1 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:34,120 The. Thank you so much. 2 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:37,400 All right, good morning, everybody. 3 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:42,240 My name is Pastor Dave. I am the middle school director 4 00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:45,240 here at Rez. Thank you guys. 5 00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:46,880 You guys. You have awesome kids, by the 6 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:50,040 way. I know I was with them all week. 7 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:56,720 My body is sore, my throat hurts, and I I wasn't even 8 00:00:56,720 --> 00:01:03,920 screaming and I'll probably never wear a Jedi costume to 9 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:11,600 church again probably. But let me tell you, my heart is 10 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:15,560 full. My spirit is full. 11 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:22,480 If I got the chance to experience the hand of God in 12 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:28,040 our presence, forever changing the lives of students and really 13 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:33,440 everyone who was here that witnessed it all, I would do it 14 00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:38,600 all again tomorrow. And we kid you not, the baptisms 15 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:40,920 were through. It was crazy. 16 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:45,400 There were so many baptisms. It was it was wild. 17 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:51,000 We were handing out wet used towels for kids to dry off over 18 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:55,120 and over again. By the end of it, our waters, no 19 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:59,280 joke, turned from this crystal clear to this delectable kids 20 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:04,320 soup. There are all kinds of things 21 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:09,479 floating in it. That murky water? 22 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:15,440 It represented 22 lives being washed clean by the blood of 23 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:23,640 Jesus Christ. Over 30 students realized that 24 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:29,720 they were playing games with God and decided this week was the 25 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:33,120 week that they were going to be serious, that they were going to 26 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:37,600 rededicate their lives, they were going to follow Him with 27 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:41,600 all they had. Amen to that church. 28 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:46,480 This is what happens when the body of Christ shows up in 29 00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:54,920 Christ, honors it, when you show up with your time, your energy, 30 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:58,600 your sacrifices. I know you've been giving. 31 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:04,760 I know you've been encouraging students all week. 32 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:11,080 We're encouraging students to become Jedi disciples who begin 33 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:18,560 to abide in God's Word, to experience his spirit and life, 34 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:26,600 to believe God who sent Jesus to follow him through darkness 35 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:31,080 because he is the light of the world. 36 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:34,680 We are learning this week after week. 37 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:38,520 We're encouraging them all to memorize the fruits of the 38 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:41,760 Spirit. If you ask any of the students 39 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:45,640 in there, they probably will tell you I beat it into them 40 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:52,080 because that was our goal for the whole week, to have love and 41 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:56,400 joy and no peace and patience and kindness and goodness and 42 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:59,720 faithfulness and gentleness and self-control. 43 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:10,000 Thursday we had this light bulb moment that these lifestyle 44 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:15,080 changes, these choices, they come from one source. 45 00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:21,519 That source is having Jesus Christ in your life and abiding 46 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:28,640 in him. So today join me in John chapter 47 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:31,240 8. I give you a second to get there 48 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:33,560 in your Bibles. If you don't have it, it's going 49 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:38,520 to be on the screens. We'll be in verse 31. 50 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:44,520 This is where Jesus is questioning. 