WEBVTT 00:00:02.220 --> 00:00:05.259 Welcome to the Life Bible Church podcast. We 00:00:05.259 --> 00:00:07.660 want to thank you for joining us today and we 00:00:07.660 --> 00:00:10.179 hope you find today's sermon impacting as you 00:00:10.179 --> 00:00:12.699 listen to it wherever you are in your daily walk. 00:00:12.939 --> 00:00:15.960 To find service times and watch messages online, 00:00:16.179 --> 00:00:20.100 see our website at lifebiblechurch .org. Now, 00:00:20.120 --> 00:00:25.960 enjoy this week's message. Amen. Incredible. 00:00:26.800 --> 00:00:29.079 Welcome to the house of the Lord. Welcome to 00:00:29.079 --> 00:00:34.340 Easter Sunday. New Testament church, he is risen. 00:00:35.960 --> 00:00:38.100 Oh, you almost had it. Let's try it again. He 00:00:38.100 --> 00:00:42.719 is risen. Yes, he is. Would you join me just 00:00:42.719 --> 00:00:45.679 as I pray and we open the word of God this morning. 00:00:46.219 --> 00:00:48.579 Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:00:49.679 --> 00:00:54.340 Lord, you are incredible. Lord, we think about, 00:00:54.420 --> 00:00:57.359 we've prayed about, we've honored, we've worshiped 00:00:57.359 --> 00:01:03.600 the one that you have set your seal upon. The 00:01:03.600 --> 00:01:07.200 one that you have declared as your only begotten 00:01:07.200 --> 00:01:11.760 son, the one who has finished his work. Lord, 00:01:11.939 --> 00:01:14.799 now has been given a name higher than any other 00:01:14.799 --> 00:01:18.319 name. At the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, as 00:01:18.319 --> 00:01:21.180 the scripture says, every knee shall bow, every 00:01:21.180 --> 00:01:25.340 tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord 00:01:25.340 --> 00:01:28.060 of lords and King of kings. Lord, we bless you. 00:01:28.620 --> 00:01:31.319 And we ask now, Lord, that you would take your 00:01:31.319 --> 00:01:36.400 word. Lord, your word, which is the bread of 00:01:36.400 --> 00:01:41.359 heaven. Jesus declared it in John 6. He said, 00:01:41.379 --> 00:01:44.239 it's not like the bread that the fathers ate 00:01:44.239 --> 00:01:47.000 in the wilderness, but the bread that comes down 00:01:47.000 --> 00:01:51.200 from heaven. Lord, you are that bread. You declared 00:01:51.200 --> 00:01:55.900 it. You said, I am the bread. So Lord, we welcome 00:01:55.900 --> 00:02:00.260 you this morning. Come, feed us, strengthen us, 00:02:00.400 --> 00:02:06.329 encourage us. Teach us. We need you. In Jesus 00:02:06.329 --> 00:02:10.110 Christ's holy name. Amen. Amen. Why don't you 00:02:10.110 --> 00:02:12.210 just turn to a few people and say you're glad 00:02:12.210 --> 00:02:14.090 to see them this Easter Sunday morning and they 00:02:14.090 --> 00:02:16.810 look really nice. Come on, you can just be encouraging 00:02:16.810 --> 00:02:19.069 this morning. Greet a few people around you. 00:02:28.949 --> 00:02:33.430 Beautiful. Well, this morning I want to deal 00:02:33.430 --> 00:02:36.289 with a subject called the indestructible life. 00:02:36.729 --> 00:02:42.210 As we celebrate the resurrection, you know, honestly, 00:02:42.349 --> 00:02:48.550 Christianity, in all of its doctrines, in all 00:02:48.550 --> 00:02:53.629 of its theology, the resurrection is, as what 00:02:53.629 --> 00:02:57.310 one theologian, I believe it was, said, the lynch, 00:02:57.409 --> 00:03:04.090 is the lynchpin. Everything that we believe as 00:03:04.090 --> 00:03:08.629 sacred and true, this truth of the resurrection 00:03:08.629 --> 00:03:12.289 from the dead separates Christianity from any 00:03:12.289 --> 00:03:15.830 other belief around the world. Why? It believes 00:03:15.830 --> 00:03:19.849 and it holds true that Jesus Christ conquered 00:03:19.849 --> 00:03:24.930 death, hell, or if I could say it, Hades, the 00:03:24.930 --> 00:03:31.229 grave and sin to become and is the living. God 00:03:31.229 --> 00:03:34.710 who rules and reigns and only through believing 00:03:34.710 --> 00:03:38.449 in him by faith do we have life. Now that is 00:03:38.449 --> 00:03:41.129 a, that's a big category. So I'm going to try 00:03:41.129 --> 00:03:43.169 to break that down a little bit today. I'm not 00:03:43.169 --> 00:03:45.150 going to preach every subject. Trent asked me, 00:03:45.169 --> 00:03:47.050 he says, how much of the Bible are you preaching? 00:03:47.169 --> 00:03:49.689 I said, well, only three quarters of it today. 00:03:49.830 --> 00:03:53.449 Hallelujah. But for the reality is there is so 00:03:53.449 --> 00:03:57.469 much to talk about on this resurrection Sunday. 00:03:57.650 --> 00:04:02.319 Why? Every one of the, if I would say, tributaries 00:04:02.319 --> 00:04:05.340 of the truth that are in the scriptures lead 00:04:05.340 --> 00:04:09.539 to the reality that Jesus Christ has defeated 00:04:09.539 --> 00:04:14.819 every foe that we would face. And as I sat down 00:04:14.819 --> 00:04:17.939 to study this morning and was just thinking about, 00:04:18.079 --> 00:04:20.699 or not this morning, well, I did that too. I 00:04:20.699 --> 00:04:23.040 actually changed the message three times since 00:04:23.040 --> 00:04:25.980 I've been here since 4 .30. We got up at 4 .35 00:04:25.980 --> 00:04:29.290 this morning here and I... Lord, I've got so 00:04:29.290 --> 00:04:31.329 much, but you've got to help me trim it down. 00:04:31.509 --> 00:04:34.310 So I had 18 pages. When I got done, I had 19. 00:04:34.490 --> 00:04:39.750 And I realized that during prayer, I've got to 00:04:39.750 --> 00:04:42.689 change something because there's no way I can 00:04:42.689 --> 00:04:47.250 get through 19 pages on Easter morning. So I 00:04:47.250 --> 00:04:50.410 want to skip the first couple of pages if you're 00:04:50.410 --> 00:04:53.189 running the slide machine. I want you to go right 00:04:53.189 --> 00:04:55.250 to my first slide. Here's what Easter is about. 00:04:55.839 --> 00:05:01.420 Easter is about God's remarkable reclaiming of 00:05:01.420 --> 00:05:05.420 the way, the truth, and the life for mankind. 00:05:06.839 --> 00:05:09.899 That is the essence of what Jesus was saying 00:05:09.899 --> 00:05:13.879 in John 14. He was saying, I am the way, I am 00:05:13.879 --> 00:05:17.220 the truth, and I am the life. No man comes to 00:05:17.220 --> 00:05:20.279 the Father but by me. That was Jesus' exclusive 00:05:20.279 --> 00:05:24.300 saying, which means what? that every other approach, 00:05:24.540 --> 00:05:26.459 fact is he actually said in other scriptures, 00:05:26.660 --> 00:05:29.740 any other person that's tried to climb in, climb 00:05:29.740 --> 00:05:33.019 over, go another way is a thief and a liar. That 00:05:33.019 --> 00:05:36.000 ought to tell you how Jesus believed it. He said, 00:05:36.100 --> 00:05:38.959 listen, I am the way, I'm the truth, and I'm 00:05:38.959 --> 00:05:42.639 the life. And what his life did is it claimed, 00:05:42.720 --> 00:05:46.300 reclaimed for you and I the way to the Father. 00:05:46.600 --> 00:05:51.540 It reclaimed that he alone is truth, and it reclaimed. 00:05:52.000 --> 00:05:55.139 us having the ability to have eternal life with 00:05:55.139 --> 00:05:58.660 him. That's what he gave us. But the Bible says 00:05:58.660 --> 00:06:03.319 this, the wages of sin are death, but the gift 00:06:03.319 --> 00:06:09.800 of God is eternal life. Now that's really what 00:06:09.800 --> 00:06:13.459 it's about. Every one of us in this room, every 00:06:13.459 --> 00:06:17.240 one of us, we recognize as we're sitting here, 00:06:17.319 --> 00:06:19.399 and I can just say it. Carefully here, I'm not 00:06:19.399 --> 00:06:21.819 asking you to look around at an old person, but 00:06:21.819 --> 00:06:25.740 I am just saying to you, we eventually get old, 00:06:25.939 --> 00:06:29.860 we wither, we grow weaker, and eventually our 00:06:29.860 --> 00:06:34.220 milk curdles. There's a shelf life on every one 00:06:34.220 --> 00:06:39.120 of us. I don't like it, you don't like it. When 00:06:39.120 --> 00:06:42.839 death actually comes, it brings with it decay. 00:06:43.529 --> 00:06:46.649 And what people say is, scientists say that after 00:06:46.649 --> 00:06:50.269 the age of 30, you're now on the decline. Just 00:06:50.269 --> 00:06:54.069 look at somebody and say, hey, the reality is, 00:06:54.170 --> 00:06:57.170 if you're past 30 years old, you are decreasing. 00:07:01.930 --> 00:07:08.709 That doesn't feel too great. You know, the famous 00:07:08.709 --> 00:07:11.930 writers say, youth is wasted on the young, right? 00:07:12.589 --> 00:07:15.709 Why? Because they too experience this reality 00:07:15.709 --> 00:07:22.230 that everyone has a limited time span. And the 00:07:22.230 --> 00:07:30.129 truth of Easter is Jesus took on man's four greatest 00:07:30.129 --> 00:07:38.050 enemies. Death, Hades, the grave, and sin. Now 00:07:38.050 --> 00:07:41.509 I wish I had... time to dive into all four of 00:07:41.509 --> 00:07:42.930 those, but that's probably going to be a year 00:07:42.930 --> 00:07:45.449 long series if we just actually do it the way 00:07:45.449 --> 00:07:48.370 it should be done. But the reality is those four 00:07:48.370 --> 00:07:54.990 enemies, death, Hades, which includes hell, the 00:07:54.990 --> 00:07:59.470 grave, and sin. Those are things that you and 00:07:59.470 --> 00:08:07.129 I have no power to escape except that God would 00:08:07.129 --> 00:08:11.779 grant us help. And that's what Easter is about. 