1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:05,640 I am so excited, so honored, so expectant to be here in the 2 00:00:05,640 --> 00:00:08,560 House of God with each and every one of us. 3 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:12,240 Next level church family. We're one house with many rooms, 4 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:15,920 so I want to welcome every single room in to our worship 5 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:18,280 service today. Maybe you're with us in Cape 6 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:20,080 Coral. I hear Cape Coral's on fire 7 00:00:20,080 --> 00:00:23,920 right now. Come on, East location downtown, 8 00:00:24,080 --> 00:00:26,200 right here in this room in Fort Myers. 9 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:28,960 Maybe you're an additional seating or maybe you're one of 10 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:31,160 our online family. Hey, come on. 11 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:33,320 Can we give God praise for everyone who's worshiping with 12 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:38,240 us today? What incredible day to be here 13 00:00:38,240 --> 00:00:41,160 in the House of the Lord. And my name is Pastor Charles 14 00:00:41,160 --> 00:00:42,840 Ross. If I haven't had the opportunity 15 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:46,320 to meet you and I get the pleasure to serve under the 16 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:49,480 leadership and guidance of our pastors, Pastors Matt and Sarah 17 00:00:49,480 --> 00:00:55,880 Keller, we have now known them for I think about 15 years on 18 00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:58,920 staff for the last 10. And can I just tell you as they 19 00:00:58,920 --> 00:01:03,760 are leading us this year to prioritize God, this hunger and 20 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:07,560 thirst series, The thing that I love about our pastors is that 21 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:10,640 they truly live and breathe what they teach. 22 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:14,240 So not just words that come from a platform, but it is truly how 23 00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:16,960 they live. And I'm grateful for pastors 24 00:01:16,960 --> 00:01:17,680 like that. Aren't you? 25 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:20,080 Come on, aren't you grateful for our pastors? 26 00:01:20,640 --> 00:01:24,760 I'm grateful for our pastors. Well, we we've been in a series 27 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:28,600 called hunger and thirst, hunger and thirst. 28 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:31,960 And I want to end this series where we started in Matthew 29 00:01:31,960 --> 00:01:34,120 chapter 5. These are the words of Jesus. 30 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:38,680 He said blessed are those who hunger and thirst for 31 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:41,920 righteousness. The promise of God is that they 32 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:46,960 will be filled. Jesus is a saying, in the midst 33 00:01:46,960 --> 00:01:50,200 of everything that you could hunger for, I want you to choose 34 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:53,760 to hunger and thirst. Direct that hunger towards 35 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:57,680 righteousness. And Speaking of hunger, I've 36 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:03,000 been fasting for the last couple of weeks and I've had a few 37 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:05,200 hungry cravings. Anyone else? 38 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:06,440 Right. Anyone else have some hungry 39 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:09,560 cravings that, that sometimes these hungry cravings are, are 40 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:11,640 distracting? I'm fasting right now from some 41 00:02:11,640 --> 00:02:15,440 of my favorite things in over the holidays. 42 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:17,880 I, I, I fell in love with cinnamon rolls. 43 00:02:17,920 --> 00:02:21,320 OK, don't tell my wife. We went to one of our favorite 44 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:25,200 breakfast restaurants in Fort Myers Beach and, and had a plan 45 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:26,360 as I was in the back of the line. 46 00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:28,600 I'm going to order 1 cinnamon roll and when I got up to the 47 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:33,880 front my, my stomach grabbed my mouth and said five please 5 48 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:36,480 cinnamon rolls. One for now and many for later. 49 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:40,440 And a few pounds later I found myself in the kitchen and I was 50 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:42,800 talking to my wife and I said, honey, how am I ever going to 51 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:45,880 stick to my diet with so many cinnamon rolls in the kitchen? 52 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:50,040 You ever feel like maybe the world is like that? 53 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:54,720 If God wanted us to stick to a diet of righteousness, then why 54 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:59,480 did he leave us in the kitchen of this world with so many sweet 55 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:02,600 temptations all around us? So many sweet things like the 56 00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:05,480 pursuit of money or or the pursuit of pleasure, so many 57 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:07,800 sweet things that we can snack on. 58 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:12,240 But yet Jesus speaks to this tension of of us being here with 59 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:15,280 all these temptations as he prayed for us and as he prayed 60 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:17,840 for his disciples. In John chapter 17, he said 61 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:20,680 this. He said, God, I don't pray that 62 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:25,280 you should take these followers out of the world, but I pray 63 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:28,000 that you should keep them from the evil one. 64 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:30,840 In other words, keep the world out of them. 65 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:34,720 He goes on to say they're not of the world, just as I'm not of 66 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:37,440 the world. And and that's what God wants 67 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:39,040 us. He wants us right there where we 68 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:42,480 are in the world, but not of the world. 