1 00:00:03,080 --> 00:00:06,160 Praise the Lord that you were here today. 2 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:11,600 Praise the Lord that you chose to worship pastoring a church 3 00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:14,080 for 30 years in the metropolitan area. 4 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:17,480 Every other Sunday in our congregation we had a different 5 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:20,120 congregation. And being here at Cartersville 6 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:23,800 now, the time that we have been for Cindy and I, it is amazing 7 00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:27,280 to me that you guys show up Sunday in and Sunday out. 8 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:31,640 It is absolutely amazing. We have, we are not accustomed 9 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:33,640 to that. We would see people coming in 10 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:36,400 and out on a regular occasion. And it is. 11 00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:39,880 I just want to compliment you as a body of Christ that you are 12 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:44,600 faithful to come to Bible study and you're faithful to come to 13 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:47,880 worship. So it is indeed a privilege to 14 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:52,200 be here this morning. It's an honor to represent the 15 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:55,680 Lord Jesus Christ and stand in this place where Pastor Kyle 16 00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:59,920 faithfully, faithfully teaches and proclaims the Word of God. 17 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:03,600 I love young preachers. It's crazy for me to even say 18 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:05,760 that because I still think that I'm young. 19 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:10,000 Ha ha, crazy. Many of you know that when you 20 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:13,400 get older, it just seems like yesterday that you were young, 21 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:15,760 and that's the way it seems like to me. 22 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:21,040 In my mind, I'm young, but my body is sure not responding in 23 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:23,840 like manner. So it's a privilege to be here 24 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:27,200 to represent the Lord Jesus Christ in this pulpit and to 25 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:32,720 share this time together. When Pastor Kyle asked me a 26 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:35,560 number of weeks ago to do this, I have been praying every day 27 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:40,800 for the Lord to use this time in such a way in your life and my 28 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:44,920 life to draw us ever closer to the Lord Jesus Christ and to 29 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:49,560 understand what it is to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus 30 00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:51,840 Christ. The word disciple is used over 31 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:57,640 200 times in the New Testament and it means a follower, someone 32 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:02,400 who goes according to the standards or lifestyle of 33 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:05,200 another. I don't know if you're like me, 34 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:07,960 but I want to be like Jesus. Is there anyone here that would 35 00:02:07,960 --> 00:02:11,120 like to be like Jesus? I see a few of you on raise your 36 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:13,880 hand, others of you, you'll be ready for the invitation time to 37 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:16,560 get your heart right, to come down and get your heart right 38 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:19,560 with the Lord. So let's pray together. 39 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:25,000 Father God, we are grateful. We are grateful to be in a 40 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:29,320 church. I was founded on the foundation 41 00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:35,640 of Jesus Christ, and for years and years and years and years, 42 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:42,400 the body of Christ here has been faithful to the testimony to the 43 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:47,080 gospel of Jesus Christ. What a privilege is to be here 44 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:51,400 today, to share this time together to get into your word. 45 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:54,920 And Father, we would just pause for a moment and we would do 46 00:02:54,920 --> 00:02:56,640 what our pastor just asked us to do. 47 00:02:57,080 --> 00:03:00,960 We want to pray for Brother Kyle as he opens up the word in a 48 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:04,480 little bit as he proclaims the testimony of Jesus Christ. 49 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:07,920 Whatever you put on his heart and Lord, may you use him in a 50 00:03:07,920 --> 00:03:10,720 in a very incredible and dynamic way. 51 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:16,480 May individuals there like individuals here be touched by 52 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:21,920 the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit of godfather. 53 00:03:21,920 --> 00:03:26,320 I would pray that you'd use this time in each one of our lives in 54 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:29,880 a very productive way. I pray for the freedom of the 55 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:32,640 Holy Spirit through the resurrection of Jesus Christ 56 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:38,840 here in this place to weave in and through us in such a way 57 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:45,920 that we would humble ourselves in some area of life and we 58 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:50,280 would say yes to you. Lord, there is no doubt in a 59 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:54,280 crowd this size that there is someone that is struggling 60 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:58,000 beyond despair. There is someone that is 61 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:01,920 hurting. And Lord, I know no other person 62 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:06,440 than Jesus than to help them. And I pray, Lord, that they 63 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:11,040 would reach out. Let it be, let it be Jesus that 64 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:14,000 they would call. I pray, Lord, anyone here today 65 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:17,680 that know not the Savior, that know not Jesus Christ in a 66 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:21,040 personal way, that today would be the day they would come to 67 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:25,880 know Jesus. I pray likewise, Lord, for maybe 68 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:30,800 most of us here today that we would be so impacted by your 69 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:37,640 spirit that we would continue or maybe even begin to get involved 70 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:42,520 in someone else's story so that they in turn might come to know 71 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:45,320 the living God through the Lord Jesus Christ. 72 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:50,960 Lord, I pray in these moments together that you would speak, 73 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:57,680 You would hide me under the cross of Jesus Christ, and the 74 00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:00,280 words and meditations of my heart would be pleasing unto 75 00:05:00,280 --> 00:05:06,200 you, Lord, and you would speak truth and that truth would 76 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:11,040 radically change our lives here today. 