00:08:11.839 --> 00:08:15.360 That's why we come to celebrate because more 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:18.019 than any other celebration on the earth, this 00:08:18.019 --> 00:08:23.019 is a celebration of the one who broke the power 00:08:23.019 --> 00:08:27.220 of the four enemies that held mankind in complete 00:08:27.220 --> 00:08:30.560 bondage. Why four? Because four represents a 00:08:30.560 --> 00:08:33.860 number that represents, it's not seven perfection, 00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:37.690 it represents worldwide. That's why we have the 00:08:37.690 --> 00:08:39.789 four directions, the four corners of the earth. 00:08:39.850 --> 00:08:43.090 When the Bible uses those in those four enemies, 00:08:43.169 --> 00:08:48.049 it means that you were chained and I was chained 00:08:48.049 --> 00:08:53.230 at every post, unable to escape a sentence of 00:08:53.230 --> 00:08:59.610 death, of Hades, of the grave and of sin. And 00:08:59.610 --> 00:09:04.169 so Easter, Jesus's victory is about Jesus's victory 00:09:04.169 --> 00:09:08.450 over death. his victory over the grave, the power 00:09:08.450 --> 00:09:11.889 of the resurrection, him actually ruling and 00:09:11.889 --> 00:09:14.470 reigning, and then the fifth one is what? His 00:09:14.470 --> 00:09:18.330 return. That's what the resurrection signals. 00:09:18.750 --> 00:09:22.070 But this morning, we got four things he conquers, 00:09:22.129 --> 00:09:25.750 five things that he does. I wanna just boil it 00:09:25.750 --> 00:09:29.629 down because I had nine things. We gotta boil 00:09:29.629 --> 00:09:33.570 it down to three. He's our sacrificial lamb. 00:09:34.440 --> 00:09:37.320 He's our incredible great high priest and he 00:09:37.320 --> 00:09:40.659 is our reigning king. Now for us to understand 00:09:40.659 --> 00:09:44.460 really what good news is, and here's what I want 00:09:44.460 --> 00:09:47.379 to just dive into this morning. You really can't 00:09:47.379 --> 00:09:51.139 understand good news unless it's framed with 00:09:51.139 --> 00:09:56.600 the backdrop of the bad news. The reality is 00:09:56.600 --> 00:10:00.419 we've lived for several generations now, at least 00:10:00.419 --> 00:10:03.899 one for sure. that have tried to frame the gospel 00:10:03.899 --> 00:10:07.340 in only good news with only a good background. 00:10:08.279 --> 00:10:12.120 And the problem is people take advantage of what 00:10:12.120 --> 00:10:16.320 they think God's love is, not understanding what 00:10:16.320 --> 00:10:19.460 really is the bad news, that the good news is 00:10:19.460 --> 00:10:24.009 really good news. And in order to do that, you 00:10:24.009 --> 00:10:26.669 have to understand what Jesus's resurrection 00:10:26.669 --> 00:10:30.090 meant for you and I and means for you and I. 00:10:30.169 --> 00:10:32.509 So in order to do that, let's go back and look 00:10:32.509 --> 00:10:34.509 at the gospels for a little bit this morning. 00:10:34.889 --> 00:10:39.070 In Luke 24, verses one through 10 says this, 00:10:39.090 --> 00:10:41.710 but on the first day of the week, early in the 00:10:41.710 --> 00:10:45.009 dawn, they went to the tomb and taking the spices 00:10:45.009 --> 00:10:47.970 that they had prepared and they found the stone 00:10:47.970 --> 00:10:50.590 had been rolled away from the tomb. But when 00:10:50.590 --> 00:10:54.340 they went in, did not find the body of the Lord 00:10:54.340 --> 00:10:58.220 Jesus. And while they were perplexed about this, 00:10:58.299 --> 00:11:03.379 behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. 00:11:03.720 --> 00:11:05.980 And they were frightened and bowed their faces 00:11:05.980 --> 00:11:08.679 to the ground. And the men said to them, why 00:11:08.679 --> 00:11:14.059 do you seek the living among the dead? He is 00:11:14.059 --> 00:11:17.299 not here. He has risen. Now that's an incredible 00:11:17.299 --> 00:11:21.100 statement. Here are two angelic beings talking. 00:11:21.820 --> 00:11:26.519 to Mary and Martha and Mary's and saying, hey, 00:11:26.720 --> 00:11:30.659 why are you seeking the living among the dead? 00:11:31.460 --> 00:11:35.899 Just the matter of factness from heaven. He told 00:11:35.899 --> 00:11:39.679 you this was gonna happen. It did happen. Now, 00:11:39.799 --> 00:11:43.340 why are you not seeking him who's alive? Why 00:11:43.340 --> 00:11:46.779 are you coming to the place of deadness? He's 00:11:46.779 --> 00:11:49.860 risen. And then the angel decides to drop this 00:11:49.860 --> 00:11:53.029 heavy on them. Remember when he told you while 00:11:53.029 --> 00:11:55.409 he was in Galilee that the son of man must be 00:11:55.409 --> 00:11:58.029 delivered into the hands of sinful men to be 00:11:58.029 --> 00:12:00.250 crucified and on the third day he would rise? 00:12:01.190 --> 00:12:04.429 And then they remembered his words and returning 00:12:04.429 --> 00:12:07.990 from the tomb, they told this to the 11 and to 00:12:07.990 --> 00:12:11.230 the rest. Mark's gospel says it this way. It's 00:12:11.230 --> 00:12:14.029 chapter 16, verse six. And the angel said to 00:12:14.029 --> 00:12:17.470 them, do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, 00:12:17.590 --> 00:12:21.740 whom was crucified. He is risen. He is not here. 00:12:21.980 --> 00:12:25.019 See the place where they laid him? But go tell 00:12:25.019 --> 00:12:27.779 his disciples and Peter that he is going before 00:12:27.779 --> 00:12:32.720 you to Galilee. There you will see him just as 00:12:32.720 --> 00:12:38.139 he told you. Right from the beginning, the messengers 00:12:38.139 --> 00:12:43.200 of heaven would help equip the messengers of 00:12:43.200 --> 00:12:47.440 the earth to remind them that Jesus' words, all 00:12:47.440 --> 00:12:49.980 that he promised, all that he said would take 00:12:49.980 --> 00:12:54.399 place, surely happened. And there is no other 00:12:54.399 --> 00:12:57.700 way to find him except the way he said he would 00:12:57.700 --> 00:13:01.460 find them. Now we see this early Easter morning. 00:13:01.639 --> 00:13:04.340 This is why we celebrate on Sunday. This is why 00:13:04.340 --> 00:13:08.759 the whole New Testament, if you will, the covenant 00:13:08.759 --> 00:13:12.960 of this new covenant that was in God that moved 00:13:12.960 --> 00:13:15.379 us past the old covenant of the law of Moses. 00:13:15.950 --> 00:13:20.570 Begins with a different day. Sabbath ended. And 00:13:20.570 --> 00:13:24.830 Sunday began. Why? It was resurrection day. So 00:13:24.830 --> 00:13:29.409 all around the world. That bright morning dawn, 00:13:29.529 --> 00:13:32.710 the power of Jesus Christ busting the chains 00:13:32.710 --> 00:13:36.350 of death, the power that held all of humanity 00:13:36.350 --> 00:13:40.529 is celebrated on that early Sunday morning. And 00:13:40.529 --> 00:13:43.149 then as we go through the gospels and we look 00:13:43.149 --> 00:13:45.909 at Matthew, Mark, Luke's account, when we get 00:13:45.909 --> 00:13:48.710 to John's account, thank you, we get to John's 00:13:48.710 --> 00:13:53.230 account, something else radically changes. Jesus. 00:13:53.870 --> 00:13:57.070 The angels told them, he'll go before you like 00:13:57.070 --> 00:13:59.649 he promised you. He will meet you in Galilee. 