1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:02,200 It's wonderful to be with all of you. 2 00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:06,100 Today, we have a wonderful crowd and we appreciate you for being 3 00:00:06,100 --> 00:00:08,100 here. We have visitors from other 4 00:00:08,100 --> 00:00:12,200 places, other congregations and even perhaps from the community 5 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:14,800 and we want to say, welcome and we're so glad you're here. 6 00:00:16,300 --> 00:00:21,500 The last time that I spoke, I announced that on that day I had 7 00:00:21,500 --> 00:00:23,600 planned to start a series on the 7. 8 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:28,900 I am statements, of Jesus, as found in the Gospel of John and 9 00:00:28,900 --> 00:00:30,200 on that particular. Day. 10 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:33,200 We had 36 folks that were missing because of covid. 11 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:36,000 So I thought I would hold off until the next time that I 12 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:38,400 taught and everybody would be back and I'll start this series 13 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:42,800 and I do that today on the seven, I am statements of Jesus 14 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:45,800 and the first one that we want to notice is I am the light of 15 00:00:45,808 --> 00:00:48,600 the world. Now this is not the first one 16 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:51,500 that Jesus actually said. In fact, I believe the first one 17 00:00:51,500 --> 00:00:54,700 is when Jesus said I am the bread of life. 18 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:59,900 So I'll just say this in advance, I'm not sure the order 19 00:00:59,900 --> 00:01:03,200 that I will take these and I may not talk on all seven. 20 00:01:03,500 --> 00:01:06,400 But at this point in time I am actually planning on doing so. 21 00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:10,300 But today, I want to talk about the one that we all know, the 22 00:01:10,308 --> 00:01:14,700 one that is very familiar to us. The one that said, I am the 23 00:01:14,700 --> 00:01:21,700 light of the world in John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again 24 00:01:21,700 --> 00:01:25,700 saying I am the light of the world he who follows me shall 25 00:01:25,700 --> 00:01:30,000 not walk in darkness, but have the light of life just to kind 26 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:34,200 of set this up just before Jesus made this statement, this great 27 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:37,600 statement. You remember that Jesus was 28 00:01:37,900 --> 00:01:41,700 standing there or kneeling there, we don't know exactly as 29 00:01:41,900 --> 00:01:46,500 it All Began but the Bible says the scribes and Pharisees took a 30 00:01:46,500 --> 00:01:49,500 woman to him that was caught in the very Act of adultery. 31 00:01:49,500 --> 00:01:51,900 I'm not Go into that story in great detail. 32 00:01:52,100 --> 00:01:54,000 Want to make a couple of points because this happened right 33 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:55,900 before. Jesus said, I am the light of 34 00:01:55,908 --> 00:01:58,800 the world. And they brought a woman to him. 35 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:01,400 And says, what are you gonna do about this woman? 36 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:05,700 They said, in our law, it states that caught in the act of 37 00:02:05,700 --> 00:02:07,400 adultery. She was an adulterous, she 38 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:10,300 should be stoned to death. What are you going to do about 39 00:02:10,300 --> 00:02:13,400 it? Jesus, and Jesus, knelt down and 40 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:16,400 I don't know what he wrote nobody does, but he took his 41 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:20,300 finger and he wrote something in the dirt and then he said, let 42 00:02:20,300 --> 00:02:23,900 him who is without sin cast the first stone. 43 00:02:25,100 --> 00:02:27,800 Now, the reason I bring that up is because sometimes people, 44 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:31,100 often times people use that statement in a general sense. 45 00:02:31,100 --> 00:02:34,700 In other words, everybody sins everybody makes mistakes. 46 00:02:34,700 --> 00:02:37,700 So after all, don't worry about this person or that person 47 00:02:37,700 --> 00:02:40,700 because, you know, he who is without sin, Let Him cast the 48 00:02:40,700 --> 00:02:44,000 first stone. But that's not the context, it's 49 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,000 found in the original. That's not what Jesus meant the 50 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:49,900 context in the original language, literally Stakes. 51 00:02:50,300 --> 00:02:55,400 Let him who is without this sin cast. 52 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:58,800 The first stone I made that point because I want to make 53 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:01,100 another one. Isn't it true? 54 00:03:01,100 --> 00:03:04,000 That it's kind of fitting aren't sometimes. 55 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:06,900 We in that category. We fall under that category, we 56 00:03:06,900 --> 00:03:10,800 fall under that idea that sometimes were the most critical 57 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:14,900 and the hardest on people who are guilty of the very same 58 00:03:14,900 --> 00:03:19,900 things that were guilty of It's kind of like you can't handle 59 00:03:19,900 --> 00:03:23,500 your own guilt. The guilt is overwhelming 60 00:03:24,100 --> 00:03:27,200 because of something that you're struggling with a sin that 61 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:31,000 you're struggling with. So you become extra harsh, and 62 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:34,800 extra critical on someone else, that's guilty of the very same 63 00:03:35,100 --> 00:03:37,300 things. That is true. 64 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:40,200 All right. Well, at some point after this, 65 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:45,700 Jesus gave this, I am statement. He said, I am the light of the 66 00:03:45,700 --> 00:03:50,200 world, now, going back to that. Phrase I am we must go back to 67 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:52,200 the Old Testament for just a moment. 68 00:03:52,700 --> 00:03:58,000 And remember when God said I am, when God said that in Exodus 69 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:02,800 chapter 3, it was a very pivotal point in Redemptive history. 