51 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:52,360 He questions if we are abiding in His truth or just memorizing 52 00:04:52,440 --> 00:05:01,200 facts, where he's questioning if we are true disciples or just 53 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:06,960 knowledge gatherers. So let's read verse 31. 54 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:13,640 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, If you abide 55 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:20,520 in my word, you are truly my disciple, and you will know the 56 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:24,120 truth, and the truth will set you free. 57 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:29,560 They answered him, We are offspring of Abraham and have 58 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:36,400 never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say you will 59 00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:42,520 become free? Jesus answered them Truly, 60 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:47,680 truly. I say to you, everyone who 61 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:55,880 practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the 62 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:59,440 house forever. The sun remains forever. 63 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:05,360 So if the sun sets you free, you will be free. 64 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:09,800 Indeed. Our big idea for today is 65 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:15,160 abiding, is moving from knowledge collecting to life 66 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:20,240 transformation. I'll say that again, abiding is 67 00:06:20,240 --> 00:06:25,360 moving from life, from knowledge collecting to life 68 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:30,200 transformation. Abiding in knowledge is much 69 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:32,480 more than facts and information gathering. 70 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:38,440 I would know my favorite way to pass a test is to memorize it. 71 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:45,280 Memorize the questions so the instant I see, I know the 72 00:06:45,280 --> 00:06:50,200 answer. Or even worse, I'll just 73 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:55,840 memorize the answer. I'll visualize patterns or 74 00:06:55,840 --> 00:06:58,120 themes. Can I? 75 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:03,640 Can I be honest for a second? In seminary Bible college, I was 76 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:10,160 a master at gaming the system. I remember this one question. 77 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:14,800 In what way does Jesus divinity manifest itself? 78 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:19,720 I knew that question had 7 answers and each of them, each 79 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:22,640 of the words ended with ER or Orr. 80 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:28,640 So I memorized the pattern, but I didn't dig into the truth. 81 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:36,720 I aced the test. It's about Jesus without 82 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:41,200 actually knowing Jesus any deeper. 83 00:07:43,840 --> 00:07:51,360 I turned the Son of God into a word puzzle, just collecting 84 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:55,440 Bible facts while my heart stayed unchanged. 85 00:07:57,280 --> 00:08:00,360 Why? Because this is the fastest way 86 00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:05,480 for me to pass a test. It demands the least from me, 87 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:09,720 keeping my involvement to a bare minimum. 88 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:13,000 But does that actually change me? 89 00:08:14,680 --> 00:08:17,400 Did it develop my knowledge on the subject? 90 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:20,720 Does it actually grow me, Prepare me? 91 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:25,960 Did it instill any of the fruits of the Spirit into my character 92 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:28,120 that we've been pounding into you all week? 93 00:08:30,640 --> 00:08:33,840 Was it transforming me into a better person? 94 00:08:35,799 --> 00:08:40,960 The idea of being transformed directly come from abiding in 95 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:43,919 Jesus. Abiding. 96 00:08:44,560 --> 00:08:47,200 Abiding. What a weird word. 97 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:53,520 We don't even hear it anymore, probably because we're too busy. 98 00:08:55,880 --> 00:09:03,240 Abiding means to remain, to dwell, to let something 99 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:09,760 penetrate you so deep into your soul that it changes you, 100 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:20,680 changing not what you know, but who you are and how you actually 101 00:09:20,680 --> 00:09:25,040 live. Back to verse 31. 102 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:32,120 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, If you abide 103 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:36,120 in my word, you are truly my disciples. 