1 00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:05,900 Well, good morning Crossing Church. 2 00:00:05,900 --> 00:00:11,000 How are you doing this fine day? Oh, you gotta be better than 3 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:12,800 that. I mean you got up this morning 4 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:16,200 and you get to live in this day. So how do you feel about this 5 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:20,300 fine day? You're all right, that's so 6 00:00:20,300 --> 00:00:23,500 good. It's been, I mean that song is 7 00:00:23,500 --> 00:00:27,400 incredible song. It's just the gospel in song and 8 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:30,200 love that song, all of our locations got to hear that. 9 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:32,800 And by the way, I want to welcome all of our locations, 10 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:35,900 all around this region. So thankful for each and every 11 00:00:35,900 --> 00:00:39,800 one of you, and if you're inside her online, so Thankful for you 12 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:45,400 as well and celebrating 17 baptisms inside last week. 13 00:00:46,700 --> 00:00:50,500 I know there's four more this week, God's just, he's just 14 00:00:50,500 --> 00:00:51,400 undeterred. You know? 15 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:53,400 He just gets it done, doesn't he? 16 00:00:53,700 --> 00:00:56,000 He does such incredible, incredible things and he's been 17 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:59,600 doing incredible things this weekend at the Crossing all of 18 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:03,300 our locations get together for both a Men's Conference in a 19 00:01:03,308 --> 00:01:05,600 Women's Conference. And this was the rise conference 20 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:10,200 this last weekend over 1,000, women involved in that. 21 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:18,400 So I need to talk to all of the uncommon guys. 800 guys, 800. 22 00:01:19,100 --> 00:01:22,400 They had 1000. Come on. 23 00:01:23,500 --> 00:01:24,900 Come on, we can do better than that. 24 00:01:24,900 --> 00:01:28,100 Anyway. You know, one thing I know about 25 00:01:28,100 --> 00:01:32,600 those conferences is that it's a really concentrated time where 26 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:37,100 we're in God's word together and and we're open to God's word and 27 00:01:37,500 --> 00:01:43,600 and there are moments in those events that are just profound 28 00:01:43,700 --> 00:01:47,600 absolutely profound moments. And some of you may be carrying 29 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:50,900 one of those moments in your heart right now because God did 30 00:01:50,900 --> 00:01:54,300 something in your life and it all in and it only took a 31 00:01:54,300 --> 00:01:56,200 moment. But this really what I want to 32 00:01:56,200 --> 00:02:00,000 talk about Today is, you know, that's what really Life Is. 33 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:03,700 Life is Just millions of moments, right? 34 00:02:04,100 --> 00:02:07,000 Just millions of moments and some of those moments are 35 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:10,000 really, really good and some of those moments are really, really 36 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:12,700 bad. And then some of those moments 37 00:02:12,700 --> 00:02:15,900 you really don't put a value on or you don't evaluate that way. 38 00:02:15,908 --> 00:02:20,400 You're just kind of going through them, but I have to tell 39 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:24,300 you that I'm standing on this stage today right now because of 40 00:02:24,300 --> 00:02:29,500 a single moment. That moment occurred in my life 41 00:02:29,500 --> 00:02:35,100 in August of 1980. And I know exactly where I was. 42 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:38,600 I know exactly what was going on around me. 43 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:41,900 I remember it like it was yesterday but I can tell you 44 00:02:41,900 --> 00:02:45,100 this when I experienced that moment with the Lord. 45 00:02:45,100 --> 00:02:48,400 And I walked out of that room. Absolutely nothing in my life 46 00:02:49,100 --> 00:02:51,900 would be the same because that was when he called me into 47 00:02:51,900 --> 00:02:56,800 Ministry. And I want to reflect on that 48 00:02:56,800 --> 00:03:01,500 today because, you know, the Jesus is Lord of the Universe. 49 00:03:01,500 --> 00:03:06,700 I mean he is this Incredible God, over such a big, huge 50 00:03:06,700 --> 00:03:11,000 things, but he is also the lord of the moment. 51 00:03:12,100 --> 00:03:15,300 And there is incredible power in a single moment. 52 00:03:16,300 --> 00:03:19,400 When I think about God, maybe when you think about God, you 53 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:23,400 think about his greatness and his vastness, his in 54 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:30,600 comprehensible nature, and his incredible power, but he's more 55 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:35,700 than the god of big things. He is the lord of the smallest 56 00:03:35,700 --> 00:03:39,700 of things. And so is Jesus, the Lord of the 57 00:03:39,700 --> 00:03:44,200 smallest of things when you hear Jesus teach and he talks about 58 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:47,900 the birds of the air. And we realize that there's not 59 00:03:47,900 --> 00:03:51,800 a bird that falls from the sky but he doesn't know it and 60 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:56,000 record it and remember it and think about it. when he talks 61 00:03:56,000 --> 00:04:01,400 about the Lilies of the Field, I know that every single flower 62 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:05,600 that blooms he knows it, every single flower that is cut or 63 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:11,000 that Withers, he's aware of it when he talks about the hairs on 64 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:16,700 our heads and how he keeps count of them, he is reminding us of 65 00:04:16,700 --> 00:04:20,000 how he is not only the lord of the big things, but the lord of 66 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:25,300 the small things Last week, we heard about Jesus, the Creator. 