1 00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:06,240 We just have a wonderful crowd here this morning and we say 2 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:09,000 welcome. There are faces in the audience 3 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:11,400 that I haven't seen for a while. There are visitors from other 4 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:14,520 congregations. There are visitors from the 5 00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:17,720 area, from the community. And we want to say welcome. 6 00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:22,440 You are our honored guest. I hope and pray that what we 7 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:25,040 have to consider for a little while this morning would be 8 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:29,760 helpful to you, encouraging to you, and edifying to you in some 9 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:32,320 way. Going to talk about some of the 10 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:35,640 greatest things the Lord ever said so long ago when He walked 11 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:39,520 on the face of this earth. Our text is found in John 12 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:43,560 chapter 14 and beginning there in verse 4. 13 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:50,240 And where I go, you know, and the way, you know, Thomas said 14 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:52,320 to him, Lord, we do not know where you're going. 15 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:57,320 And how can we know? The way Jesus said to him, I am 16 00:00:57,320 --> 00:01:01,760 the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father 17 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:05,720 except through me. Just a little background about 18 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:08,600 this passage. We're talking now on the eve of 19 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:13,640 the crucifixion, on the eve when Jesus would tell his disciples 20 00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:17,160 that he would be betrayed, that he would be arrested, that he 21 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:20,520 would be crucified. So many things that they didn't 22 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:23,000 understand. And the Lord was very busy on 23 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:26,400 this night. And I love this because it shows 24 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:31,360 the tender protection and comfort of the Master that we 25 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:35,440 serve. Jesus sees fit now to comfort 26 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:38,440 his disciples by giving them knowledge about something 27 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:40,360 they're going to need for the rest of their life. 28 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:43,280 And I got to thinking about this early this morning. 29 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:49,240 Jesus about to undergo the worst thing that any man could ever 30 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:51,320 undergo. He would be crucified for the 31 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:53,920 sins of the world. And he would have to do it even 32 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:57,640 more so worse in this regard, without God. 33 00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:00,640 He would have to do it all alone for the very first time. 34 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:04,000 And when he was hanging on the cross, Jesus had said those 35 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:08,199 words, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 36 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:12,720 Or as it is directly quoted from the Old Testament in the book of 37 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:17,720 Psalms, My God, my God, why are you so far from helping me? 38 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:21,200 And Jesus knew that he was going to have to do that and bear the 39 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:25,080 sins of the world. Without God, He would have to do 40 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:28,000 it alone. And yet he took the time to 41 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:31,400 comfort his disciples. Folks, please listen to this. 42 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:39,600 Jesus has time for you, and I don't care what it is in your 43 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:43,080 life that you're going through today, you may be going through 44 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:46,000 some difficult times. You may be really lonely, you 45 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:48,120 may feel all alone. I'm going to tell you something 46 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:50,280 right now. Nobody in the world may 47 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:53,840 understand, but Jesus understands and He has time for 48 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:57,920 you. Jesus gave them comforting words 49 00:02:57,920 --> 00:03:01,000 that they needed to know to get them and sustain them through 50 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:02,720 life. And I'm going to tell you these 51 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:07,280 are the same comforting words that are going to sustain US in 52 00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:10,400 our life. He speaks of a place where he's 53 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:14,080 going in verses 2 and three of the very same narrative. 54 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:17,920 Notice he said in my father's house are many mansions. 55 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:22,280 If it were not so, I would have told you, I go to prepare a 56 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:25,480 place for you. And if I go and prepare a place 57 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:28,840 for you, I will come again and receive you to myself. 58 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:31,720 That where I am, there you may be also. 59 00:03:31,920 --> 00:03:35,160 I want to make a point here about the word mansions. 60 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:38,320 The word mansions is not actually a very good 61 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:41,400 interpretation or rendering in this passage. 62 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:45,000 It actually means dwelling places or abode. 63 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:49,240 It's a staying abiding dwelling or abode. 64 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:52,640 So really in the original it would read something like this. 65 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:57,320 In my father's house are many dwelling places. 66 00:03:57,320 --> 00:03:59,760 Now I just got a little quick aside and I'm going to be fast 67 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:04,320 about this, I promise. Because the word mansions is not 68 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:07,040 a good translation in the English language. 69 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:11,160 And because Jesus actually said in my Father's house are many 70 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:15,280 dwelling places. And because in the Old Testament 71 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:19,560 the Father's house was the temple and there were many 72 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:22,640 dwelling places. The Old Testament tells us in 73 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:26,920 the temple they were called chambers and because they had 74 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:31,040 many chambers in the temple, which was the Father's house in 75 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:36,520 the Old Testament, some people have said this, Jesus was not 76 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:40,960 referring to heaven here, He was referring to God's house today, 77 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:44,520 which is the church, and that Jesus was saying, I'm going to 78 00:04:44,520 --> 00:04:50,240 prepare a place where he can dwell on earth in the church. 79 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:52,560 Little side note here, got to slip this in. 80 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:56,960 It is true. Jesus said the Kingdom is within 81 00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:00,160 you. That means Jesus reigns in our 82 00:05:00,280 --> 00:05:02,640 hearts. If you're in the Kingdom, he's 83 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:06,640 reigning within you all. That's true, but that's not what 84 00:05:06,640 --> 00:05:10,400 he's talking about here. What he's talking about is a 85 00:05:10,440 --> 00:05:13,840 place that's called his Father's house. 