1 00:00:02,240 --> 00:00:05,640 Oh, crossing family. Happy Easter. 2 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:07,840 I love you. And would you do me a huge 3 00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:09,520 favor? Turn to your neighbor and say he 4 00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:13,000 is risen. Turn to your second favorite 5 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:16,120 neighbor and say I'm glad you're here. 6 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:20,280 I want to welcome those of you joining from our different 7 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:24,040 locations and those of you joining online and those of you 8 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:26,400 who are part of The Crossing inside. 9 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:30,040 If you are new to the Crossing, we are one church that meets in 10 00:00:30,040 --> 00:00:33,440 11 physical locations all across the tri-state area. 11 00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:37,400 We meet in jails and prisons all across this region and we gather 12 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:41,560 online all across the country. I tell you this because I want 13 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:45,040 you to know that you are not alone. 14 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:50,600 In fact, you are surrounded by some of the very best people on 15 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:53,840 planet Earth. In fact, many of them have been 16 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:57,440 through a very similar situation that you've been through, but 17 00:00:57,440 --> 00:01:00,800 they've experienced the love of God and they've been absolutely 18 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:04,879 transformed by it. In fact, that's why our church 19 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:08,280 exists. We exist to help people just 20 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:13,040 like you find an intimate, personal relationship with Jesus 21 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:14,840 Christ. And because we believe that 22 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:18,160 God's way is the best way and means that every area of your 23 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:21,680 life, if it is turned over to Jesus Christ, gets better. 24 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:25,080 Now, if this is your first time or your first time in a long 25 00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:29,200 time, or you are here every time, I want you to take 26 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:32,240 advantage of the QR code on the seat in front of you. 27 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:35,200 It is a great way for you to get connected to this church. 28 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:38,560 Make friends if you want. It's a way for you to join us in 29 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:40,400 making a difference in our communities. 30 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:43,800 Or it's a place for you to get some of your questions answered. 31 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:48,480 Or maybe for some of you to get some help and some hope in an 32 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:52,880 area of your life that could use a little help and could use a 33 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:55,200 little hope. And one of the ways that I 34 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:58,200 really want to encourage you to take advantage of is joining us 35 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:02,840 in taking the You Asked survey. We are going to be using this 36 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:06,400 survey to put together our sermons for the next 12 months, 37 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:10,360 and we would love a chance as a church to speak into the 38 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:15,680 specific areas where you have questions, doubts, frustrations, 39 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:19,440 and pain. For instance, next weekend we 40 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:21,600 are going to be talking about forgiveness here at The 41 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:23,840 Crossing. How many of you have ever done 42 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:25,920 something where you needed forgiveness? 43 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:29,200 Those of you who didn't raise your hand, you just lied in 44 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:32,840 church. I'm guessing you could use some 45 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:36,680 forgiveness now too. How many of you have ever found 46 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:40,280 yourself in a spot where something's happened to you and 47 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:43,600 someone's hurt you and you know deep down inside you need to 48 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:45,760 forgive? But it's really, really hard to 49 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:48,480 do. If you raise your hand to any of 50 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:52,040 the questions I just asked, you would be a great candidate to 51 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:55,280 come to church next weekend and hear what God has to say about 52 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:59,440 forgiveness now. The key to any great life is the 53 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:04,040 same keys to any great story. You need a character who wants 54 00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:07,520 something great and is willing to overcome the obstacles to 55 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:10,840 achieve them. Any book that you've read, any 56 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:13,640 movie that you've enjoyed, follows those basic principles. 57 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:16,800 A character who wants something great, who's willing to overcome 58 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:19,720 the obstacles to achieve them. And if you are wanting to have a 59 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:23,600 life, a great life, that is a great story, you're going to 60 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:26,760 need all three. The good news is you have breath 61 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:29,320 in your lungs, you're alive, you're a character in God's big 62 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:32,400 play, so at least you're 1/3 of the way there. 63 00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:36,840 The question becomes, do you want something great and are you 64 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:39,840 willing to overcome the obstacles to get there? 65 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:43,120 I think every single person deep down inside a husband and a 66 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:44,160 wife, they're looking at each other. 