Crossing Nation. It is so good to see each and
every single. One of you turn to your
neighbor. Say something nice.
Like you look great today. Oh, good for you.
All right. Turn to your second favorite
neighbor. And tell them what your favorite
color is. What's your favorite color?
All right. Now, say it with me all of our
locations. Help me out and saying what this
color is for those of the people at all of our locations you
might wrestle with being color blind, this balloon is blue.
You nailed it, during this sermon series we were discussing
all kinds of topics. We were talking about the
reliability of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The evidence for a Creator in Genesis 1 through 11 the
reliability. Of the Bible.
We talked about the historical record surrounding the
appearance and life of Jesus Christ.
We explored the philosophical Arguments for the existence of
God and came to. What many of us would say, is
The Logical conclusion, that there must be a god, that is
revealed to us in the Bible. We examined the alternative
World Views that exist around us.
And we put them underneath the microscope and we found them.
One thing if God is real, if Jesus is Alive and If the Bible
is true that has massive implications for how we see
ourselves and how we live our lives.
This sermon series was born out of an Evangelistic heart.
We wanted to give you answers to questions that people, you care
about people who might be atheists, people who might be
Skeptics and give them the necessary information to help
them. Start their faith walk with the
Lord. And I'm I'm asking you to
celebrate with me that during this sermon, series 123 people
have decided to get baptized, isn't that incredible?
And so this sermon series didn't just though come from an
Evangelistic place that also came from a pastoral heart.
I know many people who have a faith that at times need.
Strengthened a faith that at times needs reaffirmed a faith
that at times needs, solidified here at the Crossing. first
talked about this, a bunch Weeks that's for everybody on this
spiritual Spectrum, we are committed to everybody no matter
where they're at, on their spiritual journey, to those who
hate God, don't believe in God. And to those who were around,
when God made the world, where you are here, for all the people
in between, and we are committed to help people discover God.
And we're also committed to help those who are in Christ grow and
their intimate personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
And if over this Sermon series, you missed any of the weeks and
you want to catch up or maybe there's a sermon that you're
going, you know what? My friend needs to hear this.
One of the easiest ways, people ask this sometimes and so here's
the easiest way for you to watch our sermons and when you miss
them or to share a sermon. If you want to give it to
somebody, you go to the cross that go to YouTube, Type in one
crossing, that's the handle, but we're called The Crossing, it'll
look at have our logo and you'll always have all access to all of
the different sermons that we are pushing out.
I want to welcome all of our different locations.
Those of you joining online, those of you who are part of our
inside family, and I want to tell you stay connected this
summer, we know what's about to happen.
Everybody comes to church from Easter until Mother's Day and
then when Mom goes back to her church, everybody starts doing
whatever they want. And we want to tell you that we
believe this summer could be one of the best seasons for your
spiritual growth. In fact, next weekend, we are
going to be giving you something and starting something at our
church. Church.
And then the following weekend, we are going to launch it
everywhere. And if you will go on this,
spiritual journey with us. I believe that.
By the end of the summer, you will be in a place in your
relationship with God that you never thought you would be, but
we can't do that work for you. That's a decision that you have
to make, but we are incredibly excited about it and hope that
will be nourishing to your soul and to your relationships.
But what I want to do is I want to talk to you more about my
blue balloon. Because this sermon series is,
for those of you who are keeping track of cultural issues, this
sermon is for those of you who are paying attention to
politics, this sermon is for those of you who are parents and
you are worried about the world that your kids are experiencing
and you're worried about what they might be learning in
school. This sermon is for those of you
who are teachers, who are concerned about what you might
be asked to teach in the Many years and if your conscience
will allow you to do. So this sermon is for those of
you who are mourning, the direction that our world is
taking this sermon is for those of you who are grandparents and
what an opportunity to be able to connect understand and
possibly correct the worldview of your grandchildren.
This sermon is for those of you who are deeply committed to your
face and you want to leave a spiritual Legacy.
This sermon is for those of you who feel like the target, Of who
you're supposed to be, how you're supposed to live, what
words you're supposed to say keeps moving.
