1 00:00:01,400 --> 00:00:02,900 Well, good morning Crossing Church. 2 00:00:02,900 --> 00:00:07,000 How are you doing today? What a day. 3 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:11,000 What a day yesterday was? Wow, I mean, it was a beautiful 4 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:13,700 fall day. I know it had to be that way at 5 00:00:13,700 --> 00:00:16,800 all of our locations. I want to welcome all of our 6 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:19,100 locations joining from all over this region. 7 00:00:19,100 --> 00:00:21,400 We're so thankful for each and every one of you. 8 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:27,000 And what you do for the Lord, in the Kingdom, just so amazing. 9 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:30,300 And if you're inside an online, we are really, really thankful 10 00:00:30,300 --> 00:00:34,100 for you as well. And it's, when we get into 11 00:00:34,100 --> 00:00:37,800 environments like this, that we Wise because this world is 12 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:41,100 always crashing in on us. That we have hope. 13 00:00:41,300 --> 00:00:43,300 How many of you like to have a little hope? 14 00:00:43,700 --> 00:00:46,100 Yeah. And I think that's probably one 15 00:00:46,100 --> 00:00:49,700 of the reasons why you're here at one of the locations today is 16 00:00:49,700 --> 00:00:52,700 because you have the opportunity to be around other people 17 00:00:52,700 --> 00:00:55,200 looking for the same thing and God is here. 18 00:00:55,200 --> 00:01:00,200 And he is the author of Hope and he'll give you that hope. 19 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:05,300 And I want to thank the Lord for the last. 20 00:01:05,300 --> 00:01:10,000 I don't know. No 36 hours because Alice and I 21 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:12,400 were able to do the first marriage retreat. 22 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:17,000 In our new marriage Retreat Center at the camp people were 23 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:19,800 freaking out there like this is like a four-star Marriott, it 24 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:25,300 really is and they had an incredible time but the best 25 00:01:25,300 --> 00:01:30,400 part of it was it was instilling hope for marriages and people 26 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:34,600 were doing the hard work, they were doing the homework and and 27 00:01:34,700 --> 00:01:38,300 there was a lot of that. A just one-on-one time is a 28 00:01:38,300 --> 00:01:42,500 couple unpacking things and working those things out. 29 00:01:42,500 --> 00:01:48,700 And God is so good in that and there's three more of those this 30 00:01:48,700 --> 00:01:51,000 fall. There's four more in the spring 31 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:55,200 and if you've never experienced a marriage Retreat, it'll be 32 00:01:55,200 --> 00:02:01,700 like a concentrated awesome 22 hours where you can put in the 33 00:02:01,700 --> 00:02:05,700 work to make your marriage better than ever, and you can 34 00:02:05,700 --> 00:02:07,600 sign up. For that on the website. 35 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:11,800 Well today we're starting a brand new series from The Book 36 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:14,800 of John. And along with that, we have a 37 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:18,500 reading plan and a lot of you, you might say, John is my 38 00:02:18,500 --> 00:02:22,900 favorite book of the Bible. It doesn't take a long time to 39 00:02:22,900 --> 00:02:29,400 read 21 chapters, but if you go slow and you read John through 40 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:32,200 this while we're preaching through it. 41 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:34,000 I think that'll really bless you. 42 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:35,900 And so, this is what that looks like. 43 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:40,500 And there's a QR code as you know, they're available for you 44 00:02:40,500 --> 00:02:44,400 at all of our locations, just scan that and you'll be able to 45 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:47,400 get on this reading plan and have a little devotional time. 46 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:51,900 It'll be great for you. A couple of weeks ago, I had 47 00:02:51,900 --> 00:02:55,900 someone come up to me after the service very troubled. 48 00:02:56,900 --> 00:03:02,700 And just trying to establish or re-establish a relationship with 49 00:03:02,700 --> 00:03:08,700 God and starting reading the Bible in the Old Testament, the 50 00:03:08,700 --> 00:03:13,600 Book of Genesis and got into Exodus Leviticus and it wasn't 51 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:20,200 just all of that, but it had to do with Wars and death and, you 52 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:24,800 know, in this history and just struggling with the idea of how 53 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:27,700 is this a good? Good representation of God. 54 00:03:27,700 --> 00:03:30,000 I have a different understanding of God than that. 55 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:34,000 Can you help me understand why and was asking some questions 56 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:38,900 why? And I said Don't read the Bible 57 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:43,600 from Genesis to Revelation because the Bible is not a book, 58 00:03:43,900 --> 00:03:48,300 it's a collection of books. The Bible is a very compact 59 00:03:48,300 --> 00:03:53,400 Library. and I said, if you really want to get a good 60 00:03:53,400 --> 00:03:58,800 understanding of the Bible start with the Book of John, In the 61 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:02,900 New Testament because really the Bible is a book all about Jesus. 62 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:07,300 And when we get into the gospels, we're learning about 63 00:04:07,300 --> 00:04:11,200 Jesus, but when you get to John, it's even better. 64 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:15,100 And I'll tell you why. Because when you're reading the 65 00:04:15,100 --> 00:04:19,700 Gospel of John, you're reading the perspective of Jesus from 66 00:04:19,700 --> 00:04:24,700 his best friend. Because John is his best friend, 67 00:04:24,900 --> 00:04:28,900 that was John. And that's kind of how it is in 68 00:04:28,900 --> 00:04:32,400 life, right? I mean, I mentioned there's some 69 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:35,700 of you that would really like to know more about a particular 70 00:04:35,700 --> 00:04:41,200 celebrity or a sports star or something and you can read books 71 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:43,000 by them. But what if you were able to sit 72 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:46,300 down with like their best friend? 