1 00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:06,760 Morning. So Terry, Terry, she's not here. 2 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:08,720 She's in the other room. I was just wondering when you're 3 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:12,720 going to do that for the guys. You know, we feel outnumbered, 4 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:15,680 right? But anyway, boy, what an amazing 5 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:17,760 morning. I'm just got a sense of God's 6 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:21,560 presence today, like I don't think I've ever sensed before. 7 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:26,560 There's a ton of people in Washington, DC praying right now 8 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:30,400 as we speak for our nation. There's born again believers 9 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:34,880 that serve in our government and they're crying out to God to 10 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:39,400 rededicate our nation to once again understand that we are one 11 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:42,360 nation under God. That's huge. 12 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:47,040 I've been on this planet for a good many years and have been 13 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:51,120 watching what happens in our nation's capital, and I don't 14 00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:54,840 remember any other time that this has ever happened. 15 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:57,720 Does any of you guys ever remember anything like this? 16 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:00,560 Yeah. George Washington. 17 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:03,120 That's that was it, huh? Wow. 18 00:01:03,480 --> 00:01:06,120 That's a long time coming, right? 19 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:07,880 Wow. That's that's pretty 20 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:11,000 embarrassing. But anyway, we're as a nation 21 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:12,880 endeavoring to get back on track. 22 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:15,800 Franklin Graham will be one of the speakers there. 23 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:18,960 I know he's a real blessing. He'll bring the gospel. 24 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:23,720 Mark Rubio is a on fire servant of God. 25 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:28,080 If you heard his testimony, it's amazing he he doesn't. 26 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:31,360 He's not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, that's for sure. 27 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:35,680 So we need more people like that as we pray for our nation and 28 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:38,400 pray someone saying Amen over there. 29 00:01:39,800 --> 00:01:42,560 And what, what's interesting about this event too, because I, 30 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:45,880 I just looked over you, brother, you know, Bishop Baron speaking 31 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:47,000 there. You know, he's one of the big 32 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:49,680 speakers and he's a Catholic Bishop, right? 33 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:54,080 Born again Catholic Bishop. And it's, it's an enter 34 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:58,800 denominational meeting of prayer of people from all backgrounds 35 00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:03,480 of Christian community. And we need that too, to 36 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:08,039 understand that we, we need each other in these last days to 37 00:02:08,039 --> 00:02:11,120 stand for the Lord. And so pray for these guys. 38 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:16,280 Thank God for for their stand for the gospel and their concern 39 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:19,360 for our country. And also I'd like you guys to 40 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:22,000 pray for there's nine of us that will be at the Pastors 41 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:26,160 Conference tomorrow in Philly. It'll be probably around 2000 of 42 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:30,040 us down there seeking the Lord to be re energized and 43 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:33,640 rededicate our own lives to the ministry and the calling of 44 00:02:33,640 --> 00:02:36,720 God's given us. And there'll be people from all 45 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:40,240 ages, all ethnic backgrounds, all different countries will be 46 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:42,720 missionaries there. Some of our missionaries will be 47 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:44,560 there. I believe the Marquis will be 48 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:49,120 there and the Belmont and Hope and her husband from Chile that 49 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:51,720 we support. So we'll see them there and 50 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:54,800 it'll just be a wonderful time. So pray for the speakers, pray 51 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:57,440 for those of us who are attending that our hearts will 52 00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:01,000 be opened and it will come back changed and be deeper, deeper 53 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:02,600 with the Lord. That's the whole purpose of 54 00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:06,840 these of these conferences. It'll be 94° down there tomorrow 55 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:08,200 in Philly. Well, that's going to be hot. 56 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:11,040 And we eat outside. They have like tents and they'll 57 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:14,960 have, we'll be suffering having steak and you know, baked potato 58 00:03:14,960 --> 00:03:16,920 and all this stuff and in the heat. 59 00:03:16,920 --> 00:03:21,240 So pray for us while we're eating really good food and 94° 60 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:24,040 temperatures. But anyway, we are in the book 61 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:26,920 of Second Corinthians. If you have your Bibles turn 62 00:03:26,920 --> 00:03:31,400 there this morning. We finished up last time at 2nd 63 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:36,160 Corinthians chapter 2 and we're going to look at verses 12 to 64 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:38,720 the end of the chapter. And then we're going to look at 65 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:41,880 the 1st 6 verses of chapter 3 this morning. 66 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:46,080 So let's pray. Father God, we thank you so much 67 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:49,800 and we we unite our hearts with those in Washington and all of 68 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:53,280 our country today that understand the significance of 69 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:57,480 rededicating. This nation is 250 years old 70 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:00,440 this year. So many events that are going to 71 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:04,560 happen to celebrate the freedom we have in the greatest country 72 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:06,760 in the world, United States of America. 73 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:12,040 And Lord, we pray for those who are working so hard to keep the 74 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:16,200 truth of this land shining like a bright light throughout the 75 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:18,320 midst of a very, very Dark World. 76 00:04:19,519 --> 00:04:22,960 Lord, we understand that with the freedom we have here, so 77 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:27,120 different than what people experience in the Soviet Union 78 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:32,840 and China, Iran, Iraq, all the Mideast countries, the 10:40 79 00:04:32,840 --> 00:04:36,920 window in India and Pakistan and what's happening, Lord, in 80 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:40,000 Africa and this Lord, we, we take it for granted. 