67 00:04:25,500 --> 00:04:29,100 We heard about, Jesus the light, we heard about him being the 68 00:04:29,100 --> 00:04:34,800 author of life and this huge word, the word of God, the 69 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:40,100 speech of God that brought everything into creation And 70 00:04:40,100 --> 00:04:44,900 today, I want us to leave that. I want us to leave the vastness 71 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:49,200 that John shared with us, trying to help us get a foundation 72 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:53,400 under us about who Jesus actually is, and I want us 73 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:57,300 together with John the author of the book of John to find that 74 00:04:57,300 --> 00:05:02,900 same power in the smallness. And we're going to see that 75 00:05:02,900 --> 00:05:07,800 Illustrated in Jesus's love for a single person in a single 76 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:12,200 moment and how that reveals both his character and his nature. 77 00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:14,400 Because what we're going to do is we're going to see all of 78 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:19,500 that power concentrated into a single moment and what that 79 00:05:19,500 --> 00:05:22,400 moment does. So I'm going to give you three 80 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:26,900 illustrations of that today, in the first one is in John 3 vs 1, 81 00:05:26,900 --> 00:05:30,500 2 3. Now there was a Pharisee. 82 00:05:31,300 --> 00:05:32,900 Okay, let's stop right there. What is that? 83 00:05:32,900 --> 00:05:38,600 What's a Pharisee? Well, Pharisees were part of the 84 00:05:38,700 --> 00:05:43,300 Jewish ruling class during the time of Jesus and there were 85 00:05:43,300 --> 00:05:47,800 particular Pharisees and also a group called Sadducees that 86 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:51,500 together formed what was called the Sanhedrin and they were a 87 00:05:51,508 --> 00:05:54,300 religious body but also a political body, they were the 88 00:05:54,300 --> 00:06:00,100 government that existed under the government of Now, the 89 00:06:00,100 --> 00:06:03,300 difference between a Pharisee in, a sadducee was Pharisees, 90 00:06:03,300 --> 00:06:05,500 believed in life after death, and they believed in the 91 00:06:05,500 --> 00:06:08,700 prophets of the Old Testament. Sadducees did not believe in 92 00:06:08,700 --> 00:06:11,700 life, after death and did not ascribe to the prophets of the 93 00:06:11,700 --> 00:06:14,600 Old Testament. So, there was a Pharisee, some 94 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:16,400 kind of know, a little bit about this. 95 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:21,200 A man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling 96 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:25,600 Council. He came to Jesus at night, 97 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:31,600 that's important that he came to Jesus at night and he said 98 00:06:31,700 --> 00:06:36,600 Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God 99 00:06:36,700 --> 00:06:39,100 for no one. Could perform the signs. 100 00:06:39,300 --> 00:06:43,000 You are doing if God was not with him. 101 00:06:44,300 --> 00:06:47,200 Oh, that's that's a great line. But that's a kind of a political 102 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:50,900 statement. Okay, Jesus replied. 103 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:55,600 Very truly, I tell you. No one can see the kingdom of 104 00:06:55,600 --> 00:07:01,400 God unless they are born again. What? 105 00:07:03,300 --> 00:07:06,900 Born again. Now, you and I, we understand 106 00:07:06,900 --> 00:07:09,300 that term. Those two words is a term 107 00:07:09,300 --> 00:07:13,200 because it's in our culture. We've heard it many times 108 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:17,900 before, but understand that in Jesus Culture and in Nicodemus 109 00:07:17,900 --> 00:07:21,000 is time, they never heard anything like that. 110 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:26,600 And so this is just kind of blowing Nicodemus away. 111 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:29,100 So let's get a little bit deeper into the story. 112 00:07:29,300 --> 00:07:31,300 First of all, Nicodemus comes at night. 113 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:35,000 Now he comes at night. Reason, because he's a member of 114 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:37,700 the ruling Council. And the ruling Council doesn't 115 00:07:37,700 --> 00:07:40,100 really think much of Jesus. They don't like Jesus, 116 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:42,000 eventually. They're going to plot to kill 117 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:44,500 Jesus. And he doesn't want everybody 118 00:07:44,500 --> 00:07:48,400 else to know that he has an honest curiosity about who Jesus 119 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:52,500 is and who he might be, and what he can do. 120 00:07:52,500 --> 00:07:56,900 And so he comes under cover of Darkness, Because he doesn't 121 00:07:56,900 --> 00:08:01,000 want the other Pharisees to see what he's doing. and you hear 122 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:06,000 him deliver the political line, Just Butters Jesus Bread on both 123 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:07,500 sides. You know, you obviously have 124 00:08:07,500 --> 00:08:09,700 come from God because nobody could do these awesome things 125 00:08:09,700 --> 00:08:12,800 that you're doing, you know, thinking that Jesus is going to 126 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:16,800 lean into him. So he delivers the political 127 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:19,600 line, but then Jesus just cow his him. 128 00:08:20,700 --> 00:08:24,000 You must be born again. And Nicodemus is like what? 129 00:08:25,900 --> 00:08:29,400 Where did that come from? I mean, when someone delivers a 130 00:08:29,407 --> 00:08:31,700 political line like that, you're supposed to deliver one back 131 00:08:31,700 --> 00:08:35,200 like, well, you know, I've heard about you Nicodemus and you're 132 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:38,000 part of the ruling Council. Mm, you know, you've come a long 133 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:40,900 way, man. Yeah, no, Jesus doesn't do that. 134 00:08:40,900 --> 00:08:42,799 He just goes. You bet you have to be born 135 00:08:42,799 --> 00:08:47,100 again and Nicodemus is completely thrown off balance. 136 00:08:49,100 --> 00:08:51,900 I mean, you can read the rest of that story and it's like, well 137 00:08:51,900 --> 00:08:54,600 how in the world am I supposed to enter into my mother's womb 138 00:08:54,800 --> 00:08:58,300 and be born a second time? He has no idea. 139 00:08:58,300 --> 00:09:02,700 He's just mind-blown, okay? But it is long enough for Jesus 140 00:09:02,700 --> 00:09:07,400 to deliver the gospel to him. And that's what being thrown off 141 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:10,000 balance can do right. All of a sudden your defenses 142 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:12,800 are like all goofed up and you're like, well, I mean you're 143 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:16,700 listening, you're hearing your hearts open and in that moment, 144 00:09:16,900 --> 00:09:23,300 Look what Jesus says, John 3:14 just as Moses lifted up the 145 00:09:23,300 --> 00:09:27,300 snake in the wilderness. So the son of man must be Lift 146 00:09:27,300 --> 00:09:31,500 it up, he, he is prophetically talking about his crucifixion. 