00:13:59.789 --> 00:14:03.110 And then we read in John chapter 20. And the 00:14:03.110 --> 00:14:07.710 evening of that day, so before resurrection day 00:14:07.710 --> 00:14:11.850 was finished, on the first day of the week, the 00:14:11.850 --> 00:14:15.570 doors being locked where the disciples were for 00:14:15.570 --> 00:14:20.789 fear of the Jews. Let's just focus on that for 00:14:20.789 --> 00:14:26.549 a moment. Jesus' promises are true. Jesus' words 00:14:26.549 --> 00:14:30.049 are true. Everything Jesus promised the disciples, 00:14:30.370 --> 00:14:35.090 he was going to fulfill for them, yet they thought 00:14:35.090 --> 00:14:38.190 it wouldn't happen because of what they had seen 00:14:38.190 --> 00:14:41.169 and what they'd experienced. They did not have 00:14:41.169 --> 00:14:45.440 faith to believe he could do. They are what? 00:14:45.480 --> 00:14:50.299 Hold up in a room behind locked doors, afraid 00:14:50.299 --> 00:14:53.240 that they are going to get persecuted because 00:14:53.240 --> 00:14:57.259 what was done to Jesus, there was now indictments, 00:14:57.259 --> 00:15:00.840 if you will, and a rumor that they were all going 00:15:00.840 --> 00:15:04.139 to have their lives taken. Notice what Jesus 00:15:04.139 --> 00:15:11.960 does. Right through the locked doors, Jesus came. 00:15:13.159 --> 00:15:16.720 and stood among them and said to them, peace 00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:20.759 be with you. Now, please understand this. If 00:15:20.759 --> 00:15:22.500 I could just preach to you a little bit this 00:15:22.500 --> 00:15:26.200 morning, I don't care how locked or how walled 00:15:26.200 --> 00:15:28.940 up you are. I don't care what you've been through, 00:15:29.039 --> 00:15:32.899 what you've gone through. Jesus promises to actually 00:15:32.899 --> 00:15:36.240 get to the heart of all mankind. Though who will 00:15:36.240 --> 00:15:38.840 put their trust in him, he has the ability to 00:15:38.840 --> 00:15:41.500 get behind your mind, get behind your heart, 00:15:41.600 --> 00:15:43.860 get behind the events of your life that were 00:15:43.860 --> 00:15:47.600 heinous and maybe tragic. Jesus has the ability 00:15:47.600 --> 00:15:51.120 to show up and get inside and in front of you. 00:15:51.179 --> 00:15:55.100 And his first thing he says isn't, I told you. 00:15:57.039 --> 00:15:59.840 Now, if it was me, that's probably what you'd 00:15:59.840 --> 00:16:05.080 get. I told you. But that ain't what Jesus does. 00:16:05.700 --> 00:16:09.039 He shows up behind locked doors. He shows up 00:16:09.039 --> 00:16:12.240 behind the walls. And the first thing he says, 00:16:12.480 --> 00:16:15.440 my goodness, come on, get this in your spirit. 00:16:15.539 --> 00:16:19.159 First thing he says, it isn't like, you sucker, 00:16:19.379 --> 00:16:24.080 why didn't you believe me? No, first thing he 00:16:24.080 --> 00:16:29.960 said, peace to you. First thing he says. First 00:16:29.960 --> 00:16:34.220 thing he says to every person that's in fear, 00:16:34.480 --> 00:16:38.639 feels rejected, feels inferior, deals with what 00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:40.679 they thought they've been a failure. First thing 00:16:40.679 --> 00:16:44.080 he does, getting behind a locked heart and a 00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:49.759 locked door, is peace be to you. He doesn't say, 00:16:49.860 --> 00:16:55.159 I told you so. You should have listened. I should 00:16:55.159 --> 00:16:59.750 beat your, no. He doesn't say that. He doesn't 00:16:59.750 --> 00:17:04.369 say that at all. He always comes with the nature 00:17:04.369 --> 00:17:10.250 of love and grace. Can I get an amen? Now Jesus 00:17:10.250 --> 00:17:15.769 alone, when we understand this, we recognize 00:17:15.769 --> 00:17:21.369 that he becomes our sacrifice. He displays like 00:17:21.369 --> 00:17:25.410 he did for three and a half years. He displayed, 00:17:25.609 --> 00:17:27.849 in fact, there's so many scriptures we could 00:17:27.849 --> 00:17:29.549 quote, but he said, if you've seen me, you've 00:17:29.549 --> 00:17:32.210 seen the Father. I come to represent the Father. 00:17:32.289 --> 00:17:34.930 Everything the Father does and everything the 00:17:34.930 --> 00:17:39.549 Father says, I now say it to you because I am 00:17:39.549 --> 00:17:43.210 not here or testify on my own authority. I testify 00:17:43.210 --> 00:17:48.960 of him. Jesus doesn't change. He doesn't change. 00:17:49.099 --> 00:17:52.200 The Bible says he's the same yesterday, today, 00:17:52.599 --> 00:17:55.500 and forever. And so what does he do? The minute 00:17:55.500 --> 00:17:58.299 he rose from the dead, the minute he conquered 00:17:58.299 --> 00:18:00.839 death and hell, he didn't all of a sudden get 00:18:00.839 --> 00:18:04.180 all pompous and hoity -toity and start walking 00:18:04.180 --> 00:18:09.720 in and say, hey, kiss the ring. Doesn't do that, 00:18:09.779 --> 00:18:13.490 does he? He moves to the place of still operating 00:18:13.490 --> 00:18:17.650 as what? Not only the sacrifice for our sin, 00:18:17.789 --> 00:18:21.849 but he also operates as the mediator, the one 00:18:21.849 --> 00:18:25.990 who comes to bring you into what? Union back 00:18:25.990 --> 00:18:29.869 with the father. Now, in order to understand 00:18:29.869 --> 00:18:32.990 this, of what the father would allow his son 00:18:32.990 --> 00:18:36.049 to go through, when we talk about holy sacrifice, 00:18:36.190 --> 00:18:39.569 what does that mean? It means that God in his 00:18:39.569 --> 00:18:42.890 purity, God in his righteousness, holiness simply 00:18:42.890 --> 00:18:47.329 means above what you could even possibly know. 00:18:47.450 --> 00:18:52.029 It's altogether different. It's without any tarnishment. 00:18:52.069 --> 00:18:57.210 It's purity in its most extravagant, holy, righteous 00:18:57.210 --> 00:19:02.390 form. Jesus became that, which means what? He 00:19:02.390 --> 00:19:07.079 lived a sinless life. Out of obedience and out 00:19:07.079 --> 00:19:09.559 of love for the Father. And this is what he took 00:19:09.559 --> 00:19:13.400 on for you and I. Jesus as a holy sacrifice had 00:19:13.400 --> 00:19:16.220 to be willing to embrace the agony of the soul. 00:19:16.859 --> 00:19:19.519 What does that mean? It means that when we talk 00:19:19.519 --> 00:19:24.500 about, we sang about it today. We sang about 00:19:24.500 --> 00:19:26.559 the blood of Jesus. We sang about the cross. 00:19:27.799 --> 00:19:31.039 We're going to take the meal later this morning 00:19:31.039 --> 00:19:34.829 here in a bit. Talking about what he gave, his 00:19:34.829 --> 00:19:38.809 blood and his body. You have to understand that 00:19:38.809 --> 00:19:43.970 the cross, the resurrection, that three days 00:19:43.970 --> 00:19:48.029 includes everything that happened from the moment 00:19:48.029 --> 00:19:50.930 they started Passover, finished that Passover, 00:19:50.950 --> 00:19:53.589 or in the middle of that Passover meal, that 00:19:53.589 --> 00:19:57.210 started what is called the cross experience. 00:19:58.410 --> 00:20:03.230 It was at that table. That Satan filled Judas' 00:20:03.430 --> 00:20:06.529 heart to fully betray him. It was at that table 00:20:06.529 --> 00:20:10.250 where he began to wash the disciples' feet and 00:20:10.250 --> 00:20:14.049 people, Peter began to argue with him of how 00:20:14.049 --> 00:20:16.410 much of the washing he needed or didn't need. 00:20:17.250 --> 00:20:20.109 Right from the very beginning of that first table, 00:20:20.250 --> 00:20:23.470 Jesus began to deal with the objections of mankind 00:20:23.470 --> 00:20:27.049 wanting to sift out what they could take of him 00:20:27.049 --> 00:20:29.710 and what they didn't have to take of him. What 00:20:29.710 --> 00:20:33.269 he would require versus what he came to do. And 00:20:33.269 --> 00:20:36.069 Judas betrayed him as they took the rest of the 00:20:36.069 --> 00:20:38.589 disciples across the brook of Kindron, which 00:20:38.589 --> 00:20:41.950 is exactly what Jesus did all those years ago 00:20:41.950 --> 00:20:44.809 that he said, the seed of David shall occupy 00:20:44.809 --> 00:20:48.130 his throne. David crossed that brook of Kindron 00:20:48.130 --> 00:20:51.509 in mourning, knowing that his son Absalom had 00:20:51.509 --> 00:20:54.369 betrayed him and was on his way to kill him. 00:20:54.430 --> 00:20:58.849 Jesus crossed that same brook now with a hymn, 00:20:58.890 --> 00:21:02.109 now with groaning in his heart, knowing that 00:21:02.440 --> 00:21:06.119 time of his suffering had begun and it was going 00:21:06.119 --> 00:21:10.859 to be a process, a long three day process until 00:21:10.859 --> 00:21:14.660 it would be finished. From the agony of the soul 00:21:14.660 --> 00:21:17.599 to the personal betrayal of his disciples, not 00:21:17.599 --> 00:21:20.480 just Judas, but every one of them left at the 00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:24.240 garden. The religious leaders rejection, the 00:21:24.240 --> 00:21:28.339 people crying. who cried just five days earlier, 00:21:28.640 --> 00:21:31.359 Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name 00:21:31.359 --> 00:21:34.039 of the Lord, now shouting as they're revved up 00:21:34.039 --> 00:21:37.660 in just a day or so, crucify him, crucify him. 00:21:37.819 --> 00:21:42.059 He experienced the scourge, the shredding of 00:21:42.059 --> 00:21:45.099 front and back behind him, getting to the areas 00:21:45.099 --> 00:21:47.740 of the blue blood where the scholars would say 00:21:47.740 --> 00:21:49.900 that blue blood was a place where it's blood 00:21:49.900 --> 00:21:55.000 next to the bones. He experienced Pilate's political 00:21:55.000 --> 00:21:58.900 rejection, Herod's political scorn. He experienced 00:21:58.900 --> 00:22:03.779 the humiliation of the Roman guard and the spitting 00:22:03.779 --> 00:22:07.279 and the mocking and the crown of thorns. He carried 00:22:07.279 --> 00:22:10.599 the sentence of death, which most... People believe 00:22:10.599 --> 00:22:13.779 that hundred pound beam was what was placed upon 00:22:13.779 --> 00:22:16.559 his shoulders, having been shredded by the scourge, 00:22:16.619 --> 00:22:20.720 now walking that final place of the Via Dolorosa 00:22:20.720 --> 00:22:24.859 to the place of crucifixion called Golgotha. 