104 00:09:37,440 --> 00:09:40,880 Jesus is laying out what it really means to be a disciple, 105 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:45,840 or he's laying out what it actually means to be what we 106 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:50,000 call a Christian, a follower of Christ. 107 00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:54,400 Through the past several weeks, if you've been sitting in 108 00:09:54,400 --> 00:09:56,200 church, you've been reading John chapter 8. 109 00:09:57,040 --> 00:10:01,400 Jesus is surrounded by people who are surface level in their 110 00:10:01,400 --> 00:10:08,040 beliefs. At best, one moment they believe 111 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:13,720 Jesus is speaking the truth, giving amazing guidance and 112 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:19,120 insight, and then in the next, like they turned off the lights. 113 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:26,080 These people are living in the dark, disregarding Jesus for 114 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:33,120 their personal opinions. Jesus is trying to lead them 115 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:39,320 into a real a deep personal understanding of what what it 116 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:47,000 means to be a follower of him, a follower of Jesus, a Christian. 117 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:57,000 Just like the Jews here. It's possible for us, say me, to 118 00:10:57,000 --> 00:11:03,600 believe in God and not let His truths shape our lives. 119 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:17,640 Abiding in His Word implies commitment, enduring continue 120 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:23,440 practice, and obedience to His teaching. 121 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:29,360 It's possible believing God, but not walk the life of a true 122 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:31,720 disciple. How do I know? 123 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:38,160 Because I do that all the time. I wear the title Christian. 124 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:41,840 But sometime, sometimes I'm just tired. 125 00:11:42,640 --> 00:11:46,960 I'm exhausted. I'm worked out, tired of being 126 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:49,960 strong, tired of pretending everything is OK. 127 00:11:51,720 --> 00:11:56,960 Christianity calls me to lay down my life and to pick up and 128 00:11:56,960 --> 00:12:01,680 carry a cross when I'm already caring so much. 129 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:08,760 I read come to me, Jesus says this, come to me, all who are 130 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:13,600 weary, but I keep running to the other things instead. 131 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:22,840 Entertainment, every distraction I can think of, performance, and 132 00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:25,200 ultimately I just have to check out. 133 00:12:27,280 --> 00:12:31,960 I want peace but avoid the path that leads to it. 134 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:38,320 Obedience. I want joy but I avoid pruning 135 00:12:38,320 --> 00:12:46,400 what I know is souring me. I want transformation but avoid 136 00:12:46,480 --> 00:12:55,720 surrender because even though I am exhausted, I am tired, I have 137 00:12:55,720 --> 00:13:02,840 done all I can. I still I think it's best for me 138 00:13:02,840 --> 00:13:11,080 to be in control. The real cost of discipleship 139 00:13:11,160 --> 00:13:16,000 isn't doing more, it's laying more down. 140 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:20,000 Think about that. The real cost, what it really 141 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:28,880 cost you to be a disciple, is not to do more, it's to give 142 00:13:28,880 --> 00:13:36,560 more. Up my pride, my pace, myself 143 00:13:36,560 --> 00:13:41,200 made strength. Jesus isn't asking me to hustle 144 00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:51,840 harder, but to trust deeper, to abide, not to strive, to rest in 145 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:54,240 him. Not just for him. 146 00:13:56,160 --> 00:14:01,200 Because the title Christian does not transform me. 147 00:14:03,640 --> 00:14:09,640 Discipleship in Christ is a person who's developing, 148 00:14:10,280 --> 00:14:13,360 growing, changing. It's a person who's becoming 149 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:19,600 more like the teacher, more like Jesus. 150 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:30,800 And often I fall back into being more like Dave, less like Jesus. 151 00:14:32,320 --> 00:14:35,160 According to the Bible, there are two versions of you. 152 00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:43,000 One who was enslaved to sin, living under the power of 153 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:47,520 fleshly desires. This is kind of our default. 