talked about this later in the same chapters, 00:24:02.380 --> 00:24:06.559 he tells them, I have to leave. I have to ascend 00:24:06.559 --> 00:24:09.359 to heaven before the Holy Spirit can come. And 00:24:09.359 --> 00:24:12.059 I know that is going to sadden you, but believe 00:24:12.059 --> 00:24:14.700 me, it's better that this happen because if I 00:24:14.700 --> 00:24:16.740 stay, the Holy Spirit won't come. I have to leave 00:24:16.740 --> 00:24:24.980 first for the Holy Spirit to come. So this is 00:24:24.980 --> 00:24:28.660 what he told them. In the book of Luke. This 00:24:28.660 --> 00:24:31.019 is the promise that the Father is going to send 00:24:31.019 --> 00:24:34.480 you. And did you notice by the way. That when 00:24:34.480 --> 00:24:37.619 Jesus is talking about the Holy Spirit. He didn't 00:24:37.619 --> 00:24:42.339 say. The world cannot receive it. Because it's 00:24:42.339 --> 00:24:47.039 not looking for it. The Holy Spirit is not an 00:24:47.039 --> 00:24:52.380 it. Or a something. Or like an energy that is 00:24:52.380 --> 00:25:02.079 impersonal. It describes him as a person. And 00:25:02.079 --> 00:25:09.380 this person is the one that will reach the inside 00:25:09.380 --> 00:25:18.180 of you, will be in you. And in order to understand 00:25:18.180 --> 00:25:22.900 how this works, we have to go back to the beginning 00:25:22.900 --> 00:25:27.220 review. We saw how Jesus overcame Satan and sin 00:25:27.220 --> 00:25:30.960 and death. But I want to explain something about 00:25:30.960 --> 00:25:35.880 the reality of sin in the human experience. Because 00:25:35.880 --> 00:25:41.000 the Bible says that ever since the first humans 00:25:41.000 --> 00:25:44.859 disobeyed God, all humans after that were born 00:25:44.859 --> 00:25:50.319 sinners. And you and I have this condition in 00:25:50.319 --> 00:25:58.220 our being. that has this dual issue. One of them 00:25:58.220 --> 00:26:01.740 is that being a sinner, having this condition 00:26:01.740 --> 00:26:06.319 in our lives, means that sin has the power to 00:26:06.319 --> 00:26:10.700 accuse, and this is what Satan would use. We're 00:26:10.700 --> 00:26:15.059 guilty, and we carry the guilt, and we feel that 00:26:15.059 --> 00:26:18.700 we are so undeserving because of the things that 00:26:18.700 --> 00:26:23.630 we have done. Wouldn't it be great if there was 00:26:23.630 --> 00:26:27.250 a way to remove that guilt so we don't have to 00:26:27.250 --> 00:26:31.710 live through life feeling that we are so undeserving? 00:26:34.170 --> 00:26:37.869 The second dimension of sin is that it has the 00:26:37.869 --> 00:26:41.250 power to control, has the power to direct, or 00:26:41.250 --> 00:26:47.250 I should say misdirect. And therefore, it causes 00:26:47.250 --> 00:26:51.230 us to have all this shame because... We do things 00:26:51.230 --> 00:26:53.829 that we shouldn't and we say things that we shouldn't 00:26:53.829 --> 00:26:56.289 and we think things that we shouldn't and yet 00:26:56.289 --> 00:26:58.549 it's there. Where is that coming from? Well, 00:26:58.609 --> 00:27:03.589 Jesus said it comes from the heart. And we experience 00:27:03.589 --> 00:27:08.730 shame, fear, and we withdraw because that place 00:27:08.730 --> 00:27:14.210 is so ugly that if people just knew, wouldn't 00:27:14.210 --> 00:27:18.690 it be great? If there was a way to live life 00:27:18.690 --> 00:27:23.109 without shame and without being controlled by 00:27:23.109 --> 00:27:29.650 these things, that would be awesome. Wouldn't 00:27:29.650 --> 00:27:36.849 it be great if there was a way? Welcome to the 00:27:36.849 --> 00:27:42.589 good news of what Jesus has accomplished. Because 00:27:42.589 --> 00:27:48.089 that's exactly what salvation will do. When Jesus 00:27:48.089 --> 00:27:51.970 comes and dies and pays for our sin and cancels 00:27:51.970 --> 00:27:55.869 the record against us, he takes away the power 00:27:55.869 --> 00:28:00.950 of sin to accuse and to make us walk in guilt. 00:28:02.250 --> 00:28:07.140 Because we have been forgiven. And this forgiveness 00:28:07.140 --> 00:28:10.880 of sin is what Jesus says needs to be now proclaimed 00:28:10.880 --> 00:28:13.940 to the nations so that people know that there's 00:28:13.940 --> 00:28:17.059 a way to be forgiven, that even though they have 00:28:17.059 --> 00:28:19.819 guilt they carry, that can be removed from them. 00:28:22.059 --> 00:28:26.680 But then, to get to the deepest part, which is 00:28:26.680 --> 00:28:34.680 the controlling one, how do you get there? This. 00:28:35.500 --> 00:28:40.140 It's the Holy Spirit's role. The Holy Spirit 00:28:40.140 --> 00:28:46.980 that the Father promised will be in you. And 00:28:46.980 --> 00:28:51.279 when He is in you, He will begin this healing 00:28:51.279 --> 00:28:54.839 process in your life. And that healing process 00:28:54.839 --> 00:28:59.519 will last the rest of your life until it's complete. 