00:22:25.299 --> 00:22:29.839 He experienced the jarring after the searing 00:22:29.839 --> 00:22:33.880 of the nails pinched through, pierced his feet 00:22:33.880 --> 00:22:36.359 and his hands, then the slamming down of that 00:22:36.359 --> 00:22:40.250 cross into the hole that was bore. and then the 00:22:40.250 --> 00:22:44.230 process of crucifixion, which created a suffocation, 00:22:44.369 --> 00:22:47.950 where all of his joints were pulled out of their 00:22:47.950 --> 00:22:51.609 sockets. And as he suffered, gave his last breath, 00:22:51.630 --> 00:22:55.049 that lasted six hours. Not to mention the humiliation 00:22:55.049 --> 00:22:58.089 of false witnesses and being completely naked. 00:22:58.150 --> 00:23:01.430 Not some Renaissance version of some white towel 00:23:01.430 --> 00:23:04.329 over him, but completely as was Roman culture 00:23:04.329 --> 00:23:07.750 to strip all dignity from every criminal. And 00:23:07.750 --> 00:23:10.109 in front of his mother, in front of his aunts 00:23:10.109 --> 00:23:12.430 and uncles, in front of his cousins, absolutely 00:23:12.430 --> 00:23:18.289 humiliated. The father had to be willing. to 00:23:18.289 --> 00:23:22.450 place his son under all of that. And that should 00:23:22.450 --> 00:23:24.650 describe for us a little bit of the incredible 00:23:24.650 --> 00:23:28.950 love that God has for us. It was love that caused 00:23:28.950 --> 00:23:33.509 the father to go to incredible lengths with the 00:23:33.509 --> 00:23:36.230 breadth and the scope of the horrific treatment 00:23:36.230 --> 00:23:39.730 of his son from rejection to being torn to shreds 00:23:39.730 --> 00:23:44.130 to the very last thing of being bartered and 00:23:44.130 --> 00:23:48.859 traded. A criminal Barabbas. offered in exchange 00:23:48.859 --> 00:23:54.259 for a perfect, obedient son, Jesus. So when we 00:23:54.259 --> 00:23:57.700 say he took our place, what does that mean? It 00:23:57.700 --> 00:24:04.859 means that God allowed what was in us, on us, 00:24:05.059 --> 00:24:09.180 to be placed on his son. In fact, as the scripture 00:24:09.180 --> 00:24:14.440 said, he who knew no sin became sin for us that 00:24:14.440 --> 00:24:18.900 we might become the righteousness of God in Christ. 00:24:20.380 --> 00:24:24.920 Jesus took our place. He paid our debt. Our debt 00:24:24.920 --> 00:24:30.819 was what? The debt of broken law. Every one of 00:24:30.819 --> 00:24:34.660 us has broken the law of God. And what we don't 00:24:34.660 --> 00:24:37.299 understand and what we've allowed a generation 00:24:37.299 --> 00:24:41.680 of preaching to do is broken law means, there 00:24:41.680 --> 00:24:46.230 means there has to be judgment. You can't have 00:24:46.230 --> 00:24:51.390 a righteous God without judgment. You can't have 00:24:51.390 --> 00:24:53.829 a righteous God that would just say, I'll allow 00:24:53.829 --> 00:24:57.369 murderers, I'll allow liars, I'll allow false 00:24:57.369 --> 00:25:01.369 witnesses, I'll allow every form of every detestable 00:25:01.369 --> 00:25:05.470 type to go unpunished. That does not equate to 00:25:05.470 --> 00:25:09.410 righteousness. Righteousness means there is the 00:25:09.410 --> 00:25:14.369 standard of what it means to make things right. 00:25:15.599 --> 00:25:19.140 And so the Bible says that because of every person 00:25:19.140 --> 00:25:23.099 that was born in Adam, through one man's sin, 00:25:23.220 --> 00:25:27.440 all became sinful. That's what the book of Romans 00:25:27.440 --> 00:25:31.680 is about, Romans 6 and 7. Through one man, 5, 00:25:32.079 --> 00:25:34.920 6, and 7, through one man's transgression, sin 00:25:34.920 --> 00:25:38.779 entered and all became sinful. So what you and 00:25:38.779 --> 00:25:42.960 I, being just born by nature, Born into this 00:25:42.960 --> 00:25:48.660 world are born already lawless and broken and 00:25:48.660 --> 00:25:53.500 already have within us a penalty that deserves 00:25:53.500 --> 00:25:59.259 to be what? To be set against us that we have 00:25:59.259 --> 00:26:04.880 no access to the father and his life. That's 00:26:04.880 --> 00:26:09.779 what it means. And it means that someone if I'm 00:26:09.779 --> 00:26:14.900 going to break out of that, has to pay for the 00:26:14.900 --> 00:26:19.819 right setting of my life to now have access to 00:26:19.819 --> 00:26:24.759 his life. And that's what Jesus came to do. When 00:26:24.759 --> 00:26:27.420 he says he paid my debt, it's dealing with the 00:26:27.420 --> 00:26:34.619 fact he paid the debt of judgment. If you will, 00:26:34.720 --> 00:26:39.670 the judge gets off the bench. writes the payment 00:26:39.670 --> 00:26:45.109 to pay for my transgressions. Only in this case, 00:26:45.130 --> 00:26:49.380 Jesus is more than a check. In this case, Jesus 00:26:49.380 --> 00:26:52.140 is more than just a pin number on a debt card. 00:26:52.279 --> 00:26:56.680 This case, God has to take his own son and allow 00:26:56.680 --> 00:27:00.299 his own son because it had to be divinity. Why 00:27:00.299 --> 00:27:03.599 divinity? Had to be divinity and humanity combined 00:27:03.599 --> 00:27:07.220 because human blood that would now be born of 00:27:07.220 --> 00:27:10.519 Adam would be tainted. So it had to be the righteous 00:27:10.519 --> 00:27:14.680 seed of God. That's why John starts his gospel 00:27:14.680 --> 00:27:18.019 with, in the beginning came the word. word is 00:27:18.019 --> 00:27:20.859 what? The seed. In the beginning came the word 00:27:20.859 --> 00:27:23.940 and the word was God and the word was with God 00:27:23.940 --> 00:27:27.339 and the word came forth from God and he manifested 00:27:27.339 --> 00:27:30.519 and the word became flesh and blood and we beheld 00:27:30.519 --> 00:27:33.700 him. That's the gospel of John. And that's why 00:27:33.700 --> 00:27:36.640 it's so important that only Jesus could be the 00:27:36.640 --> 00:27:39.680 lamb and only Jesus could pay the debt and the 00:27:39.680 --> 00:27:42.640 father had to be willing to put the son through 00:27:42.640 --> 00:27:47.029 it because of his love for you and I. That's 00:27:47.029 --> 00:27:48.930 why John the Baptist would say in his gospel 00:27:48.930 --> 00:27:54.609 in chapter 1, verse 29, behold, the Lamb of God 00:27:54.609 --> 00:27:56.910 that takes away the sin of the world. That's 00:27:56.910 --> 00:27:59.029 why the apostle Paul would say in 2 Corinthians 00:27:59.029 --> 00:28:03.690 5, 21, for our sake, here it is, God made Jesus 00:28:03.690 --> 00:28:07.970 Christ to become sin who knew no sin so that 00:28:07.970 --> 00:28:11.230 Jesus, in Jesus, we might become the righteousness 00:28:11.230 --> 00:28:17.480 of God. This is why Jesus Christ is worthy to 00:28:17.480 --> 00:28:22.680 be worshipped. We sang it today. There is only 00:28:22.680 --> 00:28:27.140 one found worthy. Why do we sing that? Because 00:28:27.140 --> 00:28:30.000 that's the picture that we get in the scriptures. 00:28:30.619 --> 00:28:35.039 The Father and the Son. The Son. as the lamb, 00:28:35.259 --> 00:28:40.079 the son as the priest, the son as the king. All 00:28:40.079 --> 00:28:43.440 the mysteries of the truth of scripture come 00:28:43.440 --> 00:28:46.920 and find their fullness in the face of Jesus 00:28:46.920 --> 00:28:52.759 Christ. And when we read Revelation 5, 12, it 00:28:52.759 --> 00:28:57.539 says this, worthy is the lamb who was slain to 00:28:57.539 --> 00:29:01.579 receive power and wisdom, riches and honor, strength, 00:29:01.819 --> 00:29:05.079 glory and blessing. And every creature that is 00:29:05.079 --> 00:29:09.119 in heaven and on the earth and under the earth 00:29:09.119 --> 00:29:11.480 and those that are in the sea and all that are 00:29:11.480 --> 00:29:15.079 in them, I heard saying with a loud voice, blessing 00:29:15.079 --> 00:29:19.480 and honor and glory and power be to him who sits 00:29:19.480 --> 00:29:22.299 on the throne and to the lamb forever and ever. 00:29:23.960 --> 00:29:30.539 He is the one who paid the price. But folks, 00:29:33.289 --> 00:29:40.349 If it was just about dying, we of all people 00:29:40.349 --> 00:29:44.690 are miserable. If there wasn't a resurrection, 00:29:44.990 --> 00:29:50.470 dying would have to keep happening over and over. 00:29:52.029 --> 00:29:56.269 That's why God was so particular about that it 00:29:56.269 --> 00:30:00.589 had to be a God -man. Why? That he had to fulfill 00:30:00.589 --> 00:30:04.390 in humanity. He had to be tempted. And the whole 00:30:04.390 --> 00:30:06.789 book of Hebrews deals with this. He had to be 00:30:06.789 --> 00:30:09.630 tempted and he had to suffer in every aspect 00:30:09.630 --> 00:30:14.069 that you and I share in. That's part of the makeup. 