147 00:09:32,700 --> 00:09:37,800 That everyone who believes may have eternal life in him and 148 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:41,900 then the familiar scripture. For God. 149 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:46,600 So loved the world that he gave his one and only son that 150 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:51,900 whoever believes in him, shall not perish but have eternal 151 00:09:51,900 --> 00:09:54,000 life. We use that scripture so often. 152 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:56,500 But often times, we don't realize that it was said to a 153 00:09:56,500 --> 00:09:59,100 Pharisee, who is trying to impress Jesus, with the 154 00:09:59,108 --> 00:10:01,000 political line in the middle of the night. 155 00:10:02,600 --> 00:10:05,500 And he was just sharing that with that one guy. 156 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:12,600 For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the 157 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:17,100 world, but to save the world through him. 158 00:10:18,500 --> 00:10:23,300 That's a gospel message. Many people have said, John 3:16 159 00:10:23,300 --> 00:10:27,700 is the gospel in one verse. I'll put it like this just in a 160 00:10:27,708 --> 00:10:30,700 little catchphrase ready? Born once. 161 00:10:31,500 --> 00:10:36,700 Died twice. Born twice die once. 162 00:10:38,300 --> 00:10:42,800 You know what I mean by that? Like everybody here all of our 163 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:45,200 locations and in this room we've all been born. 164 00:10:45,200 --> 00:10:48,300 Once contrary to what your cousin said when you were young 165 00:10:48,300 --> 00:10:51,300 trying to freak you out because they got you from the circus or 166 00:10:51,300 --> 00:10:53,500 you came from under a rock, that didn't really happen. 167 00:10:53,900 --> 00:10:58,400 You were actually born. We've all been born physically. 168 00:10:59,700 --> 00:11:03,000 But if we are only born physically, we die two times. 169 00:11:04,100 --> 00:11:07,300 Jesus makes that clear in the gospels that we all die 170 00:11:07,300 --> 00:11:11,300 physically because it is appointed to us to die 171 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:15,100 physically, but he also says we die spiritually. 172 00:11:15,700 --> 00:11:21,400 We are eternally separated from God, we die twice. so for only 173 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:27,700 born, once will die twice, but if we're born twice, Born 174 00:11:27,700 --> 00:11:35,300 physically for mothers. And spiritually born of God then 175 00:11:35,300 --> 00:11:40,000 we only die once physically, but inherit eternal life. 176 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:45,700 What a gift. What an Incredible Gift. 177 00:11:45,700 --> 00:11:49,100 Jesus gave Nicodemus in this moment and it's all it was, it 178 00:11:49,100 --> 00:11:50,900 was just a moment. It was in the middle of the 179 00:11:50,900 --> 00:11:52,700 night. Was just a moment, but it 180 00:11:52,700 --> 00:11:58,100 changed everything for this man. Later in John, we read The 181 00:11:58,100 --> 00:12:01,800 Narrative of Joseph of Arimathea asking for the Body of Jesus, 182 00:12:01,800 --> 00:12:06,200 after he's been cruelly crucified on a cross, then they 183 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:11,100 pried the nails out of his body rather than throwing him on the 184 00:12:11,100 --> 00:12:16,300 trash heap of the hinnom valley. Joseph of Arimathea asks to have 185 00:12:16,308 --> 00:12:20,200 his body because he had bought a tomb and had it made for 186 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:23,500 himself. But because of his love for 187 00:12:23,500 --> 00:12:27,300 Jesus, he decides to give that tomb to Jesus. 188 00:12:27,300 --> 00:12:31,200 Now, it's important that we read this in John because you have 189 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:34,300 four gospels in the Bible, Matthew Mark, Luke and John 190 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:39,100 Matthew, Mark and Luke are not eyewitnesses to this moment. 191 00:12:40,700 --> 00:12:43,800 So Luke, he doesn't become a Christian until the journeys, 192 00:12:43,800 --> 00:12:46,900 appalled much later and writes. Everything down as a 193 00:12:46,908 --> 00:12:51,700 compilation, Mark was a scribe for Simon Peter. 194 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:54,900 So when you read the gospel of Mark, you're actually reading 195 00:12:55,100 --> 00:12:57,500 Simon. Peter's, regular recollection, 196 00:12:58,200 --> 00:13:02,600 but Simon, Peter was an apostle. And so was Matthew, the problem 197 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:07,500 is Matthew and Peter or Mark's gospel in Matthew's gospel, 198 00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:10,200 they're not Direct. Misses, you know why? 199 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:13,100 Because when Jesus was arrested, they all ran. 200 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:17,800 And they weren't there, when Jesus was crucified, only one 201 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:20,700 apostle was there, and that was John. 202 00:13:21,900 --> 00:13:24,500 So, John is testifying to what he actually saw. 203 00:13:25,100 --> 00:13:28,100 What he actually heard what he actually experienced. 204 00:13:29,300 --> 00:13:33,400 And he saw that Joseph of Arimathea along with a friend, a 205 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:40,400 guy by the name of Nicodemus. Asked for Jesus body, washed it 206 00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:46,300 wrapped it, and bury it. In Joseph of Arimathea, his tomb 207 00:13:46,500 --> 00:13:51,800 and rolled a stone over it. Nicodemus helped to bury my 208 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:55,900 Lord. He honored my Lord. 209 00:13:57,400 --> 00:14:00,700 And all indications of everything that was written 210 00:14:00,700 --> 00:14:04,600 about Nicodemus afterwards indicates this truth that he 211 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:09,900 took the words of Jesus. Seriously, he was born again. 212 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:16,400 now, you know, Nicodemus, he had a lot to live up to and so do we 213 00:14:17,900 --> 00:14:21,400 He was a man that had a lot of priorities, he'd worked hard to 214 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:26,600 get where he was and so do we. We have some of us in all of our 215 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:29,600 locations right now we have all these things that we've done in 216 00:14:29,600 --> 00:14:32,500 our lives. We tried to put the right people 217 00:14:32,500 --> 00:14:36,800 around us, Network, right? Say the right things, not miss 218 00:14:36,800 --> 00:14:40,200 those things up because we have these priorities. 