00:29:00.140 --> 00:29:05.839 And this process will be complete. On the day 00:29:05.839 --> 00:29:09.960 that we are glorified. When Jesus comes back. 00:29:10.240 --> 00:29:14.880 And at that time. The Holy Spirit will complete 00:29:14.880 --> 00:29:20.259 his assignment. To remove the whole thing from 00:29:20.259 --> 00:29:25.660 us. I shared before when my mother was diagnosed 00:29:25.660 --> 00:29:27.720 with stomach cancer. All the treatment that she 00:29:27.720 --> 00:29:31.200 had to go through. But it was very complicated. 00:29:31.440 --> 00:29:35.569 Until the day that she was declared. Cancer free. 00:29:36.710 --> 00:29:42.569 And one day you and I will be declared sin free. 00:29:43.569 --> 00:29:48.829 Guilt free. Shame free. Why? Because the Holy 00:29:48.829 --> 00:29:53.250 Spirit will complete the treatment inside of 00:29:53.250 --> 00:30:00.009 us. And when that day comes, the Apostle John 00:30:00.009 --> 00:30:08.720 says we will be like him. This is what Jesus 00:30:08.720 --> 00:30:12.759 is talking about when he told the apostles, look, 00:30:13.039 --> 00:30:17.559 I had to suffer. I had to resurrect. But now 00:30:17.559 --> 00:30:20.079 the forgiveness of sins has to be proclaimed 00:30:20.079 --> 00:30:24.700 and the Holy Spirit has to come. Because this, 00:30:24.720 --> 00:30:29.339 it was the plan for the healing of the broken 00:30:29.339 --> 00:30:33.980 heart. And therefore, what we have to understand 00:30:33.980 --> 00:30:42.309 now, It's how Jesus meant for this strategy to 00:30:42.309 --> 00:30:45.329 be accomplished. And so it happens that there 00:30:45.329 --> 00:30:47.869 are three things that the Holy Spirit is going 00:30:47.869 --> 00:30:51.789 to do in the life of anyone that follows Jesus. 00:30:53.109 --> 00:30:58.170 The first thing that he has to do is to enter 00:30:58.170 --> 00:31:04.109 the heart. How is the Holy Spirit going to enter? 00:31:05.039 --> 00:31:09.799 That broken heart to start the treatment of healing. 00:31:10.079 --> 00:31:13.200 How is he going to do that? What needs to happen? 00:31:22.099 --> 00:31:26.200 There are many people that live in fear because 00:31:26.200 --> 00:31:29.000 they do not know whether they have the Holy Spirit 00:31:29.000 --> 00:31:33.160 or whether the Holy Spirit has left them. And 00:31:33.160 --> 00:31:38.039 maybe you are one of them. So it's very important 00:31:38.039 --> 00:31:39.960 that we understand what the Bible says here. 00:31:40.859 --> 00:31:45.420 I want to ask you to read out loud with me. Ephesians 00:31:45.420 --> 00:31:50.119 chapter 1 verse 13. This is a letter that the 00:31:50.119 --> 00:31:52.579 Apostle Paul writes to these first Christians 00:31:52.579 --> 00:31:56.059 in the city of Ephesus. They worship pagan deities. 00:31:56.259 --> 00:31:59.619 They channel spirits. They were involved in all 00:31:59.619 --> 00:32:02.259 of these different things. And they heard the 00:32:02.259 --> 00:32:04.980 gospel. And they learned about forgiveness of 00:32:04.980 --> 00:32:08.279 sins. And now the Apostle Paul writes to them 00:32:08.279 --> 00:32:11.460 to explain to them so they can understand more 00:32:11.460 --> 00:32:14.759 about their salvation and look at what he tells 00:32:14.759 --> 00:32:20.579 them. Together. And now you Gentiles have also 00:32:20.579 --> 00:32:23.900 heard the truth, the good news that God saves 00:32:23.900 --> 00:32:28.559 you. And when you believe in Christ, He identified 00:32:28.559 --> 00:32:32.619 you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit 00:32:32.619 --> 00:32:37.900 whom he promised long ago. He's telling these 00:32:37.900 --> 00:32:41.740 Christians, look guys, I know you are not Jews, 00:32:41.799 --> 00:32:45.740 you are Gentiles, but the gospel and the forgiveness 00:32:45.740 --> 00:32:51.200 that God gave is for all. And something happened 00:32:51.200 --> 00:32:57.700 in your life. You were given the Holy Spirit. 