1 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:07,240 Thank you for listening to the Riverbend Church Podcast. 2 00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:10,920 Riverbend Church exists to lead all people to know, love, and 3 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:14,320 live new life in Jesus Christ. We hope that you enjoy this 4 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:20,520 message. Hey, welcome. 5 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:21,960 Good morning, everybody. OK. 6 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:25,480 Welcome to Church Oakwood. We're grateful you're here with 7 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:27,840 us. Online community. 8 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:29,000 Grateful you're here with us too. 9 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:31,240 Wherever you're watching from. Maybe you're at the beach 10 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:34,040 soaking in the sun. We hope you enjoy that. 11 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:35,560 We're grateful that you're with us. 12 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:38,760 Thank you for being here today. Gainesville as well. 13 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:41,040 We we have an awesome day in store. 14 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:43,920 I'm so excited about what God is doing here. 15 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:48,000 My name is Jared and I'll be here helping, helping lead, 16 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:50,860 helping teach. In this season, if I haven't met 17 00:00:50,860 --> 00:00:53,620 you, I'd love to. We have a great team here, great 18 00:00:53,620 --> 00:00:56,900 team of pastors, great team of of people that are that are 19 00:00:56,900 --> 00:00:58,820 willing to serve the Lord In this season. 20 00:00:58,940 --> 00:01:02,620 It's really awesome to see. I, I truly am, am still taken 21 00:01:02,620 --> 00:01:05,379 back by how many volunteers you have at Riverbend Church. 22 00:01:05,379 --> 00:01:07,260 It's really awesome. I see the shirts. 23 00:01:07,420 --> 00:01:09,020 You matter. They're all over the place. 24 00:01:09,220 --> 00:01:11,820 And how about the Donuts? Anybody grateful for the Donuts? 25 00:01:11,820 --> 00:01:16,600 It Yeah, OK. We got an exciting day in store. 26 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:18,400 You see the baptismal pool behind me. 27 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:21,600 That's that is the most exciting thing we do here. 28 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:23,640 Anybody agree with me that we get to? 29 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:30,240 Yeah, few of us. You can't see it, but it's going 30 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:32,760 to happen at the second service. So if you want to stick your 31 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:36,160 head in through the back or something, maybe at the end or 32 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:39,000 after, after our time together when we get into the 11:00 33 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:41,160 o'clock, that's what we're going to enjoy. 34 00:01:41,860 --> 00:01:45,500 Celebrating death to life. You know, when we celebrate 35 00:01:45,500 --> 00:01:50,860 baptism, we see a public declaration of what Jesus has 36 00:01:50,860 --> 00:01:54,980 done on the inside of the people that are in those waters. 37 00:01:56,260 --> 00:01:59,260 It's a declaration to the world where these people are going to 38 00:01:59,260 --> 00:02:01,700 say later today. And so many of you who have gone 39 00:02:01,700 --> 00:02:06,140 through the baptismal waters, you're declaring to the world, I 40 00:02:06,140 --> 00:02:10,340 am not the same. I'm a new creation because of 41 00:02:10,460 --> 00:02:13,550 Jesus. My old life has been crucified 42 00:02:13,550 --> 00:02:17,470 with him and buried. And when you came up out of that 43 00:02:17,470 --> 00:02:20,550 water, you're saying, I've been raised to walk in Newness of 44 00:02:20,550 --> 00:02:27,750 life, newness of life. Jesus has changed my life. 45 00:02:27,750 --> 00:02:30,830 That's the declaration that we get to celebrate later today. 46 00:02:32,470 --> 00:02:35,870 And Jesus does change lives. That's what we're going to talk 47 00:02:35,870 --> 00:02:38,710 about today. I wonder if if your life has 48 00:02:38,710 --> 00:02:41,940 been changed. I wonder if you're different 49 00:02:41,940 --> 00:02:48,020 because of knowing Jesus. I looked up the word change in 50 00:02:48,020 --> 00:02:51,340 the dictionary. Webster's You know, commonly 51 00:02:51,340 --> 00:02:53,700 it's a It's a well known dictionary, right? 52 00:02:53,700 --> 00:02:56,740 I wonder. I wish I could meet Webster or 53 00:02:56,740 --> 00:03:00,140 Miriam or whatever his name is. I want to meet him, Marry him, I 54 00:03:00,220 --> 00:03:04,140 don't know. I looked up this word change in 55 00:03:04,140 --> 00:03:07,740 the dictionary and there were two the first two dictionary 56 00:03:07,740 --> 00:03:10,930 definitions that came up. I found it interesting that they 57 00:03:10,930 --> 00:03:16,570 were very different because this word change can mean different 58 00:03:16,570 --> 00:03:18,530 things. It's it's one word, but it's 59 00:03:18,610 --> 00:03:21,490 broad. The first definition that I saw 60 00:03:21,490 --> 00:03:29,770 when I looked it up was to make different or to alter to adjust 61 00:03:30,210 --> 00:03:37,050 to alter to make it different. But the second definition was 62 00:03:37,050 --> 00:03:42,320 another level. To make radically different to 63 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:47,560 transform. So change can be little change, 64 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:54,320 little alteration or change can be transformation. 65 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:58,840 And today, from the top, I want to make it clear that we're 66 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:01,960 talking about the second type of change. 