70 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:08,000 You remember that Moses was to be the deliverer and Moses was 71 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:10,200 to be the one to deliver the children of Israel. 72 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:12,500 Out of Egyptian bondage. And you remember what Moses? 73 00:04:12,500 --> 00:04:15,800 But Moses said when God instructs him and tells him what 74 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:19,200 he's going to do. Moses says to Things number one. 75 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:21,500 He says, who am I? That I should go to Pharaoh. 76 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:24,900 That's number one. But number two, he said, when I 77 00:04:24,907 --> 00:04:29,400 go to your people and I say to them the god of our fathers has 78 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:33,800 brought me to you when they say, what is his name what am I going 79 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:35,800 to say? And this is what God said in 80 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:41,000 response. And God said to Moses, I am who 81 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:45,100 I am and he said thus you shall say to the children of Israel. 82 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:48,500 I am has sent me. To you. 83 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:54,400 I am is his name. and it making that statement, God discloses, 84 00:04:54,400 --> 00:05:00,000 who he is, and what he's like, what is God like, He is eternal. 85 00:05:00,700 --> 00:05:04,900 He is unchanging. He is self-existent, he's 86 00:05:04,900 --> 00:05:07,900 infinite. He's glorious in every way and 87 00:05:07,900 --> 00:05:10,100 above and beyond all created things. 88 00:05:10,100 --> 00:05:15,100 Yes, he is. God, all right, we understand 89 00:05:15,100 --> 00:05:20,200 that they understood that. But what about when Jesus uses 90 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:23,300 that term? What about when Jesus applies 91 00:05:23,300 --> 00:05:27,100 the statement or the name, I am to himself. 92 00:05:27,100 --> 00:05:32,000 What is he saying? In John chapter 8 and verse 56. 93 00:05:32,700 --> 00:05:37,300 Jesus says your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day and he 94 00:05:37,300 --> 00:05:43,000 saw it and was glad They said this in response in verse 57. 95 00:05:43,300 --> 00:05:47,400 Wait a minute. You're not even 50 years old and 96 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:51,800 you're saying, you've seen Abraham and then Jesus says, 97 00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:57,100 before Abraham was I am I got to tell you, I don't know how many 98 00:05:57,100 --> 00:06:00,600 times in my lifetime I've referred to this passage to 99 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:03,100 prove that Jesus has always existed. 100 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:06,700 That Jesus was not a created being that he has always 101 00:06:06,700 --> 00:06:09,700 existed. And that is 100% true. 102 00:06:10,300 --> 00:06:15,000 But when Jesus says before Abraham was, I am, it means more 103 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:18,300 than just always existed. What does it mean? 104 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:21,900 It actually means he's Divine. He's saying, I am Eternal. 105 00:06:22,100 --> 00:06:25,900 I am pre-existed. I am infinite, I am perfect. 106 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:29,900 He's saying the words. I am God. 107 00:06:31,500 --> 00:06:35,000 Now, I want to make a point to you about the godhead, sometimes 108 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:39,800 people have a hard time grasping the concept of how God says he 109 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:42,800 is God. And Jesus says, he is God. 110 00:06:43,300 --> 00:06:46,600 And also grasping the concept. When the Bible says, there's 111 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:48,900 three that bear record in heaven, and we know who they 112 00:06:48,900 --> 00:06:51,100 are. There is God, the Father God, 113 00:06:51,100 --> 00:06:54,800 the son, and God, the Holy Spirit, and sometimes people say 114 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:58,500 what it is, it's one great big being in three parks. 115 00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:05,000 No, it's three separate percentages working together as 116 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:09,900 13 in the godhead. They would have understood 117 00:07:09,900 --> 00:07:13,000 though. When Jesus says I am, they knew 118 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:16,900 he was saying, I am God, he's saying I'm greater than Moses 119 00:07:16,900 --> 00:07:21,300 because I'm the god of Moses. I have life in myself and I give 120 00:07:21,300 --> 00:07:24,300 life to others. And the Jews knew that they were 121 00:07:24,500 --> 00:07:28,300 he was making such a claim and that's why in John, chapter 8 122 00:07:28,300 --> 00:07:32,800 and verse 59, it says they immediately took up stones to 123 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:37,600 kill him. So the seven I am statements and 124 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:41,100 John May best be understood as falling under and echoing. 125 00:07:41,100 --> 00:07:44,700 This ultimate claim that God or that Jesus Christ. 126 00:07:44,700 --> 00:07:48,400 Is also the god of Israel. I am the light of the world, 127 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:52,000 they knew exactly what he meant. All right? 128 00:07:52,900 --> 00:07:57,300 So to understand all of this, I know that we're very familiar 129 00:07:57,300 --> 00:08:01,200 with the statement. I am the light of the world but 130 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:04,900 maybe we might be a little unfamiliar and how it was that 131 00:08:04,900 --> 00:08:09,000 it was received by those religious leaders. 132 00:08:10,300 --> 00:08:12,300 In doing. So let's talk about the 133 00:08:12,300 --> 00:08:14,600 location. Let's go back to what happened 134 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:18,400 that the specific setting where Jesus spoke these words. 135 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:23,700 And what we do is we go to John chapter 8 and verse 20, these 136 00:08:23,700 --> 00:08:26,700 words Jesus spoke in the treasury. 137 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:30,100 Now, this sets up everything because Jesus doesn't just speak 138 00:08:30,100 --> 00:08:33,299 these words, just out of thin air, or out of nowhere. 139 00:08:33,299 --> 00:08:36,700 He's capturing the moment. I love that about. 