77 00:05:12,280 --> 00:05:14,960 And we pray this in the glorious and most powerful name that I 78 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:19,600 know, the name of Jesus and all God's people said, if you'll 79 00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:25,040 open up your Bibles to the Gospel of John, the Gospel of 80 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:28,360 John. I really appreciate Brother John 81 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:32,520 and the music staff. A few weeks ago I called him and 82 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:36,600 asked him if he would play this song, somebody else's story. 83 00:05:37,280 --> 00:05:39,920 So I got to give you the back story to this particular song. 84 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:46,640 At our church at Westside Baptist Church for 24 years, we 85 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:50,240 would go all across the country and hope Ministries and share in 86 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:53,960 the gospel of Jesus Christ through doing basketball 87 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:57,000 clinics. We started that in 1997 and 88 00:05:57,000 --> 00:06:03,280 finished in 2019. In 2018, we were travelling on 89 00:06:03,280 --> 00:06:08,240 our bus going to Virginia, then Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and 90 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:12,840 Vicki Parker, one of our faithful missionaries, handed me 91 00:06:12,840 --> 00:06:16,120 this song, said Pastor. I want you to listen to the 92 00:06:16,120 --> 00:06:20,400 song. That song impacted me because I 93 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:23,960 was going into New Jersey and I knew that two of my siblings 94 00:06:23,960 --> 00:06:27,520 would be there to hear the gospel, and I was praying that 95 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:29,960 perhaps it would be the time that they would give their heart 96 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:32,760 to Christ. Unfortunately, they haven't yet, 97 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:38,600 but I want to read the words in that store, in that song again. 98 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:42,160 I want to be a part. I want to be a part of somebody 99 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:47,360 else's story, somebody's else's story of redemption. 100 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:50,840 I want to be the one. I want to be the one to shine 101 00:06:50,840 --> 00:06:53,440 the light of Jesus into their darkness. 102 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:58,200 So lead me, get this raised, lead me to that someone, I pray, 103 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:01,920 Lord, I want to bring you glory and someone else's story. 104 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:09,240 And then the bridge, this hope in me, this hope in me was not 105 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:11,400 contained. Was was not meant to be 106 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:14,160 contained inside. I got to give it away. 107 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:19,000 I got to give it away. And that phrase just because for 108 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:24,240 so long we have been giving away the gospel of Jesus Christ and 109 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:28,000 we had seen the privilege of individuals coming to know the 110 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:31,520 Lord Jesus Christ. And that song just was a 111 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:35,600 catalyst that moved even our hope teams to another another 112 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:39,480 level. And I'm praying today that as 113 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:43,720 you have shared Christ as the 20 individuals and a couple weeks 114 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:46,760 ago gave their heart to Christ because of the faithfulness of 115 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:49,840 so many of you during Vacation Bible school, that you were a 116 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:54,840 part of their story. It is my desire. 117 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:58,720 It is my desire to share the redemption story of the Lord 118 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:03,400 Jesus Christ in order for someone else's destiny to be 119 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:06,640 changed forever. And of course, that was not 120 00:08:06,640 --> 00:08:11,440 always the case in my life. But as I allowed God's Word to 121 00:08:11,440 --> 00:08:16,880 seek within me to get into my spirit and get into my soul, I 122 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:22,600 started understanding that I that is the most important thing 123 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:26,600 that I needed to do as a follower, as a disciple of the 124 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:29,520 Lord Jesus Christ. So I want you to look on your 125 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:36,440 sermon page there and I want you to see that statement, Soul 126 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:39,559 winning. Soul winning was the only 127 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:45,120 business big enough to bring Jesus out of heaven into this 128 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:47,520 world with spiritual heartache and need. 129 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:51,120 Jesus came according to the scriptures. 130 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:54,920 Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost. 131 00:08:55,840 --> 00:09:00,240 And if I if each one of you are going to be a follower of the 132 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:04,600 Lord Jesus Christ, we need to do likewise. 133 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:10,800 We need to be a be about the business of what he came for in 134 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:14,400 the Gospel of John. Here we're going to discover a 135 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:19,480 number of lessons. Now I have 30 lessons. 136 00:09:23,560 --> 00:09:25,080 Well, that's not going to work, is it? 137 00:09:26,040 --> 00:09:29,480 So I'll, I'll, I'll just bring it down to some lessons that 138 00:09:29,480 --> 00:09:34,720 would that would propel us to a deeper understanding of how 139 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:38,600 Jesus did soul winning. And maybe you and I could learn 140 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:44,440 some lessons from the Master soul winner today in the Gospel 141 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:47,320 of John chapter 4, beginning in verse one. 142 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:50,920 I am reading from the NIV version, the New International 143 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:54,880 Version, the Scriptures read. The Pharisees heard that Jesus 144 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:58,960 was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John, although in 145 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:02,640 fact it was not Jesus who baptized but his disciples. 146 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:06,880 When the Lord learned of this, he left Judea and went back once 147 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:10,080 more to Galilee. Now he had gone through Samaria, 148 00:10:10,360 --> 00:10:14,120 so he came to a town in Samaria called Sakhar near the plot of 149 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:16,600 ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 150 00:10:17,680 --> 00:10:20,960 Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the 151 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:25,680 journey, sat down to the well. It was about the six hour, verse 152 00:10:25,680 --> 00:10:29,520 7, when a Samaritan woman came to draw water. 153 00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:32,120 Jesus said to her, Will you give me a drink? 