67 00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:07,960 Because God doesn't merely alter who you are when He touches you. 68 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:15,600 When he touches someone, they are made radically different. 69 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:19,720 And I've been challenged this week as I've been studying. 70 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:24,000 You may say, well, that you say that every week. 71 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:25,800 Yeah, because I'm challenged every week. 72 00:04:28,280 --> 00:04:32,920 I wonder if we're coming to church looking for an upgrade, 73 00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:36,240 looking for an alteration like I do when I go to the. 74 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:40,240 Suit Taylor and I want my suit to fit a little better, Just a 75 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:43,280 little alteration. Can you take a little bit out 76 00:04:43,280 --> 00:04:47,040 from under this arm that's getting a little loose? 77 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:53,000 God, I wonder if we're coming to church looking for an alteration 78 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:56,600 or if we're coming here to be touched by him, to encounter 79 00:04:56,600 --> 00:05:00,480 him, to be in his presence and to walk out radically different. 80 00:05:01,840 --> 00:05:05,540 It's two types of changes. One of the clearest verses in 81 00:05:05,540 --> 00:05:08,340 Scripture about change is Second Corinthians 517. 82 00:05:08,340 --> 00:05:14,140 You know it very well that anyone who belongs to Christ has 83 00:05:14,140 --> 00:05:17,700 become a new person. Change. 84 00:05:17,900 --> 00:05:20,540 Transformation. The old is gone. 85 00:05:20,660 --> 00:05:24,420 The new life has begun. That's what we're going to see 86 00:05:24,420 --> 00:05:28,460 in these waters later today. Well, some of us will see it, I 87 00:05:28,460 --> 00:05:30,300 know. But that's what that is. 88 00:05:30,860 --> 00:05:33,140 Old life is gone. New life. 89 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:40,320 Has begun transformation. Changes have been made, but not 90 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:45,760 just little alterations like it's a total transformation from 91 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:52,280 the inside out. I wonder if we are settling for 92 00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:57,760 alterations when God wants transformation. 93 00:05:58,810 --> 00:06:01,250 Just have a little fun before we dive in together. 94 00:06:01,250 --> 00:06:04,850 I found the story of a man who dialed a wrong number and he got 95 00:06:04,850 --> 00:06:07,930 the answering machine of this man that he didn't recognize. 96 00:06:07,930 --> 00:06:11,570 The voice on the other end and that voicemail greeting said I'm 97 00:06:11,570 --> 00:06:14,730 not available right now, but I thank you for calling and I 98 00:06:14,730 --> 00:06:16,890 thank you for caring enough to call. 99 00:06:17,010 --> 00:06:18,930 I'm making some changes in my life. 100 00:06:19,130 --> 00:06:22,210 Please leave a message after the beep and if I don't return your 101 00:06:22,210 --> 00:06:25,610 call, you will know that you are one of those changes that I'm 102 00:06:25,610 --> 00:06:32,860 making. It's not what you want to hear 103 00:06:32,860 --> 00:06:37,140 on the other end. As we've looked at Saul's 104 00:06:37,140 --> 00:06:40,460 conversion story over the past several weeks and I know we took 105 00:06:40,460 --> 00:06:45,540 some some time off from this. And last week my uncle Scott 106 00:06:45,540 --> 00:06:49,700 Cagle was up here bringing the word and he didn't correct 107 00:06:49,700 --> 00:06:52,100 himself when he said nephew. So I'm not correcting myself 108 00:06:52,100 --> 00:06:54,300 when I say uncle, I will claim him absolutely. 109 00:06:54,460 --> 00:06:56,180 He did a great job the week before that. 110 00:06:56,660 --> 00:06:59,340 Pastor Preston Graham was up here delivering the word. 111 00:06:59,540 --> 00:07:03,140 And then the week before that, Greg Peck, Pastor Greg Peck from 112 00:07:03,260 --> 00:07:07,820 across the highway or whatever we say down there in Oakwood was 113 00:07:07,820 --> 00:07:09,980 delivering a word for us on July 2nd. 114 00:07:10,020 --> 00:07:14,340 And we've taken a few weeks here in the summer and we've been 115 00:07:14,340 --> 00:07:18,860 scattered in this story. But if you remember, we spent a 116 00:07:18,860 --> 00:07:22,300 great deal of time here in Chapter 9 talking about Saul's 117 00:07:22,300 --> 00:07:26,040 conversion story. Saul, who later would be known 118 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:30,000 as Paul, who wrote letters like the letter to the Corinthians. 119 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:36,080 And we've when we study his story, we see that he was 120 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:41,320 radically changed. He wasn't just an alteration in 121 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:42,520 his life. It was. 122 00:07:43,540 --> 00:07:45,700 A radical change, and everybody knew it. 123 00:07:45,700 --> 00:07:47,900 It was obvious. In fact, it was one of the more 124 00:07:47,900 --> 00:07:51,420 obvious in all of Scripture. So obvious that people didn't 125 00:07:51,420 --> 00:07:54,100 believe it. Like this man was killing 126 00:07:54,100 --> 00:07:57,900 Christians before and now he's converting people to become 127 00:07:57,900 --> 00:08:02,300 Christians. This man was persecuting 128 00:08:02,300 --> 00:08:07,500 Christians, punishing Christians before, and now he's preaching 129 00:08:08,980 --> 00:08:12,700 about Jesus. Total 180. 130 00:08:13,890 --> 00:08:17,810 Total transformation from a human perspective. 131 00:08:17,810 --> 00:08:23,290 The trouble with changing is you have a reputation now. 132 00:08:23,290 --> 00:08:25,970 Have you ever wished that you could just start over and wipe 133 00:08:25,970 --> 00:08:29,130 the slate clean and maybe get some new friends that didn't 134 00:08:29,130 --> 00:08:32,770 know you win? That's the trouble. 135 00:08:32,770 --> 00:08:35,770 That's the hard part about changing, because when you 136 00:08:35,770 --> 00:08:38,250 change, you have this reputation people expect. 