219 00:14:40,500 --> 00:14:44,500 And sometimes if we do, and we start having a relationship with 220 00:14:44,500 --> 00:14:46,900 Jesus. Jesus can get in the way of 221 00:14:46,900 --> 00:14:50,100 that. He might even threaten all that 222 00:14:50,100 --> 00:14:52,900 you've built in your successful life. 223 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:56,300 That's why Nicodemus came at night because Jesus could 224 00:14:56,300 --> 00:15:00,000 threaten everything that he built in his successful life. 225 00:15:00,100 --> 00:15:03,800 Spending his life climbing the ladder, looking for approval, 226 00:15:05,700 --> 00:15:08,900 But there came a moment when Nicodemus, laid it all down, and 227 00:15:08,900 --> 00:15:11,900 you know why? Because Jesus was Lord of a 228 00:15:11,908 --> 00:15:17,200 moment, his moment and that moment came at night. 229 00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:21,400 When Jesus said you must be born again. 230 00:15:23,100 --> 00:15:27,800 Second Story, John chapter 4. Now Jesus learned that the 231 00:15:27,800 --> 00:15:31,600 Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more 232 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:35,700 disciples than John. Although in fact, it was not 233 00:15:35,700 --> 00:15:37,900 Jesus who baptized but his disciples. 234 00:15:37,900 --> 00:15:42,200 So he left Judea and he went back once more to Galilee. 235 00:15:43,300 --> 00:15:46,000 Now he had to go through Samaria. 236 00:15:47,300 --> 00:15:49,600 He had to see that word right there. 237 00:15:52,200 --> 00:15:55,900 Well, that's just not true. You don't have to go through 238 00:15:55,900 --> 00:15:59,300 Samaria. As a matter of fact, Jews didn't 239 00:15:59,300 --> 00:16:02,600 want to go through Samaria Jews, hated Samaria. 240 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:06,600 And they hated Samaritans, they had actually had a racial hatred 241 00:16:07,100 --> 00:16:10,300 of Samaritans for over 700 years. 242 00:16:11,300 --> 00:16:13,900 They did not mix well and so Jews. 243 00:16:13,900 --> 00:16:16,400 If they were going from the north to the South and South to 244 00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:20,300 the north, they would actually take a more difficult road to 245 00:16:20,300 --> 00:16:27,000 get up there just so they would be able to bypass Sumeria but 246 00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:33,600 then you have this work Hold on to that. 247 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:39,000 Jesus had to go through Samaria. There's a moment in Samaria, 248 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:43,700 waiting for Jesus. So he came to a town of Samaria 249 00:16:43,700 --> 00:16:47,400 called sychar near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his 250 00:16:47,400 --> 00:16:50,400 son. Joseph and Jacob's, Well, was 251 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:54,700 there and Jesus tired as he was from the journey sat down by the 252 00:16:54,700 --> 00:16:59,300 well, and it was about noon. What time was it noon? 253 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:03,700 Okay. When a Samaritan woman came to 254 00:17:03,700 --> 00:17:08,300 draw water? Something wrong with that 255 00:17:08,300 --> 00:17:13,400 because women don't in Jewish times in historical times. 256 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:16,000 Don't draw water at noon. They draw water in the early 257 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:18,099 morning. Sometimes before the sun gets 258 00:17:18,099 --> 00:17:21,300 up, its up so that they can use it for their families. 259 00:17:21,300 --> 00:17:25,500 And yet a Samaritan woman comes to draw water at noon. 260 00:17:25,500 --> 00:17:29,500 And Jesus says to her, what Jesus says to her, Jesus talked 261 00:17:29,500 --> 00:17:33,300 to her, Jesus to be a Jewish man, talking to a Jewish woman, 262 00:17:33,300 --> 00:17:36,800 even out in public. Not really acceptable talking. 263 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:39,800 Samaritan woman not acceptable at noon. 264 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:43,500 Very not acceptable. Jesus said to her, will you give 265 00:17:43,500 --> 00:17:46,300 me a drink? Wow. 266 00:17:48,500 --> 00:17:51,400 Before we get into the substance of their conversation with each 267 00:17:51,400 --> 00:17:54,400 other, we have to understand just how much it's wrong with 268 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:56,600 this moment. Okay, the first one we've 269 00:17:56,600 --> 00:17:58,900 already discussed, Jesus is in Samaria. 270 00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:03,200 So I mean Jews. In general wouldn't do that a 271 00:18:03,200 --> 00:18:05,500 Jewish rabbi definitely not that. 272 00:18:05,500 --> 00:18:09,300 That's who Jesus was. And then this woman comes at 273 00:18:09,300 --> 00:18:11,400 noon and there's a reason she comes at noon. 274 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:14,800 She comes at noon so that she can avoid all the other women in 275 00:18:14,808 --> 00:18:19,000 the town because she has a reputation and her reputation is 276 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:22,600 not a good one. Jesus brings that up in his 277 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:26,200 conversation with her. She's been married five times 278 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:27,800 and the man she's living with now. 279 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:35,100 She is not married to Then Jesus speaks to her which is wrong on 280 00:18:35,100 --> 00:18:40,000 all accounts. But they all speak volumes about 281 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:44,700 Jesus, don't they? When you read, he had to go 282 00:18:44,700 --> 00:18:48,200 through Samaria that speaks volumes about Jesus, when he's 283 00:18:48,200 --> 00:18:51,200 there at noon. And he speaks to a woman who is 284 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:53,900 has questionable not questionable a really bad 285 00:18:53,900 --> 00:18:57,900 reputation and he breaks all of these taboos. 286 00:18:58,100 --> 00:19:01,000 This is telling you so much about Jesus. 