1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:03,920 All right, we're going to be in John chapter 12, so you can go 2 00:00:03,920 --> 00:00:05,960 ahead and open up your Bible and turn there. 3 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:11,880 We're going to actually be in John for two more weeks and then 4 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:13,120 we're going to take a little bit of a break. 5 00:00:13,120 --> 00:00:15,120 We're we've been preaching through the whole book of John. 6 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:18,760 It's been over a year now. And so this week and then next 7 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:20,360 week we're going to finish up chapter 12. 8 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:22,840 We're going to have a guest pastor here preaching next week 9 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:25,080 and we'll do some baptisms next Sunday as well. 10 00:00:25,080 --> 00:00:28,240 And then we're going to take a break and preach through the one 11 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:31,960 of the Old Testament books of prophets called Malachi. 12 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:35,800 So excited to have AI think 8 week series and that after this 13 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:40,800 1 John chapter 12. What's the purpose of life? 14 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:44,520 You ever asked that question? I'm not going to get too deep or 15 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:47,600 philosophical this morning, but it's a question we always ask 16 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:51,040 and especially when life is we don't have vision for life or 17 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:52,840 things are are going hard at times. 18 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:55,440 What what do we make sense of the hard things in life? 19 00:00:55,440 --> 00:00:59,480 What do we do with this thing that's happening in my life? 20 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:01,440 Why God, why is this happening here? 21 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:04,360 Sometimes we even say the timing of this couldn't even been worse 22 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:08,080 and we just lose vision, we lose purpose and life. 23 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:11,800 We're going to be talking about purpose today. 24 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:15,920 There's a there's a line that Jesus says in John 12. 25 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:20,120 He says for this purpose, I have come to this hour. 26 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:23,800 That's the main thrust of our teaching today. 27 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:28,280 Jesus says for this purpose, I have come to this hour. 28 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:34,320 Jesus has incredible clarity on his life, on the reason for his 29 00:01:34,320 --> 00:01:37,040 life, on his aim, and on his purpose. 30 00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:41,760 And it culminates in the hour. The hour is the time of his 31 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:44,440 crucifixion, which is at the point that we're going to be 32 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:47,200 reading today. It's just days away from his 33 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:50,040 crucifixion. The cross is his ultimate 34 00:01:50,040 --> 00:01:54,400 purpose in this life, and the time is now and he's feeling it. 35 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:58,720 And yet he stays steadfast and focused on his purpose. 36 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:01,920 And so we're going to be reading that in John chapter 12 today. 37 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:07,680 Jesus understands his purpose to glorify God through the cross 38 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:12,720 and draw all people to himself. I have a question for you. 39 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:16,720 What about you? Do you understand your purpose? 40 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:19,360 And that's a question I want to try to answer, and I think the 41 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:23,400 text will help us answer today. And so as we see Jesus's 42 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:26,120 purpose. And understand that and how He 43 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:28,480 lived that out and how He walked that out. 44 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:32,320 It's going to help us answer that question for our lives. 45 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:35,800 What is our purpose and our aim in life? 46 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:42,800 Give us a few moments of silence before I read the text and pray 47 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:47,920 for us just to calm our hearts. Pause. 48 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:52,680 Listen and pray. As we seek Jesus together this 49 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:54,400 morning, so. A few moments of silence. 50 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:55,680 And then I'm going to read the text. 51 00:03:16,370 --> 00:03:19,850 Alright, John chapter 12, starting in verse 27. 52 00:03:19,890 --> 00:03:26,610 I'm going to read to the verse 36 halfway through Jesus is 53 00:03:26,610 --> 00:03:29,610 speaking. Here's what he says, verse 27. 54 00:03:30,810 --> 00:03:37,680 Now is my soul troubled? What shall I say, Father, save 55 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:43,360 me from this hour? But for this purpose I have come 56 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:47,680 to this hour. Father, glorify your name. 57 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:54,080 Then a voice came from heaven. I have glorified it and I will 58 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:58,120 glorify it again. The crowd that stood. 59 00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:00,800 There and heard it said that it had thundered. 60 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:03,600 Others said an Angel has spoken to him. 61 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:09,800 Jesus answered, This voice has come for your sake, not mine. 62 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:13,960 Now is the judgment of this world. 63 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:17,360 Now will the ruler of this world be cast out? 64 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:23,600 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people 65 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:26,440 to myself. He said this. 66 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:30,280 To show by what kind of death he was going to die. 67 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:33,320 So the crowd answered him. We have heard from the law that 68 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:36,160 the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of 69 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:39,960 Man must be lifted up? Who is this son of man? 70 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:45,040 Jesus said to them. The light is among you for a 71 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:48,160 little. While longer Why? 72 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:52,200 Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. 73 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:56,120 The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he 74 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:58,640 is going while you have the light. 75 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:03,680 Believe in the light that you may become sons of light. 76 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:11,640 We pray for us. Jesus, thank you for the great 77 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:14,720 clarity. And purpose that you had when 78 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:19,760 you walked this earth, you walked it out, You walked toward 79 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:24,280 the cross and all the trouble that it was causing internally. 80 00:05:24,280 --> 00:05:28,280 And yet because you knew this was your purpose, you lived it 81 00:05:28,280 --> 00:05:32,280 out for our sake. And here you are as a light 82 00:05:32,280 --> 00:05:36,840 drawing all people to yourself. Lord, as I teach this, help us 83 00:05:36,840 --> 00:05:40,960 to see Your great purpose in life and what ours is. 84 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:45,560 As followers of you. Help me teach with clarity. 