1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:07,440 I come to you today thankful, grateful, overwhelmed, and 2 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:11,440 overjoyed because I stand before you today a Sinner who has been 3 00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:13,680 saved. And I came to church today to 4 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:19,680 make much of Jesus Christ. Because of Him, purpose can come 5 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:23,280 out of your pain. Through Him, the fear of death 6 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:26,680 can be cast aside. There is no valley I can walk 7 00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:29,080 where His presence is not far off. 8 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:31,160 There is no whisper that escapes his ear. 9 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:33,840 There's not enough darkness to overcome His light. 10 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:37,600 There is no act against me that escapes his sight. 11 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:41,320 And you might be wondering, how do I know this to be true? 12 00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:48,720 I'll tell you because it is a matter of recorded history that 13 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:53,440 Jesus came to earth, born of a virgin, lived a perfect and 14 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:59,440 sinless life, died on the cross, was buried, but he was raised on 15 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:03,560 the third day. He was dead, but he is risen. 16 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:07,640 He is alive. So as I said, I come to you 17 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:13,880 today thankful, grateful, overwhelmed and overjoyed. 18 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:17,800 I want to welcome those of you joining us here at 48th St. to 19 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:22,880 those of you in Macomb and Kirksville and 929 Pike County, 20 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:27,880 Hannibal, Lima, Mount Sterling, Keokuk, Monmouth, Jacksonville, 21 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:32,360 Weaver, online and inside. We are so glad that you are 22 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:34,720 here. And I want to extend a very 23 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:38,320 special welcome to those of you who are here for the first time, 24 00:01:38,320 --> 00:01:40,240 or maybe the first time in a long time. 25 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:44,280 To those of you who are new here, I've been praying 26 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:47,080 specifically for you over this last month. 27 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:52,000 And I believe that God has orchestrated this moment for His 28 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:57,480 glory and for your good. My name is Clayton Hensel, and 29 00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:03,560 there was a time in my life when I had no meaning, no purpose, 30 00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:08,320 and no hope. I was gripped by sin. 31 00:02:09,199 --> 00:02:15,400 I was crippled with regret, but then I met Jesus and He turned 32 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:19,720 everything around. So today, as I stand before you, 33 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:22,600 my life has significance and meaning. 34 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:27,360 I wake up every morning with purpose through the power of the 35 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:30,480 Holy Spirit. Sin is losing its power over me 36 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:34,480 and my desire to sin is being diminished. 37 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:39,960 And today, my biggest regret is that I did not turn my life over 38 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:45,600 to Jesus sooner. And I wonder, do you have a 39 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:51,160 story like that? And if you don't, what if I told 40 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:56,400 you that you could? That no matter where you are on 41 00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:59,880 your spiritual journey, no matter what challenges you are 42 00:02:59,880 --> 00:03:04,200 presently navigating, no matter what addiction has your life by 43 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:07,200 the throat? What if I told you that today 44 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:15,720 your life could be transformed, your past could be forgiven, 45 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:21,760 your future secure, your hope restored? 46 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:26,480 I titled my message It missed me. 47 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:29,680 Turn to your neighbor and say it missed me. 48 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:35,720 If you don't take anything away from this message, I want you to 49 00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:40,160 take away the title. It missed me. 50 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:43,040 Let me explain. I like ice cream. 51 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:46,480 And when I say I like ice cream, that's a bit of an 52 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:50,200 understatement because I love ice cream. 