81 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:43,560 I think I know I do at times. We have all this freedom to 82 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:45,720 worship you and to talk about you. 83 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:49,120 And then there's places in the world that are persecuting 84 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:52,560 people like us just for telling people about what Jesus has done 85 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:57,400 for us, where we think about the man and Ireland, Lord and 86 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:00,600 Dublin, this on the streets sharing John 316. 87 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:04,640 He was arrested and fined. This simple message of God's 88 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:07,640 love. And so, God, help us in these 89 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:14,120 days, help us to have a biblical worldview, to understand what 90 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:19,400 the Bible says about your desire for this nation and your desire 91 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:23,360 for this world, this creation that you've made, that we would 92 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:27,000 turn back to you, that we would get saved, that we would become 93 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:29,480 born again. Nothing changes until our hearts 94 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:31,960 change. And then only comes by the work 95 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:34,400 of the Holy Spirit when we're born again. 96 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:38,640 No other way, Lord, not through legalism, not through guilt 97 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:41,200 trips, but by your grace and by your love. 98 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:44,920 So, Lord Goddess, this morning as we share your word together, 99 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:48,280 may you feed us your sheep. We need to be fed. 100 00:05:48,280 --> 00:05:51,120 We want to be fed. We want to become a little bit 101 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:55,320 more like you today than we were yesterday, and we know that's 102 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:57,560 Your will as well. We love you, Lord, and we're 103 00:05:57,560 --> 00:06:01,240 thankful for Your great love for us as we sang over and over and 104 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:04,400 over again. How great is our God and how 105 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:11,160 truly that affirms what it is we're all to exemplify every day 106 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:14,560 of our life, understanding Your greatness and all the many 107 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:18,160 blessings you've bestowed upon us individually and as our 108 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:21,640 families and as a nation. And we pray all these things in 109 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:27,200 Jesus name, Amen. OK, we are going to pick it up 110 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:29,760 here in verse 12. Let me read and then we'll make 111 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:32,840 some comments. Furthermore, when I came to 112 00:06:32,840 --> 00:06:36,280 Troas, this is Paul speaking about his missionary journey to 113 00:06:36,280 --> 00:06:40,240 preach Christ's gospel, and the door was opened to me by the 114 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:42,840 Lord. I had no rest in my spirit 115 00:06:42,840 --> 00:06:46,880 because I did not find Titus my brother, but taking my leave of 116 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:51,280 them, I departed from Macedonia. So here's Paul and I, I love how 117 00:06:51,280 --> 00:06:55,520 the Bible is so down to earth because it shares real life and 118 00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:58,600 struggles that that we can have as as human beings. 119 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:02,520 And here's Paul in this particular instance talking 120 00:07:02,520 --> 00:07:05,680 about the privilege he had and the door that was open to share 121 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:09,160 the gospel in this community of Troas. 122 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:12,960 And because his partner and his Co labor wasn't there, he didn't 123 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:17,400 have the confidence or sense that he should continue without 124 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:21,160 the help of of Titus O. I'm sure that had to discourage 125 00:07:21,160 --> 00:07:22,880 him. He's all excited about the 126 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:26,760 opportunity and he doesn't know where Titus is and he's not 127 00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:29,320 going to do anything without him. 128 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:32,680 It goes to show that ministry is a team effort. 129 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:36,320 It isn't a one man show. And Paul never wanted to do 130 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:39,080 anything in his own strength, let alone by himself. 131 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:42,960 He wanted to do it with his band of brothers like we do here at 132 00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:46,840 Calvary Chapel Westmoreland. We do everything as a team of 133 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:49,440 men and women of God. We work together for the same 134 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:53,960 purpose, following our only leader, and that's Jesus Christ. 135 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:57,720 So you may be in a situation right now in your life where 136 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:00,880 things maybe aren't working out exactly the way you want them to 137 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:04,920 work out. Situations aren't occurring the 138 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:07,000 way maybe you're praying right now. 139 00:08:08,040 --> 00:08:11,240 It could be a job issue, could be a financial issue, could be a 140 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:13,560 relationship issue, could be a health issue. 141 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:17,120 It could be a number of things that you're asking God to 142 00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:20,520 intervene. And many times God will 143 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:24,280 intervene, and sometimes he interviews very, very quickly, 144 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:29,440 but he moves and acts after the counsel of his own will, not my 145 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:32,640 will or your will. And many times in the 146 00:08:32,640 --> 00:08:36,400 adversities of life and the difficulties of life, those are 147 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:40,400 allowed and used by God to make us realize how much we need the 148 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:45,480 Lord, humbles us, gets us on our face before the Lord, and we 149 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:48,280 finally say to him, Lord, I can't do this without you. 150 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:51,600 I don't see a way out of this without you. 151 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:55,880 I need you, Lord, more than ever in my life because of this 152 00:08:55,880 --> 00:09:00,280 particular thing that might be causing concern in your life. 153 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:06,760 And Paul had this awareness because of his experiences 154 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:11,360 walking with the Lord for years, that God is always faithful. 