73 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:52,300 And ask questions, like, what was what's this person like here 74 00:04:52,300 --> 00:04:54,500 and what are they? Like, their I had that 75 00:04:54,500 --> 00:04:58,200 opportunity a few years ago, since I'm the publisher of 76 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:01,000 Christian standard to sit down with Fred Gray. 77 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:04,800 I was doing some research because I have to do some of 78 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:08,000 that with with what we're presenting in that in that 79 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:14,000 magazine, and I was doing a, an article on Marshall Keeble. 80 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:17,400 And there were four young men sitting around him, like, in a 81 00:05:17,407 --> 00:05:19,300 square around him. And I wanted to know who those 82 00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:22,400 four young men were. So, I just started doing some 83 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:26,300 research on that. And I landed on this one guy 84 00:05:26,700 --> 00:05:29,700 that was in the lower right-hand part of that picture, and his 85 00:05:29,700 --> 00:05:35,600 name was Fred Gray. And I it was amazing to me. 86 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:41,200 What I learned from researching this guy and in the course of 87 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:44,200 what we do with the Salomon Foundation, we had done some 88 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:47,700 work with a church in Atlanta, man. 89 00:05:47,900 --> 00:05:51,500 Named Andrew Harrison, who was a judge, believe the first 90 00:05:51,500 --> 00:05:55,500 African-American judge in Atlanta and he was personal 91 00:05:55,500 --> 00:06:01,600 friends with Fred gray and I was able to have an interview with M 92 00:06:02,700 --> 00:06:05,600 at Lipscomb University in Nashville, so I drove down the 93 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:09,500 Nashville and sat down with it the time, I think he was 88 and 94 00:06:09,500 --> 00:06:11,000 had the opportunity to talk to him. 95 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:13,600 Some of you have no idea who this guy even is, well, let me 96 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:18,700 tell you. So Fred was born in Montgomery, 97 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:24,200 Alabama, and when he was very young decided, he wanted to go 98 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:26,100 into ministry. That's how he connected with 99 00:06:26,100 --> 00:06:31,100 Marshall Keeble, because he had a school for young people. 100 00:06:31,300 --> 00:06:34,500 Well, in Nashville. And so, he went from Montgomery 101 00:06:34,500 --> 00:06:38,400 in Nashville and studied under Marshall Keeble. 102 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:44,800 But when he was in his teenage years, he really saw what was 103 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:49,000 happening with segregation. And he in his heart, he decided 104 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:52,900 he wanted to destroy that. He wanted to stop this this 105 00:06:52,900 --> 00:06:57,200 Injustice, and he, you couldn't get a college education in 106 00:06:57,200 --> 00:07:01,100 Alabama, if you were black. So he had to go up to Ohio. 107 00:07:01,300 --> 00:07:05,800 Cleveland got his education and came back to Montgomery, 108 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:10,100 Alabama. So he opens up a law office and 109 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:13,800 there's not there wasn't a lot of work for a black lawyer in 110 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:18,400 Montgomery, Alabama, back then and so he did have some time on 111 00:07:18,400 --> 00:07:22,500 his hands. The but there was this lady that 112 00:07:22,500 --> 00:07:26,200 worked around the corner as a seamstress at a department 113 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:29,500 store. And she was a youth group leader 114 00:07:29,700 --> 00:07:33,200 for the NAACP. The Local NAACP and they started 115 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:35,400 having lunch together. They were both single, they 116 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:40,300 started having lunch together. They became friends and her name 117 00:07:40,300 --> 00:07:45,400 was Rosa Parks. And about that time there was a 118 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:48,700 little girl, she's 15 years old. Her name is Claudette Colvin, 119 00:07:48,900 --> 00:07:54,600 and she had to ride the city bus to get from school to home. 120 00:07:54,900 --> 00:07:57,600 And they had an early release that day. 121 00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:00,500 And so, she got on the bus at a different time that when she 122 00:08:00,500 --> 00:08:05,700 normally would get on the bus and she was told to give up her 123 00:08:05,700 --> 00:08:09,400 seat for a white person and it scared her, and she didn't want 124 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:13,100 to give up her seat and so she was Taking off the bus and 125 00:08:13,100 --> 00:08:16,900 arrested. And she was 15 taking the jail 126 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:20,100 and they called Fred gray was one of his first cases. 127 00:08:21,700 --> 00:08:26,400 And Fred got her out of jail. And so the people that were in 128 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:30,500 the Civil Rights Movement that were gathered in Montgomery. 129 00:08:30,500 --> 00:08:32,799 Alabama, decided to have a meeting at a lady. 130 00:08:32,799 --> 00:08:36,500 Her last name is Robinson her house and they started talking 131 00:08:36,500 --> 00:08:37,900 about what are we going to do about this? 132 00:08:37,900 --> 00:08:41,600 And they got this idea that they would have a one-day bus 133 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:46,500 boycott. And at the time Fred Grace, 24 134 00:08:46,500 --> 00:08:49,200 years old. So can I put this in 135 00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:51,600 perspective? He's 24. 136 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:57,000 And and and Rosa Parks was going to be the person who was going 137 00:08:57,000 --> 00:09:02,200 to be arrested. And and Freddy is working in the 138 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:05,500 youth group with her and so they're talking about who's 139 00:09:05,500 --> 00:09:08,400 going to lead this, somebody's got to lead this and there was a 140 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:12,000 guy named Ed Nixon who was a voting rights person. 