85 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:49,520 Lord, help us to have open hearts to receive what you have 86 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:51,960 for us today. Amen. 87 00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:58,840 Amen. So Jesus's purpose, and there's 88 00:05:58,840 --> 00:06:01,680 a few different things that I will highlight from the text 89 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:05,960 about his purpose for this time, and we'll see how that relates 90 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:11,160 to us as well. First, we see Jesus is troubled. 91 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:14,680 Jesus is troubled. I guess just say first we're 92 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:17,640 going to see his his first purpose in in this first four 93 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:21,280 horses is to but to glorify God through this season, through 94 00:06:21,280 --> 00:06:26,000 this trouble, he's going to glorify God not to be rescued 95 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:29,160 from the cross. So in verse 27, he says, now is 96 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:31,960 my soul troubled? And let's pause there and and 97 00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:35,240 let's not gloss over that Jesus's soul is trouble. 98 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:39,720 That's an internal thing. He is anxious, he is unsettled, 99 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:45,520 and he says now why is this? Why is his soul troubled now? 100 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:49,200 Because of the impending hour. He knows what's coming. 101 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:53,200 He knows the cross is in front of him, the crucifixion awaits, 102 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:57,280 and it's causing him deep sorrow and he has internal trouble 103 00:06:57,280 --> 00:06:59,560 because of this. Now, if someone were just to 104 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:02,360 tell you, and even just as us reading it, that Jesus's soul 105 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:05,880 was troubled, that's one thing. It's another to actually 106 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:08,360 witness. And so try to imagine what Jesus 107 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:11,480 might have been like in this moment as he's talking about his 108 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:13,360 troubled soul. Have you ever seen someone who 109 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:17,240 has a troubled soul or you look into their eyes and it's like 110 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:20,640 their eyes are just wearing sadness, right? 111 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:22,600 You don't want to look into their pupils because they're 112 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:25,240 like black holes that you're afraid is just going to suck you 113 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:28,280 into the darkness that is going on inside. 114 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:32,840 You look at them physically and it's like, wow, you look like 115 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:35,160 you've aged 10 years. You're just, you know, when 116 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:38,000 someone's deeply troubled in their soul and they wear it on 117 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:41,920 their body? Fast forward in Jesus's life a 118 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:47,040 few days when he is praying in the garden hours before he's 119 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:49,200 going to be arrested and go to the cross. 120 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:52,680 Or imagine you're one of his closest disciples, Peter, James 121 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:55,120 and John. Jesus basically confessed to 122 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:57,200 them. I feel like death. 123 00:07:57,880 --> 00:08:01,400 Pray with me, watch with me. And he goes a stone's throw away 124 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:04,400 and what happens? Jesus is wailing. 125 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:07,680 He's crying out right? And and they might even be able 126 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:10,320 to hear him, but they're at least watching him just throwing 127 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:13,520 himself onto the ground, shouting sobs. 128 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:18,000 And then and he's so the the internal trouble is so intense 129 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:20,880 that it causes him to sweat blood. 130 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:24,960 But it's an actual medical condition due to extreme stress, 131 00:08:25,400 --> 00:08:27,480 right? That's what's happening hours 132 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:30,080 before Jesus's arrest. He knows that that's coming. 133 00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:34,480 And so here we are a few days away and the intensity is thick. 134 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:39,760 The dread is weighing on him. And he says, now is my soul 135 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:44,320 troubled? And So what would the natural 136 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:49,640 human response? Be he says save me from this 137 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:51,800 hour. Makes sense. 138 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:55,680 Jesus is a human he took on human flesh and flesh and so 139 00:08:55,680 --> 00:08:58,960 it's it's natural for him to to pray that and say that as most 140 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:02,520 of us would have now the way that the ESV that's who 141 00:09:02,520 --> 00:09:06,360 translated the Bible that we read they they write it like 142 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:07,480 this. It's it's kind of like he's 143 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:10,840 posing this rhetorical question. What shall I say, Father, save 144 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:13,760 me from this hour? And, and that probably is the 145 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:16,000 most likely meaning. It could be though, that he's 146 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:19,480 actually asking this question and then his answer is this 147 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:22,440 prayer. Father save me from this hour. 148 00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:26,280 If we look forward to Jesus's when he's in the garden like I 149 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:28,040 was that moment that I was just describing. 150 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:31,840 It's there that he does pray that he says Father, if it's 151 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:34,360 possible, can you remove this cup from me? 152 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:39,240 Will you take away what has to happen now, but not my will, 153 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:42,360 your will be done. And so we see a similar thing 154 00:09:42,520 --> 00:09:47,840 here. Jesus says, But now my soul is 155 00:09:47,840 --> 00:09:49,840 troubled. What shall I say, Father, save 156 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:54,600 me from this hour. But for this purpose, I have 157 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:56,520 come to this hour. Jesus. 158 00:09:56,600 --> 00:09:58,400 This hour is the reason I'm here. 159 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:02,080 All of my life, all of my ministry has been leading up to 160 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:05,280 this point. It's for this purpose. 161 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:10,280 Jesus's clarity of purpose keeps him steadfast, and so he instead 162 00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:15,320 prays. Father, glorify your name. 163 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:19,880 Father, glorify your name. Notice the 2. 164 00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:22,080 The two things he he prays together. 165 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:25,960 Father, save me from this hour. Father, glorify your name. 166 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:33,600 Not my will, Father, but yours be done in in the face of the 167 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:37,760 cross, with his soul deeply troubled, Jesus seeks the 168 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:41,800 Father's glory. He seeks the Father's purpose 169 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:46,480 over his own desires, you could say, over his fleshly desires. 