155 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:16,560 He never forsakes us. He never let's us down that you 156 00:09:16,560 --> 00:09:19,160 might say, well, he's letting me down because this didn't happen 157 00:09:19,160 --> 00:09:22,400 or that didn't happen. You can think that way as a 158 00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:26,320 human intellectually, but God's sovereign and there's nothing 159 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:31,720 happening in your life today that he isn't part of or 160 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:35,680 allowing to occur. And that's that takes a lot of 161 00:09:35,680 --> 00:09:39,520 depths of understanding in regard to who God is, his 162 00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:45,120 attributes, his faithfulness to be able to have that trust that 163 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:51,720 can't be demolished or can't be circumvented or minimized. 164 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:56,160 You, you have this deep interior understanding that no matter 165 00:09:56,160 --> 00:10:00,320 what he's going to come through for you in the way that he knows 166 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:03,840 it's best for you. So Paul goes into this verse in 167 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:08,480 verse 14 here he says, and this just shows how he believes his 168 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:11,320 faith. He says now thanks be to God who 169 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:13,840 always leads us in triumph in Christ. 170 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:18,000 He doesn't say thanks be to God who may sometimes lead us in 171 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:20,640 triumph. He says he always leads us in 172 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:25,280 triumph in Christ and through US diffuses the fragrance of his 173 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:30,520 knowledge in every place. So Paul had this complete trust 174 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:36,120 and awareness that God is in control and that he's already 175 00:10:36,120 --> 00:10:38,880 working from a place of victory, not defeat. 176 00:10:39,680 --> 00:10:42,640 So that's where we all are as Christians, even though we're in 177 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:46,080 a world that's in chaos at times and and all kind of difficult 178 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:52,960 situations arise. The victory was one for US 179 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:57,720 against the evil. 1 When Jesus died on the cross and rose 180 00:10:57,720 --> 00:11:02,720 again, what Jesus did at that crucifixion, that tells us in 181 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:07,600 Colossians he spoiled the power of the principalities and powers 182 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:09,480 and rulers of darkness of this world. 183 00:11:09,880 --> 00:11:13,840 So those things are still working in the world, but they 184 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:18,120 don't have dominant ability to control anything. 185 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:22,000 Only what you allow them to control is you yield. 186 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:25,360 Unfortunately, at times that maybe things that you shouldn't 187 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:27,840 yield to and you end up in trouble because of that. 188 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:31,840 Spiritually speaking, sin issues in our lives, but if we're 189 00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:36,800 walking with the Lord, even in the aging process and the body 190 00:11:36,800 --> 00:11:40,440 deteriorating and different things occurring in our lives 191 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:46,600 that we never anticipated, we have a hope that's eternal and 192 00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:49,480 we have a life that's promised that will never end. 193 00:11:49,840 --> 00:11:54,480 This is a short time here, 7080 years maybe, if we're fortunate, 194 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:59,920 But then we're out of here and we get a brand new body that'll 195 00:11:59,920 --> 00:12:05,280 be no more suffering, no more sickness, no more disease, no 196 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:08,800 more persecution, no more martyrdom. 197 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:10,840 All these things will be be dealt with. 198 00:12:10,840 --> 00:12:13,360 But Paul's living in a time where Christians are being 199 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:16,320 martyred, where Christians are being persecuted, and he's 200 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:20,040 working through this all the time, every day in his ministry. 201 00:12:20,280 --> 00:12:25,040 But he has this assurance that Christ is the victor and we're 202 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:28,840 triumphant as we identify ourselves with him. 203 00:12:29,240 --> 00:12:31,800 And what happens to whenever we live that way. 204 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:35,320 And when Paul lived this way, whenever he was around people, 205 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:40,320 he diffused this fragrance of like, wow, how can he be this 206 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:41,920 way? How can he live this way? 207 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:44,960 I want to be like that. I want to be able to to go 208 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:48,360 through adversity and difficulties and challenges with 209 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:52,080 this kind of confidence and this kind of positive mindset that 210 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:56,400 the Lord's he's everything's OK and I don't have to be shaken. 211 00:12:56,920 --> 00:13:00,400 And because of the Holy Spirit's power in Paul's life, in your 212 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:03,440 life and my life. And we wanted to be more evident 213 00:13:03,680 --> 00:13:07,080 is that whenever we're sharing our faith or living our lives, 214 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:12,240 people will be around us and they'll marvel at the fragrance 215 00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:15,600 of, of the goodness and the presence and the love and the 216 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:19,120 power of God, the joy of God coming off of our lives. 217 00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:21,320 And we, we don't make this happen. 218 00:13:21,320 --> 00:13:25,640 This is a supernatural outpouring of God who lives in 219 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:27,880 US, Jesus who lives in US, right? 220 00:13:27,880 --> 00:13:32,080 It's his life that lives in US, and it's his life that lives 221 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:34,840 through us. And when his life lives through 222 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:39,720 us, we are living a supernatural kind of existence. 223 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:42,920 When Jesus said I've come that you might have life and you 224 00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:46,320 might have it more abundantly, this, that this wasn't a phrase. 225 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:50,520 That was the reality that he said, if you have me, if you 226 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:55,320 have Christ, if you have my life, then you have life. 227 00:13:55,560 --> 00:13:58,440 If you don't have Christ, you don't really have life. 228 00:13:58,440 --> 00:14:00,480 And I touched on this last week a little bit. 229 00:14:00,880 --> 00:14:03,680 You're living, you're existing, but you're really not living 230 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:05,840 until you have the life of Christ in you. 231 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:09,640 And all of you here today who have experienced being born 232 00:14:09,640 --> 00:14:13,200 again, you know the difference between what your life was like 233 00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:16,520 before you were saved and before you were born again, how you 234 00:14:16,520 --> 00:14:20,160 responded to life, how you reacted to situations, and how 235 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:22,520 you act now because Christ is in you. 236 00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:27,200 It's, it's incredible and it's his grace, it's his power and 237 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:29,240 it's his life in US and through US. 238 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:32,760 And so wherever you go, and I'm sure at times people will maybe 239 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:35,840 say to you, you know, something different about you or you, how 240 00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:39,560 do you get through this? Or you got this illness thing 241 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:42,520 and you, you don't seem like it's, it's bothering you that 242 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:45,880 much. What is, what's making you like 243 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:47,800 live this way? And then you have a chance to 244 00:14:47,800 --> 00:14:52,240 tell him it's Christ Jesus is in you and you give him the glory. 