1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:05,200 Crossing family. It is so good to be with you. 2 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:09,300 We have a message today that we hope will not only increase your 3 00:00:09,300 --> 00:00:12,700 thankfulness to God, but also unleash a power for everyday 4 00:00:12,700 --> 00:00:15,700 living in your life. I want to welcome you joining 5 00:00:15,700 --> 00:00:20,400 here and all of our different locations online and in side. 6 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:23,400 And if you were joining us for the first time or the first time 7 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:26,600 in a long time, I want you to take full advantage of the QR 8 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:28,000 code, that's on the seat in front of you. 9 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:30,300 It's a great way for you to take your next step. 10 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:34,300 Get a chance to get some of your questions answered and become 11 00:00:34,500 --> 00:00:37,500 more connected. I need to do a little cleanup. 12 00:00:37,700 --> 00:00:41,900 After last week's message, I received a text message from a 13 00:00:41,908 --> 00:00:47,700 disgruntled wife about some of the, some of the implications of 14 00:00:47,700 --> 00:00:51,000 that message. She was specifically identifying 15 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:54,700 a frustration that she had with her husband, because she had 16 00:00:54,700 --> 00:00:57,300 left some trash by the garage door. 17 00:00:57,700 --> 00:01:02,200 And after that, sermon, he felt empowered Just step over it and 18 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:05,600 go about the rest of his day. And people don't always come to 19 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:08,600 me for marriage counseling, but I'm kind of known as a problem 20 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:12,400 solver. And so, I leverage some software 21 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:15,900 that I have, you guys could have access to this too, but I just 22 00:01:15,900 --> 00:01:20,400 typed in her address, and I sent her this picture of her house 23 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:23,400 and how far it is from there inside garage door all the way 24 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:27,100 the trash can, I circled the 23 feet, send it back to her. 25 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:31,600 I haven't heard back. From her yet. 26 00:01:33,700 --> 00:01:35,000 What? I can't tell you if she's 27 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:39,300 friends with my wife and my wife has taken up her offense and 28 00:01:39,300 --> 00:01:42,100 there is a furniture sale for couches in most of our 29 00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:44,300 communities. And I've been doing some couch 30 00:01:44,300 --> 00:01:46,200 shopping. So I wouldn't necessarily reach 31 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:49,800 out to me in the future, but I just want you to know I'm here 32 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:53,300 to help. Okay, here, I'm here for you 33 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:55,700 today. We are continuing in this sermon 34 00:01:55,700 --> 00:02:00,300 series and I have asked someone to come and help me preach it. 35 00:02:00,500 --> 00:02:03,300 And I want to introduce you to Caleb. 36 00:02:03,500 --> 00:02:06,500 Greenleaf he joins us from our Macomb location. 37 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:10,199 He grew up going to church. He was dragged there by his 38 00:02:10,199 --> 00:02:12,800 parents and he hated it. Some of you guys go. 39 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:14,500 I know this story. Uh-huh. 40 00:02:14,700 --> 00:02:16,500 Maybe you had that experience as well. 41 00:02:16,700 --> 00:02:19,800 Well at 18, he was given the choice and he left the church 42 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:22,700 and he headed off to college fast forward a couple years. 43 00:02:22,700 --> 00:02:25,700 He's a student at Western Illinois University and he is 44 00:02:25,700 --> 00:02:29,300 pursuing all the things that the world has to offer. 45 00:02:29,700 --> 00:02:34,500 Then one day a friend invited him to a Thursday night service 46 00:02:34,500 --> 00:02:39,200 at our Macomb location and while Jerry was preaching, he was 47 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:43,200 talking about Philip in the Ethiopian eunuch and ask the 48 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:45,200 question. Do you know what you're reading? 49 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:49,700 The eunuch responded, how can I unless someone explains it to 50 00:02:49,700 --> 00:02:52,500 me, it was on that Thursday night, that Caleb learned, that 51 00:02:52,500 --> 00:02:55,300 he could have an intimate personal relationship with Jesus 52 00:02:55,300 --> 00:02:57,600 Christ. He filled out a connection card 53 00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:00,100 and check the box saying he wanted to accept Jesus as his 54 00:03:00,100 --> 00:03:03,200 Lord and Savior. And the next week, he started 55 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:06,900 that relationship accepted that invitation to start an intimate, 56 00:03:06,900 --> 00:03:08,900 personal relationship with Jesus Christ. 57 00:03:08,900 --> 00:03:11,900 And was baptized, then he started getting connected with 58 00:03:11,900 --> 00:03:14,000 the campus. There ended up going on. 59 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:17,300 Mission trips started to work. A part of our Crossing kids 60 00:03:17,300 --> 00:03:20,200 extra, which is an after-school program that we have at our 61 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:22,300 Macomb and our 48th Street location. 62 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:25,200 Then when we purchase the camp, he was one of the first 63 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:28,300 employees that started working at Crossing camp this summer. 64 00:03:28,300 --> 00:03:31,500 It first opened, then during Rec the roof, he came on as a 65 00:03:31,500 --> 00:03:34,600 developer to learn about what it means to be in Ministry and 66 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:37,200 decide that he wanted to go into full-time Ministry. 67 00:03:37,500 --> 00:03:41,000 Then he got hired as the student pastor at the Macomb location. 68 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:44,000 And is now the associate campus, Pastor, they're the reason I'm 69 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:47,600 telling you all that. It's amazing what God can do 70 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:51,700 with one invitation to church. And it's amazing what God can 71 00:03:51,700 --> 00:03:54,100 do. If you just keep saying, yes, to 72 00:03:54,100 --> 00:03:57,500 whatever, he's asking you to do. And so would you guys, please 73 00:03:57,500 --> 00:04:01,000 give a warm welcome to Caleb Greenleaf as he joins me on 74 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:06,700 stage? Last time man, let's do it. 75 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:10,300 So good to be here, thanks for having me and I don't want to 76 00:04:10,300 --> 00:04:14,200 single anybody out or name any names, but I just want you all 77 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:17,800 to know that I do not have fragile, Texas skin. 78 00:04:17,899 --> 00:04:21,600 Okay, yeah, I'm I'm from here and so I don't need any extra 79 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:23,600 coats. I'm very used to this weather. 