140 00:08:37,700 --> 00:08:41,100 The preaching of Jesus. He's unlike us, he can go to a 141 00:08:41,100 --> 00:08:42,900 setting. He could cease things. 142 00:08:42,900 --> 00:08:46,600 He can notice the people that are there and preach the perfect 143 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:49,200 sermon. There were people in the 144 00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:52,300 treasury. Now the treasury is the part of 145 00:08:52,300 --> 00:08:55,300 the temple that's found in one of the courtyards called the 146 00:08:55,300 --> 00:08:58,800 court of the women. And in this, when people would 147 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:01,200 come to the temple, they would give money. 148 00:09:01,300 --> 00:09:07,200 And there were 13 receptacles in the treasury area in the court 149 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:11,200 of the women. Now, they were open historians. 150 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:14,700 Say they were a big opening at the top they funneled down into 151 00:09:14,700 --> 00:09:17,900 a narrow opening and people would go to the treasury area. 152 00:09:18,300 --> 00:09:21,600 And they would drop their money down into that receptacle and it 153 00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:24,300 would go into a particular container. 154 00:09:24,400 --> 00:09:26,400 That's how people gave in the treasury. 155 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:30,000 So we're talking about in the courtyard of the court of the 156 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:33,200 women. Fowler says this, there was a 157 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:36,700 system of Courtyards that surrounded, the temple facing, 158 00:09:36,700 --> 00:09:40,700 the sanctuary, and facing the court of the priest or the one, 159 00:09:40,700 --> 00:09:43,300 we always refer to, as the outer Court. 160 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:47,800 Beyond that, there was the court of men. 161 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:53,400 Beyond that was the court of the women and beyond that was the 162 00:09:53,408 --> 00:09:55,900 court of the Gentiles. Now, you know, what's 163 00:09:55,900 --> 00:09:59,700 interesting about the court of the Gentiles, people would go 164 00:09:59,700 --> 00:10:03,000 there and actually, I've read historians say this, there were 165 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:07,400 Merchants there, and basically, those Merchants were there so 166 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:09,600 people can do their religious shopping. 167 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:13,800 Why would they do that? If they were coming for an 168 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:16,700 animal sacrifice, so they needed an animal for the sacrifice. 169 00:10:16,700 --> 00:10:19,000 It was purchased in the court of the Gentiles. 170 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:23,700 Also, something else there were money changers there because 171 00:10:23,700 --> 00:10:25,500 people that came from everywhere. 172 00:10:25,700 --> 00:10:27,900 They couldn't take foreign currency and put it in the 173 00:10:27,900 --> 00:10:29,700 treasury. So there had to be money 174 00:10:29,700 --> 00:10:32,700 changers to exchange that currency and have it in the 175 00:10:32,700 --> 00:10:36,000 proper denominations. Therefore, they could put it in 176 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:39,800 the treasury that was in the court of the Gentiles. 177 00:10:40,500 --> 00:10:43,600 But what we're talking about is we're talking about the Court of 178 00:10:43,800 --> 00:10:46,700 the women. It was a place also where the 179 00:10:46,700 --> 00:10:50,000 Widow was there that Jesus remarked and you remember that? 180 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:55,200 She gave her last two coins and Jesus said, when she gave two 181 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:59,100 mites, that what she gave was greater than all the others 182 00:10:59,100 --> 00:11:02,100 combined because they gave out of their abundance. 183 00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:05,700 But she gave out of her necessity that was in the court 184 00:11:05,700 --> 00:11:07,900 of women that was in the treasury. 185 00:11:08,100 --> 00:11:10,600 That's where Jesus is standing right now. 186 00:11:10,600 --> 00:11:13,500 Okay, historians. Tell us all. 187 00:11:13,500 --> 00:11:18,600 So there would have been tens of thousands of people right there 188 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:20,800 in that courtyard during this time. 189 00:11:21,900 --> 00:11:27,600 I tried to wrap my mind around tens of thousands of people and 190 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:30,100 the reason they were there was they were there for the Feast of 191 00:11:30,100 --> 00:11:32,100 the Tabernacles. And by the way, we'll get back 192 00:11:32,100 --> 00:11:34,200 to Feast of the Tabernacles and just a moment. 193 00:11:34,700 --> 00:11:36,100 I don't know how what it looked like. 194 00:11:36,400 --> 00:11:41,100 I'm just saying this it was a jam packed audience of people. 195 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:45,200 I don't know how many were there historians say tens of thousands 196 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:49,500 but there's a ton of people. He's got this enormous audience 197 00:11:49,900 --> 00:11:52,700 and Jesus is going to preach. This sermon. 198 00:11:53,300 --> 00:11:58,100 So here's where they were in the treasury that Jesus is going to 199 00:11:58,100 --> 00:12:00,500 say these works. All right, here we go. 200 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:05,200 In John chapter 8, and verse 12. At some point in time after he 201 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:09,300 had dealt with that situation with the adulterous woman in 202 00:12:09,300 --> 00:12:13,300 John 8 and verse 12. Then Jesus spoke to them again 203 00:12:13,300 --> 00:12:17,300 saying I am the light of the world. 204 00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:21,800 You know, Jesus never said, I am a light in the world. 205 00:12:23,500 --> 00:12:27,900 He said, I am the light. In the world. 206 00:12:29,100 --> 00:12:33,200 You know, a rabbi could have said a light in the world. 207 00:12:34,300 --> 00:12:36,700 And somebody that leads, somebody out of Darkness. 208 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:41,000 Also, you as a child of God, you as a Christian, you know what 209 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:44,800 you are? You are a light in the world. 