67 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:50,040 They want a great marriage, but sometimes he wants to go golfing 68 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:53,680 and she wants to go to Target. And you have to figure out, can 69 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:55,560 you overcome the obstacles to get there. 70 00:03:56,040 --> 00:04:00,800 Every mother, every father desire a meaningful relationship 71 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:04,520 with their kids and then their kids turn 13. 72 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:07,960 My preaching yet? Someone just got saved at this 73 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:09,640 campus, right? And you're like, yeah, that's 74 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:12,240 that's why we're here. We've come to all the services. 75 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:14,880 We're hoping for an exorcism. Now. 76 00:04:16,079 --> 00:04:19,920 Kurt Vonnegut, who's an American writer he had and humorist. 77 00:04:19,920 --> 00:04:25,040 He had a 50 year career. He published 14 novels, 3 short 78 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:28,880 story collections, 5 plays and five non fiction works. 79 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:33,160 And he contends that when it comes to stories, it is the 80 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:38,120 shape of the curve that matters and not their origins. 81 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:43,080 The shape of the curve is what matters and not their origins, 82 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:45,520 he says. You can take any story and you 83 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:50,080 can plot that story on 2 axes. Here's what he basically says. 84 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:53,360 He says that in the story of your life, in the story of any 85 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:57,680 movie that you're going to enjoy, you have the you have the 86 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:04,240 GB axis. G stands for good and B stands 87 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:08,360 for You guys are smart people. In fact, that's the only kind of 88 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:10,880 people we attract here at the Crossing is the Super smart 89 00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:13,640 ones. OK, so you have health and 90 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:17,640 wealth and good fortune up here and you have bad health and 91 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:21,640 poverty and sickness down there. And then he says there's another 92 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:29,080 axis and that is the BE axis. B stands for beginning and E 93 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:31,400 stands for man. You guys are some of the 94 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:33,200 smartest people we've had at church this weekend. 95 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:36,800 And he says you can take every story and you can plot it. 96 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:41,840 And the shape of the curve is what matters, not their origin. 97 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:46,440 So let me give you an example. One of the examples he gives is 98 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:49,080 the man in a hole. Now, it doesn't have to 99 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:52,000 necessarily be about a man, and it doesn't necessarily have to 100 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:53,680 be about a guy falling into a hole. 101 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:55,560 But you've probably seen this movie. 102 00:05:55,800 --> 00:05:59,360 Let's start with an above average day, because why start 103 00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:00,960 with the depressing person on Easter? 104 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:05,000 So you got a man going through a pretty good day. 105 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:10,560 He falls into a hole. And then about 10 minutes before 106 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:13,160 they roll the credits in the movie, what happens? 107 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:16,600 He gets out of it. You write that book, people will 108 00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:18,880 publish it, people will buy it and they'll read it. 109 00:06:19,280 --> 00:06:22,280 There's another one. This one's called Boy Meets 110 00:06:22,280 --> 00:06:24,160 Girl. Now, it doesn't have to be about 111 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:26,600 a boy meeting a girl. It could be about a girl meeting 112 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:28,720 a boy. But here's what happens. 113 00:06:28,960 --> 00:06:31,760 It starts. Let's say this one starts on a 114 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:35,560 just a regular ordinary Midwest day. 115 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:41,280 You have a boy and he meets somebody absolutely wonderful. 116 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:48,040 And then he loses her. Oh no. 117 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:53,400 And then about 15 minutes before the movie gets over, he finds 118 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:57,040 her again. This is the hallmark business 119 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:02,000 model right here. This is every movie you've ever 120 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:06,560 watched on that Channel. It starts off with a girl coming 121 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:10,520 back to town after being in the big city and she sees the guy 122 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:14,240 who's got his own pumpkin patch in it, his own logging little 123 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:16,440 company. And on the side he splits 124 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:19,720 firewood and they run into each other and they haven't seen each 125 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:22,640 other since high school. And he's still his hobby as he 126 00:07:22,640 --> 00:07:25,520 likes to ride bulls. And she starts to have feelings 127 00:07:25,520 --> 00:07:27,280 for him. And she goes to the the Friday 128 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:30,880 night rodeo and she sees him and he gets thrown from the bowl and 129 00:07:30,880 --> 00:07:34,000 he lands and he he's sick and he's in the hospital and he 130 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:35,280 starts to go through the recovery. 131 00:07:35,280 --> 00:07:37,720 And she's like she realizes how much feeling she has for him. 132 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:40,360 And the next thing you know, he starts to get better and he 133 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:42,240 decides he's got to go back to riding bulls. 