245 00:14:52,640 --> 00:14:56,160 And whenever you're proclaiming the goodness of God in the land 246 00:14:56,160 --> 00:15:00,720 of the living, it impacts everyone around you who who 247 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:02,960 hears you. And you look for these 248 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:06,080 opportunities as Paul did, because this is an evangelist 249 00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:09,240 here, his ministry. Where can I go to tell people 250 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:13,040 about what Jesus did for me? That's simple, isn't it? 251 00:15:13,520 --> 00:15:17,880 Who can I talk to about what Christ has done for me? 252 00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:21,280 And I'm sure you're probably like me, You have a lot of 253 00:15:21,280 --> 00:15:25,920 people you care about, and you think about your family, your 254 00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:30,360 neighbors, your coworkers, whoever it is that you run into 255 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:33,760 at a store or whatever. You see people's lives and many, 256 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:37,400 many are obviously broken. Like how can I get this 257 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:42,640 conversation going into this direction to tell them about who 258 00:15:42,640 --> 00:15:47,840 Jesus is and whenever the fragrance is on you and coming 259 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:52,160 out of you, you're sort of irresistible, even though maybe 260 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:53,320 some people don't want to hear it. 261 00:15:53,320 --> 00:15:55,160 They're like, I mean, I'm curious. 262 00:15:55,160 --> 00:16:00,000 I'm intrigued about what makes you tick, What makes you, how 263 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:03,440 you, how you wired. I was on the phone with a 264 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:06,200 business conversation 2 days ago. 265 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:10,040 Second time I've talked to this guy about an arrangement we may 266 00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:16,280 be doing together. And in in my industry, the 267 00:16:16,280 --> 00:16:19,840 industry I'm in, one of the words that's used the most is 268 00:16:19,840 --> 00:16:22,240 the F word. I don't know what it is about 269 00:16:22,240 --> 00:16:26,160 guys, but they think the more they say that word in sentences 270 00:16:26,160 --> 00:16:28,880 a more macho they are. And you know, and, and I'm like, 271 00:16:28,880 --> 00:16:31,240 OK, you know, whatever, you know, they don't hear me talking 272 00:16:31,240 --> 00:16:32,760 that way. And they're probably like, why 273 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:34,440 isn't this guy saying that stuff? 274 00:16:34,440 --> 00:16:40,000 Why isn't he talking that way? And so as we're as we're talking 275 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:42,000 this guy, I think he only used it one time. 276 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:45,560 So the Holy Spirit was maybe like Clark's a little different 277 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:47,720 here. This isn't really rolling really 278 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:50,280 good with him this kind of conversation. 279 00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:54,600 So we began to get the talk about success in business and I 280 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:58,120 was telling him about all the Lord has done for me and the 281 00:16:58,120 --> 00:16:59,880 things I've accomplished in my life. 282 00:16:59,880 --> 00:17:03,080 I I know it's because of Jesus and I give all the glory to him 283 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:05,680 and he's just listening and it's ironic. 284 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:08,560 You know what he says, this guy's part Jewish and part 285 00:17:08,560 --> 00:17:11,240 Protestant. His his dad was a Russian Jew 286 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:13,680 and his mom was, I think Methodist or something. 287 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:18,760 He says, well, he says I'm, I'm, I'm sort of seeking right now. 288 00:17:20,520 --> 00:17:24,599 He said, I have mansions, I have fancy cars, I have watches, I 289 00:17:24,599 --> 00:17:28,280 have all this stuff and it doesn't satisfy me anymore. 290 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:31,600 And I said, you know, it's ironic you say that because 291 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:35,480 Jesus said a man's life does not consist and the abundance of the 292 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:39,520 things he possesses, it's, it doesn't fill you up. 293 00:17:39,600 --> 00:17:42,680 And he says, yeah, this, there's this thing in my soul that's 294 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:46,400 empty and it's dry and it, it's, it's meaningless. 295 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:48,960 And all my family, we live on Long Island, we have this 296 00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:52,600 affluent lifestyle and, and it doesn't do it for me anymore. 297 00:17:53,280 --> 00:17:57,320 And he says, I'm in a workbook right now and I'm studying about 298 00:17:58,080 --> 00:18:02,600 Jesus and why I need Jesus and how can I follow Jesus? 299 00:18:02,600 --> 00:18:05,640 So all of a sudden the conversation went that way. 300 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:09,920 Isn't that amazing? And so I told him I'd be praying 301 00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:12,320 for him about his situation, what he's considering. 302 00:18:12,680 --> 00:18:15,280 I said whether we work together or not is immaterial. 303 00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:18,520 What the reason we actually got together was to have this 304 00:18:18,520 --> 00:18:21,360 conversation today. And that'll continue with this 305 00:18:21,360 --> 00:18:25,440 guy 'cause he's, he's very open another situation. 306 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:29,800 And I'm just sharing these things because sometimes I get 307 00:18:29,800 --> 00:18:32,440 it right and other times I miss the opportunity, right? 308 00:18:33,080 --> 00:18:36,640 God gives you a layup, a real simple layup to be able to tell 309 00:18:36,640 --> 00:18:38,880 someone about him. And you miss it sometimes, don't 310 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:42,360 you Kasin as many layups as you've done, then you got one in 311 00:18:42,360 --> 00:18:44,080 the net. Sometimes you think, spiritually 312 00:18:44,080 --> 00:18:46,280 speaking, I missed that opportunity. 313 00:18:46,280 --> 00:18:48,320 But God doesn't condemn us. There's always these new 314 00:18:48,320 --> 00:18:50,960 opportunities, right? But there's this Hawaiian guy I 315 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:54,080 work with in San Francisco and I've reached out and had a 316 00:18:54,080 --> 00:18:56,600 relationship with him. I met him in Spain when I was 317 00:18:56,600 --> 00:19:00,160 there and, and we connected and, and he just resigned. 318 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:03,200 He's taking a job with someone else and, and he sent me this 319 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:07,800 really nice like note about the impact that I had made on his 320 00:19:07,800 --> 00:19:11,240 life and how I showed that I cared about him and no one was 321 00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:13,720 forcing me to do this. This is the stuff we do as 322 00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:17,160 Christians, right? We care for people, we love 323 00:19:17,160 --> 00:19:20,440 people and we want to have a relationship with people. 