170 00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:49,400 That says, man, I just want to be relieved from this pressure. 171 00:10:49,520 --> 00:10:56,600 I want to take the easier path. Father actually responds 172 00:10:56,720 --> 00:11:00,520 immediately after Jesus prays this prayer and and he says 173 00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:03,760 Father glorify your name says there's this voice from heaven 174 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:06,320 and the voice thunderously roars. 175 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:10,080 I have glorified it and I will glorify it again. 176 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:13,920 It's the Father affirming Jesus steadfast purpose. 177 00:11:13,920 --> 00:11:18,920 Yes, Jesus, that is right. Yes son, I have glorified your 178 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:21,560 name. This is the the third instance 179 00:11:21,560 --> 00:11:26,600 we read recorded of Jesus. Hearing the Father's voice at 180 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:30,320 his baptism, at the Transfiguration, and now here. 181 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:32,280 And so he's probably talking about those other times that he 182 00:11:32,280 --> 00:11:35,040 confirmed it. He glorified him in other ways, 183 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:37,720 but he also says I will glorify it, right? 184 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:42,080 He's talking about the cross. Jesus going to the cross was 185 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:46,760 God's glorious plan. I know all of us want to hear 186 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:49,720 God's voice, right? We want God to speak, but he 187 00:11:49,720 --> 00:11:51,960 probably does and has. For most of us. 188 00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:55,360 We just weren't listening. Or we say silly things like was 189 00:11:55,360 --> 00:11:59,040 that Thunder or oh, it must have been an Angel speaking to him, 190 00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:02,640 right, that people misunderstand him or it's just unbelief. 191 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:05,960 They don't quite get what just happened. 192 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:09,600 And Jesus says, well, that was for your sake, not for mine. 193 00:12:10,320 --> 00:12:13,160 It's just a little puzzling. I'm guessing it was actually 194 00:12:13,160 --> 00:12:16,720 also for Jesus sake. But he is he is saying no, that 195 00:12:16,720 --> 00:12:21,000 voice is for you guys. That's maybe, maybe it's to 196 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:24,720 confirm that this hour that's going to come actually leads to 197 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:27,000 glory, right? It's not the end of the story. 198 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:32,400 And so Jesus is saying this now so that later disciples then and 199 00:12:32,400 --> 00:12:36,520 disciples like us can look back and say, oh, it's for his glory, 200 00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:40,520 that the purpose of this hour is ultimately for the Father's 201 00:12:40,840 --> 00:12:44,760 glory. This is Jesus's great purpose, 202 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:50,600 to glorify God, and for us we have a similar purpose. 203 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:55,200 We can look at that and say our purpose is to help bring glory 204 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:59,320 to God in all circumstances. I've got there's there's three 205 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:03,880 of these and ways we can see how Jesus lived out his purpose and 206 00:13:03,880 --> 00:13:05,920 how we can live it out. So if you just need to remember 207 00:13:05,920 --> 00:13:12,120 one word, it's this, It's glory. Our purpose is to glorify God in 208 00:13:12,120 --> 00:13:14,880 all of our circumstances. It's what we're here for and 209 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:18,280 it's not a begrudging thing. If it is a begrudging thing, you 210 00:13:18,280 --> 00:13:21,400 need to look inside and try to examine why am I trying to give 211 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:23,760 glory to God and that doesn't bring me great joy and 212 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:25,520 satisfaction? Because it does. 213 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:29,480 For the disciple of Jesus to honor and glorify God brings us 214 00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:36,440 great joy and satisfaction. Even. 215 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:40,200 Excuse me? Even when we don't understand 216 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:42,600 it. Even we're not exactly sure why 217 00:13:42,840 --> 00:13:44,880 every. Hour has a purpose, just like 218 00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:47,760 Jesus is saying this hour. Has a purpose. 219 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:51,760 I think we can ask the question in all situations. 220 00:13:52,040 --> 00:13:57,560 How can I seek God's glory now? How can I seek God's glory in 221 00:13:57,560 --> 00:14:02,160 this situation? Sometimes that question is 222 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:04,960 harder than others, right? And maybe you can point, we can 223 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:08,480 look at this situation that Jesus is in and say, oh, that 224 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:10,520 question can be hard, right? Why? 225 00:14:10,640 --> 00:14:13,440 Well, Jesus is about to go get murdered on a cross. 226 00:14:13,880 --> 00:14:17,120 And beyond the physical pain and torture, it's the spiritual, 227 00:14:17,200 --> 00:14:20,840 it's the mental, it's the emotional, it's the wrath of God 228 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:23,400 for the judgment of sin on Jesus. 229 00:14:23,760 --> 00:14:28,080 And his soul is deeply troubled. And yet the cross is. 230 00:14:28,360 --> 00:14:31,760 What will bring God and Jesus great glory? 231 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:34,320 And so we're going to have to keep going back to the cross. 232 00:14:34,520 --> 00:14:37,040 And so maybe for you right now there you're in some you, you, 233 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:40,680 some of you walked in today with soul trouble, right? 234 00:14:40,680 --> 00:14:42,680 Something's weighing on your heart. 235 00:14:44,680 --> 00:14:46,920 And you need to seek God's glory in it. 236 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:51,160 And yes, there's a tension here because we can say God save me 237 00:14:51,160 --> 00:14:54,400 from this hour. Lord, help me rescue me in this 238 00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:57,320 situation. But Lord, more than that, be 239 00:14:57,320 --> 00:15:00,360 glorified through me in this situation. 240 00:15:00,560 --> 00:15:02,360 And we look. At the cross and we say that's 241 00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:05,240 what happened there. If God can be glorified in the 242 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:09,360 crucifixion of the Son of God, he can in your situation too. 243 00:15:11,280 --> 00:15:13,760 So where, where, where is your, where is your soul troubled? 244 00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:17,600 And, and maybe you could think back to sometime in the past. 245 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:19,640 Maybe some of you are living that out right now. 246 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:24,360 Maybe there's some kind of music mental health issues. 247 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:27,920 I know that can be a kind of a buzzword in our day, but can 248 00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:35,400 also be legit depression and anxiety, overwhelmed by sadness 249 00:15:35,400 --> 00:15:38,480 or grief or loneliness or thoughts of suicide. 250 00:15:40,080 --> 00:15:43,320 Identity issues and people get confused very easily. 