210 00:12:45,700 --> 00:12:51,900 In fact, Jesus calls us salt of the earth and lights of the 211 00:12:51,900 --> 00:12:54,600 world. Here's the difference. 212 00:12:55,100 --> 00:13:01,400 The True Light is Jesus, not us. We are luminaries broadcasting 213 00:13:01,400 --> 00:13:04,000 the Light of Christ to the world so they could see their way out 214 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:06,400 of Darkness. That's the difference. 215 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:09,500 We don't make the statement that we are the light. 216 00:13:09,500 --> 00:13:13,900 Only Jesus can do that. Jesus said, I am the light of 217 00:13:14,100 --> 00:13:18,500 the world and the amazing thing is this they knew exactly what 218 00:13:18,500 --> 00:13:23,000 he meant. When he said I am, he saying I 219 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:25,800 am God and they got that and infuriated them they wanted to 220 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:27,300 Stone him to death. Okay? 221 00:13:27,500 --> 00:13:29,700 Number two, he says the light of the world. 222 00:13:29,700 --> 00:13:35,200 You know what he's saying? I'm the Messiah I am God and I 223 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:38,900 am the Messiah. And that's what that means, 224 00:13:38,900 --> 00:13:42,700 those two things and they hated him for it, those, that rejected 225 00:13:42,700 --> 00:13:46,700 him. He is the Messiah, he is the 226 00:13:46,700 --> 00:13:49,100 true light. And, you know, they would have 227 00:13:49,100 --> 00:13:52,800 understood about the Messianic promises about Jesus Christ and 228 00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:55,000 about the Messiah and incidentally, as a side note 229 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:57,700 here, they believe that there would be a messiah. 230 00:13:57,700 --> 00:13:59,500 They just rejected the one that got. 231 00:14:00,300 --> 00:14:04,800 They rejected the one that God sent, they rejected Jesus, but 232 00:14:04,800 --> 00:14:07,200 they believed in a messiah. How did they do that? 233 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:10,400 How do I know that? Isaiah chapter 42 and verse 1? 234 00:14:11,300 --> 00:14:16,600 Behold my servant whom I uphold my elect one in whom, my soul 235 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:20,300 Delights. I have put my spirit upon Him. 236 00:14:20,500 --> 00:14:23,900 He will bring forth Justice to the Gentiles. 237 00:14:24,100 --> 00:14:27,800 That is the prophetic account in the book of Isaiah about the 238 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:31,800 Messiah that specific passage is fulfilled and in the New 239 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:34,300 Testament. In Matthew chapter 12 and verse 240 00:14:34,300 --> 00:14:40,500 18 behold my servant whom I have chosen my beloved in whom my 241 00:14:40,500 --> 00:14:42,400 soul. Soul is well pleased. 242 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:46,900 I will put my spirit upon Him and He will declare Justice to 243 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:49,600 the Gentiles. Incidentally, who are the 244 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:52,200 Gentiles? What is meant by Gentiles 245 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:55,300 plural? The world. 246 00:14:57,100 --> 00:15:00,500 That's what Jesus was claiming. He's the Fulfillment of what 247 00:15:00,500 --> 00:15:03,000 they already knew and always have known. 248 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:08,800 Interestingly though, you know, Isaiah calls him, the servant a 249 00:15:08,800 --> 00:15:15,500 servant Jesus refers to him also as a servant, in Matthew, 20, 250 00:15:15,500 --> 00:15:20,400 and 28, just as the son of, man, did not come to be served, but 251 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:25,100 to serve and to give life a give his life a ransom for many. 252 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:29,600 This passage here is the prophetic fulfillment. 253 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:32,900 That Jesus would be a servant. He would die for the sins of the 254 00:15:32,900 --> 00:15:37,900 world as The Messiah, but also he wouldn't be empowered by the 255 00:15:37,900 --> 00:15:41,900 Holy Spirit. You know, I don't really 256 00:15:41,900 --> 00:15:47,000 understand everything. It means when we've made the 257 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:50,500 statement over our lifetimes over and over again, that Jesus 258 00:15:50,500 --> 00:15:53,900 had the Holy Spirit without measure. 259 00:15:55,100 --> 00:15:57,800 Now, the apostles had the miraculous measure of the Holy 260 00:15:57,800 --> 00:16:00,300 Spirit, but they had it within measure. 261 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:04,500 Jesus had it without measure our Messiah. 262 00:16:04,500 --> 00:16:07,000 When he came to this Earth was going to be a servant and died 263 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:09,600 for the sins of the world, but he had his Spirit, he had the 264 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:13,000 spirit, the holy spirit of God without measure. 265 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:19,600 He was empowered by such to do what to be a light to the world. 266 00:16:19,700 --> 00:16:24,000 Isaiah chapter, 42, and verse 5. The says God, the Lord who 267 00:16:24,008 --> 00:16:27,900 created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread 268 00:16:27,900 --> 00:16:31,700 forth the Earth and that which comes from it, who gives breath 269 00:16:31,700 --> 00:16:36,500 to the people on it and spirit to those who walk on it. 270 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:41,800 I the Lord have called you into righteousness and will hold your 271 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:44,400 hand. I will keep you and give you as 272 00:16:44,400 --> 00:16:49,400 a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles. 273 00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:52,000 Again, the light of the world eyes. 274 00:16:52,100 --> 00:16:56,300 Isaiah, 42 and verse 8. I am the Lord, that is my name 275 00:16:56,900 --> 00:16:59,600 and my glory. I will not give to another nor 276 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:04,500 my praise to carved images. So the Messiah would be a light 277 00:17:04,500 --> 00:17:07,200 plural to the nation's, or to the world. 278 00:17:07,200 --> 00:17:11,000 He would be the Messiah. One more passage Isaiah, 49 and 279 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:14,900 6. Indeed, he says it's too small a 280 00:17:14,900 --> 00:17:18,400 thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes 281 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:22,800 of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel, I will 282 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:27,200 also give you as a light to the Gentiles that you should be my 283 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:30,000 salvation to the ends of the Earth. 