1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:02,800 Happy Easter, you guys there. Great. 2 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:05,920 I am very awake. I already had we had one service 3 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:08,119 already this morning. So you guys got to bring your 4 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:10,760 energy level up with me now. It's good to see you. 5 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:12,920 My name is Kurt. I'm one of the pastors here. 6 00:00:13,120 --> 00:00:15,600 If you're new, welcome. Thanks for joining us. 7 00:00:15,600 --> 00:00:19,000 Glad you chose to spend your Easter morning with us and we 8 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:21,200 hope you encounter the living God this morning. 9 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:25,840 If you have a Bible, you can go and open up to John chapter 12. 10 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:27,640 If you don't, there's some under the seat in front of you. 11 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:31,920 Grab that one. I work full time here at the 12 00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:35,360 church and so in one sense you could say part of my job. 13 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:37,600 I get paid to speak and say lots of words. 14 00:00:38,240 --> 00:00:42,440 But all of us use lots of words every day and most of them just 15 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:43,960 come and go and we don't remember them. 16 00:00:44,160 --> 00:00:48,360 Sometimes there are memorable things, powerful statements that 17 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:51,000 live on. Let me read a few and you can 18 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:52,880 fill in the blank if you know them. 19 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:56,200 How about this one? The only thing we have to fear 20 00:00:56,200 --> 00:01:00,400 is fear itself. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 21 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:06,280 Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. 22 00:01:06,320 --> 00:01:10,800 Martin Luther King Junior, one of my favorite manly movies. 23 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:15,600 Gladiator, anybody? What we do in life echoes into 24 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:18,320 eternity. It's a good movie. 25 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:20,640 Well, violent, but it's good one. 26 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:23,320 How about this one from the great Michael Scott? 27 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:26,800 You missed 100% of the shots you don't take. 28 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:28,600 Wayne Gretzky actually said that. 29 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:32,560 Benjamin Franklin, here's the last one. 30 00:01:32,960 --> 00:01:38,240 In this world, nothing can be said to be certain except death 31 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:39,680 in taxes. That's right. 32 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:44,200 I want to play on that one a little bit and paraphrase, make 33 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:47,320 my own paraphrase of what Jesus gets at in the text today. 34 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:54,000 And it's this Everyone lives and everyone dies, but the order is 35 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:57,840 up to you. Everyone lives and everyone 36 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:02,640 dies, but the order is up to you and I'm going to unpack this as 37 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:04,680 we go along in John chapter 12 today. 38 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:08,320 Essentially, Jesus will teach us in these verses, you can live 39 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:13,960 now but die forever, or you can die now and live forever. 40 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:16,960 This is what Jesus is calling us to do. 41 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:21,440 He's calling us to follow Him in His death that we may have 42 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:25,320 resurrection life. Let me give us a quick 43 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:28,200 introduction to our series of especially if you're a guest or 44 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:29,200 less. We've been preaching through the 45 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:31,920 book of John. It's written by one of Jesus's 46 00:02:31,920 --> 00:02:34,000 apostles. His name was John. 47 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:37,800 He was Jesus's beloved, at least that's what he calls himself, 48 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:40,600 Jesus's most beloved disciple. And we've been preaching through 49 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:41,800 this. It's been over a year now. 50 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:44,320 We've gotten a little bit more than halfway through the book of 51 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:49,960 John and and for Jesus's life. He began his public ministry at 52 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:52,960 about age 30 and did that for three years. 53 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:56,560 And so for three years, Jesus is teaching, he's doing miracles, 54 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:59,920 He's walking this earth. But now we find it in the last 55 00:02:59,920 --> 00:03:02,400 week of Jesus's life. That's where we pick it up in 56 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:04,560 the text today. If you're here last week, it 57 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:06,840 started with the what's known as the triumphal entry. 58 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:10,720 Jesus at as the Jews are coming to Jerusalem to celebrate the 59 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:14,280 Passover, Jesus triumphally enters into the city of 60 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:17,440 Jerusalem to much fanfare. And then we're going to pick it 61 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:21,760 up in verse 20 today. And actually, before I get to 62 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:25,960 that, sometimes it could be helpful to take a minute of 63 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:31,680 silence and slow down and just let there be a little stillness 64 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:33,200 in our life. And so I'm going to give 15 or 65 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:37,720 20 seconds for us to do that. You might close your eyes and 66 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:40,280 you might during this time, just try to open your heart up to 67 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:43,480 Jesus and even tell him Jesus, what do you have for me this 68 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:44,840 morning? Have your way. 69 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:48,000 So let's do that and I'll read, pray, and teach. 70 00:04:08,730 --> 00:04:15,530 John chapter 12, verses 20 to 26 follow along with me, John 71 00:04:15,530 --> 00:04:18,209 writes. Now among those who went up to 72 00:04:18,209 --> 00:04:20,410 worship at the feast were some Greeks. 73 00:04:20,769 --> 00:04:24,000 So these came to Philip, who was from the Seda in Galilee, and 74 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:26,480 asked him, Sir, we wish to see Jesus. 75 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:29,840 Philip went and told Andrew. Andrew and Philip went and told 76 00:04:29,840 --> 00:04:34,320 Jesus, and Jesus answered them. The hour has come for the Son of 77 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:39,840 Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, 78 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:44,480 unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it 79 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:50,200 remains alone. But if it dies, it bears much 80 00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:55,480 fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, 81 00:04:55,840 --> 00:04:59,800 and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for 82 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:04,520 eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must 83 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:08,240 follow me. And where I am, there will my 84 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:12,840 servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father 85 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:15,000 will honor him. Let me pray. 86 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:18,560 Lord, thank you for this morning and give it this day. 87 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:21,320 We we celebrate your resurrection. 