00:30:15.000 --> 00:30:17.759 in that suffering and in that temptation and 00:30:17.759 --> 00:30:20.460 in those predicaments. That's why he was born 00:30:20.460 --> 00:30:23.099 in such a lowly, humble place. That's why he 00:30:23.099 --> 00:30:27.119 had to be subject to a stepdad and a mother and 00:30:27.119 --> 00:30:30.200 why his whole upbringing, he was teased about 00:30:30.200 --> 00:30:33.740 the fact that he was born out of wedlock. There 00:30:33.740 --> 00:30:38.140 was rejection woven into every aspect of his 00:30:38.140 --> 00:30:40.920 life so that he would understand the hardship 00:30:40.920 --> 00:30:44.559 of what it was in every form of humanity. yet 00:30:44.559 --> 00:30:47.880 it would be the God part of him on the inside 00:30:47.880 --> 00:30:51.900 that even though Jesus laid down or laid off 00:30:51.900 --> 00:30:55.259 his divine prerogatives, didn't stand up as the 00:30:55.259 --> 00:30:59.779 son of God, somehow some superhero. We have... 00:31:00.059 --> 00:31:03.380 Disney and DC Comics and all the others to come 00:31:03.380 --> 00:31:06.000 up with all that. The reality is Jesus didn't 00:31:06.000 --> 00:31:09.079 operate in superhuman strength. What he did operate 00:31:09.079 --> 00:31:12.480 in is he operated under the leadership of the 00:31:12.480 --> 00:31:16.900 Holy Spirit to guide and to shape him so that 00:31:16.900 --> 00:31:20.319 he could model it for you and I. And in that 00:31:20.319 --> 00:31:24.859 process, he would now do what? He would now be 00:31:24.859 --> 00:31:29.529 the one who could bring us back to God. Scriptures 00:31:29.529 --> 00:31:33.829 say it this way. 1 Timothy 2, 5 and 6 says it 00:31:33.829 --> 00:31:38.329 this way. There is one God and there is one mediator 00:31:38.329 --> 00:31:42.970 between God and men. The man, Jesus Christ, who 00:31:42.970 --> 00:31:47.660 gave himself as a ransom for all. Hebrews 9, 00:31:47.740 --> 00:31:51.299 15 says it this way. Therefore, Jesus is the 00:31:51.299 --> 00:31:54.619 mediator of a new covenant so that all who are 00:31:54.619 --> 00:31:59.140 called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance. 00:32:00.180 --> 00:32:03.420 And then Hebrews 12, 24, which we sang about 00:32:03.420 --> 00:32:06.519 today. Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant 00:32:06.519 --> 00:32:10.599 and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better 00:32:10.599 --> 00:32:13.579 word than Abel. Why does it speak a better word 00:32:13.579 --> 00:32:16.460 than Abel? Some of you might in this room go, 00:32:16.539 --> 00:32:21.039 well, who's Abel? Well, he's not the guy playing 00:32:21.039 --> 00:32:30.160 the biker on the Sons of Anarchy. He was the 00:32:30.160 --> 00:32:36.240 first and second born. Cain was the first, Abel 00:32:36.240 --> 00:32:41.140 was the second. Soon as soon, now please get 00:32:41.140 --> 00:32:45.940 this. As soon as man. broke fellowship with the 00:32:45.940 --> 00:32:49.720 Father. As soon as sin, as they chose out of 00:32:49.720 --> 00:32:54.880 willful rebellion to deny what the word of God 00:32:54.880 --> 00:32:59.039 was as the only truth and opened their life up 00:32:59.039 --> 00:33:03.779 to another form of truth, which is a lie. The 00:33:03.779 --> 00:33:08.460 very next scene we see, other than Jesus covering 00:33:08.460 --> 00:33:11.799 their sin by killing perfect creation to cover 00:33:11.799 --> 00:33:15.339 them with tunics, the next thing we read about 00:33:15.339 --> 00:33:21.039 is what? Brothers growing up, and it moves from 00:33:21.039 --> 00:33:25.420 rejecting and just taking a choice of self to 00:33:25.420 --> 00:33:31.299 in just a matter of years, it turns now to murder. 00:33:33.599 --> 00:33:37.059 That's why the Bible says that the enemy is a 00:33:37.059 --> 00:33:40.160 murderer, a thief, and a liar. Notice he lists 00:33:40.160 --> 00:33:44.589 murder first. Why? Because that's the nature. 00:33:44.769 --> 00:33:49.589 A lie never stays a lie. It always leads to destruction. 00:33:49.809 --> 00:33:54.490 It always leads to a murdering of what? The truth, 00:33:54.730 --> 00:33:58.690 the murdering of morality, the murdering of innocence, 00:33:58.990 --> 00:34:02.009 the murdering of relationship, the murdering 00:34:02.009 --> 00:34:07.730 of unity, every part of it. And we see this degradation. 00:34:08.809 --> 00:34:11.989 And when God came to visit Cain, he goes, why 00:34:11.989 --> 00:34:16.269 do I hear your brother's voice crying from the 00:34:16.269 --> 00:34:20.769 ground? It lets us know that blood, and he later 00:34:20.769 --> 00:34:23.909 defines this in multiple different ways in the 00:34:23.909 --> 00:34:29.170 scripture, that blood has life in it. That's 00:34:29.170 --> 00:34:34.489 why it says in Leviticus 17, the life is in the 00:34:34.489 --> 00:34:38.050 blood. Meaning that when Jesus came to visit 00:34:38.050 --> 00:34:40.190 or the word of God came to visit, the presence 00:34:40.190 --> 00:34:43.349 of God came to visit Cain. He says, I hear your 00:34:43.349 --> 00:34:46.269 brother's voice crying from the ground. Meaning 00:34:46.269 --> 00:34:51.150 what? Abel had a word. What was Abel's word that 00:34:51.150 --> 00:34:55.929 was struck down by his brother Cain's life? Abel's 00:34:55.929 --> 00:34:58.510 blood from the ground was crying out for what? 00:34:58.889 --> 00:35:07.059 Bring me satisfaction and judgment, Lord. Because 00:35:07.059 --> 00:35:10.199 I was cut down. I was innocent. I didn't provoke 00:35:10.199 --> 00:35:13.539 my brother. I just was obeying you. And the very 00:35:13.539 --> 00:35:17.000 simple part of obeying you provoked something 00:35:17.000 --> 00:35:20.440 inside of Cain that he wanted to shut up and 00:35:20.440 --> 00:35:24.039 destroy that which would obey fully and give 00:35:24.039 --> 00:35:29.019 another way that would create a wider path. Sound 00:35:29.019 --> 00:35:34.099 familiar today? Shut the voice down of only one 00:35:34.099 --> 00:35:38.300 way. And create only a path that has several 00:35:38.300 --> 00:35:44.619 ways to God. You see, the blood of Abel has a 00:35:44.619 --> 00:35:47.880 voice saying, give me justice. But when Jesus' 00:35:48.139 --> 00:35:54.119 blood was shed, what was his prayer? Father, 00:35:54.159 --> 00:35:58.099 forgive them, for they don't know what they do. 00:35:59.840 --> 00:36:05.760 Jesus' blood cries out forgiveness. and grace 00:36:05.760 --> 00:36:12.659 instead of retribution and judgment. Why? Because 00:36:12.659 --> 00:36:16.960 the Bible says that mercy triumphs over judgment. 00:36:17.519 --> 00:36:21.519 That's the voice of Jesus' blood over the blood 00:36:21.519 --> 00:36:24.880 of Abel. If it was still the blood of Abel, we 00:36:24.880 --> 00:36:28.400 would still be eye for eye, tooth for tooth, 00:36:28.679 --> 00:36:33.500 break for break, vengeance for vengeance, right? 00:36:33.929 --> 00:36:36.150 Burn for burn. That's what it says in the scripture. 00:36:36.670 --> 00:36:41.429 But because of Jesus and his life, no longer 00:36:41.429 --> 00:36:45.030 is it about revenge. No longer is it about I 00:36:45.030 --> 00:36:49.150 will pay you back what you owe me and more. It's 00:36:49.150 --> 00:36:54.550 about now I forgive. And as God, you broke my 00:36:54.550 --> 00:37:00.449 law, but I sent my son. To redeem you from that 00:37:00.449 --> 00:37:03.449 judgment where I would have to punish you in 00:37:03.449 --> 00:37:08.530 fullness. That's the beauty of it. He's the living 00:37:08.530 --> 00:37:11.989 high priest. He's the mediator. Let me just say 00:37:11.989 --> 00:37:14.909 this one verse. I want to go to Hebrews 7 verse 00:37:14.909 --> 00:37:17.889 15. Skip down just a little bit. Hebrews 7 verse 00:37:17.889 --> 00:37:21.269 15. It becomes more evident when a priest arises 00:37:21.269 --> 00:37:24.090 in the likeness of Melchizedek. Now let me, without 00:37:24.090 --> 00:37:27.320 going too deep here in the... theological kimchi. 00:37:27.860 --> 00:37:32.099 What we're saying here is this, is that Melchizedek 00:37:32.099 --> 00:37:38.860 means priest of peace or king of peace and righteousness. 00:37:39.000 --> 00:37:42.699 It's an eternal office. It means that Jesus has 00:37:42.699 --> 00:37:47.480 now become a priest, a mediator to God on the 00:37:47.480 --> 00:37:50.119 basis of what? Peace. Remember what he said to 00:37:50.119 --> 00:37:52.500 the disciples when he came into the locked room? 00:37:52.619 --> 00:37:55.719 Peace be with you. And what? Of righteousness, 00:37:56.039 --> 00:38:00.500 his divinity. So it says, listen, he's in a likeness 00:38:00.500 --> 00:38:04.179 of Melchizedek, verse 16, who has become a priest 00:38:04.179 --> 00:38:07.440 not on the basis of legal requirement concerning 00:38:07.440 --> 00:38:10.719 bodily descent, which means what? Jesus didn't 00:38:10.719 --> 00:38:13.300 get this by being of the tribe of Levi according 00:38:13.300 --> 00:38:17.079 to the order of Moses under Aaron. Jesus didn't 00:38:17.079 --> 00:38:19.739 even qualify. He was not born of the tribe of 00:38:19.739 --> 00:38:23.980 Levi. He did not qualify under the Levitical. 