86 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:18,440 The word house, this Greek word is a different word that's found 87 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:21,240 in the Old Testament for house, referring to the temple. 88 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:25,560 This word actually means home. Let me ask you this. 89 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:29,640 Answer this to yourself. Where's the Father's home? 90 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:35,040 Jesus said I'm going to my Father's home, that's heaven. 91 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:39,040 Don't think for a minute that Jesus in this passage is not 92 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:41,480 referring to heaven. He is referring to heaven. 93 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:45,920 He said in my Father's home, which is heaven, are many 94 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:50,960 dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have 95 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:56,280 told you. Then he says I'm going to go and 96 00:05:56,280 --> 00:06:04,000 prepare a place for you. Now heaven already exists. 97 00:06:05,280 --> 00:06:09,040 The dwelling places in heaven are already there. 98 00:06:10,200 --> 00:06:12,720 Jesus wasn't going to say, didn't say, I'm going to go 99 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:15,160 build your spot. This is beautiful. 100 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:19,240 Now get this, what he was telling his apostles and in like 101 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:23,240 manner he's telling faithful Christians, today I'm going to 102 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:27,320 my Father's home in heaven and I'm going to prepare a place for 103 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:29,040 you. What's that word prepare mean? 104 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:31,160 It means I'm going to make a reservation. 105 00:06:33,040 --> 00:06:36,080 How about that? I'm going to go to heaven and 106 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:41,880 make a reservation for you. That where I am, there you may 107 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:45,600 be also. Jesus wasn't saying I'm going to 108 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:47,680 go up a plate, prepare a place for me to come and dwell. 109 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:50,160 And he was saying I'm going to prepare a place or reserve a 110 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:54,160 spot that you get to go in heaven one day. 111 00:06:54,840 --> 00:06:58,200 Wow. And all those faithfully served 112 00:06:58,200 --> 00:06:59,320 him. But Thomas, you know, Thomas 113 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:03,600 didn't understand. And just notice this before we 114 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:09,680 go to what Thomas said, Jesus says I will come again and 115 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:14,280 receive you to myself. That where I am, where's em 116 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:20,040 Father's home in heaven. There you may be also for all 117 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:24,320 eternity. Now what Thomas do Thomas, I get 118 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:24,720 it. I get it. 119 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:27,520 Lord, we don't know where you're going and how can we know the 120 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:31,280 way If we don't know where you're going and we don't know 121 00:07:31,280 --> 00:07:33,400 what you're talking about, How can we know the way? 122 00:07:33,560 --> 00:07:36,680 And then Jesus said these masterful words. 123 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:41,000 He said I am the way, the truth and the life. 124 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:42,760 I'm just going to slip something in here. 125 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:46,920 I don't care how good a person you are. 126 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:51,320 I don't care how many benevolent, wonderful things you 127 00:07:51,320 --> 00:07:55,320 do for others. I don't care how much goodness 128 00:07:55,320 --> 00:08:00,680 is in you. You can't go to heaven without 129 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:08,840 Jesus. Jesus said I am the way. 130 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:14,280 There's no other way except Jesus Christ. 131 00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:19,560 You know, this is the 6th, by the way, the 6th of the I am 132 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:21,480 statements of Jesus. He made seven. 133 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:24,760 This was number six. I got to tell you something. 134 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:29,160 I preached this sermon several years ago right here, and I've 135 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:31,960 got to thinking. I got to thinking about all the 136 00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:35,320 hope and I got to thinking about all the wonderful things that we 137 00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:37,240 get from that and the encouragement we get from that. 138 00:08:37,480 --> 00:08:41,880 Do you know when I preached this sermon 2 days before my colon 139 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:45,400 rupture and almost died? 2 days. 140 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:50,920 Isn't it great? I'm glad the Lord spared my 141 00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:52,880 life. I'm glad the Lord gave me more 142 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:55,080 time. I got a lot more work to do and 143 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:56,800 I'm so thankful that I'm still here. 144 00:08:58,520 --> 00:09:05,320 But I got to tell you something. If I was not OK and it was time 145 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:15,160 for me to go, I had a place to go and one day a place in my 146 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:20,880 father's house. That's the key. 147 00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:23,240 You remember that old commercial, Some of the old 148 00:09:23,240 --> 00:09:25,720 timers again, I'm an old timer too, so I can slip in old timer. 149 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:28,120 I'm an old timer guy now. I'm almost 16, so I can say 150 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:30,200 this. Remember that American Express 151 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:33,440 commercial, American Express. Don't leave home without it. 152 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:35,960 OK? Talk about Jesus. 153 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:39,320 Don't leave this world without him because there's only one way 154 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:40,440 to heaven. That's Jesus. 155 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:43,840 Don't leave this world without Jesus. 156 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:46,760 The I AM statements of Jesus did wonderful things. 157 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:48,440 Two things. Number one, it indicated who 158 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:53,640 Jesus was and #2 it tells us even more about who God is. 159 00:09:53,840 --> 00:10:00,080 Notice in John 1 and 18, no one has seen God at any time. 160 00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:05,400 The only begotten Son who was in the bosom of the Father, He has 161 00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:08,760 declared Him. So these statements are 162 00:10:08,760 --> 00:10:15,360 exclusive in nature. That is this Jesus is the way. 163 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:18,880 Now, you know, we know in the New Testament, we'll get to that 164 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:21,200 passage later, that there's really only two ways. 165 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:23,520 There really is, and we get it. It's very simple, but there are 166 00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:24,880 only two ways, and we understand that. 167 00:10:25,120 --> 00:10:28,400 But you know, it's not just a New Testament principle. 168 00:10:29,560 --> 00:10:33,800 Did you know that in God's mind and in God's plan, even in the 169 00:10:33,840 --> 00:10:36,680 Old Testament, going all the way back to the Old Testament, there 170 00:10:36,680 --> 00:10:41,400 has only always been two ways. If we go to the book of 171 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:44,440 Deuteronomy, the 30th chapter, verses 15 through 20, you know 172 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:45,920 what we find? There's two ways. 173 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:48,120 There's life and good and death and evil. 174 00:10:48,280 --> 00:10:50,760 So it may sound really harsh, but here we go. 175 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:57,560 Good gets life, evil gets death from a spiritual perspective. 