137 00:08:39,169 --> 00:08:41,250 You have this past that people expect. 138 00:08:44,070 --> 00:08:51,310 Sometimes we, I'm afraid, run from that reality, run from that 139 00:08:51,310 --> 00:08:57,910 reputation, run from that past, or try to hide it in order to 140 00:08:57,910 --> 00:09:02,710 wipe the slate clean and live a new life and live a changed life 141 00:09:04,310 --> 00:09:05,950 because from a human perspective. 142 00:09:07,740 --> 00:09:10,020 It's tough to change when you have a reputation, but from 143 00:09:10,020 --> 00:09:14,500 God's perspective, the weaker your reputation, the stronger 144 00:09:14,500 --> 00:09:19,780 His power will be seen in your life. 145 00:09:23,660 --> 00:09:27,100 We're diluting our testimony of its power and potency when we 146 00:09:27,100 --> 00:09:29,980 Polish our story to preserve our reputation. 147 00:09:33,430 --> 00:09:36,430 I think you'll be shocked by the strength that you find when 148 00:09:36,430 --> 00:09:40,830 you're vulnerable, when you're transparent, and when you show 149 00:09:40,830 --> 00:09:47,110 God's grace through your life and you don't hide behind who 150 00:09:47,110 --> 00:09:51,830 you were or you don't hide from who you were. 151 00:09:52,510 --> 00:09:56,880 Paul had to own who he was. There's no hiding it that the 152 00:09:56,880 --> 00:10:00,320 world newest story, in fact it was published for all to see. 153 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:03,840 It's it's been published for all these years for all the world to 154 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:10,480 see. He owned it and he had a story 155 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:13,760 to tell that was powerful because he owned it. 156 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:20,440 Acts, chapter 22. Paul is speaking to the Jewish 157 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:23,920 Council in Jerusalem in Acts chapter 22. 158 00:10:24,290 --> 00:10:27,530 Verse three would just be here for a moment, and this is what 159 00:10:27,530 --> 00:10:29,970 he said. I am a Jew born in Tarsus since 160 00:10:29,970 --> 00:10:33,450 Alicia, but I was brought up in this city and educated at the 161 00:10:33,450 --> 00:10:37,730 feet of Gamalia according to the strict manner of the law of our 162 00:10:37,730 --> 00:10:42,330 fathers being zealous for God as all of you are this day. 163 00:10:42,330 --> 00:10:45,450 And look at verse 4I persecuted this way. 164 00:10:46,290 --> 00:10:52,430 I persecuted the way of Jesus. And even to the death binding 165 00:10:52,430 --> 00:10:55,910 and delivering to prison both men and women, as the high 166 00:10:55,910 --> 00:10:58,350 priests in the whole council of elders can bear witness. 167 00:10:58,350 --> 00:11:00,910 You all can see this was my life. 168 00:11:00,910 --> 00:11:05,590 This is what I did. This is who I was. 169 00:11:07,660 --> 00:11:10,540 I even received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward 170 00:11:10,540 --> 00:11:14,340 Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in 171 00:11:14,340 --> 00:11:17,140 bonds to Jerusalem to be punished. 172 00:11:17,140 --> 00:11:21,500 I was on the way to do more of what I had been doing. 173 00:11:21,500 --> 00:11:24,540 I was on the way to take the leaders of this party, the 174 00:11:24,540 --> 00:11:28,500 leaders of this movement, back to Jerusalem and punished them 175 00:11:29,780 --> 00:11:35,640 when God intersected my story. Look at First Corinthians 15, 176 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:37,520 just really quickly here, verse 8. 177 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:40,960 This is Paul as well. Last of all he said as to 1 178 00:11:40,960 --> 00:11:45,000 untimely born Jesus also appeared to me, for I am the 179 00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:49,360 least of the apostles. I am unworthy to be called an 180 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:52,680 apostle because I persecuted the Church of God. 181 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:55,240 This is who I am. I know who I am. 182 00:11:55,440 --> 00:11:59,480 I this is, this is, excuse me, who I was. 183 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:02,440 I know who I was. I know what I did. 184 00:12:03,910 --> 00:12:08,030 I'm unworthy because of that, don't deserve this because of 185 00:12:08,030 --> 00:12:09,270 that. But look at verse 10. 186 00:12:09,510 --> 00:12:17,510 But by the grace of God, I am what I am, and his grace toward 187 00:12:17,510 --> 00:12:24,590 me was not in vain. By the grace of God, I am what I 188 00:12:24,590 --> 00:12:28,070 am. I stand here today in this 189 00:12:28,070 --> 00:12:32,990 calling, in this purpose, in His grace toward me. 190 00:12:33,860 --> 00:12:40,140 Was not in vain because what he touches, he transforms, What he 191 00:12:40,140 --> 00:12:43,100 touches he makes radically different. 192 00:12:43,100 --> 00:12:46,380 And Paul comes and says in all of you on all of his humility. 193 00:12:46,380 --> 00:12:49,780 I own it. I I was this, but now I'm this. 194 00:12:49,780 --> 00:12:56,660 And look at God's grace, because you see when we hide our past or 195 00:12:56,660 --> 00:13:01,640 we try to make it. Prettier or more polished than 196 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:07,520 it actually was? Aren't we deluding the power of 197 00:13:07,520 --> 00:13:11,960 God's grace to bring us from there to where we are? 198 00:13:15,040 --> 00:13:17,240 Go ahead and turn with me to Acts Chapter 9, where we're 199 00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:19,600 going to be spending the rest of our time together. 200 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:21,760 If you don't have your Bible, it'll be on the screen. 201 00:13:23,860 --> 00:13:26,700 Just a quick recap as you're turning to Acts Chapter 9. 202 00:13:26,700 --> 00:13:30,820 Paul Saul at the time was on the way to Damascus to kill more 203 00:13:30,820 --> 00:13:33,500 Christians, as we've just said. And Jesus stopped him in his 204 00:13:33,500 --> 00:13:35,660 tracks and caused him to go blind. 205 00:13:35,660 --> 00:13:38,380 And for three days Saul was in darkness. 