00:38:24.760 --> 00:38:28.260 of where a priest had to come from. He qualified 00:38:28.260 --> 00:38:31.420 by being sinless, and the Bible changes complete 00:38:31.420 --> 00:38:34.099 order when he moves it out of the tribe of Judah, 00:38:34.219 --> 00:38:37.719 which means Jesus didn't qualify according to 00:38:37.719 --> 00:38:41.920 men's standards. He qualified now on the basis, 00:38:42.159 --> 00:38:44.179 listen, this is where this message comes from, 00:38:44.219 --> 00:38:48.639 on the basis of a power of an indestructible 00:38:48.639 --> 00:38:53.320 life. That's why he's qualified to be high priest. 00:38:54.119 --> 00:38:57.400 That's why he's qualified to bring your life 00:38:57.400 --> 00:39:01.880 before the Father because he lives in the power 00:39:01.880 --> 00:39:06.880 of an indestructible life. And this is what the 00:39:06.880 --> 00:39:11.139 beauty is about this. That when we actually give 00:39:11.139 --> 00:39:15.639 our life to Christ, we're actually saying, Lord, 00:39:15.800 --> 00:39:20.000 I'm not just believing in you. I'm asking you 00:39:20.000 --> 00:39:24.289 to come. Live in me and let me be in you because 00:39:24.289 --> 00:39:27.070 everything in the New Testament is about what? 00:39:27.190 --> 00:39:32.730 When you're in Christ. That's why when you're 00:39:32.730 --> 00:39:38.030 in Christ, you can now have the very same thing 00:39:38.030 --> 00:39:44.750 that is around Christ, which is what? An indestructible 00:39:44.750 --> 00:39:48.599 life. Now, what I'm not saying, Colin, is that 00:39:48.599 --> 00:39:51.059 when you are driving your go -kart at 90 miles 00:39:51.059 --> 00:39:53.699 an hour around the track, that does not mean 00:39:53.699 --> 00:39:58.159 that you can just be crazy, right? There's certain 00:39:58.159 --> 00:40:02.000 laws apply like gravity and speed and good tires 00:40:02.000 --> 00:40:04.460 and all of that stuff. But when you're just zipping 00:40:04.460 --> 00:40:05.960 around the track, that doesn't mean that you've 00:40:05.960 --> 00:40:16.719 got this eternal life decoder ring. in Christ 00:40:16.719 --> 00:40:21.880 now, you now have the ability to bypass what 00:40:21.880 --> 00:40:27.099 held all of mankind. Because going back to those 00:40:27.099 --> 00:40:33.760 four things that held us, death, Hades, the grave, 00:40:33.840 --> 00:40:39.599 and sin, being in Christ allows us to break free 00:40:39.599 --> 00:40:43.059 from every station, one on our foot, the other 00:40:43.059 --> 00:40:47.099 foot, hand in hand, chained. Chained to death, 00:40:47.360 --> 00:40:50.440 Jesus breaks that we are transferred. That's 00:40:50.440 --> 00:40:53.300 the beauty of it. We're transferred from, that's 00:40:53.300 --> 00:40:55.440 what Paul said, I was transferred from the kingdom 00:40:55.440 --> 00:40:58.960 of darkness into the glorious inheritance of 00:40:58.960 --> 00:41:01.260 his son's light and love. How does that happen? 00:41:01.619 --> 00:41:07.639 He gives me the ability by faith to be in Christ. 00:41:07.940 --> 00:41:13.860 And when I'm in Christ, I'm now in his indestructible 00:41:13.860 --> 00:41:18.980 life. That's the beauty of it. That's why Jesus 00:41:18.980 --> 00:41:22.679 came. And I wanna move forward just a little 00:41:22.679 --> 00:41:25.960 bit more in the notes because I'm not gonna finish 00:41:25.960 --> 00:41:27.840 where we need to finish. So let's just keep going 00:41:27.840 --> 00:41:36.360 here a bit. That Jesus came. Oh, let's just find 00:41:36.360 --> 00:41:44.440 it here. In John 11, when he was dealing with 00:41:44.440 --> 00:41:47.840 Lazarus, And I want us to kind of focus here 00:41:47.840 --> 00:41:50.900 as I just kind of just spend these last seven 00:41:50.900 --> 00:41:52.719 minutes before we get ready to take communion. 00:41:52.860 --> 00:41:55.019 Trent, if you could have them start to file in, 00:41:55.079 --> 00:41:56.539 that would be great, the choir and the team. 00:41:57.599 --> 00:42:01.199 Can you hang with me for just seven more minutes 00:42:01.199 --> 00:42:08.000 here? When Jesus said in John 11, as Martha came 00:42:08.000 --> 00:42:10.519 to talk to Jesus about the loss of her brother 00:42:10.519 --> 00:42:14.559 that had been dead, four days before Jesus would 00:42:14.559 --> 00:42:16.820 actually stand in front of that tomb and call 00:42:16.820 --> 00:42:21.500 Lazarus forth from the dead. Martha was really, 00:42:21.559 --> 00:42:24.940 because they were friends, she was harping on 00:42:24.940 --> 00:42:27.719 him, Lord, if you'd been here, if you'd have 00:42:27.719 --> 00:42:30.679 just been here, he wouldn't have died. And Jesus 00:42:30.679 --> 00:42:34.780 looked at her and said, Martha, I am the resurrection 00:42:34.780 --> 00:42:38.019 and the life. Now please hear what I'm gonna 00:42:38.019 --> 00:42:42.920 say. Whoever believes in me, Though he dies, 00:42:43.059 --> 00:42:51.320 yet shall he live. Now, I need to describe that 00:42:51.320 --> 00:42:58.340 word, live and life. There is the root in the 00:42:58.340 --> 00:43:02.500 Greek called zoe. Just like there are four different 00:43:02.500 --> 00:43:05.280 words for love in our English language and the 00:43:05.280 --> 00:43:07.989 Greek. There are four different definitions of 00:43:07.989 --> 00:43:11.030 love in the Greek language. Only one in the English 00:43:11.030 --> 00:43:16.989 language. The same is true for life. This life 00:43:16.989 --> 00:43:20.570 that Jesus was talking about here, whoever believes 00:43:20.570 --> 00:43:24.969 in me, though he dies, yet shall he live. That 00:43:24.969 --> 00:43:30.789 word is the word Zoe. Zoe is the Greek word. 00:43:30.849 --> 00:43:35.420 Life is the English word. It means In several 00:43:35.420 --> 00:43:38.639 things, it means the principle of life. It means 00:43:38.639 --> 00:43:43.780 better life in the absolute sense. So Zoe life 00:43:43.780 --> 00:43:47.139 means a better life, but it's more than just 00:43:47.139 --> 00:43:51.380 a better life. It is, and here goes the big one. 00:43:51.460 --> 00:43:57.280 It is the life that God has. It is that which 00:43:57.280 --> 00:44:01.300 the father has in himself. And it is that life 00:44:01.300 --> 00:44:04.239 that the father has with himself. That he gave 00:44:04.239 --> 00:44:08.099 to the son to have life inside of himself. So 00:44:08.099 --> 00:44:10.760 it means that if you will. Now listen to what 00:44:10.760 --> 00:44:13.980 Jesus said. Do you believe that I am the resurrection 00:44:13.980 --> 00:44:17.219 and the life? Whoever believes in me though he 00:44:17.219 --> 00:44:20.840 dies. Yet shall he have what? A better life. 00:44:20.960 --> 00:44:25.860 But more than that. A life of God. And everyone. 00:44:25.880 --> 00:44:28.760 Now listen to the connection. And everyone who 00:44:28.760 --> 00:44:33.710 lives. and believes in me shall never die. Do 00:44:33.710 --> 00:44:37.929 you believe this? Can I just say something this 00:44:37.929 --> 00:44:40.690 morning that maybe you're not gonna maybe necessarily 00:44:40.690 --> 00:44:42.989 like. Maybe you haven't liked anything I've said 00:44:42.989 --> 00:44:47.969 this morning. Okay, here's another one. We have 00:44:47.969 --> 00:44:52.269 so had a gospel that is only focused on love 00:44:52.269 --> 00:44:55.769 that we have left the other side of the gospel 00:44:55.769 --> 00:44:59.949 out. Which means what? The other side of the 00:44:59.949 --> 00:45:04.190 gospel means he can't just be Savior. He has 00:45:04.190 --> 00:45:09.309 to be Lord and King. You see, it's not just enough 00:45:09.309 --> 00:45:13.789 to believe that Jesus died. Every demon in hell 00:45:13.789 --> 00:45:17.309 believes that Jesus died. Why? They saw him. 00:45:19.369 --> 00:45:23.449 They were a part of helping put him there. That's 00:45:23.449 --> 00:45:27.170 why the sky turned dark at noon for three hours. 00:45:27.920 --> 00:45:31.139 That darkness literally manifested on the earth. 