324 00:19:20,960 --> 00:19:22,960 And so you never know what God will do. 325 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:27,240 And he writes us like amazing story about, you know, our 326 00:19:27,240 --> 00:19:30,040 friendship. And so I called him up the next 327 00:19:30,040 --> 00:19:32,760 day to talk to him personally about what he was dealing with 328 00:19:32,760 --> 00:19:36,040 and he sent me a picture of his beautiful kids and his wife. 329 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:41,240 And he was saying he, he uses mahalo and all those, you know, 330 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:43,480 Hawaiian kind of religion comments and that. 331 00:19:43,480 --> 00:19:46,560 And, and I said, well, I'll be, I'll be praying for you for the 332 00:19:46,560 --> 00:19:48,480 future, which goes on. And I said, matter of fact, let 333 00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:51,960 me pray for you now. So I prayed for him and there 334 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:54,880 was dead silence and he, and you could tell he was choking up. 335 00:19:55,080 --> 00:19:57,760 Isn't that the Lord? But he says that that prayer 336 00:19:57,760 --> 00:20:01,400 really touched my heart, you know, and then the guy, another 337 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:03,640 Christian guy I work with, I told him because he had been 338 00:20:03,640 --> 00:20:08,120 praying for this guy. He, he sent him a text and he, 339 00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:10,440 he told me he was praying for him. 340 00:20:10,440 --> 00:20:12,360 And then yesterday he, he was all excited. 341 00:20:12,360 --> 00:20:15,800 He says, I got that new job and thank you guys for praying. 342 00:20:15,800 --> 00:20:19,520 And we'll stay in touch, right? These are providential 343 00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:22,280 opportunities. And so this is the fragrance 344 00:20:22,280 --> 00:20:26,280 that we're supposed to be. Giving out now sometimes that 345 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:30,120 fragrance is really strong in my life and then other times, like 346 00:20:30,120 --> 00:20:32,400 Cindy will tell me she's I stink, right? 347 00:20:33,280 --> 00:20:36,240 She says, you know, I'm blowing it right, right. 348 00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:39,000 The person I love the most, I blow it the most with right. 349 00:20:39,240 --> 00:20:41,800 So it's good, good days and bad days, right? 350 00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:45,320 And all this journey of, of our of our experiences here with the 351 00:20:45,320 --> 00:20:49,960 Lord, but he says here we are to God the fragrance of Christ 352 00:20:49,960 --> 00:20:52,880 among those who are being saved. So most of you here are saved 353 00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:55,720 today, I trust. So everything is being said from 354 00:20:55,720 --> 00:20:58,840 the word and the preaching in that is smelling good. 355 00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:00,520 You, you like it, you feed on it. 356 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:05,960 It's energizing. And among this fragrance also is 357 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:08,720 is working among those who are perishing. 358 00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:12,920 To one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the 359 00:21:12,920 --> 00:21:15,800 other, the aroma of life leading to life. 360 00:21:16,440 --> 00:21:19,920 So when you're around unbelievers and you're sharing 361 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:25,000 what it is you believe or what you love about Christ and what 362 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:27,480 He's done for you, they don't like it, do they? 363 00:21:27,920 --> 00:21:30,160 They like, don't want to be around you. 364 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:32,400 They find a way to change a conversation. 365 00:21:32,680 --> 00:21:35,080 If they see you again, they go the other way. 366 00:21:35,320 --> 00:21:39,280 They're just totally, totally turned off because what you're 367 00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:43,080 saying in their deep conscience, they know they don't understand 368 00:21:43,080 --> 00:21:46,120 what we understand, but they know there's more to life. 369 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:49,480 There's a creator God, whether they want to deny him or believe 370 00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:52,480 in Him or not, they're going to have to stand before this 371 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:56,720 Creator judge, and they're under the wrath of God until they come 372 00:21:56,720 --> 00:21:59,560 to faith in Christ. That's pretty intense. 373 00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:05,320 He that hath the Son hath life. He that does not have the Son of 374 00:22:05,320 --> 00:22:09,520 God hath not life, but the wrath of God abides on him. 375 00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:12,760 So in the conscience, in the back of the mind, after all the 376 00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:15,960 partying and all the wealth and all the experiences and all the 377 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:18,960 stuff you try to fill yourself up with, you lay your head on 378 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:22,280 the pillow at night and your conscience haunts you because 379 00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:25,640 you know you're not living the way you need to live. 380 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:30,080 The Bible tells us in the Romans that we have this conscience and 381 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:33,960 awareness of God. And so to us who are saved, we 382 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:37,120 can't get enough of the word and worship and talking about Jesus. 383 00:22:37,120 --> 00:22:40,760 We love that. That's, that's our DNA now 384 00:22:40,760 --> 00:22:42,480 because of Christ and being born again. 385 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:46,120 But if you're, you're not a Christian, it's, it's a turn off 386 00:22:46,160 --> 00:22:48,240 until you have your eyes open to realize. 387 00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:56,000 So Paul's talking about this and to to, he goes on to say, and 388 00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:58,240 who is sufficient for these things? 389 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:07,840 In other words, like sufficiency is this idea of understanding 390 00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:10,560 from God's vantage point in Philippians 413. 391 00:23:10,880 --> 00:23:15,840 I can do all the things through Christ who strengthens me, and 392 00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:18,640 there's all things that are things that God's calling me to 393 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:22,640 do and to live out. I can't say, well, I like 394 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:26,160 keyboards, so I'm going to take over at the end of the service 395 00:23:26,160 --> 00:23:28,160 and play the keyboard. I say, Jesus, you know, as you 396 00:23:28,160 --> 00:23:29,760 said, I can do all things. I'll get up there. 397 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:33,080 It's going to sound like a mess. That's not the thing that God 398 00:23:33,080 --> 00:23:37,000 has for me, right? But in regard to following the 399 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:41,960 Lord, preaching the Word, doing my job, whatever, at times I'm 400 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:45,760 overwhelmed, I'm intimidated. I know down deep inside I can't 401 00:23:45,760 --> 00:23:49,480 do any of this stuff apart from the enablement and strength of 402 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:52,400 God. He's, he's my sufficiency. 403 00:23:52,880 --> 00:23:58,840 But what happens is when you're failing in your life, the answer 404 00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:06,400 is, where's the sufficiency at? Is your sufficiency Jesus, or is 405 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:10,360 it yourself? I've talked to many people, 406 00:24:10,360 --> 00:24:12,760 especially guys when they're going through tough times and 407 00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:16,040 try to help him out and they'll, you know, I, I can handle this. 408 00:24:16,120 --> 00:24:18,960 I, I can, you hear that I can get through this. 409 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:21,560 I can take care of it. I'll figure it out, right? 