251 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:45,800 And so maybe some of you are struggling at that and there's 252 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:48,760 this great internal wrestling in your heart now. 253 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:51,480 Your soul is trouble. Maybe it's just physical health 254 00:15:51,480 --> 00:15:56,680 issues that happens. It's painful, it's hard to deal 255 00:15:56,680 --> 00:15:58,640 with God, what's your purpose in this? 256 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:04,400 Some of you have relational troubles and maybe it's the 257 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:05,680 person that you're sitting next to. 258 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:08,440 There's some tension, you show up and you put the smile on 259 00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:09,840 because you got to go to church together. 260 00:16:11,120 --> 00:16:14,080 But there's relational troubles and it's it's painful when you 261 00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:16,760 go through that. Could be with a spouse. 262 00:16:16,760 --> 00:16:18,760 Maybe it's just a. Friend or a family member, 263 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:22,360 right? Oh God, what's the purpose in 264 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:25,920 this hour? Some of you are working a dead 265 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:29,120 end job and you are just about done with it. 266 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:30,920 Maybe you don't even have a job at all. 267 00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:34,120 Right. And it's causing anxiety, it's 268 00:16:34,120 --> 00:16:36,840 causing trouble. Some of it's just the state of 269 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:39,720 the world, right? The world is going to hell, we 270 00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:40,840 would say. And I would say actually think 271 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:42,480 the world's always been like this. 272 00:16:42,760 --> 00:16:45,640 The problem is we know about everyone's problems all the 273 00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:48,720 time, all over the place. And so it's just amplified. 274 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:55,120 So what do you do? Well, our purpose is to. 275 00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:59,040 Bring God in all circumstances. And so I think we pray. 276 00:16:59,160 --> 00:17:05,040 Save me and glorify thee, right? God, save me from this hour. 277 00:17:05,319 --> 00:17:09,480 Help me, Lord, I need you and God be glorified in this. 278 00:17:09,480 --> 00:17:13,839 Come what may be glorified in this, Let me be a light. 279 00:17:13,839 --> 00:17:16,040 We're going to be talking about light later in this teaching. 280 00:17:16,319 --> 00:17:19,560 Help me, Lord God, use this right. 281 00:17:19,560 --> 00:17:22,760 Fill in the blank for your glory and for my good. 282 00:17:23,680 --> 00:17:27,520 This is why Romans 828 is one of the most memorized, memorized or 283 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:31,240 well known verses, right? For those who love God, all 284 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:34,120 things work together for their good. 285 00:17:35,640 --> 00:17:38,360 If you trust in Jesus, you can trust in that promise. 286 00:17:39,120 --> 00:17:43,800 And so when the trouble comes, you say, all right, Lord, help 287 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:46,680 me live this out with purpose for your glory. 288 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:52,720 For this purpose, Jesus came to glorify God, not to be rescued 289 00:17:52,720 --> 00:17:55,840 from the cross, but to glorify him through it. 290 00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:02,000 We also see part of his purpose in the cross is to bring 291 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:05,880 judgment and to judge the ruler of this world. 292 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:09,720 Let's look at verse 31. I'll reread 31 for us. 293 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:19,280 Jesus says now. Is the judgment of this world 294 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:23,040 now? Will the ruler of this world be 295 00:18:23,040 --> 00:18:27,080 cast out? So couple of purposes here we 296 00:18:27,080 --> 00:18:31,560 see in Jesus as he's teasing them out to judge the world. 297 00:18:31,640 --> 00:18:35,640 And to cast out Satan. So the first Jesus's purpose is 298 00:18:35,640 --> 00:18:39,600 the judgment of the world, or you can think the sentencing of 299 00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:42,560 people for sin. So picture yourself in in a 300 00:18:42,560 --> 00:18:44,520 trial, right? I don't know if you've ever had 301 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:47,120 jury duty or maybe you've been on trial for something. 302 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:51,640 OK, you're in the courtroom setting in this situation, Whose 303 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:54,920 trial would it be? The world, right? 304 00:18:54,920 --> 00:18:57,800 And he's not talking about the globe and the dirt that we live 305 00:18:57,800 --> 00:18:59,000 on. He's talking about people. 306 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:02,160 The people in the world are on trial. 307 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:05,200 Jesus has come for the judgment of the world. 308 00:19:05,360 --> 00:19:07,600 We are on trial. What's the charge? 309 00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:13,440 Rejecting God, right? And we've got lots of sins, all 310 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:16,000 different kinds of sins in different kind of ways. 311 00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:19,560 But the charge ultimately is we have rejected God. 312 00:19:19,560 --> 00:19:23,040 It's insurrection. It is rebellion against him. 313 00:19:23,040 --> 00:19:27,200 It is saying ultimately, no God, actually, I want my own way. 314 00:19:27,320 --> 00:19:29,880 I'll take most of what you've got, but no God actually in 315 00:19:29,880 --> 00:19:33,040 this, it's mine, right? We have all rejected God. 316 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:36,160 None are righteous, all have fallen short. 317 00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:42,760 The charge is rejection. Of God and the judgment guilty 318 00:19:43,640 --> 00:19:47,320 on all accounts. And this is nothing like our 319 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:51,360 justice system, which is imperfect and flawed and I don't 320 00:19:51,560 --> 00:19:54,720 trust very much anymore. Because there's corruption all 321 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:57,520 over the place, and it gets weaponized and used. 322 00:19:57,760 --> 00:20:00,560 So don't think the American justice system, which is better 323 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:03,280 than a lot of other countries, but still has many great flaws. 324 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:07,080 Think of the perfect righteous judge. 325 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:08,600 And here's the problem about this judge. 326 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:11,480 I say problem because we're the guilty ones. 327 00:20:11,800 --> 00:20:15,320 Not only is he perfect and righteous and innocent and holy 328 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:17,800 and set apart, but he also knows all things. 329 00:20:17,920 --> 00:20:20,080 So it's not like we can get away with anything. 330 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:25,000 And we know we are guilty, even if we want to pretend like we 331 00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:28,440 are not. The judgment is that we are 332 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:30,720 guilty, and the sentencing is death. 333 00:20:31,320 --> 00:20:35,440 Romans 323 says the wages of sin is death, right? 334 00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:39,800 The cost of sin is death. That is the trial. 335 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:43,160 And Jesus says This is why I have come my purposes for the 336 00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:45,400 judgment of the world. And what we're going to see on 337 00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:48,640 the cross is the greatest reversal of all time, the most 338 00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:52,120 unbelievable. Thing happened in that trial. 339 00:20:52,120 --> 00:20:57,120 Ever the perfect innocent one, Jesus said, I will step in their 340 00:20:57,120 --> 00:20:59,640 place. I will stand in their place. 341 00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:03,800 I will receive all of their sin, all of their judgment, all of 342 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:07,360 their guilt, all of their punishment, all of the righteous 343 00:21:07,560 --> 00:21:14,800 wrath of God against sin on Jesus in a way that satisfies 344 00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:19,640 God's righteousness, and pouring out wrath on sin. 345 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:25,480 And yet allows us to receive forgiveness. 