53 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:54,200 I love it in cones and in shakes, on cakes and bowls and 54 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:57,400 on paper plates. I love ice cream. 55 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:02,520 And I have heard that there are people who walk planet Earth who 56 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:08,960 are not lactose intolerant, but whatever DNA gift they received, 57 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:14,720 it missed me. There are people who have 58 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:17,880 fashion sense. My wife can pull a bandana out 59 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:20,320 of a glove compartment, a hair tie out of the cup holder, a 60 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:23,480 high V SAC out of the floorboard, and she could walk a 61 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:25,440 runway. Not me. 62 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:28,160 I have the fashion sense of a mule. 63 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:30,800 I have 0 fashion sense whatsoever. 64 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:33,280 It is so bad. My wife and some of the team 65 00:04:33,280 --> 00:04:35,760 here at our church get together. They pull all the clothes out of 66 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:40,000 my closet and they make me a slideshow of what I'm allowed to 67 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:43,720 wear and what I'm not allowed to wear down to the belt and the 68 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:45,640 shoes. The only thing that I have 69 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:48,760 authority over is my underwear and my socks. 70 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:52,560 And if the service goes according to plan, you will see 71 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:57,600 neither. I know that there are people, 72 00:04:57,600 --> 00:04:59,920 some of you, that's you. You have the ability to 73 00:04:59,920 --> 00:05:03,160 understand colors and tones and patterns and fits. 74 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:08,080 Whatever abilities you have, it missed me. 75 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:11,360 There are people who have the best smiles. 76 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:14,920 You know what I'm talking about. You see their smile and you just 77 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:17,720 kind of find yourself stopping and just taking it in. 78 00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:21,280 There's a lady who serves as a difference maker at one of our 79 00:05:21,280 --> 00:05:24,400 locations as a door greeter and I've tried to hire her three 80 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:26,480 different times. I don't know if she's good at 81 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:30,120 anything, but what I can tell you is, is when she smiles, your 82 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:33,400 world slows down and I desperately want her to work in 83 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:35,680 our offices so that way everybody who comes into our 84 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:39,320 offices just sees her and will have a good rest of the day. 85 00:05:40,360 --> 00:05:43,760 I, on the other hand, cannot smile. 86 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:48,000 Cannot smile to save my life. My cheeks shoot up like a 87 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:49,160 mountain range. Cover my eye. 88 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:50,640 Here, let me explain. Zoom in. 89 00:05:52,280 --> 00:05:54,400 You ready? This is a real smile. 90 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:00,840 Do you know what it feels like to have thousands of people 91 00:06:00,840 --> 00:06:05,480 laugh at you over your smile? Listen, I get it. 92 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:07,760 It's completely fine. It's the people. 93 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:09,520 Say, Clayton, just open your eyes. 94 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:14,960 I can't do I can't. They're just like, it's just 95 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:20,960 whatever facial tissue. You guys got it missed me. 96 00:06:22,280 --> 00:06:26,560 There's some people who have, I want to make sure I use the 97 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:28,800 right word here. A metabolism. 98 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:33,200 Have you met those people? They can eat whatever they want, 99 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:36,240 whenever they want at whatever time they want and they just get 100 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:43,360 to keep enjoying life. I on the other hand, I I went 101 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:44,680 the other day. I don't want to make a big deal 102 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:46,880 of how good of a husband I am, but I was grocery shopping by 103 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:51,200 myself and I stayed too long in the cinnamon roll aisle and 104 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:53,760 gained 5 lbs because I wasn't wearing gloves. 