00:32:57.690 --> 00:33:02.309 that have been promised long ago. You have been 00:33:02.309 --> 00:33:06.390 given the Holy Spirit now to be in you. But the 00:33:06.390 --> 00:33:11.690 question is, when were you given the Holy Spirit? 00:33:12.529 --> 00:33:17.289 When? When did the Holy Spirit enter them to 00:33:17.289 --> 00:33:20.650 now start reaching that deep part of the broken 00:33:20.650 --> 00:33:26.079 heart to begin this healing process? When? Now 00:33:26.079 --> 00:33:28.500 it's your job to look at the verse and give me 00:33:28.500 --> 00:33:38.019 the answer. When? And when you believed in Christ. 00:33:41.440 --> 00:33:45.740 It doesn't get any clearer than this. If you 00:33:45.740 --> 00:33:48.759 were ever wondering, what do I need to do to 00:33:48.759 --> 00:33:51.460 have the Holy Spirit come into this broken heart? 00:33:52.589 --> 00:33:54.910 What you need to do is that you need to believe 00:33:54.910 --> 00:34:00.150 in Jesus. And when you give your life to Jesus, 00:34:00.230 --> 00:34:09.090 Jesus says, sure, here, Holy Spirit, in. I had 00:34:09.090 --> 00:34:12.809 a friend many years ago that was a colleague 00:34:12.809 --> 00:34:16.190 of mine and she came from a church that they 00:34:16.190 --> 00:34:17.909 were teaching her that she did not have the Holy 00:34:17.909 --> 00:34:20.780 Spirit. Because she hadn't had certain kinds 00:34:20.780 --> 00:34:23.280 of manifestations that she thought she needed 00:34:23.280 --> 00:34:25.420 to have. And she's asking me, and she says, you 00:34:25.420 --> 00:34:28.099 know, I'm feeling discouraged today because they're 00:34:28.099 --> 00:34:29.960 telling me all these things, and I try everything 00:34:29.960 --> 00:34:32.000 they tell me, but nothing happens, you know. 00:34:32.760 --> 00:34:36.320 They have even given me a little phrase that 00:34:36.320 --> 00:34:38.380 I need to repeat, repeat, repeat, so my tongue 00:34:38.380 --> 00:34:42.079 will get loose. They say that will help me. And 00:34:42.079 --> 00:34:44.639 she says, all confused, and she says, you know, 00:34:44.639 --> 00:34:48.750 I... I believe in Jesus, so I don't understand. 00:34:49.269 --> 00:34:51.409 And I started explaining to her, this is what 00:34:51.409 --> 00:34:58.190 the Bible says. You see it? I knew it. She was 00:34:58.190 --> 00:35:01.170 so excited to realize that the Bible says that 00:35:01.170 --> 00:35:03.650 when you believe in Jesus, you are given the 00:35:03.650 --> 00:35:06.070 Holy Spirit. And she says, Pablo, you have no 00:35:06.070 --> 00:35:10.789 idea what this means to me. Could you come and 00:35:10.789 --> 00:35:15.829 teach my family about this? So sure, we organized 00:35:15.829 --> 00:35:19.030 a meal together and I went to visit her home. 00:35:19.190 --> 00:35:21.469 And the whole family was there together to do 00:35:21.469 --> 00:35:25.250 the study. And at the end, everybody was so comforted 00:35:25.250 --> 00:35:28.530 to know that they didn't need to memorize all 00:35:28.530 --> 00:35:31.829 these things for their tongue to get loose. That 00:35:31.829 --> 00:35:34.230 they did not need to fall on the ground to experience 00:35:34.230 --> 00:35:41.190 some kind of experience to prove something. That 00:35:41.190 --> 00:35:44.809 simply Jesus said, I will give you the Holy Spirit 00:35:44.809 --> 00:35:54.590 the day you give me your life. So I do not know 00:35:54.590 --> 00:35:57.409 if you are wrestling with this, but I'm here 00:35:57.409 --> 00:36:02.070 to tell you. Jesus, when he talked about the 00:36:02.070 --> 00:36:04.409 promise of the Holy Spirit coming to be in us, 00:36:04.829 --> 00:36:09.610 he said very clearly, from the very beginning, 00:36:09.849 --> 00:36:14.690 to avoid any confusion, He said from the very 00:36:14.690 --> 00:36:17.590 beginning, this Holy Spirit that will come to 00:36:17.590 --> 00:36:25.429 be in you will never leave you. The moment he's 00:36:25.429 --> 00:36:29.469 in, he's in to stay until the day of our glorification. 00:36:31.750 --> 00:36:34.590 So if you are a follower of Jesus that has been 00:36:34.590 --> 00:36:37.829 confused and living in fear, thinking... Oh, 00:36:37.869 --> 00:36:39.670 I thought the Holy Spirit left me. Or maybe I 00:36:39.670 --> 00:36:41.489 don't have the Holy Spirit. Or maybe this or 00:36:41.489 --> 00:36:44.010 that. I want you to stop. Don't freak out. Just 00:36:44.010 --> 00:36:50.469 stop. And simply answer one question. Do you 00:36:50.469 --> 00:36:58.510 believe that Jesus is your Savior? Have you repented 00:36:58.510 --> 00:37:01.170 of your sin and given your life to Jesus? Yes 00:37:01.170 --> 00:37:06.280 or no? If the answer is no. then you don't have 00:37:06.280 --> 00:37:10.099 the Holy Spirit. You are under the domain of 00:37:10.099 --> 00:37:13.659 the prince of this world, the kingdom of darkness. 