176 00:10:57,560 --> 00:11:01,120 We're talking about good from a spiritual perspective, get 177 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:05,760 spiritual life from a spiritual perspective, spiritually evil 178 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:08,920 get spiritual death, which is a separation from God. 179 00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:15,520 We understand that, OK, But when we talk about good, please get 180 00:11:15,520 --> 00:11:19,600 this. We are not talking about your 181 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:25,480 nature like a good person. Please get that this has nothing 182 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:29,720 to do with your own personal goodness or nature. 183 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:32,920 It has everything to do with choice. 184 00:11:33,680 --> 00:11:36,080 It has everything to do with obedience. 185 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:41,320 It has everything to do with service and sacrifice to the 186 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:44,960 Lord. Part of that is our service and 187 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:48,840 sacrifice to each other. So when the Bible talks about 188 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:53,160 good, it's not talking about good people necessarily, 189 00:11:53,160 --> 00:11:54,920 although Christians better be some good people. 190 00:11:55,920 --> 00:11:59,320 It's talking about those that make the good choice in 191 00:11:59,320 --> 00:12:02,600 obedience to follow the Lord. That's what it talks about. 192 00:12:02,760 --> 00:12:07,800 All right, notice we understand about that idea. 193 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:10,880 We got to choose in Matthew chapter 6 and verse 24. 194 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:15,200 No one can serve 2 masters, Jesus said in the masterful 195 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:17,840 Sermon on the Mount. For either he will hate the one 196 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:20,840 and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and 197 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:24,680 despise the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon. 198 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:26,480 First of all, a little bit of background here. 199 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:32,720 At the time of Christ and the apostles, the country had many 200 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:36,800 slaves and they had relationships with their master. 201 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:40,280 In fact, the relation of master and slave is referred to 202 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:43,080 frequently in speech and literature. 203 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:47,520 What they would have understood, and this just proves by the way, 204 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:50,200 how brilliant Jesus is, they would have understood this. 205 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:52,080 You know what? They would have understood that 206 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:56,880 if you're a slave and you had a master, you couldn't divide your 207 00:12:56,880 --> 00:13:02,400 services to another master. Couldn't do it, can't have to. 208 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:04,880 Jesus says you can't have two. You know why? 209 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:10,800 If you did and a person divided his service or his life or his 210 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:14,920 dedication to two different masters, the master in which 211 00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:19,000 owns him, it would be in a matter of inflicting severe 212 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:23,160 punishment to him. Are you kind of getting the 213 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:28,600 metaphor here? If I'm owned by this master and 214 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:31,960 I go working for this master, this master ain't going to be 215 00:13:31,960 --> 00:13:34,800 very happy, is he? This master over here that 216 00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:36,200 actually owns me is not going to be happy. 217 00:13:36,440 --> 00:13:40,440 They would have understood that Jesus uses that phraseology, 218 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:44,320 that they would have understood from a common historical 219 00:13:44,480 --> 00:13:46,640 standpoint. And he makes this point. 220 00:13:47,280 --> 00:13:50,560 He slips this in this illustration, you can't serve 221 00:13:50,560 --> 00:13:54,560 God. And mammon, what does that mean? 222 00:13:54,760 --> 00:13:58,720 Well, the word mammon actually comes from a derived from a 223 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:04,600 Chaldean word that's defined as this what is trusted treasure or 224 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:08,120 riches. This doesn't mean you can't have 225 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:10,720 riches. It doesn't mean that you can't 226 00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:13,280 have things. It doesn't mean you can't enjoy 227 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:14,400 life. And I'm going to get back to 228 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:15,240 that. Enjoying life. 229 00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:19,200 Oh, I believe enjoying life. We're back then later. 230 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:22,560 This doesn't mean you can't have things. 231 00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:27,040 What it means is don't let these things be your master. 232 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:31,600 Don't let those things compete with God. 233 00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:34,920 It doesn't have to be riches. It's anything. 234 00:14:35,200 --> 00:14:37,920 Don't let anything in your life compete with God. 235 00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:43,400 That is the Lord's point. OK, so from the Old Testament 236 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:47,200 standpoint, we talked about good and evil and all that. 237 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:48,680 What about the New Testament standpoint? 238 00:14:48,680 --> 00:14:51,600 What did Jesus say? He said enter by the narrow 239 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:53,920 gate. For wide is the gate and broad 240 00:14:53,920 --> 00:14:55,440 is the way that leads to destruction. 241 00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:58,600 And there are many who go in by it because narrow is the gate 242 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:00,640 and difficult is the way that leads to life. 243 00:15:01,480 --> 00:15:05,640 And there are few who find it. First of all, I want to make a 244 00:15:05,640 --> 00:15:07,320 point about this. Few that find it. 245 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:10,800 This doesn't mean, as some would assume. 246 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:15,760 It doesn't mean only a few people. 247 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:20,400 OK, hold that thought. It doesn't mean only a few 248 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:22,680 people. But let's look at the context of 249 00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:24,200 what the Lord's talking about here. 250 00:15:24,360 --> 00:15:30,520 OK, Here's the context. The context is there's a narrow 251 00:15:30,520 --> 00:15:35,160 way that's difficult. Yeah. 252 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:39,800 Being a Christian is a struggle. It's hard sometimes. 253 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:46,680 I've talked to so many people in my lifetime who thought if I 254 00:15:46,680 --> 00:15:51,720 come to Jesus, my life is going to get easier. 255 00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:54,680 I've known a lot of people like that. 256 00:15:56,160 --> 00:16:00,800 I knew one guy that was struggling financially, so he 257 00:16:00,800 --> 00:16:06,840 thought if I become a Christian that I'm going to get rich, that 258 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:10,320 God's going to bless me monetarily, overflowingly, and 259 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:12,440 I'm not going to have any kind of struggle anymore. 260 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:15,480 You know, that's not what Jesus said. 261 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:17,400 Jesus said seek first the Kingdom of God and his 262 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:19,000 righteousness, and all these things shall be added to do what 263 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:21,200 that means. What you need will be taken care 264 00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:25,280 of, The things that you need, the basic necessities. 265 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:26,560 Not that you're going to have it easy. 266 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:30,840 Sometimes living the Christian life is difficult, and that's 267 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:33,640 the backdrop of that passage. Let me go further though. 