154 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:53,880 This is what we started from. The other is filled with the 155 00:14:53,880 --> 00:14:59,320 Holy Spirit, living as if we were originally created in the 156 00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:06,960 image of God as we were. So when I say I want to be Dave, 157 00:15:07,040 --> 00:15:14,200 I have to ask which Dave, the one that's redeemed and made 158 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:19,920 holy by God, or the one who is still bonded to sin? 159 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:27,160 And when did becoming like Dave become more appealing like than 160 00:15:27,160 --> 00:15:35,760 being like Jesus? When what makes me think more of 161 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:45,520 me is better than more of God? When I stopped abiding in 162 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:51,000 Christ? When I stopped recognizing that 163 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:54,600 my life isn't how He intended it to be. 164 00:15:57,240 --> 00:16:00,960 This transformation is recognizing that I need God's 165 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:08,080 word to shape my life. This is a disciple. 166 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:12,320 This is what Jesus is talking about, or this is what we call 167 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:18,880 in church sanctification. It's the growth in your capacity 168 00:16:19,080 --> 00:16:24,280 to be more like Christ, to be more like Jesus in your 169 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:28,440 character. All right, think of it like 170 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:29,760 this. You guys like food? 171 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:32,920 Yes. OK, four people like food. 172 00:16:34,520 --> 00:16:41,400 OK, The foodies in here, you don't get intense flavour by 173 00:16:41,400 --> 00:16:44,440 brushing on marinade. Brush it on, throw it on the 174 00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:45,480 grill. How's it taste? 175 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:51,560 If you want your rib eye to taste like garlic and balsamic 176 00:16:51,560 --> 00:16:55,040 and explode in flavours, you can't just dip it in and cook 177 00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:59,760 it. Nothing sinks in, nothing 178 00:16:59,760 --> 00:17:04,960 changes. Real flavor comes when you let 179 00:17:04,960 --> 00:17:13,880 it soak in, absorb when you work that marinade deep, give it time 180 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:17,920 to break down the tough parts and then fuse into the middle. 181 00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:26,640 That's how transformation happens, not with a quick 182 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:34,440 splash, but with the slow, deliberate soaking. 183 00:17:36,120 --> 00:17:38,840 And the same is true with God's Word. 184 00:17:39,320 --> 00:17:45,760 It has to soak in, not just sit on. 185 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:54,880 Jesus says in order for you to become a true disciple, He says 186 00:17:54,880 --> 00:18:01,720 you must continue. In my Word, discipleship always 187 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:11,400 involves 2 key components. Receiving His word #1 and being 188 00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:17,680 shaped by His Word. It's both truth learned and 189 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:21,400 skill developed. Abiding means more than hearing. 190 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:28,880 It means continuing in it, applying it, living it. 191 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:35,720 Information must be married between practice and skill. 192 00:18:37,360 --> 00:18:42,080 Imagine you need something like a heart surgery. 193 00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:44,320 Something that's super important. 194 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:48,280 And your surgeon walks in and he starts explaining it to you, 195 00:18:48,280 --> 00:18:50,480 This is what I'm going to do. And he shows you diagrams of how 196 00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:52,960 your heart's working. And you're impressed. 197 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:54,360 Like, wow, this guy's pretty good. 198 00:18:54,360 --> 00:18:56,240 And then he's got his medical degrees on the wall. 199 00:18:56,240 --> 00:18:58,400 Wow. He doesn't go to a Skibby 200 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:04,400 school. Then you ask him the question 201 00:19:04,400 --> 00:19:08,720 that changes everything. How many of these have you 202 00:19:08,760 --> 00:19:13,600 actually done? He goes Oh no, I've never done 203 00:19:13,600 --> 00:19:21,720 this before, you're my first. Suddenly all that knowledge is 204 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:27,880 just surface level. When life and death is on the 205 00:19:27,880 --> 00:19:32,120 line, information without experience is worthless. 206 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:36,920 Life is too big of a deal to not get this right. 207 00:19:37,840 --> 00:19:42,040 Abiding is moving from knowledge collecting to life 208 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:48,160 transformation and in a life and death scenario, information is 209 00:19:48,160 --> 00:19:55,880 not enough. Knowing Christ or not knowing 210 00:19:55,880 --> 00:20:00,160 Christ is a life and death situation. 211 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:06,360 We love to gain knowledge. We love to hear God's Word. 212 00:20:06,840 --> 00:20:12,440 We love the idea of living godly lives. 