105 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:56,440 I, I just, I, I was my mistake, I shouldn't have done it. 106 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:01,480 There's some people they can go to friends houses, sit in any of 107 00:07:01,480 --> 00:07:05,720 their furniture and not worry about what's going to happen 108 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:09,360 after that. This is missing most of you, but 109 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:13,480 there's some of you who live with my condition where it's not 110 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:15,840 good. Let me testify for just a 111 00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:19,320 second. On multiple times at multiple 112 00:07:19,320 --> 00:07:23,200 houses, I have destroyed their furniture. 113 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:26,880 I sat down just like everybody else and then I kept going. 114 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:31,360 Unlike everybody else. There are certain people who 115 00:07:31,360 --> 00:07:34,560 I've been to their house multiple times and on multiple 116 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:37,240 occasions I have broke their lawn furniture. 117 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:43,840 There's even one family where I broke 2 chairs and one night 118 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:46,280 there was plastic shrapnel going everywhere. 119 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:49,280 It was like bombs are going off. I basically qualify for the VA. 120 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:53,240 Whatever gifts God gave some people be able to sit in lawn 121 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:56,680 furniture. It missed me. 122 00:07:57,800 --> 00:07:59,720 There's some people who are going, Oh my goodness, it would 123 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:01,520 be so great to be tall like you, Clayton. 124 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:04,920 You wish you were tall like me until you had to live like me. 125 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:07,040 It's not all it's cracked up to be. 126 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:09,800 Let me explain. They've never had to do an 127 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:11,960 origami sequence to get out of a car. 128 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:14,240 They've never been in a vehicle and going. 129 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:17,400 I should have taken up yoga because I'm going to need about 130 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:20,480 6 sessions to get out of here. You don't have to hold your 131 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:21,600 breath while you're tying your shoes. 132 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:23,560 You don't have to worry about standing up too fast because 133 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:25,960 your blood can't keep up with your brain and passing out. 134 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:29,560 They've never been hit in the head by the door closer while 135 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:32,080 walking into the Pizza Hut all you can eat buffet. 136 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:34,520 No joke. The door was just closing in 137 00:08:34,520 --> 00:08:37,159 front of me and you guys don't think doors closing is a big 138 00:08:37,159 --> 00:08:38,799 deal? It's not a big deal for normal 139 00:08:38,799 --> 00:08:41,320 people, but the door closer came out and tapped me in the 140 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:43,960 forehead like I was Goliath and about put me out. 141 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:47,480 You've never had to worry about your dryer getting too hot and 142 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:50,240 turning your pants into capris and you got to know when you're 143 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:53,200 my size, you don't wear capris. They've never. 144 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:56,800 You guys can just put on shirts and you can wave at people. 145 00:08:56,800 --> 00:08:59,360 I can't wave at people. I got to be super careful 146 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:02,560 because I can turn a curved hem into a mid drift real fast. 147 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:05,400 Do you know how hard it is to make friends after you've shown 148 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:08,320 them your belly button? It's incredibly difficult. 149 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:14,120 Whatever gifts you guys have, it missed me. 150 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:18,040 A long time ago, I took our youth group down to Six Flags to 151 00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:20,440 ride the roller coasters. I had never ridden a roller 152 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:25,320 coaster in my life. So we got in and we all stand in 153 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:27,320 the line and everybody comes over and they do their thing and 154 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:41,620 then the attendant comes out. Do you know how hard it is to 155 00:09:41,620 --> 00:09:46,260 ride your first roller coaster as a pastor with your youth 156 00:09:46,260 --> 00:09:50,580 group and not cuss when you are being held on by 1 Metal Tooth 157 00:09:50,580 --> 00:09:52,460 manufactured in China and prayer? 158 00:09:54,860 --> 00:09:57,220 There are a lot of normal sized people floating around. 159 00:09:57,580 --> 00:10:00,960 But normal sized, well, it missed me. 160 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:02,400 Turn to your neighbor and say it missed me. 161 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:06,360 There might be some of you today. 