287 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:06,400 It also ought to tell you about Jesus in his relationship to 288 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:12,100 you. And then he tells her, I can 289 00:19:12,100 --> 00:19:15,200 give you living water. And you'll never be thirsty 290 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:17,100 again. And she's like, well, give me 291 00:19:17,100 --> 00:19:18,700 some of this water because I hate coming to this. 292 00:19:18,700 --> 00:19:23,800 Well, it's really what she says. And then they start this 293 00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:28,700 conversation. And then Jesus just blurts out 294 00:19:28,700 --> 00:19:30,800 this horrible truth about her life. 295 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:35,800 Of the kind of woman, she is. Because she says she's not 296 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:38,200 married and he goes, well, that's true. 297 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:40,200 You aren't, because you've been married five times in the man, 298 00:19:40,200 --> 00:19:44,000 you are living with your not married to that would probably 299 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:45,600 end a lot of conversations, right? 300 00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:49,400 That you are in. If you said that, But that's 301 00:19:49,400 --> 00:19:51,300 what he says. And then she says, I can see 302 00:19:51,300 --> 00:19:54,300 that you're a prophet and then she wants to talk theology. 303 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:57,700 Talk theology with Jesus. That's probably not a good idea 304 00:19:58,400 --> 00:20:00,200 because he's going to win that argument. 305 00:20:00,500 --> 00:20:05,200 But he gets all past all of that. reveals to her, that he's 306 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:10,100 the Messiah and then She has this response. 307 00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:14,300 From This Moment. Look at the response. 428. 308 00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:18,700 Then leaving her water jar. I love that. 309 00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:21,900 No reason. She's there is to draw water and 310 00:20:21,900 --> 00:20:25,400 suddenly everything that was important or urgent and her life 311 00:20:25,400 --> 00:20:27,700 doesn't matter anymore. She doesn't even care about 312 00:20:27,700 --> 00:20:30,300 getting water anymore. She leaves her water jar. 313 00:20:30,300 --> 00:20:34,200 And the woman went back into the town and said to the people, 314 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:36,800 what she was goes back to town. All the people that hate her, 315 00:20:36,800 --> 00:20:40,400 and she talks to the people. And this is what she says. 316 00:20:40,400 --> 00:20:43,500 Come see a man who told me everything I ever did and 317 00:20:43,500 --> 00:20:45,200 they're going that must have been a long conversation. 318 00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:51,400 Wow. Woo. 319 00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:56,800 Because they knew her. Could this be the Messiah? 320 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:05,900 Her story is her story. Her past is her past But the 321 00:21:05,908 --> 00:21:08,800 difference is she's not ashamed anymore. 322 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:13,400 You see that come and see a man who told me everything I ever 323 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:14,600 did. Yeah, you know it. 324 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:23,300 So does he It was just a moment. Just a moment in her life but it 325 00:21:23,300 --> 00:21:28,400 made all the difference changed everything. and when I look at 326 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:33,300 her and I apply her to our lives today, unlike Nicodemus who had 327 00:21:33,300 --> 00:21:39,100 a lot to live up to, she had a lot to live down to Would that 328 00:21:39,100 --> 00:21:42,300 describe you today, that you have a lot to live down to 329 00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:44,400 because you see we all have a past, don't we? 330 00:21:44,800 --> 00:21:47,900 Are there people who won't let you rise up past against your 331 00:21:47,900 --> 00:21:51,900 past, like that? How what the past can do? 332 00:21:51,900 --> 00:21:55,200 How can weigh you down? How others can use it to put you 333 00:21:55,200 --> 00:21:58,100 down, right? You know I'm saying like like oh 334 00:21:58,100 --> 00:22:00,200 really? I've heard people say that guy 335 00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:02,100 won't come to. If that guy came to church, the 336 00:22:02,100 --> 00:22:04,400 whole place would fall in. Have you ever heard that before? 337 00:22:05,900 --> 00:22:08,900 Yeah, because it's surpassed weighing a person down. 338 00:22:08,900 --> 00:22:14,700 She had a lot to live down to, but Jesus has the ability to 339 00:22:14,700 --> 00:22:20,300 change the nature of your past and what had been a tragedy 340 00:22:20,500 --> 00:22:24,400 turns into a testimony. And that's why she said, come 341 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:27,500 and see a man that told me everything I ever did. 342 00:22:27,600 --> 00:22:31,100 How would you like it? If somebody goes, let me tell 343 00:22:31,100 --> 00:22:32,100 you everything. You did. 344 00:22:33,900 --> 00:22:36,700 Everybody check this out. Let me tell you everything that 345 00:22:36,700 --> 00:22:40,100 you did office. Let everybody know that she's 346 00:22:40,100 --> 00:22:42,700 not ashamed. Go ahead. 347 00:22:44,200 --> 00:22:50,200 Because it changed the nature. Of her past. 348 00:22:51,500 --> 00:22:53,800 And Jesus can do the same and he can do it. 349 00:22:54,900 --> 00:22:58,900 In a moment. Third story. 350 00:22:59,300 --> 00:23:04,300 John chapter 5. Now, there is in Jerusalem near 351 00:23:04,300 --> 00:23:08,800 the Sheep gate a pool. Which in Aramaic is called 352 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:13,700 Bethesda and which is surrounded by five color covered Colonnade. 353 00:23:13,700 --> 00:23:15,000 Sounds really pretty, doesn't it? 354 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:19,200 You're great number of disabled people, you still lie, the 355 00:23:19,200 --> 00:23:23,200 blind, the lame and the paralyzed, and they waited for 356 00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:27,100 the moving of the waters, which by the way, was a Superstition 357 00:23:27,900 --> 00:23:30,200 in verse 4, we actually have a verse. 358 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:33,600 This is one of those rare verses in the Bible that is not 359 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:35,800 recorded in the original manuscripts of the New 360 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:39,000 Testament. We see this like in the 11th 361 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:42,300 century and I think it's interesting what is talking 362 00:23:42,300 --> 00:23:46,300 about because it's actually talking about this legend of the 363 00:23:46,300 --> 00:23:49,700 pool of Bethesda from time to time, an angel of the Lord would 364 00:23:49,700 --> 00:23:51,400 come down and stir up the waters. 