80 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:26,000 I've been doing Illinois, winter since I was about this big. 81 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:29,900 So no need for extra coats, but I need to give a huge shout out 82 00:04:29,900 --> 00:04:32,100 to all my people in Macomb, you know. 83 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:34,300 I love you and I love this church. 84 00:04:34,900 --> 00:04:38,700 The Crossing is dedicated to making leaders and because of 85 00:04:38,700 --> 00:04:41,200 that dedication, they took a risk on me. 86 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:44,400 They invested in me. And now because of that 87 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:46,600 investment. I'm on this rollercoaster of a 88 00:04:46,608 --> 00:04:49,700 ride called full-time Ministry. And I am so blessed to be here. 89 00:04:49,900 --> 00:04:51,700 So thank you so much, Crossing Church. 90 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:56,900 So today we are going to continue in our collection of 91 00:04:56,900 --> 00:04:59,900 sermons on the Book of John and we're finding ourselves in John 92 00:04:59,900 --> 00:05:04,200 14, 15 and 16. If you're reading along in the 93 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:07,200 Bible, reading plan, or you have a kind of Bible that has red 94 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:09,900 letters. You'll notice that this chunk of 95 00:05:09,900 --> 00:05:13,100 scripture is dripping in red ink. 96 00:05:13,300 --> 00:05:17,700 Jesus is pouring out his heart with the, with the few remaining 97 00:05:17,700 --> 00:05:21,500 hours, he has left with his closest disciples before he 98 00:05:21,500 --> 00:05:23,600 leaves on a journey to the cross. 99 00:05:24,300 --> 00:05:27,000 The last week, Clayton, Cole walked us through what to do 100 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:30,600 when God does not make sense, they gave us some tools to help 101 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:34,500 navigate this and help us understand that we don't want a 102 00:05:34,508 --> 00:05:38,000 God that makes sense. We actually should be thankful 103 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:40,100 for a God who doesn't make sense. 104 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:45,100 However what do we do? When life doesn't make sense? 105 00:05:46,100 --> 00:05:49,300 Some of you today are no doubt, just barely hanging on. 106 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:53,600 Dude, it's situations, you're in decisions. 107 00:05:54,100 --> 00:05:57,300 You've made challenges, you are facing. 108 00:05:58,300 --> 00:06:01,600 And if you could put all of your thoughts and feelings into one 109 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:06,300 phrase, you might be saying I'm just hanging on. 110 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:10,400 Maybe some of you have been in a tug-of-war match before at some 111 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:13,700 point in your life or maybe you grew up with a rope swing over 112 00:06:13,700 --> 00:06:15,600 the water. And you know, it can be 113 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:20,700 incredibly difficult to hold on to that rope especially as Wait 114 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:25,800 in the tension increase so you know, you do you tie a knot in 115 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:29,400 that rope or maybe you tie two or three or maybe even four 116 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:32,900 knots into that rope. Because the more knots you have 117 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:37,200 the easier, it is to hang on to. And sometimes, as we read 118 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:41,600 through, scripture, we need some knots to tie to our faith so 119 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:44,600 that we can hold on and some of the bear. 120 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:50,000 Very best knots in scripture are the promises of God, anytime. 121 00:06:50,100 --> 00:06:52,000 I'm you find a promise in Scripture. 122 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:56,000 It is an invitation from God, to step into a new reality, in a 123 00:06:56,008 --> 00:07:00,000 deeper relationship with him. So, as we start going through 124 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:03,200 these chapters today, Clayton and his desire is not only for 125 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:07,200 you to see the promises, but to take a hold of these promises 126 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:10,400 and apply them to your heart and to your life. 127 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:14,300 In just three chapters by my count. 128 00:07:14,300 --> 00:07:20,900 There are 24 promises, 24 promises and Make this easier 129 00:07:20,900 --> 00:07:24,000 for us to all understand. I prepared a 72 Point sermon 130 00:07:24,100 --> 00:07:27,000 that hopefully I can fit into two hours so that we're all on 131 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:29,400 the same page. Anybody looking forward to that? 132 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:31,500 No, I'm not either. Okay, there's no way. 133 00:07:31,500 --> 00:07:34,900 I could sit to through even 24 promises. 134 00:07:34,900 --> 00:07:38,500 But today, Clayton and I have highlighted, some of the big 135 00:07:38,500 --> 00:07:42,300 ones in throughout this week, you can scan that QR code to 136 00:07:42,300 --> 00:07:44,800 read along with the Bible reading plan with us, so that 137 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:48,800 you can see all 24 that are for you in Christ Jesus. 138 00:07:49,200 --> 00:07:53,900 So here is Promise number 1 John chapter 14 verses 1 through 4. 139 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:57,400 This is what Jesus says. Do not let your hearts, be 140 00:07:57,400 --> 00:07:59,700 troubled. You believe in God believe. 141 00:07:59,700 --> 00:08:03,800 Also in me my father's house has many rooms if that were not. 142 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:06,600 So, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a 143 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:10,400 place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will 144 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:14,000 come back and take you to be with me that you also may be 145 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:17,900 where I am, you know, the way to the place where I am going. 146 00:08:18,700 --> 00:08:21,800 Right off the bat. Jesus gives us this twofold 147 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:24,600 promise. He says, God is preparing a 148 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:27,900 place for me and is coming back for me to take me to the place. 149 00:08:27,900 --> 00:08:30,400 He has prepared. Now, I want you to know Crossing 150 00:08:30,400 --> 00:08:33,400 Church that the This Promise these promises were going over 151 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:36,299 today are not just for me, they're not just for Clayton 152 00:08:36,500 --> 00:08:40,200 there for all of us who have a relationship with Jesus Christ. 153 00:08:40,500 --> 00:08:42,799 So we're going to read all of these promises together. 154 00:08:42,799 --> 00:08:46,400 So at all of our locations read this promise with me, God isn't 155 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:50,300 preparing a place for me. And is coming back for me to 156 00:08:50,300 --> 00:08:54,700 take me to the place. He has prepared so many of us 157 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:56,900 get caught up in the lower story. 