134 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:45,000 And she's like, well, I can't love you and watch you die. 135 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:46,720 So I have to leave. And then they start playing the 136 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:50,080 music, and then the seasons start to change and he's out 137 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:53,480 chopping wood in his flannel. And his suspenders get a little 138 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:56,440 tight and he pops them off and he keeps just chopping the wood. 139 00:07:56,440 --> 00:07:59,680 And she's looking through the window as the rain's coming down 140 00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:02,160 and Sarah Mclaughlin's playing in the background. 141 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:07,120 And then he realizes that he loves her more than he loves the 142 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:09,760 bull. And so he goes to the barn and 143 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:11,480 he says, listen, I can't ride anymore. 144 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:13,840 I'm in love. And then she's actually coming 145 00:08:13,840 --> 00:08:16,480 into the barn and she says, if you want to ride, I'll be ride 146 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:18,800 or die with you. And then they roll the credits. 147 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:23,480 You've watched this movie over and over and over again. 148 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:27,440 If you're watching the Hallmark movie, just stop 30 seconds in, 149 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:30,520 ask your husband, how does it end and save yourself the time. 150 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:33,840 Now I know what you're thinking, OK, that's just for those 151 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:35,200 movies. But what about, like, real 152 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:38,080 movies? OK, let me give you one. 153 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:42,400 See if you know it. Let's start way low. 154 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:47,720 How low? Let's start with a little girl. 155 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:58,760 Her mom died, her dad, he remarried an evil woman. 156 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:10,200 Something like this is my story with two evil daughters and 157 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:11,800 there's a ball at the prince's house. 158 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:16,200 Does she get to go? Oh no. 159 00:09:17,400 --> 00:09:20,120 She has to help everybody else get ready. 160 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:22,600 Does she sink any lower? Of course not. 161 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:25,240 She's already experienced the maximum whack from life. 162 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:27,000 Her mom is dead. She lives with an evil 163 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:29,240 stepmother and two evil stepsisters. 164 00:09:29,480 --> 00:09:34,000 But then all of a sudden, a fairy godmother shows up, gives 165 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:36,160 her shoes and stockings and transportation. 166 00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:39,200 She goes to the ball, dances with the Prince. 167 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:46,640 And then what happens? Bong, bong, bong. 168 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:50,640 The horses turn to mice. The the carriage turns back into 169 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:52,520 a pumpkin. The clock strikes 12. 170 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:56,200 But does she think as low as she's was before? 171 00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:59,320 Of course not. She's going to remember that 172 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:04,560 dance for the rest of her life. So she just kind of plots along 173 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:07,160 remembering the dance, and then all of a sudden, the Prince 174 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:11,200 shows up, the glass slipper fits, and Disney made millions. 175 00:10:13,560 --> 00:10:18,040 And you're like, OK, OK, OK, OK what about, like, real movies? 176 00:10:18,680 --> 00:10:23,880 All right, let's do Spider Man. You got Peter Parker. 177 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:27,240 Mom and dad are dead. And on top of all that, he's 178 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:30,000 getting bullied at school. Then he's going to like some 179 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:32,960 kind of science project and he gets bit by a spider. 180 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:38,520 Then all of a sudden he starts to realize he's got like this 181 00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:42,080 tingly sense and Webster's shooting out of his wrists and 182 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:45,440 he can climb walls and he goes out and he's enjoying all this. 183 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:48,640 And then what happens? Oh no, Uncle Ben dies. 184 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:52,960 But right before he takes his last breath, he turns to Peter 185 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:57,360 Parker and he says with great power comes great. 186 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:01,340 Seven of you have seen it. You're going to love the Spider 187 00:11:01,340 --> 00:11:03,280 Man series. It's really good. 188 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:04,880 It's kind of been a big hit lately. 189 00:11:06,640 --> 00:11:08,680 So then he starts fighting crime and everything's going good. 190 00:11:08,680 --> 00:11:12,200 And then the Green Goblin comes along and uses Aunt May and Mary 191 00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:14,320 Jane tries to take him down but eventually defeats him. 192 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:18,200 And then they made nine more movies just like it. 193 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:25,520 You can plot any movie, Harry Potter, every Avenger movie. 194 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:28,440 In fact, you can even plot Tiger King. 195 00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:32,680 Do you guys remember that one? Now, to be fair, Tiger King 196 00:11:32,680 --> 00:11:37,240 happens exclusively in the bottom half of this graph, and 197 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:42,120 it looks like a heartbeat, OK? And in that show, you don't 198 00:11:42,120 --> 00:11:43,800 really know what's up or what's down. 199 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:47,120 Like, there's the time where he has music videos. 200 00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:50,560 He ran for president and he got attacked by a tiger. 201 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:53,280 I actually think that him getting attacked is part of the 202 00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:55,080 peak now. I don't know. 203 00:11:55,960 --> 00:11:58,960 I honestly don't know if Tiger King was any good or if it was 204 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:01,200 just a gift from God to get us through the early stages of 205 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:02,760 COVID-19. OK? 206 00:12:03,680 --> 00:12:06,240 In fact, over the course of this weekend, I've had people texting 207 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:08,920 me, them, plotting the shows that they've been watching. 