88 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:26,880 Thank you for this time that we have to to look to you in safety 89 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:30,800 and I pray for all of all of those listening today that you 90 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:34,760 would attune their hearts and their ears to you and your voice 91 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:38,680 speak and I pray Lord, you would wake the dead today. 92 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:41,880 Bring them to new life and you and I pray to the for the 93 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:44,160 disciples of Jesus. You would help them be full of 94 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:47,000 hope. Help me Lord now as I teach, 95 00:05:47,280 --> 00:05:50,000 teach through these verses well and to honor you and point to 96 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:51,880 you. Amen. 97 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:54,480 Let's start back up at the beginning. 98 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:58,520 So we see that Jesus says it's time, right? 99 00:05:58,520 --> 00:06:01,440 The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified. 100 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:04,080 He starts by talking about the feast. 101 00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:05,480 And again, I mentioned this briefly. 102 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:08,000 That's the feast of the Passover, where thousands of 103 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:11,280 Jews would come from all over Israel, and they would come to 104 00:06:11,280 --> 00:06:13,680 Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. 105 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:17,520 Among them are some Greeks, not necessarily people from Greece, 106 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:21,080 but it's most likely just a way to say people who are Jewish 107 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:23,680 converts, right? They're not Israel. 108 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:26,600 They're not Israelites by descent, but they begin to 109 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:29,400 worship the God of Israel. And so they're also coming to 110 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:31,880 celebrate the Passover. Now they come find Philip. 111 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:35,080 Philip is one of Jesus disciples, maybe because Philip 112 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:37,960 is from Bethsaida, it's a little town in a region of Galilee 113 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:40,920 which was north of Jerusalem. Maybe they thought, let's go 114 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:43,080 talk to this guy. He maybe he'll get us in with 115 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:44,960 Jesus. And so Philip goes and talks to 116 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:47,200 Andrew and there's another of Jesus disciples. 117 00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:50,480 And so tag team, Andrew and Philip go to Jesus and they say, 118 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:52,000 Jesus, the Greeks want to speak to you. 119 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:53,080 What do you, what do you want to do? 120 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:57,360 And Jesus doesn't really answer their question, but he says 121 00:06:57,360 --> 00:07:01,360 something that essentially it triggers him when he hears that 122 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:03,360 the Greeks are seeking after him as well. 123 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:08,160 He says in verse 23, the hour has come for the Son of Man to 124 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:12,240 be glorified. Essentially Jesus is saying it's 125 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:18,600 time, it's go time. When John refers to the hour in 126 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:21,600 in his letter, he's talking about Jesus's crucifixion. 127 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:25,680 So Jesus is saying it's time. I'm I'm working towards the 128 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:27,560 cross. Previously it wasn't time. 129 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:29,960 And so there were times where people tried to make Jesus King 130 00:07:30,280 --> 00:07:32,160 and he'd say, no, it's not my hour yet. 131 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:34,480 And he would get out of it. There were times where they 132 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:37,520 wanted to arrest him or to kill him and he knew that was coming. 133 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:38,960 But he said, no, it's not my hour. 134 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:42,800 It's not time yet. But now it's time, right? 135 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:46,920 The, the anticipation of Jesus is coming and of is he the 136 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:52,640 Christ, the one to save Israel? Is there kind of like when 137 00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:55,680 you're, when you're pregnant, the anticipation of having the 138 00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:57,360 baby, right? Or you're married, you're, 139 00:07:57,400 --> 00:07:59,320 you're engaged and you're waiting to get married and 140 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:01,040 there's anticipation there, right? 141 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:04,800 To some of you fanatics, you're just waiting for football season 142 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:07,040 again. And the anticipation in the NFL 143 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:08,600 draft in college football, right? 144 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:10,880 The anticipation, there's so much anticipation. 145 00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:14,440 Jesus's life has been building up to this moment, right? 146 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:16,840 When he when he began his ministry, he said the Kingdom of 147 00:08:16,840 --> 00:08:20,000 God is at hand. And then he would teach in a way 148 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:22,640 that no one had ever taught before and he would work 149 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:27,480 miracles that only God could do. And he was merciful to people. 150 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:31,520 He was kind and merciful and gentle to the outcasts in 151 00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:34,640 society, the poor and the broken, the oppressed, the 152 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:36,280 people that that were on the margins. 153 00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:39,200 He loved them and he healed so many people. 154 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:42,960 So many people had Jesus touched them and healed them or kicked 155 00:08:42,960 --> 00:08:44,840 demons out of them to set them free. 156 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:48,440 And all of this is important, but it's not the final thing. 157 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:51,240 It wasn't the hour yet. It was building up to this 158 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:55,480 moment. You might say it brought Jesus a 159 00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:57,720 level of glory, right? He got a lunch, a bunch of 160 00:08:57,720 --> 00:08:59,600 followers. He had some people believe in 161 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:01,760 him, He had some fame. But it wasn't the final act. 162 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:03,640 The final act of glory is coming. 163 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:06,920 And so he says the hour has now come for the Son of Man to be 164 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:08,560 glorified. How is he going to be glorified? 165 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:11,800 Well, in short, it's the cross and the resurrection. 166 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:14,400 I'll unpack this some more next week because it comes up again 167 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:17,480 in the next verses. But we will say, I will say 168 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:20,480 here, the path is unlikely, right? 169 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:23,920 Not like we might expect someone to come and not like, certainly 170 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:26,600 not like the Jews expected Jesus to come in power and to 171 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:30,120 overthrow Rome and and Israel is on top again. 172 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:33,200 And and they go from being the oppressed to the oppressors, 173 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:34,640 right? This is what they wanted. 