69 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:45,360 That's what I want to talk about for the rest of the day. 70 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:47,960 Would you pray with me? Heavenly Father, I thank you 71 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:51,800 that our ears are open, our hearts are open. 72 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:56,600 Would you move in us now in Jesus name let everyone say 73 00:03:57,560 --> 00:04:01,480 Amen. What did Jesus say or what was 74 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:04,720 he referring to when he said he doesn't want us of the world? 75 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:08,840 And who is the world anyway? What is Jesus referring to? 76 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:12,080 Well, we know that Jesus referred to the world as having 77 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:16,240 the evil 1 and the world in fact is a place where there is an 78 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:20,279 evil one who rules and a culture of evil. 79 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:24,840 In Romans chapter 12 verse 2, the apostle Paul said this do 80 00:04:24,840 --> 00:04:30,760 not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by 81 00:04:30,760 --> 00:04:33,480 the renewing of your mind. And if we can do that, then we 82 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:37,280 would be able to test and approve what God's will is. 83 00:04:37,280 --> 00:04:40,760 So the world is not only a place where the evil 1 exists, but the 84 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:45,720 world also has a pattern, a pattern, a patternistic way of 85 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:48,080 living, a a patternistic way of thinking. 86 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:51,120 And if we live that way and if we conform to that pattern, then 87 00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:54,720 we find ourselves out of God's will. 88 00:04:55,400 --> 00:04:58,160 What is the world and will? In first John chapter 2, verse 89 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:02,960 16, the Bible teaches us that everything in the world, the 90 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:06,800 lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of 91 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:09,240 life, well, that doesn't come from my Heavenly Father, but it 92 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:15,520 comes from where the world, the world in, in verse 17, he says 93 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:19,360 in this world and its desires, they're perishing, they're 94 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:23,120 passing away. Yet whoever does the will of God 95 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:26,480 will will live forever. The world is a perishing place 96 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:31,360 with values opposing God's will. And if that's the world, if, if 97 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:34,520 the world is filled with these temptations of the evil 1 if the 98 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:38,360 world is a place where, where it's perishing, and if the world 99 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:42,200 has all of these things and these patterns, then why, oh why 100 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:49,560 has God placed us in the world? In John chapter 3 verse 16, we 101 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:57,440 we find the answer for God so loved this world that he gave he 102 00:05:57,440 --> 00:06:01,240 gave his one and only son Jesus Christ and and whoever believes 103 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:05,600 in him will not perish with the rest of the world, but will have 104 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:11,640 eternal life And Jesus that same Jesus died for our sins and he 105 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:15,040 was raised in power from the dead and he looked at his 106 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:18,920 followers and he looks at us today and he said I want you to 107 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:25,480 go where Jesus in to the world and preach the good news, preach 108 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:28,200 my gospel to all creation. Why pursue? 109 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:34,720 Whosoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but 110 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:36,720 whoever doesn't will be condemned. 111 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:41,440 God loves this world and he, he wants us to be on mission in 112 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:43,760 this world to to seek and save the lost. 113 00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:48,320 It is as though God himself has taken us from a raging ocean 114 00:06:48,320 --> 00:06:51,720 that we were drowning in a raging ocean of sin. 115 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:56,040 And he's plucked us out of the water and he's placed us onto a 116 00:06:56,040 --> 00:07:00,120 boat, a rescue boat. And now we're in, we're in 117 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:03,160 safety and, and he wants us to take that boat and to find 118 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:06,560 others who are drowning in the same sin to rescue them. 119 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:11,800 But here's the problem. When our boat in the ocean gets 120 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:17,680 more ocean in the boat, well, all of a sudden that boat isn't 121 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:22,560 really useful to be on rescue. So what's the answer? 122 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:25,640 Should I I take my boat and and put it in a boat yard and never 123 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:32,640 put it in the water? No, a boat that's in a boatyard 124 00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:36,120 can't be on mission to seek and save the lost. 125 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:39,640 The idea is that we not get water into our boats. 126 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:44,440 So how oh how can we be in the world but not of the world? 127 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:47,080 I want to talk about four ways we can be in the world and not 128 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:50,200 of the world. The 1st is that we must position 129 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:55,240 our yoke. We must position our yoke in, in 130 00:07:55,240 --> 00:08:01,000 Second Corinthians chapter 6, verse 14, the Bible says we're 131 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:04,960 encouraged to not be yoked together with unbelievers. 