213 00:20:14,680 --> 00:20:18,720 We are so good at biblical knowledge gathering, but for 214 00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:25,160 informational purposes only. We want the data without the 215 00:20:25,160 --> 00:20:29,760 responsibility. That's truthfully what happens 216 00:20:29,760 --> 00:20:34,080 on a Sunday morning. So many people come in, but they 217 00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:38,240 don't continue in God's word. They hear God's word. 218 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:42,440 They come in and say, give me a sermon, teach me, preach to me, 219 00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:45,520 make it good, make it exciting, let's get our lightsabers out, 220 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:52,280 let's go crazy. But the second they leave those 221 00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:59,080 back doors, is it being applied to our lives or is it simply 222 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:02,360 they love the feeling of church and excitement? 223 00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:06,520 And don't get me wrong, church is amazing. 224 00:21:07,360 --> 00:21:12,440 Church is here to lift us up, to refocus on the Lord. 225 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:19,280 But Jesus says when we're not abiding in his word, when it's 226 00:21:19,280 --> 00:21:24,760 not changing you, when you love the way you live more than the 227 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:31,760 way the Lord asks you to live, Jesus says, you're not my 228 00:21:31,760 --> 00:21:36,160 disciple. You may be a church attender, 229 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:41,960 you may be taking tons of notes, but a disciple, No, you may be 230 00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:45,800 saved and on your way to heaven because you truly believe in 231 00:21:45,800 --> 00:21:48,360 him. But his disciple, No. 232 00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:56,640 Again, verse 31. So Jesus said to the Jews who 233 00:21:56,640 --> 00:22:03,240 had believed in him, If you abide in my word, you are truly 234 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:09,440 my disciple, and you will know the truth, and the truth will 235 00:22:09,440 --> 00:22:12,120 set you free. They answered him, We are 236 00:22:12,120 --> 00:22:15,920 offspring of Abraham, and I've never been enslaved to anyone. 237 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:20,800 How is that you say you will become free? 238 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:25,560 Become free? What is this freedom he's 239 00:22:25,560 --> 00:22:28,920 talking about? We live in America. 240 00:22:28,920 --> 00:22:34,680 What do we need to be free from? The Jews are asking the same 241 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:37,040 question, which is blowing my mind. 242 00:22:37,560 --> 00:22:41,080 These are the same people that God had to save from an 243 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:46,560 enslaving hand of Pharaoh. How could these people forget 244 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:52,600 about their million people leaving Egypt where God had to 245 00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:54,480 intervene? Get in the middle of it 246 00:22:54,720 --> 00:22:59,080 physically do one of the most spectacular miracles of parting 247 00:22:59,080 --> 00:23:04,640 the seas. It's the same way we forget to 248 00:23:04,640 --> 00:23:12,480 put Christ in our lives. Somebody might be thinking this 249 00:23:12,800 --> 00:23:18,360 Jesus talk sounds great, but I'm not even sure this guy existed 250 00:23:18,360 --> 00:23:23,200 2000 years ago, let alone that he can set me free from the 251 00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:24,840 things that I'm dealing with today. 252 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:28,160 That's a fair question, I get that. 253 00:23:29,440 --> 00:23:33,680 I understand what you're thinking, but let me show you, 254 00:23:33,680 --> 00:23:40,440 no matter how skeptical you may be, that freedom that Jesus 255 00:23:40,440 --> 00:23:47,240 talks about changes lives. All of us have a basic idea of 256 00:23:47,280 --> 00:23:49,440 tools. Yes, we have tools at home. 257 00:23:50,480 --> 00:23:54,920 OK, We have all kinds of tools. We have computers, we have 258 00:23:54,920 --> 00:23:56,680 phones. Some that's good, some of it's 259 00:23:56,680 --> 00:24:00,880 not so good. We have cars, we have drills, 260 00:24:02,040 --> 00:24:05,520 and there's a way to use our tools well, the way that they 261 00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:09,840 were designed. But if you don't use the tool 262 00:24:09,840 --> 00:24:17,000 correctly, you'll ruin the tool. If you took an electric drill 263 00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:22,040 and you used it as a hammer, eventually this will no longer 264 00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:26,120 be an electric drill. It'll be destroyed. 265 00:24:26,360 --> 00:24:28,480 There'll be pieces. If you take it and you start 266 00:24:28,480 --> 00:24:31,000 digging and trying to use it as a pry bar. 267 00:24:31,080 --> 00:24:33,000 Done it before, destroys it, by the way. 268 00:24:35,720 --> 00:24:40,640 It's pretty messed up. It's no longer optimum. 