174 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:39,640 But now he comes humbly on a donkey, self sacrificially 175 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:44,520 giving up his own life, dying for the sake of his people. 176 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:51,240 Now, to help illustrate this point, Jesus uses an analogy 177 00:09:51,640 --> 00:09:54,720 about wheat. How many of you know about 178 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:57,760 wheat? Any wheat farmers out there? 179 00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:01,240 I am kind of a wheat farmer, a son of a wheat farmer. 180 00:10:01,400 --> 00:10:04,160 My dad's a farmer, mostly corn and soybeans, but he did plant 181 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:06,480 wheat sometimes. So I was texting about this 182 00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:09,320 week, OK, so no other wheat farmers out there. 183 00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:10,840 So here's and I anticipated this. 184 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:14,760 So don't you worry. I there's some little jars 185 00:10:14,960 --> 00:10:17,640 containing grains of wheat and I want you all to take a grain of 186 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:18,320 wheat. Just one. 187 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:19,960 All right, Make sure there's enough for everybody. 188 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:23,520 So if you have those jars, pass it down your row and then 189 00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:26,200 forward just kind of or pass it behind you, snake it around 190 00:10:26,520 --> 00:10:29,440 until everybody gets 1. So there's like 10 jars running 191 00:10:29,440 --> 00:10:31,240 around here. So if you don't get one, just 192 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:32,480 make sure you get your grain of wheat. 193 00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:36,040 I thought that might be helpful because we don't live in an 194 00:10:36,040 --> 00:10:38,960 agrarian society when Jesus is talking about wheat. 195 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:42,440 They all had a pretty good idea of what that meant, what that 196 00:10:42,440 --> 00:10:47,080 looked like in their context. And so I'm going to try to help 197 00:10:47,080 --> 00:10:49,960 unpack this a little bit for us. So let's take a minute. 198 00:10:49,960 --> 00:10:53,240 Talk about wheat while you're collecting your grain of wheat. 199 00:10:53,680 --> 00:10:57,360 So if you see on the screen behind me, this is a head of 200 00:10:57,520 --> 00:11:02,360 wheat, there's about 40 or so give or take grains. 201 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:04,960 So you're going to have one grain, there's about 40 of them 202 00:11:05,120 --> 00:11:08,360 per head. Now on one plant, there could be 203 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:13,560 somewhere around 7 stems. So 7 stems of 40 give or take, 204 00:11:14,400 --> 00:11:18,000 we'll just call it 300 grains. So in one plant, so you have one 205 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:21,040 little wheat, if the you planted that thing and it grew, you 206 00:11:21,040 --> 00:11:24,040 might have 300 more at the end of the harvest season. 207 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:31,800 In farming, they measure, they measure using the bushel, right? 208 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:33,960 So a bushel, just picture a big bushel. 209 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:35,040 You know what a bushel looks like? 210 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:38,000 There's about a million grains. So I don't know if anybody's 211 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:41,320 ever counted, but give or take a million grains in one bushel, 212 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:46,800 you would get potentially 45 bushels of grain per acre. 213 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:52,320 So you're talking 45 millions of million grain kernels from an 214 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:57,520 acre of wheat field. Got another picture to show you. 215 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:01,280 There's a beautiful wheat field, you know, the amber waves of 216 00:12:01,280 --> 00:12:03,040 grain. All right, it's a it's a 217 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:07,160 beautiful picture that eventually or ultimately started 218 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:09,960 with 1 grain and made lots and lots and lots and lots. 219 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:12,640 That is acres and acres of wheat. 220 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:15,520 OK, Does everybody have a grain? Or at least it's still going 221 00:12:15,520 --> 00:12:18,040 around. OK, I still see again past, but 222 00:12:18,040 --> 00:12:19,840 I'll keep going because I don't have time to pause. 223 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:22,200 What are you going to do with your grain? 224 00:12:22,560 --> 00:12:24,240 Well, for now, I just want you to hold on to it. 225 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:27,280 But here's a suggestion. Maybe you should take it home, 226 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:31,040 Give it a name. I will call mine Walter. 227 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:34,720 What are you going to do with Walter? 228 00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:36,800 Right. You could. 229 00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:38,680 You could put him on your mantle. 230 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:40,920 You could. You could. 231 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:43,360 If you're really crafty, you could make a little necklace and 232 00:12:43,640 --> 00:12:45,440 embed him in there. If you get a little Locket, put 233 00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:47,280 him in your Locket. Right. 234 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:50,680 You could you could find ways to use Walter as a decoration. 235 00:12:50,680 --> 00:12:53,360 Maybe he's just your little pet. Did he take good pair of Walter? 236 00:12:54,160 --> 00:12:58,880 Right. Walter by himself, I'm sorry to 237 00:12:58,880 --> 00:13:02,280 say, is worthless. OK, so if you take me up on my 238 00:13:02,280 --> 00:13:04,000 vice, and some of you might actually do that just for 239 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:08,080 funsies, to have a grain of wheat by itself is pointless. 240 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:12,240 There are two purposes for Walter's life. 241 00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:16,320 Both of them involve his death. You either grind it up and you 242 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:19,720 make flour so then you can feed your family, or you plant him so 243 00:13:19,720 --> 00:13:23,240 he makes more Walters. But either way, if Walter wants 244 00:13:23,240 --> 00:13:25,360 to serve his purpose in life, he needs to die. 245 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:28,440 He's pointless. And even said Jesus says in 246 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:33,120 verse 24, truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat 247 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:38,320 falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone, right? 248 00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:43,400 One wheat grain is not worth anything. 249 00:13:43,640 --> 00:13:49,120 But Jesus says if it dies, it bears much fruit. 250 00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:54,520 So when Walter goes into the earth and dies, he produces much 251 00:13:54,720 --> 00:13:58,800 grain. What Jesus is saying is I am a 252 00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:02,800 grain of wheat. If I go and die, I will bear 253 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:07,880 much fruit. This is his purpose in life. 254 00:14:09,520 --> 00:14:12,840 We celebrate Good Friday 3 days ago. 255 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:17,040 We call it good even though it was maybe the greatest oxymoron 256 00:14:17,040 --> 00:14:19,760 in history. How can such a day be good? 257 00:14:20,520 --> 00:14:25,000 Because on that day, Jesus is one of Jesus's 12 closest 258 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:30,720 followers betrayed him for a chunk of change, and then he he 259 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:34,520 kissed him, a sign of love and affection, so that they would 260 00:14:34,520 --> 00:14:39,200 know which one to arrest. After a a little skirmish with a 261 00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:41,600 sword, all of his disciples fled. 262 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:46,440 So Jesus is abandoned and alone. He is wrongfully detained. 