154 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:35,160 His disciples had gone into town to buy food. 155 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:41,320 The Samaritan woman said to him, You are a Jew and I am a 156 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:46,720 Samaritan woman, how can you ask me for a drink, for the Jews did 157 00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:52,000 not associate with Samaritans. Verse 10 Jesus answered her, if 158 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:56,360 you knew the gift of God and who is it that asked you for a 159 00:10:56,360 --> 00:10:58,600 drink? You have asked him, and he would 160 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:01,040 have given you living water, Sir. 161 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:04,560 The woman said, you have nothing to draw with and the well is 162 00:11:04,560 --> 00:11:06,880 deep. Where can you get this living 163 00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:09,040 water? Are you greater than our Father 164 00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:13,240 Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did 165 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:15,360 also his sons and his flocks and herds? 166 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:20,080 Jesus answered in verse 13. Everyone who drinks this water 167 00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:23,160 will be thirsted again, but whoever drinks the water I give 168 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:26,240 him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him 169 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:30,200 will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal 170 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:32,920 life. The woman said to him, Sir, 171 00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:36,520 give, give me this water so I won't get thirsty and have to 172 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:42,280 keep coming here to draw water. The first lesson I'll call your 173 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:46,360 attention to this morning is Jesus did not allow his 174 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:50,080 feelings. Jesus did not allow his feelings 175 00:11:50,280 --> 00:11:54,680 to affect his sharing. Jesus and the disciples had been 176 00:11:54,680 --> 00:11:58,520 travelling, He had been teaching and proclaiming as he was doing 177 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:01,560 all the time. He came to this town and he was 178 00:12:01,560 --> 00:12:05,440 tired. The disciples went on into the 179 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:09,440 town to get some food, and Jesus was there by the well. 180 00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:12,200 He was thirsty. He could have thought to 181 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:18,080 himself, I need a break. I am tired of being around 182 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:19,960 people. How many of you sometimes get 183 00:12:19,960 --> 00:12:23,160 tired of being around people? OK, there you go, There you go, 184 00:12:23,400 --> 00:12:25,920 There you go. I'm tired around being people. 185 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:31,160 I just need a break. But rather he did not. 186 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:38,480 He put his feelings aside and engaged this woman at the well. 187 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:44,800 He did not allow his feelings to affect his sharing. 188 00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:50,880 Oh my goodness, how often? How often does that happen to 189 00:12:50,880 --> 00:12:56,680 you and to me? How often do we allow our 190 00:12:56,680 --> 00:13:02,360 feelings to get in the way? Every Sunday morning the pastor 191 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:05,360 was faithfully to get up and preach the Word of God and after 192 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:09,000 lunch he and his son will go out in the afternoon on Sunday 193 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:12,400 afternoon knocking on doors and giving out tracks. 194 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:17,600 On this particular Sunday, it was cold and rainy outside. 195 00:13:18,720 --> 00:13:23,360 The son after lunch said dad, I'm ready, ready to go, it's 196 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:25,320 time. Ready for what? 197 00:13:25,680 --> 00:13:29,560 His pastor dad said it's time to gather our tracks and go out 198 00:13:29,560 --> 00:13:31,760 there. Son, do you understand how cold 199 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:35,000 it is outside and on top of that it is raining? 200 00:13:36,560 --> 00:13:45,920 The son looked at the dad says dad, aren't people still going 201 00:13:45,920 --> 00:13:51,000 to hell? Do people still need Jesus? 202 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:58,960 The dad said I'm not going out. The son said, dad, would you 203 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:01,200 please, Dad, would you please let me? 204 00:14:02,440 --> 00:14:04,760 Said, sure, son, just be careful handing them tracks. 205 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:08,320 And off went the boy out in the cold weather, it's raining. 206 00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:15,320 He goes up and down trying to find people knocking the doors. 207 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:18,320 And he has one track, has one track left. 208 00:14:20,040 --> 00:14:23,280 And something inside says you got to give this track away and 209 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:25,000 turned. And he looked at this one house 210 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:27,920 that he had not been to. He turned to the first home, 211 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:30,680 that home, and started up the sidewalk to the front door and 212 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:33,720 rang the doorbell. Rang the doorbell, but nobody 213 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:36,800 answered. He rang it again and again and 214 00:14:36,800 --> 00:14:38,120 again. Nobody answered. 215 00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:41,640 He waited, but still no answer. Finally this 11 year old boy got 216 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:45,160 kind of impatient, right? And he started walking away, but 217 00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:52,640 there was something inside him. Turn, go back. 218 00:14:53,040 --> 00:15:00,280 He goes back, rings the doorbell and that, but then starts 219 00:15:00,280 --> 00:15:16,630 knocking harder and harder. The lady inside was up in the 220 00:15:16,630 --> 00:15:21,630 attic. She finally came down and she 221 00:15:21,630 --> 00:15:28,430 said to the boy, open up the door and said, son, what can I 222 00:15:28,430 --> 00:15:33,120 do for you? The older lady looked at the 223 00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:38,680 young boy and said, man, he's got this great big smile. 224 00:15:40,160 --> 00:15:42,760 The young little boy said, ma'am, I'm sorry if I disturbed 225 00:15:42,760 --> 00:15:48,680 you, but I just wanted to tell you that Jesus really does love 226 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:53,040 you. So this is where we get you to 227 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:54,200 interact. You ready? 228 00:15:55,160 --> 00:15:58,280 I want you to turn to the person to the right and left and look 229 00:15:58,280 --> 00:16:02,960 at them and say Jesus really loves you. 230 00:16:11,190 --> 00:16:14,030 It is amazing. Those words put a smile on our 231 00:16:14,030 --> 00:16:16,550 face and many of you were not smiling. 232 00:16:16,550 --> 00:16:18,270 So it's great to see you smile here. 233 00:16:18,790 --> 00:16:23,710 It's great to see you smile. Jesus really does love you, 234 00:16:23,710 --> 00:16:28,110 ma'am. And I came to give you my last 235 00:16:28,110 --> 00:16:33,240 Gospel track, which tells you about Jesus and his great love. 236 00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:36,320 With that he handed his track and he left. 237 00:16:38,160 --> 00:16:41,520 She called him back and said thank you son, and God bless 238 00:16:41,560 --> 00:16:46,800 you. Well, the following Sunday the 239 00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:49,680 pastor got him the pulpit, and as he does always in this 240 00:16:49,720 --> 00:16:54,480 particular country church, said, Does anyone have any word to 241 00:16:54,480 --> 00:16:56,960 share? Any testimony? 