00:37:14.179 --> 00:37:18.079 But if the answer is yes, then you have been 00:37:18.079 --> 00:37:20.420 transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the 00:37:20.420 --> 00:37:25.300 kingdom of the son he loves, Jesus. And Jesus 00:37:25.300 --> 00:37:29.000 has given you the Holy Spirit to be in you to 00:37:29.000 --> 00:37:32.440 begin this healing process for the rest of your 00:37:32.440 --> 00:37:40.059 life. And you can put that doubt to rest. Okay. 00:37:41.079 --> 00:37:44.860 So, phase one is the Holy Spirit has to enter 00:37:44.860 --> 00:37:47.739 the heart. What is the next thing? Well, the 00:37:47.739 --> 00:37:50.159 Holy Spirit now is going to clean the heart. 00:37:52.019 --> 00:37:56.519 Because the heart is broken. The heart is filthy. 00:37:57.559 --> 00:38:00.360 This inner part of our being is wrestling with 00:38:00.360 --> 00:38:03.599 lots of things. That are not what God wants us 00:38:03.599 --> 00:38:06.420 to experience. He wants us to experience his 00:38:06.420 --> 00:38:13.019 life. So this is what the Bible says. That the 00:38:13.019 --> 00:38:18.039 Holy Spirit came to accomplish. Let's read it 00:38:18.039 --> 00:38:23.260 together. When God our Savior revealed his kindness 00:38:23.260 --> 00:38:27.400 and love. He saved us. Not because of righteous 00:38:27.400 --> 00:38:31.670 things we had done. But because of his mercy, 00:38:31.909 --> 00:38:37.010 he washed away our sins, giving us a new birth, 00:38:37.170 --> 00:38:44.929 a new life through the Holy Spirit. Oh, he saved 00:38:44.929 --> 00:38:48.769 us because we were good people. And we tried 00:38:48.769 --> 00:38:53.530 very hard, so we deserved that he saved us. Is 00:38:53.530 --> 00:39:04.619 that what we read? It's like the wife that needed 00:39:04.619 --> 00:39:09.119 to take the car to do car wash. But before she 00:39:09.119 --> 00:39:11.119 took it to the car wash, she was cleaning it 00:39:11.119 --> 00:39:15.860 a little bit. Because she felt that it was too 00:39:15.860 --> 00:39:22.380 dirty. And it's like, wait, that's what the car 00:39:22.380 --> 00:39:26.500 wash is for. You don't need to try to help the 00:39:26.500 --> 00:39:35.030 car wash to clean it. He saved you. Not because 00:39:35.030 --> 00:39:41.230 you were good enough to be saved. He saved you 00:39:41.230 --> 00:39:43.389 not for the things that you have done. Actually, 00:39:43.510 --> 00:39:46.690 he had to save you because of the things that 00:39:46.690 --> 00:39:55.469 you had done. He saved you out of his mercy. 00:39:56.889 --> 00:40:03.260 Nothing more, nothing less. And when He saved 00:40:03.260 --> 00:40:08.619 you, He gave you the Holy Spirit to give you 00:40:08.619 --> 00:40:11.880 a new birth and a new life and starts washing 00:40:11.880 --> 00:40:22.099 all your sins away. Washing it away. Washing 00:40:22.099 --> 00:40:29.780 it away. Because when the Holy Spirit moves in, 00:40:30.829 --> 00:40:34.230 He begins a transformation that only he can do. 00:40:37.469 --> 00:40:40.670 I entered pastoral ministry when I was 29 years 00:40:40.670 --> 00:40:47.190 old. And I remember that part of my salary package 00:40:47.190 --> 00:40:51.789 at the church was that the church owned a house. 00:40:51.829 --> 00:40:54.670 We call it the parsonage, if you heard that word 00:40:54.670 --> 00:40:57.869 before. It's a house that a church owns and then 00:40:57.869 --> 00:41:00.289 they provide the housing for the pastor to live 00:41:00.289 --> 00:41:03.289 there. Except that not only the church was dying, 00:41:03.389 --> 00:41:09.730 but also the house. And God called us there. 00:41:09.889 --> 00:41:11.929 I was out of the question. So that's what we 00:41:11.929 --> 00:41:13.809 were serving at the beginning. And I remember 00:41:13.809 --> 00:41:16.510 I walked in that house and it was like, oh, this 00:41:16.510 --> 00:41:23.190 house is not livable right now. The ceiling has 00:41:23.190 --> 00:41:30.599 a hole. Things look horrible, smells old. So 00:41:30.599 --> 00:41:33.860 we began fixing certain things, painted the walls, 00:41:34.239 --> 00:41:36.380 and did a couple of things, brought the furniture 00:41:36.380 --> 00:41:40.920 in. And the old smell, that's not something we 00:41:40.920 --> 00:41:44.519 could do anything about, the house was old. So 00:41:44.519 --> 00:41:48.760 we just moved in. And when we moved in, we did 00:41:48.760 --> 00:41:51.659 not move in because the house was great. It was 00:41:51.659 --> 00:41:56.780 because the house was what was given to us. But 00:41:56.780 --> 00:42:00.739 you know how long I lived in that house? 