132 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:07,920 Come on, who? Who read this the first time? 133 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:10,720 And they were like, OK, this is an egg Mcmuffin. 134 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:11,800 We're talking about eggs right here. 135 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:14,160 Egg yolk. That's not the kind of yolk that 136 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:17,520 the apostle Paul is talking about this, this yolk I've got a 137 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:21,040 picture of, of two oxen that are bound together by yolk. 138 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:24,440 A yolk is a, a wooden device that binds 2 animals together. 139 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:27,640 And here's the the wonderful thing, when you have oxen that 140 00:08:27,640 --> 00:08:31,080 are of equal stature and size and they're bound together, 141 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:35,880 well, these two can do more together than they can do on 142 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:38,240 their own. They can plow more of the field 143 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:41,559 and produce more harvest together. 144 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:45,880 This is what God desires for us, that we would be in partnership 145 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:49,600 and being bonded together with someone who believes like us. 146 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:52,480 And but the warning is against being unequally yoked. 147 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:55,480 And I've got a picture of, of unequal yoke and that poor 148 00:08:55,480 --> 00:09:00,760 little oxen. As you can see, the, the work 149 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:04,240 here of those bound together will be unproductive. 150 00:09:05,040 --> 00:09:07,440 They'll end up just being going in circles. 151 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:10,720 And in fact, the, the small one will eventually fall and, and 152 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:13,280 hurt its neck and then it would break the neck of the large one 153 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:15,240 as well. That is unequally yoked. 154 00:09:15,240 --> 00:09:19,000 But the Bible is not saying that we should never associate with 155 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:22,720 the unbeliever or be unloving to the unbeliever. 156 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:26,840 Paul's not warning against basic associations and relationships. 157 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:31,560 He is warning US against a shared direction, a a spiritual 158 00:09:31,560 --> 00:09:35,240 entanglement with those who do not believe like us. 159 00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:39,520 And I know many of us are probably wondering, OK, I've got 160 00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:43,000 some friendships, people in the neighborhood that I hang out 161 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:46,160 with, some maybe people that I go golfing with. 162 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:51,520 Am I unequally yoked? What I love is that Paul breaks 163 00:09:51,520 --> 00:09:53,000 this down. I want to break this down for 164 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:56,320 us. He goes on to say, for what do 165 00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:59,560 righteousness and wickedness have in common? 166 00:09:59,560 --> 00:10:02,360 Would you look at your neighbor and say in common, what are the 167 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:04,000 things we have in common with people? 168 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:07,640 Maybe you like to golf. I like to fish. 169 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:10,640 I don't know how to golf, but I like to fish like and, and So 170 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:14,000 what what happens is this is a different kind of in common. 171 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:17,600 It's not where we just share hobbies in common. 172 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:21,200 It's been when we begin to share values in common with 173 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:24,680 unbelievers, where we begin to share priorities and goals in 174 00:10:24,680 --> 00:10:27,720 life with, with unbelievers. This was me when I was coming 175 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:30,480 back to the Lord and, and I first moved to Fort Myers. 176 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:35,200 I, I, I had some unbelieving friends and we shared some 177 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:37,280 things in common. We like to work out together and 178 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:42,400 we had similar jobs, but but yet their values began to become my 179 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:45,520 values and their priorities began to be my values. 180 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:50,120 I was unequally yoked and I was off of alignment with God. 181 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:54,320 He goes on to say what fellowship can light have with 182 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:55,400 darkness? Look to your neighbor and tell 183 00:10:55,400 --> 00:10:59,760 him fellowship, right? Fellowship is beyond just casual 184 00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:04,280 interactions with an unbeliever. This is where those casual 185 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:09,880 interactions turn into a mutual submission, a a, a mutual 186 00:11:09,880 --> 00:11:13,880 dependence and shared rhythms. What this looks like is when 187 00:11:13,880 --> 00:11:17,000 we're unequally yoked in fellowship, that their rhythms 188 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:19,400 become our rhythms. And we used to have a rhythm 189 00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:24,880 where we prioritize the things of God, but now those rhythms 190 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:27,520 make coming to church an inconvenience. 191 00:11:28,680 --> 00:11:31,200 We've been unequally yoked in fellowship. 192 00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:34,680 It he, he says, what harmony is there between Christ and Bella? 193 00:11:34,680 --> 00:11:36,640 That's another word for the enemy. 194 00:11:36,640 --> 00:11:38,680 And harmony we know is the sound. 