208 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:12,760 It's been pretty fun. Now you name the movie, you name 209 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:16,800 the book, you name the show, and it follows these principles. 210 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:21,840 But I have a question. What about the greatest story 211 00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:25,680 that's ever been told? What about a story that's 212 00:12:25,760 --> 00:12:31,400 actually real? What about the story of Jesus? 213 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:37,800 Does the shape of the curve matter in his story, too? 214 00:12:38,560 --> 00:12:47,440 Let's find out. So we begin in a place that 215 00:12:47,440 --> 00:12:51,200 nobody saw coming. We begin off the charts. 216 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:59,920 We begin in heaven, in eternity, before the creation of time or 217 00:12:59,920 --> 00:13:02,960 earth, Colossians tells us in chapter one. 218 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:05,880 The Son. This is Jesus is the image of 219 00:13:05,880 --> 00:13:09,800 the invisible God, the first born over all creation. 220 00:13:10,560 --> 00:13:14,080 For in him all things were created, things in heaven and on 221 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:18,480 earth, visible and invisible, whether Thrones or powers or 222 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:21,880 rulers or authorities. All things have been created 223 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:27,240 through him and for him. He is before all things, and in 224 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:31,840 him all things hold together. This is a devotional thought for 225 00:13:31,840 --> 00:13:35,320 you. It means that you were created 226 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:40,040 by Jesus and you were created for Jesus. 227 00:13:40,880 --> 00:13:45,760 And when your life is found in Christ, he holds it together. 228 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:51,960 And then, in A twist that people did not see coming, the Son of 229 00:13:51,960 --> 00:13:56,800 God makes a descent. You know this John 316 says, For 230 00:13:56,800 --> 00:13:59,440 God still loved the world that he gave his one and only Son to. 231 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:02,120 Whoever believes in him would not perish but have eternal 232 00:14:02,120 --> 00:14:05,760 life. He begins by sending his Son to 233 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:08,480 earth. Now, does Jesus leave the glory 234 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:12,960 and splendor and majesty of eternity and heaven and arrive 235 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:16,920 here in glory and honor and splendor and majesty on earth? 236 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:20,480 Does he arrive in a palace where all of his needs are attended 237 00:14:20,480 --> 00:14:22,560 to? Does he arrive in a supreme 238 00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:25,960 location? Oh no, that's not at all what 239 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:29,080 happens. He starts off lower than anybody 240 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:33,160 thought that a God would begin. He comes all the way down here 241 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:36,000 to the bottom. The Bible records in Luke 242 00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:39,680 chapter 2 while they were there. This is his parents, Joseph and 243 00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:41,720 Mary. The time came for the baby. 244 00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:45,560 That's Jesus to be born. And she gave birth to her first 245 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:50,080 born, a son. She wrapped him in clothes and 246 00:14:50,080 --> 00:14:54,000 placed him in a Manger, a feed through because there was no 247 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:58,560 guest room available for them. God not only comes to earth in 248 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:02,080 Jesus, he comes to the lowest of lows on earth. 249 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:07,120 You think that's where it ends? Oh no, it gets worse. 250 00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:12,000 There's political oppression and they're trying to kill him. 251 00:15:12,280 --> 00:15:15,240 So him and his family have to flee, become refugees in Egypt, 252 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:18,200 but eventually they're able to return to his parents hometown. 253 00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:22,080 The Bible says that Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, in favour 254 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:26,160 with both God and with men. At the age of 30, he began his 255 00:15:26,160 --> 00:15:29,560 public ministry. Here he preached the good news. 256 00:15:29,560 --> 00:15:31,720 That's the gospel of a new Kingdom. 257 00:15:32,240 --> 00:15:34,400 He went around and he demonstrated his power by 258 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:37,280 raising the dead and giving the blind back their sight and 259 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:39,520 healing the sick and the paralyzed. 260 00:15:39,880 --> 00:15:41,720 But along the way, there were times when people were 261 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:44,760 frustrated by his teachings, would argue with his teachings, 262 00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:48,240 become so angry at his teachings that they would try to kill him. 263 00:15:48,840 --> 00:15:51,680 There are times when Jesus, his closest friends, would betray 264 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:56,920 him, would abandoned him. There are other times when Jesus 265 00:15:56,920 --> 00:15:59,920 would go places and he had to experience doubt and he had to 266 00:15:59,920 --> 00:16:02,240 run into people who had a lack of faith. 267 00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:05,400 And then there are times where he would be with people and all 268 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:08,560 they wanted was his miracles. They didn't want his message. 269 00:16:09,320 --> 00:16:12,760 That sounds a lot like us today. We want the power of God to show 270 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:14,360 up and give us what we want in this life. 271 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:17,600 But we don't want to surrender our lives to the author of life. 272 00:16:19,440 --> 00:16:23,440 In fact, over the course of one week, the crowd was shouting as 273 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:27,440 Jesus rode a donkey down the hill into the city of Jerusalem. 274 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:29,520 They were screaming at the top of their lungs. 275 00:16:29,640 --> 00:16:31,160 Hosanna. Hosanna. 