00:45:31.239 --> 00:45:34.880 It was a sign of satanic power and thinking that 00:45:34.880 --> 00:45:38.380 they had won. And then for three days in the 00:45:38.380 --> 00:45:45.099 grave, almost nine tenths, his body lay there 00:45:45.099 --> 00:45:48.780 but did not go under decay until what? He proved 00:45:48.780 --> 00:45:54.219 to everyone. That there was nothing in him that 00:45:54.219 --> 00:45:57.260 could hold him. And the power of God and the 00:45:57.260 --> 00:45:59.920 word raised him from the dead. And he took the 00:45:59.920 --> 00:46:03.360 one thing hell had had power over the victory 00:46:03.360 --> 00:46:06.639 in the garden. Which was what? Authority to keep 00:46:06.639 --> 00:46:10.340 people in chains and under the fear of eternal 00:46:10.340 --> 00:46:15.139 punishment. Jesus took that. So when Jesus is 00:46:15.139 --> 00:46:18.360 describing here. Do you believe that I'm the 00:46:18.360 --> 00:46:22.000 resurrection and the life? If you believe this, 00:46:22.079 --> 00:46:26.639 if you live in me and believe in me, notice Jesus 00:46:26.639 --> 00:46:30.019 puts the connection. It's not just about saying 00:46:30.019 --> 00:46:35.699 something. It's about living it. You see, the 00:46:35.699 --> 00:46:39.599 idea that you can say one prayer, think that 00:46:39.599 --> 00:46:43.159 you're good for eternity without living it is 00:46:43.159 --> 00:46:46.239 not what Jesus preached. Let me give you another 00:46:46.239 --> 00:46:52.380 verse. John 5, 26 and 27, for as the father has 00:46:52.380 --> 00:46:56.079 life in himself, so he has granted that son to 00:46:56.079 --> 00:46:59.860 have life in himself. First John 1, and here 00:46:59.860 --> 00:47:02.519 it is, this one. First John 1, verses 1 through 00:47:02.519 --> 00:47:06.840 3. This is the same author, the apostle John, 00:47:07.059 --> 00:47:09.860 who wrote the gospel, now writing again to the 00:47:09.860 --> 00:47:11.900 churches. He said, that which is from the beginning, 00:47:12.079 --> 00:47:15.849 that which we have heard. That which we've seen 00:47:15.849 --> 00:47:18.829 with our eyes, we've looked upon, we've touched 00:47:18.829 --> 00:47:22.550 with our hands concerning what? The word of life, 00:47:22.710 --> 00:47:26.610 the life that was made manifest. Guess what life 00:47:26.610 --> 00:47:29.909 he's talking about? Zoe. It's the Greek word 00:47:29.909 --> 00:47:35.909 here. The word of life, the Zoe was made manifest 00:47:35.909 --> 00:47:40.349 to us and we've seen it. We testify to it. And 00:47:40.349 --> 00:47:42.989 we proclaim to you that the eternal life, the 00:47:42.989 --> 00:47:46.989 Zoe life that was with the father and was made 00:47:46.989 --> 00:47:49.969 manifest to us, which we have seen and heard, 00:47:50.010 --> 00:47:54.510 we now proclaim so that you too may have fellowship 00:47:54.510 --> 00:47:59.449 with us. And indeed our fellowship is with the 00:47:59.449 --> 00:48:03.309 father and with his son, Jesus Christ. What's 00:48:03.309 --> 00:48:07.730 he saying? You say, you can say a prayer for 00:48:07.730 --> 00:48:12.510 salvation. But the salvation is that you're actually 00:48:12.510 --> 00:48:17.710 living it now with him. It means that salvation 00:48:17.710 --> 00:48:21.409 is actually when you actually ask him to come 00:48:21.409 --> 00:48:24.269 into your life, forgive you from your sin, and 00:48:24.269 --> 00:48:28.090 that you invite him to be what? Not just your 00:48:28.090 --> 00:48:31.230 friend. Friend is a wonderful thing. Friendship 00:48:31.230 --> 00:48:34.989 comes after you're willing to submit to his kingship. 00:48:35.969 --> 00:48:41.309 Come on. You see, the living part is the everyday. 00:48:42.269 --> 00:48:45.449 The praying to come into my life can just be 00:48:45.449 --> 00:48:50.869 one time. But the living part needs to be all 00:48:50.869 --> 00:48:54.849 the time. Now, does that mean that God is keeping 00:48:54.849 --> 00:48:58.050 score and every day you're in or you're out, 00:48:58.090 --> 00:48:59.750 you're kind of like, you know, he loves me, he 00:48:59.750 --> 00:49:01.510 loves me not, he loves me, he loves me not. No. 00:49:02.179 --> 00:49:04.340 That's not what we're talking about. The living 00:49:04.340 --> 00:49:08.179 means there is a God consciousness on the inside 00:49:08.179 --> 00:49:12.000 of you that wants to please him and recognizes 00:49:12.000 --> 00:49:17.019 him as king over your life. And that you desire 00:49:17.019 --> 00:49:21.039 to know his will and do his will. And the more 00:49:21.039 --> 00:49:24.019 his will is revealed to you, the more you want 00:49:24.019 --> 00:49:27.280 to obey him. That's what it means to live in 00:49:27.280 --> 00:49:45.880 him. Now listen, I gotta kind of land this little 00:49:45.880 --> 00:49:52.480 Piper Cub on a riverbank here. Sometimes I don't 00:49:52.480 --> 00:50:02.719 know how to. If I could say it to you this way, 00:50:02.840 --> 00:50:05.780 right before we get ready to take the bread and 00:50:05.780 --> 00:50:09.599 the cup, I need to ask you a couple of things. 00:50:11.079 --> 00:50:14.599 Because everyone in this room has a choice. That's 00:50:14.599 --> 00:50:19.320 what makes the resurrection so powerful. It's 00:50:19.320 --> 00:50:24.659 a choice. One choice says, I don't need who Jesus 00:50:24.659 --> 00:50:28.280 is. I don't need his blood. I don't need his 00:50:28.280 --> 00:50:32.059 life. I don't want to believe in all of that. 00:50:32.099 --> 00:50:35.239 I am a good person. Well, you're really not. 00:50:36.050 --> 00:50:40.329 Sorry. I'm a good person and I prove it by my 00:50:40.329 --> 00:50:44.429 works and I will give God, if he really is true 00:50:44.429 --> 00:50:47.210 and that is him, I will be able to negotiate 00:50:47.210 --> 00:50:51.150 by the things of how I've lived. But because 00:50:51.150 --> 00:50:55.329 of grace, because of what Jesus did, that's why 00:50:55.329 --> 00:50:58.690 we're living the age of grace. Because of that, 00:50:58.769 --> 00:51:03.469 Stuart, God will let you have that type of foolish 00:51:03.469 --> 00:51:08.420 argument. He'll not press you. He'll keep coming 00:51:08.420 --> 00:51:11.699 after you in grace and in patience to try to 00:51:11.699 --> 00:51:15.139 bring you into fellowship. But he will let you 00:51:15.139 --> 00:51:19.400 make that choice because that's what he was willing 00:51:19.400 --> 00:51:23.320 to put on his son at Calvary. Now you'll have 00:51:23.320 --> 00:51:26.320 to stand eventually if you make that choice. 00:51:26.440 --> 00:51:28.880 Now I'm praying that you don't. But you'll have 00:51:28.880 --> 00:51:32.679 to stand before the Lord and you'll not have 00:51:32.679 --> 00:51:36.849 anything to pay. For lawlessness and for sin. 00:51:38.190 --> 00:51:40.989 That's where God is going to have to be in his, 00:51:41.110 --> 00:51:43.849 where he moves from the place of love to the 00:51:43.849 --> 00:51:46.989 place of judgment. Because the Bible says it's 00:51:46.989 --> 00:51:50.710 appointed to every man to die and then the judgment. 00:51:51.309 --> 00:51:54.789 But he gives you the ability to deny his blood, 00:51:54.929 --> 00:51:58.750 to deny his son, to deny the good news that he 00:51:58.750 --> 00:52:02.570 came. And he gives you that because if he didn't, 00:52:02.570 --> 00:52:08.380 it would be forced. Or you can choose the other. 00:52:09.320 --> 00:52:12.219 What's the other? That the gospel is good news. 00:52:13.219 --> 00:52:17.500 What good news? That Jesus took your judgment. 00:52:18.739 --> 00:52:21.900 Not just for the things that you're doing now. 00:52:22.380 --> 00:52:26.199 And I'm not going to read the list. Okay. I'm 00:52:26.199 --> 00:52:30.719 messing with you. But the fact that we were bound 00:52:30.719 --> 00:52:35.230 to eternal death. There's a lot of... Things 00:52:35.230 --> 00:52:37.750 out there in our society that have tried to strip 00:52:37.750 --> 00:52:41.690 the idea that a loving God would not actually 00:52:41.690 --> 00:52:44.730 bring judgment. But that couldn't be further 00:52:44.730 --> 00:52:48.469 from the biblical truth. The reason he sent his 00:52:48.469 --> 00:52:52.690 son is because there is an eternal judgment. 00:52:53.710 --> 00:52:57.059 That's why it's such good news. The son being 00:52:57.059 --> 00:53:00.000 sent, taking all the judgment from the father 00:53:00.000 --> 00:53:03.539 is what removes you from the penalty of eternal 00:53:03.539 --> 00:53:07.119 death, from the bondage of Hades and hell and 00:53:07.119 --> 00:53:10.079 from the ultimate place of the lake of fire that 00:53:10.079 --> 00:53:14.139 is removed from you. And you get what? Zoe life. 00:53:14.420 --> 00:53:18.230 What's Zoe life? You now get. everything I know 00:53:18.230 --> 00:53:20.369 it's hard to imagine Derek getting everything 00:53:20.369 --> 00:53:23.010 but just for an instant here he gets everything 00:53:23.010 --> 00:53:27.130 meaning what he gets everything except God's 00:53:27.130 --> 00:53:30.869 divinity he gets the atmosphere of heaven he 00:53:30.869 --> 00:53:33.960 gets assurance Of being with God. He gets God's 00:53:33.960 --> 00:53:37.920 love. He gets God's grace. He gets God's authority. 00:53:38.099 --> 00:53:41.500 God's seal upon him. And the atmosphere where 00:53:41.500 --> 00:53:44.059 he's going. There will be no sickness. No sorrow. 00:53:44.199 --> 00:53:47.239 No mourning. No death. No decay. His milk will 00:53:47.239 --> 00:53:51.179 never curdle. He'll have a body. An upgrade. 00:53:51.360 --> 00:53:57.860 I'm just telling you. That is the atmosphere. 00:53:59.659 --> 00:54:03.480 That is the atmosphere of Zoe life that we get. 00:54:04.239 --> 00:54:06.980 Now you can stand and choose the other and try 00:54:06.980 --> 00:54:11.440 to negotiate, argue, and be as deceived as Satan 00:54:11.440 --> 00:54:13.739 is thinking he's going to argue with the supreme 00:54:13.739 --> 00:54:18.599 God of the universe and try to win on a technicality. 