365 00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:55,400 And the first one into the pool after each such disturbance 366 00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:57,400 would be cured of whatever disease. 367 00:23:57,700 --> 00:24:01,700 They had that least that was the Superstition at the time. 368 00:24:03,300 --> 00:24:12,900 And one was, there had been an invalid for 38 years. 38 years. 369 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:18,500 When Jesus saw him lying there, learned that he had been in this 370 00:24:18,500 --> 00:24:22,700 condition for a long time. He asked him the dumbest 371 00:24:22,700 --> 00:24:26,900 question in the Bible. Do you want to get? 372 00:24:26,900 --> 00:24:30,300 Well, no. I just like The View. 373 00:24:32,100 --> 00:24:35,700 I just kind of like it here, you know, it's, you know, got a nice 374 00:24:35,700 --> 00:24:38,300 breeze over the water. No, no. 375 00:24:39,900 --> 00:24:45,600 What is this story tell you? That Jesus has the power to 376 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:49,600 reverse the irreversible and he has the power to reverse the 377 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:55,700 irreversible in a single moment. How long has this man been here? 378 00:24:56,500 --> 00:24:59,800 38 years? Let's say that something 379 00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:06,000 happened to him when he was 12. How many of you are here here at 380 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:09,100 one of our locations right now and you're 50 years old or 381 00:25:09,100 --> 00:25:12,000 older? I mean this would Define your 382 00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:16,000 whole life, right? This is his life. 383 00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:21,100 And it's by the Sheep gate. So we read that a little while 384 00:25:21,100 --> 00:25:23,000 ago. Well, the Sheep gate is on the 385 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:26,700 northern part of the Temple Mount area and it was called the 386 00:25:26,700 --> 00:25:29,600 Sheep gate, because it's where the Sheep would come in. 387 00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:35,800 They be herded into the Temple Mount area for sacrifice, but if 388 00:25:35,800 --> 00:25:38,700 you've ever been to Israel, it's you know, where they were. 389 00:25:38,700 --> 00:25:41,600 They shepherd the Sheep, where they pasture the Sheep. 390 00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:46,900 It's dirty really dirty. So I want you to think about 391 00:25:46,900 --> 00:25:52,200 dirty sheep coming into the Sheep gate, being washed out of 392 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:54,700 the Waters of the pool of Bethesda. 393 00:25:55,300 --> 00:26:00,000 What would that smell like Some of you guys just can't get the 394 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:03,800 past the smell of your dog, when you watch the dog, imagine what 395 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:07,200 it's like when thousands of sheep being brought in for 396 00:26:07,200 --> 00:26:12,100 sacrifice or being washed and what that would smell like, what 397 00:26:12,100 --> 00:26:16,400 a dirty smelly place. So then it just doesn't make 398 00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:18,600 sense. Why would people who are sick? 399 00:26:19,100 --> 00:26:22,500 Blind, lame paralyzed. Why would they be there? 400 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:26,500 Well, the reason that they were there is because of the 401 00:26:26,500 --> 00:26:32,000 Superstition, and the Superstition was partly Greek 402 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:36,100 and partly Pagan because it was called there was a temple to 403 00:26:36,100 --> 00:26:39,700 asclepius there, who's like the father of medicine. 404 00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:45,800 And it was there was also a temple to Fortuna who was the 405 00:26:45,800 --> 00:26:49,400 goddess of Good Fortune. So you put like medicine and 406 00:26:49,400 --> 00:26:52,500 good fortune together and you can see that there was this 407 00:26:52,500 --> 00:26:54,900 superstition. That kind of grew up out of 408 00:26:54,908 --> 00:26:56,600 that. Like, if you could be the lucky 409 00:26:56,600 --> 00:26:59,900 one that gets first in the pool, then you win the prize, you get 410 00:26:59,900 --> 00:27:06,600 healed. The Jews would put the infirm 411 00:27:06,600 --> 00:27:09,800 there because of a belief that they had kind of like Karma. 412 00:27:10,400 --> 00:27:14,400 They believed that. If you had a really bad 413 00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:18,800 infirmity in your life that it wasn't by accident that it 414 00:27:18,800 --> 00:27:22,400 wasn't random that that was God. Either punishing you or 415 00:27:22,400 --> 00:27:26,300 punishing your parents for what they had done and that is why. 416 00:27:27,400 --> 00:27:29,000 You were there. So you were actually getting 417 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:34,600 what you deserved. So they would consciously put 418 00:27:34,600 --> 00:27:38,100 sick, people away from them. So you wouldn't see Pharisees or 419 00:27:38,100 --> 00:27:41,800 Sadducees are priests or Jewish religious leaders anywhere 420 00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:44,300 around the pool of Bethesda. You wouldn't see that? 421 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:51,500 So this man for 38 years has been surrounded by sick people 422 00:27:51,800 --> 00:27:53,900 smelling the stench of dirty sheep. 423 00:27:55,300 --> 00:27:57,200 Never able to get into the water. 424 00:27:58,600 --> 00:28:02,100 And he's just invisible. He's just invisible. 425 00:28:03,300 --> 00:28:06,900 But he's not invisible to Jesus and I want you to see this 426 00:28:06,900 --> 00:28:10,500 moment because while no other Rabbi would ever have gone to 427 00:28:10,508 --> 00:28:14,100 the pool of Bethesda. Jesus there, Jesus is there to 428 00:28:14,100 --> 00:28:18,100 be Lord of a moment. Of all the places that Jesus 429 00:28:18,100 --> 00:28:20,300 could be? He picked there. 430 00:28:21,800 --> 00:28:24,600 That stinky smelly place was sick people. 431 00:28:24,800 --> 00:28:29,800 He picked their, he picked this man and he picked this moment. 432 00:28:31,200 --> 00:28:33,500 Now, the man he put his faith in the water. 433 00:28:33,500 --> 00:28:36,700 He'd have any faith in Jesus. He put his faith in the water. 434 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:40,800 He put his faith in the Superstition, but for all of his 435 00:28:40,800 --> 00:28:43,400 faith in the water, and all of his faith in the Superstition, 436 00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:46,600 none of that had ever helped him this man had no faith at all in 437 00:28:46,600 --> 00:28:49,500 Jesus. He had no expectation of Jesus. 438 00:28:49,700 --> 00:28:52,300 Nothing. All he wanted was the answer. 