410 00:24:21,640 --> 00:24:25,520 That's just the normal issue of arrogance and pride that we we 411 00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:32,080 have versus I need help. Jesus, show me how to trust you 412 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:36,440 more. Forgive me for my sin of 413 00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:41,080 rejecting you and trying to live my life without you. 414 00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:44,320 And that's really the conversation we have to have 415 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:48,160 with people when they're broken. Are you getting tired of living 416 00:24:48,160 --> 00:24:52,760 your life and your own strength? Are you realizing you can't do 417 00:24:52,760 --> 00:24:56,920 this anymore and that you need God's help? 418 00:24:57,760 --> 00:25:02,520 And at that point in time, many people will say, yes, tell me 419 00:25:02,520 --> 00:25:04,600 how. And then we get into the gospel 420 00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:07,640 and that's how people become believers. 421 00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:10,040 And that's, that's a wonderful thing, isn't it? 422 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:17,600 But this idea of sufficiency is really interesting because even 423 00:25:17,600 --> 00:25:21,760 as a Christian, you can find yourself try to do stuff in your 424 00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:25,880 own strength, in your job, in your career, in in some 425 00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:29,600 insurmountable situation. And then someone will talk with 426 00:25:29,600 --> 00:25:32,040 you and they'll say, well, let's pray about it. 427 00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:37,040 And you're thinking, wow, why didn't I think of that this 428 00:25:37,040 --> 00:25:39,200 whole time? You're trying to do it yourself. 429 00:25:39,480 --> 00:25:42,240 And someone reminds you, let's pray and see what the Lord might 430 00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:45,280 do. And of course, when we pray, God 431 00:25:45,280 --> 00:25:48,560 does exceedingly, abundantly above whatever we could ask or 432 00:25:48,560 --> 00:25:52,280 think according to his power that works in us, His power that 433 00:25:52,280 --> 00:25:54,520 works. And it's not my power, not your 434 00:25:54,520 --> 00:25:58,280 power, but his power that works in us. 435 00:25:59,160 --> 00:26:02,480 I think of Jesus in John 15, five. 436 00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:05,240 He says I am the vine, you are the branches. 437 00:26:05,240 --> 00:26:09,480 He that abides in me, he that lives in me, and my strength, my 438 00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:12,760 sufficiency, will bear much fruit. 439 00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:16,440 And then he says without me you can do nothing, right? 440 00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:18,960 How many times have you read that and agree with it? 441 00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:22,120 Yeah, but how many times you try to do stuff without him? 442 00:26:23,840 --> 00:26:27,200 I mean, the simlest thing, you're in the traffic jam and 443 00:26:27,200 --> 00:26:31,480 it's driving you crazy and you wonder why, why the traffic 444 00:26:31,480 --> 00:26:34,200 isn't moving and you're stressing and you're frustrated 445 00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:37,160 and you're striving and you're trying to Google the quick way 446 00:26:37,160 --> 00:26:40,200 out of the traffic jam to figure out like how you can get out of 447 00:26:40,200 --> 00:26:42,560 it quicker. And instead of just like, OK, 448 00:26:42,560 --> 00:26:45,080 Lord, you have me here right now in this traffic jam. 449 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:49,960 You're with me and I want to buy with you, and I want you to give 450 00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:55,960 me that stability and that Peace of Mind that I can realize that 451 00:26:56,440 --> 00:26:59,960 only through you while I get through this traffic jam, right? 452 00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:04,040 Or an argument with your wife or your family or something, 453 00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:08,120 relying either on your own wisdom, your own ability, or, or 454 00:27:08,120 --> 00:27:11,840 just saying really upfront with Jesus, I can't deal with this, I 455 00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:14,720 can't handle it. Help me, I need you. 456 00:27:15,120 --> 00:27:22,520 Show me how to do this. Paul also talks about this verse 457 00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:26,160 in Philippians 413. This is a powerful verse in 458 00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:30,120 regard to Paul writes this because he had to personally 459 00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:36,200 experience in himself in regard to his own journey in the 460 00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:39,320 Christian life. And so everything Paul writes 461 00:27:39,320 --> 00:27:42,280 he's he had to personally experience it with the Lord or 462 00:27:42,280 --> 00:27:48,200 it wouldn't mean anything right. But he says this this idea of 463 00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:55,240 the importance of of being able to that was the wrong reference 464 00:27:55,240 --> 00:27:59,600 to to skip that one. But it says his strength is made 465 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:04,760 perfect in our weakness that the power of Christ may rest upon 466 00:28:04,760 --> 00:28:08,640 us. So when I recognize my weakness 467 00:28:09,320 --> 00:28:14,920 and you do too. The sufficiency is Jesus, and 468 00:28:15,480 --> 00:28:20,240 that life of Christ is what causes us to be able to 469 00:28:20,240 --> 00:28:24,800 persevere in the midst of challenging situations. 470 00:28:25,520 --> 00:28:30,200 And then he says, for we are not as so many peddling the Word of 471 00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:33,760 God, but as of sincerity, but as from God. 472 00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:36,840 We speak in the sight of God and in Christ. 473 00:28:37,240 --> 00:28:43,160 So we're not manipulating you through what it is we do here in 474 00:28:43,160 --> 00:28:45,880 any given Sunday or Wednesday or any kind of time that we're 475 00:28:45,880 --> 00:28:49,400 teaching the Word. We're teaching the word as it is 476 00:28:49,640 --> 00:28:53,400 as a word of God. In truth, we're not adding 477 00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:55,480 anything to it. We're not subtracting anything 478 00:28:55,480 --> 00:28:59,280 to it. There's there's no agenda that 479 00:28:59,720 --> 00:29:05,280 we have secretly in regard to what they would say. 480 00:29:05,440 --> 00:29:07,000 Paul said here peddling the word of God. 481 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:10,320 And what was happening was at that time people would go around 482 00:29:10,320 --> 00:29:13,400 to the churches and say, Paul's a friend of mine, he told me to 483 00:29:13,400 --> 00:29:15,440 come here and speak. Well, they couldn't call or 484 00:29:15,440 --> 00:29:17,480 e-mail and say, do you know who this person is? 485 00:29:17,800 --> 00:29:20,480 They just assumed, OK, well, they had to have letters of 486 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:25,200 commendation recommending this person is a legitimate minister 487 00:29:25,200 --> 00:29:29,720 or servant of the Lord and people could fraudulently fill 488 00:29:29,720 --> 00:29:33,240 these forms out and, and give it to the elders of the church and 489 00:29:33,240 --> 00:29:34,920 they would assume it was from Paul. 490 00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:37,440 These things were happening, unfortunately. 491 00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:42,720 And So what was going on at that time, the Judaizers and, and 492 00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:46,800 this is the, the Jews that were upset because the gospel was 493 00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:51,440 circumventing what they wanted to have as the focus, the law, 494 00:29:51,440 --> 00:29:56,200 the 10 commandments externally trying to live the law with your 495 00:29:56,200 --> 00:30:00,400 own strength externally to prove that you were a true Christian. 496 00:30:00,760 --> 00:30:06,520 So they would mix legalism with grace and law with the gospel. 