284 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:33,800 And by the way, the very next verse says, this, In the King 285 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:35,800 James version, Isaiah 49 and seven. 286 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:40,800 It says the Redeemer of Israel and His holy one. 287 00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:48,900 So, He's God, I am. He's infinite, he's unchanging. 288 00:17:49,300 --> 00:17:52,800 He has always existed. He will continue to always 289 00:17:52,800 --> 00:17:55,200 exist. He is all of that. 290 00:17:56,600 --> 00:18:01,800 What else though, when he was on the earth, and before his 291 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:06,200 sacrifice, when Jesus came to be the servant, to be sacrificed 292 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:10,200 for the people, he became Our Savior. 293 00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:15,900 Jesus Is Our Savior now, but he's not a servant. 294 00:18:16,100 --> 00:18:18,300 Anymore. He was a servant while he was on 295 00:18:18,300 --> 00:18:21,200 the earth. Now, he is the king and we honor 296 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:24,700 him, and we serve him. He is our Shepherd, and we are 297 00:18:24,700 --> 00:18:28,400 the sheep and we follow him. That's what Jesus is. 298 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:36,500 But Jesus Is Only Our Savior while the life still exists in 299 00:18:36,500 --> 00:18:41,000 Us in the world. Because on that last day, when 300 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:44,400 God puts an end to all of it, he no longer will be the savior. 301 00:18:45,500 --> 00:18:48,800 He will be the judge. So that's why Christians. 302 00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:50,700 That's why we serve him as our King. 303 00:18:50,700 --> 00:18:53,800 Now, we have obeyed. The gospel he died for our sins, 304 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:56,300 but he's not the servant anymore. 305 00:18:56,300 --> 00:18:59,800 He's the king and we honor him. So, let's talk about light, for 306 00:18:59,800 --> 00:19:04,900 example, like is a magnificent metaphor and it's the active 307 00:19:04,900 --> 00:19:09,700 power that dispels Darkness. So, let's notice Jesus is the 308 00:19:09,700 --> 00:19:13,000 light of Truth. That dispels, the darkness of 309 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:16,100 falsehood. He is the light of wisdom that 310 00:19:16,100 --> 00:19:18,600 dispels the darkness of ignorance. 311 00:19:19,100 --> 00:19:21,800 He's the light of Holiness that dispels the darkness of 312 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:26,000 impurity, he is the light of joy that dispels the darkness of 313 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:28,700 Sorrow. He is the light of life that 314 00:19:28,700 --> 00:19:35,700 dispels the darkness of death. That is a wonderful picture of 315 00:19:35,700 --> 00:19:40,400 Jesus, and he has the name, I am, I am the light of the world 316 00:19:40,400 --> 00:19:44,200 claiming to be God. And also the Messiah, Psalm 27 317 00:19:44,200 --> 00:19:47,500 and verse 1. The Lord is my light and my 318 00:19:47,500 --> 00:19:52,300 salvation first John chapter 1 and verse 5, God is light and in 319 00:19:52,300 --> 00:19:58,000 him is no Darkness at all, okay? So they understood that They 320 00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:00,400 understood what he meant. My question is this? 321 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:04,900 When he calls himself the light of the world. 322 00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:12,900 Why here, why now? Not out of the blue. 323 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:17,000 I think he was seizing the moment. 324 00:20:17,900 --> 00:20:21,300 I think he was capitalizing on the moment. 325 00:20:21,900 --> 00:20:24,800 What do I mean by that? You know, Jesus had done that 326 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:26,700 many times. Like for example, can't you just 327 00:20:26,700 --> 00:20:30,600 picture in your mind's eye? When Jesus is preaching and all 328 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:34,000 of a sudden he gives the parable of the sower, maybe he looked 329 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:38,000 over there and saw a cornfield and said, behold A sower goes 330 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:41,900 forth to sow and then he says and he talks about the various 331 00:20:41,900 --> 00:20:45,000 kinds of soil, they could look exactly to that place and know 332 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:47,400 exactly what he meant. What was he doing? 333 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:51,300 Seizing the opportunity. He was capturing the moment like 334 00:20:51,300 --> 00:20:55,300 he did so many times and that's exactly what he's doing right 335 00:20:55,300 --> 00:20:57,200 now. I said we get back to this. 336 00:20:57,200 --> 00:21:00,500 Here we go. The time was the Feast of the 337 00:21:00,500 --> 00:21:05,300 Tabernacles, that was the ritual feasts that happen back under 338 00:21:05,300 --> 00:21:09,900 the law of Moses and what they did and at the Feast of the 339 00:21:09,908 --> 00:21:12,900 Tabernacles began. And by the way, I don't know 340 00:21:12,900 --> 00:21:14,800 what it looked like. So this picture that I'm going 341 00:21:14,800 --> 00:21:17,600 to show you for what it's worth, just gives you an idea. 342 00:21:17,700 --> 00:21:21,500 Idea of the descriptive historians words about it. 343 00:21:21,500 --> 00:21:24,700 I don't know what it looked like, but there were candelabras 344 00:21:24,700 --> 00:21:26,600 that were placed throughout the court. 345 00:21:27,500 --> 00:21:30,700 And what they would do is they would like them and they would 346 00:21:30,700 --> 00:21:33,900 burn all night long. In fact, historians say, they 347 00:21:33,900 --> 00:21:37,400 literally filled the court of women with the capability of 348 00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:41,300 light every night. They would go around and like 349 00:21:41,300 --> 00:21:44,200 these large candles. In fact, it was also called by 350 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:46,900 the Jews. The illumination of the temple 351 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:49,800 and Reason they did this was because the Feast of the 352 00:21:49,800 --> 00:21:54,400 Tabernacles was a celebration of the 40 years that the children 353 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:56,800 of Israel were in the wilderness. 