206 00:13:38,380 --> 00:13:43,580 For three days he was in that something about 3 days in 207 00:13:43,580 --> 00:13:47,140 darkness. And then God sends a man named 208 00:13:47,140 --> 00:13:49,340 Annanius to go lay hands on Saul. 209 00:13:51,280 --> 00:13:57,280 Preston covered this a few weeks ago, but when Anna and I us got 210 00:13:57,280 --> 00:14:00,160 there, he said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to 211 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:02,760 you on the road by which you came, as sent me, that you may 212 00:14:02,760 --> 00:14:05,680 regain your sight and be filled with the Spirit. 213 00:14:05,800 --> 00:14:09,480 And then in verse 18, he said, it says immediately something 214 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:15,160 like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he regained his sight 215 00:14:15,160 --> 00:14:18,880 immediately. And then he rose and was 216 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:23,640 baptized, and taking food, he. Was strengthened, and for some 217 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:28,200 days he was with the disciples at Damascus. 218 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:30,840 And then look at verse 20. These are the three verses we're 219 00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:34,080 going to be spending most of our time together, verses 20 through 220 00:14:34,080 --> 00:14:38,360 22. And immediately there's that 221 00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:41,880 word again. Immediately, another translation 222 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:45,920 says. Straight away, straight to the 223 00:14:45,920 --> 00:14:48,890 point. Cut into the chase immediately. 224 00:14:48,890 --> 00:14:52,970 What did he do? He proclaimed Jesus in the 225 00:14:52,970 --> 00:14:59,090 church. He proclaimed Jesus in the 226 00:14:59,090 --> 00:15:04,170 synagogues, saying he is the Son of God, and all who heard him 227 00:15:04,170 --> 00:15:07,570 were amazed and said, Is not this the man who made havoc in 228 00:15:07,570 --> 00:15:10,930 Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? 229 00:15:11,050 --> 00:15:16,370 Isn't this the guy? That we were watching persecute 230 00:15:16,370 --> 00:15:19,530 the church? And has he not come here for 231 00:15:19,530 --> 00:15:22,650 this purpose, to bring them bound from the chief priests? 232 00:15:25,250 --> 00:15:32,170 But Saul increased all the more in strength and confounded the 233 00:15:32,170 --> 00:15:37,930 Jews. Dumbfounded, perplexed, 234 00:15:38,050 --> 00:15:43,930 surprised the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving. 235 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:50,720 That Jesus was the Christ We're going to study here. 236 00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:56,400 Saul's first sermons that immediately he began to proclaim 237 00:15:56,520 --> 00:16:00,960 Jesus in the synagogues and and his message was quite simple. 238 00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:06,680 He is the Son of God. He is the Son of God. 239 00:16:07,480 --> 00:16:10,600 What about this word immediately? 240 00:16:12,420 --> 00:16:15,060 Immediately. What did he immediately do? 241 00:16:15,100 --> 00:16:17,140 What would you have immediately done? 242 00:16:17,180 --> 00:16:20,620 What would I have immediately after this miracle after this 243 00:16:20,620 --> 00:16:22,380 total life transformation? What? 244 00:16:22,780 --> 00:16:26,700 What would my immediate response have been? 245 00:16:31,260 --> 00:16:34,700 He immediately began to proclaim Jesus. 246 00:16:34,700 --> 00:16:38,620 He immediately preached Jesus. He didn't immediately rise to a 247 00:16:38,620 --> 00:16:46,550 leadership position. I wonder if I was in there, if I 248 00:16:46,550 --> 00:16:49,830 was in his shoes. I was thinking about this this 249 00:16:49,830 --> 00:16:52,270 week. I wonder if if I were to be in 250 00:16:52,630 --> 00:16:56,030 Saul's shoes, and this would have happened to me on the road 251 00:16:56,030 --> 00:16:59,390 to Damascus and my eyes would have been opened and all of this 252 00:16:59,590 --> 00:17:02,590 and and I knew the Bible because I've been studying the Old 253 00:17:02,590 --> 00:17:08,000 Testament my entire life. I wonder if I would have walked 254 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:10,319 up in there with confidence and said, all right, it's time. 255 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:18,680 I need a position. I hope not, but I wonder I'm the 256 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:24,880 guy. He didn't do that. 257 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:30,640 He just began to proclaim Jesus. He wouldn't take a leadership 258 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:35,330 position for years. Can I tell you that you don't 259 00:17:35,330 --> 00:17:37,410 need a leadership position to serve? 260 00:17:38,890 --> 00:17:41,170 Can I tell you that you don't need a leadership position to 261 00:17:41,170 --> 00:17:44,850 proclaim Jesus, to preach Jesus, to talk about Jesus, to say what 262 00:17:44,850 --> 00:17:47,210 he's done in your life? Can I tell you that this is one 263 00:17:47,210 --> 00:17:51,330 of the biggest disconnects I think in our modern church 264 00:17:51,370 --> 00:17:54,690 movement is we think that the person up here is the only one 265 00:17:54,690 --> 00:17:57,450 who can talk about this because the person up here is the only 266 00:17:57,450 --> 00:18:00,450 one qualified to use the right words and not mess up. 267 00:18:01,970 --> 00:18:06,310 Disconnect. Saul was just transformed. 268 00:18:06,430 --> 00:18:08,710 He was going the opposite direction. 269 00:18:08,710 --> 00:18:14,590 He was teaching the opposite thing, and immediately he began 270 00:18:14,590 --> 00:18:21,710 to proclaim Jesus. Immediately he didn't make 271 00:18:21,710 --> 00:18:24,990 excuses, even though he had plenty of excuses to make. 272 00:18:25,190 --> 00:18:26,510 He could have said I'm not ready. 273 00:18:28,230 --> 00:18:31,230 I'm not ready. I've got the knowledge but I'm 274 00:18:31,230 --> 00:18:33,030 not ready. I don't have the track record 275 00:18:33,030 --> 00:18:34,510 yet. He could have said they won't 276 00:18:34,510 --> 00:18:36,670 believe me. Why should they listen to me? 277 00:18:36,670 --> 00:18:38,830 They know where I've been. They know who I was. 278 00:18:39,190 --> 00:18:41,310 Why should they listen to me? I'm not going to get up here and 279 00:18:41,310 --> 00:18:46,900 make a fool of myself. He didn't make those excuses. 