162 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:10,640 And you think because of the way life has turned out, because of 163 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:15,320 what you've done, that the plans of God, the purposes of God, the 164 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:19,360 grace of God, the mercy of God, the love of God have landed on 165 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:22,480 everyone else. But it missed you. 166 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:29,040 And if that's where you are today, I wrote this message for 167 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:32,000 you. If you want to understand God, 168 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:34,840 the very best way to do that is through his scriptures, through 169 00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:36,640 the Bible. And as you read your Bible, 170 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:42,840 you'll discover that God is holy and perfect, good, great, loving 171 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:47,280 and righteous. Because of that, God cannot 172 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:50,840 accept sin, nor can he tolerate it. 173 00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:57,960 And this makes sense. A judge who does not punish evil 174 00:10:58,160 --> 00:11:03,520 is not a good judge, nor a judge who should be trusted. 175 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:09,200 So God in his goodness made a way for the sins of people to be 176 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:12,600 made right, because sins carry a penalty. 177 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:18,840 Romans chapter 6 verse 23 tells us that the wages of sin is 178 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:22,840 death. So how do we atone for our sins? 179 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:27,800 Hebrews 922 tells us that without the shedding of blood 180 00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:35,440 there is no forgiveness of sins. That means that my sins and your 181 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:39,680 sins deserve an eternal punishment because they were 182 00:11:39,680 --> 00:11:44,120 committed against an eternal God. 183 00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:50,760 In 2010, JD Greer wrote a book called Breaking the Islam Code, 184 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:54,720 and in it he gives an illustration that he would use 185 00:11:54,720 --> 00:11:58,320 to explain to the people he was trying to reach about the 186 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:02,320 character of our God. This is how the story goes. 187 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:07,240 An ancient king had a reputation among his countrymen as being 188 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:12,120 the most just and the most loving king that had ever lived. 189 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:17,840 One day it was discovered that money was being stolen from his 190 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:22,560 treasury, and so he made a decree that whoever was caught 191 00:12:22,560 --> 00:12:26,720 stealing would be whipped with 10 lashes. 192 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:35,640 Several weeks went by and the stealing of money persisted, so 193 00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:39,360 the king issued A decree doubling the punishment. 194 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:45,080 The thief who was caught would receive 20 lashes. 195 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:50,480 News spread across the land. Several more weeks passed by and 196 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:53,880 still money was being stolen from the treasury. 197 00:12:54,120 --> 00:12:59,120 And so the king issued this decree, doubling it again. 40 198 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:07,000 lashes will be visited upon the thief, and 40 lashes was a death 199 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:10,960 sentence. Nobody could survive it. 200 00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:17,600 Several days passed and the thief was discovered and 201 00:13:17,600 --> 00:13:22,400 apprehended, and to the shock and the horror of the country, 202 00:13:23,040 --> 00:13:27,280 it was none other than the King's own mother. 203 00:13:29,880 --> 00:13:34,560 What was the king to do? Some thought that the king would 204 00:13:34,560 --> 00:13:39,120 punish her, but others asked how can this be the most loving king 205 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:43,520 who has ever lived and kill his own mother. 206 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:48,160 Others thought that such a loving king would surely pardon 207 00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:53,360 his mother, but others contended that this would not be just. 208 00:13:54,680 --> 00:13:58,680 The punishment had been declared, and if the king were 209 00:13:58,680 --> 00:14:02,360 just, he must dole out the punishment. 210 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:05,760 The king decided that because the law was clear, the 211 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:09,080 punishment had to be given. And so, in front of the entire 212 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:15,080 country, the King's mother was brought out, her arms bound and 213 00:14:15,080 --> 00:14:16,960 stretched over the whipping stone. 214 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:22,920 They undid the back of her dress and exposed her bareback. 