00:54:19.400 --> 00:54:22.739 But the Bible calls that foolish. But God gives 00:54:22.739 --> 00:54:26.559 you the right to follow it. you can recognize 00:54:26.559 --> 00:54:29.699 that the grace of God and the gift of God is 00:54:29.699 --> 00:54:33.320 Jesus Christ. He is the opposite of eternal death 00:54:33.320 --> 00:54:36.880 and judgment. He is life, the Zoe life of God, 00:54:36.980 --> 00:54:40.579 the perfect life, the life that is beyond what 00:54:40.579 --> 00:54:43.219 we could ever have. And though we die because 00:54:43.219 --> 00:54:47.400 sin has not yet been fully dealt with until Jesus 00:54:47.400 --> 00:54:51.759 comes with, it's been dealt with in inauguration, 00:54:51.759 --> 00:54:54.679 but the last enemy to be defeated is death. That 00:54:54.679 --> 00:54:58.480 means that we actually, though we die, yet we 00:54:58.480 --> 00:55:01.260 shall live. That's Jesus' statement to Martha. 00:55:02.559 --> 00:55:05.079 And that's his call to you and I. Now, just right 00:55:05.079 --> 00:55:08.179 now, just with every, but just do me a favor, 00:55:08.239 --> 00:55:10.400 just bow your head, close your eyes for a moment, 00:55:10.440 --> 00:55:13.739 giving people just a little bit of privacy to 00:55:13.739 --> 00:55:15.860 ask a question before the Lord this morning. 00:55:19.400 --> 00:55:23.139 The message is still the same message and the 00:55:23.139 --> 00:55:27.219 cross and the blood of Jesus has the same power 00:55:27.219 --> 00:55:31.820 it had 2 ,000 years ago. Jesus said to Nicodemus 00:55:31.820 --> 00:55:34.840 and he's saying it to us now, if I be lifted 00:55:34.840 --> 00:55:39.139 up, I will draw all people unto me. And now Jesus 00:55:39.139 --> 00:55:42.179 is being lifted up in front of every person within 00:55:42.179 --> 00:55:44.099 the sound of my voice, those that are on the 00:55:44.099 --> 00:55:46.340 internet, those that are watching by camera, 00:55:46.400 --> 00:55:48.539 those that are out in the lobby, everyone that's 00:55:48.539 --> 00:55:51.440 in this room, the Spirit of God is lifting up 00:55:51.440 --> 00:55:55.880 Jesus Christ as the good news, as the only hope. 00:55:56.820 --> 00:56:00.000 And the only way we get to apply that, we sang 00:56:00.000 --> 00:56:02.599 it today, for the blood applied, we actually 00:56:02.599 --> 00:56:08.159 have to apply it. And applying it, God, chose 00:56:08.159 --> 00:56:12.239 to do what? Application by the Spirit of God 00:56:12.239 --> 00:56:15.940 or in the kingdom of God requires what? A form 00:56:15.940 --> 00:56:20.300 of surrender and a repentance. It actually acknowledges 00:56:20.300 --> 00:56:25.460 my sin. It acknowledges my independence. It acknowledges 00:56:25.460 --> 00:56:28.800 my rebellion. It acknowledges that I have failed 00:56:28.800 --> 00:56:32.219 in everything and that I need a savior and that 00:56:32.219 --> 00:56:35.940 Jesus Christ is that savior. He's the only one 00:56:35.940 --> 00:56:38.699 that could pay it and I choose God's way, not 00:56:38.699 --> 00:56:43.150 my way. That is what opens the door. to your 00:56:43.150 --> 00:56:46.409 salvation and to repentance and the blood of 00:56:46.409 --> 00:56:49.369 Jesus forgiving you. And the Lord says in his 00:56:49.369 --> 00:56:52.550 word, 1 John 1, 9, if you will confess your sin, 00:56:52.730 --> 00:56:55.929 he is faithful and just to forgive you of your 00:56:55.929 --> 00:56:58.849 sin and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness. 00:56:58.989 --> 00:57:01.329 I don't know who you are. I don't know where 00:57:01.329 --> 00:57:03.130 you've been. I don't know the life you've lived, 00:57:03.170 --> 00:57:05.409 the disappointments, some of the experiences 00:57:05.409 --> 00:57:07.989 that tried to validate the reason that you've 00:57:07.989 --> 00:57:10.409 tried to put walls up. But I'm reminding you 00:57:10.409 --> 00:57:13.199 this morning, just like John, John 20, Jesus 00:57:13.199 --> 00:57:16.599 can get behind lock walls today. And his first 00:57:16.599 --> 00:57:20.280 answer to you is not shame on you. His first 00:57:20.280 --> 00:57:22.800 answer is I've already dealt with this. Now, 00:57:22.800 --> 00:57:26.920 peace be to you. Come, come put your hands in 00:57:26.920 --> 00:57:29.880 my side. Come put your hands in my wounds. These 00:57:29.880 --> 00:57:32.780 were for you. And if that's you this morning, 00:57:32.820 --> 00:57:35.039 I don't care where you're at. Maybe you've never 00:57:35.039 --> 00:57:37.800 invited Christ. Maybe you've backslidden. Maybe 00:57:37.800 --> 00:57:39.780 you've tried to harden your heart against the 00:57:39.780 --> 00:57:42.280 things that are written in scripture. His words 00:57:42.280 --> 00:57:46.719 are true. And today he calls you back. I'm not 00:57:46.719 --> 00:57:48.440 going to have you come forward this morning, 00:57:48.500 --> 00:57:52.860 but I do ask for a response. Why? Because if 00:57:52.860 --> 00:57:56.900 you can't respond to Jesus in a place publicly, 00:57:57.039 --> 00:58:02.059 then most likely that decision is not going to 00:58:02.059 --> 00:58:06.219 stick. So I'm going to ask you in just a few 00:58:06.219 --> 00:58:09.800 seconds, that if you want to be restored, we're 00:58:09.800 --> 00:58:11.739 going to send some people back to pray with you. 00:58:11.980 --> 00:58:14.300 You lift your hands in just a moment. It says, 00:58:14.400 --> 00:58:17.860 I need Jesus, maybe for salvation, for rededication, 00:58:18.079 --> 00:58:21.579 to be restored, to forgive me. I'm going to ask 00:58:21.579 --> 00:58:24.320 you to just lift your hand right where you're 00:58:24.320 --> 00:58:26.679 at. And I'll send some people to pray with you 00:58:26.679 --> 00:58:29.679 before we take this communion table. If that's 00:58:29.679 --> 00:58:31.920 you this morning, just lift your hand and just 00:58:31.920 --> 00:58:34.340 say, that's me, preacher. You talking to me? 00:58:34.340 --> 00:58:37.380 Just lift it, thank you. Talking to me. Come 00:58:37.380 --> 00:58:39.380 on, we got two guys moving right now. Thank you, 00:58:39.400 --> 00:58:47.059 thank you, right here. Anyone else? Josh? Yes, 00:58:47.119 --> 00:58:54.539 we got one in the back, please. Heather? Thank 00:58:54.539 --> 00:58:59.300 you. Are there any others? Come on, this is the 00:58:59.300 --> 00:59:02.579 most important part. Why? Because it's not about 00:59:02.579 --> 00:59:07.019 me, it's about Jesus. I'm only a proclaimer of 00:59:07.019 --> 00:59:10.480 his word and his message. But he's the one that 00:59:10.480 --> 00:59:15.480 saves. Is there anybody else? Just lift your 00:59:15.480 --> 00:59:17.320 hand up high. We got a team that'll come just 00:59:17.320 --> 00:59:20.260 meet you personally and start praying with you. 00:59:22.760 --> 00:59:27.159 All right. Father, I want to thank you right 00:59:27.159 --> 00:59:31.199 now for those that are saying yes to you. For 00:59:31.199 --> 00:59:33.519 those, the rest of us in the room, that we know 00:59:33.519 --> 00:59:37.300 our decision is but sure and true and that we 00:59:37.300 --> 00:59:40.360 are walking in fellowship with him. Lord, you 00:59:40.360 --> 00:59:45.119 are mighty. You are holy. And Lord, we get ready 00:59:45.119 --> 00:59:47.960 as the family of God now to come to your table. 00:59:48.400 --> 00:59:50.920 the bread representing the word of God and the 00:59:50.920 --> 00:59:53.719 cup representing the blood. We ask you to bless 00:59:53.719 --> 00:59:56.539 these elements this morning. And I'm asking as 00:59:56.539 --> 00:59:59.820 we take communion, Lord, you would meet us in 00:59:59.820 --> 01:00:02.840 that place as we worship you, fellowship with 01:00:02.840 --> 01:00:06.260 us. Lord, the spirit and truth, fellowshipping 01:00:06.260 --> 01:00:09.519 with us in our spirit, knowing that we are in 01:00:09.519 --> 01:00:13.420 Christ and that you are in us. We love you and 01:00:13.420 --> 01:00:16.719 we bless this table. In Jesus' name. As the ushers 01:00:16.719 --> 01:00:18.840 come forward, would you just stand? They're going 01:00:18.840 --> 01:00:21.599 to direct you on both sides of the table to come 01:00:21.599 --> 01:00:26.119 and grab. Take an element of a cup and the bread. 01:00:26.239 --> 01:00:28.340 There's gluten -free bread if you need it. And 01:00:28.340 --> 01:00:31.000 then just take your elements back to your chair. 01:00:31.099 --> 01:00:34.440 We'll take it together as a family, as the choir 01:00:34.440 --> 01:00:37.480 and the singers help us worship a little bit 01:00:37.480 --> 01:00:41.739 as we do that. Thank you for taking the time 01:00:41.739 --> 01:00:44.900 to listen to this week's message. We are so grateful 01:00:44.900 --> 01:00:47.519 for those who tune in each week and have given 01:00:47.519 --> 01:00:50.719 generously to this ministry. If you would like 01:00:50.719 --> 01:00:53.280 to give click the link in the episode description 01:00:53.280 --> 01:00:56.460 below. You can also help us by subscribing to 01:00:56.460 --> 01:00:58.579 this podcast and sharing it with your friends 01:00:58.579 --> 01:01:01.940 and family. Lastly, if you are in need of prayer 01:01:01.940 --> 01:01:07.900 send us a text message at 541 -625 -1365. We 01:01:07.900 --> 01:01:09.099 would love to pray with you.