439 00:28:52,300 --> 00:28:57,200 That simple question that Jesus said he wanted to get well, and 440 00:28:57,200 --> 00:29:03,800 this was his moment. Look at John 5, 8 to 13. and 441 00:29:03,800 --> 00:29:10,600 Jesus said to him, get up. You know what? 442 00:29:10,600 --> 00:29:15,600 Jesus is to say that some of you today and he said, hey get up, 443 00:29:16,400 --> 00:29:21,300 what are you doing? Get up, pick up your mat and 444 00:29:21,300 --> 00:29:25,000 walk. At once the man was cured. 445 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:28,400 Now when Jesus cures you, he doesn't cure you like this. 446 00:29:32,000 --> 00:29:35,900 This guy. Could probably put moves on. 447 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:40,700 Like dance moves. Because when Jesus cures you, he 448 00:29:40,700 --> 00:29:43,200 cures you. Here at I'm saying. 449 00:29:45,300 --> 00:29:49,200 He was cured, he picked up his mat and he walked rolled that 450 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:51,800 sucker up. Put under his arm started 451 00:29:51,800 --> 00:29:54,600 heading to wherever was going to be home, right? 452 00:29:56,200 --> 00:29:59,100 Check this out, check out this, the Jewish religious leader 453 00:29:59,100 --> 00:30:01,700 thing and try not to think about us. 454 00:30:03,400 --> 00:30:06,200 The day on which this took place was the Sabbath a holy day 455 00:30:06,200 --> 00:30:09,400 Saturday from the fourth Commandment the Old Testament. 456 00:30:09,400 --> 00:30:13,400 And so, the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, 457 00:30:13,500 --> 00:30:16,600 who never even noticed him before, who never took care of 458 00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:19,600 him, who didn't love him? Who didn't think a thing about 459 00:30:19,600 --> 00:30:21,900 him said to the man who had been healed. 460 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:25,600 It is the Sabbath the law. Forbids you to carry your mat. 461 00:30:29,800 --> 00:30:35,500 Okay, but he replied. The man who made me well said to 462 00:30:35,500 --> 00:30:39,300 me, pick up your mat and walk. I'm just, I'm just doing what 463 00:30:39,300 --> 00:30:45,000 the guy said, boy, if we could just get that in our heads, with 464 00:30:45,100 --> 00:30:49,300 when Jesus tells you just do what he says, why do you argue 465 00:30:49,300 --> 00:30:51,300 with him? Why do you want to come up with 466 00:30:51,300 --> 00:30:53,800 an excuse or rationalized just do what he says? 467 00:30:53,800 --> 00:30:56,400 This, what this guy did? He just did what he said. 468 00:30:57,100 --> 00:31:00,000 So they asked him. Who is this fellow? 469 00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:01,600 Who told you to pick it up and walk? 470 00:31:01,700 --> 00:31:06,200 We're going to go get that guy. The man, the man who was healed, 471 00:31:06,200 --> 00:31:11,100 had no idea who it was. For Jesus had Slipped Away into 472 00:31:11,100 --> 00:31:12,700 the crowd. That was there. 473 00:31:12,700 --> 00:31:16,800 I love the story. I love this story because it's 474 00:31:16,800 --> 00:31:19,500 showing you that what Jesus does to a person who doesn't have 475 00:31:19,500 --> 00:31:25,300 faith. well, maybe Didn't have faith. 476 00:31:25,300 --> 00:31:28,600 You just didn't have faith in. Jesus, had faith in all the 477 00:31:28,600 --> 00:31:31,300 wrong things and they're still Jesus right there. 478 00:31:32,300 --> 00:31:34,000 Now I don't think any of you going to argue with me. 479 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:35,800 This man. Really wasn't living at all. 480 00:31:38,100 --> 00:31:40,500 And I wonder if some of us feel the same way like we're not 481 00:31:40,500 --> 00:31:43,300 really living at all. Like maybe to everybody else. 482 00:31:43,300 --> 00:31:46,400 We try to put on a front like everything's okay but it is, not 483 00:31:46,400 --> 00:31:49,800 okay. That maybe it's not a physical 484 00:31:50,000 --> 00:31:53,200 infirmity, but there's something that we're dealing with, and 485 00:31:53,200 --> 00:31:56,500 we're just not, okay? And sometimes that makes us feel 486 00:31:56,900 --> 00:32:01,100 like we're worthless. Like we're invisible like we're 487 00:32:01,100 --> 00:32:04,400 lost in a place. We feel powerless. 488 00:32:05,700 --> 00:32:10,800 To reverse our situation. But Jesus specializes in 489 00:32:10,800 --> 00:32:15,900 reversing the irreversible and he does it in a moment. 490 00:32:21,900 --> 00:32:24,700 I don't know which store you might be connecting with today. 491 00:32:24,900 --> 00:32:27,300 Maybe you're connecting on some level with all three. 492 00:32:29,300 --> 00:32:33,300 Maybe you're trying to kind of live that life with one foot in 493 00:32:33,300 --> 00:32:36,900 the world and one foot spiritually, and you're kind of 494 00:32:36,900 --> 00:32:39,700 trying to be like Nicodemus, but you're in a compromise because 495 00:32:39,700 --> 00:32:43,500 you have a lot to live up to, maybe you're dealing with a past 496 00:32:43,500 --> 00:32:46,900 that has you weighed down and broken because you have a lot to 497 00:32:46,900 --> 00:32:50,200 live down to, and people won't let you get past it. 498 00:32:51,300 --> 00:32:55,500 Your past or maybe you just feel invisible. 499 00:32:57,200 --> 00:32:59,900 Like, you don't even matter and you're not even there. 500 00:33:02,800 --> 00:33:04,800 But I think you relate to at least one of them. 501 00:33:05,200 --> 00:33:11,200 I know I do. What I really want you to see 502 00:33:11,200 --> 00:33:13,000 what I want you to hear today, is this. 503 00:33:14,700 --> 00:33:18,000 That even though we serve a God, who is a god of the universe and 504 00:33:18,000 --> 00:33:20,600 even beyond that, all things that are and things, we don't 505 00:33:20,600 --> 00:33:26,800 even begin to understand. He is a god of the smallest of 506 00:33:26,800 --> 00:33:32,000 things, and Jesus is the Lord. Of the smallest of things. 507 00:33:33,600 --> 00:33:36,800 And when you sometimes think of yourself as being so ignition 508 00:33:36,800 --> 00:33:41,500 insignificant in such a vast universe, Nothing could be 509 00:33:41,500 --> 00:33:43,700 further from the truth when it comes to Jesus. 510 00:33:45,600 --> 00:33:47,800 Because you are so significant to him. 511 00:33:50,100 --> 00:33:53,100 And even though this moment might pass by you and it Go 512 00:33:53,400 --> 00:33:56,700 virtually unnoticed. This moment means all the world 513 00:33:56,700 --> 00:34:00,000 to him and you cannot promise him. 514 00:34:01,500 --> 00:34:05,300 What you're going to do with the next one, or the one after that 515 00:34:05,900 --> 00:34:08,900 or the one a month from now, or a year from now, or a decade 516 00:34:08,900 --> 00:34:13,800 from now. But you can do something about 517 00:34:13,800 --> 00:34:19,800 this one. The one you're in right now. and 518 00:34:19,800 --> 00:34:26,800 I wonder, If you'll let the power of Jesus, be displayed as 519 00:34:26,800 --> 00:34:29,900 you give this moment. Over to him. 520 00:34:31,900 --> 00:34:33,500 We're moving to a time of decision. 