242 00:16:57,880 --> 00:17:01,280 Slowly in the back row of the church, an elderly lady stood up 243 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:04,880 to the feet, and as she began to speak, a look of glorious 244 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:09,240 radiance came from her face. None of you know me. 245 00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:15,520 I've never been here before. You see, before last Sunday I 246 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:19,400 was not a Christian. My husband had passed away some 247 00:17:19,400 --> 00:17:24,240 time ago, leaving me totally alone in this world, and last 248 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:29,560 Sunday being particularly cold and rainy day, it was even more 249 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:35,200 so in my heart and I'd come to the end of the line where I no 250 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:38,080 longer had any hope or will to live. 251 00:17:39,160 --> 00:17:42,960 So I took a rope and a chair, ascended the stairway into the 252 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:46,640 attic of my home. I fastened the rope securely to 253 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:49,600 the rafter in the roof and stood on the chair and fastened the 254 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:51,080 other end of the rope around my neck. 255 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:56,840 Standing on the chair, lonely and broken hearted, I was about 256 00:17:56,840 --> 00:18:00,840 to leap off when suddenly a loud ringing of my doorbell 257 00:18:00,840 --> 00:18:06,680 downstairs startled me. I thought, I wait a minute and 258 00:18:06,680 --> 00:18:11,440 whoever it is, they'll go away. I waited and waited, but the 259 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:14,920 ringing doorbell seemed to get louder and more insistent, and 260 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:20,120 then the person ringing also started knocking loudly. 261 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:25,680 I thought to myself again, who on earth could this be? 262 00:18:26,800 --> 00:18:39,160 Nobody ever comes to see me. I loosened the rope and from my 263 00:18:39,160 --> 00:18:41,240 neck and I started for the front door. 264 00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:44,360 All the while the bell ringing loud on the ladder, the knocking 265 00:18:44,360 --> 00:18:45,760 of the door. When I opened up the door and 266 00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:47,800 looked, I could hardly believe my eyes. 267 00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:51,440 There on the front porch was the most radiant, angelic little boy 268 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:54,920 that I've ever seen in my life. His smile, oh, I wish I could 269 00:18:54,920 --> 00:18:57,320 describe it to you. And the words that came from his 270 00:18:57,320 --> 00:19:00,520 mouth caused my heart that had long been dead somehow to just a 271 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:06,360 leap to life. Man, I've just come by to tell 272 00:19:06,360 --> 00:19:09,400 you that Jesus Christ does love you. 273 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:14,880 Then he gave me this track. He gave me this track that I 274 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:21,560 hold in my hand as the little Angel disappeared back out in 275 00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:24,040 the cold weather. I closed the door and started 276 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:28,480 reading the track. I just started reading the track 277 00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:32,640 word for word, word for word, and then I went up to the attic 278 00:19:33,040 --> 00:19:36,920 to get my rope and chair. I wouldn't be needing this 279 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:42,760 anymore. You see, I am now a happy child 280 00:19:42,760 --> 00:19:46,440 of the King, and since the address of your church was on 281 00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:49,920 the back of this gospel tract, I had to come and personally say 282 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:54,560 to you, thank you to the God's little Angel who came just in 283 00:19:54,560 --> 00:19:59,800 the nick of time, and by doing so spared my life from eternity 284 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:06,040 in hell. You know that word that 285 00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:08,520 politicians are using all the time now? 286 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:12,240 The word that is across society and when I was growing up, you 287 00:20:12,240 --> 00:20:19,160 would never even say the word in church, the word hell, that word 288 00:20:20,840 --> 00:20:24,000 where those who are without Jesus Christ will go and spend 289 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:31,240 all of eternity. That word that day, that little 290 00:20:31,240 --> 00:20:35,000 boy didn't allow feelings to get in the way. 291 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:40,360 And because of that, someone else's story was forever 292 00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:44,240 changed. Let's go to #2 #2 Jesus's 293 00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:47,600 conversation began on the level of her understanding. 294 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:51,080 Verse 7 says when a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus 295 00:20:51,080 --> 00:20:52,920 said to her, will you give me some water? 296 00:20:53,440 --> 00:21:00,600 You may say, well duh, duh, duh. You see, Jesus, Jesus gets 297 00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:05,200 people on common ground. You notice what he didn't say, 298 00:21:06,280 --> 00:21:09,840 what he didn't say. Do you know who I am? 299 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:17,800 Imagine for a moment if Jesus said I am, that I am. 300 00:21:18,160 --> 00:21:21,400 That's correct. I'm the Alpha and the Omega. 301 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:25,400 I'm the beginning and the end. I'm the 1st and the last. 302 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:31,800 No, Jesus treated this human being as a human being and said, 303 00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:39,720 would you give me some water? Can I share a great truth 304 00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:45,360 membership at Cartersville 1st and guests, here's the great 305 00:21:45,360 --> 00:21:47,640 truth. Here it is. 306 00:21:47,640 --> 00:21:54,720 Stop trying to impress people. Stop it. 307 00:21:55,840 --> 00:21:59,600 Stop trying to impress people. Get over yourself. 308 00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:09,360 Never, never in the 30 years of soul winning a West Side Baptist 309 00:22:09,360 --> 00:22:13,280 Church, never did I tell people and I knocked on the door. 310 00:22:13,680 --> 00:22:17,080 I am the pastor of West Side Baptist Church. 311 00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:22,720 Never matter of fact, when people came and visited, they 312 00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:25,200 saw. Why didn't you tell me? 313 00:22:25,200 --> 00:22:27,240 I said if I told you what would happen, I would have run the 314 00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:28,360 other way. There you go. 315 00:22:29,840 --> 00:22:31,760 Some of you are trying to impress people. 316 00:22:31,920 --> 00:22:36,040 Stop it. Here was Jesus. 317 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:41,720 Jesus got her on common ground. The thirdly, along with the 318 00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:45,280 second one, Jesus expressed a personal need and asked for 319 00:22:45,280 --> 00:22:48,240 help. Can you give me some water? 