18 years. 00:42:02.760 --> 00:42:06.920 All our kids were born there, made in Texas. 00:42:11.179 --> 00:42:15.039 But that house was nothing like the house I lived 00:42:15.039 --> 00:42:20.260 in once I left. 18 years gave us plenty of time 00:42:20.260 --> 00:42:24.440 to remodel that house completely. I mean... We 00:42:24.440 --> 00:42:27.239 opened the kitchen, did new cabinets, changed 00:42:27.239 --> 00:42:31.500 floor, all counters were new. The TV room, we 00:42:31.500 --> 00:42:34.360 changed the carpet, we retextured the walls, 00:42:34.619 --> 00:42:38.500 we put nice soft carpet. The laundry room, we 00:42:38.500 --> 00:42:41.860 changed the dryer, the washer, we put new dryer 00:42:41.860 --> 00:42:44.360 and washer. We painted, put a cabinet on top, 00:42:44.539 --> 00:42:47.039 the bathrooms. The bathrooms, we changed all 00:42:47.039 --> 00:42:50.159 the tiles. We brought glass. We removed the curtains, 00:42:50.280 --> 00:42:52.960 put glass. It was very nice. You could take in 00:42:52.960 --> 00:42:57.579 the shower, and it was beautiful. We removed 00:42:57.579 --> 00:43:02.320 the counters. We put big windows, I mean, mirrors 00:43:02.320 --> 00:43:04.900 in the hall, covering the whole wall, so even 00:43:04.900 --> 00:43:07.079 though it was a small bathroom, it looked big. 00:43:08.710 --> 00:43:12.010 And the living room, well, we changed the flooring, 00:43:12.090 --> 00:43:15.110 and we put wood flooring that was like bamboo 00:43:15.110 --> 00:43:17.210 color. It was nice. It looked so nice with the 00:43:17.210 --> 00:43:19.789 new color walls. The windows were old. You could 00:43:19.789 --> 00:43:22.869 hear every car driving by. We changed the windows. 00:43:23.789 --> 00:43:26.309 You know that you can have windows that are sealed 00:43:26.309 --> 00:43:27.969 and that you don't hear anything on the other 00:43:27.969 --> 00:43:32.969 side? Amazing. And the outside, well, the outside, 00:43:33.030 --> 00:43:35.989 we changed the roof, completely replaced, put 00:43:35.989 --> 00:43:39.550 a new roof in it. And then after that, actually, 00:43:39.789 --> 00:43:42.329 the outside, we had the front yard, we had the 00:43:42.329 --> 00:43:45.889 backyard, we planted grass. And then I had to 00:43:45.889 --> 00:43:48.110 water with the hose and realize what were we 00:43:48.110 --> 00:43:51.230 thinking. We need to put sprinkler system. So 00:43:51.230 --> 00:43:53.889 we put a sprinkler system all over the front 00:43:53.889 --> 00:43:56.710 and the back of the house. We trimmed the oak 00:43:56.710 --> 00:43:58.590 tree in the front, the oak tree in the back. 00:43:58.730 --> 00:44:02.409 We built a deck in the backyard. We put one of 00:44:02.409 --> 00:44:04.429 those trampolines that you jump on, you know, 00:44:04.429 --> 00:44:08.349 for the kids. And then the fence that were all 00:44:08.349 --> 00:44:13.650 dark, all gray, fading, all wood. We removed 00:44:13.650 --> 00:44:17.130 all of that. We built a whole new fence. And 00:44:17.130 --> 00:44:20.130 with a very nice design on top. So it did not 00:44:20.130 --> 00:44:25.070 matter where you walked into that house. It looked 00:44:25.070 --> 00:44:32.989 nice. But that took 18 years. And it didn't matter 00:44:32.989 --> 00:44:36.119 what contractor I was working with. It didn't 00:44:36.119 --> 00:44:38.920 matter what project I was in, I would tell the 00:44:38.920 --> 00:44:40.920 people, you have to remember that this house 00:44:40.920 --> 00:44:44.059 is not mine. People are going to live here years 00:44:44.059 --> 00:44:47.480 away after I move from here. So make sure you 00:44:47.480 --> 00:44:54.320 do a good job. When the Holy Spirit moved in 00:44:54.320 --> 00:45:02.119 my heart, it wasn't livable. Not nice. The things 00:45:02.119 --> 00:45:08.079 he found in there, not nice. And so your heart, 00:45:08.159 --> 00:45:15.500 same story. But he's going to wash away the mess. 00:45:17.480 --> 00:45:19.519 And the good thing is he's not limited to 18 00:45:19.519 --> 00:45:26.599 years. The rest of your life. He's going to do 00:45:26.599 --> 00:45:28.960 one room, then the other, then this one, then... 00:45:28.960 --> 00:45:32.699 Because you cannot take all of it at once. And 00:45:32.699 --> 00:45:35.980 he is going to make your life become something 00:45:35.980 --> 00:45:41.380 that is not yet. Because the healing process 00:45:41.380 --> 00:45:51.079 is a process that will last. The Lord is not 00:45:51.079 --> 00:45:54.739 done with you. He doesn't think you are disgusting. 