354 00:21:57,200 --> 00:22:02,800 How were they LED? By light, they were led by light 355 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:07,200 a pillar of fire, and also a lighted Cloud. 356 00:22:07,500 --> 00:22:08,900 That's how they knew where to go. 357 00:22:08,900 --> 00:22:10,700 That's how they were Guided by God. 358 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:15,300 So, the Feast of the Tabernacles, it was a particular 359 00:22:15,300 --> 00:22:18,500 celebration of that time. So, how did they do it? 360 00:22:18,500 --> 00:22:22,200 They would put these candelabras up and they would like them and 361 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:26,700 they would burn and it would give light Illuminating Light in 362 00:22:26,700 --> 00:22:29,100 the area. There's some interesting 363 00:22:29,100 --> 00:22:32,900 descriptions by historians listen to this ancient 364 00:22:32,900 --> 00:22:37,200 historians who described it as a stunning Vision, described it as 365 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:40,300 a diamond in the midst of the city of Jerusalem. 366 00:22:40,800 --> 00:22:43,900 Another said it was like floodlights coming across its 367 00:22:43,900 --> 00:22:47,200 perimeter walls. Another said, every night they 368 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:50,400 were lit and the temple became a flashing Diamond. 369 00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:54,000 A symbol of the pillar of the fiery light and Cloud that led 370 00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:58,900 them in the wilderness and some even said, That they could be 371 00:22:58,900 --> 00:23:03,900 heard by quoting the words of Isaiah 42 and 6 and Isaiah 49 + 372 00:23:03,900 --> 00:23:08,500 6, which says I will be a light to the Gentiles. 373 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:12,600 All right. I can just picture Jesus 374 00:23:13,100 --> 00:23:17,500 standing there. I don't know, maybe at the time 375 00:23:17,500 --> 00:23:22,700 that they were lighting. Those candelabras. and maybe he 376 00:23:22,700 --> 00:23:27,100 said, he saw him lighting and he says, oh, I'm the light of the 377 00:23:27,100 --> 00:23:31,100 world. Or maybe it's even better. 378 00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:36,300 Maybe he was there earlier when they were lighting them, but 379 00:23:36,300 --> 00:23:39,300 maybe now they've gone out, maybe they're extinguished. 380 00:23:40,900 --> 00:23:45,000 And maybe Jesus looks at one of those extinguished candelabras 381 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:51,400 and says, I am the light of the world and I never go out. 382 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:56,800 And if you follow me, you will have the light of life. 383 00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:01,300 Maybe that was the setting. Maybe that's what how it was. 384 00:24:01,300 --> 00:24:05,200 When Jesus said those words, I am the light of the world and I 385 00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:08,200 don't go out. If you follow me, the light will 386 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:11,000 never go out. You will never walk in darkness, 387 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:12,600 but you will have the light of life. 388 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:17,600 It's truly a profound moment. So what does it mean to follow 389 00:24:17,700 --> 00:24:19,500 me? What did Jesus mean by that? 390 00:24:19,500 --> 00:24:24,500 I got to tell you there's folks in the world to have All manner 391 00:24:24,500 --> 00:24:26,800 of ideas of what it means to follow. 392 00:24:26,800 --> 00:24:30,700 Jesus. I'm going to do something 393 00:24:30,700 --> 00:24:32,100 though. I've never really done this. 394 00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:35,900 I'm going to just look at the word and its ancient usage. 395 00:24:36,900 --> 00:24:41,300 The word follow. The same word that Jesus used. 396 00:24:41,600 --> 00:24:44,300 Let's look at the ancient usage of this word. 397 00:24:45,300 --> 00:24:51,100 It's used as a soldier follows a commander, it's used as a slave 398 00:24:51,100 --> 00:24:55,800 follows his master, it's used as a sinner turns to follow the 399 00:24:55,800 --> 00:24:58,600 law. It's used as a student follows, 400 00:24:58,600 --> 00:25:02,800 a teacher to be a follower of Jesus means to give your life 401 00:25:02,800 --> 00:25:05,900 totally to him. That's what it means to follow 402 00:25:06,200 --> 00:25:14,400 Jesus. you know, the antagonism when Jesus said this arises 403 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:20,900 immediately, He says I am the light of the world, I'm God. 404 00:25:22,100 --> 00:25:25,700 And I'm the Messiah. I'm the Fulfillment of all the 405 00:25:25,700 --> 00:25:27,600 prophetic accounts about the Messiah. 406 00:25:27,600 --> 00:25:30,600 That's me. I'm the light of the world, not 407 00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:33,600 just a light in the world. I am the light of the world and 408 00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:36,000 I never go out. And you know, what they said, 409 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:39,500 look at what they said in response to this the Pharisees 410 00:25:39,500 --> 00:25:42,600 therefore said to him, you bear witness of yourself. 411 00:25:42,700 --> 00:25:46,400 Your witness is not true. Interesting. 412 00:25:47,400 --> 00:25:49,600 You know what they were referring to, they were 413 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:52,900 referring to their law. That states, you can't make an 414 00:25:52,900 --> 00:25:56,300 assertion, you can't make a statement and you can't make a 415 00:25:56,300 --> 00:25:59,400 claim. If it could not be substantiated 416 00:25:59,500 --> 00:26:02,600 by two witnesses. At least that's what they're 417 00:26:02,600 --> 00:26:03,900 saying. Wait a minute. 418 00:26:03,900 --> 00:26:06,100 You say that you're God, you say that you're the Messiah. 419 00:26:06,100 --> 00:26:08,900 No, we're not going to believe that because you bear witness of 420 00:26:08,900 --> 00:26:14,000 yourself and you can't do that. Your witness is not true because 421 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:18,600 no one else can confirm it. Had to be confirmed by at least 422 00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:21,800 two witnesses. Notice the Lord's response 423 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:24,700 though in John chapter 8, 14 through 18. 