346 00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:32,120 All will be judged Who? Is being judged for you, you or 347 00:21:32,120 --> 00:21:35,320 Jesus? Who is being judged in your 348 00:21:35,320 --> 00:21:37,240 place? Or is it you? 349 00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:42,120 There There are no other ways. If it is not Jesus, then you 350 00:21:42,120 --> 00:21:45,480 will be judged for your sins and you do not want to face that 351 00:21:45,480 --> 00:21:50,000 sentencing. Jesus is going to stand in our 352 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:50,800 place. He is the. 353 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:54,000 Judgement of the world, He's going to take that on himself 354 00:21:54,480 --> 00:22:01,080 for us. He also says in verse 31, now is 355 00:22:01,080 --> 00:22:03,920 the time that the ruler of the world will be cast out. 356 00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:06,960 So here's another purpose that Jesus gives to cast out the 357 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:09,280 ruler. Who is the ruler of this world? 358 00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:13,680 Satan, I'm checking to see if you guys are there. 359 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:16,320 Seem a little quiet this morning, Satan. 360 00:22:16,920 --> 00:22:21,560 Alright, God's adversary, the enemy is going to be cast out or 361 00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:26,160 kicked out or crushed, defeated, stripped of his power and his 362 00:22:26,160 --> 00:22:28,280 influence. Alright, finally the the kind of 363 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:31,880 fulfillment that we saw way back at the beginning and the first 364 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:33,960 sin, right? And then God prophesied and he 365 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:38,200 said, I will raise up one who will crush the head of the 366 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:40,600 serpent. The serpent will bruise his 367 00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:43,240 heel. We see that on the cross, Jesus 368 00:22:43,240 --> 00:22:46,200 is death, but Jesus will crush his head. 369 00:22:46,360 --> 00:22:50,120 The death blow. Now, some of us would say it 370 00:22:50,120 --> 00:22:52,600 doesn't really seem like Satan's run out of influence. 371 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:55,480 In fact, seems like he's influencing all the influencers. 372 00:22:57,600 --> 00:23:00,640 Makes me think about this movie that I just watched recently 373 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:03,120 called Warrior. It's about these, it's, it's a 374 00:23:03,120 --> 00:23:05,080 fictional movie. It's about these MMA guys. 375 00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:06,560 They fight. And then at the end of the 376 00:23:06,560 --> 00:23:08,200 movie, it's these guys and they're brothers and they're 377 00:23:08,200 --> 00:23:11,400 fighting each other. And one of the brothers gets his 378 00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:14,280 shoulder basically torn. Like, I don't know, everything 379 00:23:14,280 --> 00:23:16,640 gets shredded in there to the point where like tons of pain. 380 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:17,640 You can't move your shoulder, right? 381 00:23:18,440 --> 00:23:21,200 It's over, right? He's he just, and his brother 382 00:23:21,200 --> 00:23:23,080 tries to get him to concede defeat, but he won't. 383 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:25,040 What does he do? He keeps swinging with his other 384 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:27,080 arm. He's trying to inflict the blow. 385 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:29,960 He knows he's been defeated. It's over, but he just keeps 386 00:23:29,960 --> 00:23:31,040 fighting. That's what it's like. 387 00:23:31,360 --> 00:23:34,200 Satan has been defeated. He knows he will not win. 388 00:23:34,320 --> 00:23:36,240 And yet he is not going down easily. 389 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:38,920 He wants to take out as many people and make our life as 390 00:23:38,920 --> 00:23:43,160 frustrating as we can as he can. But think about this. 391 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:45,720 Our future is certain. If you're a disciple of Jesus, 392 00:23:45,720 --> 00:23:48,800 your future is certain, right? But is it there yet? 393 00:23:49,360 --> 00:23:51,880 No, we hope. We hope for the resurrection 394 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:53,240 life. And just in the same way that we 395 00:23:53,240 --> 00:23:56,640 hope for the resurrection life, we also know Satan will be 396 00:23:56,640 --> 00:23:58,120 defeated one day, but we have to wait. 397 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:00,920 So we're in this waiting period right now. 398 00:24:01,360 --> 00:24:04,960 He will be defeated, though. Here's some homework. 399 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:08,360 Go read Revelation 20 if you want to read about and just. 400 00:24:09,960 --> 00:24:12,920 Celebrate in the death of Satan and the devils. 401 00:24:12,920 --> 00:24:15,800 They get thrown into the lake of fire, tormented day and night. 402 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:17,680 So if you just need some encouragement because you feel 403 00:24:17,680 --> 00:24:20,680 Daniel say take that Satan, this is your final end. 404 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:25,280 Jesus has ultimate power. Jesus's purpose was to judge the 405 00:24:25,280 --> 00:24:35,640 world and to cast out Satan. Our purpose, our purpose I would 406 00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:44,160 put as this freedom, freedom. Our purpose is to live freely. 407 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:48,640 We are free from judgment because of Jesus. 408 00:24:48,880 --> 00:24:51,960 We are free. From enslavement to the devil, 409 00:24:53,160 --> 00:24:55,280 Listen to what the author of Hebrews says. 410 00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:58,840 These verses will be on the screen about this, this kind of 411 00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:04,320 freedom that we have in Jesus. Again, this is all all of you 412 00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:06,840 who have chosen Jesus to stand in your place. 413 00:25:06,840 --> 00:25:09,360 If you have not chosen Jesus to stay in your place, then this 414 00:25:09,360 --> 00:25:12,440 still applies to you. Here's what he says, verse 14. 415 00:25:12,440 --> 00:25:16,120 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, He 416 00:25:16,120 --> 00:25:18,920 himself likewise partook of the same things. 417 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:20,200 Pause right there. Little. 418 00:25:20,480 --> 00:25:24,240 Confusing language. Basically Jesus became a man. 419 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:27,280 Jesus took on flesh. Jesus. 420 00:25:27,520 --> 00:25:29,440 When you cut him, he would bleed. 421 00:25:29,920 --> 00:25:31,880 Jesus had emotions. Jesus was a human. 422 00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:33,520 And So what? The author what Hebrews is 423 00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:36,920 getting at is because we are human flesh and what Jesus had 424 00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:39,800 to become like us for it to actually be a right sacrifice. 425 00:25:40,760 --> 00:25:42,280 OK, pick it up halfway through that verse. 426 00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:47,400 That through death he might destroy the one who has the 427 00:25:47,400 --> 00:25:51,280 power of death, that is the devil, and deliver all those who 428 00:25:51,280 --> 00:25:55,400 through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 429 00:25:57,560 --> 00:26:00,520 Before Jesus, we were. All. 430 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:04,720 Subject to lifelong slavery through the fear of death. 431 00:26:05,560 --> 00:26:08,280 Right. Satan had the power of death and 432 00:26:08,280 --> 00:26:12,720 he would wield that over us and it would cause us to sin and 433 00:26:12,720 --> 00:26:16,840 drive to go crazy and to be under fear and to be enslaved to 434 00:26:16,840 --> 00:26:19,960 him. But Jesus came and he died to 435 00:26:19,960 --> 00:26:25,120 destroy the works of the devil. We are now delivered. 436 00:26:25,760 --> 00:26:30,320 But if you trust in Jesus, you are free from fear and slavery 437 00:26:30,400 --> 00:26:32,240 and the devil. This is part of Jesus's purpose, 438 00:26:32,240 --> 00:26:34,560 to rescue the world. Have you been rescued? 439 00:26:35,120 --> 00:26:37,840 If you have not been repentant, believe in Jesus. 