00:45:56.400 --> 00:46:00.239 He knows that you were broken. That's why he 00:46:00.239 --> 00:46:07.210 needed to move in. Just let him do his job and 00:46:07.210 --> 00:46:18.150 trust patiently in what he's doing. After that, 00:46:18.150 --> 00:46:23.349 what the Holy Spirit is going to do, as he enters 00:46:23.349 --> 00:46:29.989 and as he starts washing away, he is going to 00:46:29.989 --> 00:46:34.769 fill you. He wants to fill your heart so that 00:46:34.769 --> 00:46:37.190 it doesn't smell anymore like the old house. 00:46:38.170 --> 00:46:40.610 It's going to have a fresh smell. What is that 00:46:40.610 --> 00:46:45.869 smell? What does he want to fill you with? Let's 00:46:45.869 --> 00:46:51.809 read it together. Romans 5, 5. And this hope 00:46:51.809 --> 00:46:55.849 will not lead to disappointment, for we know 00:46:55.849 --> 00:47:00.039 how dearly God loves us. Because he has given 00:47:00.039 --> 00:47:04.400 us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his 00:47:04.400 --> 00:47:12.239 love. What? He wants to fill my heart with what? 00:47:14.420 --> 00:47:19.760 With his love. That is what he's interested in. 00:47:23.239 --> 00:47:32.699 I wish we knew this earlier. Because people like 00:47:32.699 --> 00:47:34.920 Jennifer, for instance, that grew up going to 00:47:34.920 --> 00:47:37.760 church since they were little. And she was always 00:47:37.760 --> 00:47:39.940 told, don't do this thing. Don't do that. God 00:47:39.940 --> 00:47:43.159 is going to punish you. So she grows up trying 00:47:43.159 --> 00:47:45.940 to be good. And then she's told, don't go to 00:47:45.940 --> 00:47:48.139 the movies. That's where sinful people go. So 00:47:48.139 --> 00:47:52.099 she never went to a movie theater. And then she 00:47:52.099 --> 00:47:54.500 was told, don't listen to music that has drums 00:47:54.500 --> 00:47:56.300 in it. Because drums is the instrument of the 00:47:56.300 --> 00:48:01.510 devil. So she never listened to any drums. And 00:48:01.510 --> 00:48:03.349 then she was told, don't wear any pants because, 00:48:03.449 --> 00:48:07.349 you know, prostitutes wear pants. So it's like, 00:48:07.510 --> 00:48:14.510 okay. And she loved Jesus. But that little girl 00:48:14.510 --> 00:48:18.429 became an adult. And that adult became a missionary. 00:48:20.650 --> 00:48:29.400 And she was spokeswoman. for the gospel of love 00:48:29.400 --> 00:48:32.619 and grace of Jesus, except that love and grace 00:48:32.619 --> 00:48:36.219 was anything that was in her heart. Because she 00:48:36.219 --> 00:48:40.599 kept feeling that she was a disappointment to 00:48:40.599 --> 00:48:45.280 God. Because all of her life following Jesus 00:48:45.280 --> 00:48:49.260 was about, did you check the list? Huh? Huh? 00:48:49.340 --> 00:48:54.519 Don't do that. Do this. That was her Christian 00:48:54.519 --> 00:49:03.780 experience. She had never realized that Jesus 00:49:03.780 --> 00:49:07.880 has sent the Holy Spirit into her heart not to 00:49:07.880 --> 00:49:12.579 fill her with good behavior, but with His love. 00:49:16.860 --> 00:49:23.480 And that is where everything flows. And one of 00:49:23.480 --> 00:49:25.400 the things that we do at home with our kids, 00:49:27.199 --> 00:49:29.000 since they were little, is that when birthday 00:49:29.000 --> 00:49:32.360 time came, they will give us a card, but they 00:49:32.360 --> 00:49:35.460 will make it. And I remember the first cards 00:49:35.460 --> 00:49:37.719 when they were little toddlers, you know, all 00:49:37.719 --> 00:49:39.820 these drawings, cute drawings, you know, stick 00:49:39.820 --> 00:49:44.880 people, right, and dad with a face and everything, 00:49:45.000 --> 00:49:49.159 and love you, puppy, and all these different 00:49:49.159 --> 00:49:52.960 things. But at the very beginning, they did not 00:49:52.960 --> 00:49:56.650 know how to spell. And some of the words were 00:49:56.650 --> 00:50:00.670 just misspelled, or a letter is backwards, and 00:50:00.670 --> 00:50:05.309 