521 00:34:39,900 --> 00:34:41,500 So what are we looking at here right now? 522 00:34:42,600 --> 00:34:44,100 What are you looking at right now? 523 00:34:47,199 --> 00:34:49,900 Do you know, there's Echoes of conversations going on in your 524 00:34:49,900 --> 00:34:51,600 head right now. I know there is because there 525 00:34:51,600 --> 00:34:55,300 are mine. Echoes of conversations. 526 00:34:56,199 --> 00:34:57,700 Yeah, you got a lot of things to work out. 527 00:34:57,700 --> 00:35:00,200 Jerry, there's a lot of things that you need to kind of wrestle 528 00:35:00,200 --> 00:35:02,400 with it. Kind of work through then, maybe 529 00:35:02,500 --> 00:35:07,700 then maybe you can talk about this, you know, there's Yeah. 530 00:35:07,700 --> 00:35:12,700 I you know Jesus loves other people and and maybe maybe if I 531 00:35:12,700 --> 00:35:15,100 worked hard enough I can get Jesus to like me but maybe not 532 00:35:15,100 --> 00:35:16,300 right now. In love mean. 533 00:35:16,300 --> 00:35:19,300 Definitely not like me and I don't think you know all of 534 00:35:19,300 --> 00:35:23,400 this. Now I want you to know that that 535 00:35:23,400 --> 00:35:29,800 isn't used speaking to you. That there's an evil spiritual 536 00:35:29,800 --> 00:35:34,100 world around us and the demons never stop working on us. 537 00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:39,600 Trying to talk us out. Of the simple truth that Jesus 538 00:35:39,600 --> 00:35:44,900 loves us enough to die for us. And he is not willing to let us 539 00:35:44,900 --> 00:35:47,300 go. And even when we are faithless, 540 00:35:47,300 --> 00:35:51,100 he remains faithful for. He cannot disown himself that we 541 00:35:51,100 --> 00:35:53,900 are children of God, only through Jesus Christ. 542 00:35:53,900 --> 00:35:58,000 And he paid our debt to set us free and that's the simple 543 00:35:58,000 --> 00:35:59,800 truth. And I'm telling you, even though 544 00:35:59,800 --> 00:36:01,700 you can hear the Echoes of those voices. 545 00:36:01,900 --> 00:36:06,500 As you come into this room, I can tell you that God has his 546 00:36:06,500 --> 00:36:10,100 angels stationed around this room right now and he's saying, 547 00:36:10,100 --> 00:36:13,000 nobody gets in here except my son. 548 00:36:13,500 --> 00:36:16,600 And Jesus is walking in the Isles right now. 549 00:36:17,800 --> 00:36:22,500 And he's looking at you and he's asking you a simple question. 550 00:36:25,300 --> 00:36:27,900 What some people would say is a stupid question. 551 00:36:29,600 --> 00:36:36,800 Do you want to get well? Some of you have been Paralyzed 552 00:36:36,800 --> 00:36:41,700 by this pool for longer than 38 years, looking pathetic because 553 00:36:41,700 --> 00:36:45,400 you're trying to put your faith in some water or into some 554 00:36:45,400 --> 00:36:48,500 Superstition, that's not going to do you any good at all. 555 00:36:48,500 --> 00:36:52,200 But you keep trying to do it on your own and it isn't going to 556 00:36:52,200 --> 00:36:55,200 work. But today is a day where Jesus 557 00:36:55,200 --> 00:36:58,100 is walked by. In This pathetic place, we call 558 00:36:58,100 --> 00:37:02,300 a church full of Sinners. And he says, do you want to get 559 00:37:02,300 --> 00:37:04,600 well? And today is a day, you Say 560 00:37:05,200 --> 00:37:07,700 yeah. I do. 561 00:37:11,100 --> 00:37:13,800 You can't guarantee him any moments coming up? 562 00:37:15,200 --> 00:37:16,900 But you can give him this one right now. 563 00:37:18,100 --> 00:37:20,200 There's going to be somebody standing right over there by 564 00:37:20,200 --> 00:37:24,200 that baptistry that would love nothing greater and to share 565 00:37:24,200 --> 00:37:28,200 with you. The greatest gift of the Gospel, 566 00:37:29,600 --> 00:37:31,900 you can make a hole in that water in the baptistry. 567 00:37:34,100 --> 00:37:38,000 And I've heard people say that when you buy a boat, It's just 568 00:37:38,000 --> 00:37:40,600 makes a hole in the water that you throw money into you ever 569 00:37:40,600 --> 00:37:47,700 heard that. but when you make a hole in that water, you keep 570 00:37:47,700 --> 00:37:50,400 reaching in and you keep drawing the blessings out of it. 571 00:37:54,200 --> 00:37:56,300 If you don't know, Jesus come to know him today. 572 00:37:57,500 --> 00:37:59,300 Don't let everybody else get the blessing. 573 00:38:00,700 --> 00:38:05,400 You get the blessing. You're here today and maybe 574 00:38:05,400 --> 00:38:07,500 you've made that decision, you have that relationship with 575 00:38:07,500 --> 00:38:15,600 Jesus Christ, and that's great. But the burdens are weighing you 576 00:38:15,600 --> 00:38:21,000 down. They're weighing you down. the 577 00:38:21,000 --> 00:38:26,500 scripture says Jesus says, these words come to me, all you that 578 00:38:26,500 --> 00:38:30,200 labor and are weighted down heavily Laden. 579 00:38:30,200 --> 00:38:36,100 He says Now, give you a rest. you know, when people come up 580 00:38:36,100 --> 00:38:42,300 here, That's why they do. You see this front full of 581 00:38:42,300 --> 00:38:47,100 people? They're getting down low. so 582 00:38:47,100 --> 00:38:51,700 that they can let go of their burden, whatever that burden is, 583 00:38:54,600 --> 00:39:00,900 and let me just end with this. When Jesus was at the pool and 584 00:39:00,900 --> 00:39:04,900 he told the man get up. Do you really think that that 585 00:39:04,900 --> 00:39:08,400 man was way over here? And Jesus was way over here and 586 00:39:08,400 --> 00:39:14,700 he goes hey get up. Or do you think Jesus was here 587 00:39:14,700 --> 00:39:20,200 in the guy? Was right there and he said, Get 588 00:39:20,200 --> 00:39:28,300 up. You come up here and you lay 589 00:39:28,300 --> 00:39:33,200 your burden down. And you'll feel the hands of 590 00:39:33,200 --> 00:39:39,000 Jesus lifting you up. Scripture says, humble yourself 591 00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:45,300 in the sight of the Lord. and he, Will lift you up. 592 00:39:47,200 --> 00:39:51,200 Would you stand with me? In Jesus name. 593 00:39:51,200 --> 00:39:58,800 Heavenly father, I pray. That we as your children. 594 00:40:00,100 --> 00:40:04,600 Would come to you. And if today is the first day, 595 00:40:06,100 --> 00:40:12,300 That first moment. At father, take that moment. 596 00:40:13,800 --> 00:40:16,500 So when we walk out of this place, we don't walk alone and 597 00:40:16,500 --> 00:40:23,900 we Never Walk Alone Again. That you're with us. the father, 598 00:40:23,900 --> 00:40:29,000 if we are believers in you but we're carrying burdens that we 599 00:40:29,000 --> 00:40:36,700 walk out lighter and more joyful because you've taken that burden 600 00:40:36,700 --> 00:40:45,000 from us, Father. Now, Come see your children, 601 00:40:45,700 --> 00:40:48,400 Jesus. Minister. 602 00:40:50,100 --> 00:40:53,300 To us. I pray in Jesus name. 603 00:40:53,600 --> 00:40:54,200 Amen.