280 00:18:46,900 --> 00:18:50,700 He didn't let what the other people thought determine his 281 00:18:50,700 --> 00:18:53,260 obedience. And I think this is a key point 282 00:18:53,260 --> 00:18:56,660 for us to take away today. Don't let what other people 283 00:18:56,660 --> 00:19:00,180 think of you determine how you obey Christ. 284 00:19:03,700 --> 00:19:08,540 He immediately preached Jesus. And what was his message? 285 00:19:08,620 --> 00:19:13,260 It's very simple. He is the Son of God. 286 00:19:15,090 --> 00:19:21,890 He is He is the Son of God. How amazing is it that Saul's 287 00:19:22,010 --> 00:19:28,370 last words before he went blind? Remember when he was on the road 288 00:19:28,530 --> 00:19:31,730 and he was struck with this bright light and he fell down. 289 00:19:31,810 --> 00:19:36,290 His last words were or sorry, his first words were who are 290 00:19:36,290 --> 00:19:39,610 you, Lord? His first words were that 291 00:19:39,610 --> 00:19:43,610 question, and then his first words after conversion were. 292 00:19:44,340 --> 00:19:52,660 The answer to that question, he is the Son of God, you may say, 293 00:19:52,660 --> 00:19:54,500 Is that. Is that all he preached? 294 00:19:56,060 --> 00:20:01,420 Because that it's awful simple. And they were in all of that. 295 00:20:01,420 --> 00:20:05,420 They were amazed by that. They were confounded by that, 296 00:20:07,300 --> 00:20:11,930 yes. Because this was a clear and 297 00:20:11,930 --> 00:20:16,650 profound message to the Jewish audience. 298 00:20:17,810 --> 00:20:21,850 This is ultimately Jesus being the Son of God is ultimately 299 00:20:21,850 --> 00:20:24,890 what separates him from any other God. 300 00:20:26,690 --> 00:20:29,930 This is what separates Christianity from any other 301 00:20:30,010 --> 00:20:33,450 religion. That he is God. 302 00:20:33,610 --> 00:20:36,770 That he's fully God and fully man. 303 00:20:36,770 --> 00:20:41,200 This is what the ancients have been trying to tear down about 304 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:45,240 our movement, our our belief in Jesus. 305 00:20:47,760 --> 00:20:52,720 If this is both central and crucial to our faith that Jesus 306 00:20:52,720 --> 00:21:01,600 is in fact God, he could not save sinners as simply a great 307 00:21:01,600 --> 00:21:05,590 man. No great man could pay the 308 00:21:05,590 --> 00:21:09,630 ultimate price for sin. God in flesh was the only way 309 00:21:09,630 --> 00:21:16,070 for salvation to be accomplished, and Saul had been 310 00:21:16,070 --> 00:21:18,110 teaching the exact opposite of that. 311 00:21:18,990 --> 00:21:23,190 He'd been leading in the exact opposite way, and now he's 312 00:21:23,190 --> 00:21:26,030 preaching the faith that he once tried to destroy. 313 00:21:26,150 --> 00:21:30,070 His whole life was built on rising the ranks of the Jewish 314 00:21:30,310 --> 00:21:33,610 tradition. Think about how powerful these 315 00:21:33,610 --> 00:21:38,770 words were coming out of this man's mouth because they knew 316 00:21:38,770 --> 00:21:41,490 where he had been and they hear him now. 317 00:21:44,170 --> 00:21:47,530 He'd been made radically different. 318 00:21:49,690 --> 00:21:55,720 I can't imagine what the Jews were thinking when they were 319 00:21:55,720 --> 00:22:01,320 listening to him. This powerful leader, this proud 320 00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:07,420 man, is now standing before us, humble and meek and 321 00:22:07,420 --> 00:22:12,380 unapologetically humble at that, giving up all of his worldly 322 00:22:12,380 --> 00:22:15,820 advantages, everything that he's built and earned. 323 00:22:15,820 --> 00:22:20,860 He's given it up for what? For the sake of Christ, Paul 324 00:22:20,860 --> 00:22:24,100 would later say. For I counted all his loss for 325 00:22:24,100 --> 00:22:31,580 the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, and all 326 00:22:31,580 --> 00:22:34,790 who were amazed, All who heard were amazed. 327 00:22:34,790 --> 00:22:41,110 And they said, is this not the man who made havoc in Jerusalem? 328 00:22:42,550 --> 00:22:48,990 Is this not the same guy? And put yourself in their shoes 329 00:22:48,990 --> 00:22:56,750 for a moment. Is this not the same guy who who 330 00:22:56,750 --> 00:23:02,790 killed my best friend Stephen? This is not the same guy who 331 00:23:02,790 --> 00:23:07,230 stood on the hill and presided over the stoning of my best 332 00:23:07,230 --> 00:23:09,590 friend. This didn't happen that long 333 00:23:09,590 --> 00:23:14,070 before I remember it very well. How am I to stand here now and 334 00:23:14,070 --> 00:23:17,270 believe that he is a different person? 335 00:23:18,430 --> 00:23:21,790 And how many other personal examples were there, like this 336 00:23:21,790 --> 00:23:28,110 one of Steven? If I were one of the disciples, 337 00:23:28,110 --> 00:23:30,790 I would have been tempted to take matters into my own hands. 338 00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:36,840 How can it be? This can't be the same guy. 339 00:23:40,560 --> 00:23:47,160 But it was the same guy. We said, well, we talked about 340 00:23:47,160 --> 00:23:48,600 new creation. What do you mean he's the same 341 00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:52,880 guy? The old life is gone. 342 00:23:53,280 --> 00:24:01,130 The new life is here. But what God has brought you 343 00:24:01,130 --> 00:24:05,330 from proves His grace to the world. 344 00:24:06,810 --> 00:24:08,810 We don't hide from where we've been. 345 00:24:11,330 --> 00:24:15,250 We rest in God's power because of where He's brought us. 346 00:24:20,690 --> 00:24:27,370 Saul had been touched by Jesus. He had been touched by love 347 00:24:28,290 --> 00:24:31,610 himself because God is love. God doesn't just have love or 348 00:24:31,610 --> 00:24:34,050 show love. He is love and and Paul had 349 00:24:34,210 --> 00:24:39,410 encountered love himself. There's this beautiful poem 350 00:24:39,690 --> 00:24:44,330 written by Myra Brooks Welch and I hope you'd stay with me 351 00:24:44,330 --> 00:24:46,210 through this. There's some old language. 