268 00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:38,280 What about in the book of Jude? Beloved, while I was very 269 00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:41,480 diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, 270 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:45,960 I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend 271 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:51,080 earnestly for the faith which was once delivered to the 272 00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:52,960 Saints. The word contend, by the way, is 273 00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:56,280 a Greek word that's often used in the athletic world of a 274 00:16:56,280 --> 00:17:00,920 wrestling match. OK, but fair, says this form and 275 00:17:00,920 --> 00:17:06,440 this passage is a strengthened form, meaning to agonize and 276 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:11,480 face the foe wherever he is. Let me ask you something. 277 00:17:12,280 --> 00:17:16,440 Who's the foe? It's the devil. 278 00:17:19,200 --> 00:17:23,920 Don't think for a minute that there's not someone When you try 279 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:27,240 to serve God, it's going to throw everything but the kitchen 280 00:17:27,240 --> 00:17:29,000 sink at you. It's going to happen. 281 00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:32,960 It's the devil, but it's OK. We win. 282 00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:34,680 Going to give you the pattern how we do. 283 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:36,240 But what did Paul say about that? 284 00:17:36,560 --> 00:17:39,200 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against 285 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:43,120 principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness 286 00:17:43,120 --> 00:17:46,720 of this age, against spiritual host of wickedness in the 287 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:49,400 heavenly places. I'm going to tell you something. 288 00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:51,600 We look at some of these passages so far, and we might 289 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:52,240 take. Wait a minute. 290 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:55,080 It's kind of discouraging. You're trying to tell me being a 291 00:17:55,080 --> 00:17:56,760 Christian is hard. Yeah. 292 00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:02,960 You know who the greatest preacher of the world ever knew? 293 00:18:02,960 --> 00:18:03,720 You know who he was? Yeah. 294 00:18:03,720 --> 00:18:04,800 You know who he is? Jesus. 295 00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:10,560 He was also the most realistic preacher ever. 296 00:18:12,120 --> 00:18:16,040 When Jesus gave those parables, one of the parables he gave the 297 00:18:16,040 --> 00:18:18,520 parable of the sower. He said the Kingdom is like 298 00:18:18,520 --> 00:18:21,040 this. A farmer goes out to sow seed. 299 00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:24,480 He takes it in his hand like the broadcast method, and he slings 300 00:18:24,480 --> 00:18:26,440 it out. It's going to fall in one of 301 00:18:26,440 --> 00:18:28,840 four kinds of soil. Don't have time to go into the 302 00:18:28,840 --> 00:18:36,480 story, but remember the seed which represents the gospel is 303 00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:39,360 going to fall in four different kinds of the heart, which is the 304 00:18:39,360 --> 00:18:44,600 soil. Only one's any good one of four. 305 00:18:46,080 --> 00:18:49,400 So don't get discouraged. Don't get all bummed out and 306 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:50,640 chicken out. Don't do that. 307 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:54,800 Just go to work hard with the word of God on the other three 308 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:57,400 hearts. What else did Jesus say? 309 00:18:57,520 --> 00:18:59,320 He said. And by the way, when the good 310 00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:01,760 seeds planted in the good soil, guess what's coming? 311 00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:05,320 It's the devil, it's the enemy, and he's going to plant the bad 312 00:19:05,320 --> 00:19:10,640 seed among the good seed. He was the ultimate realist. 313 00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:14,640 That is so important when people need to understand what you're 314 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:18,760 getting into when you serve God. My mother and I, years ago, we 315 00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:20,280 used to sell real book encyclopedia. 316 00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:22,080 I'm so glad I don't try to sell. I don't have to sell 317 00:19:22,080 --> 00:19:23,600 encyclopedias. Make a living anymore. 318 00:19:24,320 --> 00:19:25,920 Long, long time ago. And you know what? 319 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:27,840 They used to have these world book conventions. 320 00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:29,800 We travel all over the United States and we have these 321 00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:31,840 committees. It was the biggest hype thing 322 00:19:31,840 --> 00:19:33,760 you've ever seen in your life. Pumped up. 323 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:35,960 They put some guy up there that's made all this money and 324 00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:37,120 made all this success and all that. 325 00:19:37,120 --> 00:19:39,600 You know what people did, man, they were so fired up. 326 00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:46,120 You'd fly around the room and then you went home and it's just 327 00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:49,000 you. And I got to go over here to 328 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:51,120 Bryan Osbourne and convince him he needs these books. 329 00:19:52,800 --> 00:19:56,120 And I got AI need a paycheck and I need to make a certain amount 330 00:19:56,120 --> 00:19:58,480 of money. And it's dependent on people 331 00:19:58,480 --> 00:20:02,720 buying some books. It wasn't realistic. 332 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:06,200 You see the point. And often times a lot of people, 333 00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:08,640 when it wasn't realistic, when they got home, they became 334 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:12,960 discouraged. So the Word of God is realistic 335 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:14,320 to let you know what you're getting into. 336 00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:16,320 It's going to be difficult. It's all right. 337 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:22,240 The idea of a wrestling match, by the way, in ancient times was 338 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:27,200 different than today. Back then, it was different than 339 00:20:27,200 --> 00:20:29,880 today. Today, I've never been a 340 00:20:29,880 --> 00:20:32,120 wrestler, but you know, you pinned, so I know this. 341 00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:35,680 You pinned somebody for three second count and you win, right? 342 00:20:36,520 --> 00:20:39,400 Not so back then. You literally took your hand to 343 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:42,320 the neck of that person. That was your adversary, your 344 00:20:42,320 --> 00:20:46,200 foe, and you pinned the neck down until the person gave up. 345 00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:51,600 That's what the Bible is telling us to do with the devil. 346 00:20:52,920 --> 00:20:55,080 You pin him down until he gives up. 347 00:20:56,360 --> 00:20:57,960 How do I know that that works that way? 348 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:01,640 James 47. Therefore, submit to God, resist 349 00:21:01,640 --> 00:21:06,120 the devil, and he will flee from you. 350 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:11,720 All right? Being a Christian requires 351 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:14,880 effort. It requires sacrifice. 352 00:21:15,800 --> 00:21:20,760 Luke Chapter 9 verse 23. Then he said to them all, If 353 00:21:20,760 --> 00:21:23,800 anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself. 354 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:26,800 Take up his cross daily and follow me. 355 00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:30,960 What does all this mean? What's it mean to deny myself? 356 00:21:31,840 --> 00:21:34,520 It means to disown your selfish desire. 357 00:21:34,680 --> 00:21:38,400 That's all. Give up any selfish desire. 358 00:21:39,400 --> 00:21:42,280 You know, one of the hard things it is to convince people about 359 00:21:42,280 --> 00:21:44,120 things when they're kind of a narcissist, when they think 360 00:21:44,120 --> 00:21:46,000 about things, about everything being about them. 361 00:21:47,480 --> 00:21:49,800 One of the hardest things is if a person's like that is to 362 00:21:49,800 --> 00:21:52,120 realize, oh, oh, it, it really isn't all about me. 363 00:21:53,520 --> 00:21:54,920 We all kind of fall into that category. 