440 00:26:38,040 --> 00:26:41,520 Turn to him today. Tell him you love him. 441 00:26:41,800 --> 00:26:44,760 Tell him you're sorry. Say Jesus, I need you. 442 00:26:44,760 --> 00:26:48,520 I don't want to suffer that way. I want the hope that you have. 443 00:26:49,120 --> 00:26:51,040 I want this freedom that you're talking about. 444 00:26:52,400 --> 00:26:54,080 No one can do this for you. You have. 445 00:26:54,080 --> 00:26:57,160 To come to Jesus. Yourself and you can do that in 446 00:26:57,160 --> 00:26:59,920 many number of ways. You can pray to him right now. 447 00:27:00,320 --> 00:27:02,840 You can if you have questions about that, if you're if you 448 00:27:02,840 --> 00:27:04,720 want to follow, just come talk to me afterwards. 449 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:07,480 Talk to one of our pastors, talk to another leader, talk to the 450 00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:08,760 person sitting next to you. I don't care. 451 00:27:08,760 --> 00:27:11,720 Talk to somebody if Jesus is drawing you in, if you want to 452 00:27:11,720 --> 00:27:14,640 learn more and to know more about him and what it means to 453 00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:16,920 be saved. So these promises are for you. 454 00:27:18,520 --> 00:27:21,160 Then don't let today go by without talking to somebody. 455 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:26,600 Our purpose is freedom. I love how simply is put in 456 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:31,400 Galatians 51 for freedom. Christ has set us free. 457 00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:37,640 We are set free to be free. This is part of our purpose for 458 00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:39,680 freedom. Christ has set us free. 459 00:27:40,080 --> 00:27:43,160 And then then Paul writes stand firm therefore, and do not 460 00:27:43,160 --> 00:27:45,000 submit again to a yoke of slavery. 461 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:51,280 Don't go back to your old slave master, the devil and sin. 462 00:27:52,400 --> 00:28:00,920 If you're a Christian, you have been set free from sin or this 463 00:28:00,920 --> 00:28:02,640 quote this week that I want to read for you. 464 00:28:02,680 --> 00:28:08,080 It feels hopeful in this point. The quote says this salvation is 465 00:28:08,080 --> 00:28:13,120 not the reward for obedience. Salvation is the reason for 466 00:28:13,120 --> 00:28:15,720 obedience. Let me read that again. 467 00:28:16,280 --> 00:28:23,560 Salvation or being saved is not the reward for obedience. 468 00:28:23,760 --> 00:28:27,600 So it's not that we obey Jesus and then our reward is we get 469 00:28:27,600 --> 00:28:32,240 this life. No, salvation is the reason for 470 00:28:32,240 --> 00:28:34,280 obedience. You've been saved. 471 00:28:34,920 --> 00:28:37,760 Obey Jesus. It is your great joy and 472 00:28:37,760 --> 00:28:42,440 pleasure to follow him, to love him, and to obey Him. 473 00:28:48,840 --> 00:28:52,120 This this verse came to my mind earlier and and just came back 474 00:28:52,120 --> 00:28:56,080 today so I want to read it now. Romans 611 says so. 475 00:28:56,080 --> 00:29:00,880 You also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive 476 00:29:00,880 --> 00:29:06,520 to God in Jesus Christ. For this purpose, for Jesus's 477 00:29:06,520 --> 00:29:10,160 purpose of judging the world and casting out Satan, we are now 478 00:29:10,160 --> 00:29:15,960 free. Paul writes you must consider 479 00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:22,800 yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ. 480 00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:25,760 We're free. We live for him. 481 00:29:26,560 --> 00:29:27,840 It doesn't always feel like that. 482 00:29:28,240 --> 00:29:30,880 Sometimes we feel oppression from the evil one. 483 00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:33,920 Sometimes we feel our old sinful nature creep back in. 484 00:29:34,520 --> 00:29:38,280 But what does Paul tell us here? Consider what's actually true of 485 00:29:38,280 --> 00:29:40,280 you. Are you dead to sin? 486 00:29:40,280 --> 00:29:43,000 Has Jesus made you alive? That you are free? 487 00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:46,040 Walk in your freedom. This is the purpose that we have 488 00:29:46,040 --> 00:29:51,600 been made for. For this purpose, Jesus came to 489 00:29:51,600 --> 00:29:53,880 the world to judge and to cast out. 490 00:29:54,320 --> 00:29:58,320 And the last one we're going to read about is to draw all people 491 00:29:58,320 --> 00:30:02,560 to himself. Jesus's purpose is to draw all 492 00:30:02,560 --> 00:30:06,480 people to himself. Let's look back at verses 32 and 493 00:30:06,480 --> 00:30:17,840 33. Jesus says I, when I'm lifted up 494 00:30:17,840 --> 00:30:21,800 from the earth, will draw all people to myself. 495 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:26,880 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to 496 00:30:26,880 --> 00:30:30,200 die. So Jesus is going to be lifted 497 00:30:30,200 --> 00:30:35,200 up and it's a little cloudy. Exactly what this means. 498 00:30:35,200 --> 00:30:37,760 It's actually not that cloudy, but it's he's he's, he's being a 499 00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:41,720 little mysterious. But then John clarifies he's 500 00:30:41,720 --> 00:30:43,240 showing what kind of death he's going to die. 501 00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:46,080 All right. So when he says lifted up, he's 502 00:30:46,080 --> 00:30:49,880 mainly meeting lifted up on the cross to be crucified. 503 00:30:50,280 --> 00:30:53,040 But he's also drawing their minds back to other things. 504 00:30:54,920 --> 00:30:59,240 Isaiah 52, for example, Isaiah 52 and 53, one of the most 505 00:30:59,520 --> 00:31:03,200 amazing, incredible, beautiful prophecies about what would 506 00:31:03,200 --> 00:31:07,120 happen to Jesus starts off with this servant is going to be 507 00:31:07,120 --> 00:31:10,160 lifted up. If we look back to John chapter 508 00:31:10,160 --> 00:31:13,880 3, Jesus talks about it there. He says like Moses in the 509 00:31:13,880 --> 00:31:17,480 wilderness lifted up this snake and they had to look to the 510 00:31:17,480 --> 00:31:20,640 snake to be saved. At this longer story, go read 511 00:31:20,640 --> 00:31:22,800 about it in Numbers. Jesus says I'm going to be 512 00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:25,320 lifted up and you got to look to me to be saved. 513 00:31:25,320 --> 00:31:28,160 So that's what he's talking about, lifted up in death. 514 00:31:30,720 --> 00:31:33,120 But I also think there's a double meaning here, right? 515 00:31:33,120 --> 00:31:35,840 It's not just lifted up in death, it's lifted up in life 516 00:31:36,120 --> 00:31:39,080 because He will be lifted up on the cross, look to him and be 517 00:31:39,080 --> 00:31:42,040 saved, but he also will be lifted up again from death. 518 00:31:42,040 --> 00:31:44,760 It's called the resurrection. He came back to life and he 519 00:31:44,760 --> 00:31:49,960 ascended into heaven. Jesus is going to be lifted up 520 00:31:50,000 --> 00:31:55,760 and that glory on the cross and in his resurrection is going to, 521 00:31:55,760 --> 00:31:58,960 he says, draw all people to himself, right? 522 00:31:58,960 --> 00:32:01,640 Like a light drawing people in to safety. 523 00:32:01,840 --> 00:32:06,200 When he uses, when he says all, he doesn't mean all people will 524 00:32:06,200 --> 00:32:08,440 be saved. He means all kinds of people. 525 00:32:08,760 --> 00:32:10,520 Or if you remember back to last week, we mentioned at the 526 00:32:10,520 --> 00:32:12,800 beginning of the text, the Greeks are seeking Jesus and 527 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:14,880 it's something triggers him. Oh, it's the time. 528 00:32:14,880 --> 00:32:18,080 The hour has come, right? He's talking about all people 529 00:32:18,200 --> 00:32:22,800 will be able to be drawn to him. Jesus draws all people. 530 00:32:22,960 --> 00:32:26,840 None are excluded from the offer to believe, right? 531 00:32:26,840 --> 00:32:30,680 Citizenship is being talked about a lot. 532 00:32:30,680 --> 00:32:32,960 Immigration status in our country, right? 533 00:32:32,960 --> 00:32:34,440 There's a lot of opinions about that. 534 00:32:34,840 --> 00:32:38,800 But Jesus says you can come be a citizen in my Kingdom and 535 00:32:38,800 --> 00:32:42,480 everyone is welcome. He says you're not, you're not 536 00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:45,520 at home here, but you can come to my country and you have a 537 00:32:45,520 --> 00:32:48,880 place. Our Jesus offer is for any and 538 00:32:48,880 --> 00:32:52,920 everyone who come to him. I love that I'm preaching this 539 00:32:52,920 --> 00:32:55,400 text. And tonight we are celebrating 540 00:32:55,600 --> 00:32:59,200 an incredible diversity in God's Kingdom, right? 