320 00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:51,440 This is crazy. When you look at this is crazy, 321 00:22:51,640 --> 00:22:58,480 Jesus who created water, who spoken into existence, who 322 00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:03,800 created mankind, is looking to mankind and say, would you give 323 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:08,000 me a drink? The one who had all the answers 324 00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:11,200 and all the questions didn't come across as the person who 325 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:14,960 had all the answers. You know, reason why some of you 326 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:19,240 are not used by God. This is why I really like 327 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:22,040 preaching to other places because you know when you're at 328 00:23:22,040 --> 00:23:24,800 your home church, you can't be as open and transparent, but you 329 00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:26,520 know when you're in a visiting church, you can just say 330 00:23:26,520 --> 00:23:27,560 whatever you want. Amen. 331 00:23:28,680 --> 00:23:29,840 Amen. Just say whatever you want. 332 00:23:30,040 --> 00:23:33,320 Pastor Kyle's got to watch his P's and Q's, but I don't have to 333 00:23:33,320 --> 00:23:37,480 watch my P's and Q's. So here's the I'm an equal 334 00:23:37,480 --> 00:23:42,000 opportunity offender. OK, so if I didn't offend you 335 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:43,800 with the first one, here comes the second one. 336 00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:48,840 Some of you are no good to anyone because you think you 337 00:23:48,840 --> 00:23:53,760 know it all. You think you know it all. 338 00:23:58,520 --> 00:24:03,120 Stop it. Humble yourself to the Lord and 339 00:24:03,120 --> 00:24:10,760 stop it. You have to relate to people, 340 00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:12,960 you have to get on common grounds. 341 00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:15,800 You have to ask them for help. We're going. 342 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:17,120 We're going to talk about that in just a moment. 343 00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:20,560 Let's go to #4 #4 Jesus saw her soul. 344 00:24:20,560 --> 00:24:22,080 Here we go. And not her skin. 345 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:29,240 Should I go there? 1-2, three times? 346 00:24:29,360 --> 00:24:34,040 Your what out? No, I won't go on #3 I'll just 347 00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:38,400 stop right there. This woman, this woman, a 348 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:41,360 Samaritan at high noon, you may say why? 349 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:45,240 Well, all the ladies of the in Group, you know, all the ladies 350 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:48,720 of the Bible study group, you know, they all know each other 351 00:24:49,120 --> 00:24:52,000 and they say knows that. They know it so, so much each 352 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:53,400 other that no one gets in the group. 353 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:57,000 Does anybody know about that? Anybody know about that? 354 00:24:57,000 --> 00:24:59,080 You know the in Group? Oh, oh, we have a testimony. 355 00:24:59,080 --> 00:25:00,200 You want to stay up and talk about it? 356 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:02,920 No, no, don't do it. No, don't do it. 357 00:25:02,920 --> 00:25:05,120 All the ladies of the in Group go in the morning. 358 00:25:05,680 --> 00:25:12,880 Respectable women, but Samaritan woman, half Jew, half Gentile, 359 00:25:13,680 --> 00:25:17,680 The dirt, if you will, almost equivalent to a pig in the eyes 360 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:20,520 of a Jew. Go at noon. 361 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:24,080 And this one particularly because if you read the rest of 362 00:25:24,080 --> 00:25:27,200 the story, she not only has one husband, but how many? 363 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:38,240 5 but Jesus. Jesus did not talk with did talk 364 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:42,760 with the Samaritan woman, didn't get into all of the issues Jesus 365 00:25:42,760 --> 00:25:46,720 was concerned with meeting her need. 366 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:51,560 So watch this. When you and I get thrilled with 367 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:56,720 who Jesus is, I mean, when you get thrilled. 368 00:25:57,640 --> 00:26:00,080 I mean when you get thrilled. I don't even know who you are. 369 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:02,400 What's your name? Hey, Alex, how you doing, man? 370 00:26:02,760 --> 00:26:04,680 Long time no see. I don't know nothing about you. 371 00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:07,800 Have we ever met? And I'm not going to ask you to 372 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:09,680 stay in and talk. What's that noise right there, 373 00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:14,440 Alex? Or some of you in the back are 374 00:26:14,440 --> 00:26:18,120 falling asleep back there. Don't answer this question. 375 00:26:20,600 --> 00:26:24,280 If you're thrilled with something, you talk about it. 376 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:27,200 You come over here to the baseball guy. 377 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:33,080 He loved it. He loves getting embarrassed. 378 00:26:35,400 --> 00:26:41,440 He's thrilled or used to be thrilled to talk about baseball. 379 00:26:42,200 --> 00:26:44,960 But you know who he's more thrilled to talk about now? 380 00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:51,120 What'd you say? Who are you? 381 00:26:51,120 --> 00:26:56,000 Oh, his wife. Oh, man, his wife said. 382 00:26:56,000 --> 00:26:58,160 Man, isn't that? Did we talk before the service 383 00:26:58,160 --> 00:26:59,120 about where we're going to do this? 384 00:26:59,120 --> 00:27:05,080 No, his wife says he's thrilled more to talk about Jesus then 385 00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:08,400 he's still to talk about the profession that he excelled at. 386 00:27:08,880 --> 00:27:12,160 Think about that. When you and I get thrilled with 387 00:27:12,160 --> 00:27:20,240 Jesus Christ, you can't help it. It's got to come out. 388 00:27:20,360 --> 00:27:22,600 It's got to what? It's got to come out. 389 00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:25,840 It's got to come out. I'm thrilled with Jesus. 390 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:29,120 I'm going to tell everybody I can about Jesus and what he's 391 00:27:29,120 --> 00:27:30,520 done and what he's doing in my life. 392 00:27:30,640 --> 00:27:34,400 Let's go to number 5 #5 is where the rubber hits the Rd. #5 is 393 00:27:34,400 --> 00:27:37,040 that clock is just moving so quickly back there. 394 00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:40,120 I don't understand that thing. Did you guys start this? 395 00:27:40,120 --> 00:27:42,280 Like with when I start up here, it's always started at 10 396 00:27:42,280 --> 00:27:44,520 minutes. And man, because I practice this 397 00:27:44,520 --> 00:27:48,600 thing and I'm not even my goodness gracious, OK #5 Jesus 398 00:27:48,600 --> 00:27:53,120 turned the conversation from the secular to the spiritual. 399 00:27:53,200 --> 00:27:56,800 Verse 10, If you knew the gift of God and who was to ask you 400 00:27:56,800 --> 00:27:58,720 for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have 401 00:27:58,720 --> 00:28:00,640 given you liver water. This is the most. 402 00:28:00,640 --> 00:28:02,640 If there's one point in the sermon, your pastor's a lot of 403 00:28:02,640 --> 00:28:04,160 different points. If there's one point in the 404 00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:05,920 sermon, that's the, that's, that's it. 405 00:28:05,920 --> 00:28:09,240 It's this one. This is where it's the hardest 406 00:28:09,240 --> 00:28:16,800 for you and for me, taking the conversation from the secular to 407 00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:24,800 the spiritual, Jesus related physical water to the living 408 00:28:24,800 --> 00:28:29,640 water. Jesus gives life on so many 409 00:28:29,640 --> 00:28:33,720 different levels. This woman was going to get 410 00:28:33,720 --> 00:28:42,160 water and Jesus takes what she's after and puts it on another 411 00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:48,560 level. You see, you and I, in order to 412 00:28:48,560 --> 00:28:52,640 turn the conversation from the secular to the spiritual, you 413 00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:59,760 and I have to use these. We have to use our ears. 414 00:29:00,320 --> 00:29:05,720 We have to listen to the person that we are talking to. 415 00:29:06,040 --> 00:29:12,960 Too often we are thinking about what we're going to say rather 416 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:16,360 than listening to what they are talking about. 