they're not coloring right. It's outside the 00:50:05.309 --> 00:50:11.289 lines, you know? So when you take that card from 00:50:11.289 --> 00:50:14.070 your toddler child that loves you so much, and 00:50:14.070 --> 00:50:17.090 they're trying to put it in that card, you don't 00:50:17.090 --> 00:50:19.309 go like, well, you don't know how to spell, do 00:50:19.309 --> 00:50:23.420 you? You know, this is not colored right. Try 00:50:23.420 --> 00:50:27.400 again. Try a little bit harder. That's not what 00:50:27.400 --> 00:50:34.260 you would do. And we are like that toddler. Anything 00:50:34.260 --> 00:50:39.880 I can do for God, as long as I'm not glorified, 00:50:40.000 --> 00:50:45.019 anything I can do for God is like that card. 00:50:45.639 --> 00:50:50.059 I don't want to misspell things. It's not going 00:50:50.059 --> 00:50:52.420 to be colored with the right combinations of 00:50:52.420 --> 00:51:02.260 this and that. But God loves me. And he wants 00:51:02.260 --> 00:51:06.639 me to experience that love. And therefore I understand 00:51:06.639 --> 00:51:09.880 that my love for God is a broken love. It's an 00:51:09.880 --> 00:51:13.079 imperfect love. But that is the love that I can 00:51:13.079 --> 00:51:15.420 give. And that is the love that God welcomes. 00:51:19.119 --> 00:51:25.139 If we are not filled with the love of God, then 00:51:25.139 --> 00:51:28.219 something else will fill it. And if it's not 00:51:28.219 --> 00:51:31.380 love, it's going to be these feelings of shame. 00:51:31.639 --> 00:51:36.079 And these feelings that you are unworthy of God. 00:51:36.340 --> 00:51:41.860 And that is not from God. The Holy Spirit wants 00:51:41.860 --> 00:51:45.639 to fill you with His love. And that is the freedom 00:51:45.639 --> 00:51:53.280 that Jesus accomplished. So with this, now we 00:51:53.280 --> 00:51:57.619 understand what Jesus has done. As he overcame 00:51:57.619 --> 00:52:01.579 the power of Satan, and as he ascends, he sends 00:52:01.579 --> 00:52:05.480 the Holy Spirit now, which by the way, in May 00:52:05.480 --> 00:52:07.539 we'll get to celebrate Pentecost Sunday when 00:52:07.539 --> 00:52:11.099 we celebrate the fulfillment of the promise of 00:52:11.099 --> 00:52:19.199 the coming of the Holy Spirit. So Jesus made 00:52:19.199 --> 00:52:23.349 a way. For the Holy Spirit to come. Enter our 00:52:23.349 --> 00:52:27.010 hearts when we believe. Begin washing away our 00:52:27.010 --> 00:52:30.889 sins. And removing things from our heart. And 00:52:30.889 --> 00:52:34.510 remodeling our home. Until the day of redemption. 00:52:36.570 --> 00:52:40.570 And until that he's going to fill us with his 00:52:40.570 --> 00:52:46.230 love. And you know I picture that with like a 00:52:46.230 --> 00:52:50.960 glass that has dirty water in it. And instead 00:52:50.960 --> 00:52:57.119 of going, let's replace the water. No, he starts 00:52:57.119 --> 00:53:09.780 filling us with his love. And before you know 00:53:09.780 --> 00:53:14.159 it, the water looks cleaner and cleaner and cleaner 00:53:14.159 --> 00:53:18.980 and cleaner. And you become so transformed that 00:53:18.980 --> 00:53:23.760 you never saw it coming. Because God has filled 00:53:23.760 --> 00:53:29.739 you with his love. And you know what that is 00:53:29.739 --> 00:53:36.000 going to look like at the end? Glorified. Sinless. 00:53:36.539 --> 00:53:42.260 Immortal. As we learned last week. So I want 00:53:42.260 --> 00:53:44.239 to conclude this study with a couple of things. 00:53:44.300 --> 00:53:49.769 First of all, Jesus is inviting you to walk in 00:53:49.769 --> 00:53:54.429 the victory he accomplished, and that means seek 00:53:54.429 --> 00:53:57.489 deeper intimacy with the Holy Spirit he sent. 00:53:59.030 --> 00:54:03.210 And if you come from a place where you worship 00:54:03.210 --> 00:54:05.489 spirits, so when you hear Holy Spirit, it's like, 00:54:05.610 --> 00:54:08.849 that freaks me out. I am afraid of spirits. This 00:54:08.849 --> 00:54:14.070 is not like that. The Holy Spirit is holy. It's 00:54:14.070 --> 00:54:18.900 good. And when Jesus talked about the Holy Spirit, 00:54:19.059 --> 00:54:22.260 he used certain words. He is the advocate. He 00:54:22.260 --> 00:54:27.599 is for you, not against you. So you can trust 00:54:27.599 --> 00:54:30.679 him with your future. As he guides you, trust 00:54:30.679 --> 00:54:36.159 him. He is your advocate. Secondly, Jesus said 00:54:36.159 --> 00:54:38.000 that the Holy Spirit is the Holy Spirit of truth. 