141 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:17,000 That was a leader in Montgomery but there were a little worried 142 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:19,900 about eating Nixon doing that because this is really something 143 00:09:19,900 --> 00:09:25,500 more about desegregation and Fred said I can't do it because 144 00:09:25,500 --> 00:09:29,100 they'll just barmy And they're trying to figure out who's going 145 00:09:29,100 --> 00:09:34,800 to lead this and the lady whose home they were in the host said, 146 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:39,300 we got this new preacher young guy in our church and, you know, 147 00:09:39,300 --> 00:09:42,100 nobody knows really who he is, but he can really move people 148 00:09:42,100 --> 00:09:46,400 with words. And it was Martin Luther King. 149 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:50,800 And so, Martin Luther King became the spokesman of the 150 00:09:50,800 --> 00:09:54,500 Montgomery Bus Boycott that didn't last one day, it lasted 151 00:09:54,500 --> 00:10:00,800 382 days. And over the course of his life. 152 00:10:02,300 --> 00:10:06,100 Fred gray was responsible for so much in our country that has to 153 00:10:06,100 --> 00:10:11,300 do with desegregation. Like the desegregation of 154 00:10:11,300 --> 00:10:15,700 Alabama public schools which became the model for the 155 00:10:15,700 --> 00:10:20,000 desegregation of all schools, in the South and higher, 156 00:10:20,300 --> 00:10:24,200 universities and University of Alabama and so many other 157 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:26,200 things. But sitting down with this guy. 158 00:10:27,500 --> 00:10:32,900 And I'm I'm looking at like history incarnate, you know, I'm 159 00:10:32,900 --> 00:10:36,900 talking to a guy that's this giant and I'm and I remember 160 00:10:36,900 --> 00:10:40,700 asking this really, really foolish question I go what was 161 00:10:40,700 --> 00:10:43,700 it? Like, you know, being in this 162 00:10:43,800 --> 00:10:47,900 like he was the lawyer for for Martin Luther King until he 163 00:10:47,900 --> 00:10:49,900 moved to Atlanta like got him out of jail. 164 00:10:49,900 --> 00:10:51,500 I don't know how many times he was. 165 00:10:52,100 --> 00:10:55,300 He was the lawyer behind the Selma to Montgomery marches just 166 00:10:55,300 --> 00:10:59,100 all this stuff it's coming out. Him and he's sharing all this. 167 00:10:59,100 --> 00:11:01,300 And what was it like to be with all these famous people, he 168 00:11:01,300 --> 00:11:05,600 comes forward, famous people. We're just a bunch of kids. 169 00:11:06,500 --> 00:11:08,200 We didn't know what we were doing. 170 00:11:08,300 --> 00:11:11,700 We just saw something that was wrong and needed to be fixed, 171 00:11:11,700 --> 00:11:16,900 and we were just doing whatever we could. to do that and to 172 00:11:16,900 --> 00:11:22,200 listen to his stories, all of a sudden Because I was with, like 173 00:11:22,200 --> 00:11:24,200 one of the best friends of these people. 174 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:28,000 It became so much more real to me. 175 00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:33,600 Because it's different when you're talking to a best friend 176 00:11:34,700 --> 00:11:37,900 and that's what it's like when you read the book of John, 177 00:11:38,500 --> 00:11:41,400 because when you read the book of John, you're getting this 178 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:47,600 perspective of Jesus from his best friend and that is 179 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:50,200 particularly important. If you're wanting to have an 180 00:11:50,200 --> 00:11:54,100 intimate personal relationship with Jesus Christ because you're 181 00:11:54,100 --> 00:11:58,000 talking to the first guy who really had that intimate. 182 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:00,400 Personal relationship with Jesus Christ. 183 00:12:00,700 --> 00:12:05,400 So when John writes his gospel a little later in life from those 184 00:12:05,400 --> 00:12:11,200 earlier gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke, he wants you to 185 00:12:11,300 --> 00:12:15,200 understand Jesus in a different way. 186 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:20,200 He wants you to feel the weight of who Jesus actually is. 187 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:26,200 So he doesn't start the book that you're going to read like, 188 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:31,800 hey, Jesus is my best friend. He starts out by helping you to 189 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:35,900 realize what, in the course of his relationship to Jesus, he 190 00:12:35,900 --> 00:12:42,400 realized that Jesus is the son of God, not just the Son of God, 191 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:46,300 but God himself. In human form. 192 00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:48,300 And that's how he starts the book. 193 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:54,000 Look at John 1125 and then 9 to 14 in the beginning, was the 194 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:59,100 word now, that's an interesting, that's interesting, and I could 195 00:12:59,100 --> 00:13:00,500 preach a whole Sermon Just on that. 196 00:13:00,500 --> 00:13:03,700 Those four letters right there, in the beginning was the word 197 00:13:04,100 --> 00:13:08,200 and the Word was with God. The word is describing Jesus, 198 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:13,700 but it's describing him in his pre human form. the word was 199 00:13:13,700 --> 00:13:19,900 with God and the Word was God, and he was with God when In the 200 00:13:19,900 --> 00:13:21,400 beginning. Oh wait a minute. 201 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:25,900 The beginning wasn't the manger. Was it know the beginning like 202 00:13:25,900 --> 00:13:31,000 the Genesis beginning? Though through him, check this 203 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:33,500 out. All things were made without 204 00:13:33,500 --> 00:13:36,100 him. Nothing was made that has been 205 00:13:36,100 --> 00:13:38,000 made like he was a Creator. God. 206 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:42,900 Yeah. In him was life and that life 207 00:13:42,900 --> 00:13:47,600 was the light of all mankind, in the light shines in the darkness 208 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:50,600 and the Darkness has not overcome it because we're 209 00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:52,700 talking about not just light. We're talking about Good and 210 00:13:52,700 --> 00:13:56,500 Evil, right? And the True Light, that gives 211 00:13:56,500 --> 00:13:59,700 light to everyone was coming. Into the world. 212 00:13:59,700 --> 00:14:04,600 Now, we're talking spiritual light, he was in the world, and 213 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:08,000 though, the world was made through him and the world did 214 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:11,400 not recognize him. He came to that, which was his 215 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:14,600 own, but he owns this world, right? 