195 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:42,080 It's a sound when we sing together, we're in, we're in 196 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:44,280 harmony. And, and what ends up happening 197 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:48,000 is when we're yoked together, maybe following a, an influencer 198 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:52,680 on social media who is not a believer, we begin to sound like 199 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:57,920 them and our sound becomes in tune with the unbelieving 200 00:11:57,920 --> 00:12:01,320 generation as opposed to being in tune with God. 201 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:04,720 Finally, this is the deepest part of of being unequally yoked 202 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:09,720 together is agreement, he says. What agreement is there between 203 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:13,560 the temple of God and idols and and this is a, a, a sad and and 204 00:12:13,560 --> 00:12:16,560 and harsh place for us to be when we're unequally yoked 205 00:12:16,560 --> 00:12:21,400 because an unbeliever's influence begins to take over 206 00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:26,240 our obedience to God. We begin to agree on things and 207 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:30,200 we offer approval and those convictions that we once had for 208 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:32,280 God. We begin to compromise those in 209 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:35,560 order to prioritize the agreement for peace. 210 00:12:36,560 --> 00:12:38,560 This passage isn't about avoiding unbelievers. 211 00:12:38,560 --> 00:12:41,240 It is about being in alignment with Jesus. 212 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:46,320 And in fact, He wants us yoked together with those who are 213 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:48,920 following Jesus like us. That's what we get to do this 214 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:52,760 weekend. It is Better Together weekend. 215 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:56,480 We get to be yoked together with other men of God. 216 00:12:56,480 --> 00:13:00,120 Come on, brothers, we need to be around other men of God who are 217 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:03,960 pursuing God like we are. I need to be around men of God 218 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:07,680 who love their wives and who aren't always looking around to 219 00:13:07,680 --> 00:13:11,160 see what else is on the menu. Sisters, we need to be around 220 00:13:11,160 --> 00:13:14,200 other women of God who are going to hold us accountable to the 221 00:13:14,200 --> 00:13:18,680 things of God's remaining pure. We are Better Together. 222 00:13:20,160 --> 00:13:22,520 What can we do to get ourselves equally yoked? 223 00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:26,440 If yoke is about alignment with God, then we also need this next 224 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:29,720 thing. We need to be the salt of the 225 00:13:29,720 --> 00:13:33,440 world around us. Come on, look to your neighbor 226 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:36,640 and say, do you have any salt? Oh, you do. 227 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:39,360 You do have salt, right? I'm looking at a lot of salt. 228 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:41,240 Why? Because Jesus said this in 229 00:13:41,240 --> 00:13:45,640 Matthew chapter 5. He said you are the salt of the 230 00:13:45,640 --> 00:13:47,520 earth. I love it. 231 00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:50,840 It's not just that we have salt, we are salt. 232 00:13:52,040 --> 00:13:55,960 But here's the warning. If the salt loses its saltiness, 233 00:13:56,440 --> 00:14:01,080 how can it be made salty? Again, Jesus's words, not mine. 234 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:06,200 If we lose that saltiness, it's therefore good for nothing 235 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:09,760 except to be thrown out. And Jesus is saying we're salt. 236 00:14:09,760 --> 00:14:13,240 And what I love about salt is salt influences flavor. 237 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:18,280 Here's a picture of my favorite food group, French fries. 238 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:22,880 OK, All right, French fries. This is this is one of the food 239 00:14:22,880 --> 00:14:23,440 groups. OK. 240 00:14:23,760 --> 00:14:25,400 And here's the thing about French fries. 241 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:27,080 I'm going to help. I'm going to help many of us 242 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:28,520 today. This is why you came to church. 243 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:34,080 French fries, plain by themselves, without salt, 244 00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:37,760 they're boring. They're plain. 245 00:14:38,280 --> 00:14:40,120 It's just a potato that's cut up. 246 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:46,320 But when you add a little bit of heat oil and some salt, come on, 247 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:48,760 somebody. That is the taste the Lord 248 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:53,600 implied for us, right? It is just something about salt. 249 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:57,320 When it's salty, when it has that distinct flavor, it brings 250 00:14:57,320 --> 00:15:00,480 out the flavor. And here's the thing, the the 251 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:04,240 world around us, they're used to the same old French fries 252 00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:07,720 situations. And it and if the salt that the 253 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:12,240 believer has to to bring it doesn't taste like salt, but it 254 00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:16,120 tastes like the French fry, then why do we sprinkle it? 255 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:20,160 Here's what I mean. Here's a French fry situation. 256 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:22,320 You're our homeowners association. 257 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:28,320 OK, All right, altars are open. Let's say you've got an HOA and 258 00:15:28,320 --> 00:15:32,040 they make a decision to use up a bunch of the budget on something 259 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:33,880 that many people in the neighborhood disagree with. 260 00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:37,680 I know it's not a real situation, but maybe. 261 00:15:38,640 --> 00:15:41,040 And people in the neighborhood are beginning to gossip and 262 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:43,960 they're they're angry and, and they're posting, 'cause I know 263 00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:45,120 y'all have a Facebook page, right? 