263 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:51,400 He gets falsely accused. He gets beaten and mocked and 264 00:14:51,400 --> 00:14:55,520 tortured and abused. The Romans do what they do best, 265 00:14:55,520 --> 00:14:58,440 which is torture people. So they flog him. 266 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:02,320 They scourge him, taking this whip with bones and glass in it 267 00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:05,320 and just mutilate his back. Most people bled. 268 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:08,880 Some people bled to death during that flogging. 269 00:15:09,200 --> 00:15:12,240 Then Jesus carried this big cross as far as he could till he 270 00:15:12,360 --> 00:15:14,560 couldn't anymore and someone had to carry it all the way to the 271 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:16,960 hill for him. And then they pounded nails into 272 00:15:16,960 --> 00:15:21,080 him and hung him on there, where with excruciating pain he slowly 273 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:26,760 suffered and died. The worst part about it all, 274 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:29,160 because all of us are guilty to some extent. 275 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:31,920 Worst part about all is Jesus was perfect. 276 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:36,240 Jesus was completely innocent. No one has ever lived like that. 277 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:43,760 Man lived innocent in every way, spotless and died. 278 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:48,360 Now no honest person can refute the death of Jesus. 279 00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:51,520 You don't have to believe in Jesus to acknowledge the fact 280 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:56,240 that he did die. He went into the ground, kind of 281 00:15:56,240 --> 00:16:00,000 like Walter. Right now it says if a wheat 282 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:01,400 grain, a wheat goes into the ground and dies. 283 00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:03,760 Jesus went into the tomb. He went into the grave, He went 284 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:08,400 into the the ground and we call it good because Jesus was our 285 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:12,840 substitute. He substituted our life for his, 286 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:15,920 the punishment that we deserve. Now, we don't usually think of 287 00:16:15,920 --> 00:16:17,800 it that way. We don't like to because we 288 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:19,880 compare ourselves to each other. And you might say when we 289 00:16:19,880 --> 00:16:22,000 compare ourselves to other humans, we'd say, well, nobody 290 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:24,560 deserves this kind of death. But that's the wrong comparison. 291 00:16:24,720 --> 00:16:28,560 When you compare yourself to the holy Almighty God who created 292 00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:32,120 you, who tries to show you and teach you how to live, and if 293 00:16:32,120 --> 00:16:33,920 you follow his ways, it will go well with you. 294 00:16:34,120 --> 00:16:36,760 We don't, and we've rebelled against Him, and our punishment 295 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:39,480 is death. That is the wages of sin. 296 00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:44,400 None can get out of that. The wages of sin are death. 297 00:16:44,920 --> 00:16:49,800 But Jesus died in our place. He took on our shame. 298 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:53,960 He took on our guilt. Our sentence became His 299 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:56,400 sentence, the one of death he received. 300 00:16:56,560 --> 00:16:58,640 And we received his righteousness. 301 00:16:59,840 --> 00:17:04,640 And then today we celebrate his resurrection because he did not 302 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:06,960 stay dead. He came back to life. 303 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:10,480 He rose from the grave. It's a wonderful thing. 304 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:14,240 And you know what's amazing? The Jews celebrated what's 305 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:17,720 called the Feast of the first fruits the day after Passover. 306 00:17:17,960 --> 00:17:20,480 So that would have been Sunday. So while the Jews are 307 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:24,560 celebrating the feast of the first fruits, Jesus came back to 308 00:17:24,560 --> 00:17:28,000 life, kind of like it says in our verses, he will bear much 309 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:33,000 fruit or he came back to life. And this is this is wonderful 310 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:35,040 too. Jesus hasn't died yet, so he's 311 00:17:35,040 --> 00:17:36,680 telling us what's going to happen. 312 00:17:36,840 --> 00:17:38,800 He knows that he even knows the timing of it. 313 00:17:40,680 --> 00:17:45,240 What a look to 1st Corinthians 15 for a minute to Paul goes on, 314 00:17:45,640 --> 00:17:49,120 goes into this in more detail about Jesus being the first 315 00:17:49,120 --> 00:17:53,160 fruits. In First Corinthians 15, Paul is 316 00:17:53,160 --> 00:17:56,040 talking about the resurrection. And there were people in that 317 00:17:56,040 --> 00:17:58,320 church who were denying that the resurrection happened. 318 00:17:58,320 --> 00:17:59,600 They said Jesus didn't raise from the dead. 319 00:17:59,840 --> 00:18:01,240 And Paul says, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. 320 00:18:01,520 --> 00:18:04,720 This is maybe the most important thing about Christianity. 321 00:18:04,920 --> 00:18:10,200 If Jesus did not raise from the dead, Christianity is like 322 00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:12,880 Walter on your mantle. It's worthless. 323 00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:17,280 If you're a Christian and Jesus didn't raise from the dead, you 324 00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:19,320 are to be pitied. The Resurrection. 325 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:22,240 Is so important for the Christian that if it didn't 326 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:28,320 happen we should be living a lot differently but and this is what 327 00:18:28,320 --> 00:18:33,080 Paul says in verse 20 but it did happen let me read for you but 328 00:18:33,080 --> 00:18:37,320 in fact Christ has been raised from the dead the first fruits 329 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:41,440 of those who have fallen asleep so fact Christ has raised from 330 00:18:41,440 --> 00:18:44,480 the dead. This also is historical 331 00:18:44,480 --> 00:18:46,400 evidence. It points to this reality. 332 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:50,160 People who claim that he didn't, there was a stunt double, there 333 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:53,160 was some of there's all kinds of conspiracy theories out there 334 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:56,560 about Jesus, but they are just that, like most conspiracy 335 00:18:56,560 --> 00:19:00,080 theories, not true. Jesus rose from the dead and 336 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:02,240 Paul says it's a fact. It's a fact. 337 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:05,360 And actually, if you read First Corinthians 15, he appeals to 338 00:19:05,520 --> 00:19:07,440 many. I think there were 500 people 339 00:19:07,440 --> 00:19:11,520 who are still alive who could bear witness to the fact that he 340 00:19:11,520 --> 00:19:16,200 is claiming here now. Jesus is the first fruits of 341 00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:19,160 those who have fallen asleep. If I were to go next door to our 342 00:19:19,160 --> 00:19:22,560 kids building and pull the five year olds and ask them to define 343 00:19:22,560 --> 00:19:24,600 first fruits, they would be able to do it. 344 00:19:24,880 --> 00:19:27,560 You know why? Because first fruits just means 345 00:19:28,160 --> 00:19:30,600 the first fruits. It's not too complicated. 346 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:32,960 The first fruits that come, the first wheat that grows, the 347 00:19:32,960 --> 00:19:37,200 first apple on a tree. Jesus is the first of the fruits 348 00:19:37,400 --> 00:19:39,920 and I love how he says of those who have fallen asleep. 349 00:19:40,160 --> 00:19:44,480 Paul's starting to erase the word death from the Christian 350 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:47,320 vocabulary because even though physically you die, it's just 351 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:50,600 like you're falling asleep. Because as Jesus rose from the 352 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:55,040 dead, so will you. He goes on in verses. 21 and 22 353 00:19:55,040 --> 00:19:59,680 he says, For as by a man came, death by a man has come also the 354 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:04,080 resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also 355 00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:05,840 in Christ shall all be made alive. 356 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:11,720 So he's comparing Adam the the the first human to Jesus. 