216 00:14:14,700 --> 00:14:21,800 But his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him? 217 00:14:21,900 --> 00:14:25,300 He to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to 218 00:14:25,300 --> 00:14:31,700 become children of God children. Born not of natural descent nor 219 00:14:31,700 --> 00:14:33,700 of a human decision or a husband's will. 220 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:39,300 But born of God, the word became flesh. 221 00:14:39,900 --> 00:14:44,100 Wow. And made his dwelling among us. 222 00:14:44,100 --> 00:14:48,700 And we have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only son 223 00:14:48,700 --> 00:14:53,100 who came from the father, full of grace and truth. 224 00:14:53,800 --> 00:15:00,200 Well, that is lofty language. Jesus is my best friend. 225 00:15:00,300 --> 00:15:05,100 No, I need for you to understand the gravity of what I'm saying, 226 00:15:05,100 --> 00:15:07,900 the reality of who Jesus really is. 227 00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:12,700 So along with John, lets you and I go through this together, 228 00:15:12,700 --> 00:15:16,700 okay? Number one, he's the word of 229 00:15:16,700 --> 00:15:20,100 God, look at verses 1 to 3 in the beginning was the word and 230 00:15:20,100 --> 00:15:23,900 the Word was with God. And the Word was God, and he was 231 00:15:23,900 --> 00:15:28,400 with God in the beginning. So this helps us understand The 232 00:15:28,400 --> 00:15:32,900 pre-existence of Jesus before he was named Jesus, he was called 233 00:15:32,900 --> 00:15:37,800 the word of God. How did God create all things? 234 00:15:39,300 --> 00:15:47,100 He spoke them. and God said, Let there be like God said, God 235 00:15:47,100 --> 00:15:51,100 said, right? So the power of creation was in 236 00:15:51,100 --> 00:15:57,600 the speech of God, the word Of God. 237 00:15:58,900 --> 00:16:02,900 And it's describing the fact that Jesus played a role in 238 00:16:02,900 --> 00:16:06,500 creation and not just a roll. It says, all things were created 239 00:16:06,500 --> 00:16:07,400 by Him. And for him. 240 00:16:07,400 --> 00:16:09,000 And without him, nothing was made. 241 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:10,700 That was made. He was the Creator. 242 00:16:10,700 --> 00:16:14,300 God, That's going to be a very big deal for you. 243 00:16:14,300 --> 00:16:19,000 And for me, if we really believe that we can be a new creation, 244 00:16:20,700 --> 00:16:23,000 Because only Jesus can do that, right? 245 00:16:23,100 --> 00:16:25,600 Second thing, he is life and light. 246 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:29,900 Look at Verses 4 and 5 in him was life, and that life was the 247 00:16:29,900 --> 00:16:34,400 light of all mankind. You know that was the first 248 00:16:34,400 --> 00:16:37,600 thing that was created in Genesis God said, let there be 249 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:45,000 light right before he created life, he created light and he 250 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:49,100 says, Jesus is the light. You see John's connecting us all 251 00:16:49,100 --> 00:16:52,400 the way to the beginning of the Bible and then he says and the 252 00:16:52,400 --> 00:16:56,200 light shines in the darkness and the Darkness has not overcome 253 00:16:56,200 --> 00:16:59,400 it. So this is saying that that 254 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:05,300 Jesus is the very glory of God. The light of God, the glory of 255 00:17:05,300 --> 00:17:08,700 God and that light has power over darkness. 256 00:17:08,900 --> 00:17:11,900 And when we talk about Darkness, we're not talking about, just 257 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:14,800 it's dark in here. We're talking about spiritual 258 00:17:15,300 --> 00:17:18,300 darkness and spiritual oppression. 259 00:17:18,300 --> 00:17:24,000 It's that kind of light. Not just a physical light, but a 260 00:17:24,008 --> 00:17:29,300 spiritual light. And it's a light to everyone to 261 00:17:29,300 --> 00:17:31,600 everybody. That's what 9 through 13 says, 262 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:35,900 the True Light that gives light to everyone was coming into the 263 00:17:35,900 --> 00:17:38,900 world. He was in the world, and the 264 00:17:38,900 --> 00:17:43,600 world was made through him. The world did not recognize him. 265 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:48,800 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive 266 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:51,600 him yet to all who did receive him. 267 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:53,200 To those who believed in his name. 268 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:57,300 He gave the right to become the children of God children. 269 00:17:57,300 --> 00:18:01,000 Born not of natural Descent of human decision or a husband's 270 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:06,900 will, but born of God. This part of the scripture says 271 00:18:06,900 --> 00:18:10,000 he was unrecognized and he was unresponsive. 272 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:15,700 'D:wz was God's answer. God's answer to the human 273 00:18:15,700 --> 00:18:17,300 dilemma. The sin dilemma. 274 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:23,000 He was God's answer to bring lost children home. 275 00:18:24,100 --> 00:18:28,100 And that's you and that's me. And then this other one that's 276 00:18:28,100 --> 00:18:33,600 just mind-blowing in verse 14, that God became a man God became 277 00:18:33,600 --> 00:18:38,900 human, the word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. 278 00:18:39,300 --> 00:18:42,900 And we have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only son 279 00:18:43,100 --> 00:18:48,200 who came from the father, full of grace and truth. 280 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:56,800 This is where God introduces his raising plan to bring us back 281 00:18:56,800 --> 00:19:01,200 into relationship with him as his children to be part of his 282 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:06,800 family and Jesus. And only Jesus is the substance 283 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:11,000 of that plan. There is no other plan, Jesus is 284 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:13,100 the plan. That's why he said, I am the 285 00:19:13,100 --> 00:19:17,800 way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the father. 