541 00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:02,120 What brings us together? I mean, tonight we all love 542 00:33:02,120 --> 00:33:04,160 food. We all love free food. 543 00:33:04,280 --> 00:33:06,320 So we're going to come and we're going to feast together and it's 544 00:33:06,320 --> 00:33:09,520 going to be wonderful. But what brings all these people 545 00:33:09,520 --> 00:33:11,440 here? The love of Jesus. 546 00:33:11,520 --> 00:33:14,680 We have been united to Jesus and there are many great differences 547 00:33:14,680 --> 00:33:17,720 among us, and yet we are unified in him. 548 00:33:18,080 --> 00:33:22,520 It's a wonderful picture of just how diverse God's Kingdom is and 549 00:33:22,520 --> 00:33:24,800 is going to be. He's going to be lifted up and 550 00:33:24,800 --> 00:33:27,120 he's going to draw all people to himself. 551 00:33:28,400 --> 00:33:34,000 And the crowd says, wait a minute, what do you mean? 552 00:33:36,440 --> 00:33:39,800 They say, how can you say that the Son of man must be lifted 553 00:33:39,800 --> 00:33:41,880 up? We read in the law, the Christ 554 00:33:41,880 --> 00:33:43,920 remains forever. Who is the Son of man? 555 00:33:45,640 --> 00:33:50,960 They are still unbelieving. They understand what Jesus is 556 00:33:50,960 --> 00:33:53,840 saying. He's saying, I am going to die. 557 00:33:54,320 --> 00:33:56,200 And he had also said, I'm the son of man. 558 00:33:56,200 --> 00:33:58,640 And they say, well, this doesn't seem to add up, you know, hey, 559 00:33:58,640 --> 00:34:00,680 let's get into a nice theological debate here. 560 00:34:01,760 --> 00:34:07,440 And Jesus says, Nope, I'm going to sidestep that one because 561 00:34:07,440 --> 00:34:11,239 you've got enough information. He has been with them so long, 562 00:34:11,520 --> 00:34:13,920 He's been so patient, He's been so gentle. 563 00:34:13,920 --> 00:34:18,760 He's been so clear to them. And they just don't believe 564 00:34:19,400 --> 00:34:23,120 their eyes are blinded. They love the darkness. 565 00:34:23,320 --> 00:34:27,760 They stay in the darkness. And so Jesus, what did he say 566 00:34:27,760 --> 00:34:30,760 next? Well, you guys just don't get 567 00:34:30,760 --> 00:34:31,760 it. You're all going to hell. 568 00:34:33,520 --> 00:34:35,800 No, he continues to plead with them. 569 00:34:35,800 --> 00:34:38,679 And what they They don't need Jesus to give them the 570 00:34:38,679 --> 00:34:41,520 explanation. They need to believe in the 571 00:34:41,520 --> 00:34:43,080 light. And so here's what Jesus says. 572 00:34:43,719 --> 00:34:45,239 The light. Is among you. 573 00:34:45,480 --> 00:34:51,440 For a little while longer, walk while you have the light, lest 574 00:34:51,440 --> 00:34:54,239 the darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the 575 00:34:54,239 --> 00:34:56,199 darkness does not know where he's going. 576 00:34:56,440 --> 00:35:00,600 While you have the light, believe in the light that you 577 00:35:00,600 --> 00:35:06,560 may become sons of light. And so they ask some legitimate 578 00:35:06,560 --> 00:35:08,560 questions, right? They're confused and they ask 579 00:35:08,560 --> 00:35:10,120 questions. I'm not saying you have 580 00:35:10,120 --> 00:35:12,360 questions. You just need to believe you 581 00:35:12,440 --> 00:35:14,880 probably you do just need to believe Jesus will try to answer 582 00:35:14,880 --> 00:35:16,840 your questions. We will try to answer any 583 00:35:16,840 --> 00:35:25,280 questions you have, but we need. Belief they have enough data. 584 00:35:26,160 --> 00:35:28,960 They are not making the right choice if you were here last 585 00:35:28,960 --> 00:35:31,640 week. We talked about this. 586 00:35:31,840 --> 00:35:35,840 Everyone lives and everyone dies, but the order is up to 587 00:35:35,840 --> 00:35:38,200 you. You live in this life. 588 00:35:38,560 --> 00:35:42,800 Die for eternity or die to yourself now so that you can 589 00:35:42,800 --> 00:35:46,000 live for eternity. They are choosing the wrong way. 590 00:35:46,080 --> 00:35:51,640 What about you? Believe in the light Jesus says. 591 00:35:51,640 --> 00:35:56,480 Come to the light He's drawing you in, put your trust in him, 592 00:35:57,360 --> 00:36:02,240 Die to yourself and live in forever with Jesus. 593 00:36:04,280 --> 00:36:09,400 For most of you, for many of you, this is our purpose now is 594 00:36:09,920 --> 00:36:13,960 to be this light, right? So as Jesus is the light that 595 00:36:13,960 --> 00:36:17,600 draws all people to himself, we are now the light. 596 00:36:17,800 --> 00:36:20,480 That draws all people to Jesus, right? 597 00:36:20,480 --> 00:36:23,720 This is part of our purpose. So part of our purpose is to 598 00:36:23,720 --> 00:36:25,320 glorify God. It's to live. 599 00:36:25,320 --> 00:36:27,680 In Freedom and It's to be a Light. 600 00:36:27,880 --> 00:36:32,400 Let me read for you from Matthew 5, 14 to 16. 601 00:36:32,400 --> 00:36:35,280 These will be up on the screen. You might have heard Jesus teach 602 00:36:35,280 --> 00:36:37,000 this before. Here's what he says. 603 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:39,600 First part, you are the light of the world. 604 00:36:39,720 --> 00:36:43,080 Now pause there. Jesus says in John chapter 8, I 605 00:36:43,080 --> 00:36:44,360 am the light of the world, right? 606 00:36:44,360 --> 00:36:46,280 And he's talking here about being the light of the world. 607 00:36:46,520 --> 00:36:48,560 Now in John Chapter 9, he says it again. 608 00:36:48,560 --> 00:36:52,320 He says as long as I am in the world, I am the light of the 609 00:36:52,320 --> 00:36:54,880 world. So isn't this amazing? 610 00:36:54,960 --> 00:36:59,960 Jesus is the light of the world. Not only did he make the light, 611 00:37:00,520 --> 00:37:03,000 he made the sun and the moon and the stars. 612 00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:06,320 Jesus is the light, drawing all people to himself, but he's not 613 00:37:06,320 --> 00:37:09,160 here anymore. And so he says, you are the 614 00:37:09,160 --> 00:37:12,480 light, you are my representatives. 615 00:37:12,880 --> 00:37:17,480 I'm gone, but you're here. Shine brightly for me. 616 00:37:18,520 --> 00:37:20,440 You are the light of the world. Verse 14. 617 00:37:20,800 --> 00:37:23,320 A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 618 00:37:24,640 --> 00:37:27,360 But if you. If you were to see a city from 619 00:37:27,360 --> 00:37:30,080 afar and is up on the hill as a strategic location, that's where 620 00:37:30,080 --> 00:37:32,160 you want the city. You don't try to hide the city. 621 00:37:32,280 --> 00:37:35,240 You say this is our city, this is a stronghold, this is a place 622 00:37:35,240 --> 00:37:36,960 of refuge. This is a place of safety, 623 00:37:37,240 --> 00:37:38,040 right? A city on the hill. 624 00:37:38,040 --> 00:37:40,840 You don't try to hide that. It's the light that draws people 625 00:37:40,840 --> 00:37:43,800 in. Verse 15. 626 00:37:43,960 --> 00:37:48,720 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a 627 00:37:48,720 --> 00:37:51,400 stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 628 00:37:52,240 --> 00:37:53,640 How you guys want me to sing, don't you? 629 00:37:54,760 --> 00:37:58,200 This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine. 630 00:37:59,080 --> 00:38:00,800 Right. Little kids song to help us 631 00:38:00,800 --> 00:38:02,360 remember. Don't put a basket under the 632 00:38:02,360 --> 00:38:04,080 light. What kind of fool does that 633 00:38:04,600 --> 00:38:05,720 light the lamp? But we don't. 634 00:38:05,760 --> 00:38:07,320 We don't light a ton of lamps in here. 635 00:38:07,360 --> 00:38:09,320 Who turns the lights on and then covers them up? 636 00:38:09,880 --> 00:38:12,000 This doesn't make any sense, she says. 637 00:38:12,000 --> 00:38:13,640 You are the light. Don't put a. 638 00:38:13,640 --> 00:38:16,040 Basket it's for the lighting up of the house. 639 00:38:16,280 --> 00:38:18,720 In the same way, verse 16 in the same way. 640 00:38:18,920 --> 00:38:22,800 Let your light shine before others so that they may see your 641 00:38:22,800 --> 00:38:27,760 good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. 642 00:38:31,880 --> 00:38:36,280 And Jesus just got done telling the people, believe in the light 643 00:38:36,400 --> 00:38:39,440 that you may become sons of light. 644 00:38:40,000 --> 00:38:43,000 Well, sons of light are light. If you're a son or a daughter 645 00:38:43,520 --> 00:38:45,560 who follows Jesus, you are the light. 646 00:38:45,720 --> 00:38:49,240 And Jesus says, let your light shine before others, so that 647 00:38:49,240 --> 00:38:52,760 they may see your good works and give. 648 00:38:52,760 --> 00:38:54,720 Glory to your Father, who's in heaven. 