357 00:20:12,080 --> 00:20:15,760 And the first human Adam sinned and brought death into the 358 00:20:15,760 --> 00:20:18,840 world. And because of Adam, all people 359 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:21,760 will die. This is an inescapable thing. 360 00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:26,560 But in. Jesus, we have the resurrection 361 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:28,720 of the dead. In Jesus, we will all be made 362 00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:31,200 alive. Paul says in. 363 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:33,320 Verse 23 But each in his own order. 364 00:20:33,640 --> 00:20:35,880 Christ the first fruits. There it is again. 365 00:20:36,120 --> 00:20:40,560 Then at his coming, those who belong to Jesus, so Jesus will 366 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:43,080 come back first. And he did, right? 367 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:44,600 That's what we're celebrating today. 368 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:46,760 Jesus is alive, He came back to life. 369 00:20:46,760 --> 00:20:52,880 He is the first fruits, and all who belong to Him will also come 370 00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:57,200 alive when he returns. Do you belong to Jesus? 371 00:20:57,200 --> 00:21:00,120 If so, you are the next fruits, if you will. 372 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:05,880 Death brings life. Death of a grain brings abundant 373 00:21:05,880 --> 00:21:09,120 grain. Death of Jesus the Savior brings 374 00:21:09,120 --> 00:21:14,760 abundant life, raised from the dead for all who believe in Him. 375 00:21:14,760 --> 00:21:16,880 This is the great hope of Christianity. 376 00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:21,520 Now does that. Hope belong to you. 377 00:21:22,440 --> 00:21:26,000 Does that hope belong to you? Jesus says maybe. 378 00:21:26,280 --> 00:21:30,120 Why don't you examine yourself? He says, essentially in my 379 00:21:30,120 --> 00:21:33,360 words, the order is up to you to live or to die, right? 380 00:21:33,360 --> 00:21:34,680 Remember that phrase from the beginning? 381 00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:37,600 Everyone will live. Currently you are alive and 382 00:21:37,600 --> 00:21:39,080 everyone will die. I think that's pretty 383 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:42,840 indisputable fact as well. But what order do you do? 384 00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:45,440 Do you live now but then die forever? 385 00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:48,880 Or do you die to yourself now and then live forever? 386 00:21:48,880 --> 00:21:51,520 Look at verse 25. This is where Jesus is getting 387 00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:56,000 at that He says whoever loves his life loses it. 388 00:21:57,120 --> 00:22:01,440 Whoever hates his life in this world will keep it forever. 389 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:03,840 Let me take some time and unpack these things because He gives us 390 00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:06,960 these two options, right? Love your life and lose it. 391 00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:09,600 Essentially. Love your life so much now that 392 00:22:09,600 --> 00:22:12,280 you hold so tightly to it because you think it's all you 393 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:16,280 have, but then you will lose it and when you die, it's gone. 394 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:21,800 Or heat your life in this world. You think so little of this 395 00:22:21,800 --> 00:22:24,120 life. Because you're thinking. 396 00:22:24,120 --> 00:22:27,200 About the next life. And you will. 397 00:22:27,360 --> 00:22:31,200 Have that eternal life, but you cannot have both. 398 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:34,160 And so I want to, I want to tease these things out a little 399 00:22:34,160 --> 00:22:35,960 bit more. And as I'm doing that, I want 400 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:37,480 you to think about where are you? 401 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:39,800 Which order have you chosen? Death. 402 00:22:40,800 --> 00:22:42,440 And then life or. Life and the death. 403 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:44,040 Let's start with life and then death. 404 00:22:44,240 --> 00:22:49,320 Jesus says I'll repeat it again. Love your life now and lose it 405 00:22:49,720 --> 00:22:52,000 forever, right? You're choosing life. 406 00:22:52,200 --> 00:22:55,760 Then I'm going to ask a, a couple of questions for each of 407 00:22:55,760 --> 00:22:57,720 these that I think will help us identify that. 408 00:22:57,880 --> 00:23:00,720 Who do you follow and who do you serve? 409 00:23:01,120 --> 00:23:03,480 And these these are in the verse in the verses as well. 410 00:23:03,480 --> 00:23:06,600 So who do you follow and who do you serve? 411 00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:09,560 When we're thinking about those who, as Jesus says, loves his 412 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:12,280 life and loses it, who do you follow? 413 00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:17,360 Think about that very memorable scene from Finding Nemo doesn't 414 00:23:17,360 --> 00:23:19,920 know that one with the seagulls. What do they say? 415 00:23:20,480 --> 00:23:25,760 Mine mine, mine, mine, mine, mine what about your life mine. 416 00:23:26,760 --> 00:23:31,080 If you follow yourself, you answer it like those seagulls 417 00:23:31,080 --> 00:23:34,440 it's about me. Who do you follow? 418 00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:43,120 You say my life, my choices, my way, my desires, my Kingdom. 419 00:23:43,720 --> 00:23:46,520 And we try to accumulate all of these things and build up our 420 00:23:46,520 --> 00:23:51,640 own lives to see what kind of house we can have and how we can 421 00:23:51,640 --> 00:23:54,960 live here. You are your own rule ruler and 422 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:58,840 you would say to God, don't tread on me, God, don't tell me 423 00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:02,520 what to do. The entire aim and focus of your 424 00:24:02,520 --> 00:24:06,880 life is on this life. That's what he means by loving 425 00:24:06,880 --> 00:24:10,360 your life now. It's all about the here and the 426 00:24:10,360 --> 00:24:11,720 now. It's all about what you can see 427 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:14,160 and what's in front of you. Yolo. 428 00:24:14,880 --> 00:24:17,680 And so you, you live it up and you live for yourself. 429 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:21,920 Years ago a. Acronym was popularized with 430 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:24,720 WWJD, right? What would Jesus do? 431 00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:27,240 And in theory, a Christian would live like that, but you would 432 00:24:27,240 --> 00:24:30,560 probably say WWID, What would I do? 433 00:24:31,160 --> 00:24:34,240 You follow yourself and you have to, you have to look at your 434 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:38,000 life and examine it. Who do you follow? 435 00:24:38,280 --> 00:24:41,160 If you love your life now, it means you're following yourself. 436 00:24:41,160 --> 00:24:44,160 Or if you look at your life and you see who you follow. 437 00:24:45,400 --> 00:24:48,120 That's what it means. But secondly, let me. 438 00:24:48,120 --> 00:24:50,280 Add to that, who do you serve, right? 439 00:24:50,280 --> 00:24:51,800 Who do you serve? And Jesus is going to talk about 440 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:53,720 serving in verse 26. So we'll get there in a moment, 441 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:58,360 but who do you serve? Sometimes when we love our life, 442 00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:02,720 it's because we love ourself. It's because we love ourself and 443 00:25:02,720 --> 00:25:07,680 we live and sometimes believe or treat God like He is here to 444 00:25:07,680 --> 00:25:08,760 serve. You do. 445 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:12,920 You believe that? Or maybe do you live that way, 446 00:25:12,920 --> 00:25:17,600 like God is here to serve you? God wants you to be rich and 447 00:25:17,600 --> 00:25:22,280 happy and satisfied and of course healthy and comfortable. 448 00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:28,040 God never tells you no. You can do what you want. 449 00:25:29,440 --> 00:25:33,200 Your bumper sticker. Says follow your own path, said 450 00:25:33,200 --> 00:25:37,160 God to you, follow your heart, live your own way and you 451 00:25:37,160 --> 00:25:42,560 actually treat God as if he's like the big rich father in the 452 00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:47,280 sky who just just loves it when when his son or daughter calls 453 00:25:47,280 --> 00:25:50,320 him every once in a while. And you say, Oh well. 454 00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:53,400 I mean, I but God asked me to pray that prayer that one time. 455 00:25:53,560 --> 00:25:56,880 I even got baptized. I show up to church sometimes. 456 00:25:57,120 --> 00:26:00,320 God's just happy that I'm at church today, right? 