417 00:29:19,280 --> 00:29:25,040 And when we say something, it does not do anything for them. 418 00:29:25,600 --> 00:29:30,360 Not a thing. Let me tell you how this works. 419 00:29:30,920 --> 00:29:35,200 When you meet an individual and they start talking, they are 420 00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:41,960 always going to mention a need, a problem, a situation that 421 00:29:41,960 --> 00:29:45,400 they're having that they are struggling with. 422 00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:52,040 Every time this happens, if you engage people every time, I'm 423 00:29:52,040 --> 00:29:55,840 telling you, you could say something like this. 424 00:29:56,840 --> 00:30:00,880 I am so sorry for your situation, but there is someone 425 00:30:00,880 --> 00:30:04,360 who can help and it won't affect your bank account. 426 00:30:06,760 --> 00:30:11,760 Did you get that? Would you like to know the 427 00:30:11,760 --> 00:30:14,920 person's name? You see, we just sang a song. 428 00:30:14,920 --> 00:30:16,200 Let it be Jesus. Do you believe it? 429 00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:21,080 How many really believe that Jesus Christ is the answer to 430 00:30:21,280 --> 00:30:24,160 every single problem that we have? 431 00:30:28,040 --> 00:30:31,760 Some of you don't believe it because see, in, in, in, in a 432 00:30:31,760 --> 00:30:33,920 place that we are, where we're all majority. 433 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:35,880 We're not even willing to say Amen here. 434 00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:42,120 That's late. That's just you just can't be 435 00:30:42,120 --> 00:30:46,080 late. Just can't be late. 436 00:30:49,200 --> 00:30:55,640 I want to encourage you. I want to to, to, to boldly tell 437 00:30:55,640 --> 00:31:02,320 you that God wants to use you in someone's story. 438 00:31:03,440 --> 00:31:08,520 You, not me. You and you and you. 439 00:31:10,400 --> 00:31:14,000 But you got to listen. Oh, that won't work. 440 00:31:14,480 --> 00:31:18,080 Have you tried it? It works every time. 441 00:31:18,320 --> 00:31:19,680 Taking the secret to the spiritual. 442 00:31:19,680 --> 00:31:22,000 You see, you and I must get reps in. 443 00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:23,800 What are reps? See, in the sports world, 444 00:31:24,160 --> 00:31:27,560 everybody has to practice over and over, over and over again. 445 00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:29,520 What's your first name? Donovan. 446 00:31:29,880 --> 00:31:31,000 Is it Donovan? Your first name? 447 00:31:31,280 --> 00:31:32,240 Sorry. I know you. 448 00:31:32,920 --> 00:31:35,800 I just know that he's the fast. He's a basketball, baseball 449 00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:37,800 superstar. How many times you have to hit 450 00:31:37,800 --> 00:31:40,160 the ball to get better? A lot. 451 00:31:40,720 --> 00:31:42,920 Hey, Ben, how many times do you have to hit the hit, hit, hit, 452 00:31:43,240 --> 00:31:44,560 shoot the basketball to get better? 453 00:31:45,640 --> 00:31:48,960 A lot. What happens for us? 454 00:31:50,320 --> 00:31:54,200 What happens for us? We do it once. 455 00:31:56,800 --> 00:32:03,280 We do it once, maybe twice. And probably you fall on your 456 00:32:03,280 --> 00:32:06,840 face. Am I identical when he was 457 00:32:06,840 --> 00:32:09,000 hitting the ball, when Ben was taking the shot, they fall on 458 00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:11,240 their face shooting air balls, bricks or whatever. 459 00:32:12,280 --> 00:32:16,320 But you got to get reps in. The more you do it in basketball 460 00:32:16,320 --> 00:32:19,720 called muscle memory, the more you shoot, the more you shoot, 461 00:32:19,720 --> 00:32:22,760 the more you get the reps in, the muscle memory kicks in. 462 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:26,360 The more you engage people turning from the secular to the 463 00:32:26,360 --> 00:32:29,520 spiritual, the more you are telling, the more you're through 464 00:32:29,520 --> 00:32:31,960 with Jesus, the more you're mentioning His name. 465 00:32:32,280 --> 00:32:34,840 You're getting used to it and used to it and used to it, and 466 00:32:34,840 --> 00:32:39,720 God will open up the doors of heaven and so many different and 467 00:32:39,720 --> 00:32:42,680 extraordinary ways in the spiritual world. 468 00:32:42,680 --> 00:32:47,480 We need reps and conversations. We give up too easy. 469 00:32:48,080 --> 00:32:50,880 Satan wants to discourage you. Satan tells you you're no good 470 00:32:50,880 --> 00:32:52,920 at it. Well, when Satan tells you're no 471 00:32:52,920 --> 00:32:54,400 good, just remind him where he's going. 472 00:32:54,400 --> 00:32:57,480 He's going to hell. We discover how little 473 00:32:57,480 --> 00:32:58,360 conversations. I'm done. 474 00:32:58,360 --> 00:32:59,480 Do you have conversations with him? 475 00:32:59,520 --> 00:33:02,520 Yes. Well, you're weird, man. 476 00:33:02,520 --> 00:33:07,800 I know that. My wife knows that I am in love 477 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:11,960 with Jesus Christ. I want to encourage you as the 478 00:33:11,960 --> 00:33:17,880 body of Christ to continue giving your story away. 479 00:33:18,880 --> 00:33:26,840 But some of you are still. I go up to some of you and I ask 480 00:33:26,840 --> 00:33:29,480 you about your children, man, I'll be there 15 minutes. 481 00:33:30,320 --> 00:33:33,520 Grandchildren, forget it. There are some people in class I 482 00:33:33,520 --> 00:33:34,760 teach. I don't even ask about the 483 00:33:34,760 --> 00:33:37,040 grandchildren because they'll never let me teach. 484 00:33:37,240 --> 00:33:38,920 They'll just talk and talk and talk. 485 00:33:39,160 --> 00:33:48,850 But then when we talk about Jesus, can I remind you a little 486 00:33:48,850 --> 00:33:50,370 bit about the characters of the Bible? 487 00:33:51,050 --> 00:33:53,450 Noah. Next time when you think I can't 488 00:33:53,450 --> 00:33:55,530 use you, just remember Noah had a drinking problem. 489 00:33:56,490 --> 00:34:00,650 Abraham was too long, too old. Rather, Joseph was a daydreamer. 490 00:34:00,890 --> 00:34:05,690 Jacob was a liar. Joseph was abused. 491 00:34:05,930 --> 00:34:11,960 Moses had a speech problem, Gideon was afraid Sanson had 492 00:34:11,960 --> 00:34:16,600 long hair and was a womanizer, Rahab was a prostitute, Jeremiah 493 00:34:16,600 --> 00:34:19,760 and Timothy were too young. David had an affair. 494 00:34:19,960 --> 00:34:24,440 David, the man after God's own heart, had an affair and was a 495 00:34:24,440 --> 00:34:26,239 murderer. And on and on and on. 496 00:34:26,400 --> 00:34:33,159 And yet God would use David. Did you know that Isaiah he 497 00:34:33,159 --> 00:34:35,880 preached naked find outlook in the scriptures. 498 00:34:35,880 --> 00:34:37,159 He did. How did you like? 499 00:34:37,719 --> 00:34:39,400 Oh man, that scene. That's just awful. 500 00:34:41,880 --> 00:34:46,040 Let's go forward, young man. Naomi was a widow. 501 00:34:47,520 --> 00:34:51,120 Joe went bankrupt. John the Baptist, he had a bunch 502 00:34:51,120 --> 00:34:53,880 of bugs. Peter denied Jesus. 503 00:34:53,880 --> 00:34:59,880 How many times 3 The disciples fell asleep in Jesus greatest 504 00:34:59,880 --> 00:35:00,760 time. They fell asleep. 505 00:35:00,760 --> 00:35:01,920 What? Praying. 506 00:35:01,920 --> 00:35:04,680 While praying, Martha worried about everything. 507 00:35:05,160 --> 00:35:07,200 The Samaritan woman was divorced and more than one. 508 00:35:07,200 --> 00:35:09,120 Zacchaeus was too small. He was up in the tree hiding 509 00:35:09,120 --> 00:35:11,920 out. Paul was too religious and 510 00:35:11,920 --> 00:35:15,040 Lazarus was dead. Think about it. 511 00:35:16,640 --> 00:35:19,720 No more excuses, body of Christ, No more excuses. 512 00:35:20,360 --> 00:35:22,160 God can use you to your full potential. 513 00:35:22,160 --> 00:35:27,160 Besides, you aren't the message. You're just the messenger. 514 00:35:28,360 --> 00:35:31,320 You're just the messenger. Very quickly, let's go to #6 515 00:35:32,160 --> 00:35:35,240 Jesus continued sharing even though she did not understand. 