497 00:30:06,760 --> 00:30:10,640 And people got confused and they got stumbled and they got, they 498 00:30:10,640 --> 00:30:12,720 had problems. And what happened was when they 499 00:30:12,720 --> 00:30:17,280 were there, they would get the people to give them money to do 500 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:19,840 their ministry. And so whenever the real 501 00:30:19,840 --> 00:30:23,280 ministers came around, there was nothing left in the churches or 502 00:30:23,280 --> 00:30:25,680 the offerings for the poor people in Jerusalem because 503 00:30:26,040 --> 00:30:30,320 these false people peddling the word of God with wrong agendas 504 00:30:30,320 --> 00:30:35,000 were in the on the area then. So in verse 1 of chapter 3 says, 505 00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:37,800 do we begin again to commend ourselves? 506 00:30:37,800 --> 00:30:41,080 Paul never went around bragging about himself. 507 00:30:41,320 --> 00:30:46,480 The evidence of Paul's ministry was the impact it had on the 508 00:30:46,480 --> 00:30:50,880 hearers of the word of God. The people's lives were changed 509 00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:54,360 because of Jesus and getting saved and being born again. 510 00:30:54,680 --> 00:30:58,160 So if someone said, well, how did you hear about the gospel or 511 00:30:58,160 --> 00:30:59,800 how did you get taught the word of God? 512 00:30:59,800 --> 00:31:03,520 Well, we were with Paul for a period of time and then this is 513 00:31:03,520 --> 00:31:06,760 what happened because of what God gave him to teach us. 514 00:31:07,120 --> 00:31:11,160 So Paul didn't need any kind of papers to commend themselves. 515 00:31:11,400 --> 00:31:15,080 Or do we need some others epistles of commendation to you, 516 00:31:15,080 --> 00:31:17,960 or letters of commendation from you? 517 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:21,560 You are epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all 518 00:31:21,560 --> 00:31:23,000 men. Clearly. 519 00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:27,680 You are the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not 520 00:31:27,680 --> 00:31:31,680 with ink, but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tabled 521 00:31:31,960 --> 00:31:36,120 tablets of stone, but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart. 522 00:31:36,640 --> 00:31:42,880 And So what happens is when you get saved, like before I was a 523 00:31:42,880 --> 00:31:44,840 Christian, and maybe you can relate to this. 524 00:31:44,840 --> 00:31:50,000 I was in this church that told me that if I lived a good life 525 00:31:50,360 --> 00:31:52,840 and I knew the 10 commandments, we had to memorize them in 526 00:31:52,840 --> 00:31:57,080 Sunday school, then I would be OK. 527 00:31:57,080 --> 00:32:00,520 Like God grades on a curve. So if my percentages were 528 00:32:00,520 --> 00:32:04,320 higher, my success of the law, then I'd be OK. 529 00:32:04,320 --> 00:32:06,440 Most of us thought that that was the gospel. 530 00:32:07,120 --> 00:32:10,040 A lot of people, when you talk to them about the Gospel, well, 531 00:32:10,040 --> 00:32:12,440 I'm pretty good. They'll say I'm Presbyterian or 532 00:32:12,440 --> 00:32:14,840 I'm Catholic or I'm losing. You know, they, they they want 533 00:32:14,840 --> 00:32:17,760 you to hear that and think, oh, yeah, you must be OK because you 534 00:32:17,760 --> 00:32:20,920 go to that church instead of pursuing it even more. 535 00:32:21,080 --> 00:32:22,560 Well, that's nice. You go there. 536 00:32:23,200 --> 00:32:25,440 Who are you trusting in for your salvation? 537 00:32:26,440 --> 00:32:28,640 Well, I'm, I'm a pretty good person. 538 00:32:28,640 --> 00:32:31,120 That's what they'll always say, well, I'm not saying you're a 539 00:32:31,120 --> 00:32:33,200 bad person, but you are a Sinner. 540 00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:35,360 Do you know that? Well, everybody sins. 541 00:32:35,360 --> 00:32:35,920 OK. Yeah. 542 00:32:36,240 --> 00:32:38,360 Well, what does God do about your sin? 543 00:32:38,360 --> 00:32:41,240 Does he just say it's OK and there's no big deal? 544 00:32:41,360 --> 00:32:44,360 Do you need forgiven for your sin or how do you get forgiven 545 00:32:44,360 --> 00:32:46,120 for your sin? What do you have to do? 546 00:32:46,440 --> 00:32:48,640 And they sort of look at you like a deer in the headlight. 547 00:32:48,640 --> 00:32:51,280 They'll say, well, I, I I give offerings. 548 00:32:51,280 --> 00:32:53,240 I help little old ladies across the street. 549 00:32:53,520 --> 00:32:58,480 I, I don't steal, I'm, I'm not bitter. 550 00:32:58,880 --> 00:33:01,960 They'll give you this list of stuff that sort of wants you to 551 00:33:01,960 --> 00:33:04,600 think that they're OK and they don't need Jesus. 552 00:33:04,600 --> 00:33:08,600 But as you pursue it more, you know, and I love the guy that 553 00:33:08,600 --> 00:33:11,920 does the, the preaching out in the streets with Kirk Cameron. 554 00:33:12,480 --> 00:33:16,880 He he will always use the law not for salvation, but for 555 00:33:16,960 --> 00:33:19,760 conviction of sin. And he'll just start. 556 00:33:19,760 --> 00:33:21,720 Well, that's nice. You, you sounds like you are a 557 00:33:21,720 --> 00:33:24,080 pretty good person. By the way, you know, we're on 558 00:33:24,560 --> 00:33:28,080 the beach here in California. Some pretty cute girls here. 559 00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:29,840 Do you ever look at them and lust at them? 560 00:33:30,400 --> 00:33:33,880 Oh, well, Well, yeah. OK. 561 00:33:33,880 --> 00:33:36,000 Well, it happens. If you look upon a woman with 562 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:38,200 lust in your heart, you've committed adultery. 563 00:33:38,200 --> 00:33:40,680 So you're an adulterer. And the guys gets real big. 564 00:33:41,280 --> 00:33:45,160 Have you ever hated anybody? Well, everybody has Some people, 565 00:33:45,160 --> 00:33:47,520 they don't like you. I've hated what the Bible says. 566 00:33:47,520 --> 00:33:50,320 If you have hatred in your heart, you've you've committed 567 00:33:50,320 --> 00:33:53,360 murders, so you're a murderer. And then he just goes down. 568 00:33:53,400 --> 00:33:57,160 All of a sudden you just see the gravity of the reality of the 569 00:33:57,480 --> 00:34:01,160 word of God that convicts people of their sin. 570 00:34:01,520 --> 00:34:04,960 And until you're convicted of your sin, what do you need to 571 00:34:04,960 --> 00:34:08,040 get saved for? If you just go to church and 572 00:34:08,040 --> 00:34:11,560 they got a nice happy message and everybody's OK, you're OK, 573 00:34:11,560 --> 00:34:13,480 I'm OK. And then we just leave. 574 00:34:13,480 --> 00:34:14,960 And we don't have any changed life. 575 00:34:14,960 --> 00:34:17,120 We don't have any convictions about anything. 576 00:34:17,440 --> 00:34:19,040 We don't have any kind of prayer life. 577 00:34:19,040 --> 00:34:23,199 We don't have any kind of remorse or humility for the 578 00:34:23,199 --> 00:34:26,239 things we've done against not any God, but against one 579 00:34:26,239 --> 00:34:28,600 another. It's a mess, right? 580 00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:34,280 And so that's why you drive down the highway and you see John 33 581 00:34:34,280 --> 00:34:36,880 signs once in a while and of course you would know it. 582 00:34:36,880 --> 00:34:39,239 You must be born again to enter into the Kingdom of heaven. 583 00:34:39,239 --> 00:34:42,239 I wonder how many people drive down and then Google and say, 584 00:34:42,239 --> 00:34:45,760 what's that verse say? And then they read it and then 585 00:34:45,760 --> 00:34:48,280 they think, well, what does that verse mean? 586 00:34:49,080 --> 00:34:55,199 And 2nd Corinthians 517, This is the power of John 33. 587 00:34:55,600 --> 00:34:59,720 If any man is in Christ, he's a new creation. 588 00:35:00,480 --> 00:35:03,760 Old things are passed away. Behold, all things have become 589 00:35:03,760 --> 00:35:07,080 new. So I'm not intentionally wanting 590 00:35:07,080 --> 00:35:10,080 to lust anymore. I'm not wanting to hate people 591 00:35:10,080 --> 00:35:12,880 anymore. I'm not because Christ is in me 592 00:35:12,880 --> 00:35:14,400 now. He's giving me a new nature. 593 00:35:14,400 --> 00:35:17,280 I'm, I'm a child of God now and you are too. 594 00:35:17,520 --> 00:35:19,400 And so we want to live like that. 595 00:35:19,400 --> 00:35:21,400 We want to live to please the Lord. 596 00:35:21,400 --> 00:35:25,240 We, we're, we're part of his family and, and the whole nature 597 00:35:25,240 --> 00:35:28,320 now is changed. We were dead in sin and we get 598 00:35:28,320 --> 00:35:30,560 saved. We're now alive in Christ. 