457 00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:03,480 As if you're like, OK, all right, God, OK, Father, get off 458 00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:04,520 my back. I got you. 459 00:26:04,520 --> 00:26:07,600 I put to church on Easter for crying out loud, right? 460 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:10,080 But the reality is you serve yourself. 461 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:14,440 It's a kind of a la carte Christianity, you know, where 462 00:26:14,440 --> 00:26:17,040 you you walk down the line and you get to pick and choose. 463 00:26:17,040 --> 00:26:18,520 What do you want from Christianity? 464 00:26:18,840 --> 00:26:21,680 Oh, I like, I like the peace that comes. 465 00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:23,200 No anxiety. That sounds nice. 466 00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:26,360 Let me take some of that. Oh, blessings. 467 00:26:26,440 --> 00:26:29,440 Yeah. Oh, oh, eternal life. 468 00:26:29,680 --> 00:26:33,320 Yeah, I'll take that. Oh, repent from your sin. 469 00:26:33,320 --> 00:26:37,640 Well, I don't know about that. Oh, biblical sexual ethics. 470 00:26:38,320 --> 00:26:41,520 Oh, you know, oh, say something that might offend someone else 471 00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:44,840 because Oh no, I don't want that part of it, right? 472 00:26:44,840 --> 00:26:48,520 You pick and choose what parts you want, give your life to God, 473 00:26:48,520 --> 00:26:51,480 serve other people Well, no, it's all a cart. 474 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:54,480 You'd pick and choose what you want. 475 00:26:56,480 --> 00:27:00,360 You're loving your life now. And the result? 476 00:27:00,960 --> 00:27:04,040 It's tragic because you will lose your life forever. 477 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:07,960 That is all you get. And then when you die, what 478 00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:10,320 next? Your life is gone. 479 00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:12,720 There's not second chances after that. 480 00:27:15,840 --> 00:27:20,080 If there is no life after death, then that is the correct order 481 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:23,800 and you should not do anything but live for yourself. 482 00:27:24,920 --> 00:27:26,280 If there's no life. After death. 483 00:27:26,840 --> 00:27:30,120 But if there is life after death, you must wrestle with and 484 00:27:30,120 --> 00:27:33,080 answer this question. And I would say just this is 485 00:27:33,080 --> 00:27:37,600 Jesus's warning to you and the life that you are living, you're 486 00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:40,280 living it up now. But there will be a day where 487 00:27:40,280 --> 00:27:44,600 you stand before your Maker. You cannot claim Jesus as your 488 00:27:44,600 --> 00:27:48,400 Lord and Savior if he's not actually your Lord, if you don't 489 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:51,000 actually follow him, if you don't actually worship him. 490 00:27:51,400 --> 00:27:54,080 That doesn't make any sense. He's talking to somebody 491 00:27:54,080 --> 00:27:56,280 recently and he and he told me that and he was like, Oh yeah, I 492 00:27:56,280 --> 00:27:59,120 think all, all religions and paths kind of go in their 493 00:27:59,120 --> 00:28:00,880 certain way. And as long as you believe, it's 494 00:28:01,160 --> 00:28:02,400 true enough. And then he goes, but Jesus is 495 00:28:02,400 --> 00:28:04,080 my Lord and Savior. Like what? 496 00:28:04,680 --> 00:28:07,080 No, he's not. You can claim it. 497 00:28:07,080 --> 00:28:08,320 You can say I prayed this prayer. 498 00:28:08,320 --> 00:28:11,160 You can even believe in God. Well, do you know there are 499 00:28:11,160 --> 00:28:14,160 spiritual beings called demons and they believe in God? 500 00:28:15,600 --> 00:28:18,680 They don't worship. Him, they don't follow him, but 501 00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:22,080 of course he's real. But do you follow him on 502 00:28:22,080 --> 00:28:24,280 Judgement Day? When you stand before your 503 00:28:24,280 --> 00:28:28,320 maker, which all people will, are you going to open your hand 504 00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:32,920 up and say, oh, look, I got Walter, you're going to open up 505 00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:34,640 the Locket? Look, I kept Walter safe. 506 00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:40,320 He's still alive, all alone. You'll lose your. 507 00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:46,320 Life, if you hold tightly to it and love it here, please hear me 508 00:28:46,320 --> 00:28:49,560 on that. And I love this country. 509 00:28:49,560 --> 00:28:53,400 I love where I was born. But it is Christianized enough 510 00:28:53,880 --> 00:28:59,120 that many of us have enough church to be going to hell and 511 00:28:59,120 --> 00:29:02,480 not realize it. Because we prayed. 512 00:29:02,480 --> 00:29:05,400 Some prayer because we believe in God. 513 00:29:07,160 --> 00:29:10,520 But we don't follow. Him we don't serve, Him we are 514 00:29:10,520 --> 00:29:18,480 living for this life. The alternative, Jesus says, is 515 00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:23,040 to hate your life now so that you can keep it forever. 516 00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:27,720 This is the one who sees that there's two choices. 517 00:29:28,280 --> 00:29:30,000 There's two things that will happen, death and life. 518 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:33,400 And you say actually, I'll take my death now because I want to 519 00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:36,800 live forever. When Jesus says in verse 25 520 00:29:36,800 --> 00:29:39,880 whoever hates his life in this world, he does not mean it 521 00:29:39,880 --> 00:29:41,960 literally. Like, OK, Christians are just 522 00:29:41,960 --> 00:29:43,840 loathsome people. Like I hate my life. 523 00:29:43,840 --> 00:29:46,000 No, that's not what he means. It's a figure of speech. 524 00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:48,360 It's a comparison. He's trying to help us show this 525 00:29:48,360 --> 00:29:51,840 contrast. To say how much you love and 526 00:29:51,840 --> 00:29:55,360 live for the next life is so strong that it looks like hate 527 00:29:55,360 --> 00:29:58,160 in this life. Let's take. 528 00:29:58,200 --> 00:30:01,600 Let's take my love of my wife. I'm married and I love her. 529 00:30:01,640 --> 00:30:04,480 She's wonderful. I love her so much that I hate 530 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:08,440 all other women. I don't actually hate all their 531 00:30:08,440 --> 00:30:11,240 women. OK, in case this goes on Spotify 532 00:30:11,240 --> 00:30:12,800 and someone, you know what I mean? 533 00:30:12,880 --> 00:30:15,520 I love her so much that it looks like hate compared to all the 534 00:30:15,520 --> 00:30:17,360 other women. I have three awesome children. 535 00:30:17,360 --> 00:30:18,960 I think they're the best. I think they're better than your 536 00:30:18,960 --> 00:30:20,960 children. Maybe not true, but I love them 537 00:30:20,960 --> 00:30:23,920 more than I love your children. In fact, I love my children so 538 00:30:23,920 --> 00:30:27,600 much, it's like I hate your children because I love them so 539 00:30:27,600 --> 00:30:28,760 much. You, you see what I'm getting 540 00:30:28,760 --> 00:30:30,440 out here? So this doesn't mean I actually 541 00:30:30,440 --> 00:30:32,880 hate them. He's talking about let me. 542 00:30:32,880 --> 00:30:35,000 Let me let me read from Luke 14 because Jesus. 543 00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:38,000 Jesus teaches it a little bit differently in Luke chapter 14. 544 00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:39,280 These verses will be up on the screen. 545 00:30:39,280 --> 00:30:41,720 He's trying to help us see what does it mean to hate your life 546 00:30:41,720 --> 00:30:45,800 now. He says in verse 20. 5 Now great 547 00:30:45,800 --> 00:30:48,440 crowds accompanied him, and he turned and he said to them, now 548 00:30:48,440 --> 00:30:50,080 pause there. That's key. 549 00:30:50,320 --> 00:30:53,320 The great crowds. I don't know how many people in 550 00:30:53,320 --> 00:30:55,120 here, I don't know that I describe this as a great crowd, 551 00:30:55,120 --> 00:30:57,280 but there's a lot of people. You call this a, a great crowd 552 00:30:57,280 --> 00:31:00,080 of people. And Jesus was awesome. 553 00:31:00,280 --> 00:31:02,760 And so people flocked to him and followed him. 554 00:31:02,920 --> 00:31:05,800 And oftentimes he would do miracles like feed them lunch. 555 00:31:05,880 --> 00:31:08,840 Who doesn't love a free lunch? So they're following Jesus and 556 00:31:08,840 --> 00:31:11,360 the great crowds are here and Jesus sees that and he gives 557 00:31:11,360 --> 00:31:14,400 them this warning. Let's look at the verses. 558 00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:20,360 He says if anyone comes to me and does not hate his own 559 00:31:20,680 --> 00:31:29,320 father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes even his 560 00:31:29,320 --> 00:31:33,480 own life, he cannot be my disciple. 