215 00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:27,800 And the guard stood off to the side and raised his hand to 216 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:32,400 deliver the 1st of 40 lashes. And the king cried out. 217 00:14:33,040 --> 00:14:37,680 Stop. Everybody in the country held 218 00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:41,040 their breath, wondering what was going to happen next. 219 00:14:43,600 --> 00:14:49,840 The king walked over, took off his shirt and laid himself over 220 00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:53,960 the back of his mother. Turn it to the guard and said, 221 00:14:54,360 --> 00:14:59,400 now hit her. The guard said, king, there is 222 00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:04,360 no way for me to hit her without hitting you. 223 00:15:06,160 --> 00:15:10,000 The king said I am the king. I am giving you an order. 224 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:17,080 Give her the punishment. Now hit her and the guard 225 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:21,840 proceeded to administer all 40 of the lashes upon the King's 226 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:26,520 mother. But each of those 40 lashes 227 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:32,280 landed on the King. His body shielded her from the 228 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:39,360 punishment that she deserved. I titled my sermon today. 229 00:15:40,520 --> 00:15:46,920 It missed me. It missed me the punishment that 230 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:50,200 I deserved from a righteous and holy God. 231 00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:55,960 It missed me. The punishment that I had earned 232 00:15:56,800 --> 00:16:00,520 missed me. The punishment that I owed the 233 00:16:00,520 --> 00:16:04,600 debt of death and blood. It missed me. 234 00:16:04,920 --> 00:16:09,760 But let me be clear, it did not miss me because I was good. 235 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:14,400 It did not miss me because my parents took me to church or my 236 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:18,360 parents loved God. It did not miss me because I 237 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:22,920 tried to live a decent life. It did not miss me because I 238 00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:26,560 made enough money or gave enough money away. 239 00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:30,360 It did not miss me because I was clever and dodged it. 240 00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:35,080 It did not miss me because I was smart and talked my way out of 241 00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:38,520 it. It missed me because it landed 242 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:46,120 on Jesus, and it landed on Jesus because He shielded me and 243 00:16:46,120 --> 00:16:53,560 covered me from what I deserved. It missed me. 244 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:59,520 Romans chapter 3 verses 25 and 26 give us insight into this. 245 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:06,240 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement through 246 00:17:06,240 --> 00:17:12,359 the shedding of Jesus's blood to be received by faith. 247 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:18,079 How does it miss me when I in faith, grab hold of what Jesus 248 00:17:18,079 --> 00:17:23,440 has done on my behalf? God did this to demonstrate His 249 00:17:23,440 --> 00:17:28,560 righteousness because in His forbearance, in His patience, He 250 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:32,680 had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished. 251 00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:37,320 He did it to demonstrate His righteousness at the present 252 00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:47,880 time so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have 253 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:51,520 faith in Jesus. Let me unpack that. 254 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:55,480 You see, God is not just good, He is also great. 255 00:17:55,640 --> 00:17:58,680 He's not just holy, He's also loving. 256 00:17:59,040 --> 00:18:03,840 He is not simply just and doing what is right and issuing the 257 00:18:03,840 --> 00:18:06,440 punishment that we deserve. Watch this. 258 00:18:06,680 --> 00:18:13,400 He is also the justifier who makes people like you and me 259 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:17,560 right through the powerful work of His Son Jesus. 260 00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:22,640 No wonder Isaiah the prophet cries out in chapter 53. 261 00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:26,320 Look at what happens to Jesus and look at what happens to us 262 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:33,440 in this passage. But he was pierced for our 263 00:18:33,440 --> 00:18:38,720 transgressions. He was crushed for our 264 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:41,960 iniquities. The punishment that brought us 265 00:18:41,960 --> 00:18:49,480 peace was on Him. By his wounds we are healed. 266 00:18:50,240 --> 00:18:52,400 We all, like sheep, have gone astray. 267 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:57,720 Each of us has turned to our own way, and the Lord has laid on 268 00:18:57,720 --> 00:19:10,360 him the iniquity of us all. There's this interesting word in 269 00:19:10,360 --> 00:19:13,960 the Greek language, the language that the Bible was written in. 270 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:21,960 The word is to telesty. There are a variety of ways the 271 00:19:21,960 --> 00:19:25,440 word was used by the writers of the 1st century. 