264 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:47,760 They're posting things on the Facebook page and they're 265 00:15:47,760 --> 00:15:51,040 looking at the HOA president and they're calling him names that 266 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:56,080 his mom did not give him. If we end up jumping in the 267 00:15:56,080 --> 00:16:02,600 anger, if we end up jumping in the gossip, we lose our salt 268 00:16:03,240 --> 00:16:06,840 taste, we lose our saltiness, and all of a sudden the 269 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:10,600 influence that God intended for us is gone. 270 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:14,800 But in the midst of disagreement, salt of an of a 271 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:18,960 believer offers gentleness. The salt of a follower of Jesus 272 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:22,800 offers truth and offers grace. And that just tastes different 273 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:25,240 in that scenario. Here's another French fries 274 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:29,520 situation that that maybe hit a little home a little more. 275 00:16:29,560 --> 00:16:32,840 And that's maybe a political figure makes a decision that we 276 00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:36,480 don't agree with. Maybe it's locally or, or, or 277 00:16:36,480 --> 00:16:39,520 somewhere internationally. And, and what ends up happening 278 00:16:39,520 --> 00:16:42,720 as we've seen in the world today, that the rest of the 279 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:46,800 world just begins to be in disunity and they're disparaging 280 00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:49,080 one another or disparaging the political figure. 281 00:16:49,080 --> 00:16:52,160 And, and there's bullying towards one another and bullying 282 00:16:52,160 --> 00:16:56,600 online and there's anger and there's words of dishonor, but 283 00:16:56,600 --> 00:17:00,840 not the follower of Jesus, not the one who has that salt taste. 284 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:04,200 They're going to come in to that French fry situation and they're 285 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:07,839 going to offer a little sprinkle of love, a sprinkle of 286 00:17:07,839 --> 00:17:11,640 gentleness as Jesus would. These are the characteristics of 287 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:15,200 Jesus. He is the salt that that causes 288 00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:19,720 us to be salty and offer a different taste to the culture 289 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:23,440 of this world. My, my, we need to remember that 290 00:17:23,440 --> 00:17:29,000 we're foreigners in this world. As believers, as followers of 291 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:32,440 Christ, we are foreigners in this world, and Jesus Christ 292 00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:36,720 defines our culture, not our country of origin. 293 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:42,880 What do we taste like? Do we taste like the rest of the 294 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:45,840 world around us or do we challenge the rest of the world 295 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:48,960 around us to taste more like Jesus? 296 00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:53,680 If if yoke aligns us with God in the world and salt offers us 297 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:57,120 influence in the world for Jesus, then we also need this 298 00:17:57,120 --> 00:17:59,880 third thing. We need to be light. 299 00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:01,720 We need to be light. Come on. 300 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:03,400 Can you turn to your neighbor and tell them turn the lights 301 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:06,440 on? We got to turn the lights on. 302 00:18:07,080 --> 00:18:11,800 The Bible teaches us in John chapter one that Jesus is the 303 00:18:11,800 --> 00:18:15,960 light, that Jesus was the light that came into the world and he 304 00:18:16,080 --> 00:18:20,360 shined in the world and the darkness was dispelled when he 305 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:24,160 was shined into the world. And I love what the Bible says. 306 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:29,960 It says that Jesus was the light and he was the life, the life. 307 00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:33,680 The life was the light. The life was the light. 308 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:39,000 The life of Jesus is the light. Then later on Matthew chapter 5, 309 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:43,800 Jesus would say in the same way, let your light shine before 310 00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:47,160 others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your 311 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:49,440 Father in heaven. So what are we saying? 312 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:53,960 We're saying that the life that we live that models and reflects 313 00:18:54,560 --> 00:19:01,480 our Savior, our Lord, our Messiah, that brings light into 314 00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:05,880 the World of Darkness around us. Light does something 315 00:19:05,880 --> 00:19:09,640 interesting. It reveals things, it reveals 316 00:19:09,640 --> 00:19:12,240 what's in the dark and the darkness dissipates. 317 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:16,480 In fact, church, family, darkness is all around us. 318 00:19:17,080 --> 00:19:19,640 And when I say darkness, the darkness that he's referring to 319 00:19:19,680 --> 00:19:22,800 of Jesus life, the darkness is death. 320 00:19:23,680 --> 00:19:27,040 Darkness is separation from a God who loves us. 321 00:19:27,400 --> 00:19:31,480 Darkness separates those around us, not just in the world. 322 00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:34,880 When we say the World of Darkness, we're not just talking 323 00:19:34,880 --> 00:19:38,600 about some other continent, but we're talking about the World of 324 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:42,800 Darkness in our neighborhoods, the World of Darkness on our 325 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:45,680 jobs, the World of Darkness in the stores that we shop in, and 326 00:19:45,680 --> 00:19:51,320 even in our own families. And those who are in darkness 327 00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:57,400 stand to be eternally separated from God unless the light 328 00:19:57,800 --> 00:20:00,440 shines. So here's the good news. 329 00:20:00,440 --> 00:20:04,360 We can allow our light to shine. We can allow the truth of God's 330 00:20:04,360 --> 00:20:08,720 ways to shine. Jesus would would have us walk 331 00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:11,160 in truth to dispel the lies around us. 332 00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:15,040 He would have us walk in