561 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:39,800 Jesus is not. Teaching us to hate the ones 562 00:31:39,800 --> 00:31:44,040 that we love the most. But he is saying I am so 563 00:31:44,040 --> 00:31:50,400 valuable, I am so great, I am so worthy, that you need to love me 564 00:31:50,400 --> 00:31:53,720 and follow me in such a way that it looks like hatred to the 565 00:31:53,720 --> 00:31:57,400 things that are most important and valuable to you, even your 566 00:31:57,400 --> 00:32:02,440 own life, he said. And it's pretty definitive. 567 00:32:02,520 --> 00:32:10,640 You cannot be my disciple if you do not love me so strongly that 568 00:32:10,640 --> 00:32:14,720 it looks like hate. The last verse 20. 7 Jesus says 569 00:32:14,720 --> 00:32:18,920 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot 570 00:32:18,920 --> 00:32:21,960 be my disciple. Now Jesus bore a cross. 571 00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:25,440 He's talking about crucifixion, where you literally would carry 572 00:32:25,560 --> 00:32:28,240 this massive wooden cross to your death. 573 00:32:29,200 --> 00:32:32,320 And he says if. You don't carry your own cross 574 00:32:32,600 --> 00:32:34,800 and follow me. Come after me. 575 00:32:35,440 --> 00:32:38,440 You can't be my disciple. So when Jesus? 576 00:32:38,440 --> 00:32:43,240 Says in verse 25 in our verses, he who hates his life in this 577 00:32:43,240 --> 00:32:46,560 world, he's talking about dying to yourself. 578 00:32:47,240 --> 00:32:54,320 Not an actual death, but a death to self, a death to me in mine. 579 00:32:54,960 --> 00:32:58,520 That you would be so devoted to Jesus that it looks like you 580 00:32:58,520 --> 00:33:01,440 hate your own life. You think so little of this life 581 00:33:02,000 --> 00:33:05,400 because in comparison to the next life, this is enough. 582 00:33:07,440 --> 00:33:10,400 This is what? Choosing death looks like now 583 00:33:10,480 --> 00:33:12,680 right? To choose death now so you can 584 00:33:12,680 --> 00:33:16,440 have life later. Death to self, death to my. 585 00:33:19,960 --> 00:33:23,680 What does? Hate look like in your life? 586 00:33:23,680 --> 00:33:25,000 Well, let's go back to those two questions. 587 00:33:25,280 --> 00:33:27,160 Who do you follow and who do you serve? 588 00:33:28,360 --> 00:33:32,640 Look at the beginning of. Verse 26, Jesus says if anyone 589 00:33:32,640 --> 00:33:36,440 serves me, he must follow me. That's where I was getting those 590 00:33:36,440 --> 00:33:38,080 two questions, the follow and the serve. 591 00:33:38,080 --> 00:33:41,560 If anyone serves me, he must follow me. 592 00:33:42,160 --> 00:33:44,240 What does it mean to follow Jesus? 593 00:33:44,480 --> 00:33:46,160 Well, it means you submit to him. 594 00:33:46,680 --> 00:33:49,880 You submit your life to his. You say I am no longer in 595 00:33:49,880 --> 00:33:51,760 charge. Jesus, you are in charge of my 596 00:33:51,760 --> 00:33:54,560 life. Jesus is your Lord. 597 00:33:54,760 --> 00:33:59,040 You, you follow his words you, you follow his purposes, you 598 00:33:59,040 --> 00:34:01,480 obey him. You know Jesus said many times 599 00:34:01,720 --> 00:34:04,080 if you love me, you obey my commandments. 600 00:34:04,840 --> 00:34:07,880 So we can't treat Jesus commandments as optional. 601 00:34:08,520 --> 00:34:10,000 It's actually a sign of our love. 602 00:34:10,000 --> 00:34:12,120 It's a sign of our following him. 603 00:34:12,400 --> 00:34:16,719 It's not Ala carte Christianity. Our lifestyle changes. 604 00:34:16,880 --> 00:34:22,280 Our lifestyle becomes like his. We might change that my to his. 605 00:34:22,760 --> 00:34:27,560 His life now, not my choices, his choices, his ways, his 606 00:34:27,560 --> 00:34:31,040 desires, his Kingdom. That's what we live for now, to 607 00:34:31,040 --> 00:34:33,719 help those that are in His Kingdom and help people come 608 00:34:33,719 --> 00:34:38,719 into His Kingdom. He also says to serve me if 609 00:34:38,719 --> 00:34:41,639 anyone serves me. What does it mean to serve Jesus 610 00:34:42,320 --> 00:34:44,639 in regards to hating your life in this world? 611 00:34:44,960 --> 00:34:47,480 Well, maybe we could flip the page to John 13. 612 00:34:47,960 --> 00:34:49,719 We'll get to this in a couple months. 613 00:34:49,800 --> 00:34:53,960 Jesus says this a new commandment I give to you that 614 00:34:53,960 --> 00:34:57,840 you love one another. My God, there's the good part of 615 00:34:57,840 --> 00:35:00,640 Jesus. I like love one another as I 616 00:35:00,640 --> 00:35:02,640 have loved you. You also are to love one 617 00:35:02,640 --> 00:35:03,960 another. How did Jesus love us? 618 00:35:04,880 --> 00:35:07,720 To death. So yeah, it sounds great, but 619 00:35:07,720 --> 00:35:10,480 there's a there's a dying to self that's involved and we are 620 00:35:10,480 --> 00:35:13,680 to love one another and even says people will know we are as 621 00:35:13,680 --> 00:35:18,720 disciples by our love. So to serve Jesus is to love one 622 00:35:18,720 --> 00:35:23,120 another, to care for people, to serve them, to pray for them, to 623 00:35:23,120 --> 00:35:28,960 help them, not to slam them online or cast judgement towards 624 00:35:28,960 --> 00:35:31,080 them. Do you speak the truth? 625 00:35:31,080 --> 00:35:35,200 We speak it in love. We also serve the poor, give our 626 00:35:35,200 --> 00:35:38,000 money away, help people be reconciled to God. 627 00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:40,680 That's loving. That is to serve me. 628 00:35:40,800 --> 00:35:43,320 That's to follow Jesus. That's to hate your life now 629 00:35:43,560 --> 00:35:45,400 because you gain it for eternity. 630 00:35:46,080 --> 00:35:48,680 This is the best investment you could ever make. 631 00:35:49,760 --> 00:35:53,600 That's the result. He says keep it for eternal 632 00:35:53,920 --> 00:35:56,320 life, etern. Imagine that eternity with God. 633 00:35:56,320 --> 00:35:57,960 I I was trying to think about that this week. 634 00:35:58,280 --> 00:36:03,440 I not the smartest, but I just think for any of us, what is 635 00:36:03,480 --> 00:36:05,480 eternity? How do we even think about 636 00:36:05,520 --> 00:36:06,840 eternity? And yet that's what he says. 637 00:36:06,840 --> 00:36:11,880 We will keep this life forever. Joy with God, pleasure with Him, 638 00:36:12,200 --> 00:36:16,720 peace and satisfaction, eternal, abundant, wonderful life with 639 00:36:16,720 --> 00:36:19,760 God forever. As Jesus resurrected to new 640 00:36:19,760 --> 00:36:24,320 life, so will you and you will be with him forever. 641 00:36:24,480 --> 00:36:26,800 I want to give us a brief glimpse of what that will look 642 00:36:26,800 --> 00:36:30,120 like, just to try to help stir this up. 643 00:36:30,120 --> 00:36:32,960 If you're a Christian, to remember that's where your hope 644 00:36:32,960 --> 00:36:33,840 is. Your hope is in the 645 00:36:33,840 --> 00:36:35,680 resurrection. Your hope is in your 646 00:36:35,680 --> 00:36:39,360 resurrection because Jesus came back to life, but also to those 647 00:36:39,360 --> 00:36:42,280 of you who are not Christians. Or maybe you're realizing as you 648 00:36:42,280 --> 00:36:46,920 examine your life, if you do so soberly, oh, maybe it is more 649 00:36:46,920 --> 00:36:50,840 for this life than I realized. Maybe I follow a version of 650 00:36:50,840 --> 00:36:55,360 Christianity that is actually very cultural, not godly, and 651 00:36:55,360 --> 00:36:58,760 means I'm loving my life now. But I want to give you a taste 652 00:36:58,760 --> 00:37:00,920 of what is to come. Why you would repent of your 653 00:37:00,920 --> 00:37:02,960 sins and put your trust in Jesus. 654 00:37:03,720 --> 00:37:08,080 Revelation 21 The apostle John wrote this same guy that wrote 655 00:37:08,080 --> 00:37:11,040 this letter had this vision in Revelation. 656 00:37:11,120 --> 00:37:14,800 So here's what it says. Then I saw a new heaven and a 657 00:37:14,800 --> 00:37:18,080 new earth for the 1st heaven and the first earth had passed away 658 00:37:18,080 --> 00:37:21,280 and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the New 659 00:37:21,280 --> 00:37:25,160 Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a 660 00:37:25,160 --> 00:37:29,600 bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from 661 00:37:29,600 --> 00:37:33,640 the throne saying, Behold, the dwelling place of God is with 662 00:37:33,880 --> 00:37:36,440 man. He will dwell with them, and 663 00:37:36,440 --> 00:37:39,520 they will be his people, and God Himself will be with them as 664 00:37:39,520 --> 00:37:42,480 their God. He will wipe away every tear 665 00:37:42,480 --> 00:37:45,400 from their eyes, and death shall be no more. 666 00:37:45,840 --> 00:37:50,200 Neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for 667 00:37:50,200 --> 00:37:53,160 the former things have passed away. 668 00:37:53,520 --> 00:37:57,000 But there's a there's a heavenly city that is coming like a bride 669 00:37:57,000 --> 00:38:01,400 adorned for her husband, beautiful and majestic for us. 670 00:38:01,960 --> 00:38:05,000 And it says the dwelling place of God is with man. 671 00:38:05,000 --> 00:38:07,960 We're going to be with him forever, and he's going to wipe 672 00:38:07,960 --> 00:38:12,120 away all tears, all brokenness, all sadness. 673 00:38:12,240 --> 00:38:15,560 Death is gone. Mourning, crying, pain. 674 00:38:16,000 --> 00:38:18,200 I know some of you are in pain, some of you have physical pain, 675 00:38:18,200 --> 00:38:20,800 you've hurts in this life. Some of you have internal pain. 676 00:38:20,880 --> 00:38:23,840 He's going to wipe it away and heal everything. 