And so you're trying to figure out how are you supposed to
navigate this world? Because it keeps shifting week
after week. Then some of you right now are
thinking, is he going where I think he's going?
No. And there's some of you who are
going, is he going where I think he's going?
And you're really excited about that.
There's some of your going, is he going where I think he's
going and you're incredibly concerned about that.
Well, here's the news. We are going there.
Just not today. In September we are going to
take a deep dive into a sermon series right now.
I'm calling a Hot Topic but you know, for anybody who didn't
shop at that bad store over the top of their head.
So We're going to come up with a better name but we are going to
be taking a meaningful deep caring.
Look at culture wars, we are going to be talking about the
value of Life about gender about sexuality and the Christian
response but that's not today. Today like I told you guys is
about my blue. Balloon, John chapter, 14 had
records. These words, Jesus answered.
I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father, except through me, this is an
exclusive claim. The only way to get to God is
through Jesus, if you really know me that's Jesus, you will
know my father as well from now on, you do know him and have
seen him. Look at the claims, that Jesus
is making right out of the gate. Jesus is saying to know, Jesus
is to know the truth. If you want to know truth, you
must know Jesus. He's making another claim.
If you know the truth, you will know Jesus.
And if, you know Jesus, you will know God.
Pilot who was the Roman governor of Judea was in a conversation
with Jesus? Right before he sentenced Jesus
to death by crucifixion. And Jesus said these words to
him, you say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born
and came into the world is to testify to the truth.
Everyone on the side of Truth. Listens to me, can you be on the
side of Truth? Ruth and not be in a right
relationship with Jesus. Jesus is making a compelling
argument here that if you want to be on the side of what is
true. If you want to be on the side of
what is right, then you get there by listening to Jesus.
Not CNN. Not Fox News, not Twitter, not
Instagram. You don't get there by listening
to the right preacher or attending the right school or
taking the right HR training. You get to the site of Truth, by
listening to Jesus. And the good news is there is no
barrier to you being able to listen to Jesus.
All you need is a willing heart that has been empowered by the
Holy Spirit, which you After you get baptized look at how the
Holy Spirit helps us in our understanding of God, which our
understanding of God is our understanding of Jesus.
And our understanding of Jesus is our understanding of Truth.
Let me show to you first Corinthians chapter 2.
However, as it is written. What no eye has seen?
What? No ear has heard.
And what? No human mind has conceived.
The things God has prepared for those.
Those who love him. Remember God loves everybody.
And God's love for everybody, never changes.
But God has something in store something that you and I can't
fathom something that you and I can understand if we love him
now. Let's keep going.
These things God has revealed to us by his spirit.
Not a four-year degree, not a two-year certificate.
Nope, he revealed these things by his Spirit.
How do we get the Holy Spirit? After we get baptized the spirit
searches all things, even the Deep things of god.
Let's keep going for. Who knows a person's thoughts,
except their own Spirit within them.
Let me explain that one right now, there are thoughts going
through your head. That if the person sitting next
to you heard they wouldn't sit next to you.
In that, in that amazing. We all have friends because they
don't really know us. Because if you've met people
with no filter, like no filter and to think that those people
still have a filter, right? You guys have an opinion on how
I look, you think about it. You have opinion about other
people drive, you have opinions on everything, and some of those
opinions, most of those opinions.
You keep a lockdown. Those of you who are married.
Husbands, you know how to just go.
What? Okay.
So who knows your thoughts? Only you can know your thoughts.
Now, watch this. In the same way.
No one knows the thoughts of God except the spirit of God.
So the spirit of God, understands the thoughts of God.
Now, watch what the spirit of God does keep going.
Whatever we have received is not the spirit of the world but the
spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has
freely given us the spirit of God reveals to you.
And I the mind of God, you cannot understand.
God, without the Holy Spirit, you cannot have the Holy Spirit
unless you're in a right relationship with him.