364 00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:57,560 Sometimes we think it's all about me being a Christian and 365 00:21:57,560 --> 00:21:59,600 coming to Jesus and being obedient to him. 366 00:21:59,600 --> 00:22:04,200 If you desire to come after Jesus, Jesus says disown your 367 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:06,600 selfish desire, put yourself aside. 368 00:22:07,480 --> 00:22:09,200 That's the entire Christian principle. 369 00:22:09,280 --> 00:22:13,000 We put others before ourself. That's what it means to prefer 370 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:15,760 one another. It means I prefer you, you 371 00:22:15,760 --> 00:22:17,320 prefer me. And guess what? 372 00:22:17,400 --> 00:22:19,120 It doesn't matter what we go through, we're getting along. 373 00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:23,200 It's when we think of our own selfish desire, we get in 374 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:24,120 trouble. What else? 375 00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:28,240 Remember, crosses are for dying. Take up your cross daily and 376 00:22:28,240 --> 00:22:30,320 follow me. Taking up his cross is 377 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:33,440 figurative, based on the practice of a doomed man 378 00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:38,280 carrying his cross to the place of crucifixion. 379 00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:44,880 OK, the way of the Christian. It's a life of service and 380 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:48,200 sacrifice. Acts 16 and 17. 381 00:22:49,120 --> 00:22:53,040 The girl followed Paul and us and cried out, saying these men 382 00:22:53,040 --> 00:22:57,280 are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaimed to us 383 00:22:57,600 --> 00:23:00,720 the way of salvation, the way of Jesus. 384 00:23:00,840 --> 00:23:04,200 It's a way of sacrifice, yes, but it's the way of salvation. 385 00:23:04,200 --> 00:23:06,200 What else? It's also the way of God. 386 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:08,800 So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. 387 00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:12,520 When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and 388 00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:17,160 explained him the way of God more accurately. 389 00:23:17,920 --> 00:23:20,560 So the way that we're talking about the way of Christians is 390 00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:22,560 the way of salvation. It's the way of God. 391 00:23:23,960 --> 00:23:28,400 And here's the best part. It's the way to heaven in 392 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:31,080 Matthew 7 and 14. Getting back to Matthew again, 393 00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:36,280 because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads 394 00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:40,720 to life and there are few that find it. 395 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:44,480 Now I said I was going to get back to this word few. 396 00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:49,400 OK, put it in the context in which Jesus is making the 397 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:53,000 comparison. You've got the masses that are 398 00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:58,720 choosing what an easier way. You've got a few. 399 00:23:58,720 --> 00:24:04,600 When compared to the masses choosing a difficult way, this 400 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:09,640 word narrow has been described by scholars as something that is 401 00:24:09,680 --> 00:24:13,640 a high mark between two rocks. Something very tight, something 402 00:24:13,640 --> 00:24:16,200 very difficult. It's difficult. 403 00:24:16,200 --> 00:24:27,760 Sometimes choosing the difficult way is not the easy way, it's 404 00:24:27,760 --> 00:24:33,240 the hard way. What Jesus was saying is few are 405 00:24:33,240 --> 00:24:37,440 going to find it, Not that it's hard to find, few are going to 406 00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:39,000 find it. Meaning few are going to make 407 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:40,880 the choice to choose the difficult way. 408 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:42,880 Why? Because when persecutions come, 409 00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:48,200 difficulty comes, hard times come, loneliness comes, many 410 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:52,200 people choose another path. And that's what he's talking 411 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:56,280 about. I don't know how it is with you. 412 00:24:58,040 --> 00:25:03,360 You have been lonely. What if you tried to serve God 413 00:25:03,360 --> 00:25:07,560 but your family was against it? What about that? 414 00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:13,520 It's lonely, isn't it? A lot of times people turn their 415 00:25:13,520 --> 00:25:20,160 back on Jesus because it's the hard way to follow Him and they 416 00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:23,840 go the easy route. But I'm going to tell you 417 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:26,800 something. It's worth it. 418 00:25:27,800 --> 00:25:30,360 And you are not alone. I don't care how lonely you 419 00:25:30,360 --> 00:25:34,400 think you've ever been. Notice the 23rd Psalm and the 420 00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:37,800 third verse. He restores my soul. 421 00:25:38,920 --> 00:25:41,800 He leads me in the paths of righteousness. 422 00:25:41,960 --> 00:25:47,120 We are not alone. Our shepherds leading us. 423 00:25:48,480 --> 00:25:50,720 Don't you see the point? Just stay on the path. 424 00:25:50,840 --> 00:25:52,840 You going to make mistakes? You absolutely will. 425 00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:55,000 You going to fall down? Yeah, you're going to fall down. 426 00:25:55,120 --> 00:25:59,200 Just keep on going and don't ever quit and remember, it's the 427 00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:03,280 shepherd Jesus that's leading us in paths of righteousness. 428 00:26:03,280 --> 00:26:06,160 So is it worth it? It absolutely is worth it. 429 00:26:06,320 --> 00:26:11,040 Romans chapter 2 verse 7. If you stay on the path, you get 430 00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:15,280 eternal life. Eternal life to those who by get 431 00:26:15,280 --> 00:26:24,080 this please patient continuance in doing good patient 432 00:26:24,080 --> 00:26:33,000 continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor and 433 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:35,360 immortality. Beat says it's this. 434 00:26:35,880 --> 00:26:39,240 It signifies the brave holding up under burdens which would 435 00:26:39,240 --> 00:26:44,000 cast us down a pressing forward in the face of foes who would 436 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:48,440 drive us back and that patience manifests itself in good works 437 00:26:48,440 --> 00:26:51,280 in our life. The next passage I want to show 438 00:26:51,280 --> 00:26:53,480 you is a passage is one of my favorite. 439 00:26:53,480 --> 00:26:57,200 I love is very encouraging. Revelation chapter 2 and verse 440 00:26:57,200 --> 00:27:00,680 10, Jesus, the words to the seven churches of Asia, the 441 00:27:00,680 --> 00:27:03,800 church, Smyrna, the persecuted church, and these are the words 442 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:07,120 of Jesus. Do not fear any of those things 443 00:27:07,240 --> 00:27:10,000 which you're about to suffer. And many of them were about to 444 00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:13,640 lose their own life. Then he said, indeed, the devil 445 00:27:13,640 --> 00:27:16,520 is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be 446 00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:22,200 tested and you will have tribulation 10 days, but be 447 00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:25,440 faithful until death. And I will give you a crown of 448 00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:28,600 life. Now, this is often interpreted 449 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:30,640 like this. Just be faithful all your life. 450 00:27:30,640 --> 00:27:33,120 And while it includes that, that's not the context. 451 00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:37,480 The context is this. Be faithful even if it means 452 00:27:37,480 --> 00:27:41,280 you're death. That's what it means. 453 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:46,560 That's what Jesus said. And Jesus said if you do, is it 454 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:48,280 worth it? I'm going to give you a crown of 455 00:27:48,280 --> 00:27:51,600 life. I'm going to give you a crown of 456 00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:52,320 life. All right. 