276 00:16:31,280 --> 00:16:33,480 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 277 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:37,400 Hosanna means save us. A crowd gathered, crying out to 278 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:40,880 Jesus. Save us, save us, save us. 279 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:44,200 And then five days later, the same people were shouting at the 280 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:46,160 top of their lungs. Crucify him. 281 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:49,880 Crucify him. And then the unthinkable 282 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:54,600 happens. Jesus is arrested, beaten, 283 00:16:54,920 --> 00:17:01,920 flogged and put on a cross and the Son of God dies. 284 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:07,880 Hebrews chapter 5 says During the days of Jesus life on earth, 285 00:17:08,280 --> 00:17:12,079 he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and 286 00:17:12,079 --> 00:17:15,960 tears to the one who could save him from death and he was heard 287 00:17:15,960 --> 00:17:17,480 because of his reverent submission. 288 00:17:18,319 --> 00:17:22,000 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered 289 00:17:22,720 --> 00:17:26,800 and once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation 290 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:30,680 for all who obey him. This is an exclusive claim of 291 00:17:30,680 --> 00:17:37,720 Christ, that he is the source for salvation for those who obey 292 00:17:37,720 --> 00:17:42,160 him, follow him, put their life in his hands. 293 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:45,360 You might be a critical thinker and you're asking yourself, 294 00:17:45,360 --> 00:17:47,960 well, how did he get us salvation? 295 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:50,360 How did he purchase us this salvation? 296 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:53,800 Well, 2nd Corinthians 5 explains this to us, beginning in verse 297 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:56,840 14. For Christ's love compels us 298 00:17:57,160 --> 00:18:00,600 because we are convinced that one died for all and therefore 299 00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:04,760 all died. All this is from God, who 300 00:18:04,760 --> 00:18:10,400 reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry 301 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:16,680 of reconciliation that God was reconciling the world to himself 302 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:23,840 in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. 303 00:18:24,800 --> 00:18:32,200 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we 304 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:35,240 might become the righteousness of God. 305 00:18:36,080 --> 00:18:40,080 Hear me? Jesus did not just suffer, he 306 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:43,480 suffered more than anybody else in all of human history. 307 00:18:44,840 --> 00:18:49,200 He didn't just die. He died in eternal death for you 308 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:52,920 and for me. He went to the depths that 309 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:56,800 nobody else has ever gone. He carried the weight and the 310 00:18:56,800 --> 00:19:00,960 punishment for every sin, for every human, for all of human 311 00:19:00,960 --> 00:19:07,440 history. God spooled up the sin and he 312 00:19:07,440 --> 00:19:11,000 placed it on Jesus. And so Jesus carried a weight 313 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:14,840 and a pain and a punishment and a death and a suffering that 314 00:19:14,840 --> 00:19:21,440 nobody else can understand. And then, and A twist of all 315 00:19:21,440 --> 00:19:25,400 twists. Just when Satan thought he had 316 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:29,200 won, when no, everybody thought it was over, the earth started 317 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:31,800 shaking, The ground started rattling, the guards started 318 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:33,840 feigning, The angels started appearing. 319 00:19:33,960 --> 00:19:37,200 The stone began a rolling. And when it was done rolling, it 320 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:40,560 showed that the tomb was empty and that Jesus was alive. 321 00:19:40,720 --> 00:19:43,320 And then He spent 40 days with His disciples before He ascended 322 00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:46,920 back into heaven, where He is right now at the right hand of 323 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:50,560 the Father, interceding on your behalf and preparing a place for 324 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:53,000 you and eternity. No wonder it's the greatest 325 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:57,800 story that's ever been told, because this story is real. 326 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:02,560 And the shape of this curve matters, because nobody has 327 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:08,960 started as high and nobody is gone as low, and nobody has come 328 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:12,880 back from the dead and saved Earth from her sins. 329 00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:17,280 Saved you and I from our sins. This story has produced more 330 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:20,040 societal good than anything else in all of human history. 331 00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:24,240 It formed the backdrop for art and education and justice and 332 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:27,360 hospitals and orphanages and clean drinking water and 333 00:20:27,360 --> 00:20:29,800 adoption agencies and recovery programs. 334 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:32,080 Why? Because it's not just the 335 00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:33,840 greatest story that's ever been told. 336 00:20:34,120 --> 00:20:37,360 It's because when people come in contact with this story, it 337 00:20:37,360 --> 00:20:40,800 becomes part of their story, too. 338 00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:45,200 You might be here at one of our locations or watching online 339 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:49,440 today and somebody invited you to the Crossing. 340 00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:54,600 The reason they invited you is because they want this to be 341 00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:58,840 your story as well. You might be thinking, man, this 342 00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:02,160 is great for the person who invited me, but I've gone way 343 00:21:02,160 --> 00:21:07,320 too low and I have done way too much for God to ever love me, 344 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:10,360 for me to be able to start getting things right. 345 00:21:11,560 --> 00:21:17,320 But hear me, your salvation. The good news of the gospel of 346 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:21,400 Jesus Christ is that your salvation is not based on what 347 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:26,000 you have done, but it is based on what Christ has done. 348 00:21:26,560 --> 00:21:29,120 Remember what I mentioned in Second Corinthians chapter 5? 