158 00:08:57,700 --> 00:09:04,100 Our happiness, our possessions, our purpose are so rooted here 159 00:09:04,100 --> 00:09:07,300 on Earth, we get trapped in the lower Storey. 160 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:12,300 This promise that Jesus is making us is so profound because 161 00:09:12,300 --> 00:09:15,900 it causes us to lift our eyes and see the upper story. 162 00:09:16,300 --> 00:09:20,400 It helps us to see beyond the Temporary and brings the Eternal 163 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:24,900 interview because we need to constantly be reminded that this 164 00:09:24,900 --> 00:09:30,200 world is not our home. That this is not all that there 165 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:34,000 is, this is good news, if you're looking at your life and it 166 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:37,400 hasn't turned out the way you thought it would turn out, it 167 00:09:37,400 --> 00:09:39,900 wasn't as easy as you thought it would be. 168 00:09:40,100 --> 00:09:42,600 It's not going the way you wanted it. 169 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:48,000 Jesus is saying this is not it. I am making. 170 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:52,000 Eternal home for you. You are simply a traveler, you 171 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:55,700 are merely passing through, but not only, is he preparing a 172 00:09:55,700 --> 00:09:58,500 place for you. He is promising that once he has 173 00:09:58,500 --> 00:10:02,500 created it made it just right. He will actually come back and 174 00:10:02,500 --> 00:10:06,500 take you to be with him. It's good. 175 00:10:07,100 --> 00:10:09,400 His promise. Number two, John chapter 14, 176 00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:12,200 verses five and six Thomas said to him. 177 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:14,000 Lord, we don't know where you are going. 178 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:16,800 So how can we know the way Jesus answered? 179 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:19,200 I am the way and the truth. And the life. 180 00:10:19,700 --> 00:10:23,000 No one comes to the father, except through me here is 181 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:25,400 promise number to read it with me, Crossing Church. 182 00:10:26,100 --> 00:10:31,500 I can get to God through Jesus. You can get to God through 183 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:35,300 Jesus. The promises of God are useful 184 00:10:35,300 --> 00:10:38,100 to those of us who consider ourselves Jesus followers. 185 00:10:38,700 --> 00:10:42,600 When Jesus is Lord and savior of your life, you can take a hold 186 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:46,100 of the promises that Jesus makes here and other places in 187 00:10:46,100 --> 00:10:48,900 scripture. And it's because of what Jesus 188 00:10:48,900 --> 00:10:53,300 did on the cross, Jesus Redemptive work on your behalf 189 00:10:53,900 --> 00:10:56,300 and some of these promises though can be really 190 00:10:56,300 --> 00:10:59,800 uncomfortable, especially when we think through them from the 191 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:03,800 mindset of someone who's not a Believer it's offensive. 192 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:07,700 But this does not keep Jesus. From saying it though. 193 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:10,100 He does not want us to miss this. 194 00:11:10,500 --> 00:11:14,700 Jesus made a way for every man woman and child to get to God. 195 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:18,200 And not just a God, the god of the universe. 196 00:11:18,300 --> 00:11:22,100 Verse Jesus. Not only made a way, he is the 197 00:11:22,100 --> 00:11:27,600 way and he makes it very clear. There is no other way. 198 00:11:28,500 --> 00:11:31,300 No one gets to God. Except for those who have a 199 00:11:31,300 --> 00:11:35,900 relationship with Jesus Christ period, you can't get to Heaven 200 00:11:35,900 --> 00:11:38,900 by doing enough good things. That's just not how it works. 201 00:11:39,500 --> 00:11:42,900 You can't get to heaven through any other religion, you can't 202 00:11:42,900 --> 00:11:47,900 get to Heaven by ending world hunger, only through Jesus. 203 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:54,500 The promise here, there is a way to God, which is huge. 204 00:11:55,000 --> 00:12:00,100 The caveat is there is only one way to get there, and his name 205 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:03,700 is Jesus. Yes, this can be offensive to 206 00:12:03,700 --> 00:12:06,700 others, but it's not offensive to us. 207 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:09,000 Clayton, can you tell him why it's not offensive to us? 208 00:12:09,100 --> 00:12:12,100 The reason this isn't offensive to us is because everybody with 209 00:12:12,100 --> 00:12:16,600 a religious bone, in their body, has a desire to connect with 210 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:19,700 God, it is woven. Into our hearts. 211 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:23,800 And when you look at the spiritual landscape, there is a 212 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:27,600 huge difference between what Jesus teaches and what you hear 213 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:31,100 from every other religion. For instance, if you are a 214 00:12:31,100 --> 00:12:33,200 Muslim, it's through works for Jews. 215 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:35,900 It's through following the Torah for Buddhist it's by the 216 00:12:35,900 --> 00:12:37,700 elimination of desire for Hindus. 217 00:12:37,900 --> 00:12:42,700 It's through self-actualization. But for Christians, are way to 218 00:12:42,700 --> 00:12:46,900 God is through Jesus Christ. It's not based on our efforts. 219 00:12:46,900 --> 00:12:51,200 It's not based on our it works. It's based on the finished work 220 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:56,200 of Jesus on the cross and our acceptance of that work over. 221 00:12:56,200 --> 00:13:00,800 And in our lives, this is a huge not that God is trying to give 222 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:05,400 us to hang on to that my access to God is Not based on me, it's 223 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:09,000 based on him. If it was up to me, I couldn't 224 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:12,300 fix it. If it was up to me, I had all 225 00:13:12,300 --> 00:13:15,900 I've already made too much of a mess of it to put it back 226 00:13:15,900 --> 00:13:18,500 together. This is incredibly good news. 227 00:13:19,300 --> 00:13:22,800 However, there's a Temptation for people to go. 228 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:27,300 Well, that's not my truth. There's a Temptation for people 229 00:13:27,300 --> 00:13:29,400 to go. That's just too narrow-minded. 230 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:35,000 That's not open-minded enough, especially in 2022. 231 00:13:35,700 --> 00:13:40,100 However, come here for a second. Let's say you go to the doctor. 232 00:13:41,300 --> 00:13:45,100 You're not doing so well. The doctor says well if you want 233 00:13:45,100 --> 00:13:47,900 to get this fixed, not a problem. 234 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:50,900 I just need you to take these pills and we're going to a 235 00:13:50,900 --> 00:13:52,500 couple, you know, working through some things. 236 00:13:53,200 --> 00:14:00,500 Yeah doc, I mean I know you went to school and everything but I 237 00:14:00,500 --> 00:14:06,800 have Facebook and I think I'm going to eat more carrots. 