purity even in the midst of a sinful 333 00:20:15,040 --> 00:20:19,520 world that is light. And yet there's a warning that 334 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:23,520 we see in Scripture 2 warnings. The first is that our light can 335 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:28,880 become dim, it can become dark and our light becomes dim or 336 00:20:28,880 --> 00:20:32,360 dark when we begin to take on the ways and the things of this 337 00:20:32,360 --> 00:20:35,320 world. If we begin to post like the 338 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:39,560 rest of this world, our our light that once shined bright 339 00:20:39,560 --> 00:20:44,880 begins to dim a little bit. If we begin to excuse sin, if we 340 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:48,760 begin to have sex before marriage, then we're allowing 341 00:20:48,760 --> 00:20:51,840 some of that darkness things that are against the word of 342 00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:53,560 God. We're we're allowing that light 343 00:20:53,560 --> 00:20:58,880 to become dim and a dim or dark light cannot reveal things that 344 00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:03,880 those in darkness need revealed. The revelation is that there is 345 00:21:03,880 --> 00:21:07,040 a God who loves us and there is a savior of the world whose name 346 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:09,920 is Jesus. The second warning is that not 347 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:13,400 only can our lights become dim, but often if we are afraid, we 348 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:16,680 can hide our light. And Jesus said, don't take your 349 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:19,360 light and put it under a basket or under a bushel. 350 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:22,280 No, no, no, shine that light boldly. 351 00:21:22,840 --> 00:21:26,120 And I believe God wants us to be brave and to be bold and to 352 00:21:26,120 --> 00:21:28,880 shine our lights. Lights don't have to argue. 353 00:21:29,920 --> 00:21:33,600 You turn on the light in A room, the darkness just gets goes 354 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:35,840 away. So church family, here's the 355 00:21:35,840 --> 00:21:38,560 good news is we live in truth. We don't have to argue with 356 00:21:38,560 --> 00:21:40,280 anyone about the life that we live. 357 00:21:41,240 --> 00:21:43,720 We just get to declare it with our lives. 358 00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:52,720 How is our light shining today? If yoke aligns us with God in a 359 00:21:52,840 --> 00:21:58,080 fallen world and salt influences the world for Jesus around us 360 00:21:58,080 --> 00:22:02,280 will light brings revelation, the revelation that so many that 361 00:22:02,280 --> 00:22:04,720 are suffering and darkness need to the end that they don't have 362 00:22:04,720 --> 00:22:09,760 to perish with this world. Well then we also need this one 363 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:13,600 final thing. We need to be rooted in the 364 00:22:13,600 --> 00:22:17,320 vine. We need to be rooted in the 365 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:20,840 vine. John chapter 15. 366 00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:25,080 Jesus is speaking to his disciples and in this very 367 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:30,800 important message he says remain in me as I also remain in you. 368 00:22:30,800 --> 00:22:35,880 Some versions would say abide, live, dwell, be with me. 369 00:22:37,040 --> 00:22:38,360 And then he says I want to be with you. 370 00:22:38,360 --> 00:22:39,960 I want to remain in you. In other words, there's a 371 00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:45,160 relationship, he says. He says no branch can bear fruit 372 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:49,280 by itself. It must remain, remain in the 373 00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:52,840 vine. Neither can we bear fruit unless 374 00:22:52,840 --> 00:22:57,640 we remain in me. Jesus said to clarify this, 375 00:22:57,680 --> 00:23:01,600 Jesus said, just in case you were wondering, I, he said, I'm 376 00:23:01,600 --> 00:23:05,160 the vine and you, you are the branches. 377 00:23:05,160 --> 00:23:08,640 And, and if you remain in me, Jesus would say, and I in you, 378 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:13,400 here's the good news, you'll bear much fruit. 379 00:23:14,520 --> 00:23:20,400 Jesus is asking his followers to simply remain, don't go be with 380 00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:24,800 me, remain rooted in me. And when I think about a tree 381 00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:29,080 that's, that's rooted, you know, this tree is vibrant and it's, 382 00:23:29,120 --> 00:23:30,840 it's, it's rooted. Well, why? 383 00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:34,840 Because it's staying in the ground. 384 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:38,280 It's not being plucked up and moved around by everything 385 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:40,560 that's happening in the world. It's, it's rooted. 386 00:23:40,560 --> 00:23:44,360 And this is the picture of a vibrant spiritual life that God 387 00:23:44,360 --> 00:23:48,200 desires for us. And here's what I know. 388 00:23:48,200 --> 00:23:52,000 I know in the, the midst of remaining, we can remain in so 389 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:55,440 many ways. We can pray, we can make a, a, a 390 00:23:55,440 --> 00:23:59,920 point to open our eyes and, and open our Bibles and and begin to 391 00:23:59,920 --> 00:24:03,200 study. We can prioritize time with 392 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:05,480 Jesus. That's what it looks like to 393 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:08,560 remain. We can be constant in prayer and 394 00:24:08,560 --> 00:24:10,360 think about Jesus throughout the day. 395 00:24:10,360 --> 00:24:12,960 And when we have different interactions, we can ask 396 00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:16,920 ourselves, how would my Lord desire me to respond? 397 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:19,760 That's remaining. We can worship, we can 398 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:22,600 prioritize the things of God like coming to church, 399 00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:26,200 prioritize groups that's remaining rooted. 400 00:24:26,800 --> 00:24:31,760 And as long as we remain rooted, the promise of God is that we'll 401 00:24:31,760 --> 00:24:34,960 be vibrant like this and bear much fruit. 402 00:24:34,960 --> 00:24:37,160 You know what I love about fruit trees? 403 00:24:38,600 --> 00:24:40,440 And I'm not a botanist, but here's what I know. 404 00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:44,080 I I don't need to look at the roots or dissect this tree to 405 00:24:44,080 --> 00:24:46,360 know what kind of tree it is. Why? 406 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:55,160 Because the fruit says what type of tree it is, Church, family. 