352 00:24:47,490 --> 00:24:51,690 The first word is twas and I don't just just stick with me. 353 00:24:51,690 --> 00:24:54,250 I know it. It's it means it was. 354 00:24:54,410 --> 00:24:55,890 It's a contraction. It's old. 355 00:24:57,160 --> 00:24:59,360 There's some old language in here, but stick with me. 356 00:24:59,360 --> 00:25:03,280 It's called the Touch of the Master's Hand. 357 00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:08,640 It twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer thought it 358 00:25:08,640 --> 00:25:13,520 wasn't even worth his while to waste much time on the old 359 00:25:13,520 --> 00:25:17,480 violin. But he held it up with a smile. 360 00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:21,160 What's the bid, good people? He cried. 361 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:23,080 Who will start the bidding for me? 362 00:25:23,800 --> 00:25:24,960 A dollar? A dollar? 363 00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:28,480 Now Two. Only two $2.00 And who'll make 364 00:25:28,480 --> 00:25:33,600 it 3-3 dollars? Once $3 twice going for three, 365 00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:37,520 but no. From the room far back a Gray 366 00:25:37,520 --> 00:25:40,400 haired man came forward and picked up the bow. 367 00:25:42,320 --> 00:25:46,360 Then, wiping the dust from the old violin and tightening up the 368 00:25:46,360 --> 00:25:51,600 strings, he played a melody pure and sweet, as sweet as an Angel 369 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:54,640 sings. The music ceased in the 370 00:25:54,680 --> 00:25:59,760 auctioneer, with a voice that was quiet and low, said, What 371 00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:05,000 shall we bid for the old violin as he held it up with the bow, 372 00:26:06,720 --> 00:26:10,760 $1000. And who'll make it 2/2/2000? 373 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:16,680 And who'll make it three 3000 once 3000 twice 3000 and gone, 374 00:26:16,680 --> 00:26:21,720 said he. The people cheered, but some 375 00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:27,420 exclaimed. We do not quite understand what 376 00:26:27,420 --> 00:26:34,020 changed it's worth. And the answer came The touch of 377 00:26:34,020 --> 00:26:39,980 the master's hand, and many a man with a soul out of tune and 378 00:26:39,980 --> 00:26:43,940 battered and scarred by sin, is auctioned cheap by the 379 00:26:43,940 --> 00:26:47,260 thoughtless crowd, just like the old violin. 380 00:26:48,010 --> 00:26:51,850 But the master comes, and the foolish crowd never can quite 381 00:26:52,090 --> 00:26:56,770 understand the worth of a soul and the change that is brought 382 00:26:56,770 --> 00:27:00,410 by the touch of the master's hand. 383 00:27:01,410 --> 00:27:07,770 O master, I am the tuneless One. Please lay your hand on me. 384 00:27:07,970 --> 00:27:13,810 Transform me now. Put a song in my heart of 385 00:27:13,810 --> 00:27:26,780 melody, Lord to thee. The crowd never can quite 386 00:27:26,780 --> 00:27:34,500 understand the worth of a soul and the change that is brought 387 00:27:35,220 --> 00:27:38,700 by the touch of the master's hand. 388 00:27:38,700 --> 00:27:43,020 This is not an alteration. When you're touched by love, 389 00:27:44,180 --> 00:27:48,500 it's transformation. It's radically different, and 390 00:27:48,500 --> 00:27:56,050 Saul's story reminds us that God makes people radically 391 00:27:56,170 --> 00:28:03,090 different, and it reminds us even deeper than that, that that 392 00:28:03,090 --> 00:28:08,210 he saves even some that aren't looking for him at all. 393 00:28:08,210 --> 00:28:11,250 Saul was going the opposite direction. 394 00:28:12,330 --> 00:28:14,610 He wasn't looking for Jesus at all. 395 00:28:15,290 --> 00:28:19,170 Jesus stopped him in his tracks and touched him. 396 00:28:22,300 --> 00:28:29,780 Can I tell you today, I don't want you to leave here without 397 00:28:30,300 --> 00:28:34,060 knowing that you are not too far gone. 398 00:28:35,420 --> 00:28:43,390 You're not too far gone. But how you know, Jared? 399 00:28:43,390 --> 00:28:45,070 You don't know. You don't know what's there. 400 00:28:45,070 --> 00:28:46,830 You don't know what's there. You don't know what was last 401 00:28:46,830 --> 00:28:48,950 night, Jared? You don't know what was this 402 00:28:48,950 --> 00:29:00,390 weekend? How can I be saved? 403 00:29:00,550 --> 00:29:04,030 How could I be revived? How could I be? 404 00:29:05,350 --> 00:29:10,020 I've been struggling with this for years and years and years in 405 00:29:10,020 --> 00:29:12,860 years I've been praying. I'm done praying because it's 406 00:29:12,860 --> 00:29:20,060 not working. How could I be restored? 407 00:29:20,180 --> 00:29:24,620 How could I be healed? How can I be free from the bonds 408 00:29:25,100 --> 00:29:31,500 of addiction? How can I be revived from this 409 00:29:31,500 --> 00:29:39,850 depression that I've been in? What must I do to be touched by 410 00:29:39,850 --> 00:29:42,210 the master today? Maybe you're asking that 411 00:29:42,210 --> 00:29:44,130 question. It's a good question. 412 00:29:44,130 --> 00:29:47,890 I want to look at one final story. 413 00:29:47,890 --> 00:29:50,210 It's a story that was told in the Gospels. 414 00:29:50,210 --> 00:29:54,610 Matthew, Mark and Luke give this account of a woman who had an 415 00:29:54,610 --> 00:30:00,370 issue of blood. Maybe you've read this story. 416 00:30:02,010 --> 00:30:07,460 This is a devastating condition. For 12 years the blood was 417 00:30:07,460 --> 00:30:11,420 continuous and it'd be devastating today. 418 00:30:12,420 --> 00:30:15,700 But it was certainly devastating then because she would have been 419 00:30:15,700 --> 00:30:19,820 considered unclean and she would have been outcasted. 420 00:30:21,780 --> 00:30:27,500 And Jesus is making his way through a crowd, actually on his 421 00:30:27,500 --> 00:30:30,860 way to heal a 12 year old dying girl. 422 00:30:32,770 --> 00:30:34,890 The crowd is pressing in around him. 423 00:30:34,890 --> 00:30:37,850 Everyone's packed around him because they don't want to miss 424 00:30:37,850 --> 00:30:40,650 what's going to happen next. You never know what Jesus, You 425 00:30:40,650 --> 00:30:45,850 never know. And in Luke's account of this 426 00:30:45,850 --> 00:30:51,970 story, in Luke chapter 8, verse 43, there was a woman who had a 427 00:30:51,970 --> 00:30:58,520 discharge of blood for 12 years, and though she had spent all her 428 00:30:58,520 --> 00:31:04,280 living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. 