You don't have a right relationship with him or you
don't begin a right relationship with him until you're beating in
the area of baptism, who is from God, so that we may understand
what God has freely. Lee given us your understanding
of your your place with God is revealed to you by the Holy
Spirit. Now let's keep going.
This is what we speak. Not in art words taught to us by
human wisdom but in words taught by the Holy Spirit, explaining
spiritual realities with Spirit taught words.
Forgiveness is a spirit taught word.
We're able to forgive because God is our model of forgiveness.
Love is a spirit taught word because we love because he first
loved us. Let's keep going.
The person without the spirit does not accept the things that
come from the spirit of God, but considers them foolishness and
cannot understand them because they are discerned only through
the spirit. Some of us are getting in
arguments about spiritual things with somebody who doesn't have
the spirit, which They can't understand spiritual truths
because their minds have not been transformed by the spirit
of God. We are trying to have a cultural
argument with somebody instead of a spiritual conversation.
Once their mind has been made right spiritually then you can
have a discussion about issues of the world.
Some of us are trying to make the world Republican.
Instead of Christians, some of us are trying to make the world
Democrats instead of Christians, and we are having a cultural War
instead of a christ-like. Conversation.
Pilots response to Jesus is truth claim.
Is probably one of the most famous challenges that everybody
has faced at some point in their life.
After Jesus said this, this is what pilot said.
What is truth Jesus says, anybody who is on the side of
Truth listens to me and Pilots response is what is truth?
Well, it's answer that question. What is truth?
Truth can be broken down into three main categories.
Those of you who ever took an ethics class, you probably spend
a little bit of time here. The first one is objective
truth. Objective truth is true, whether
you believe it or not. An objective truth.
Doesn't care about your feelings objective.
Truth, just spits facts. An objective truth.
This. Is a balloon.
Now, there's another category to truth.
This one is called subjective. Truth subjective truth can be
true for you, but is not necessarily true for me.
A subjective truth is something that's true for me, but might
not be true for you. The best balloons are blue
balloons. That's a subjective truth
because I am the subject of the truth.
You can have a favorite balloon and your answer can be true to.
You have objective truth, doesn't care about your
feelings. It weighs its puts its weight on
everybody subjective truth is dependent upon you, the subject
and you can have a truth and I can have a truth.
We can all have truths and these truths And be in conflict with
one another and still be true. I have a favorite color,
balloon, and you have a favorite color balloon.
Everything's fine. Then there is situational
truths. These are true and lots of
areas. But not every area.
A situational truth would be, you should give people balloons.
That's a situational truth. When someone gets married, you
get my balloon. They have a baby.
You give him a balloon. It's their birthday.
Happy birthday. Here's a balloon.
Did you just get a promotion at work balloons?
We should be balloon. Giving people.
However, not every situation should have balloons.
I heard your dad died. I heard you lost your job.
Right. Heard your mother-in-law died.
Okay, here's balloons. Like these there's there's
certain situations and you might be going.
Sometimes Clayton jokes situationally would have been
funny in my car but not during a church service.
That's a situational truth because it was funny.
It was a subjective truth. It was too funny to you.
Or is an objective truth? Clayton's.
Never not funny. Truth claims fall into these
three categories. Now, hear me culture?
Is created. By which truths you put in which
categories. That is how culture is created.
Imagine what happens when a group of people don't like wear
a suit, certain truth claim gets put, or they want to move a
truth claim from one category to another category.
You have more than likely heard people talk about my truth.
Well, my truth is a subjective truth, but we are living in a
world where people are elevating subjective, truths into
objective categories. That what is true for me?
Must be true for you. What is true for me?
You have to live by my truth is law or my truths are becoming
laws and then which group do you allow to make the laws about
their subjective claims to create objective realities?
This is how culture works. And any time people start moving
one, truth claim from one category to another category you
are going to have culture wars Because these, these big issues.
We're cultures created around certain truths living in certain
categories. Now let's get spiritual.
Jesus's Central truth claim that he was pushing forward was not
that he was some great teacher, although he was not that he was
a miracle worker although he was not that he was a Divine Miracle
Worker, although he was Jesus's Central claim was that he was
the son of God sent by the love of God to redeem, the people of
God to creep to bring them to the home of God.