349 00:21:29,520 --> 00:21:36,440 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in him we 350 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:39,040 might become the righteousness of God. 351 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:44,640 Take your deepest, darkest moment, your deepest, darkest 352 00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:48,400 thought, the one that you've had that you can't let anybody know, 353 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:50,280 especially the one sitting next to you. 354 00:21:50,480 --> 00:21:52,720 Because if they knew that those thoughts went through your head, 355 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:54,000 they wouldn't want to sit by you. 356 00:21:55,080 --> 00:22:00,360 And I need you to know that God took that sin, that thought, and 357 00:22:01,760 --> 00:22:08,200 he placed it on Jesus for you. And then God took the 358 00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:12,840 righteousness, the perfection, the holiness, the purity that is 359 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:16,800 found in Jesus and he places it on you. 360 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:21,280 You might be sitting here going, yeah, I mean that's that sounds 361 00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:26,160 pretty decent, but I don't think that God could love me because 362 00:22:26,160 --> 00:22:29,200 of what I've done. Well, Ephesians chapter 3 would 363 00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:32,480 tell you this. And I pray that you, being 364 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:36,720 rooted and established in love, may have power together with all 365 00:22:36,720 --> 00:22:42,240 the Lord's holy people to grasp how wide and how long and how 366 00:22:42,240 --> 00:22:46,120 high and how deep is the love of Christ. 367 00:22:46,960 --> 00:22:50,160 The love of God is so wide that you can't get around it. 368 00:22:51,000 --> 00:22:53,760 It is so long you can't outrun it. 369 00:22:54,120 --> 00:22:58,080 It's so high you can't get over it, and it's so deep you can't 370 00:22:58,120 --> 00:23:01,680 get under it. The darkest lie from Satan is 371 00:23:01,680 --> 00:23:05,160 that God does not love you. And the 2nd darkest lie from 372 00:23:05,160 --> 00:23:08,160 Satan is that you have to earn his love. 373 00:23:08,680 --> 00:23:12,280 Romans chapter 5, verse 8 says, But God demonstrates his own 374 00:23:12,280 --> 00:23:15,920 love for us in this that while we were still sinners, Christ 375 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:18,440 died for us. Which means when you were at 376 00:23:18,440 --> 00:23:23,800 your worst possible moment, God was at his best on your behalf. 377 00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:27,600 And we have a hard time figuring out how to respond to that kind 378 00:23:27,600 --> 00:23:30,640 of love because all the love that we've ever experienced is 379 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:33,520 primarily transactional. Let me explain. 380 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:35,800 Husbands, come here for a second. 381 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:39,000 Have you ever emptied the dishwasher? 382 00:23:39,840 --> 00:23:42,200 Raise your hand. Have you emptied it without 383 00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:47,720 being asked? OK, let's say you said I. 384 00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:49,080 You emptied it without being asked. 385 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:55,440 Did you have intentions? This is how I unload the load. 386 00:23:55,440 --> 00:24:00,640 The dishwasher in my house. I cling stuff around, make sure 387 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:03,680 she can hear me over the murder show that's already been solved, 388 00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:06,720 that she's watching. Then I punch in the keys real 389 00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:11,320 loud. Oh, hey, babe, Just me loading 390 00:24:11,320 --> 00:24:15,400 the dishwasher. OK, this is how bad I am. 391 00:24:15,400 --> 00:24:20,880 I don't like to brag, but yesterday I was trying to be 392 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:22,640 helpful around the house, and so I went golfing. 393 00:24:23,120 --> 00:24:28,000 And then when I came home, Jennifer and the boys were out 394 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:30,560 taking care of getting the golden dummy a haircut. 395 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:35,160 And we've been talking about cleaning the shower with this 396 00:24:35,160 --> 00:24:37,840 sponge and, you know, Dawn dish soap and how we wanted to do 397 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:41,800 that. And I mean, I can just be 398 00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:44,960 transparent with you guys. I help out around the house, OK? 399 00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:47,600 I don't stop, don't, don't stand, sit, sit, sit. 400 00:24:50,560 --> 00:24:55,800 So I got down on my hands and knees, I got a bucket of soap 401 00:24:55,800 --> 00:25:00,480 and water and I got that sponge out and I just hand scrubbed our 402 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:02,600 bathroom. OK, it's no big deal. 403 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:09,000 I'm just a good guy. I did it counter clockwise, did 404 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:11,840 it counter clockwise. I was ready for Cobra Kai by the 405 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:15,400 time I was done. And then if I was like a really 406 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:19,320 good human being, I'd have rinsed out the sponge and I'd 407 00:25:19,320 --> 00:25:21,440 have rinsed out the bucket and how to put it all back away in 408 00:25:21,440 --> 00:25:23,640 the closet where we keep all the cleaning supplies. 409 00:25:24,920 --> 00:25:28,320 But if I'd have done that, Jennifer might not have known 410 00:25:28,880 --> 00:25:32,000 that I'd been on my hands and knees scrubbing our bathroom. 411 00:25:33,040 --> 00:25:35,080 So I did what any good man of God would do. 412 00:25:36,200 --> 00:25:38,600 I put it right in the middle of the counter, that she had just 413 00:25:38,600 --> 00:25:43,560 cleaned all the supplies. So when she came home, the first 414 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:47,080 thing my wife said to me was, did you clean the shower? 415 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:57,480 And I went, yes, I did. And I cleaned the toilet. 416 00:25:57,520 --> 00:26:02,680 OK, Just wanted you to know I'm a good man, OK? 417 00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:06,400 That's how we kind of operate. We operate in a world of 418 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:10,960 transactions. But the transaction that you get 419 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:16,400 with Jesus is he takes all that is wrong and gone wrong and is 420 00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:22,920 wrong and sinful and evil in US. And before we could even utter 421 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:27,760 his name, before we could even believe in him, before you could 422 00:26:27,760 --> 00:26:32,640 ever have your first doubt about him, he sends his son on your 423 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:35,880 behalf to rescue you. Hear me? 424 00:26:36,360 --> 00:26:40,280 Not at some point in time, you and I, your story is going to 425 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:44,360 come to an end. The Bible says that it is 426 00:26:44,360 --> 00:26:47,240 appointed for man to die once and then face judgment. 