272 00:19:25,720 --> 00:19:29,920 The word simply means it is finished. 273 00:19:31,400 --> 00:19:35,720 They would use to telesty when a task was accomplished, when a 274 00:19:35,720 --> 00:19:38,240 dangerous feat had been performed. 275 00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:41,600 It was used when a plan had been put into effect. 276 00:19:41,720 --> 00:19:45,120 When someone's will was carried out. 277 00:19:45,680 --> 00:19:49,880 They used to tell us die at when a promise was fulfilled, when 278 00:19:49,880 --> 00:19:52,160 orders to a soldier were executed. 279 00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:56,280 They used the word when an oath was made effective, when a legal 280 00:19:56,280 --> 00:20:00,640 document was formally signed. They used it when a prayer was 281 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:04,320 brought to pass, when a request was granted. 282 00:20:05,520 --> 00:20:11,400 It was used when a time period had come to an end to tell us 283 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:14,760 die. They used it when a sickness had 284 00:20:14,760 --> 00:20:19,840 reached its conclusion and healing was being poured out. 285 00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:22,800 They used it when a debt had been paid. 286 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:27,080 In fact, when archaeologists started putting together scraps 287 00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:31,600 of legal documents written in papyrus repeatedly at the top of 288 00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:37,160 these legal documents they would find the word to telestye across 289 00:20:37,160 --> 00:20:39,960 the receipts and the bills of sale. 290 00:20:40,360 --> 00:20:45,600 It was their way of saying paid in full. 291 00:20:46,960 --> 00:20:49,680 If you go home today and you were to open up your Bible to 292 00:20:49,680 --> 00:20:55,480 the book of John to the 19th chapter, while Jesus is hanging 293 00:20:55,480 --> 00:21:02,520 on the cross, you see Jesus pushing up with his legs that 294 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:11,360 are pierced, pulling up with his arms that are pierced so oxygen 295 00:21:11,360 --> 00:21:15,400 can fill his lungs so he can say something. 296 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:27,800 And what is it that he says? John 1930 Jesus said to Telesty, 297 00:21:29,280 --> 00:21:37,400 it is finished. And what a fitting word for Him 298 00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:44,200 to proclaim from the cross, perhaps the most fitting word of 299 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:50,840 all, because in that moment the task for which the Father had 300 00:21:50,840 --> 00:21:56,120 sent him was accomplished, for He had paid for our sins. 301 00:21:56,720 --> 00:22:02,040 The dangerous feat had been performed, but it cost Him His 302 00:22:02,040 --> 00:22:05,640 very life. The plan of making you and I 303 00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:10,080 righteous had been put into effect and the will of God had 304 00:22:10,080 --> 00:22:13,480 been carried out. The promise of God was 305 00:22:13,480 --> 00:22:16,200 fulfilled. The oath was made effective. 306 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:20,960 The legal document declaring us righteous in His sight had been 307 00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:24,720 formally signed. The prayer of our souls that 308 00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:27,600 have victory over sin was brought to pass. 309 00:22:27,800 --> 00:22:31,800 The time period when Satan had control and the right to bind us 310 00:22:31,800 --> 00:22:36,760 by guilt and shame had come to an end, and the sickness of sin 311 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:42,400 had reached its end. For by His stripes we have been 312 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:46,840 healed, and across the debt of sin that you and I could never 313 00:22:46,840 --> 00:22:51,120 pay, Written in love by the very blood of Jesus Christ are the 314 00:22:51,120 --> 00:23:02,160 words to Telesty Paid in full. It missed me and it landed on 315 00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:05,280 Jesus. When you read the Old Testament, 316 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:09,000 you get all of these pictures of God, and then when you read the 317 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:12,760 New Testament, you see them fulfilled in Jesus. 318 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:17,680 You see, Jesus is Jehovah Roki, who is the shepherd who lays 319 00:23:17,680 --> 00:23:22,080 down his life for the sheep. He's Jehovah Nisi, who wins the 320 00:23:22,080 --> 00:23:25,880 battle that I could never win and grants me victory over my 321 00:23:25,880 --> 00:23:29,400 enemy, the devil. He's Jehovah Rapha who heals me 322 00:23:29,560 --> 00:23:34,520 from the sickness of my sin. He's Jehovah Shalom who gives me 323 00:23:34,520 --> 00:23:36,840 a peace that surpasses understanding. 324 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:39,760 He's Jehovah Mechadesh who sanctifies me. 325 00:23:39,840 --> 00:23:44,960 He's El Rohi who sees me in my shame and guilt and moves on my 326 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:47,520 behalf. He is Jehovah Jireh, who 327 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:52,000 provides what I could not provide for my It missed me. 328 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:58,360 Like I said, I came today thankful, grateful, overwhelmed 329 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:02,360 and overjoyed because there was a time in my life when I had no 330 00:24:02,360 --> 00:24:09,560 meaning, no purpose, no hope. My life was gripped by sin and 331 00:24:09,560 --> 00:24:15,680 crippled with regret. But then I met Jesus and he 332 00:24:15,680 --> 00:24:20,760 turned everything around and I stand before you today as a 333 00:24:20,760 --> 00:24:24,640 person whose life has significance and meaning. 