Look what it says in Matthew chapter 16 when Jesus came to
the region of caesarea. Philippi those of you going to
Israel will be there and he asked his disciples.
Who do people say the son of man is Jesus is talking about
himself here. Let's keep going in the text.
They replied some say, John, the Baptist others say Elijah and
still others, say Jeremiah or one of the prophets Jesus here
are all the different ways that people view you.
These are their truth claims. They think you're John the
Baptist. They think you're one of the
prophets. So Jesus keeps going, okay, but
what about you? He asked, who do you say that?
I am and Simon Peter answered. You are the Messiah, the Son of
the Living God. So that's his answer.
Peter says, you are the Messiah. You are the Son of God.
Was he right? Let's find out.
Because the next verse gives us the answer to the test.
Jesus, replied blessed. Are you Simon son of Jonah?
For this was not revealed to you by Flesh and Blood.
Hold on a second. Where was this?
Truth revealed But by my Father in heaven to know, the truth is
to know Jesus to know. Jesus is to know God, you can't
know the truth without knowing god and without knowing Jesus,
Peter recognizes the truth. Jesus reaffirms, the truth,
because God revealed the truth. That, this is who Jesus is now
question. What kind of Truth claim is
this? Is this a situational claim?
Did Jesus come to earth live, a perfect life?
He'll people preach, fantastic messages and down across to
usher in a situational Kingdom. A situational, gospel
situational, Grace situational, hope situational healing.
Was that the thrust of Jesus's message?
Or did Jesus die on a cross? So that we would follow him in
all areas of our life. Presidential candidates were a
year away for a year and a half away from it, being even
stupider than his now. And you'll be hard-pressed to
find a presidential candidate that does not believe in God.
And you'll be hard-pressed to find a candidate.
Who will not say something along these lines.
My faith is A Private Matter. And I will not bring my private
faith into public life. Situationally.
I'm going to allow God to be the god of my heart, but not my
decision, making not my rule and management of the future of our
country. And when they make that claim,
what they do is they satisfy weak-minded religious people who
think that a person who claims to at least know, God is somehow
a perk but then they satisfy everybody who doesn't want a
religious leader to go. Well, at least he's not going to
impose his face. I just have a personal faith.
When I'm at home with my family, I'm going to follow Jesus but
when I'm leading the government, I'm going to do.
Whatever I am not going to bring my faith into it.
Well what's the point in having a faith?
If it's not going to influence the decisions, you make, how you
respond to people, how you love people, how you care for people?
What good is a faith, that doesn't transform.
You doesn't cause you to sacrifice or submit to it.
What? Good is a fake that has no
business in your public life, because Jesus did not preach a
gospel, follow me and tell nobody about it.
It follow me and don't show anybody what it means to be like
me. Now before you guys get all
Republican or Democrat. Listen, we're just here to talk
about my blue balloon. Stay the course now What people
end up doing is they treat God like ketchup.
Ketchup is great. On some things just not
everything ketchup is good on a dog.
It's good on a burger. It's good on scrambled eggs.
Is anybody scrambles their eggs and put some ketchup on it?
Praise God for you, take the weekend off, you don't have to
tie this weekend, God bless you. How many of you?
How many of you get down with some scrub, with some ketchup on
your hash browns? Mashed potatoes?
Isn't that weird hash browns? Yeah fries.
Yeah, mashed potatoes? No.
Yeah. I get it here in that the truth,
though, we'll put, we'll put ketchup on all those things, but
not our corn on, the cob not our Fruit Loops, there's just
certain places where we want ketchup in.
There's some places we don't and while we get frustrated with our
plank, I looking at the world doing the same thing, we do it
all the time in our own life. I want you to be the god of my
prayer life, just not my financial life.
Okay, you guys have to dive. You can be the, you can be the
god of my problems, but you can't be the guy.
God of my sex life. You can't be the god of my
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.