286 00:19:17,800 --> 00:19:20,500 But by me, you know, who said that, you who wrote that down 287 00:19:20,500 --> 00:19:25,700 for us, John Before we can have an intimate personal 288 00:19:25,700 --> 00:19:29,700 relationship with Jesus. We have to understand who he 289 00:19:29,700 --> 00:19:32,500 really is. Well, we can read about his 290 00:19:32,500 --> 00:19:36,300 teaching, you can read about his healing, his relationships, his 291 00:19:36,300 --> 00:19:41,200 miracles, his suffering, his death, even his resurrection, in 292 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:44,400 all the other gospels, that even this one, but you can still miss 293 00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:47,200 it. And and John is saying, I don't 294 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:50,400 want you to miss this. I want you to get this. 295 00:19:51,100 --> 00:19:55,100 This is who he is. God in human form. 296 00:19:55,100 --> 00:19:59,000 He settles this right up front, so the rest of the time you're 297 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:03,700 reading. John, you know, that He's not 298 00:20:03,700 --> 00:20:06,800 just a prophet, although he's a great prophet. 299 00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:11,200 He's more than that, he's not just a teacher, although he's 300 00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:13,800 just incredible. Unmatchable teacher. 301 00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:17,800 He's more than that. He's not just a Healer, although 302 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:20,500 he can heal like nobody else could ever seen. 303 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:24,300 He's more than that. He's not just a priest. even 304 00:20:24,300 --> 00:20:26,800 though he's just incredible priest before God, after the 305 00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:30,400 order of Melchizedek, He's more than that. 306 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:33,100 He's not just a king. Although he is the king of 307 00:20:33,100 --> 00:20:37,600 kings, he's more than that. And he's not just a savior, 308 00:20:38,100 --> 00:20:41,200 because his salvation can reach all of us, anywhere at any 309 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:45,600 circumstance. He's more than that to, he's 310 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:49,900 God. Exclamation point. 311 00:20:51,100 --> 00:20:57,100 The Apostle, John. And then John pivots and he 312 00:20:57,100 --> 00:20:59,600 gives us for illustrations about this truth. 313 00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:02,400 The truth of who Jesus really is. 314 00:21:02,500 --> 00:21:07,000 And the first one is John, the Baptist's description of him. 315 00:21:07,300 --> 00:21:11,300 So when you're reading John, 1 and John to this is what you're 316 00:21:11,300 --> 00:21:15,700 getting ready in John 1:29, it says the next day, John, that's 317 00:21:15,700 --> 00:21:18,200 John. The Baptist saw Jesus coming 318 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:23,600 toward him and said, look, The Lamb of God, those four words 319 00:21:23,900 --> 00:21:30,400 really powerful, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the 320 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:33,600 world. This is the one I meant when I 321 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:38,800 said a man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was 322 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:41,500 before me. John was six months older than 323 00:21:41,500 --> 00:21:45,100 Jesus. But John says he was before him. 324 00:21:46,800 --> 00:21:50,500 See what John the writer of the book of John's bringing out, 325 00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:54,000 right? I myself, did not know him, but 326 00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:57,800 the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be 327 00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:02,400 revealed to Israel. Then Sean gave this testimony. 328 00:22:02,500 --> 00:22:07,200 I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on 329 00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:10,800 him. And I myself did not know him. 330 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:14,300 But the one who sent me to baptize with water told me he 331 00:22:14,308 --> 00:22:18,100 heard, God, say to him, the man on whom you see the Spirit come 332 00:22:18,100 --> 00:22:21,900 down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy 333 00:22:21,900 --> 00:22:27,600 Spirit and I have seen and I testify that this is God's 334 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:32,600 chosen one. Now when John said this is the 335 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:35,400 Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. 336 00:22:35,500 --> 00:22:38,400 Every Jew, knew what he was talking about. 337 00:22:38,500 --> 00:22:44,000 Because every year they celebrated Passover, And at 338 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:49,400 Passover, they butchered a one year old male lamb without spot 339 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:53,300 or blemish. To room be reminded. 340 00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:57,100 That God would pass over their sin. 341 00:22:58,300 --> 00:23:03,000 That's why it's called Passover. The tenth plague of Egypt when 342 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:05,500 God himself, not an angel of the Lord. 343 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:08,200 I know that's been misquoted. A lot doesn't ever say that it 344 00:23:08,200 --> 00:23:13,000 says the Lord passed over, and if you put the blood on the 345 00:23:13,000 --> 00:23:18,900 doorposts and the lintel of your dwelling, From that land. 346 00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:24,900 He passed over you. You see the picture of the 347 00:23:24,900 --> 00:23:27,200 Gospel? You see the picture of the 348 00:23:27,208 --> 00:23:30,100 Cross? You see the blood of the Cross. 349 00:23:30,500 --> 00:23:34,800 And God is saying when I see the blood, I will pass over you. 350 00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:39,600 And when the blood of Jesus is applied to your heart, he passes 351 00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:46,200 over your sin and mine. So here's John prophesying at 352 00:23:46,208 --> 00:23:51,300 the beginning of Jesus ministry and he's saying, this is the 353 00:23:51,308 --> 00:23:53,100 Lamb of God. This is the solution. 354 00:23:53,100 --> 00:23:56,100 This is the once and for all sacrifice. 355 00:23:56,400 --> 00:24:00,400 And this will take away the sins of the world and then he puts an 356 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:03,900 exclamation point on it. Because he says that a dove 357 00:24:03,900 --> 00:24:06,000 descended on Jesus. And if you look in the other 358 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:09,600 Gospels it says there's a there was a voice from Heaven. 