238 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:11,100 And Doctor looked at she goes answer. 239 00:14:11,100 --> 00:14:15,200 Grate carrots are good for you, but you have a broken leg and 240 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:16,500 character. Don't fix that. 241 00:14:17,200 --> 00:14:22,100 Well, I thought hold on. Doc, I'm not just gonna eat 242 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:24,700 carrots. I'm also going to dabble in a 243 00:14:24,700 --> 00:14:26,700 little bit of this. It's called walking. 244 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:31,600 I'm going to walk a lot. And how many carats doctor says, 245 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:34,500 well, when you have a broken leg, just going to give you a 246 00:14:34,508 --> 00:14:38,600 heads-up, Think it'll work out well for you and then you get 247 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:41,000 out of your chair. You start walking. 248 00:14:41,500 --> 00:14:45,200 You go, doctor why are, why is this hurts so bad? 249 00:14:45,700 --> 00:14:49,400 Why is this not working? Sorry sis cause I I told you 250 00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:51,600 that that's the exact opposite of what you should do. 251 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:56,500 This medicine is designed to take away the pain, put you to 252 00:14:56,500 --> 00:15:00,400 sleep so I can set this sucker. How many of us. 253 00:15:00,700 --> 00:15:03,700 So here's God saying. Look I have a perfect plan for 254 00:15:03,700 --> 00:15:05,800 you and it is the plan that works. 255 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:08,400 This is not narrow-minded. It's called Truth. 256 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:12,000 And Jesus is inviting us into the truth of him. 257 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:14,900 So you and I can have access to God. 258 00:15:14,900 --> 00:15:18,000 That's so good. Here's promise number three. 259 00:15:18,300 --> 00:15:20,800 John chapter 14. Verses 16 through 18. 260 00:15:20,800 --> 00:15:24,500 And I will ask the father and he will give you another Advocate 261 00:15:24,500 --> 00:15:27,400 to help you and be with you forever, the spirit of Truth. 262 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:31,300 The world cannot accept him. Because it neither sees him nor 263 00:15:31,300 --> 00:15:35,300 knows him but you know him for he lives with you and will be in 264 00:15:35,300 --> 00:15:38,000 you. I will not leave you as orphans. 265 00:15:38,200 --> 00:15:41,000 I will come to you. Here's promise number three, 266 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:44,900 read it with me Crossing Church. I am not alone. 267 00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:49,300 God's spirit is with me and will not abandon me. 268 00:15:50,100 --> 00:15:51,500 I got a question for you with this one. 269 00:15:52,500 --> 00:15:55,900 Do you know the difference between feeling something and 270 00:15:55,900 --> 00:15:58,800 being something? Here's what I mean. 271 00:15:59,900 --> 00:16:05,000 All of us know what it feels like to experience loneliness. 272 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:10,400 We all know what loneliness feels like, but how many of us 273 00:16:10,900 --> 00:16:16,300 have truly been abandoned? How to spouse walk out on you, 274 00:16:17,100 --> 00:16:20,700 had a parent leave. You stranded been thrown out of 275 00:16:20,700 --> 00:16:25,400 the family, excommunicated disowned disavowed cutoff. 276 00:16:26,300 --> 00:16:29,900 See, there is a difference between feeling lonely and 277 00:16:29,900 --> 00:16:34,000 actually being abandoned. And for those of us who belong 278 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:38,800 to the family of God, you may feel lonely at times, but 279 00:16:38,800 --> 00:16:40,700 there's always going to be a place for you. 280 00:16:40,700 --> 00:16:43,400 At God's table. He will never throw you out. 281 00:16:43,500 --> 00:16:46,900 He will never abandon you, he will never forsake you because 282 00:16:46,900 --> 00:16:51,600 he has sent his holy spirit to prove it to you that the spirit 283 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:54,100 of God lives inside of us as Believers. 284 00:16:54,300 --> 00:16:58,000 And he will not turn his back on himself or us. 285 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:01,900 That means that no matter how dark life gets no matter how 286 00:17:01,900 --> 00:17:06,000 dire the circumstances, no matter how painful the situation 287 00:17:06,099 --> 00:17:10,500 you and I serve a God who was always present with us. 288 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:15,900 So when we feel the distance between us and God, it's never 289 00:17:15,900 --> 00:17:18,800 physical. It's like when my wife and I get 290 00:17:18,800 --> 00:17:21,599 into an argument which probably doesn't happen to you. 291 00:17:21,599 --> 00:17:24,800 So just bear with me. But when we get into an 292 00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:28,099 argument, at the end of the day, we still get into the same bed, 293 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:32,900 she hasn't left, she hasn't abandoned me, she is still 294 00:17:32,900 --> 00:17:35,600 there. The distance that her and I 295 00:17:35,608 --> 00:17:38,000 experienced in that moment is emotional. 296 00:17:38,100 --> 00:17:43,600 She has not abandoned me and God is telling us Us that he is not 297 00:17:43,600 --> 00:17:48,300 going anywhere. He is right next to you always 298 00:17:49,100 --> 00:17:53,100 and when it feels like he is distant, it is spiritual, not 299 00:17:53,100 --> 00:17:55,600 physical. And this distance that we 300 00:17:55,600 --> 00:17:58,800 experience the spiritual distance is never on him. 301 00:17:59,100 --> 00:18:03,000 It's always on us when we experience this distance. 302 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:05,800 It's because we are believing a lie about God. 303 00:18:06,700 --> 00:18:12,100 That he isn't there that he doesn't love us that he isn't 304 00:18:12,100 --> 00:18:16,100 really in control when you experience this spiritual 305 00:18:16,100 --> 00:18:19,300 distance, which one of these lies are you believing about 306 00:18:19,300 --> 00:18:23,200 God? Because they're all not true. 307 00:18:23,700 --> 00:18:28,200 He does love you, he will not leave you. 308 00:18:28,200 --> 00:18:32,800 He is in control. They are all not true. 309 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:38,800 He is there with you always Or maybe it's not a lie that you 310 00:18:38,800 --> 00:18:42,500 believe, maybe you're forgetting something about the very 311 00:18:42,500 --> 00:18:47,200 character of God. Our God does not change. 312 00:18:47,400 --> 00:18:52,100 He was the same yesterday as he is today and tomorrow he will 313 00:18:52,100 --> 00:18:55,600 not leave you. That's why David says this in 314 00:18:55,600 --> 00:18:58,500 Psalm 139. He says, where can I go from 315 00:18:58,500 --> 00:19:00,500 your spirit? Where can I flee from your 316 00:19:00,500 --> 00:19:03,000 presence? If I go up to the heavens, you 317 00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:05,500 are there. If I make my bed in the depths 318 00:19:05,500 --> 00:19:11,300 you are there, R2. Our God will not abandon us. 319 00:19:11,300 --> 00:19:16,000 He will not leave you and that is a promise you can hang onto 320 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:19,600 promise number four is found in John 15, 1 through 4. 