00:54:41.000 --> 00:54:44.119 He's going to speak truth to you, even when you 00:54:44.119 --> 00:54:48.050 don't want to hear it. He's going to convict 00:54:48.050 --> 00:54:50.510 you. And when the Holy Spirit is convicting you, 00:54:50.650 --> 00:54:53.210 He's doing that not because He's disgusted with 00:54:53.210 --> 00:54:55.690 you. He's doing that because He loves you and 00:54:55.690 --> 00:54:58.610 He wants you to walk in truth. So you can trust 00:54:58.610 --> 00:55:02.329 Him when He convicts you. You can obey Him. It's 00:55:02.329 --> 00:55:05.630 for your good. He's not trying to enslave you. 00:55:07.670 --> 00:55:10.550 And Jesus said that the Holy Spirit is the comforter. 00:55:11.269 --> 00:55:13.869 As the comforter, he's there to comfort you when 00:55:13.869 --> 00:55:16.309 you are in pain and in suffering. So when you're 00:55:16.309 --> 00:55:19.809 in pain, don't walk away from God. Walk to him 00:55:19.809 --> 00:55:26.989 instead. You can trust him with your pain. So 00:55:26.989 --> 00:55:30.929 if you are feeling that you need to walk away 00:55:30.929 --> 00:55:33.489 from God because you cannot trust that he's for 00:55:33.489 --> 00:55:36.949 you. Or that you cannot trust that what he's 00:55:36.949 --> 00:55:39.289 convicting you is going to be better if you obey 00:55:39.289 --> 00:55:44.469 him. Or you cannot trust God because you don't 00:55:44.469 --> 00:55:47.730 think that He cares about your pain. That is 00:55:47.730 --> 00:55:51.809 from the enemy. Jesus accomplished this salvation 00:55:51.809 --> 00:55:55.389 so that you can experience life with the Holy 00:55:55.389 --> 00:56:00.250 Spirit. And that's exactly what the new series 00:56:00.250 --> 00:56:04.230 is going to be about starting next week. Life 00:56:04.230 --> 00:56:11.400 with the Holy Spirit. So are you walking with 00:56:11.400 --> 00:56:14.639 the Holy Spirit? Is Jesus your Savior? Have you 00:56:14.639 --> 00:56:17.119 believed in Jesus? If not, you cannot walk with 00:56:17.119 --> 00:56:18.800 the Holy Spirit because you have no Holy Spirit 00:56:18.800 --> 00:56:23.820 in you. But if Jesus is your Savior, then walk 00:56:23.820 --> 00:56:30.360 with the Holy Spirit. Let Him lead you into this 00:56:30.360 --> 00:56:33.960 healing journey and trust Him with all of it. 00:56:35.920 --> 00:56:39.059 And finally, as the last study of this series, 00:56:39.280 --> 00:56:43.019 in this series we have explored what Jesus accomplished 00:56:43.019 --> 00:56:46.840 from his earthly ministry to the cross, to the 00:56:46.840 --> 00:56:53.739 resurrection, to his ascension, to his return. 00:56:55.539 --> 00:56:59.599 And what Jesus has accomplished for us is huge. 00:57:01.260 --> 00:57:08.099 Are you walking in the victory of Jesus? That 00:57:08.099 --> 00:57:12.500 is something that I pray will be true of all 00:57:12.500 --> 00:57:15.400 of us as we continue this journey of following 00:57:15.400 --> 00:57:21.880 Jesus together. Lord Jesus, you are above all. 00:57:23.599 --> 00:57:26.940 And as we declare this from our hearts, if Jesus 00:57:26.940 --> 00:57:29.599 is not your savior, I invite you to tell the 00:57:29.599 --> 00:57:34.039 Lord, Lord, I give my life to you. I will follow 00:57:34.039 --> 00:57:36.460 you. I do not understand what this will look 00:57:36.460 --> 00:57:39.260 like, but I don't need to. I'll just trust you 00:57:39.260 --> 00:57:46.139 where I am today. Follow him. Lord Jesus, thank 00:57:46.139 --> 00:57:50.000 you for this amazing salvation you have accomplished. 00:57:50.280 --> 00:57:59.219 So intricate, so complex. But you did it. And 00:57:59.219 --> 00:58:03.360 you found a way to reach the hardest place to 00:58:03.360 --> 00:58:15.449 fall. our hearts. Fill us with your love. Teach 00:58:15.449 --> 00:58:21.510 us what it's like to live in your love. In Jesus' 00:58:21.650 --> 00:58:30.530 name I pray, amen. Thank you for tuning in to 00:58:30.530 --> 00:58:34.440 the ECB Sermon Podcast. Whether near or far, 00:58:34.699 --> 00:58:37.920 if you are looking for community or are in need 00:58:37.920 --> 00:58:41.280 of prayer, we welcome you to engage by sending 00:58:41.280 --> 00:58:46.860 us an email to office at ecb .asia. If God is 00:58:46.860 --> 00:58:49.500 calling you to support our ministries, you will 00:58:49.500 --> 00:58:53.260 find giving options on our website. And remember 00:58:53.260 --> 00:58:56.039 to join us next week. God bless you.