649 00:38:54,720 --> 00:38:56,520 That sounds like the first thing we talked about, isn't it? 650 00:38:57,480 --> 00:39:00,280 And the good works here can be lots of things, but it's 651 00:39:00,280 --> 00:39:04,120 essentially you representing Jesus well-being kind to the 652 00:39:04,120 --> 00:39:07,280 poor or loving the people around you. 653 00:39:07,840 --> 00:39:10,480 Serving somebody who doesn't deserve to be served, but you're 654 00:39:10,480 --> 00:39:15,600 just trying to love them. Caring, loving, serving good 655 00:39:15,600 --> 00:39:17,600 deeds. Christians, we ought to be full 656 00:39:17,600 --> 00:39:19,360 of good deeds. There ought to be no question 657 00:39:19,360 --> 00:39:21,320 about that. They might question other things 658 00:39:21,320 --> 00:39:23,320 about what we believe, but. We ought to be full of good 659 00:39:23,320 --> 00:39:27,120 works, letting our light shine so that people can see that and 660 00:39:27,120 --> 00:39:30,800 the ultimate they will turn to Jesus and glorify God and become 661 00:39:30,800 --> 00:39:35,480 sons and daughters of light. So our purpose is to be the 662 00:39:35,480 --> 00:39:37,200 light. Let me ask a couple of 663 00:39:37,200 --> 00:39:39,240 questions. First, is your light under a 664 00:39:39,240 --> 00:39:42,200 basket? How many of you got your basket 665 00:39:42,200 --> 00:39:45,320 cover and your light? Your purpose is to let it shine. 666 00:39:45,320 --> 00:39:48,200 All right. For some, we put the basket over 667 00:39:48,200 --> 00:39:51,960 because we are image conscious. We are so self-conscious. 668 00:39:51,960 --> 00:39:55,400 What are people going to think? They I, I care so much about how 669 00:39:55,400 --> 00:39:57,800 they're going to view me. I don't want to be one of those. 670 00:39:57,800 --> 00:40:00,720 Weird guys, Those weird. Christians, I just let me be a 671 00:40:00,720 --> 00:40:03,400 kind of cool normal, all right? We care so much. 672 00:40:03,400 --> 00:40:06,320 Some of you are students right now, Middle school, high school, 673 00:40:06,320 --> 00:40:10,320 some of the most difficult years of trying to not just be there 674 00:40:10,320 --> 00:40:14,120 and fit in. Right, and actually realize, oh, 675 00:40:14,120 --> 00:40:16,360 you're going to look different, you're going to stand out like a 676 00:40:16,360 --> 00:40:20,320 sore thumb, and yet you are called to be a light in a dark 677 00:40:20,320 --> 00:40:22,280 place. You are called to be different. 678 00:40:22,440 --> 00:40:24,280 You're called to represent Jesus. 679 00:40:25,200 --> 00:40:26,600 Who cares what they think about you? 680 00:40:27,040 --> 00:40:31,880 The opinions of most teenagers change by the hour. 681 00:40:34,560 --> 00:40:39,080 Let your light shine. For those of you, life is full, 682 00:40:39,760 --> 00:40:40,880 all right? Maybe you're married, maybe 683 00:40:40,880 --> 00:40:43,080 you've got kids. You just, you know, of the 684 00:40:43,080 --> 00:40:45,640 fullness of life. And you got the dog and the cat 685 00:40:45,640 --> 00:40:48,200 and the house and the yard and life is just busy. 686 00:40:48,200 --> 00:40:52,240 And then it's sports practice and music lessons and birthday 687 00:40:52,240 --> 00:40:54,920 parties and yadda, yadda yadda. And life is just full. 688 00:40:54,920 --> 00:40:58,480 And so your basket is covering your light. 689 00:40:58,760 --> 00:41:02,760 It's kind of like this garage door up, car pulls in, garage 690 00:41:02,760 --> 00:41:06,440 door down as some of you, you have a basket over your light 691 00:41:06,560 --> 00:41:09,000 because there's no unbelievers around you. 692 00:41:09,320 --> 00:41:10,800 They don't have any room into your life. 693 00:41:10,800 --> 00:41:13,040 They can't see the light because you just have covered it up 694 00:41:13,240 --> 00:41:16,640 because your life is so full and your only sphere is Christians. 695 00:41:17,360 --> 00:41:20,240 And you should absolutely prioritize being with the church 696 00:41:20,240 --> 00:41:22,480 every Sunday morning. And you should absolutely 697 00:41:22,480 --> 00:41:25,160 prioritize being in a small group and having a community of 698 00:41:25,160 --> 00:41:29,880 people around you. And where is there a place for 699 00:41:29,880 --> 00:41:34,080 you to shine brightly if your life is so full and you're so 700 00:41:34,080 --> 00:41:37,000 busy and you and you live kind of like our culture as we come 701 00:41:37,000 --> 00:41:38,560 over. So we kind of isolate ourselves 702 00:41:38,560 --> 00:41:41,600 and our home. You got a basket over you. 703 00:41:41,600 --> 00:41:46,280 Some of you are going to go into work tomorrow. 704 00:41:46,800 --> 00:41:48,120 Then we have a water cooler at work. 705 00:41:48,120 --> 00:41:50,440 Does that still exist? Yeah, it used to. 706 00:41:50,440 --> 00:41:51,720 Be a thing standing around the water. 707 00:41:51,720 --> 00:41:53,000 Cool. Taking your break at work, 708 00:41:53,080 --> 00:41:54,680 drinking your water and chatting with people. 709 00:41:54,680 --> 00:41:55,960 Right? So I don't know if you actually 710 00:41:55,960 --> 00:41:57,920 have a water cooler at work. But I'm sure you're going to 711 00:41:57,920 --> 00:41:59,120 talk with your Co workers tomorrow. 712 00:41:59,120 --> 00:41:59,960 What are you going to talk about? 713 00:41:59,960 --> 00:42:01,200 Hey, what was your weekend? It was great. 714 00:42:01,440 --> 00:42:03,240 Weather was so nice. Went to the springs. 715 00:42:05,160 --> 00:42:07,280 Don't put a basket over what your day was like. 716 00:42:07,760 --> 00:42:09,480 He's a man. I went to church. 717 00:42:09,480 --> 00:42:17,000 The preaching was amazing. It was good. 718 00:42:18,000 --> 00:42:19,480 This is good. This is a great church. 719 00:42:19,920 --> 00:42:22,240 I met with God. I I you know, whatever. 720 00:42:22,600 --> 00:42:24,160 Oh, man. Do you want to know what I did 721 00:42:24,160 --> 00:42:26,840 last night? I had the most amazing food of 722 00:42:26,840 --> 00:42:28,560 my life. What are you talking about? 723 00:42:28,560 --> 00:42:29,640 At my church. At church? 724 00:42:30,160 --> 00:42:31,360 Yeah. Let me tell you about it, man. 725 00:42:31,360 --> 00:42:35,200 There was, I had food from all from Brazil and from China and 726 00:42:35,200 --> 00:42:37,920 from Indiana and all over the place. 727 00:42:41,080 --> 00:42:43,480 What, at your church? Yeah, man, it's awesome. 728 00:42:43,480 --> 00:42:46,520 We have such a great diversity in our church and we're all 729 00:42:46,520 --> 00:42:48,080 unified around Jesus. It was awesome. 730 00:42:48,280 --> 00:42:50,040 You know what the next one is? Not until next year. 731 00:42:50,040 --> 00:42:51,920 We do it once a year. You got to come next year, 732 00:42:52,400 --> 00:42:54,080 right? Take the basket off. 733 00:42:54,920 --> 00:43:02,000 Or is it just weather, sports, whatever hobby, Netflix binge, I 734 00:43:02,000 --> 00:43:05,280 don't know. Take the basket off right we are 735 00:43:05,320 --> 00:43:09,360 to be lights in this world. Is your light under a basket? 736 00:43:09,360 --> 00:43:12,760 Ask yourself that. Ask your friends that get some 737 00:43:12,760 --> 00:43:15,400 evaluation from people around you if you need to and. 738 00:43:15,400 --> 00:43:17,760 Guys, let's take the let's take the basket off. 739 00:43:19,960 --> 00:43:23,560 Jesus uses the word now a lot and he talks about the impending 740 00:43:23,560 --> 00:43:25,600 hour in his life. So here's the second question. 741 00:43:25,640 --> 00:43:27,600 Who has God put in your life right now? 742 00:43:28,920 --> 00:43:30,640 Don't think about. Too far down the road. 743 00:43:31,040 --> 00:43:33,120 Who's around you right now? It might be the person sitting 744 00:43:33,120 --> 00:43:36,600 next to you, for all I know. Who has he put in your life now 745 00:43:36,600 --> 00:43:38,960 to shine? That they may see Jesus? 746 00:43:39,600 --> 00:43:43,200 They might not come to the light, but your purpose is to be 747 00:43:43,200 --> 00:43:48,160 a light that they might. So who has he put in your life 748 00:43:48,440 --> 00:43:50,000 around you? Here's your challenge. 749 00:43:50,160 --> 00:43:54,040 Be a light to someone this week. Good work. 750 00:43:54,800 --> 00:43:57,920 The love of Jesus, talk about him shine. 751 00:43:57,920 --> 00:44:00,840 Bright this week. All right, probably won't be 752 00:44:00,840 --> 00:44:03,440 able to stand up and ask how it went, but maybe. 753 00:44:03,440 --> 00:44:04,480 You can talk to. Somebody else? 754 00:44:04,480 --> 00:44:06,800 Hey, how'd it go? How did you shine this week? 755 00:44:07,400 --> 00:44:12,320 But this is part of our purpose. Jesus knew his purpose for the 756 00:44:12,320 --> 00:44:12,920 hour. Didn't he? 757 00:44:13,560 --> 00:44:18,200 And he was steadfast and despite the soul level trouble, he said 758 00:44:18,200 --> 00:44:22,560 no God you be glorified. I will go rescue these people by 759 00:44:22,560 --> 00:44:25,840 giving up my life on the cross. And I was draw all people to 760 00:44:25,840 --> 00:44:27,720 myself. That is my great purpose. 761 00:44:28,040 --> 00:44:30,480 And as we believe in Jesus, we turn around and say, Jesus, your 762 00:44:30,480 --> 00:44:34,200 purpose is my purpose too. We know. 763 00:44:34,280 --> 00:44:35,840 Jesus, it gives us all the purpose. 764 00:44:35,840 --> 00:44:39,120 We could ever need in this life to bring glory to our Heavenly 765 00:44:39,120 --> 00:44:43,080 Father, to live in the freedom that He has bought for us, and 766 00:44:43,080 --> 00:44:44,880 to be lights in this world.