321 00:19:19,700 --> 00:19:23,900 I am the True Vine and my father is the gardener he cuts off 322 00:19:23,900 --> 00:19:27,200 every branch in me, that bears, no fruit, while every branch 323 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:30,100 that does bear fruit. He prunes so that it will be 324 00:19:30,100 --> 00:19:34,300 even more fruitful. You are already clean because of 325 00:19:34,300 --> 00:19:38,300 the word I've spoken to. You, remain in me as I By also 326 00:19:38,300 --> 00:19:40,500 remain in you no Branch can bear. 327 00:19:40,500 --> 00:19:43,600 Fruit by itself, it must remain in the vine. 328 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:47,800 Neither, can you bear fruit unless you remain in me? 329 00:19:48,300 --> 00:19:50,800 Promise number four, is this, say it with me. 330 00:19:50,808 --> 00:19:55,200 Now, at all of our locations, God will prune me and shape me 331 00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:59,100 for productivity. Jesus uses some pretty powerful 332 00:19:59,100 --> 00:20:02,200 imagery here, as it begins to talk to his disciples and those 333 00:20:02,200 --> 00:20:05,800 of us who will follow after him. So, in this specific passage 334 00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:07,700 Jesus refers to himself as the true. 335 00:20:07,900 --> 00:20:10,700 Irvine into the Jews of his day. This would have connected 336 00:20:10,700 --> 00:20:13,400 immediately all throughout the Old Testament. 337 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:17,500 Israel is referred to as the vine or the vineyard, but when 338 00:20:17,500 --> 00:20:21,500 Israel is referred to, as the grapevine in this way, it's 339 00:20:21,500 --> 00:20:24,700 always about how Israel has not been fruitful. 340 00:20:25,100 --> 00:20:26,900 The prophet. Isaiah says that the vine of 341 00:20:26,900 --> 00:20:30,700 Israel produced sour grapes, The Grapes on the vine of Israel are 342 00:20:30,700 --> 00:20:33,100 wild. Jeremiah calls Israel, a 343 00:20:33,100 --> 00:20:37,000 degenerate and strange, fine. And Hosea says Israel's Vine is 344 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:39,200 empty. There are no grapes on this 345 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:42,100 fine. All of these illustrations show 346 00:20:42,100 --> 00:20:45,500 us that the whole point of planted a Vineyard is to grow 347 00:20:45,500 --> 00:20:49,000 grapes, who knew, right? If you're a Vineyard, you better 348 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:53,000 have grapes to show for it and if there are no grapes then 349 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:56,000 there is no use for the vineyard Jesus. 350 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:59,700 Here is telling us that he is the true vine that came out of 351 00:20:59,700 --> 00:21:04,000 the unfruitful Israel and he tells us that there is a purpose 352 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:07,100 to following him. There is a purpose to following 353 00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:10,400 Jesus. We are to produce grapes. 354 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:14,300 He is the vine. We are the branches through him. 355 00:21:14,300 --> 00:21:18,200 We are to produce fruit. And here's the thing about 356 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:22,800 growing grapes, it can take a really long time to grow grapes. 357 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:26,600 Once you plant a grape seed, it can take up to three years 358 00:21:26,700 --> 00:21:28,400 before you get any grapes at all. 359 00:21:28,500 --> 00:21:31,300 And I don't have that kind of patience whatsoever and 360 00:21:31,300 --> 00:21:33,800 throughout all of those years where you have no grapes, you 361 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:37,700 have to prune the great plant over and over and over again. 362 00:21:38,500 --> 00:21:43,400 Here's what God is promising us. That he will be our good 363 00:21:43,500 --> 00:21:47,200 Gardener. He will be your good Gardener. 364 00:21:47,500 --> 00:21:50,700 He will cut out the things that don't need to be there. 365 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:53,500 So that one day there will be fruit. 366 00:21:55,100 --> 00:21:57,100 Pruning is not fun though, is it? 367 00:21:59,900 --> 00:22:01,400 Raise your hand. If you like being told that you 368 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:05,500 are wrong. Yeah, this is my church, raise 369 00:22:05,500 --> 00:22:08,000 your hand, if you've been told that you're wrong, all the 370 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:09,200 married people. Okay, yeah. 371 00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:12,800 All right, that's what happens. All of us. 372 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:15,100 We have this desire to be better. 373 00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:18,800 We want to be a better spouse. We want to be a better parent. 374 00:22:18,800 --> 00:22:21,700 We want to be a better friend. We want to be a better boss. 375 00:22:21,700 --> 00:22:24,300 We want to be a better neighbor. We want to be better. 376 00:22:28,300 --> 00:22:30,800 And we want to be a better reflection of Jesus to a 377 00:22:30,800 --> 00:22:33,800 watching world. We want to make a better and a 378 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:38,700 bigger difference. And what Jesus saying, yeah, in 379 00:22:38,700 --> 00:22:43,600 order to do that, I'm going to have to cut some stuff out that 380 00:22:43,600 --> 00:22:46,500 needs to be cut out of your life. 381 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:55,100 No coach or no coach. When he's running his practice 382 00:22:55,500 --> 00:22:57,900 is going to be like, hey guys, today is just another fun day, 383 00:22:58,700 --> 00:23:02,300 we're going to be sampling, Gatorade, right? 384 00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:05,500 A good coach is going to make you do some conditioning because 385 00:23:05,700 --> 00:23:08,100 when the game that matters the most, you want to make sure you 386 00:23:08,100 --> 00:23:13,000 still have your legs. Pruning is never fun. 387 00:23:14,300 --> 00:23:18,100 But it is always fruitful his promise. 388 00:23:18,100 --> 00:23:21,400 Number 5, John chapter 15 verses 5 through 8. 389 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:24,400 Jesus says, I am the vine. You are the branches. 390 00:23:24,500 --> 00:23:27,900 If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit. 391 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:29,900 Apart from me, you can do nothing. 392 00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:33,500 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown 393 00:23:33,500 --> 00:23:34,500 away. And Withers. 394 00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:38,000 Such branches are picked up thrown into the fire and burned. 395 00:23:38,700 --> 00:23:41,400 If you remain in me and my words, remain in you ask, 396 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:43,500 whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 397 00:23:44,300 --> 00:23:47,600 This is to my father's Glory that you bear much fruit, 398 00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:49,900 showing yourselves to be my disciples. 399 00:23:50,500 --> 00:23:52,800 Here's the promise, read it with me Crossing Church. 400 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:59,000 If I remain, I will bear fruit. The biggest question here in my 401 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:02,000 mind is, what does it mean to remain? 402 00:24:02,300 --> 00:24:06,200 What does remaining mean? I like to picture this like a 403 00:24:06,208 --> 00:24:09,400 little kid and their favorite movie, some of you remember 404 00:24:09,400 --> 00:24:11,400 what? It's like to be a little kid or 405 00:24:11,400 --> 00:24:14,900 others of you have little kids or grandkids of your Roan and 406 00:24:14,900 --> 00:24:18,600 you know, that you can ask any child what their favorite movie 407 00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:22,400 is and they will tell you all about it and you will get more 408 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:24,000 information than you bargained for. 409 00:24:24,300 --> 00:24:26,300 They will just go off about this movie. 