Just the god of my Sunday. Deep down inside many of us
functionally operate and just want a Jesus, whose good
situationally I want to do what I want and when the situation
gets out of hand, I want to call in rescue Jesus.
And so we get frustrated in World culturally who's living
situation Ali when spiritually. We situationally handcuffed
ourselves because when you take God, out of every situation, you
create a mess in every one of those situations because of God
is not the one directing your paths, you are responsible for
the outcome of your paths. Well, maybe Jesus came and he
died on the cross for a subjective truth that it would
just be true for you. And you can have your faith in
Jesus and I can have mine. You can have your faith in Jesus
and I can be a Buddhist. I can follow Islam.
I can be an atheist and we can all live in Perfect Harmony,
because Jesus is good for you. He's It's not good for me.
I just don't know how I feel about it.
And so people are completely okay with you.
Having a subjective Faith with Jesus.
Yeah, you can believe Jesus. I just believe something
different. Well, these two things cannot be
true. Jesus cannot be the way the
truth, the life, the only way to the father and at the same time
there be another way to the father.
You are not believing the same things.
The truth of the claim is based on how you feel about it, is it
true for you? Or is Jesus.
Making an objective truth claim? That I am the Son of God.
Everything that has been created was made by me and for me, and
through me and it doesn't matter what you think about it.
It doesn't matter what you believe about it, because
nothing can change. Who I am your thoughts, your
feelings, your belief doesn't remove me from the throne
because I sit here because of who I am not, because of who you
think I am. In fact you can make up your
mind now or you can kneel later is what it says that there will
come a day where every tongue will declare On Bended Knee.
That Jesus is the Christ, is Jesus making an objective claim
that this is true regardless of how you feel about it.
That you must submit. You must follow, you must obey.
It appears to me. That the statements and John 14,
Jesus is making an objective claim.
So how do people deal with this fundamental question about Jesus
creates culture what category you put Jesus in creates
culture? Well, how does this happen?
and what happens when people have Jesus in different
categories, it creates culture clashes Because culture does
four things at least four things.
First thing culture does, its culture speaks culture
communicates, commute culture tells us what we value and are
the beliefs of a group of people.
It helps you read and understand the people around you, what's
important to them? You can tell what a school
values by where they spend their money on Sports programs or
research facilities. Fast food restaurants, tell you
something about a culture that what people value, they value
mediocre food fast because they're super busy.
No one likes to cook after a long day of work, it tells you
something, but you go to another country and you won't see as
many drive-thrus because that culture values, something
different, SUV's, and minivans, and electric cars, tell us
something about our culture, our holidays speak about what we
value. As people Mother's Day, Father's
Day Veterans, Day, Memorial Day, tell you what?
Eric ins want to esteem culture? Doesn't just speak though,
culture sinks It makes us feel at home.
It gives us a sense of peace that makes you feel safe.
Those of you who've traveled outside of the US, or even for
those of you who travel to another city and things are no
longer on your terms, you're in a different bed, you're dealing
with language barriers, you're dealing with food challenges
Transportation storage, because anybody who's ever traveled
outside the country has a transportation story and you
probably felt out of sync when you were overseas.
Because you were out of your culture.
After a long trip, you get home and you get in your bed, the bed
that you don't care about or all that much anytime, but after
you've been gone for like seven days, you get in your own bed
and you go culture sinks. Do you feel at home?
There are certain areas of your life where you feel at home and
culture. And some of the culture crashes
that are happening is people are moving us.
They're changing our bed. They're changing the thermostat
in the house and your own. This feels out of sync culture,
doesn't just sync, it spreads culture is viral for decades.
You could you can see what was happening on the east coast and
on the west coast and know what would be on our door in the next
ten years. But now, in the age of social
media, what happens out, there is here.
Every presidential campaign begins with the desire for a
culture that spreads a grassroot campaign with enough power that
spreads fast enough to land them in the white house.
It's not just politically though.
We see it in language, in fashion, in music, and in
design, Culture spreads. the most importantly, culture
shapes. We care about what our kids are
exposed to what they're taught in school because we know that
they will eventually be shaped by it.