457 00:27:52,320 --> 00:27:56,280 What about 10 days? 10 days refers to a full and 458 00:27:56,280 --> 00:27:59,360 complete period. It may be long or short, but it 459 00:27:59,360 --> 00:28:02,120 will come to an end. It means to have a willingness 460 00:28:02,120 --> 00:28:04,200 to die rather than quit. And you know, I'm going to tell 461 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:06,280 you something. I can do anything for 10 days. 462 00:28:10,240 --> 00:28:12,040 If you got to suffer through something, but you know it's 463 00:28:12,040 --> 00:28:15,160 going to end, you can, you can bear down man, and you can gut 464 00:28:15,160 --> 00:28:18,680 it out and you get through it. Just remember this. 465 00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:21,560 I don't know what you're going through, but you're going 466 00:28:21,560 --> 00:28:26,040 through something. Just remember you hang in there 467 00:28:26,240 --> 00:28:30,680 and you be faithful. It's going to end the pain, the 468 00:28:30,680 --> 00:28:32,920 suffering, the trouble, the the trials. 469 00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:35,080 It will end. And Jesus says, I'll give you a 470 00:28:35,080 --> 00:28:39,600 crown of life. Don't quit Jesus. 471 00:28:39,600 --> 00:28:43,480 Not only is the way, He's also the truth. 472 00:28:43,920 --> 00:28:48,160 What does that mean though when we talk about truth in first 473 00:28:48,160 --> 00:28:56,280 John chapter 1, the Bible says in the beginning was the Word 474 00:28:57,760 --> 00:29:03,640 and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 475 00:29:03,640 --> 00:29:08,000 First of all, the first phrase there, the Word, was with God. 476 00:29:08,920 --> 00:29:13,600 This shows the everlasting existence of Jesus Christ. 477 00:29:13,840 --> 00:29:18,720 The word here is Jesus. So the first phrase shows the 478 00:29:18,760 --> 00:29:23,480 everlasting existence of Jesus. He has always existed. 479 00:29:23,680 --> 00:29:28,120 He was called the Word, which is the truth, and He was with God 480 00:29:28,120 --> 00:29:29,480 all the way back to the beginning. 481 00:29:30,040 --> 00:29:33,560 OK, but there's something else. There's also a secondary thing. 482 00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:37,080 So in other words, the first clause is the Lord's eternal 483 00:29:37,080 --> 00:29:40,000 existence. The second clause is the Lord's 484 00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:43,600 distinct personality. He is God. 485 00:29:44,880 --> 00:29:46,440 Now I just have to make this point quickly. 486 00:29:47,200 --> 00:29:48,880 This doesn't mean he's God the Father. 487 00:29:49,360 --> 00:29:51,280 This doesn't mean there's one in the Godhead. 488 00:29:51,840 --> 00:29:53,800 There are three that bear record in heaven. 489 00:29:54,320 --> 00:29:57,920 There's three in the Godhead. There is God the Father, there 490 00:29:57,920 --> 00:30:02,160 is God the Son, there is God the Holy Spirit. 3 separate 491 00:30:02,160 --> 00:30:05,880 personages in the Godhead. And when the Bible says these 492 00:30:05,880 --> 00:30:08,560 three are one, it means they work together. 493 00:30:08,640 --> 00:30:12,280 They work in unison. They agree in one, absolutely. 494 00:30:12,360 --> 00:30:15,800 But there are three separate personages all with a different 495 00:30:15,800 --> 00:30:18,280 role. That's what that means. 496 00:30:19,680 --> 00:30:27,000 OK, so Emzer says it like this. The phrase the word which is 497 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:31,720 Jesus was God is said on the basis that God is the family 498 00:30:31,720 --> 00:30:34,520 name of deity. In other words, Jesus is deity 499 00:30:34,520 --> 00:30:37,360 too. Hence any member of that family 500 00:30:37,360 --> 00:30:40,640 would rightfully take that name, just as any member of the Smith 501 00:30:40,640 --> 00:30:43,640 family is a Smith. We got a Smith in this audience. 502 00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:46,840 I know some Smiths. There's a bunch of Smiths. 503 00:30:47,000 --> 00:30:51,280 Are they the same person? No, but they all have the family 504 00:30:51,280 --> 00:30:57,880 name Smith in heaven. The family name for deity is 505 00:30:57,880 --> 00:31:02,440 God. Three separate personages all 506 00:31:02,440 --> 00:31:07,360 working together. Jesus is God too in that regard. 507 00:31:07,880 --> 00:31:10,320 You know, Jesus is actually called God in the Old Testament, 508 00:31:10,640 --> 00:31:13,800 in Isaiah 9 and 6. For under us a child is born, we 509 00:31:13,800 --> 00:31:16,680 know who that is. Under us a son is given, we know 510 00:31:16,680 --> 00:31:18,800 who that is. And the government will be upon 511 00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:20,800 his shoulder, and his name will be called. 512 00:31:20,800 --> 00:31:27,480 Wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of 513 00:31:27,720 --> 00:31:30,160 Peace, that's all talking about Jesus. 514 00:31:30,400 --> 00:31:34,400 And by the way, that's why in the New Testament the phrase or 515 00:31:34,400 --> 00:31:38,080 the name Church of Christ and Church of God is often used 516 00:31:38,080 --> 00:31:40,680 interchangeably talking about the same place. 517 00:31:40,680 --> 00:31:44,200 Notice Acts 20 and 28. Therefore take heed to 518 00:31:44,200 --> 00:31:48,120 yourselves and all the flock among the which the Holy Spirit 519 00:31:48,120 --> 00:31:51,960 has made you overseers, to shepherd the Church of God, 520 00:31:52,840 --> 00:31:58,560 which He, Jesus, purchased with His own blood, used 521 00:31:58,560 --> 00:32:02,360 interchangeably. And how do we know that all of 522 00:32:02,360 --> 00:32:06,720 us is talking about Jesus? Go back to John 1 and 14. 523 00:32:07,640 --> 00:32:12,360 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld 524 00:32:12,360 --> 00:32:16,080 His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, 525 00:32:16,440 --> 00:32:22,440 full of grace and truth. Yes, the Word of God is truth. 526 00:32:24,800 --> 00:32:26,960 Have you ever heard somebody say there's really no such thing as 527 00:32:26,960 --> 00:32:32,440 truth? Is there such a thing as truth? 528 00:32:34,000 --> 00:32:36,680 I'm gonna let Jesus answer, Can't we do that? 529 00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:41,040 Let's do that. When Jesus was praying to his 530 00:32:41,040 --> 00:32:45,360 Father, he answered the question I just gave Is there truth? 531 00:32:46,760 --> 00:32:51,880 John 17 and 17, Sanctify them by your truth. 532 00:32:53,080 --> 00:33:01,600 Your word is truth. Now sometimes people do this. 533 00:33:03,400 --> 00:33:07,680 They cherry pick scriptures. I like this one over here. 534 00:33:07,680 --> 00:33:13,040 I'm going to stick on that one and neglect the rest of the 535 00:33:13,040 --> 00:33:16,760 Bible. I like the one that says believe 536 00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:18,240 in the Lord Jesus and you shall be saved. 537 00:33:18,320 --> 00:33:20,280 I like that one. So people think, well, all you 538 00:33:20,280 --> 00:33:23,800 got to do is believe. What about the rest of it? 539 00:33:23,800 --> 00:33:27,680 What about the other things? What about repentance, 540 00:33:27,680 --> 00:33:29,640 confession and baptism? What about that? 541 00:33:30,560 --> 00:33:32,000 What about living a faithful life? 542 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:34,000 What about that? Let me give you Bible. 543 00:33:35,200 --> 00:33:37,800 It's all included. It all matters. 544 00:33:37,960 --> 00:33:41,160 Let's go to the psalmist David in Psalm 119 and 60. 545 00:33:41,160 --> 00:33:45,120 Notice the entirety of your word is truth. 546 00:33:45,280 --> 00:33:48,520 That's all of it. You can't just pick and choose. 547 00:33:48,840 --> 00:33:52,480 The entirety of your word is truth. 548 00:33:53,320 --> 00:33:58,640 Sometimes people say this. What's true for you is true for 549 00:33:58,640 --> 00:34:02,480 you, and what's true for me is true for me. 550 00:34:05,280 --> 00:34:07,600 Got a friend that I studied with for, I don't know, a couple 551 00:34:07,600 --> 00:34:10,960 years. Every time we got together, we 552 00:34:10,960 --> 00:34:12,199 wanted to talk Bible. I love that. 553 00:34:14,080 --> 00:34:17,239 And we talked about what the Bible says in order to be saved 554 00:34:19,040 --> 00:34:24,120 and what the Bible says about what God wants from your life in 555 00:34:24,120 --> 00:34:25,840 serving him. You know what he said? 556 00:34:26,280 --> 00:34:28,560 I see it. I've read the verses. 557 00:34:28,719 --> 00:34:33,239 I understand what you're saying. And yes, the Bible says that, 558 00:34:36,159 --> 00:34:40,800 but I'm just going to choose to think this instead. 559 00:34:42,120 --> 00:34:46,280 I'm going to say, well, God is love and acceptance, and I'm 560 00:34:46,280 --> 00:34:49,360 going to just believe that nothing's required of me and I'm 561 00:34:49,360 --> 00:34:50,880 going to raise my family in the same way. 562 00:34:51,040 --> 00:34:53,679 That's really sad, isn't it? Because it says the entirety of 563 00:34:53,679 --> 00:34:58,800 your word is truth. That's the standard, folks. 564 00:34:58,800 --> 00:35:00,640 It's not my truth. I'm nothing. 565 00:35:02,200 --> 00:35:07,440 It's the word of God. So can a person determine what's 566 00:35:07,440 --> 00:35:09,960 true for them? And that's OK. 567 00:35:09,960 --> 00:35:14,320 Let's go to the Bible set First Thessalonians 2 and verse 13. 568 00:35:14,320 --> 00:35:17,720 For this reason, we also thank God without ceasing, because 569 00:35:17,720 --> 00:35:21,320 when you receive the Word of God, which you heard from us, 570 00:35:21,320 --> 00:35:29,440 notice you welcomed it not as the word of men, not as the word 571 00:35:29,440 --> 00:35:34,840 of men, but as it is in truth the Word of God, which also 572 00:35:34,840 --> 00:35:37,240 effectively works in you who believe. 