424 00:26:24,700 --> 00:26:29,700 Listen to this. Jesus answered and said to them. 425 00:26:30,900 --> 00:26:34,500 Even if I bear witness of myself, my witness is true. 426 00:26:35,100 --> 00:26:39,200 For I know where I came and where I am going but you do not 427 00:26:39,200 --> 00:26:41,600 know where I come from or where I'm going. 428 00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:44,200 You judge according to the flesh. 429 00:26:44,300 --> 00:26:49,100 I judge no one and yet, if I do judge, my judgment is true for. 430 00:26:49,100 --> 00:26:52,900 I am not alone but I am with the father who sent me. 431 00:26:53,400 --> 00:26:56,800 It is also written in your law that the testimony of man of 432 00:26:56,800 --> 00:26:58,000 two. Men is true. 433 00:26:58,300 --> 00:27:03,600 Notice I am Who Bears witness of myself and the father who sent 434 00:27:03,600 --> 00:27:06,400 me bear with bears witness of me, there's your two right 435 00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:09,500 there. There's your two right there. 436 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:13,800 What's amazing to me is their response. 437 00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:17,400 Then they said to him, where's your father? 438 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:22,100 And Jesus answered, you know, neither me, nor my father, if 439 00:27:22,100 --> 00:27:24,700 you had known me, you would have known my father. 440 00:27:24,700 --> 00:27:29,400 Also, these words spoke in the treasury as he taught in the 441 00:27:29,400 --> 00:27:32,500 temple and no one laid hands on him for his hour had. 442 00:27:32,500 --> 00:27:36,800 Not yet come folks. This is how unbelief operates 443 00:27:36,800 --> 00:27:41,300 please get this. This is how unbelief operates. 444 00:27:43,100 --> 00:27:47,200 It's really true. Unbelief operates in this way 445 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:51,300 because unbelief never has enough proof never. 446 00:27:53,200 --> 00:27:57,600 It never has enough proof. If somebody is going to say, I 447 00:27:57,608 --> 00:27:59,600 don't believe because of rejection. 448 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:03,300 There's never enough proof to change that. 449 00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:08,200 Never Unbelief. Never has enough prove. 450 00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:12,400 It should have been enough. Jesus had power over sickness 451 00:28:12,400 --> 00:28:17,400 and death and blind eyes. He had powers over nature. 452 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:20,500 He had all the wonderful things in, which he said, in fact, the 453 00:28:20,508 --> 00:28:24,300 Bible says he spoke as one with authority. 454 00:28:24,300 --> 00:28:27,000 Like, no one had ever spoke before. 455 00:28:28,800 --> 00:28:33,000 They should have known. But they didn't believe. 456 00:28:34,400 --> 00:28:38,500 You know why? Again, because unbelief never 457 00:28:38,500 --> 00:28:45,900 has enough proof. It just doesn't And John 7:17. 458 00:28:48,300 --> 00:28:53,200 if anyone Wills to do his will He shall know concerning the 459 00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:58,100 doctrine, whether it's from God, or whether I speak on my own. 460 00:28:58,200 --> 00:29:01,900 Notice that phrase right there. If anyone Wills to do his will 461 00:29:02,100 --> 00:29:06,000 he shall know the he shall know concerning the doctrine. 462 00:29:07,300 --> 00:29:11,200 Now, I'm going to tell you, this tells me that you will know the 463 00:29:11,200 --> 00:29:13,200 doctrine, and you will know it's true. 464 00:29:13,200 --> 00:29:18,800 If you are willing to know that it's true, Have you ever heard 465 00:29:18,800 --> 00:29:21,200 somebody say? How do, you know for sure? 466 00:29:22,200 --> 00:29:24,900 There's all kinds of opinions out there and all kinds of 467 00:29:24,900 --> 00:29:28,700 different beliefs out there. How do you know how do I know 468 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:31,600 how do I know that I'm following the word of God? 469 00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:34,800 Jesus said these words, you're going to know. 470 00:29:34,800 --> 00:29:37,800 The will of God, you're going to know the doctrine and you're 471 00:29:37,800 --> 00:29:38,900 going to know that. It's true. 472 00:29:38,900 --> 00:29:43,000 If what you're willing, you got to be willing. 473 00:29:44,200 --> 00:29:47,800 You have to go into it with a willing mind that when the word 474 00:29:47,800 --> 00:29:51,100 of God tells us something about Jesus and tells us something 475 00:29:51,100 --> 00:29:52,900 about which we should do in practice. 476 00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:59,300 If we have a desire and a will to know, we will know You know, 477 00:29:59,300 --> 00:30:02,200 it's a safer condition if unbelief is because of 478 00:30:02,200 --> 00:30:03,900 ignorance. Okay. 479 00:30:04,700 --> 00:30:08,300 In other words, if I'm a person that doesn't know anything about 480 00:30:08,300 --> 00:30:12,900 the scriptures and my unbelief is because of ignorance because 481 00:30:12,900 --> 00:30:16,000 I've never heard it before, and the evidence has not been 482 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:22,600 brought to me, guess what? No problem. if my unbelief is 483 00:30:22,600 --> 00:30:28,000 because of ignorance, I still have hope because I just need 484 00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:31,300 the information and then therefore, I can change and I 485 00:30:31,300 --> 00:30:38,400 can believe, but If a person's ignorance is because of 486 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:42,000 unbelief. Oh, not good. 487 00:30:42,400 --> 00:30:43,300 Because you know what? That is. 488 00:30:43,500 --> 00:30:46,400 That's willful ignorance, and willful rejection. 489 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:50,200 So if a person doesn't believe yet, they just need the 490 00:30:50,200 --> 00:30:54,900 information, that's great. But you have to be willing and 491 00:30:54,900 --> 00:30:58,800 Jesus is speaking to a pharisaic audience that were not willing. 492 00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:01,400 They were absolutely not willing. 493 00:31:02,500 --> 00:31:04,500 You know, I'm going to tell you we could pick up the Bible. 494 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:08,400 We could pick up the scriptures and we know it to be true. 495 00:31:08,400 --> 00:31:10,700 I've had people say to me. How do you know it's true? 496 00:31:10,700 --> 00:31:12,600 Well, it's in the Bible. Yeah. 497 00:31:12,600 --> 00:31:14,700 But how do you know? It's just a book because it's in 498 00:31:14,700 --> 00:31:18,900 the Bible. And by faith, I know, that's 499 00:31:18,900 --> 00:31:22,500 fact. No problem, right? 