427 00:26:48,360 --> 00:26:51,520 And at the end of your life, there are only two directions. 428 00:26:55,680 --> 00:26:58,880 And if you want to stand before a holy and righteous God on your 429 00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:02,600 own account, on your own works, which the Bible describes as 430 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:07,520 filthy rags, your life will not be up and to the right. 431 00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:13,720 But if you have accepted and received the finished work of 432 00:27:13,720 --> 00:27:18,320 Christ on the cross over your life, God promises not only will 433 00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:21,560 He create a place for you in heaven, Not only will He write 434 00:27:21,560 --> 00:27:25,280 your name in the Lame's book of life, but he will give you a new 435 00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:28,920 life and a new heart. You see, God doesn't just bang 436 00:27:28,920 --> 00:27:30,600 out the dents in your quarter panel. 437 00:27:30,680 --> 00:27:32,400 He gives you a new quarter panel. 438 00:27:32,520 --> 00:27:35,600 He doesn't just fix the messed up stuff in your heart, He gives 439 00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:38,200 you a new heart and a new spirit. 440 00:27:38,440 --> 00:27:40,040 Hear me? It gets even better. 441 00:27:40,280 --> 00:27:42,360 If you were to look at your life right now, you might be going 442 00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:45,520 yeah, my life is actually doing pretty good. 443 00:27:46,120 --> 00:27:49,360 That's great, but it's never going to go as high as it will 444 00:27:49,360 --> 00:27:53,640 possibly go when Jesus Christ is in your life and guiding it and 445 00:27:53,640 --> 00:27:55,600 directing it. There might be some of you right 446 00:27:55,600 --> 00:27:58,600 now that you're going down and you can't seem to stop. 447 00:27:58,600 --> 00:28:01,960 I just want you to know that everybody goes through downturns 448 00:28:01,960 --> 00:28:04,040 in life. But when you find yourself 449 00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:06,840 walking through the darkest valley, I want you to know that 450 00:28:06,840 --> 00:28:09,240 he is with you. His rod and his staff will 451 00:28:09,240 --> 00:28:11,960 comfort you. He will be present in the pain 452 00:28:12,200 --> 00:28:13,760 with you. There might be some of you are 453 00:28:13,760 --> 00:28:16,200 going, but Clayton, you don't understand how dark my life has 454 00:28:16,200 --> 00:28:18,080 been. I just need you to know, no 455 00:28:18,080 --> 00:28:20,320 matter what you've been, it's never darker than when the love 456 00:28:20,320 --> 00:28:23,280 of our God has been gone through Christ Jesus. 457 00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:25,360 Hear me. I don't have to worry about my 458 00:28:25,360 --> 00:28:27,160 past. God's redeemed it. 459 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:29,040 I don't have to worry about my sins. 460 00:28:29,120 --> 00:28:31,600 Jesus has forgiven it. I don't have to worry about my 461 00:28:31,600 --> 00:28:34,160 present because he's in it. I don't have to worry about my 462 00:28:34,160 --> 00:28:37,200 future because he holds it. And when I come to die, I can 463 00:28:37,200 --> 00:28:41,440 fear no evil, for he is with me and he has rescued me from it. 464 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:45,280 What I want you to understand is that the very same power that 465 00:28:45,280 --> 00:28:49,520 raised Jesus from the dead is available for you for daily 466 00:28:49,520 --> 00:28:52,640 living today. What that means is if you're 467 00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:54,880 sitting here today and you're going, I'm ready to be the 468 00:28:54,880 --> 00:28:57,880 husband and father that my family desperately want me to 469 00:28:57,880 --> 00:28:59,520 be. The power that raised Christ 470 00:28:59,520 --> 00:29:02,480 from the dead is available for you today. 471 00:29:02,920 --> 00:29:05,160 If you're here and you're going, I'm ready to be the wife and the 472 00:29:05,400 --> 00:29:08,080 the mother that I, my family desperately needs me to be. 473 00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:12,800 I want you to know the power of God is available for you today. 474 00:29:13,160 --> 00:29:16,200 And if you are in an intimate, personal relationship with Jesus 475 00:29:16,200 --> 00:29:18,440 Christ, you can go through any storm. 476 00:29:18,760 --> 00:29:22,280 You can face any battle. You can overcome any temptation 477 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:26,080 because he is with you. You see, if Jesus rose from the 478 00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:29,840 dead, anything is possible, which means forgiveness for your 479 00:29:29,840 --> 00:29:33,800 sins is possible. Eternity in heaven with God is 480 00:29:33,800 --> 00:29:35,440 possible. But you might be going. 481 00:29:35,440 --> 00:29:37,360 That's just you, Clayton. You're the preacher. 482 00:29:37,480 --> 00:29:39,360 Well then, don't take my word for it. 483 00:29:39,800 --> 00:29:42,280 Take the word of the people in your rose. 484 00:29:42,280 --> 00:29:46,800 Word for it crossing family. If making the decision to follow 485 00:29:47,000 --> 00:29:50,240 Jesus is the single greatest decision that you have ever 486 00:29:50,240 --> 00:29:54,920 made, can I get an uh huh? And if your biggest regret is 487 00:29:54,920 --> 00:29:59,560 not doing it sooner, can I get an Oh yeah, maybe uh Huhs and 488 00:29:59,560 --> 00:30:04,080 the oh Yeahs serve as a plea from God himself for you to turn 489 00:30:04,080 --> 00:30:09,480 over the pen of your life to God and let God write the rest of 490 00:30:09,480 --> 00:30:12,520 your story. I believe to the core of my 491 00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:17,840 being that God's way is the best way and you won't regret it. 492 00:30:18,200 --> 00:30:19,760 We're moving to a time of decision. 493 00:30:27,550 --> 00:30:30,910 You have a choice. You can write the rest of your 494 00:30:30,910 --> 00:30:37,270 story or you can let God. The problem is, you and I only 495 00:30:37,270 --> 00:30:42,190 have the power to write stories that begin in life and end in 496 00:30:42,190 --> 00:30:45,790 death. That's the only story you can 497 00:30:45,790 --> 00:30:50,830 write. But God can write stories that 498 00:30:50,830 --> 00:30:57,520 go from death to life. And your life, your spirit, is 499 00:30:57,520 --> 00:31:01,880 just like this pen. There's only room for one person 500 00:31:01,880 --> 00:31:05,200 to hold it. If I were to ask all of you guys 501 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:08,120 in here to get together with the person who brought you and write 502 00:31:08,320 --> 00:31:12,040 a note to somebody, you'd end up in a fistfight because you can't 503 00:31:12,040 --> 00:31:14,080 have two people holding the pen and try and write something. 504 00:31:15,080 --> 00:31:17,080 And some of you right now you're trying to share the pen with 505 00:31:17,080 --> 00:31:19,520 God. You want to write for a little 506 00:31:19,520 --> 00:31:22,000 bit, and then when it falls apart, you want him to fix it 507 00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:23,080 and then you want to write again. 508 00:31:24,320 --> 00:31:25,640 But that's not how it's supposed to work. 509 00:31:27,120 --> 00:31:29,920 You can write your story, but it ends in death. 