334 00:24:25,840 --> 00:24:30,080 I wake each day with purpose to the power of the Holy Spirit. 335 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:35,600 Sin is losing its power over me and my desire to sin is being 336 00:24:35,600 --> 00:24:41,680 diminished because Jesus has declared to tell us die over my 337 00:24:41,680 --> 00:24:49,600 past, my present and my future. Do you have a story like that? 338 00:24:54,520 --> 00:24:58,440 And if you don't, do you want one? 339 00:25:01,680 --> 00:25:08,080 Because the penalty that I deserved, it missed me and it 340 00:25:08,080 --> 00:25:13,280 landed on Jesus. But in that moment, but my sin 341 00:25:13,280 --> 00:25:17,840 and my shame and my pain and my sin landed on Jesus. 342 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:24,320 Grace landed on me. Mercy landed on me. 343 00:25:25,240 --> 00:25:27,840 Purpose and meaning landed on me. 344 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:32,120 Love landed on me. And I want it to land on you 345 00:25:32,160 --> 00:25:34,720 too. We're moving to a time of 346 00:25:34,720 --> 00:25:42,160 decision. So to that group of people I 347 00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:47,080 want to talk to 1st or those of you who don't know Jesus, you've 348 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:49,600 never started that intimate personal relationship with 349 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:52,880 Jesus. Lean in real quick and don't 350 00:25:52,880 --> 00:25:56,600 miss this. You might be thinking, hey, I 351 00:25:56,600 --> 00:25:59,080 just heard Clayton's story and it's great that he had this 352 00:25:59,080 --> 00:26:02,360 encounter with Jesus and that he's been redeemed and he's been 353 00:26:02,360 --> 00:26:05,800 set free and he's got a story. And you may be thinking, what 354 00:26:05,800 --> 00:26:10,680 about me? But I get to tell you as a 355 00:26:10,680 --> 00:26:15,640 follower of Jesus as well that that is my story as well, that 356 00:26:15,640 --> 00:26:21,800 at my very lowest and at my worst, Jesus met me and he 357 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:25,880 conquered the sin that was in my life on the finished work of the 358 00:26:25,880 --> 00:26:30,280 cross. He simply said to Telesty, it is 359 00:26:30,280 --> 00:26:35,600 paid in full and making Jesus Christ my personal Lord and 360 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:39,200 Savior was the very best decision that I have ever made 361 00:26:39,200 --> 00:26:41,480 in my life when I was just 17 years old. 362 00:26:41,480 --> 00:26:45,560 But I will tell you that my biggest regret is that I did not 363 00:26:45,560 --> 00:26:50,600 do it sooner. I had friends and had family. 364 00:26:50,600 --> 00:26:53,760 They invited me to church. I had friends and I had family. 365 00:26:53,760 --> 00:26:57,240 They, they share the good news of Jesus Christ with me, but I 366 00:26:57,240 --> 00:27:02,000 put it off. I ignored it and because of 367 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:07,280 that, I just kept living life my way with my terms and I was left 368 00:27:07,280 --> 00:27:11,760 without purpose and I was left causing destruction all around 369 00:27:11,760 --> 00:27:15,080 me. But that's not just Clayton's 370 00:27:15,080 --> 00:27:16,880 story. And I know that's not just my 371 00:27:16,880 --> 00:27:19,440 story. I know that there are thousands 372 00:27:19,440 --> 00:27:21,880 of people who are part of the crossing church, that that is 373 00:27:22,080 --> 00:27:24,720 their story as well. And so for those of you who 374 00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:27,440 don't know Jesus yet, this and I'm going to do something and I 375 00:27:27,440 --> 00:27:32,960 just need you just to kind of glance around real quick and see 376 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:35,600 how beautiful the the testimony of his people are. 377 00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:38,960 If you're in this room and even if you're online right now, if 378 00:27:38,960 --> 00:27:42,040 the greatest decision you've ever made was making Jesus 379 00:27:42,040 --> 00:27:44,760 Christ, your personal Lord and Savior, could you just raise 380 00:27:44,760 --> 00:27:50,360 your hand, put it down? And I know there's some of you 381 00:27:50,360 --> 00:27:51,920 in this room. There's some of you online. 382 00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:53,880 You, you have this foundation of faith. 383 00:27:53,880 --> 00:27:57,680 Your family raised you and you, you had an early faith early on. 384 00:27:57,680 --> 00:28:00,560 But I believe there's probably a lot of you like me and like 385 00:28:00,560 --> 00:28:03,360 Clayton, that your biggest regret is that you didn't do it 386 00:28:03,360 --> 00:28:04,880 sooner. If that's your story, would you 387 00:28:04,880 --> 00:28:07,800 put your hand back up, Look around. 388 00:28:07,800 --> 00:28:12,640 It's not just our story. God is doing it over and over 389 00:28:12,640 --> 00:28:15,640 and over again. And, and I believe that God can 390 00:28:15,640 --> 00:28:20,120 do it right now in this moment and in this space in your life 391 00:28:20,160 --> 00:28:22,960 over you, if you don't let it miss you. 392 00:28:24,160 --> 00:28:26,280 And it's just a moment. The worship team, they're going 393 00:28:26,280 --> 00:28:29,560 to come out on the stage. We're going to sing some songs 394 00:28:29,560 --> 00:28:31,920 and some are going to come up to the steps and they're going to 395 00:28:31,920 --> 00:28:35,480 pray. And I would invite you, if 396 00:28:35,480 --> 00:28:38,160 you're like, I want to start that relationship with Jesus 397 00:28:38,160 --> 00:28:44,160 today, Easter Sunday. You want to claim new life. 398 00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:47,200 Maybe you have questions or you want to talk to a pastor. 