407 00:24:55,160 --> 00:25:00,240 What does our fruit say about our roots? 408 00:25:02,040 --> 00:25:05,440 Would someone look at us and say that is so clear that that 409 00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:10,360 person is rooted in Jesus? Or would they look at our fruit 410 00:25:10,360 --> 00:25:15,000 and say they're rooted in a political party, or they're 411 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:20,000 rooted in the modern generational culture, or they're 412 00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:24,800 rooted with this influencer, or they're rooted with their 413 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:26,560 family? I don't know about you, but I, I 414 00:25:26,560 --> 00:25:30,040 want the world around me to see my fruit and, and to say 415 00:25:30,040 --> 00:25:34,200 clearly, this person must have been with Jesus because our 416 00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:38,520 fruit defines what type of tree it is. 417 00:25:38,520 --> 00:25:43,520 Fruit is not needed by the tree. The tree doesn't need to eat its 418 00:25:43,520 --> 00:25:46,400 own fruit. No, this, this fruit is actually 419 00:25:46,400 --> 00:25:48,200 for others. It's for you and for me. 420 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:50,320 It's for the world around us to enjoy. 421 00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:53,600 And, and so it is with our fruit as we're rooted in Jesus, the 422 00:25:53,600 --> 00:25:55,640 fruit that we produce in our lives. 423 00:25:56,040 --> 00:26:00,400 It's not for us, it's for others to taste and see that the Lord 424 00:26:00,400 --> 00:26:01,720 is good. What is the fruit that we're 425 00:26:01,720 --> 00:26:05,120 referring to? Galatians 522 speaks to the 426 00:26:05,120 --> 00:26:09,920 fruit of the Spirit. My little girls can can name all 427 00:26:09,920 --> 00:26:12,320 of the fruit of the spirit 'cause they sing it in songs. 428 00:26:12,320 --> 00:26:19,520 What is the fruit is love. It's joy, it's peace, it's 429 00:26:19,520 --> 00:26:23,320 patience, it's kindness, it's goodness, it's faithfulness, 430 00:26:23,880 --> 00:26:26,680 it's gentleness, it's self-control. 431 00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:31,080 It's not anger, it's not hot temperedness. 432 00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:34,680 It's not a cancel culture. It it it's not anger and 433 00:26:34,680 --> 00:26:36,680 division and separation. It's none of those. 434 00:26:36,680 --> 00:26:40,600 This is the fruit of the spirit. When we're rooted. 435 00:26:41,760 --> 00:26:46,880 What I love is that this fruit, others tell me it's healthy to 436 00:26:46,880 --> 00:26:49,360 eat fruit. I know I like French fries, but 437 00:26:50,480 --> 00:26:51,960 but when you eat fruit, it's healthy. 438 00:26:51,960 --> 00:26:56,120 And our fruit, that fruit of love and joy and peace actually 439 00:26:56,120 --> 00:26:58,440 offers health and healing to those around us. 440 00:26:59,720 --> 00:27:02,520 That fruit is not just designed that kindness is not just 441 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:07,000 designed for those who are kind to us, but when we're kind to 442 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:10,880 the person who offended us, when we're loving and we're patient 443 00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:13,040 for the to the person who gossiped about us. 444 00:27:13,040 --> 00:27:16,600 Do you know that that type of fruit, the fruit that only comes 445 00:27:16,600 --> 00:27:19,640 from being rooted in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, That 446 00:27:19,640 --> 00:27:23,080 fruit can actually bring healing to even our enemies. 447 00:27:24,560 --> 00:27:29,840 Wow fruit, fruit of the spirit is amazing in this fruit. 448 00:27:29,840 --> 00:27:33,320 The last thing I love about this fruit is that when you receive 449 00:27:33,320 --> 00:27:39,080 the fruit, when you take the fruit in, the fruit bears seeds, 450 00:27:39,960 --> 00:27:45,440 seeds that when planted will multiply into a harvest. 451 00:27:46,360 --> 00:27:49,480 The fruit that we bear as believers and as followers of 452 00:27:49,480 --> 00:27:55,280 Christ can bear fruit full harvest of those who do not yet 453 00:27:55,280 --> 00:28:00,760 know Jesus, Church family. Our lives can bear fruit that 454 00:28:00,760 --> 00:28:04,960 evangelizes the world around us to the end that they no longer 455 00:28:04,960 --> 00:28:09,120 have to be in darkness, separated from a God who loves 456 00:28:09,120 --> 00:28:13,240 it, that loves them so much. We can offer salt to them. 457 00:28:13,680 --> 00:28:18,120 We can influence them with the taste of God in normal, plain, 458 00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:21,200 or harmful situations. We can be light. 459 00:28:21,800 --> 00:28:25,040 We can bring revelation that there's a better way. 460 00:28:25,040 --> 00:28:28,320 There's a a better way of life. And his name is Jesus. 461 00:28:29,120 --> 00:28:33,680 We can offer all of these things for our lives. 462 00:28:33,680 --> 00:28:40,240 Bear fruit. John 15 verse 8 Jesus concludes 463 00:28:40,240 --> 00:28:45,720 by saying this is to my Father's glory, that you what bear much 464 00:28:45,720 --> 00:28:51,480 fruit and that fruit will show yourselves to be my disciples 465 00:28:52,480 --> 00:28:55,480 church family. Jesus wants us in this world. 466 00:28:56,200 --> 00:29:00,520 He wants us present right here. He prayed, he prayed for us to 467 00:29:00,520 --> 00:29:05,000 be present in this world, but he doesn't want the world in us. 468 00:29:05,640 --> 00:29:10,200 He wants us to align our yoke and and keep the saltiness in 469 00:29:10,400 --> 00:29:14,480 our walk and he wants us to shine our light in darkness and 470 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:19,080 he wants us to bear fruit by being rooted in him to the end 471 00:29:19,080 --> 00:29:20,920 that there might be a great harvest. 472 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:27,160 John 1723 He concludes I and them and you and me so that they 473 00:29:27,160 --> 00:29:34,760 may be brought complete unity and then the world, the world 474 00:29:34,760 --> 00:29:40,920 that's perishing, the world around us, the world that's 475 00:29:40,920 --> 00:29:44,840 struggling. They'll know they will know that 476 00:29:44,840 --> 00:29:48,480 you sent me and that you've loved them even as you've loved 477 00:29:48,880 --> 00:29:52,800 me with every head bowed and every eye closed. 478 00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:55,640 They're three groups of, of people that God has been 479 00:29:55,640 --> 00:29:59,320 burdening my heart for and, and our hearts for. 480 00:30:02,360 --> 00:30:04,480 And I want to pray for each one of those groups. 481 00:30:05,440 --> 00:30:08,880 Heavenly Father, I thank you for those of us here who are saved. 482 00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:12,960 We know you, God. Maybe we've been saved recently. 