516 00:35:35,400 --> 00:35:38,360 This is where it really gets interesting for you and I Jesus 517 00:35:38,360 --> 00:35:40,960 keeps on talking to this woman and says that you have nothing 518 00:35:40,960 --> 00:35:42,960 to draw with with and the well is deep. 519 00:35:42,960 --> 00:35:45,240 She said where can you get this living water? 520 00:35:45,440 --> 00:35:48,000 Are you greater than a father's Jacob? 521 00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:50,080 Then Jesus said everyone who drinks this water will be 522 00:35:50,080 --> 00:35:53,120 thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give will 523 00:35:53,120 --> 00:35:55,280 never thirst. Indeed, the woman, the water I 524 00:35:55,280 --> 00:35:59,080 give you, will become in him a spring of water well enough to 525 00:35:59,080 --> 00:36:01,240 eternal life. Do you think she had a clue of 526 00:36:01,240 --> 00:36:04,360 what he was talking about? No, some of you read in that 527 00:36:04,360 --> 00:36:06,440 text, maybe for the first time. I said, what in the world does 528 00:36:06,440 --> 00:36:12,320 that mean? Jesus is the substance of life. 529 00:36:13,560 --> 00:36:18,080 Jesus is the very being of life. This woman had no clue what 530 00:36:18,120 --> 00:36:21,800 Jesus meant, but the Lord was planting seeds. 531 00:36:22,560 --> 00:36:28,840 The Lord was planting seeds. And in Isaiah 5511, listen to 532 00:36:28,840 --> 00:36:32,320 this. So is my word that goes out from 533 00:36:32,320 --> 00:36:37,160 my mouth and will not return to me empty. 534 00:36:37,920 --> 00:36:41,160 When you share something about Jesus and you share Scripture, 535 00:36:41,400 --> 00:36:44,200 as Jesus Christ said on the way, the truth and life, you share 536 00:36:44,200 --> 00:36:47,040 something about Jesus. God will take that in his 537 00:36:47,040 --> 00:36:50,480 supernatural way and do some things in their life that you 538 00:36:50,480 --> 00:36:53,600 cannot even imagine. And as you begin to engage 539 00:36:53,600 --> 00:36:57,200 people a little bit more, as you get more reps in, there'll be a 540 00:36:57,200 --> 00:37:00,160 times that you'll think for yourself, Where in the world did 541 00:37:00,160 --> 00:37:03,840 that idea come from? I, I wish I, I, you said it, I 542 00:37:03,840 --> 00:37:06,200 can't remember what I said, but somehow had an impact on your 543 00:37:06,200 --> 00:37:07,920 life. You got to remember Luke 1212. 544 00:37:08,080 --> 00:37:11,920 The Holy Spirit will teach you what you need to say in the very 545 00:37:11,920 --> 00:37:14,120 hour that you needed. You see something. 546 00:37:14,120 --> 00:37:16,400 You got to get on the edge. You got to get on the edge. 547 00:37:16,400 --> 00:37:18,840 Stop dependent upon yourself and depend upon the Holy Spirit of 548 00:37:18,840 --> 00:37:19,800 God. Did anybody know what I'm 549 00:37:19,800 --> 00:37:22,280 talking about? You're embodied by the Holy 550 00:37:22,280 --> 00:37:25,000 Spirit of God and the Holy Spirit wants to use you and urge 551 00:37:25,000 --> 00:37:27,400 you just like that little boy that wanted knock up knocking 552 00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:30,080 and wanted to get away. But that Holy Spirit, that Holy 553 00:37:30,080 --> 00:37:35,880 Spirit kept him, kept him there. I wish I could share some 554 00:37:35,880 --> 00:37:39,120 stories with you about seeing this work, but I'll just share 555 00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:42,160 this one very, very quickly. For 18 years I planted seeds. 556 00:37:42,160 --> 00:37:46,120 For 18 years I planted seeds in the senior adult 18 years. 557 00:37:46,800 --> 00:37:49,000 And a couple of weeks ago he gave his heart to the Lord Jesus 558 00:37:49,000 --> 00:37:52,360 Christ. Now I, I, I can't tell you what 559 00:37:52,360 --> 00:37:54,680 it was. All I know was a series of 560 00:37:54,680 --> 00:37:57,680 things that that, that, that he heard and he kept and the Lord 561 00:37:57,680 --> 00:38:02,640 just kept on doing in his life #7 Jesus increased her appetite 562 00:38:02,640 --> 00:38:05,920 for spiritual things. The woman said in verse 15, the 563 00:38:05,920 --> 00:38:09,120 woman said what? Give me some water? 564 00:38:10,280 --> 00:38:11,560 The Bible says that we are to be. 565 00:38:11,560 --> 00:38:15,200 What salt. Do people want to be around you? 566 00:38:16,640 --> 00:38:19,320 What does salt do? Salt makes you what, thirsty. 567 00:38:20,800 --> 00:38:25,280 When you walk in the room, do people just walk away or do they 568 00:38:25,280 --> 00:38:28,720 walk towards you? Because you use these two ears, 569 00:38:29,080 --> 00:38:36,240 you listen and you engage. How do people view you? 570 00:38:37,440 --> 00:38:40,400 Or do you think, or do you think that you're a secret disciple? 571 00:38:42,080 --> 00:38:46,520 Yeah, maybe some of you think that your secrets, it's a secret 572 00:38:46,520 --> 00:38:48,160 with you and the Lord Jesus Christ. 573 00:38:49,040 --> 00:38:51,600 May I remind you in the Scriptures that if you will not 574 00:38:52,040 --> 00:38:56,360 profess me before men, I'll not profess you before my Father in 575 00:38:56,360 --> 00:38:58,920 heaven. There may be a man or two here 576 00:38:58,920 --> 00:39:01,400 that gave their heart to Christ. A woman or two gave their heart 577 00:39:01,400 --> 00:39:03,800 to Christ. A teenager here gave their heart 578 00:39:03,800 --> 00:39:04,960 to Christ. And you're sitting there and 579 00:39:04,960 --> 00:39:08,560 says I'm not going to stand up. I'm not going to be, I'm not 580 00:39:08,560 --> 00:39:09,880 going to do that. I'm not going to do that. 581 00:39:11,040 --> 00:39:12,960 Well, that tells me you're not in Christ. 582 00:39:16,680 --> 00:39:18,520 You don't have a fear of standing with a bunch of 583 00:39:18,520 --> 00:39:22,360 believers to hear an Amen. You'll want to get up now. 584 00:39:22,360 --> 00:39:23,840 Yes, there'll be fear. What will they say? 585 00:39:23,840 --> 00:39:25,960 They're not going to say they'll be they'll be rejoicing with 586 00:39:25,960 --> 00:39:29,600 you. They'll be rejoicing with you so 587 00:39:29,600 --> 00:39:35,040 you you at times we major on what we don't and it kills our 588 00:39:35,040 --> 00:39:40,480 enthusiasm for what we do know the Lord God wants to use you in 589 00:39:40,480 --> 00:39:46,080 an extraordinary way and somebody else's story. 590 00:39:47,840 --> 00:39:58,040 The question is will you allow a number of years ago at West Side 591 00:39:58,040 --> 00:40:00,560 and churches across the Southern Baptist Convention. 592 00:40:01,600 --> 00:40:04,960 We had churches, we had church evening services. 593 00:40:05,600 --> 00:40:07,480 How do you remember services in the evening? 594 00:40:07,480 --> 00:40:09,720 Let me see. OK, All right. 595 00:40:11,000 --> 00:40:13,960 This one particular evening service, this country church 596 00:40:14,440 --> 00:40:17,440 pastor said I have a young, I have my friends are going to 597 00:40:17,440 --> 00:40:22,200 come up and give a testimony and this man came up and gave his 598 00:40:22,200 --> 00:40:25,800 testimony. He said a father and a son and a 599 00:40:25,800 --> 00:40:29,240 friend of his son were sailing off the Pacific Coast. 600 00:40:30,880 --> 00:40:34,160 He said when a fast approaching storm blocked any attempt to get 601 00:40:34,160 --> 00:40:38,440 back to the shore. The waves were high and even the 602 00:40:38,440 --> 00:40:43,480 father, who was inexperienced at sailing, could not, could not 603 00:40:43,480 --> 00:40:47,880 keep the boat upright. And the three, the father, the 604 00:40:47,880 --> 00:40:51,240 son and the friend were swept into the ocean. 605 00:40:53,280 --> 00:40:57,920 The old man hesitated for a moment, making eye contact with 606 00:40:57,920 --> 00:41:03,760 the two teenagers, the two teenagers way back in the back, 607 00:41:04,280 --> 00:41:07,160 and all of a sudden they started listening to the old man's 608 00:41:07,160 --> 00:41:14,960 story, the old man's testimony. Grabbing a rescue line, the 609 00:41:14,960 --> 00:41:17,480 father had to make the most excruciating decision of his 610 00:41:17,480 --> 00:41:21,960 life. To which boy would he throw the 611 00:41:21,960 --> 00:41:26,200 line to? He had only seconds to make that 612 00:41:26,200 --> 00:41:31,160 decision. The Father knew that his son was 613 00:41:31,160 --> 00:41:33,680 a Christian. He had given his heart to Jesus 614 00:41:33,680 --> 00:41:40,120 Christ and he knew that his friend, son's friend, did not 615 00:41:40,120 --> 00:41:44,840 know Jesus. The agony of his decision could 616 00:41:44,840 --> 00:41:48,840 not be matched by the waves that were just going over and over. 617 00:41:49,760 --> 00:41:56,720 The Father yelled out, I love you son, and he threw the line 618 00:41:58,440 --> 00:42:04,280 to the son's friend, and he brought the son's friend back to 619 00:42:04,280 --> 00:42:13,320 the boat, and he turned to find his son, and his son was gone, 620 00:42:17,840 --> 00:42:24,560 never to be found. He had disappeared. 