410 00:24:26,500 --> 00:24:29,000 They can quote every line from the movie, they can sing you 411 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:33,000 every song from the movie and even though they can't read, 412 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:35,300 they can pull it up on Netflix without your help. 413 00:24:35,700 --> 00:24:38,800 They know what they're doing. They start to take on the 414 00:24:38,800 --> 00:24:42,200 personality traits of the main character, they start to act 415 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:43,700 like the main character on the playground. 416 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:46,800 And when they go to school, they've got the main character 417 00:24:46,800 --> 00:24:48,800 on their backpacks and their bed sheets. 418 00:24:49,200 --> 00:24:51,800 They dress up as the main character for Halloween. 419 00:24:51,900 --> 00:24:54,400 They asked for the main character toys for Christmas. 420 00:24:55,000 --> 00:24:59,000 And it's all because they've seen this one movie hundreds. 421 00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:04,200 If not thousands of times, they have never met the main 422 00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:08,900 character of whatever movie it is, but they know the main 423 00:25:08,900 --> 00:25:13,100 character and we know this to be true for ourselves as adults. 424 00:25:13,400 --> 00:25:17,500 Some of you, you grew up in the DC Universe and some of you grew 425 00:25:17,500 --> 00:25:20,800 up in the Marvel Universe and you have strong opinions on 426 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:23,700 both. Some of you you are were Star 427 00:25:23,700 --> 00:25:27,900 Trek people and some of you, your Star Wars people and some 428 00:25:27,900 --> 00:25:31,200 of you are Star Wars people and you grew up where you got four, 429 00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:34,200 five and six before one, two and three. 430 00:25:34,300 --> 00:25:36,300 In other people, you grew up with one, two and three, and 431 00:25:36,300 --> 00:25:38,800 it's a different world for you. And when the Mandalorian shut 432 00:25:38,800 --> 00:25:40,500 up, you had strong opinions about it. 433 00:25:41,100 --> 00:25:43,700 There's there's some of you for you, it's Sports. 434 00:25:44,400 --> 00:25:45,900 Like you get it, you're in trench. 435 00:25:45,900 --> 00:25:47,200 Do you understand what's happening? 436 00:25:47,500 --> 00:25:50,500 Because you like football, your Thursday nights and Sunday, 437 00:25:50,500 --> 00:25:54,900 afternoons and Saturday are and, you know, Monday afternoon or 438 00:25:54,900 --> 00:25:58,400 evenings are just different. Your mood changes on a Saturday, 439 00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:01,700 based on how your college football team is doing and 440 00:26:01,700 --> 00:26:05,200 you're just in that environment and you've immersed yourself in 441 00:26:05,200 --> 00:26:08,200 at the other day, I pulled up at a stop sign or really nice 442 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:10,500 vehicle. Pulled up next to me and they 443 00:26:10,500 --> 00:26:12,700 had a sign on the side of their vehicle. 444 00:26:13,500 --> 00:26:17,700 That said that they were a part of the, the Cat Club here in 445 00:26:17,700 --> 00:26:20,200 Quincy. Apparently, if you have a cat 446 00:26:20,900 --> 00:26:30,200 there's a club you know, so there's that and I'm sure if you 447 00:26:30,200 --> 00:26:35,000 choose to join that club, they have all kinds of stuff and 448 00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:40,000 opinions about, and I'm sure that I shouldn't go and I should 449 00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:44,800 stop before I say something, I shouldn't But the more you get 450 00:26:44,800 --> 00:26:47,800 involved in that environment, what happens it shapes you, if 451 00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:51,700 you're a hunter, the more you're a part of that hunting group of 452 00:26:51,700 --> 00:26:55,100 people, it shapes you. If you're a Fisher, if you're a 453 00:26:55,100 --> 00:26:58,600 Knitter, fill in the blank. If you're a baker, the more you 454 00:26:58,800 --> 00:27:02,800 remain in that environment, the more it shapes you and that is 455 00:27:02,800 --> 00:27:08,100 what God wants to happen. Have happened in US Jesus asked 456 00:27:08,100 --> 00:27:12,400 us to do the same thing with him to spend so much time with Jesus 457 00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:15,400 that we just start. The acting and thinking like 458 00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:19,100 him, this is what it means to remain or abide. 459 00:27:19,500 --> 00:27:23,000 When we remain in him, the fruit shows up. 460 00:27:23,500 --> 00:27:27,100 When we spend enough time with Jesus, we know what he says 461 00:27:27,100 --> 00:27:30,400 about certain things. We know the way he thinks about 462 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:33,600 certain things. We know how he treats others and 463 00:27:33,600 --> 00:27:37,600 what's important to him and eventually we don't have to 464 00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:41,100 think about it anymore. We just start acting like Jesus 465 00:27:41,400 --> 00:27:45,400 almost by accident. But Jesus says it's not an 466 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:49,200 accident. Jesus said, if you remain in him 467 00:27:49,400 --> 00:27:52,900 you will bear fruit. You will start acting like 468 00:27:53,300 --> 00:27:56,900 Jesus. And while there is no movie, God 469 00:27:56,900 --> 00:28:00,500 has given us some serious Source material on the matter. 470 00:28:01,100 --> 00:28:06,600 He gave us his word, he gave us other believers and he like we 471 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:12,400 saw earlier, he gave us his holy spirit so spend time in his word 472 00:28:12,700 --> 00:28:15,400 read Book over and over, and over again. 473 00:28:15,700 --> 00:28:19,000 Start with the gospels read, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, 474 00:28:19,500 --> 00:28:22,800 these books are literal biographies of your savior. 475 00:28:23,300 --> 00:28:25,700 Look for how he acts and how he responds. 476 00:28:25,700 --> 00:28:30,800 And what he says, spend time with his people, join a life 477 00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:33,900 group, make it intentional share. 478 00:28:33,900 --> 00:28:37,100 What is going on in your life? And look for ways that you can 479 00:28:37,100 --> 00:28:40,700 better. There's and spend time alone 480 00:28:41,100 --> 00:28:45,400 with his Spirit. Listen for God's, ever-present 481 00:28:45,700 --> 00:28:49,000 voice. What is God trying to teach you 482 00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:53,700 right now? If you don't ever slow down to 483 00:28:53,700 --> 00:28:57,300 listen for his voice. How do you expect to hear it? 484 00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:01,900 So how do you spend time with Jesus? 485 00:29:02,300 --> 00:29:06,400 How do you remain? You read the book, hang out with 486 00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:10,000 his people. Listen to his spirit and 487 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:13,900 eventually, when you've spent enough time with Jesus, you will 488 00:29:13,900 --> 00:29:16,300 start acting like the main character. 