399 00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:49,000 There's going to be someone right over there by the 400 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:51,800 baptistry, right underneath that screen that would love to talk 401 00:28:51,800 --> 00:28:54,880 with you and help you make the greatest decision of your entire 402 00:28:54,880 --> 00:28:59,360 life, your entire eternity. And online right now, there's a 403 00:28:59,360 --> 00:29:01,120 prompt that just came on the screen for you. 404 00:29:01,120 --> 00:29:03,440 If you would like to start that relationship with Jesus, just 405 00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:06,560 click that button and don't put it off any longer. 406 00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:11,600 For the rest of us who are following Jesus, maybe you just 407 00:29:11,600 --> 00:29:14,040 started following Jesus. Maybe you've been following them 408 00:29:14,040 --> 00:29:16,840 for a couple months, years. I don't know how long. 409 00:29:17,040 --> 00:29:21,240 Listen, by now, I'm hoping our hearts are full and we're ready 410 00:29:21,240 --> 00:29:24,000 just to go into this time of worship and response and just 411 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:27,200 like lift our hands up and just sing a little bit louder at just 412 00:29:27,200 --> 00:29:31,440 the goodness of God, all that he's done on and in and over our 413 00:29:31,440 --> 00:29:34,720 lives. But I'm assuming that there's 414 00:29:34,720 --> 00:29:37,200 probably something in your life that you're like, hey, 415 00:29:38,040 --> 00:29:39,800 something's not quite right with the Lord. 416 00:29:39,800 --> 00:29:42,920 If you need to turn something over, you need to recommit and 417 00:29:42,920 --> 00:29:45,840 just say, hey, I want to be all about the work of the Kingdom. 418 00:29:47,000 --> 00:29:50,600 A version of this word to Telesty shows up a little bit 419 00:29:50,600 --> 00:29:53,040 later in the New Testament that I want to share with you. 420 00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:56,760 It's Paul who is talking to Timothy, and it's in Second 421 00:29:56,760 --> 00:29:59,080 Timothy chapter 4, and it says these words. 422 00:29:59,080 --> 00:30:02,920 I have fought the good fight. You probably heard this. 423 00:30:03,240 --> 00:30:07,400 I've fought the good fight. I have finished the race. 424 00:30:08,720 --> 00:30:12,560 I've kept the faith. And believers, if you're in this 425 00:30:12,560 --> 00:30:15,760 room and I just want to ask you a few questions as we go into 426 00:30:15,760 --> 00:30:18,840 this time of worship. Are you still fighting the good 427 00:30:18,840 --> 00:30:23,000 fight? Are you still running the race 428 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:24,560 that has been marked out for you? 429 00:30:24,560 --> 00:30:27,600 Are you still holding tightly to the faith? 430 00:30:28,520 --> 00:30:33,600 If not, I'm praying that you would use this time to recommit 431 00:30:33,600 --> 00:30:35,560 your life to the cause of Christ. 432 00:30:36,560 --> 00:30:40,080 I invite you to the steps. Maybe you bring your family up, 433 00:30:40,400 --> 00:30:42,680 maybe just get down on your knees and you just give God 434 00:30:42,680 --> 00:30:44,680 thanks. The reason we come forward, we 435 00:30:44,680 --> 00:30:48,160 humble ourselves, is because we simply want to say, I'm lowering 436 00:30:48,160 --> 00:30:52,800 myself before an almighty God and I want to recommit whatever 437 00:30:52,800 --> 00:30:54,880 is not in alignment with His will. 438 00:30:55,600 --> 00:30:57,520 I'm praying that there's a lot of us in this room. 439 00:30:57,520 --> 00:30:59,040 That's probably what we need to do. 440 00:31:00,120 --> 00:31:05,480 Or if there's a sin that just has you wrapped, up, a sin that 441 00:31:05,480 --> 00:31:09,680 you just keep running back to, maybe for you, you just need to 442 00:31:09,680 --> 00:31:14,520 claim to telesty. It is finished, it is paid in 443 00:31:14,520 --> 00:31:17,640 full, and you give it to him In this moment, would you stand 444 00:31:17,640 --> 00:31:21,560 with me as we respond and as we come to the steps and as we sing 445 00:31:21,560 --> 00:31:23,360 and we celebrate the name of Jesus? 446 00:31:23,360 --> 00:31:26,560 Heavenly Father, we love you. I thank you for this moment. 447 00:31:26,680 --> 00:31:29,200 I thank you for your gospel, your good news. 448 00:31:29,360 --> 00:31:32,480 I thank you for the cross. I thank you for what the work is 449 00:31:32,640 --> 00:31:36,000 that was completed on the cross. But but more importantly, we're 450 00:31:36,000 --> 00:31:40,800 thankful that the cross is no longer, the grave is no longer. 451 00:31:40,920 --> 00:31:43,760 You have defeated death. You have defeated shame. 452 00:31:43,760 --> 00:31:49,120 You have defeated my sin and their sin, and right now we are 453 00:31:49,120 --> 00:31:52,440 covered by your blood. We are covered by your 454 00:31:52,440 --> 00:31:55,680 righteousness. And so God, in this time, 455 00:31:56,800 --> 00:32:00,280 whether it's someone who is coming and just declaring a new 456 00:32:00,280 --> 00:32:03,920 life in you or there's someone who is just recommitting their 457 00:32:04,040 --> 00:32:11,160 allegiance to you, I pray we come humbly, we come excited, we 458 00:32:11,160 --> 00:32:15,080 come expectant, what you can do in US and through us in this 459 00:32:15,080 --> 00:32:18,080 moment, in Jesus name that I pray, Amen.