677 00:38:23,840 --> 00:38:27,360 That is what is to come. In the next chapter, John 678 00:38:27,360 --> 00:38:31,000 describes it more like this. There is a river of the water of 679 00:38:31,000 --> 00:38:35,920 Life, brightest crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of 680 00:38:35,920 --> 00:38:38,920 the Lamb, flowing through the middle of the street of the 681 00:38:38,920 --> 00:38:40,800 city. On either side of the river 682 00:38:40,800 --> 00:38:44,200 there's the Tree of Life, with its twelve kinds of fruit, 683 00:38:44,320 --> 00:38:47,080 yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for 684 00:38:47,080 --> 00:38:50,520 the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything 685 00:38:50,520 --> 00:38:53,360 accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, 686 00:38:53,720 --> 00:38:56,640 and His servants will. Worship Him. 687 00:38:57,040 --> 00:39:00,400 They will see his face and his name will be on their foreheads 688 00:39:00,520 --> 00:39:04,360 and night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp 689 00:39:04,600 --> 00:39:08,600 or sun, for the Lord God will be their light and they will reign 690 00:39:08,600 --> 00:39:12,600 forever and ever. We can say finally the end of 691 00:39:12,600 --> 00:39:15,360 daylight savings time. God is there. 692 00:39:15,360 --> 00:39:18,080 There's no more light. He's just there and He's always 693 00:39:18,080 --> 00:39:18,680 on. We don't. 694 00:39:19,160 --> 00:39:20,560 How wonderful is that going to be? 695 00:39:20,680 --> 00:39:24,120 There's this amazing river flowing through the middle of 696 00:39:24,120 --> 00:39:26,960 the city with this awesome tree with twelve kinds of fruit. 697 00:39:27,160 --> 00:39:30,360 It's going to make the the fruit that we taste on this life taste 698 00:39:30,360 --> 00:39:33,000 like garbage. That's how good it's going to 699 00:39:33,000 --> 00:39:35,560 be. The heat that leaves on the tree 700 00:39:35,560 --> 00:39:36,760 or for the healing of the nations. 701 00:39:36,760 --> 00:39:40,040 There is so much division between people in this world, is 702 00:39:40,040 --> 00:39:43,400 there not? And yet God's tree will bring 703 00:39:43,400 --> 00:39:47,080 unity and healing from all of those wounds and all of the 704 00:39:47,080 --> 00:39:50,880 hurt. And did you notice it? 705 00:39:50,880 --> 00:39:53,000 Says his servants will worship Him. 706 00:39:54,480 --> 00:39:56,440 His servants will worship him in heaven. 707 00:39:56,440 --> 00:39:59,640 If you are not his servant on earth, what makes you think 708 00:39:59,640 --> 00:40:03,040 you'll be a servant in heaven? Or it begins now with living our 709 00:40:03,040 --> 00:40:06,640 life for Jesus as we serve Him and we worship Him now. 710 00:40:07,920 --> 00:40:10,200 Now I would say that's enough and we could just end the 711 00:40:10,200 --> 00:40:12,240 teaching, but there's a couple more things in these verses I 712 00:40:12,240 --> 00:40:14,080 got to talk about. That's not it. 713 00:40:14,360 --> 00:40:17,480 Jesus says His servants receive honor. 714 00:40:17,480 --> 00:40:25,920 Look at the end of verse 26. If anyone serves me, the Father 715 00:40:26,280 --> 00:40:28,960 will honor him. How about that? 716 00:40:29,920 --> 00:40:34,040 Isn't that incredible? The Father of all creation, 717 00:40:34,520 --> 00:40:37,760 right, The Maker of the heavens and the universe is going to 718 00:40:37,760 --> 00:40:40,960 honor you. If you're a servant of. 719 00:40:40,960 --> 00:40:44,200 Jesus. I mean, we all. 720 00:40:44,200 --> 00:40:47,600 Love to be honored. We all love to be praised, don't 721 00:40:47,600 --> 00:40:49,240 we? You know what that feeling is 722 00:40:49,240 --> 00:40:51,720 like when someone who's really important and they're telling a 723 00:40:51,720 --> 00:40:54,840 good story about you, right? Maybe it's somebody you respect 724 00:40:54,840 --> 00:40:57,720 or you love a lot, or maybe it's your boss or your professor or 725 00:40:57,720 --> 00:40:59,800 something over here and they're just doting on you and it feels 726 00:40:59,800 --> 00:41:01,760 so good. Then it right there the, the, 727 00:41:02,120 --> 00:41:05,000 the creator of the universe is going to honor you if you're a 728 00:41:05,000 --> 00:41:07,520 servant of Jesus. How amazing is that? 729 00:41:08,520 --> 00:41:10,440 And we get heaven. And everything that comes with 730 00:41:10,440 --> 00:41:12,880 it. But there's more. 731 00:41:14,080 --> 00:41:17,120 Jesus says where I am. This is in verse 26. 732 00:41:17,120 --> 00:41:19,520 Where I am, there will my servant be also. 733 00:41:20,640 --> 00:41:23,680 Where I am. There, my servant will be also. 734 00:41:23,920 --> 00:41:26,520 It's probably meaning a couple things, Meaning heaven. 735 00:41:26,800 --> 00:41:28,400 When I'm going to be there, you're going to be with me. 736 00:41:28,400 --> 00:41:31,800 I think it's now as well. If you choose to. 737 00:41:31,800 --> 00:41:33,240 Die now. I know it's been kind of, you 738 00:41:33,240 --> 00:41:35,880 know, it's a lot to talk about death, death to yourself, self 739 00:41:35,880 --> 00:41:36,600 sacrifice. Yeah. 740 00:41:37,440 --> 00:41:40,040 But there's gain in this life. There is good here. 741 00:41:40,120 --> 00:41:42,880 He gives us his Holy Spirit to live in US. 742 00:41:43,480 --> 00:41:47,880 Jesus is with us here and now. What comfort? 743 00:41:48,040 --> 00:41:53,880 What security that we have that the the amazing, wonderful Jesus 744 00:41:53,880 --> 00:41:58,440 who loved so well. He was so kind and warm and 745 00:41:58,440 --> 00:42:03,160 gentle and peaceful. His presence was amazing. 746 00:42:03,200 --> 00:42:08,880 That Jesus lives in you if you die to yourself now and nothing 747 00:42:08,880 --> 00:42:13,680 can separate you from that love. This is what comes to those who 748 00:42:13,680 --> 00:42:17,280 choose this order. Death, then life. 749 00:42:18,600 --> 00:42:21,080 We finished with this. Verse from Romans 65. 750 00:42:21,440 --> 00:42:25,120 Paul puts this promise like so, and I think this is a helpful 751 00:42:25,120 --> 00:42:29,320 one to finish on because it's just very clear what it means to 752 00:42:29,320 --> 00:42:33,280 be a disciple of Jesus. He says if we have been united 753 00:42:33,640 --> 00:42:38,680 with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with 754 00:42:38,680 --> 00:42:41,880 Him in a resurrection like his. You will not have the 755 00:42:41,880 --> 00:42:45,480 resurrection of Jesus if you are not united with Him in his 756 00:42:45,480 --> 00:42:48,640 death. And that begins now, doesn't 757 00:42:48,640 --> 00:42:50,680 begin with your physical death on the earth. 758 00:42:50,680 --> 00:42:54,560 It begins with a death to self now to be united with Jesus, to 759 00:42:54,560 --> 00:42:57,080 be one with Him and together inseparable. 760 00:42:59,400 --> 00:43:00,600 As Jesus. Died. 761 00:43:01,600 --> 00:43:04,760 Sacrificing. His own life, choosing death 762 00:43:04,760 --> 00:43:07,560 first. Because Jesus did this, we die 763 00:43:07,560 --> 00:43:11,200 with him, and it's like we went to the grave with Jesus. 764 00:43:12,600 --> 00:43:15,720 But as Jesus. Resurrected and defeated that 765 00:43:15,840 --> 00:43:19,760 grave and came back to life, we too will be resurrected. 766 00:43:20,080 --> 00:43:23,240 So here's the question, Are you united to Jesus? 767 00:43:23,880 --> 00:43:28,760 Have you chosen to die with him? Die to your sins, die to 768 00:43:28,760 --> 00:43:33,480 yourself, die to your way, and turn and call him Lord and 769 00:43:33,480 --> 00:43:39,320 Savior. To all of you who? 770 00:43:39,320 --> 00:43:41,480 Have not trusted in Jesus's death. 771 00:43:43,160 --> 00:43:46,640 I would ask why? What is keeping you from doing 772 00:43:46,640 --> 00:43:48,560 that? It requires faith, I understand 773 00:43:48,560 --> 00:43:51,240 that. But but can you trust in Him 774 00:43:51,400 --> 00:43:54,560 because He's calling you today. He's bidding you to himself. 775 00:43:54,760 --> 00:43:57,600 Come to me and die that you may live. 776 00:43:57,920 --> 00:44:01,200 Life in Christ begins with death, and you will never regret 777 00:44:01,200 --> 00:44:04,120 that decision. Life and death are not. 778 00:44:04,120 --> 00:44:06,560 Negotiable, right? And you can't, you can't get out 779 00:44:06,560 --> 00:44:09,400 of those two, but the order is up to you. 780 00:44:09,400 --> 00:44:14,680 And so which do you choose? Choose death now so that you can 781 00:44:14,680 --> 00:44:17,160 live forever. I would say, choose death today. 782 00:44:18,080 --> 00:44:20,960 Turn and follow Jesus. And to those of you who would, 783 00:44:21,120 --> 00:44:23,000 who would answer that? And say Amen. 784 00:44:23,000 --> 00:44:27,880 And yes, I have and I do, trusted in Jesus's death on that 785 00:44:27,880 --> 00:44:31,600 cross as my own. Remember the promised life to 786 00:44:31,600 --> 00:44:33,400 come. It is our hope for this life. 787 00:44:34,400 --> 00:44:36,440 It is our promise. In this life, as we think about 788 00:44:36,440 --> 00:44:39,880 the next one, remember the honor from the Father that is coming 789 00:44:40,040 --> 00:44:44,360 to you. And in the meanwhile, until we 790 00:44:44,360 --> 00:44:47,440 see that day. Serve. 791 00:44:47,560 --> 00:44:50,880 Jesus and follow Jesus with your whole life.