359 00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:12,300 God himself. You said this is my beloved Son 360 00:24:12,500 --> 00:24:17,800 and I am well pleased with And you connect with this because 361 00:24:17,800 --> 00:24:21,800 when you are under the blood, when you have the blood of Jesus 362 00:24:21,800 --> 00:24:25,600 Christ applied to your life, that Holy Spirit, like a dove, 363 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:32,400 doesn't just descend on you. He indwells you And you relate 364 00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:35,400 to that. What a beautiful picture, John's 365 00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:39,400 putting all the pieces together, he's figuring it out and he's 366 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:42,300 sharing that with you in the Gospel of John. 367 00:24:42,700 --> 00:24:49,000 Second illustration Nathaniel Nathaniel is called and as to be 368 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:55,200 one of the Apostles and Jesus talks about look, behold, 369 00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:59,700 someone in whom there is no guile and then he's like, how do 370 00:24:59,700 --> 00:25:02,600 you how do you even know me? Jesus, suppose, I saw you and 371 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:05,600 you were when you were sitting down under the Fig Tree, which 372 00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:08,800 was not there. Like, it was, like, Jesus, new 373 00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:13,800 stuff about this guy. And Nathaniel is amazed. 374 00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:18,000 He's like you must be a prophet because how would you know that 375 00:25:18,500 --> 00:25:23,400 and Jesus kind of flippantly kind of I think whimsically says 376 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:27,500 oh you are impressed by that Nathaniel. 377 00:25:27,500 --> 00:25:31,000 You're going to see greater things than that buddy and boy 378 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:34,800 does he look what he says? Jesus says the Nathaniel in 379 00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:38,300 verse 51 he says then he added very truly. 380 00:25:38,300 --> 00:25:43,600 I tell you you'll see Heaven open And the angels of God 381 00:25:44,100 --> 00:25:50,000 ascending and descending. On the son of man. 382 00:25:51,700 --> 00:25:54,400 What is he telling the Faneuil and what is John relating to 383 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:57,500 you? That God and Jesus have this 384 00:25:57,500 --> 00:26:00,100 direct connection? Like, Jesus is connected to 385 00:26:00,100 --> 00:26:02,300 heaven? Like not only is he connected to 386 00:26:02,300 --> 00:26:08,500 Heaven. He's the way to heaven, clearly 387 00:26:08,600 --> 00:26:11,000 relating. The nature of who Jesus actually 388 00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:14,200 is and doing that too. Nathaniel all the way back 389 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:17,800 there, that he completely knows you and he loves you. 390 00:26:19,400 --> 00:26:22,600 And he has a purpose for your life and a destination, and he 391 00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:26,900 knows the way there. So when you don't know the way 392 00:26:27,800 --> 00:26:32,100 he knows the way and he'll get you there third illustration, 393 00:26:32,700 --> 00:26:36,000 Jesus turns water into wine. This is actually before his 394 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:42,100 ministry as Messiah Ministry begins because it actually 395 00:26:42,100 --> 00:26:46,000 begins at Passover and Jesus is three years of ministry is 396 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:49,800 marked by passover's. But this happens before that 397 00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:52,300 because he's invited to a wedding feast and his mother 398 00:26:52,300 --> 00:26:55,100 Mary is there and they run out of wine. 399 00:26:55,500 --> 00:27:00,900 At this wedding Feast which is like a social disaster and Mary 400 00:27:00,900 --> 00:27:04,000 comes to Jesus and he goes and says they have no more wine. 401 00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:07,200 Now she didn't say hey Jesus would you turn some water into 402 00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:08,500 wine? I don't know if she knew that or 403 00:27:08,500 --> 00:27:11,500 not just said they don't have any more wine. 404 00:27:11,500 --> 00:27:15,400 Like can you solve this problem? Jesus is a little irritated with 405 00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:18,600 that because his ministry has an officially begun. 406 00:27:18,600 --> 00:27:23,600 It doesn't begin until Passover. But it is an illustration of his 407 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:27,800 power over nature. He can change the nature of a 408 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:31,300 thing and it is an illustration of his nature. 409 00:27:32,300 --> 00:27:37,500 That he was willing to do it. Because they needed it and I 410 00:27:37,508 --> 00:27:40,300 love this story. So they go into a room. 411 00:27:40,300 --> 00:27:45,300 There's these amphora, which is a fancy word for big giant jars 412 00:27:45,800 --> 00:27:48,300 and these jars are full of water, but they're not just full 413 00:27:48,300 --> 00:27:51,000 of water. They're full of non-potable 414 00:27:51,000 --> 00:27:53,800 water, okay. So there's a difference between 415 00:27:53,800 --> 00:27:55,900 potable water and non-potable water. 416 00:27:55,900 --> 00:28:00,100 If you've ever been like, on a can of camper, you know, you 417 00:28:00,100 --> 00:28:02,300 don't want to drink the non-potable water. 418 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:05,300 Because you're going to get sick with something right? 419 00:28:05,500 --> 00:28:08,000 You want to drink the, the drinkable water, that's what 420 00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:10,000 potable means. It means drinkable water. 421 00:28:10,300 --> 00:28:13,200 And if you're catching it off your roof and it's, you know, 422 00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:16,000 going through a gutter into a jar, you probably don't want to 423 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:18,500 drink that, you know, because it's got like the leaves from 424 00:28:18,500 --> 00:28:21,500 the roof in it. This these were the jars that 425 00:28:21,500 --> 00:28:27,100 Jesus went to the non-potable water It was the water. 426 00:28:27,100 --> 00:28:29,800 They used to scrub the floors. It was the water that they use 427 00:28:29,800 --> 00:28:34,500 to wash feet that water. Dirty water. 428 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:41,300 And he goes to the dirty water. And he has someone. 429 00:28:42,600 --> 00:28:47,600 Dipped down into that water and taste the dirty water if I was 430 00:28:47,600 --> 00:28:49,500 at first, not be. I can't really taste this water. 