We know that deep down inside what our kids are exposed to
matters. It shapes us.
So while we have the ability to shape culture, more often than
not culture shapes you and me, husbands, come here.
You didn't know, your house was outdated until culture told your
wife that it was And so you're taking perfectly functioning
cabinets. Countertops sinks faucets and
tile out of a house. Not because they've lost their
youthfulness. But because culturally your wife
has been indoctrinated. And now you are suffering the
consequences. And today we fight now, okay,
okay. This is so imagine how Jesus the
son of God. Savior of the world as a
situational. Truth impacts how the world
would speak and think and value. Think of how they would feel out
of place with a group of people who see, Jesus as the Son of God
as an objective truth. So what are Christians to do?
How are we to respond? What is our path forward?
You see the values, you see, culture shifting around us, what
do we do? And there are some good
Christian people, what they're going to do is they're going to
reject it. We're going to pick a fight,
they're going to get hostile. There's going to be a war, not
on my watch, and there are definite places where Christians
should push back, as often as necessary.
And as long, As necessary, we should be completely against
slavery. Sex trafficking proliferation of
pornography the abuse of the vulnerable cannot and should not
be tolerated or allowed their areas were Christians should
fight back and say no, this will not happen.
There's some Christians, in response to the cultural
challenges, they're going to say, you know what, we're going
to do, we're going to receive it and some of your like nope,
listen to me. Sometimes the best Christian
response to culture is to receive it.
Some would say that, that is exactly what Paul is doing in
1st Corinthians chapter 9. Listen to what the Apostle Paul
says, though, I am free and belong to no one I have made
myself a slave to everyone, why twenties many people as
possible. I took my freedom and I embodied
the culture of a slave to win as many people as possible.
Let's keep going to the Jews. I became like a Jew to win the
Jews to those under the law. I became like one under the law,
though. I myself am not under the law.
So as to win those under the law, let's keep going to those
not having the law. I became like one not having the
law though, I am not free from God's law but I'm under Christ's
law. So as to Windows not having the
law, let's keep going to the week.
I embody the culture of the week to win the week, I have become
all. Things to all people, so that by
all possible means. I might save some Paul saying
I'm going to step into culture. I'm going to be in those places.
And I'm going to do it. To blend in.
And to win the opportunity to have a conversation.
If culture is about lifted trucks, then I'm going to lift
the Toyota Avalon. If culture is all about country
music, then get ready for some foot-stomping worship songs.
If culture is about khakis and polos, then get out the iron
because we're about to pull eat some stuff.
This is not about compromise. This is not about silencing your
beliefs, but building a bridge to express your beliefs to a
culture. You want to win.
Some people say no, the Christian response is to
retreat. We're not going to fight and
we're definitely not going to receive.
We are not going to blend in. We are going to withdraw
completely from culture in an effort to pursue Holiness to
protect their family from the ways of the world.
They're going to pull way back. They might be doing this in
private schools or in homeschooling you might do this
in removing technology pieces and their life and they'll never
be the cool. Hip couple that's up to speed on
the latest binge worthy Netflix show.
All of these approaches have strong biblical arguments, but
they also have devastating potential pitfalls.
To those who reject culture, they may never have the loving
voice, that others need to hear. To those who receive culture,
they may never live out a Full Gospel distinctiveness to those
who retreat? They will struggle to live out
the Great Commission. I think there's a better way.
That we should function as a royal priesthood.
This is what it says in First Peter, but you are a chosen
people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special
possession. That you may declare the Praises
of him who called you out of Darkness into his wonderful
light. Let's keep going.
Once you were not a people but now you are the people of God.
He fashioned. You he bought you.
He brought you in. He made you into who you are.
Once you had Not received Mercy, but now you have received Mercy
in its service to King Jesus. You and I, we become a royal,
priesthood are royalty. We belong to him and then we are
priests. What a priest?
Do priests do. One thing really stinking?
Well, they connect to God to future.