510 00:31:31,640 --> 00:31:37,400 Or you can turn your life over to him and he can write the rest 511 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:39,760 of the story. You might be going. 512 00:31:39,760 --> 00:31:41,880 That would be great. But Clayton, I'm in a pretty 513 00:31:41,880 --> 00:31:44,240 tough spot. I want you to know I hear you, 514 00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:49,360 but I read my Bible. You know what I've noticed in 515 00:31:49,360 --> 00:31:52,320 the Bible? When people are at their lowest, 516 00:31:53,440 --> 00:31:56,760 when people are at their worst, when people are in the midst of 517 00:31:56,760 --> 00:32:00,400 their darkest pain or their biggest frustration, and they 518 00:32:00,400 --> 00:32:03,320 turn the pen of their life over to God, he begins to write a 519 00:32:03,320 --> 00:32:05,560 story that they never thought possible. 520 00:32:07,320 --> 00:32:11,160 Abraham and Isaac had fertility issues, and God came to them and 521 00:32:11,160 --> 00:32:14,120 said, you're going to birth an entire nation of people. 522 00:32:15,800 --> 00:32:18,680 He shows up at murderers and he gives them a new message. 523 00:32:19,160 --> 00:32:21,400 He shows up with people in the midst of trials and gives them a 524 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:23,440 testimony. He shows up with people with 525 00:32:23,440 --> 00:32:25,160 problems and gives them the platform. 526 00:32:25,480 --> 00:32:29,120 I'm telling you wherever you are at, if you would just turn the 527 00:32:29,120 --> 00:32:32,600 pin of your life over to him and let him write the rest of your 528 00:32:32,600 --> 00:32:39,520 story, you would not regret it. There's some of you in here 529 00:32:39,520 --> 00:32:43,160 today that you know deep down inside you, you need a 530 00:32:43,160 --> 00:32:47,480 relationship with Jesus Christ. You used to have it and you 531 00:32:47,480 --> 00:32:50,560 walked away from it, or maybe you've never had it. 532 00:32:52,200 --> 00:32:54,120 And in just a few moments, the people in this room, some of 533 00:32:54,120 --> 00:32:56,360 them are going to stand and sing and some of them are going to 534 00:32:56,360 --> 00:32:59,000 come to the steps and pray, and you can do that. 535 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:00,400 I'd encourage you to join them in that. 536 00:33:01,640 --> 00:33:04,400 But there's some of you that it's time for you to start 537 00:33:04,400 --> 00:33:06,200 asking some of the questions that you have. 538 00:33:06,200 --> 00:33:10,040 It's time for you to make a decision that's long overdue. 539 00:33:10,040 --> 00:33:13,400 And I'm going to encourage you to walk right over underneath 540 00:33:13,400 --> 00:33:14,640 that screen next to the Baptistry. 541 00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:16,760 But there's going to be some people who'd love a chance to 542 00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:19,000 answer some of your questions. Hear me? 543 00:33:19,640 --> 00:33:22,760 I don't believe that following Jesus is something we just do 544 00:33:22,760 --> 00:33:24,920 with our heart. I believe it's something we do 545 00:33:24,920 --> 00:33:28,080 with our mind as well. And if you have questions, good, 546 00:33:28,600 --> 00:33:31,960 ask them. If you have frustrations, good, 547 00:33:32,400 --> 00:33:35,040 let them out. If there's things that don't 548 00:33:35,040 --> 00:33:37,400 make sense, claim it. Name it. 549 00:33:37,640 --> 00:33:39,600 At least reveal it. Because I'll tell you, God's 550 00:33:39,600 --> 00:33:42,920 bigger than all of it. And if right now, in the back of 551 00:33:42,920 --> 00:33:44,880 your mind, you're going, man, this sounds really good. 552 00:33:45,200 --> 00:33:47,000 It's something I should do next week. 553 00:33:48,320 --> 00:33:50,480 It's something I'll do after I get through the divorce. 554 00:33:50,480 --> 00:33:53,040 It's something I'll after I get through the court proceedings. 555 00:33:53,040 --> 00:33:55,720 It's something after I get moved into the new house. 556 00:33:55,720 --> 00:33:58,240 It's something I'll do after I get my next job. 557 00:33:58,240 --> 00:34:00,480 I'll I'll do it after I handle this addiction. 558 00:34:00,480 --> 00:34:02,640 I'll do it after I get through this trial. 559 00:34:02,640 --> 00:34:06,240 I just need you to know that all of those thoughts don't come 560 00:34:06,240 --> 00:34:10,960 from God. If the voice in your head is 561 00:34:10,960 --> 00:34:13,560 saying not now, that's not Jesus. 562 00:34:14,760 --> 00:34:20,400 That is Satan trying to keep you from finding the love that 563 00:34:20,400 --> 00:34:24,480 changes everything. That is Satan trying to keep the 564 00:34:24,480 --> 00:34:28,440 story of your life, the pen of your life, out of the hands of 565 00:34:28,440 --> 00:34:32,760 the author of life. And so what's going through your 566 00:34:32,760 --> 00:34:37,440 mind is not now, not yet, maybe later. 567 00:34:38,360 --> 00:34:41,080 That is Satan waging a war over your soul. 568 00:34:42,520 --> 00:34:44,199 And I would encourage you, don't let him win. 569 00:34:46,120 --> 00:34:48,760 Jesus says come to me, all of you who are weary and heavy 570 00:34:48,760 --> 00:34:55,800 laden, and I will give you rest for your souls and a peace that 571 00:34:55,800 --> 00:35:00,080 no one can take from you. If you're here today and you 572 00:35:00,080 --> 00:35:05,280 need that kind of peace, don't put it off to the rest of you in 573 00:35:05,280 --> 00:35:08,400 here. I don't encourage you maybe even 574 00:35:08,400 --> 00:35:10,680 following Jesus for a while, but from time to time you've been 575 00:35:10,680 --> 00:35:13,480 snatching your story back from him. 576 00:35:14,360 --> 00:35:16,840 We got these pens that just say God's way is the best way. 577 00:35:17,520 --> 00:35:19,800 And maybe as we get ready to go through the next series, you 578 00:35:19,800 --> 00:35:21,560 need to just place this somewhere in your house or in 579 00:35:21,560 --> 00:35:26,160 your car to remind you not to take the pen out of his hands, 580 00:35:26,480 --> 00:35:30,520 but to keep it in his hands and see what story he can write. 581 00:35:31,280 --> 00:35:33,120 Crossing family, There's people right now. 582 00:35:33,360 --> 00:35:36,880 There is a spiritual war happening in their minds and I'm 583 00:35:36,880 --> 00:35:38,480 encourage you. Would you get down on your knees 584 00:35:38,480 --> 00:35:42,120 and join me in praying that God would win the war that today 585 00:35:42,120 --> 00:35:45,200 Satan would be silenced and a new chapter in their life would 586 00:35:45,200 --> 00:35:47,480 be written? Would you stand with me, 587 00:35:49,240 --> 00:35:51,720 Heavenly Father? I'm asking you to do a mighty 588 00:35:51,720 --> 00:35:56,560 work, not just in this room and not just online, but at all of 589 00:35:56,560 --> 00:36:00,040 our different locations. God, that you would take ground 590 00:36:00,600 --> 00:36:04,960 in the hearts and the lives and the futures of every person 591 00:36:04,960 --> 00:36:07,880 gathered. God, that this would be a 592 00:36:07,880 --> 00:36:14,640 turning point, a true time of decision, that many years from 593 00:36:14,640 --> 00:36:21,600 now people can trace the change in their story to this moment. 594 00:36:23,000 --> 00:36:27,200 God, I'm asking you to take ground that nobody else can take 595 00:36:27,960 --> 00:36:30,120 to do things that nobody else can do. 596 00:36:30,840 --> 00:36:33,800 So that way you receive all the glory and your name. 597 00:36:33,800 --> 00:36:35,400 I pray. Amen.