431 00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:53,700 And Jesus didn't turn it into wine. 432 00:28:53,700 --> 00:28:56,300 He turned it into the finest wine. 433 00:28:57,700 --> 00:29:00,300 He turned the dirtiest water into the finest wine. 434 00:29:02,600 --> 00:29:05,100 Little hint about the nature of God. 435 00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:08,700 He has power over nature. He can change the atomic 436 00:29:08,700 --> 00:29:11,300 substance of a thing, because he's a Creator. 437 00:29:11,300 --> 00:29:14,500 God connect that back to one, right? 438 00:29:14,900 --> 00:29:17,900 He's able to change the nature of a thing, but it also gives 439 00:29:17,900 --> 00:29:22,900 you insight into his nature. Some of you at all of our 440 00:29:22,900 --> 00:29:25,700 locations right now. If you were to describe yourself 441 00:29:25,700 --> 00:29:30,100 you would say, dirty water. Nasty, polluted water. 442 00:29:30,300 --> 00:29:34,100 That is my life and you're thinking I don't know if God. 443 00:29:36,400 --> 00:29:41,200 Can deal with me and I'm telling you, God has the ability. 444 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:44,000 Jesus has the ability to turn the dirtiest water in the finest 445 00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:47,300 wine, and heaphy can do that there. 446 00:29:47,500 --> 00:29:51,100 What could he do with you? If you let him. 447 00:29:52,600 --> 00:29:55,700 Fourth illustration, Jesus clears, the temple. 448 00:29:56,600 --> 00:29:58,900 I mean, this is Passover. This is his, the beginning of 449 00:29:58,900 --> 00:30:02,200 his ministry, he goes into the temple, there's all these money 450 00:30:02,200 --> 00:30:05,800 changers they're making money. It's like, it's like going to a 451 00:30:05,800 --> 00:30:08,600 Cardinals game and paying $8 for a Coke. 452 00:30:09,700 --> 00:30:12,400 You know, they're just totally because he's people have to come 453 00:30:12,400 --> 00:30:15,200 from all over the world and they're overcharging, like 454 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:17,400 crazy. And they're given bad exchange 455 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:20,100 rates and they're taking advantage of people coming to 456 00:30:20,100 --> 00:30:23,300 worship that way. And Jesus came comes in 457 00:30:23,500 --> 00:30:28,900 prophetically responding to Zeal for my house, will consume me 458 00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:33,500 and he turns over their tables, he makes a whip of cords, like 459 00:30:33,500 --> 00:30:36,200 animals. He drives the money changers, 460 00:30:36,200 --> 00:30:39,300 out of the temple. He sets all the animals loose. 461 00:30:39,500 --> 00:30:44,300 It's total Mayhem. And the religious leaders who 462 00:30:44,300 --> 00:30:47,600 are making money off of this. Say by what Authority are you 463 00:30:47,600 --> 00:30:53,900 able to do this? What Jesus is doing is he is 464 00:30:54,100 --> 00:30:59,900 showing his authority. This is my house. 465 00:31:02,900 --> 00:31:08,000 Again, proclaiming himself to be God showing his Priestly office 466 00:31:08,300 --> 00:31:11,300 because that's where priests function in the temple. 467 00:31:11,500 --> 00:31:17,300 And as mediator between God, remember the stairs going up and 468 00:31:17,300 --> 00:31:21,800 down and the angels ascending and descending as mediator 469 00:31:21,800 --> 00:31:24,500 between God and us. He says no. 470 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:31,600 He is occupying, his Priestly office, and then he refers to 471 00:31:31,600 --> 00:31:35,800 himself. And he says these words to the 472 00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:39,300 religious leaders, tear down this Temple, and I will raise it 473 00:31:39,300 --> 00:31:43,500 up in three days. And of course, they think 474 00:31:43,500 --> 00:31:46,000 they're tough, he's talking about this building and they go 475 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:48,200 up to 46 years to build this, what are you nuts? 476 00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:52,800 But you know what he's saying. And I know what he's saying. 477 00:31:56,200 --> 00:31:57,700 You're going to tear down this Temple. 478 00:31:59,500 --> 00:32:01,000 You're going to crucify this Temple. 479 00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:03,100 You're going to rip this Temple apart. 480 00:32:03,100 --> 00:32:06,400 You're going to rip this body down, but I'm going to raise it 481 00:32:06,400 --> 00:32:13,000 up in three days. Prophetically saying why he's 482 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:15,800 here at the very beginning of his ministry. 483 00:32:17,200 --> 00:32:20,500 The temple was a place for worship to worship God to come 484 00:32:20,500 --> 00:32:25,000 close to God, and Jesus is establishing his authority over 485 00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:28,300 worship that this was his house, and he is the one and only 486 00:32:28,300 --> 00:32:32,400 mediator, and the one, and only sacrifice that is acceptable to 487 00:32:32,400 --> 00:32:40,700 God for our sins. Now you're going to get more 488 00:32:40,700 --> 00:32:44,200 into the Book of John and you're going to see this whole best 489 00:32:44,200 --> 00:32:47,400 friend thing, but you need to lay a foundation, a firm 490 00:32:47,400 --> 00:32:50,400 foundation and that's what I'm giving you right now. 491 00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:53,100 That's what John's giving you right now. 492 00:32:54,000 --> 00:33:00,100 This is who you're worshiping and near the end of John's 493 00:33:00,100 --> 00:33:04,500 gospel in John chapter 20, he reveals the purpose of him 494 00:33:04,500 --> 00:33:08,700 writing this gospel, it's in John 20, 30 and 31. 495 00:33:09,300 --> 00:33:12,500 Jesus performed. Many other signs in the presence 496 00:33:12,500 --> 00:33:15,900 of his disciples which are not recorded in this book. 497 00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:20,700 Listen to this, but these are written that, you may believe 498 00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:25,200 that Jesus is the messiah. The son of God. 499 00:33:26,200 --> 00:33:30,800 And that by believing you may have life in his name. 500 00:33:32,400 --> 00:33:35,600 Why did John write it? He wrote it. 501 00:33:35,600 --> 00:33:37,800 So you'd believe it. He wrote it. 502 00:33:37,800 --> 00:33:41,000 So you would come into an intimate personal relationship 503 00:33:41,000 --> 00:33:46,800 with Jesus Christ, recognizing who he truly is. 504 00:33:50,700 --> 00:33:53,800 When you open up the Bible and you start in the book of 505 00:33:53,800 --> 00:33:58,600 Genesis, if you do that, it begins with God and creation. 506 00:34:01,400 --> 00:34:06,400 But when you open up the Book of John, It begins with new 507 00:34:06,400 --> 00:34:12,900 creation. Not just any new creation yours. 508 00:34:15,500 --> 00:34:18,699 Great God, you made the flowers and made the trees. 509 00:34:18,699 --> 00:34:21,300 You made the sky, you made the water you made to Earth. 