489 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:20,500 So, let's look back at these five promises and do a quick 490 00:29:20,500 --> 00:29:22,700 review. Promise number one, God is 491 00:29:22,700 --> 00:29:26,100 preparing a place for you and is coming back for you to take you 492 00:29:26,100 --> 00:29:29,300 to the place. He has prepared even Life is 493 00:29:29,300 --> 00:29:32,500 overwhelming or underwhelming and everything in between. 494 00:29:32,600 --> 00:29:36,700 We can hang onto the not that God is preparing a place for us 495 00:29:36,900 --> 00:29:39,100 and we'll come back for us one day. 496 00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:43,300 The second promise is this. You can get to God through 497 00:29:43,300 --> 00:29:45,100 Jesus. We can Rejoice that. 498 00:29:45,100 --> 00:29:49,700 This is not on us, but it has been provided for us by Jesus. 499 00:29:49,900 --> 00:29:52,800 Christ, that is, how much your God loves you. 500 00:29:52,900 --> 00:29:56,600 The third promise is this? You are not alone. 501 00:29:56,800 --> 00:30:01,100 Got spirit is with you and I will not abandon you when you 502 00:30:01,100 --> 00:30:03,900 have a relationship with Jesus Christ, you have been brought 503 00:30:03,900 --> 00:30:07,900 into the family of God and you will never be kicked out of 504 00:30:07,900 --> 00:30:10,900 that. Family Promise for, is that God 505 00:30:10,900 --> 00:30:13,900 will prune you and shape you for productivity. 506 00:30:14,500 --> 00:30:19,700 Pruning is not fun or enjoyable, but it is always fruitful like a 507 00:30:19,708 --> 00:30:22,000 master sculptor. He is going to remove all of the 508 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:25,800 rough images until his image appears in us. 509 00:30:26,000 --> 00:30:31,200 A number five, is if you remain, You will bear fruit and that is 510 00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:37,000 the whole point of following Jesus is to become more like him 511 00:30:37,100 --> 00:30:40,400 because he is the most fruitful person who ever lived. 512 00:30:41,100 --> 00:30:44,900 So if you put all five of these promises together, you get a 513 00:30:44,908 --> 00:30:47,800 couple of things. The first thing that you get is 514 00:30:47,800 --> 00:30:53,000 you get a very strong knot in your faith to hang onto to help 515 00:30:53,000 --> 00:30:56,400 you navigate life when it does not make sense. 516 00:30:56,500 --> 00:30:58,100 This is a knot. You can hang onto. 517 00:30:58,600 --> 00:31:01,400 But the second thing that all five of these things put 518 00:31:01,400 --> 00:31:07,200 together, it makes you an Unstoppable Force for God and in 519 00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:10,100 God's kingdom. How so you ask? 520 00:31:10,500 --> 00:31:15,200 Because, you know, your future is secure your access to God is 521 00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:20,100 not dependent on you, you are not alone in this life. 522 00:31:20,500 --> 00:31:23,900 You will be molded and shaped by the master of the universe and 523 00:31:23,900 --> 00:31:27,000 you will live a life that makes a difference in this world and 524 00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:30,700 the world to come. And it doesn't get much better 525 00:31:30,700 --> 00:31:33,300 than that. So Crossing family in light of 526 00:31:33,300 --> 00:31:37,800 all of these promises, we have so much going for us. 527 00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:42,000 We the world is not stacked against us though. 528 00:31:42,000 --> 00:31:45,500 When we look at, we are out our the world is outmatched. 529 00:31:45,500 --> 00:31:49,500 Our flesh, is outmatched. Our circumstances are outmatched 530 00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:52,200 because of all the things that we have going for us in our 531 00:31:52,200 --> 00:31:56,200 relationship with God. And these promises are facts 532 00:31:56,500 --> 00:31:58,900 when you and I make promises to each other. 533 00:31:58,900 --> 00:32:02,400 We both know that there are circumstances that could impact 534 00:32:02,400 --> 00:32:06,300 the reality of us. Being able to operate, I will 535 00:32:06,300 --> 00:32:11,500 love you forever now, you died. You can't stick around forever. 536 00:32:12,000 --> 00:32:16,800 I promise, I will now, you can't because things change, but not 537 00:32:16,800 --> 00:32:19,700 with God. The moment, God speaks a 538 00:32:19,700 --> 00:32:23,200 promise. It becomes a fact that you can 539 00:32:23,200 --> 00:32:27,400 build your life on it is as reliable as gravity. 540 00:32:27,600 --> 00:32:30,700 It is. As sure as sunrises and sunsets, 541 00:32:31,000 --> 00:32:34,400 you can build your life on the Promises of God. 542 00:32:34,700 --> 00:32:36,300 So, Crossing family, we have a choice. 543 00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:41,400 We can either receive these and enjoy Them and take hold of them 544 00:32:41,400 --> 00:32:44,900 in our lives or we can reject reject them. 545 00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:49,500 Ignore them and run from them. And I hope you'll make the right 546 00:32:49,500 --> 00:32:52,000 decision. We're moving to time of decision 547 00:32:58,100 --> 00:33:01,500 if you are in this room here at 48th Street or wherever you're 548 00:33:01,500 --> 00:33:05,500 joining us from online. I want to take just a moment and 549 00:33:05,500 --> 00:33:07,800 talk to you who've never started an intimate personal 550 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:11,300 relationship with Jesus. All the problems that I just 551 00:33:11,300 --> 00:33:16,800 listed and the 24 that are there in these three chapters in The 552 00:33:16,800 --> 00:33:20,000 Book of John or the over 800 that are in the Bible. 553 00:33:23,400 --> 00:33:27,600 They're not yours. But they could be. 554 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:33,700 But the moment you come into a right saving relationship with 555 00:33:33,700 --> 00:33:37,000 Jesus Christ. Every single one of those 556 00:33:37,000 --> 00:33:40,100 spiritual blessings, every single one of those heavenly 557 00:33:40,100 --> 00:33:44,100 promises become your inheritance, but it's not an 558 00:33:44,100 --> 00:33:46,300 inheritance that you access in the future. 559 00:33:46,400 --> 00:33:50,200 It's an inheritance that you get to access in the Here and Now 560 00:33:51,300 --> 00:33:54,300 And I just want to encourage you, not to put that off. 561 00:33:55,700 --> 00:33:57,900 And there might be some of you have questions about what it 562 00:33:57,900 --> 00:34:01,400 means to start that intimate personal relationship with Jesus 563 00:34:01,400 --> 00:34:04,100 Christ. And I get it because I had 564 00:34:04,100 --> 00:34:07,600 questions too, but I want you to know that this is a place where 565 00:34:07,600 --> 00:34:10,600 you can ask them. If you're watching online, you 566 00:34:10,600 --> 00:34:13,199 can ask those questions in the chat and if you're here in this 567 00:34:13,199 --> 00:34:15,199 room is just a few moments. While the people around you 568 00:34:15,199 --> 00:34:17,900 staying and singing others, come to the steps and get down on 569 00:34:17,900 --> 00:34:20,100 their knees and pray. I'm going to encourage you to go 570 00:34:20,100 --> 00:34:22,000 right over there by the baptistry, there was somebody 571 00:34:22,000 --> 00:34:24,500 who would love a chance to talk with you about what that looks 572 00:34:24,500 --> 00:34:28,100 like. to the rest of you in the room to the people who would 573 00:34:28,100 --> 00:34:33,199 call themselves Jesus followers, can I ask you two questions? 574 00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:37,800 One. Are you walking in these 575 00:34:37,800 --> 00:34:42,100 promises? Are you living? 