573 00:35:39,080 --> 00:35:40,640 What's that truth going to do for us? 574 00:35:41,000 --> 00:35:43,760 It's going to make us free. Can it agreed to be free? 575 00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:47,720 John 832 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make 576 00:35:47,720 --> 00:35:48,960 you free. Free from what? 577 00:35:49,120 --> 00:35:52,680 John 8 and two, for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ 578 00:35:52,680 --> 00:35:55,360 Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 579 00:35:55,640 --> 00:35:57,960 The truth makes me free from sin. 580 00:35:58,960 --> 00:36:01,440 Wow. And that's the same truth that 581 00:36:01,440 --> 00:36:11,200 brings me to heaven, having your name written in heaven and the 582 00:36:11,200 --> 00:36:18,080 Bible calls it the book of life. You know how sometimes people 583 00:36:18,080 --> 00:36:19,960 say membership has its privileges? 584 00:36:20,160 --> 00:36:22,360 There's commercials like that. Membership has this privilege, 585 00:36:22,360 --> 00:36:27,520 membership is great. What if you got your name 586 00:36:27,800 --> 00:36:30,240 written in heaven in the book of life? 587 00:36:30,400 --> 00:36:33,560 The Revelation letter calls it the Lamb's Book of Life. 588 00:36:33,760 --> 00:36:35,960 Notice in Philippians 4 and verse 3. 589 00:36:36,200 --> 00:36:39,280 And I urge you also, True Companion, help these women who 590 00:36:39,280 --> 00:36:42,760 labored with me in the gospel with Clement also, and the rest 591 00:36:42,760 --> 00:36:49,720 of my fellow workers whose names are in the book of life. 592 00:36:51,640 --> 00:36:54,760 You know, the phrase book of life is not new or exclusive to 593 00:36:54,760 --> 00:36:57,880 the New Testament or yet about heaven in the new from a New 594 00:36:57,880 --> 00:36:59,720 Testament perspective. It actually goes all the way 595 00:36:59,720 --> 00:37:03,560 back to the Old Testament and it was used to describe God's 596 00:37:03,560 --> 00:37:07,080 covenant people. Exodus chapter 32, beginning in 597 00:37:07,080 --> 00:37:10,440 verse 32. Notice yet now if you will 598 00:37:10,440 --> 00:37:14,600 forgive their sin, but if not, I pray blunt me out of your book 599 00:37:14,880 --> 00:37:17,200 that you have written. And the Lord said to Moses, 600 00:37:17,200 --> 00:37:21,520 whoever has sinned against me, I will blot him out of my book. 601 00:37:21,600 --> 00:37:27,080 So those that overcome though, guess what, we're going to stay 602 00:37:27,080 --> 00:37:30,840 in the book. He who overcome shall be clothed 603 00:37:30,840 --> 00:37:35,080 with white garments, and I will not blot his name from the book 604 00:37:35,080 --> 00:37:39,320 of life, but I will confess his name before my Father and before 605 00:37:39,320 --> 00:37:41,560 his angels. That phrase right there. 606 00:37:41,560 --> 00:37:45,240 He who overcomes is the same thing as being faithful unto 607 00:37:45,240 --> 00:37:46,640 death that we've already noticed. 608 00:37:46,640 --> 00:37:48,840 That's all that means. Be faithful unto death. 609 00:37:49,040 --> 00:37:50,640 Don't quit. Don't turn your back. 610 00:37:52,880 --> 00:37:57,200 Ian Zerr says it this way. It is a universal practice for 611 00:37:57,200 --> 00:38:01,280 institutions that consist of individual membership to keep a 612 00:38:01,280 --> 00:38:05,960 record of its names in a book. That fact is a basis for the 613 00:38:05,960 --> 00:38:09,800 figurative idea of a book of life in which the Lord keeps a 614 00:38:09,800 --> 00:38:13,920 list of His people. The point is that all whose 615 00:38:13,920 --> 00:38:18,280 names are there may be considered in good standing with 616 00:38:18,280 --> 00:38:21,760 the Lord. OK, now got to throw in the 617 00:38:21,760 --> 00:38:23,320 negative part. Just got to do it because that's 618 00:38:23,320 --> 00:38:26,720 what the Bible says. But, you know, we also find if 619 00:38:26,720 --> 00:38:28,960 we're not faithful, the flip side is we're blotted out. 620 00:38:28,960 --> 00:38:31,200 We don't want that, right? Give your Bible real quick. 621 00:38:31,520 --> 00:38:36,520 Second Thessalonians chapter 1. And to give you who are 622 00:38:36,520 --> 00:38:40,760 troubled, rest with us. When the Lord Jesus is revealed 623 00:38:40,760 --> 00:38:45,480 from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, taking 624 00:38:45,480 --> 00:38:50,640 vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not 625 00:38:50,640 --> 00:38:54,320 obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, these shall be 626 00:38:54,320 --> 00:38:57,720 punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of 627 00:38:57,720 --> 00:39:01,280 the Lord and from the glory of His power when He comes in that 628 00:39:01,280 --> 00:39:05,400 day to be glorified in His Saints and to be admired among 629 00:39:05,440 --> 00:39:10,240 all those who believe because our testimony among you was 630 00:39:10,960 --> 00:39:14,760 believed. I'm just going to ask you a 631 00:39:14,760 --> 00:39:21,760 question today. And by the way, every 632 00:39:21,800 --> 00:39:28,080 relationship that we have is reciprocal or it doesn't work 633 00:39:29,320 --> 00:39:32,760 and we get it. How many marriages would last or 634 00:39:32,760 --> 00:39:35,800 how many marriages would you say is a good marriage if one person 635 00:39:35,800 --> 00:39:40,040 did all the given and the other person did all the taking? 636 00:39:40,200 --> 00:39:44,400 And it'll work. And we understand that in every 637 00:39:44,400 --> 00:39:47,280 single relationship that we have, all our relationships, we 638 00:39:47,280 --> 00:39:54,040 get it right, no problem. But when it comes to religion, 639 00:39:56,000 --> 00:39:58,680 people want it to be often times all Jesus. 640 00:39:59,400 --> 00:40:03,200 He did all the work. He died for my sins, and there's 641 00:40:03,200 --> 00:40:05,840 really nothing that I need to do and I could just benefit from 642 00:40:05,840 --> 00:40:09,360 what He did for me. Folks, please listen, that is 643 00:40:09,360 --> 00:40:14,320 not a relationship. The greatest and most important 644 00:40:14,320 --> 00:40:18,160 thing you could ever have is a relationship with Jesus. 645 00:40:18,240 --> 00:40:20,400 But that's twofold. So let me ask you this. 646 00:40:20,560 --> 00:40:23,680 And when you do have that relationship, you are written in 647 00:40:23,680 --> 00:40:26,360 the book of life. Let me ask you, are you in the 648 00:40:26,360 --> 00:40:30,280 book? Are you in the book? 649 00:40:32,640 --> 00:40:35,360 It's a very important question because Revelation 20 and 15 650 00:40:35,360 --> 00:40:41,320 says anyone not found written in the book of Life was cast into 651 00:40:41,320 --> 00:40:45,160 the lake of fire. So Jesus is the way. 652 00:40:45,600 --> 00:40:50,840 He's the way to God in heaven. He is the truth that leads us 653 00:40:50,880 --> 00:40:53,560 away from sin and brings us to salvation. 654 00:40:53,560 --> 00:40:56,800 But finally, the last one, and this is quick and we're almost 655 00:40:56,800 --> 00:40:58,040 done. Guess what? 656 00:40:59,000 --> 00:41:02,440 He's the life. He's the spiritual life that 657 00:41:02,440 --> 00:41:06,480 we've been talking about early in our lesson. 4 things about 658 00:41:06,480 --> 00:41:08,160 Jesus. Now 4 things. 659 00:41:09,560 --> 00:41:12,400 Why is he the life? Well, first of all, John one and 660 00:41:12,400 --> 00:41:15,400 three, He's the creator. He was in the beginning with 661 00:41:15,400 --> 00:41:18,080 God. Let us make man in our image. 662 00:41:18,080 --> 00:41:21,560 Genesis 126 He's the creator, He was there in the beginning. 663 00:41:21,560 --> 00:41:25,080 That's number one. Number two, in him Jesus was 664 00:41:25,080 --> 00:41:29,040 life. John one and four, he upholds 665 00:41:29,040 --> 00:41:30,920 all things by the word of his power. 666 00:41:30,920 --> 00:41:38,560 Hebrews 1 and verse 3 Finally, in in him all things consist. 667 00:41:38,560 --> 00:41:48,760 Colossians 1 and 17 in Romans chapter 6, verse 23 for the 668 00:41:48,760 --> 00:41:54,400 wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life 669 00:41:54,560 --> 00:41:57,560 through Jesus Christ our Lord. This death, by the way, is a 670 00:41:57,560 --> 00:41:59,480 spiritual death, a separation from God. 671 00:41:59,480 --> 00:42:01,960 We know that without Jesus there's a spiritual separation 672 00:42:01,960 --> 00:42:05,160 from God. We get it, OK, but in Jesus 673 00:42:05,160 --> 00:42:11,480 Christ, the gift is given is eternal life through Jesus our 674 00:42:11,480 --> 00:42:19,160 Savior and our Lord. Now He's the only one that 675 00:42:19,160 --> 00:42:21,120 brings eternal life and it is a gift. 676 00:42:21,160 --> 00:42:24,320 But the gift has a cost. OK? 677 00:42:26,440 --> 00:42:29,480 The ultimate cost and price that was paid was by Jesus Christ 678 00:42:29,480 --> 00:42:31,200 himself on the cross. But guess what folks? 679 00:42:31,200 --> 00:42:34,800 We got a price to pay too. Our price is our obedience. 680 00:42:36,280 --> 00:42:38,840 Our obedience we're going to get specifically how you actually 681 00:42:38,840 --> 00:42:40,320 start that journey in just a second. 682 00:42:40,320 --> 00:42:45,320 But notice if we want the gift, Jesus died for our sins to have 683 00:42:45,320 --> 00:42:49,360 a gift, but we have to have our part, which is our obedience. 