510 00:34:21,300 --> 00:34:24,000 You made everything turn, created the universe. 511 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:29,100 But it gets personal. When you realize, he created 512 00:34:29,100 --> 00:34:36,000 you. and then when you messed up and fell, he had the power and 513 00:34:36,000 --> 00:34:42,000 paid the bill to recreate you. And that can only happen. 514 00:34:43,199 --> 00:34:46,300 With Jesus. We're moving to a time of 515 00:34:46,300 --> 00:34:53,699 decision. So, what? 516 00:34:56,000 --> 00:35:02,000 So, what? Does it even really matter? 517 00:35:05,700 --> 00:35:09,700 You bet it matters. You better matters. 518 00:35:12,400 --> 00:35:16,500 Do you really know? Who you're dealing with. 519 00:35:18,100 --> 00:35:23,400 Do you really understand? Who you worship when you sing, 520 00:35:23,700 --> 00:35:28,100 who you pray to, When you pray, who you bow to when you bow? 521 00:35:31,700 --> 00:35:34,600 Do you realize what he is able to do? 522 00:35:34,900 --> 00:35:41,700 Do you realize what he has done? Do you realize who you really 523 00:35:41,700 --> 00:35:45,200 are and how you stand in the presence of God? 524 00:35:45,200 --> 00:35:51,000 Now, How you stood before you knew him? 525 00:35:56,400 --> 00:35:58,700 I am so thankful for each and everyone of you. 526 00:35:58,700 --> 00:36:04,600 That's here right now. And I'm glad you opened up your 527 00:36:04,600 --> 00:36:08,000 life in your time and your heart to this moment. 528 00:36:09,600 --> 00:36:14,800 But I don't want you to miss. What God has for you right now? 529 00:36:14,800 --> 00:36:17,000 What Jesus has for you right now. 530 00:36:19,600 --> 00:36:24,400 He is here. And you're saying, I can't see 531 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:29,700 him. He's here. 532 00:36:30,600 --> 00:36:36,400 Jesus is in this room. Or he's a liar. 533 00:36:39,100 --> 00:36:41,600 The Bible says, where two or three are gathered together, I 534 00:36:41,600 --> 00:36:46,200 am there in their midst. I'm with you walking down these 535 00:36:46,200 --> 00:36:50,400 aisles right now. No one everything about you that 536 00:36:50,400 --> 00:36:53,400 you've never told to anybody else knowing everything about 537 00:36:53,400 --> 00:36:55,000 you. The things that you won't even 538 00:36:55,000 --> 00:36:57,700 admit about yourself, and he's here right now. 539 00:36:57,700 --> 00:37:01,500 He knows everything about you. And in spite of all of that, all 540 00:37:01,500 --> 00:37:09,000 the dirty water that is you He's here. 541 00:37:12,500 --> 00:37:16,600 He died for this purpose, Heroes for this purpose, so he could go 542 00:37:16,600 --> 00:37:22,700 up to this crack ugly polluted Jar full of dirty water. 543 00:37:24,000 --> 00:37:31,500 Which is you and me. And turn you into the finest 544 00:37:31,500 --> 00:37:39,600 wine. And then challenged people dip 545 00:37:39,600 --> 00:37:43,200 the ladle down. See what I have done. 546 00:37:47,300 --> 00:37:51,300 If you've never come into intimate, personal relationship 547 00:37:51,300 --> 00:37:55,900 with Jesus, you can do that right now because everything 548 00:37:55,900 --> 00:37:59,300 that you need is right here, right now. 549 00:38:01,500 --> 00:38:07,100 A time, a space, a question, a person. 550 00:38:07,700 --> 00:38:11,700 A baptistery water change of clothes. 551 00:38:12,000 --> 00:38:15,500 It's all right here, right now. but the most important thing 552 00:38:15,500 --> 00:38:20,900 that's here right now, Is him. Him. 553 00:38:22,800 --> 00:38:27,600 We watched the baptism videos and you see people rejoicing. 554 00:38:28,200 --> 00:38:32,800 Do you ever take the time to think that Jesus is standing 555 00:38:32,800 --> 00:38:39,200 right there and that baptistery The guy you could walk on water, 556 00:38:40,600 --> 00:38:42,200 he's right there that bad mystery. 557 00:38:44,800 --> 00:38:48,800 So happy. And behind him. 558 00:38:49,000 --> 00:38:53,500 If the veil were torn away, the angels in heaven Wings, 559 00:38:53,500 --> 00:38:59,700 outspread, their voices raised praising God for the decision 560 00:38:59,700 --> 00:39:04,300 that's been made because the Bible says, the Angels rejoice 561 00:39:05,700 --> 00:39:11,400 When one sinner repents. all, If You Could Only See, if I could 562 00:39:11,400 --> 00:39:17,800 only see, In a moment, we're going to stand. 563 00:39:17,800 --> 00:39:21,100 And if there's anyone that has never come into an intimate, 564 00:39:21,100 --> 00:39:23,200 personal relationship, with Jesus Christ. 565 00:39:23,200 --> 00:39:28,700 Today is your day, this this service, and this moment was for 566 00:39:28,700 --> 00:39:32,500 you. Maybe someone right up there by 567 00:39:32,500 --> 00:39:36,000 that baptistry would love nothing more to share that with 568 00:39:36,000 --> 00:39:43,000 you. Many of you here today, you have 569 00:39:43,000 --> 00:39:45,900 a relationship with Jesus Christ, but isn't it true that 570 00:39:45,900 --> 00:39:49,500 we constantly get dragged down in this lower story in the 571 00:39:49,500 --> 00:39:51,100 cares, in the concerns of this world. 572 00:39:51,100 --> 00:39:56,700 The challenges that just that just drain us of all of our 573 00:39:56,700 --> 00:40:00,600 spiritual and emotional energy. We just got through a 12-week 574 00:40:00,600 --> 00:40:04,600 series of mental health and so many of us are challenged by 575 00:40:04,600 --> 00:40:06,000 that and we're struggling with that. 576 00:40:06,000 --> 00:40:11,100 But what if instead of getting past all of the Difficult words 577 00:40:11,100 --> 00:40:15,600 and all of the medical jargon that we would just like go into 578 00:40:15,600 --> 00:40:17,900 total Simplicity and say, how about? 579 00:40:17,900 --> 00:40:21,500 I just humble myself and get down on my knees and just cry 580 00:40:21,500 --> 00:40:24,200 out to my father. How about I, instead of trying 581 00:40:24,200 --> 00:40:27,300 to understand all those four syllable words, how about I just 582 00:40:27,300 --> 00:40:31,300 be a little child and I raise up my hands and I asked my father 583 00:40:31,300 --> 00:40:36,000 to pick me up and hold me in his hands and feel the security of 584 00:40:36,008 --> 00:40:38,500 his arms around me. What if I just did that? 585 00:40:42,900 --> 00:40:48,900 You're In The Arms Of Love. You're in the arms of a Healer. 586 00:40:51,500 --> 00:40:55,700 And a faithful God. So, these steps are open to all 587 00:40:55,700 --> 00:41:03,800 of you. to just come to the well, would you stand with me? 588 00:41:03,800 --> 00:41:07,400 Let's pray together. Father in heaven. 589 00:41:09,100 --> 00:41:13,000 You're so good. So good. 590 00:41:17,900 --> 00:41:25,700 We're not. but we can be made new because you promised we 591 00:41:25,700 --> 00:41:28,300 don't have to ask you to meet us here in this place. 592 00:41:29,100 --> 00:41:30,800 You were here before we got here. 593 00:41:32,700 --> 00:41:37,600 Help us father to resolve our hearts and our minds to meet 594 00:41:37,600 --> 00:41:43,100 you. In Jesus name, amen.