599 00:35:30,800 --> 00:35:34,160 And so all of a sudden our eyes are open and man are they open. 600 00:35:34,160 --> 00:35:36,880 When you first come to Christ, everything you see, like, I 601 00:35:36,880 --> 00:35:39,560 can't believe I used to live this way. 602 00:35:39,560 --> 00:35:41,400 I can't believe I used to do this. 603 00:35:41,400 --> 00:35:43,600 I, I can't believe I acted this way. 604 00:35:43,600 --> 00:35:47,680 And just like it's overwhelming, but you got this new life and 605 00:35:47,680 --> 00:35:52,480 God's mercy and his forgiveness. And until God does that work of 606 00:35:52,560 --> 00:35:57,400 new birth in the heart, you're a legalist, you're in a church 607 00:35:57,400 --> 00:36:01,720 maybe and you're judging someone because of the way they dress or 608 00:36:01,720 --> 00:36:05,800 you're always criticizing people thinking that you're better than 609 00:36:05,800 --> 00:36:09,440 them or, or you disdain certain people. 610 00:36:09,640 --> 00:36:12,840 And you have these attitudes in your heart that are just 611 00:36:13,400 --> 00:36:17,080 unchrist like and the and the real reality that you've really 612 00:36:17,080 --> 00:36:23,040 been changed and that your life is made new is that you begin to 613 00:36:23,040 --> 00:36:26,880 live like Jesus lived and the apostles and the disciples. 614 00:36:26,880 --> 00:36:31,440 All the things we read about here and study every week are 615 00:36:32,520 --> 00:36:34,680 for people like us and have a new nature. 616 00:36:34,680 --> 00:36:37,760 Now we're learning to become more like Christ. 617 00:36:38,240 --> 00:36:40,840 And if people show up here, watch online, whatever, that 618 00:36:40,840 --> 00:36:43,640 don't know Jesus yet, through the teaching of the word, it 619 00:36:43,640 --> 00:36:47,600 becomes obvious after a while, like I'm here, but I'm really 620 00:36:47,600 --> 00:36:51,320 not here. I need to be like these people 621 00:36:51,320 --> 00:36:54,760 here, like Jesus. And how does that happen? 622 00:36:55,600 --> 00:36:58,000 And every week we give the opportunity, should you want to 623 00:36:58,000 --> 00:36:59,800 pray, you don't have to come up front. 624 00:36:59,800 --> 00:37:01,240 You can stay in your seat. Whatever. 625 00:37:01,440 --> 00:37:08,680 You can just say as we take the communion, Lord, I need you to 626 00:37:08,680 --> 00:37:13,160 save me from my sin. I'm at the end of myself and I 627 00:37:13,160 --> 00:37:14,840 can't keep living the way I'm living. 628 00:37:16,320 --> 00:37:21,120 I've destroyed too many people. I'm destroying myself and I'm 629 00:37:21,120 --> 00:37:25,840 fearful of what will happen to me now if I die and I don't have 630 00:37:25,840 --> 00:37:27,720 you. I know I'm guilty. 631 00:37:28,240 --> 00:37:31,720 I know I'm worthy of hell. And I don't definitely don't 632 00:37:31,720 --> 00:37:35,160 want to go to hell. And Jesus is the rescuer. 633 00:37:35,160 --> 00:37:39,120 He's a deliverer. And he says, whosoever calls 634 00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:42,520 upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 635 00:37:43,640 --> 00:37:47,240 He said, whosoever comes to me, I will no wise cast out meaning 636 00:37:47,240 --> 00:37:51,760 I won't say no, I'll take him and her, but I won't take you. 637 00:37:52,160 --> 00:37:56,800 No anybody that comes with a brokenness and an open heart and 638 00:37:56,800 --> 00:38:01,000 says, Lord, please save me and forgive me in my sin. 639 00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:05,360 I want to have this new birth. I want my life to be made brand 640 00:38:05,360 --> 00:38:08,400 new. He'll do that for you like he 641 00:38:08,400 --> 00:38:12,680 has for me and many others. So as we prepare our hearts for 642 00:38:12,680 --> 00:38:15,560 the Lord's Supper, worship team is going to get a break today. 643 00:38:15,560 --> 00:38:18,520 They don't have to come up because we're going to do 644 00:38:18,520 --> 00:38:21,600 something different at the end. It's a surprise. 645 00:38:22,640 --> 00:38:24,920 So if you're here, you're going to get a surprise. 646 00:38:25,640 --> 00:38:28,440 Yeah. If you're not here, I'll tell 647 00:38:28,440 --> 00:38:31,240 you about it. If you want to call me what 648 00:38:31,240 --> 00:38:34,600 happened, you have to give me 10 bucks first, though. 649 00:38:34,920 --> 00:38:41,720 No, I'm just kidding. Well, the Lord's Supper has been 650 00:38:41,720 --> 00:38:46,400 given to us as a gift to break bread with Jesus. 651 00:38:46,400 --> 00:38:49,160 We when we do this, we do it with Jesus and we do it with 652 00:38:49,160 --> 00:38:51,440 each other, which is awesome, right? 653 00:38:53,000 --> 00:38:56,920 And we're part of the body of Christ and we get this privilege 654 00:38:57,400 --> 00:39:01,480 of, of breaking bread every time we gather with the Lord. 655 00:39:03,120 --> 00:39:06,040 It's like Jesus is sitting up here in this chair. 656 00:39:06,040 --> 00:39:09,840 He's, he's physical, He's sitting on the right hand of the 657 00:39:09,840 --> 00:39:12,000 father right now, but he's also omnipresent. 658 00:39:12,000 --> 00:39:15,840 So he's, he's with us completely, all of us here. 659 00:39:15,840 --> 00:39:19,080 And he's omniscient. He knows everything about us and 660 00:39:19,080 --> 00:39:22,560 he knows what needs to go in my life and, and what's OK right 661 00:39:22,560 --> 00:39:25,800 now and what needs to change and what I need to surrender and 662 00:39:25,800 --> 00:39:29,600 what I need to yield to. And this is a weekly process for 663 00:39:29,600 --> 00:39:31,720 me. I'm sure it is for you because 664 00:39:31,720 --> 00:39:35,240 every week I'm sort of thinking a little bit more about what 665 00:39:35,240 --> 00:39:40,360 needs to change in me. And, and if I don't understand 666 00:39:40,360 --> 00:39:43,720 that, like I say, I got a great wife that'll remind me of what 667 00:39:43,720 --> 00:39:47,640 it is I need to work on still. That's a that's a good thing, 668 00:39:47,640 --> 00:39:52,680 right? But anyway, it's also an 669 00:39:52,680 --> 00:39:55,480 opportunity before you take the bread, break the bread and take 670 00:39:55,480 --> 00:39:59,240 the bread and the, and the cup is if you're unsaved, you don't 671 00:39:59,320 --> 00:40:02,080 need to take this because it's, it won't accomplish anything. 672 00:40:02,640 --> 00:40:05,760 But if you commit your life to Jesus today. 673 00:40:06,680 --> 00:40:09,800 And ask him to save you. This could be the first time you 674 00:40:09,800 --> 00:40:13,240 ever had to have had a chance to have a meal with the Lord 675 00:40:13,720 --> 00:40:16,760 physically present with us right now. 676 00:40:17,680 --> 00:40:20,720 And then the warning too is always like if I'm not serious 677 00:40:21,400 --> 00:40:24,040 in my life right now, I've gotten off track with the Lord 678 00:40:24,560 --> 00:40:27,920 and maybe I'm sinning and I need I'm messed up right now and I 679 00:40:28,360 --> 00:40:30,480 sort of lost my way didn't lose my salvation. 680 00:40:30,480 --> 00:40:34,160 I've lost my way. I need help to get back on track 681 00:40:34,160 --> 00:40:37,000 with God, right? That's an opportunity to don't 682 00:40:37,000 --> 00:40:40,160 take this without getting back on track with God because 683 00:40:40,160 --> 00:40:44,160 there's a judgment, taking it unworthily, not understanding 684 00:40:44,160 --> 00:40:45,920 what this means, the Lord's Supper. 685 00:40:46,680 --> 00:40:50,080 So let's take this together. Lord, we're thankful again for 686 00:40:50,080 --> 00:40:54,000 the apostle Paul and breaking things down so simple for us to 687 00:40:54,000 --> 00:40:57,600 understand how to live and follow you. 688 00:40:58,920 --> 00:41:03,680 Lord, we do pray today for each other that, Lord, this would be 689 00:41:03,680 --> 00:41:05,680 meaningful. This time together, breaking 690 00:41:05,680 --> 00:41:09,760 bread with you and having supper with you right now, Lord, 691 00:41:10,200 --> 00:41:13,480 remembering what you've done for us, what this represents, what 692 00:41:13,480 --> 00:41:16,440 it is, Lord, as you said that night. 693 00:41:17,800 --> 00:41:21,480 And Lord, we also think of those who might be here that have 694 00:41:21,480 --> 00:41:25,520 never been born again. Lord, we can't make that happen. 695 00:41:25,520 --> 00:41:27,080 That's a work of your Holy Spirit. 696 00:41:28,160 --> 00:41:31,200 But Lord, if there's anyone here today that's convicted of their 697 00:41:31,200 --> 00:41:35,360 sin and though they need to be saved, may the day be the day of 698 00:41:35,360 --> 00:41:38,920 their salvation. May they just simply say, Lord, 699 00:41:39,400 --> 00:41:43,240 I know the truth. I need you, Jesus, forgive me of 700 00:41:43,240 --> 00:41:46,120 my sin and save me. You'll do that. 701 00:41:46,120 --> 00:41:51,720 Lord, we thank you for that on the night that you.