684 00:42:49,360 --> 00:42:52,880 That's our price. Notice in John 10 and 10, I have 685 00:42:52,880 --> 00:42:56,200 come that you may have life and that you may have it more 686 00:42:56,720 --> 00:42:59,400 abundantly. I love this word abundantly. 687 00:43:01,160 --> 00:43:03,560 It means overflowing, rich fullness. 688 00:43:05,200 --> 00:43:11,320 You know, I got to say, a religion that makes a man look 689 00:43:11,320 --> 00:43:19,240 sick will not cure the world. Diana calls that a Frankism. 690 00:43:19,240 --> 00:43:20,320 I've been saying that for years ago. 691 00:43:20,320 --> 00:43:24,080 That's one of the Frank isms. A religion that makes a man look 692 00:43:24,080 --> 00:43:30,160 sick won't cure the world. Christianity is not a life of 693 00:43:30,160 --> 00:43:34,440 being miserable. I heard one brother say one 694 00:43:34,440 --> 00:43:36,760 time, unless you look a little miserable, you're not 695 00:43:36,760 --> 00:43:37,960 successfully living a Christian life. 696 00:43:37,960 --> 00:43:40,800 You know what I thought? How sad it is that you just said 697 00:43:40,800 --> 00:43:42,880 that. I feel so bad for you. 698 00:43:43,040 --> 00:43:45,960 That is not what it means to be a Christian. 699 00:43:46,360 --> 00:43:50,760 A Christian has a life that is more abundantly. 700 00:43:50,760 --> 00:43:53,200 And I'm going to tell you right now, I ain't got time to have a 701 00:43:53,200 --> 00:43:54,880 bad time. I enjoy life and there's nothing 702 00:43:54,880 --> 00:43:57,680 in the world wrong with that. Nothing in the world wrong with 703 00:43:57,680 --> 00:44:00,280 that. Kaufman says it this way. 704 00:44:00,440 --> 00:44:04,080 How grotesque and unreal are the ideas of those who think the 705 00:44:04,080 --> 00:44:07,640 Christian leads a life of boring inhibition, sitting out his 706 00:44:07,640 --> 00:44:11,120 years in the chilly twilight of monastic gloom, forbidden to do 707 00:44:11,120 --> 00:44:14,720 anything that anyone else wants to do, and always cowering in 708 00:44:14,720 --> 00:44:17,960 the fear of an angry God. On the contrary, the Christian 709 00:44:17,960 --> 00:44:21,960 life is the happy life, free, abundant and overflowing, 710 00:44:22,120 --> 00:44:25,520 adventurous and exciting beyond any other kind of existence. 711 00:44:25,840 --> 00:44:29,000 Why can't men believe their Creator to the effect that the 712 00:44:29,160 --> 00:44:34,120 the way of Christ is the way of joy and fulfillment? 713 00:44:35,280 --> 00:44:41,960 So it's the greatest life ever. It's the greatest life ever. 714 00:44:43,480 --> 00:44:46,840 In conclusion, Jesus says I'm the way, the truth and the life. 715 00:44:47,800 --> 00:44:49,000 Here's the rest of the story though. 716 00:44:49,720 --> 00:44:57,320 He says this, No one comes to the Father except through me. 717 00:44:57,720 --> 00:45:04,320 Now that is exceptive in the statement and it means this all 718 00:45:05,560 --> 00:45:08,360 and only. So in other words, we get the 719 00:45:08,360 --> 00:45:11,800 first part. All who come through Christ will 720 00:45:11,800 --> 00:45:13,240 get to the Father. We get it. 721 00:45:14,320 --> 00:45:18,880 But remember this too, only it's all same way. 722 00:45:19,320 --> 00:45:25,240 Only those that go through the Son or through Jesus will get to 723 00:45:25,240 --> 00:45:33,880 the Father. I know that making a decision to 724 00:45:33,880 --> 00:45:44,960 follow Jesus is a big decision, and I know sometimes it takes us 725 00:45:44,960 --> 00:45:50,240 time to prepare and get ready to make the ultimate decision. 726 00:45:53,360 --> 00:45:58,960 But just remember this years ago in a sermon that I used to 727 00:45:58,960 --> 00:46:00,760 preach 25 years ago, I don't preach anymore. 728 00:46:00,760 --> 00:46:06,560 I had a little illustration. It was about a preacher, an old 729 00:46:06,560 --> 00:46:11,600 preacher. And one day he sat down 1 730 00:46:11,600 --> 00:46:15,360 evening and he's writing a sermon and he got tired and he 731 00:46:15,360 --> 00:46:21,400 fell asleep. And when he slept, he dreamed 732 00:46:22,800 --> 00:46:26,680 that there was a demon's council where all the demons got 733 00:46:26,680 --> 00:46:28,120 together just to talk about stuff. 734 00:46:28,120 --> 00:46:32,720 And they decided, what can we do to get more people to reject 735 00:46:32,720 --> 00:46:37,200 Jesus and not come to Jesus? And how can we get more people 736 00:46:37,200 --> 00:46:41,400 to not go to heaven? And one of those demons said, I 737 00:46:41,400 --> 00:46:44,480 got it, send me to the earth. You know what I'll do? 738 00:46:44,640 --> 00:46:46,440 I'll go tell everybody there is no God. 739 00:46:46,440 --> 00:46:48,920 And they thought I don't work. That might work. 740 00:46:51,280 --> 00:46:55,960 The second one said, no, I got it, send me and I'll tell him 741 00:46:56,360 --> 00:46:58,000 Jesus was not who he claimed to be. 742 00:46:58,000 --> 00:47:01,480 He was just a man and he was a fraud in all his claims. 743 00:47:02,800 --> 00:47:05,520 And they thought, well, maybe that'll do it too. 744 00:47:07,640 --> 00:47:09,880 Then there was a third one. He said, no, I got it, I'll go 745 00:47:09,880 --> 00:47:13,600 tell him the Bible is a lie, it's not true and you don't have 746 00:47:13,600 --> 00:47:18,400 to follow it. But finally #4 another rose up 747 00:47:18,400 --> 00:47:20,680 and he was the while. He was the wise old devil 748 00:47:20,680 --> 00:47:22,320 himself. You know what he said? 749 00:47:23,440 --> 00:47:27,680 He said, no, send me and I'll go to the world and I'll tell 750 00:47:27,680 --> 00:47:34,240 everybody there is a God and I'll tell them that Jesus Christ 751 00:47:34,360 --> 00:47:36,880 is his Son and he died for their sins. 752 00:47:39,200 --> 00:47:41,800 I'll tell them that the Bible is true and that you have to follow 753 00:47:41,800 --> 00:47:43,200 the word of God. And I'll tell them you got to be 754 00:47:43,200 --> 00:47:47,080 baptized to be saved and live a Christian life. 755 00:47:49,760 --> 00:47:59,400 I'll just tell them, not now, not today, I'll tell him, put it 756 00:47:59,400 --> 00:48:12,120 off, you got plenty of time. Jesus said, Come unto me, all 757 00:48:12,120 --> 00:48:14,360 you that labor are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 758 00:48:16,720 --> 00:48:20,320 Take my yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I meek and lowly at 759 00:48:20,320 --> 00:48:24,480 heart, and you shall find rest unto your souls, for my yoke is 760 00:48:24,480 --> 00:48:33,120 easy, and my burden is light. Dear friend, today Are you ready 761 00:48:33,480 --> 00:48:37,920 to follow Jesus? How do you do it? 762 00:48:39,280 --> 00:48:41,520 Romans 10/17 you got to hear the word of God. 763 00:48:42,080 --> 00:48:45,720 So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. 764 00:48:45,880 --> 00:48:47,760 After hearing the word of God, you got a choice. 765 00:48:48,640 --> 00:48:51,040 Hebrews 11 and six says you got to believe with all your heart. 766 00:48:51,160 --> 00:48:53,960 Without faith it's impossible to please Him, for he that comes to 767 00:48:53,960 --> 00:48:57,240 God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those 768 00:48:57,400 --> 00:49:00,840 who diligently seek Him. But then I got to do something. 769 00:49:00,840 --> 00:49:04,120 I got to change some stuff. I got to repent of my sins. 770 00:49:04,120 --> 00:49:06,680 Acts 17 and 30. Truly, these times of ignorance 771 00:49:06,680 --> 00:49:11,080 God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent 772 00:49:12,080 --> 00:49:14,240 upon these steps. Now you're willing to make the 773 00:49:14,240 --> 00:49:17,960 confession, the greatest thing you will ever say, confess Jesus 774 00:49:17,960 --> 00:49:21,400 Christ as the Son of God. Acts 837 Then Philip said, if 775 00:49:21,400 --> 00:49:22,680 you believe with all your heart, you may. 776 00:49:22,840 --> 00:49:27,040 And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the 777 00:49:27,040 --> 00:49:29,880 Son of God. Upon taking these steps, you're 778 00:49:29,880 --> 00:49:33,120 a fit candidate to go to the point of salvation, to contact 779 00:49:33,120 --> 00:49:38,080 the blood of Jesus, and that's to be baptized for the remission 780 00:49:38,320 --> 00:49:40,280 of sins. Mark 1616. 781 00:49:40,520 --> 00:49:44,120 He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does 782 00:49:44,120 --> 00:49:48,960 not believe will be condemned. Is it necessary for salvation 783 00:49:48,960 --> 00:49:51,360 first? Peter 321 the like figure where 784 00:49:51,360 --> 00:49:55,120 to even baptism death also now save us, not the putting away 785 00:49:55,120 --> 00:49:57,840 the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience 786 00:49:57,840 --> 00:50:00,880 toward God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 787 00:50:01,120 --> 00:50:05,680 If you will do that and you're ready to follow Jesus, you'll 788 00:50:05,680 --> 00:50:11,400 have your name written in the book of life and you will have a 789 00:50:11,400 --> 00:50:15,560 relationship with Jesus. If you've never taken these 790 00:50:15,560 --> 00:50:18,000 steps of obedience, we'd love to assist you in that today. 791 00:50:18,000 --> 00:50:19,560 Maybe you have. Maybe you've drifted away. 792 00:50:19,560 --> 00:50:21,080 Maybe they're just some correction you need to make. 793 00:50:21,200 --> 00:50:24,000 Just do it. We'll pray with you and for you, 794 00:50:24,000 --> 00:50:25,360 and God will forgive and restore. 795 00:50:25,520 --> 00:50:28,160 Be one of either class. Please just come forward while 796 00:50:28,160 --> 00:50:29,640 we stand and while we see.