621 00:42:28,440 --> 00:42:31,160 At this time the two teenagers were sitting straight up in the 622 00:42:31,160 --> 00:42:33,920 Pew listening to the very next words coming out of this old 623 00:42:33,920 --> 00:42:36,640 man. The Father, he said, knew his 624 00:42:36,640 --> 00:42:39,680 son would step in the eternity with Jesus, and he could not 625 00:42:39,680 --> 00:42:42,360 bear the thought of his son's friend stepping into eternity 626 00:42:42,360 --> 00:42:45,840 without Jesus. Therefore he sacrificed his Son. 627 00:42:46,400 --> 00:42:49,440 How great is the love of God that he should do the same for 628 00:42:49,440 --> 00:42:52,680 us? With that, the old man stepped 629 00:42:52,680 --> 00:42:57,320 down and sat down. Within a few minutes the service 630 00:42:57,320 --> 00:42:59,800 entered and the two teenagers came right up to the old man's 631 00:42:59,800 --> 00:43:03,720 side. Sitting right up front, one of 632 00:43:03,720 --> 00:43:07,640 the young men said. Well, that was a nice story. 633 00:43:10,440 --> 00:43:13,520 I don't think, though, it's very realistic for a father to give 634 00:43:13,520 --> 00:43:16,400 up his son's life in hopes that the other boy would become a 635 00:43:16,400 --> 00:43:19,800 Christian. The old man said. 636 00:43:19,800 --> 00:43:23,600 Yep, you got a point there. Glancing down at his Bible, he 637 00:43:23,600 --> 00:43:28,400 says you have a point. Then a smile brought in his 638 00:43:28,400 --> 00:43:30,520 narrow face and he once again looked at the boys. 639 00:43:30,520 --> 00:43:35,160 It sure isn't very realistic, but I'm standing here today to 640 00:43:35,160 --> 00:43:38,920 tell you that that story gives me a glimpse of what it must 641 00:43:38,920 --> 00:43:41,360 have been like for God to give up his son for me. 642 00:43:42,800 --> 00:43:52,840 You see, I was the son's friend. I was the son's friend. 643 00:43:54,280 --> 00:44:03,400 True story. I wonder this morning how many 644 00:44:03,400 --> 00:44:09,400 lives could be changed in Cartersville and on the 645 00:44:09,400 --> 00:44:21,120 outskirts if we, if we as the Body of Christ, really got 646 00:44:21,120 --> 00:44:31,000 thrilled with Jesus enough to share and get into someone 647 00:44:31,000 --> 00:44:37,480 else's story. I'll forever be in debt to my 648 00:44:37,480 --> 00:44:42,640 precious wife who took me into a Southern Baptist church and I 649 00:44:42,640 --> 00:44:48,560 heard John 316 as a young New Jersey punk and started a 650 00:44:48,560 --> 00:44:54,600 journey. And in October of 1977, because 651 00:44:54,600 --> 00:45:06,280 of her, my story was changed. She was thrilled with Jesus. 652 00:45:10,360 --> 00:45:12,040 Would you close your eyes for just a moment? 653 00:45:12,040 --> 00:45:13,840 No one is going to come up near you. 654 00:45:14,400 --> 00:45:20,480 No one is going to touch you. Maybe today it's all come 655 00:45:20,480 --> 00:45:23,760 together for you. You've been here for weeks and 656 00:45:23,760 --> 00:45:27,840 you've heard the gospel from Pastor Kyle and you've been in 657 00:45:27,840 --> 00:45:30,840 the Sunday school class and it's just all come together and, and, 658 00:45:30,920 --> 00:45:34,440 and you know, you know, you know right where you are that if you 659 00:45:34,440 --> 00:45:39,120 were to die, you know you are not going to heaven. 660 00:45:39,720 --> 00:45:44,920 You know that today could be changed day for you. 661 00:45:46,440 --> 00:45:49,360 You could say this simple prayer and mean it with all of your 662 00:45:49,360 --> 00:45:53,520 heart right where you are. I'm going to help you with that 663 00:45:53,520 --> 00:45:55,280 prayer. The same prayer I've done 664 00:45:55,280 --> 00:45:57,640 hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of times all over 665 00:45:57,640 --> 00:46:02,280 across the country. A simple prayer, but you mean it 666 00:46:02,280 --> 00:46:07,320 with all of your heart. If you would like for your story 667 00:46:07,320 --> 00:46:12,680 to change from death to life, you can say these words quietly 668 00:46:12,680 --> 00:46:15,040 to God. I'm going to say a few and then 669 00:46:15,040 --> 00:46:16,960 pause and give you opportunity to say them. 670 00:46:18,440 --> 00:46:20,400 You'd like Jesus to come inside your heart. 671 00:46:20,400 --> 00:46:21,840 You can say this prayer. Here it is. 672 00:46:22,120 --> 00:46:30,080 Dear God, I am a Sinner and I need your forgiveness. 673 00:46:33,520 --> 00:46:45,680 Jesus, forgive me of my sin, and Jesus, I trust you as Savior and 674 00:46:45,680 --> 00:46:54,240 Lord of my life. Jesus, would you please come 675 00:46:54,240 --> 00:47:01,280 into my heart right now in the name of Jesus, every head bowed, 676 00:47:01,280 --> 00:47:04,240 every eye closed. If you've just prayed that 677 00:47:04,240 --> 00:47:06,160 prayer, Hallelujah, Praise the Lord. 678 00:47:06,360 --> 00:47:08,360 The angels in heaven are rejoicing. 679 00:47:09,320 --> 00:47:13,280 A Sinner has come home, but I don't know who you are. 680 00:47:14,200 --> 00:47:16,840 In just a moment, Pastor Stephen is going to be down front. 681 00:47:17,800 --> 00:47:20,400 If you've given your heart to Christ this morning or even this 682 00:47:20,400 --> 00:47:25,080 week or weeks ago, and you've not told anyone, today's the day 683 00:47:25,080 --> 00:47:30,080 for you to stand up and tell somebody that you've asked Jesus 684 00:47:30,080 --> 00:47:33,680 Christ inside your heart. Congratulations. 685 00:47:33,960 --> 00:47:38,960 It is the greatest decision of your life and we would love to 686 00:47:38,960 --> 00:47:43,880 rejoice with you. Maybe for the most of us here 687 00:47:43,880 --> 00:47:46,800 this morning, this invitation is for you. 688 00:47:49,640 --> 00:47:56,720 Will you allow the Lord to use you in somebody's else's story? 689 00:47:58,800 --> 00:48:00,200 Would I have to make a commitment? 690 00:48:00,200 --> 00:48:01,560 Oh yeah, you have to make a commitment. 691 00:48:02,160 --> 00:48:05,000 You can make make commitments standing up, sitting down on 692 00:48:05,000 --> 00:48:07,000 your knees. You can come down here and share 693 00:48:07,000 --> 00:48:09,280 it with the encouragers. What a word of encouragement 694 00:48:09,280 --> 00:48:11,040 that would be to the encouragers. 695 00:48:12,920 --> 00:48:15,880 We need to encourage each other in the Lord Jesus Christ. 696 00:48:16,640 --> 00:48:19,640 Sometimes we just stand and we and we don't respond. 697 00:48:19,640 --> 00:48:23,400 And the Spirit of God is moving in this place and wanting you to 698 00:48:23,400 --> 00:48:26,920 respond, wanting you to take a step of faith, believers in the 699 00:48:26,920 --> 00:48:29,920 Lord Jesus Christ, disciples of the Lord, wanting you to do 700 00:48:29,920 --> 00:48:35,720 something now. Now this is the now for you. 701 00:48:36,160 --> 00:48:45,200 For those of you in Christ respond, make a commitment to be 702 00:48:45,200 --> 00:48:48,320 involved in somebody else's story and you don't even know 703 00:48:48,320 --> 00:48:50,440 him yet. That's the greatest thing about 704 00:48:50,440 --> 00:48:55,000 it. Father God, as we stand and 705 00:48:55,000 --> 00:48:58,200 sing, oh Lord, I pray with every fiber within my heart. 706 00:48:59,040 --> 00:49:04,080 And Lord God, you rise up the army of God in this place in a 707 00:49:04,080 --> 00:49:08,760 greater way than it has been, for you've already done great 708 00:49:08,760 --> 00:49:12,720 things in this place. But God, I believe there's 709 00:49:12,720 --> 00:49:17,600 greater things still to be done because you're not finished with 710 00:49:17,600 --> 00:49:19,200 this church. You're not finished with this 711 00:49:19,200 --> 00:49:21,840 body, You're not even finished with me. 712 00:49:22,240 --> 00:49:27,440 So Lord God, give us the courage to respond here today, and I 713 00:49:27,440 --> 00:49:31,160 pray this in the precious and powerful name, the often the 714 00:49:31,160 --> 00:49:34,520 Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last, the 715 00:49:34,520 --> 00:49:39,800 living Lord Jesus and God's people said Amen, where you 716 00:49:39,800 --> 00:49:42,280 stand, it's time to respond body of Christ. 717 00:49:42,440 --> 00:49:44,560 It's time to be the Army of God.