483 00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:16,640 And yet in the midst of our walk, we have allowed ourselves 484 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:18,960 to be equally yoked with unbelievers. 485 00:30:18,960 --> 00:30:22,400 We've crossed the line from association to participation, 486 00:30:23,360 --> 00:30:26,400 and we're bringing people not only onto our boat, but we're 487 00:30:26,400 --> 00:30:28,880 bringing their buckets of water onto our boat and we're 488 00:30:28,880 --> 00:30:32,280 beginning to sink. God, I pray that you would 489 00:30:32,520 --> 00:30:34,840 embolden us, make us brave right now. 490 00:30:36,320 --> 00:30:43,480 Help us to break the yoke to find ourselves a way to be yoked 491 00:30:43,480 --> 00:30:47,280 together with those who believe like us, not to stop loving the 492 00:30:47,280 --> 00:30:52,000 unbeliever, but help us to get that water out of our boat. 493 00:30:53,480 --> 00:30:56,680 God, I pray for that person who has been saved for a while. 494 00:30:57,600 --> 00:30:59,760 God in the midst of their salvation, they've made their 495 00:30:59,760 --> 00:31:04,480 faith walk all about themselves. Those of us where it's so 496 00:31:04,480 --> 00:31:08,720 tempting to to keep our boat in the boatyard to to not step out 497 00:31:08,720 --> 00:31:11,880 in faith and and be a part of serving another. 498 00:31:13,040 --> 00:31:16,040 Those of us maybe because of shame or because of fear, we've, 499 00:31:16,280 --> 00:31:17,920 we've hidden the light that we have. 500 00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:23,080 God, today I believe you desire us to be bold and and to be 501 00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:26,760 brave to share with that person in the neighborhood that we have 502 00:31:26,760 --> 00:31:30,520 a hope and we have a faith that is beyond ourselves and beyond 503 00:31:30,520 --> 00:31:31,920 the things in this natural world. 504 00:31:31,920 --> 00:31:35,560 God, would you give them strength and boldness to let 505 00:31:35,560 --> 00:31:39,680 their light shine? Would you encourage them, God, 506 00:31:39,680 --> 00:31:43,560 to take a step today to be a part of a serve team to to sign 507 00:31:43,560 --> 00:31:48,960 up to serve the city, to be bold for you to get that boat in the 508 00:31:48,960 --> 00:31:54,880 water? God, I pray for this last group 509 00:31:54,880 --> 00:32:01,080 of people, those of us who are actually in the water, we're 510 00:32:01,080 --> 00:32:03,880 drowning right now. Maybe that's you with every head 511 00:32:03,880 --> 00:32:07,080 bowed and every eye closed in the the same atmosphere of 512 00:32:07,080 --> 00:32:13,720 prayer as I described that sense of darkness, something left in 513 00:32:13,720 --> 00:32:15,200 your heart and you said, that's me. 514 00:32:15,440 --> 00:32:21,280 And can I tell you this? That was me, the age of 18, 515 00:32:22,280 --> 00:32:27,960 found myself in a church where my life was was being led by my 516 00:32:27,960 --> 00:32:30,520 own temptations and by my own desires. 517 00:32:31,640 --> 00:32:37,120 And I found myself filled with my own mistakes and my own 518 00:32:37,120 --> 00:32:40,160 shame. And I kept trying to fix it on 519 00:32:40,160 --> 00:32:42,040 my own. And I realized I didn't have the 520 00:32:42,040 --> 00:32:44,080 power in enough myself to fix it. 521 00:32:45,560 --> 00:32:49,040 In fact, none of us do. The Bible declares that we have 522 00:32:49,040 --> 00:32:52,280 all sinned. We we've all fallen short of the 523 00:32:52,280 --> 00:32:54,040 glory of God. In other words, we've done 524 00:32:54,040 --> 00:32:59,040 things to violate what our Creator has asked us to do and 525 00:32:59,040 --> 00:33:02,200 not do. Because of that, there are wages 526 00:33:02,200 --> 00:33:06,200 that need to be paid, and the wages of that sin is death. 527 00:33:07,040 --> 00:33:11,000 Eternal death, eternal separation from the God who 528 00:33:11,000 --> 00:33:14,040 loves us. When we couldn't pay our way 529 00:33:14,040 --> 00:33:18,160 back to God, God decided to step in. 530 00:33:19,160 --> 00:33:22,520 He stepped in by coming close to us and drawing close in the form 531 00:33:22,520 --> 00:33:25,680 of his Son Jesus. And Jesus came to not only walk 532 00:33:25,680 --> 00:33:30,480 this earth, but he came to take every single sin and every pain 533 00:33:30,480 --> 00:33:33,800 on the cross. He died for our sins. 534 00:33:35,240 --> 00:33:38,400 He allowed himself to be persecuted and killed on the 535 00:33:38,400 --> 00:33:43,280 cross, but because of his love for us, because the the grave 536 00:33:43,280 --> 00:33:45,720 could not hold him, He was raised in power. 537 00:33:45,960 --> 00:33:53,360 And those who confess Jesus as Lord and as Savior, the Bible 538 00:33:53,360 --> 00:33:57,320 says they will be saved, plucked out of the ocean, placed in a 539 00:33:57,320 --> 00:33:59,600 boat. They'll walk from darkness into 540 00:33:59,600 --> 00:34:00,560 the light. Maybe that's you. 541 00:34:00,560 --> 00:34:03,400 If you want to say yes to a relationship with Jesus, I'd be 542 00:34:03,400 --> 00:34:04,640 honored to pray with you right now. 543 00:34:05,080 --> 00:34:10,560 Every location downtown E Cape Coral, right here in Fort Myers. 544 00:34:10,560 --> 00:34:13,920 If that's you, every head bowed, every eye closed, would you 545 00:34:13,920 --> 00:34:15,840 simply slip your hand up? I want to pray with you. 546 00:34:15,960 --> 00:34:18,760 One 2-3. Come on. 547 00:34:18,760 --> 00:34:20,480 Hands are going up all around the room. 548 00:34:20,679 --> 00:34:22,480 If that's you see, I want to be saved. 549 00:34:22,480 --> 00:34:24,480 I don't want to be separated from my Heavenly Father any 550 00:34:24,480 --> 00:34:26,320 longer. I want to be saved. 551 00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:28,159 In the privacy of this moment, we will pray. 552 00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:32,600 You can put your hands down. Come on. 553 00:34:32,600 --> 00:34:34,600 Would you pray with me? God, I thank you so much for 554 00:34:34,600 --> 00:34:38,400 bringing me here. Thank you, God, for loving me so 555 00:34:38,400 --> 00:34:41,400 much that you would save me from my sins. 556 00:34:42,159 --> 00:34:47,320 I confess that I have sinned, I have fallen short of your best. 557 00:34:48,400 --> 00:34:54,679 I believe that you sent Jesus, the Son of God, to live for me, 558 00:34:55,360 --> 00:34:59,120 to die for my sins, and that you raised him from the dead. 559 00:34:59,800 --> 00:35:04,360 And right now you are raising me to new life. 560 00:35:04,960 --> 00:35:11,400 I am born again, I am saved in Jesus name, Amen. 561 00:35:11,400 --> 00:35:14,320 Come on church family, will you celebrate across every single 562 00:35:14,320 --> 00:35:21,960 room because God has rescued more and he is sending us all on 563 00:35:21,960 --> 00:35:25,040 mission together. Heavenly Father, I thank you for 564 00:35:25,040 --> 00:35:27,520 your word. Seal it in our hearts now. 565 00:35:28,240 --> 00:35:30,440 Jesus name, Amen. Let's give God break.