576 00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:49,100 In the middle of these promises. With Jennifer, I moved to 577 00:34:49,100 --> 00:34:55,300 Quincy. We bought a house and the people 578 00:34:55,300 --> 00:34:58,600 that built that house, many years ago, under the influence 579 00:34:58,600 --> 00:35:04,200 of Satan planted to sugar, maple trees in my yard and I'm way too 580 00:35:04,200 --> 00:35:07,100 cool to be an arborist and even know that the sugar Maples, but 581 00:35:07,100 --> 00:35:10,800 I had to figure out what kind of trees I had because I hate these 582 00:35:10,800 --> 00:35:13,900 things. If you drive down our street, 583 00:35:13,900 --> 00:35:16,700 almost every leaf and all of our other yards are all the other 584 00:35:16,700 --> 00:35:21,200 guards are gone. Ours are like playing. 585 00:35:21,200 --> 00:35:25,300 We're not dropping our leaves, when it's nice out, more windy. 586 00:35:25,900 --> 00:35:29,300 Now, we're going to wait till, you know, drops to be about 28 587 00:35:29,300 --> 00:35:32,700 degrees and all your neighbors have put their mowers up, then 588 00:35:32,700 --> 00:35:37,800 we'll just bring it that way. You can make friends And 589 00:35:38,300 --> 00:35:41,000 historically, I will go out even on, thanks. 590 00:35:41,200 --> 00:35:44,000 I mean on Christmas Day. And have to mulch leaves in my 591 00:35:44,000 --> 00:35:48,000 yard? Oh, They'll be no sugar, Maples 592 00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:50,700 on my street in heaven. I can promise you that they are 593 00:35:50,700 --> 00:35:53,200 but by the way, they are beautiful for like three days 594 00:35:53,300 --> 00:35:55,300 every year. It really is pretty. 595 00:35:56,100 --> 00:35:58,500 And what would you do if you came to my house? 596 00:35:59,000 --> 00:36:02,900 And you saw me out there with chopsticks just picking up 597 00:36:02,900 --> 00:36:07,200 leaves. McCarthy's knocked out. 598 00:36:07,300 --> 00:36:11,000 I'll be in a month, honey. Alyssa. 599 00:36:11,000 --> 00:36:13,100 If you go to my house, open up my garage door. 600 00:36:13,200 --> 00:36:16,300 I'm a man's man. I got a mulch, kid on my mower. 601 00:36:17,700 --> 00:36:21,800 I've got the leaf vacuum. I've got the leaf blower. 602 00:36:22,400 --> 00:36:25,900 I've got the plastic rake. I've got the metal rake. 603 00:36:26,300 --> 00:36:28,500 I've got the big trashcan that you put them in. 604 00:36:28,700 --> 00:36:31,500 I've got big trash bags to Crunch down. 605 00:36:32,100 --> 00:36:39,000 I got all the stuff. For would you do if I got all 606 00:36:39,000 --> 00:36:43,200 that stuff in my garage and I'm out there with chopsticks and 607 00:36:43,200 --> 00:36:45,300 some of your going playing. You're too fat for Chopsticks. 608 00:36:45,300 --> 00:36:46,900 That's why God made spoons and forks. 609 00:36:47,200 --> 00:36:50,900 I get it, but I like to surprise people and I'm out there. 610 00:36:52,400 --> 00:36:55,400 What would you call me if you drove by my street and you saw 611 00:36:55,400 --> 00:36:57,700 me out there picking up leaves with chopsticks, what would you 612 00:36:57,700 --> 00:37:01,100 call me? You guys are weak sauce. 613 00:37:01,500 --> 00:37:04,400 Now, you're an idiot. I don't trust. 614 00:37:04,400 --> 00:37:07,700 You're a moron. You need help. 615 00:37:07,700 --> 00:37:12,800 Okay, right. I got all these promises. 616 00:37:14,200 --> 00:37:18,800 All of these promises going for me in the garage, and then I'm 617 00:37:18,800 --> 00:37:21,000 ticked it. God, this is taking way too 618 00:37:21,000 --> 00:37:24,200 long, this is not working out the way I wanted to work out. 619 00:37:24,200 --> 00:37:25,800 I don't even like this stupid tree. 620 00:37:25,800 --> 00:37:28,300 I don't like these leaves my back hurts. 621 00:37:28,400 --> 00:37:30,900 My I'm not able to do the things I wanted to do because it's 622 00:37:30,900 --> 00:37:32,500 taking longer than I thought it would take. 623 00:37:35,400 --> 00:37:40,200 Hey, moron. The promises are in the garage 624 00:37:41,400 --> 00:37:47,500 and you already have them. But listen, God is such this is 625 00:37:47,500 --> 00:37:50,000 why I'm not God. You're like, is God calling me a 626 00:37:50,000 --> 00:37:52,000 moron? No, he just loves the snot out 627 00:37:52,000 --> 00:37:55,300 of you. I just want to tell you stop 628 00:37:55,300 --> 00:37:58,400 getting mad at him when he's put all the promises at your 629 00:37:58,400 --> 00:38:02,200 disposal. And you're choosing to ignore 630 00:38:02,200 --> 00:38:06,400 him and then get mad at him and how long the process and how 631 00:38:06,400 --> 00:38:09,600 much pain is going on. It's like I didn't give you the 632 00:38:09,600 --> 00:38:13,000 chopsticks. You give you the leaf blower. 633 00:38:13,900 --> 00:38:17,100 Give you the Kawasaki? 3.5 horsepower. 634 00:38:19,600 --> 00:38:23,200 That's what I gave you. But you're not using what I gave 635 00:38:23,200 --> 00:38:24,600 you and you're getting mad at me. 636 00:38:25,900 --> 00:38:29,600 Anyway, right. My the only crazy person that 637 00:38:29,600 --> 00:38:32,500 came to church today, is there anybody else you left a couple 638 00:38:32,500 --> 00:38:35,600 of promises in the garage of their life and just walking 639 00:38:35,600 --> 00:38:38,000 around with chopsticks going, honey, want to go to church 640 00:38:38,000 --> 00:38:40,000 today. God ain't been showing up in my 641 00:38:40,000 --> 00:38:42,000 life. You guys be doing that all week, 642 00:38:42,000 --> 00:38:43,200 your wife will start talking to you. 643 00:38:43,200 --> 00:38:44,100 Yeah, yeah. Yeah. 644 00:38:47,700 --> 00:38:53,000 And I apologize, second thing. Second thing is there any part 645 00:38:53,000 --> 00:38:55,700 of you? But you're looking back over the 646 00:38:55,700 --> 00:38:58,600 landscape of your life and you're going, I got all these 647 00:38:58,600 --> 00:39:01,900 promises and I don't deserve a single one. 648 00:39:04,500 --> 00:39:08,600 Not a single one of these things that I deserve. 649 00:39:11,100 --> 00:39:17,300 But by God's grace. He delivered them, dropped them 650 00:39:17,300 --> 00:39:21,500 off at my front door and then we'll make no mistake. 651 00:39:22,200 --> 00:39:26,500 These promises weren't cheap They weren't free. 652 00:39:28,400 --> 00:39:36,700 Someone paid dearly. Not price was the son of Jesus 653 00:39:36,800 --> 00:39:39,700 or was Jesus Christ God's son on the cross for you. 654 00:39:39,700 --> 00:39:43,500 And for me, and if that doesn't create in us, a deep sense of 655 00:39:43,500 --> 00:39:47,500 gratitude, I don't know what will and so if you're in that 656 00:39:47,500 --> 00:39:50,100 spot, maybe you're just thankful today or maybe you're going to 657 00:39:50,107 --> 00:39:51,200 God. I need to start living like 658 00:39:51,200 --> 00:39:53,500 these promises are in the garage and start putting them to use. 659 00:39:53,900 --> 00:39:56,300 Would you just get down on your knees and spend some time 660 00:39:56,500 --> 00:39:59,400 getting some of that sorted out because this world could use 661 00:39:59,400 --> 00:40:02,000 some people who are walking in the promises and the power of 662 00:40:02,000 --> 00:40:04,000 God. And I say, we As well be us. 663 00:40:04,000 --> 00:40:08,300 Would you guys staying with me? God, I'm so thankful that we get 664 00:40:08,300 --> 00:40:13,200 to be here today. and this place with your people and God I pray 665 00:40:13,200 --> 00:40:20,500 that you do a mighty work in us a work that only you can do Got, 666 00:40:20,500 --> 00:40:23,900 it doesn't mean it's going to be easy, doesn't mean that it's not 667 00:40:23,900 --> 00:40:27,900 going to take time. We gotta we are just tired of 668 00:40:27,900 --> 00:40:30,500 trying to do it all on our own power and our own strength. 669 00:40:30,500 --> 00:40:34,600 And so we are inviting you in. Thank you for being patient with 670 00:40:34,600 --> 00:40:38,700 us, long suffering with us. Your name I pray. 671 00:40:38,900 --> 00:40:39,400 Amen.