429 00:31:04,280 --> 00:31:07,440 I've tried it. I spent my money on what the 430 00:31:07,440 --> 00:31:09,920 world has to offer me. I spent. 431 00:31:10,080 --> 00:31:16,320 I tried every physician. I tried every hope I'm to the 432 00:31:16,320 --> 00:31:19,240 end of my rope now how could I ever be healed? 433 00:31:19,240 --> 00:31:24,000 And she came up behind Jesus, and she touched the fringe of 434 00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:25,880 his garment. Just the end of it. 435 00:31:27,140 --> 00:31:33,420 And immediately her discharge of blood ceased. 436 00:31:33,740 --> 00:31:35,660 Immediately there's that word again. 437 00:31:38,940 --> 00:31:42,620 And Jesus said, Who was it that touched me? 438 00:31:43,500 --> 00:31:50,500 Who was? Somebody touched me in a crowd 439 00:31:50,660 --> 00:31:54,700 that's pressing it around him. Of course somebody touched him, 440 00:31:57,260 --> 00:31:59,700 but the word says that she didn't even touch him. 441 00:31:59,700 --> 00:32:03,260 She touched the fringe of his garment, which surely that would 442 00:32:03,260 --> 00:32:06,020 have touched all kind of things. Jesus, what are you talking 443 00:32:06,020 --> 00:32:07,460 about? There's people all over the 444 00:32:07,460 --> 00:32:11,940 place, Peter said. The crowd surrounds you and are 445 00:32:11,940 --> 00:32:14,220 pressing in on you. What are you talking about? 446 00:32:15,940 --> 00:32:20,100 Jesus said someone touched me, for I perceived that power has 447 00:32:20,100 --> 00:32:23,540 gone out from me. That's a whole another servant. 448 00:32:32,010 --> 00:32:34,530 You think he was confused about somebody touching him? 449 00:32:37,890 --> 00:32:39,810 No. He was asking that question to 450 00:32:43,850 --> 00:32:51,210 teach the crowd about faith, to teach the crowd how they could 451 00:32:51,210 --> 00:32:56,410 experience the same thing. Maybe they don't have the same 452 00:32:56,410 --> 00:32:58,910 issue. Maybe you don't have the same 453 00:32:58,910 --> 00:33:00,390 issue. Chances are you don't. 454 00:33:00,390 --> 00:33:04,870 But you have some things that are holding you back, some 455 00:33:04,870 --> 00:33:12,710 conditions, something. And Jesus, The same God who is 456 00:33:12,710 --> 00:33:21,270 intimate enough to intersect this woman's story, is also the 457 00:33:21,270 --> 00:33:24,870 same God who uses it as an opportunity to let the crowd 458 00:33:24,870 --> 00:33:30,450 know that he is there, that they can have faith in him as well. 459 00:33:30,450 --> 00:33:34,370 And when you have faith in him, everything changes. 460 00:33:34,370 --> 00:33:38,890 When the woman saw that she was not hidden, this is verse 47, 461 00:33:38,890 --> 00:33:42,050 she came trembling and falling down before him. 462 00:33:42,050 --> 00:33:45,850 She declared in the presence of all the people why she had 463 00:33:45,850 --> 00:33:49,330 touched him and how she had been immediately healed. 464 00:33:49,330 --> 00:33:52,850 She did not hide. Imagine how hard that was to 465 00:33:52,850 --> 00:33:55,730 stand before the crowd and say, I've had an issue of blood for 466 00:33:55,730 --> 00:33:59,250 12 years. Many of you didn't know that. 467 00:33:59,250 --> 00:34:01,450 I've been trying to hide it. Many of you did know that. 468 00:34:03,610 --> 00:34:09,730 I mean, I know that it makes me unclean and I know the tradition 469 00:34:09,730 --> 00:34:11,889 and and I've been trying everything. 470 00:34:11,889 --> 00:34:13,409 I know I've been trying everything. 471 00:34:16,449 --> 00:34:21,409 And here I am trying one last thing because I heard about this 472 00:34:21,409 --> 00:34:24,170 man named Jesus, and when I touched the fringe of his 473 00:34:24,170 --> 00:34:29,210 garment, immediately I stopped bleeding And look at what Jesus 474 00:34:29,210 --> 00:34:36,050 said to her in verse 48. Daughter. 475 00:34:42,310 --> 00:34:45,150 Daughter. First word. 476 00:34:46,630 --> 00:34:51,550 Relational. Daughter, family. 477 00:34:53,000 --> 00:34:55,800 It's your faith that has made you well. 478 00:34:57,840 --> 00:35:02,600 Go in peace. What do we take away from this 479 00:35:03,320 --> 00:35:04,440 today? We're going to take away one 480 00:35:04,440 --> 00:35:07,440 thing on another day. If I had time, I'd give you at 481 00:35:07,440 --> 00:35:09,720 least 12 from that. Just a little part of Scripture. 482 00:35:09,720 --> 00:35:12,120 But today we got time for one. And the one thing I want you to 483 00:35:12,120 --> 00:35:15,400 take away from this is fate is the gateway. 484 00:35:16,680 --> 00:35:18,680 Faith. Faith. 485 00:35:18,880 --> 00:35:24,370 Daughter, it was your faith that made you well. 486 00:35:24,570 --> 00:35:28,530 Touching him didn't unlock the healing it. 487 00:35:28,650 --> 00:35:31,530 It was there was something magical about touching him. 488 00:35:32,330 --> 00:35:41,090 It was the faith. Faith was the gateway. 489 00:35:41,610 --> 00:35:47,570 Love was the power. And this is good news for us 490 00:35:47,570 --> 00:35:53,210 today because some of you are so paralyzed by your past and stuck 491 00:35:53,210 --> 00:35:58,930 in your sin that you can't even contemplate getting close enough 492 00:35:58,930 --> 00:36:01,290 to Jesus to reach out and touch his garment. 493 00:36:01,290 --> 00:36:04,170 Can I tell you today, it's not about reaching. 494 00:36:05,690 --> 00:36:09,490 It's not about making your way there. 495 00:36:10,330 --> 00:36:13,770 It wasn't about that for this woman on this day. 496 00:36:13,850 --> 00:36:19,450 It was about her faith. It's about our faith today. 497 00:36:22,920 --> 00:36:29,240 This is good news. This is good news because we 498 00:36:29,240 --> 00:36:31,040 can't earn it. We can't climb it. 499 00:36:31,040 --> 00:36:35,480 We can't get there on our own. But he's done it all already, 500 00:36:35,480 --> 00:36:38,720 and faith in him is what we'll say. 501 00:36:38,720 --> 00:36:41,680 Faith in him is what will heal. Faith in him is what we'll 502 00:36:41,680 --> 00:36:43,320 restore. Faith in him is what will 503 00:36:43,320 --> 00:36:47,760 revive. Faith is the gateway and you can 504 00:36:47,760 --> 00:36:54,400 be made new today. Repent and believe the gospel. 