500 00:31:25,300 --> 00:31:32,100 but, Think about this. I did not stand in the midst of 501 00:31:32,100 --> 00:31:35,200 Jesus himself and see him. Perform these miracles. 502 00:31:36,800 --> 00:31:39,400 I don't really know for absolute certain but this is just kind of 503 00:31:39,400 --> 00:31:42,200 my assumption. I would imagine if I had a 504 00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:44,500 willing heart and I had the right heart, I would have 505 00:31:44,500 --> 00:31:45,900 believed in Jesus, right? Then? 506 00:31:45,900 --> 00:31:49,400 And there he too had me. You like, my dad used to say, 507 00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:54,200 you know, he had all the votes. Absolutely, if I saw that with 508 00:31:54,200 --> 00:31:56,400 my own eyes, I think I would have followed him. 509 00:31:57,400 --> 00:32:01,700 I think it would have been easy to follow Jesus when he would 510 00:32:01,700 --> 00:32:05,200 raise the dead and perform the Miracles that he performed, I 511 00:32:05,200 --> 00:32:10,200 would think that's enough. But those people back then. 512 00:32:11,700 --> 00:32:16,300 They saw all that evidence. They heard all of his teaching. 513 00:32:17,800 --> 00:32:23,900 And they said, no. Their unbelief was not because 514 00:32:23,900 --> 00:32:27,700 of ignorance, their ignorance was because of unbelief that's 515 00:32:27,700 --> 00:32:32,900 willfully ignorant. That is Willful rejection. 516 00:32:34,100 --> 00:32:35,700 So where does that leave us today? 517 00:32:38,300 --> 00:32:40,900 I'm so thankful for all that Jesus has done. 518 00:32:41,800 --> 00:32:46,100 I'm so thankful for the sacrifice that he made. 519 00:32:46,100 --> 00:32:49,600 I'm so thankful that he was willing to empty himself as the 520 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:54,900 Bible, says, emptied himself. I'm so thankful to Hebrews 12 521 00:32:54,900 --> 00:32:58,100 and 2 says looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our 522 00:32:58,100 --> 00:32:59,700 faith. Who for the joy that was set 523 00:32:59,700 --> 00:33:03,100 before him, endured the cross despising, the shame and is set 524 00:33:03,100 --> 00:33:05,100 down at the right hand of the Throne of God. 525 00:33:05,100 --> 00:33:09,600 I'm so thankful for that too. Where does that leave us? 526 00:33:10,900 --> 00:33:14,200 Where that leaves us is our obedience to the word of God. 527 00:33:15,900 --> 00:33:21,000 So, are you willing? If you are willing, Jesus said 528 00:33:21,000 --> 00:33:23,600 himself, you will know the doctrine. 529 00:33:23,700 --> 00:33:28,000 You will know the truth, if you're willing Are you hearing 530 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:30,000 the sound of my voice and you're not a Christian? 531 00:33:30,700 --> 00:33:33,600 Let me ask you this. Are you willing got to have a 532 00:33:33,608 --> 00:33:37,200 willing heart? Jesus has brought all the 533 00:33:37,200 --> 00:33:40,000 evidence and what did Jesus say when he was here? 534 00:33:40,700 --> 00:33:43,300 Jesus gave us the Plan of Salvation. 535 00:33:43,900 --> 00:33:47,500 Jesus says that a man must first believe he that believeth and is 536 00:33:47,500 --> 00:33:50,500 baptized shall be saved. But he that believeth not shall 537 00:33:50,500 --> 00:33:52,900 be damned. You have to believe with the 538 00:33:52,900 --> 00:33:56,500 forced to obey. That's not just accepting facts 539 00:33:56,500 --> 00:33:58,900 about Jesus. That's saying, I believe to the 540 00:33:58,900 --> 00:34:02,000 point that I'm going to follow him and do exactly what he says. 541 00:34:02,100 --> 00:34:04,300 What else did he say? Luke 13 and 3. 542 00:34:05,200 --> 00:34:07,200 I tell you. No, but except you repent, you 543 00:34:07,200 --> 00:34:10,900 will all likewise perish. We have to change our life. 544 00:34:11,400 --> 00:34:15,199 It begins with the changing mind, we change our life and it 545 00:34:15,199 --> 00:34:17,100 leads to the best part. It changes. 546 00:34:17,100 --> 00:34:19,300 Our relationship with the Lord. That's great stuff. 547 00:34:19,300 --> 00:34:22,400 What else did Jesus say? Jesus said, if you confess me 548 00:34:22,400 --> 00:34:25,600 before men, I will confess you before my Father, which is in 549 00:34:25,600 --> 00:34:28,400 heaven and the Bible tells us what that confession is. 550 00:34:28,699 --> 00:34:32,199 I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God. 551 00:34:33,400 --> 00:34:37,000 Those things are leading up to pointing toward the point of 552 00:34:37,000 --> 00:34:40,600 salvation, but it's when we go down to the Waters of baptism 553 00:34:40,600 --> 00:34:43,699 that we contact the blood of Jesus and have our sins washed 554 00:34:43,699 --> 00:34:46,900 away. First, Peter 3:21 says, the like 555 00:34:46,900 --> 00:34:49,900 figure whereunto even baptism doth also. 556 00:34:49,900 --> 00:34:53,800 Now, save us, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, 557 00:34:53,800 --> 00:34:56,500 but the answer of a good conscience toward God, by the 558 00:34:56,500 --> 00:34:59,300 resurrection of. Jesus Christ to be baptized into 559 00:34:59,300 --> 00:35:02,300 Jesus Christ. Have your sins washed away and 560 00:35:02,300 --> 00:35:06,200 secondly, and wonderfully. Jesus himself will add you to 561 00:35:06,200 --> 00:35:09,800 his church. The one that died for your sins. 562 00:35:09,800 --> 00:35:12,700 The one that now is our King and savior. 563 00:35:13,600 --> 00:35:15,700 You've never taken those steps. We would encourage you to do 564 00:35:15,700 --> 00:35:17,300 that. We'd love to assist you in that. 565 00:35:17,500 --> 00:35:19,600 Maybe you have and maybe there are things in your life that 566 00:35:19,600 --> 00:35:22,600 aren't what they should be. Maybe you have some things that 567 00:35:22,600 --> 00:35:24,300 you need to correct public things. 568 00:35:24,300 --> 00:35:27,400 Perhaps if that's the case, then repent of those things confess, 569 00:35:27,400 --> 00:35:30,300 those things and we'll pray with you and for you, and God will 570 00:35:30,300 --> 00:35:33,800 forgive and restore. We thank you for listening to 571 00:35:33,800 --> 00:35:38,600 our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. 572 00:35:38,600 --> 00:35:42,200 Road in Bakersfield, if you would like any additional 573 00:35:42,200 --> 00:35:45,500 information, or you would like to receive a free Bible 574 00:35:45,500 --> 00:35:50,900 correspondence, course by mail. Please email us at info at her 575 00:35:50,900 --> 00:35:53,400 Church of Christ Bakersfield.com. 576 00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:59,200 Our service times are on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and 577 00:35:59,200 --> 00:36:03,700 Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. Please make plans to join us. 578 00:36:04,200 --> 00:36:06,400 We would love for you to be our honored guest.