People of God, they live in the tension in between they are
constantly reaching out and grabbing ahold and drinking
deeply from the word of God. And from the spirit of God and
contextualizing it to the people that God is trying to reach
later Paul. Paul says that we are to be
ambassadors for King. Jesus later in this very chapter
Peter calls, us, aliens, and strangers in this world, too
many of us are trying to take back our country.
This world is not ours. This country is not ours.
This is not our kingdom. Our kingdom is in the Heavenly
Realms. It is a spiritual reality, and
nobody can take it from us. We are to be way more concerned
about God's kingdom than our Earthly realities.
But we are to be concerned with taking the Earthly realities and
surrendering them, and using them to draw people in to the
spiritual realities of Christ. While we live in it, We love the
people in it. This is not our home.
This is not our kingdom and what we choose to do as a royal
priesthood is stand in the Gap. Connecting people.
We speak truth but we do it in love, we seek justice but we
understand Mercy, we expect transformation, but we preach
Grace, and when you do this, To those who choose to live in the
tension of being wholly in a stained World, while declaring
the goodness of God, the supremacy of Jesus and the
transformative power of the Holy Spirit to a broken and hurting
world around us, we will take arrows from both sides.
We will be aliens and strangers in this world to the religious
Elites, they will call a soft on Doctrine and the world will call
us old-fashioned to the religious Elites.
We will be called conformists into the world, they'll call us
out of touch. However, it will be in these
very moments where we embrace the royal priesthood where we
stand in the Gap, then we preach.
And we point people to Jesus where we talk about the goodness
of God, and we are continually reaching out to his people.
It is in those moments. Once that you and I just might
be the most, like, Jesus, who was crucified by the religious
Elites and the world that God was trying to reach.
I hope you'll join me in that as we move to this time a decision.
So what do you say to that kind of Jesus?
What kind of Truth claim are you ready to make today?
Some of you you've been living with the situational Jesus with
the situational King. And that God doesn't save.
Some of you've been living with a subjective truth claim when it
comes to Jesus, it's just good for me, but it's not good for my
family, it's not good. For my co-workers, they can keep
believing what they believe but that's not what Jesus believes.
You and I must come to a place. We're willing to make the
objective truth, playing that Jesus is the Christ, the son of
the Living God. And I want him as my Lord and my
savior. The people of God have always
been faced with this challenge, Eve was lured away from God in
the garden, after the rescue of the Israelites and the
Deliverance of those. In the promised land, Joshua
reclaimed to the people. You must trust God, take him at
his word, know the truth, cling to the truth.
And here's Joshua, he looks out at the people who are in the
promised land and he makes this incredible declaration.
Those of you grown up in church, you've heard it your whole life.
See if this sounds situational subjective or objective.
This what he says now, fear the lord and serve him with all
faithfulness, throw away the gods of your ancestors.
That were there were worshipped beyond the Euphrates river and
in Egypt and serve the Lord. But if serving the lord seems
undesirable to you then choose for yourselves this day whom you
will serve whether the god of your ancestors who serve beyond
the MRI or Euphrates or the gods of the amorites in whose land
you are now living. But as for me, And my house.
We will serve the Lord. And the future of your family.
And the future of your life. And the future of the culture,
wars that lie ahead and the future of your salvation.
Lays at the answer to that question, who will you serve?
If you were here today? And King Jesus is not your king.
Don't put it off. You can start an intimate
personal relationship with him today.
And just a few moments of people around, you're going to stand
and begin singing. And some people are going to
come up to the steps and start praying and you can go right
over to the baptistry and you can spend some time talking with
somebody about how to begin that relationship to the rest of you
in here. The Christians.
What culture works coming? But the only way we're going to
solve these issues if with a heart with a spirit with a mind
with a mouth with behavior that has been surrendered and
purified through the lordship of Jesus Christ.
Would you join me in that mission?
Would you stand with me? Heavenly father.
Thank you for today. Thank you for this church.
I love him so much and got a I can't even fathom how much you
love them. And God I pray that you would do
a work and every single person, whether here in this room or
watching online to draw them closer to you, you know, my
pray. Amen.