505 00:36:58,360 --> 00:37:06,200 Repent and believe that Jesus is the Son of God, the only 506 00:37:06,200 --> 00:37:09,200 begotten of the Father. He was not created. 507 00:37:09,600 --> 00:37:12,680 He has no beginning and he has no end. 508 00:37:14,080 --> 00:37:18,880 No one could take his life. He laid it down on his own 509 00:37:18,880 --> 00:37:25,170 accord and as he laid down his life for you. 510 00:37:25,530 --> 00:37:31,930 For me the sacrifice was enough so that all who believed in him, 511 00:37:31,930 --> 00:37:37,810 that had faith in his name would be able to put on his 512 00:37:37,810 --> 00:37:43,890 righteousness, and that with God would look down on you because 513 00:37:43,890 --> 00:37:47,730 of your faith in Jesus. He doesn't see your filthy rags 514 00:37:47,730 --> 00:37:50,490 from your past. He sees the righteousness of 515 00:37:50,490 --> 00:38:00,380 Christ. Jesus is the Son of God and 516 00:38:00,380 --> 00:38:05,180 Jesus is the Christ. Paul proved the Messiah, the one 517 00:38:05,180 --> 00:38:09,180 who had been sent to fulfill all of God's promises. 518 00:38:09,180 --> 00:38:13,860 The Bible says that all of his promises find their yes and Amen 519 00:38:14,060 --> 00:38:21,460 in Jesus, and by faith in His name, you can be made new today. 520 00:38:21,660 --> 00:38:25,860 God isn't here to give you an alteration. 521 00:38:29,460 --> 00:38:33,500 He's here to make you radically different. 522 00:38:35,460 --> 00:38:37,940 And it's not his power that's in question. 523 00:38:38,700 --> 00:38:42,220 What's in question is our submission. 524 00:38:52,550 --> 00:38:57,630 Bible says that as salt increased in strength, he 525 00:38:57,630 --> 00:39:03,350 confounded the Jews by proving that Jesus was the Christ. 526 00:39:03,350 --> 00:39:06,450 He They were confounded. They were surprised. 527 00:39:06,450 --> 00:39:10,130 They were stunned. They were confused by His 528 00:39:10,130 --> 00:39:14,250 transformation. People who knew you before 529 00:39:14,250 --> 00:39:18,970 Christ will be confused by your transformation. 530 00:39:19,130 --> 00:39:27,090 Don't fall into the temptation of watering down who you are 531 00:39:28,010 --> 00:39:32,010 because they expect you to be more like who you used to be. 532 00:39:34,050 --> 00:39:37,810 Don't water down the transformation that God has 533 00:39:37,810 --> 00:39:41,490 brought in your life just because you're afraid of what 534 00:39:41,490 --> 00:39:44,450 other people will think. I'm challenged. 535 00:39:44,810 --> 00:39:48,570 I am challenged, and I want to give you my challenge. 536 00:39:50,090 --> 00:39:52,450 They do. Other people have more power 537 00:39:52,610 --> 00:40:00,250 over my actions than Jesus does. Who has more authority? 538 00:40:01,890 --> 00:40:04,930 Because when other people have more authority, I'm more 539 00:40:04,930 --> 00:40:09,570 interested in an alteration, because I want the suit to fit 540 00:40:09,570 --> 00:40:12,570 just a little better. I don't want it to be totally 541 00:40:12,570 --> 00:40:16,970 transformed. I want the outside to fit. 542 00:40:18,930 --> 00:40:23,450 I don't want the inside to be made new when other people have 543 00:40:23,450 --> 00:40:29,100 more power over me, when other people are my authority. 544 00:40:29,100 --> 00:40:33,500 But if this message is true, that Jesus is the Son of God, if 545 00:40:33,500 --> 00:40:36,940 it's true that he did what he said he was going to do, if it's 546 00:40:36,940 --> 00:40:41,340 true that he accomplished the work of salvation, he alone 547 00:40:41,340 --> 00:40:45,540 deserves the glory for that. If this is true, If he died, was 548 00:40:45,540 --> 00:40:50,340 buried, and rose again on the third day, and has been risen 549 00:40:50,340 --> 00:40:57,040 into heaven to reign forevermore, If it's true, and 550 00:40:57,040 --> 00:41:02,160 if I believe it to be true, then what other response do I have 551 00:41:02,160 --> 00:41:11,120 but to bow my soul before him in submission every day, to seek 552 00:41:11,600 --> 00:41:18,360 his grace humbly every day to accept his salvation for me in 553 00:41:18,360 --> 00:41:21,800 surrender? I'm not trying to earn it myself 554 00:41:22,160 --> 00:41:25,800 anymore. It's your glory that's due. 555 00:41:26,330 --> 00:41:29,210 You alone have accomplished my salvation. 556 00:41:29,210 --> 00:41:35,050 What more response do I have but to acknowledge his authority and 557 00:41:35,050 --> 00:41:39,130 to follow him. To follow him. 558 00:41:45,580 --> 00:41:54,940 To follow him, forsaking all others with Christ as my 559 00:41:54,940 --> 00:41:58,060 authority. Oakwood, we love you, Pastor 560 00:41:58,060 --> 00:41:59,580 Greg. You can take it from here. 561 00:42:00,630 --> 00:42:09,230 We'll see you real soon As we consider the word. 562 00:42:09,230 --> 00:42:14,910 Today I want to invite you to to take some time as we sing one 563 00:42:14,910 --> 00:42:19,030 more song. Take some time and prayer with 564 00:42:19,030 --> 00:42:23,870 God. Take some some time to bow your 565 00:42:23,870 --> 00:42:30,140 soul before him, under his authority, and ask him to reveal 566 00:42:30,140 --> 00:42:37,300 to you what he's speaking. Father God in heaven, we're here 567 00:42:37,300 --> 00:42:40,420 for you. We're here for you only we got a 568 00:42:40,420 --> 00:42:43,860 lot of things going on, but right now these moments are for 569 00:42:43,860 --> 00:42:45,620 you. And I pray that you help us to 570 00:42:45,620 --> 00:42:49,620 focus on you ultimately and completely. 571 00:42:50,820 --> 00:42:53,580 And I pray that as we focus on you, that all else would fade 572 00:42:53,580 --> 00:42:57,460 away. I pray that we would be 573 00:42:57,460 --> 00:43:03,400 radically different from our encounter with the King of 574 00:43:03,400 --> 00:43:07,000 Kings, the Lord of Lords, the author of life. 575 00:43:12,200 --> 00:43:14,760 Help us to trust you in Jesus name. 576 00:43:15,880 --> 00:43:22,000 Amen. Thank you for listening to the 577 00:43:22,000 --> 00:43:25,040 Riverbend Church Podcast. Learn more about who we are as a 578 00:43:25,040 --> 00:43:27,160 church and how to connect. You can head over to our 579 00:43:27,160 --> 00:43:29,320 website. Ribbon Church dot life.