269 00:24:43,680 --> 00:24:47,680 The lie the devil tells you is that anytime you have a 270 00:24:47,680 --> 00:24:57,760 restriction, a barrier, a guideline, a guardrail in your 271 00:24:57,760 --> 00:25:05,920 life, you are not free. That's basically saying how dare 272 00:25:05,920 --> 00:25:08,080 you tell me how to use that drill? 273 00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:11,520 How dare you? If I want to use it as a hammer, 274 00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:15,920 I'm going to use it as a hammer. How dare you. 275 00:25:15,920 --> 00:25:23,760 You're so enslaved. Often in our culture, we look at 276 00:25:23,760 --> 00:25:27,520 guidelines and designs that the Bible talks about and go How can 277 00:25:27,520 --> 00:25:30,800 rules or guidelines lead to freedom? 278 00:25:32,560 --> 00:25:37,680 But here's what's wild the husband and wife who actually 279 00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:44,200 follow God's design, who choose exclusivity, who practice 280 00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:50,840 selfless love, who build their relationships on trust, respect, 281 00:25:52,480 --> 00:25:58,000 biblical commitment. These couples, they report the 282 00:25:58,040 --> 00:26:01,160 highest satisfactions in their marriage. 283 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:10,320 The reality is when we actually live life the way our Creator 284 00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:17,280 designed for us to live, this is when we are the most satisfied. 285 00:26:19,640 --> 00:26:23,560 You were created for a dependent relationship with your Creator. 286 00:26:23,560 --> 00:26:29,760 Let me say it again, you were created for a dependent 287 00:26:29,760 --> 00:26:33,680 relationship. We don't like that word, but 288 00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:39,360 it's true. And life without Him will not 289 00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:46,000 feel satisfied. In fact, life without Him leaves 290 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:52,920 you feeling broken, missing out. True freedom isn't about having 291 00:26:52,920 --> 00:26:56,480 no rules. It's about living within the 292 00:26:56,480 --> 00:27:01,520 right rules that actually fit how we were designed to work. 293 00:27:03,520 --> 00:27:06,240 So you can be your absolute best. 294 00:27:08,400 --> 00:27:10,080 Jesus is. True freedom means being 295 00:27:10,080 --> 00:27:15,720 liberated from bondages and limitations, bondage that is 296 00:27:15,720 --> 00:27:18,920 preventing you and I from becoming what we were created 297 00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:21,720 for. What Jesus died on the cross 298 00:27:21,720 --> 00:27:24,760 for. Bondage is such a shame and 299 00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:28,040 guilt. Unprocessed trauma, envy, 300 00:27:28,040 --> 00:27:34,520 addictions, goes on and on. Here's what's fascinating. 301 00:27:35,760 --> 00:27:41,880 Jesus is making a claim that every human can test this, that 302 00:27:41,880 --> 00:27:45,560 there are invisible chains holding us back from becoming 303 00:27:45,560 --> 00:27:49,640 our best selves. You don't have to believe in 304 00:27:49,640 --> 00:27:55,080 miracles to recognize that something inside of us sabotages 305 00:27:55,080 --> 00:28:03,200 our own happiness. We know what is good for us, but 306 00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:09,560 we keep doing what hurts us. Jesus says this pattern has a 307 00:28:09,560 --> 00:28:16,920 name, it's called slavery to sin, and he claims he has the 308 00:28:16,920 --> 00:28:23,760 key to break those chains off. How does an addict know that 309 00:28:23,760 --> 00:28:28,320 they're an addict? At one point do they say I am a 310 00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:32,400 drug addict, I'm a sex addict, I'm an alcoholic? 311 00:28:33,440 --> 00:28:38,280 The truth is, at first they don't, because addiction doesn't 312 00:28:38,280 --> 00:28:40,320 feel like slavery in the beginning. 313 00:28:41,560 --> 00:28:46,600 It feels like freedom. It feels like a choice. 314 00:28:46,680 --> 00:28:55,240 It feels like you're in control. From the outside, we say, how 315 00:28:55,240 --> 00:28:57,800 could they not see that they're a slave to this? 316 00:29:00,480 --> 00:29:07,320 But when we're doing it, we don't feel like a slave until 317 00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:11,960 you try to walk away and you can't. 318 00:29:14,080 --> 00:29:19,280 I didn't think I was a slave to working, being a workaholic, 319 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:23,560 even though I've been told many times you need a vacation. 320 00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:27,200 Working myself to the point of depletion. 321 00:29:27,200 --> 00:29:31,520 I didn't believe it because I was doing it to myself. 322 00:29:32,760 --> 00:29:35,280 And I love working. It makes me feel good, makes me 323 00:29:35,280 --> 00:29:39,000 feel important. When I'm not working, I miss it. 324 00:29:39,840 --> 00:29:43,680 I can't stop thinking about getting things done. 325 00:29:45,320 --> 00:29:50,760 This is just me. Anybody else in this room have 326 00:29:50,760 --> 00:29:53,080 something in their life that is like that? 327 00:29:54,280 --> 00:30:00,000 Amen to that hand. Freedom isn't doing what you 328 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:05,280 want. Freedom is being able to stop 329 00:30:05,280 --> 00:30:07,120 when you realize you need to stop. 330 00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:13,040 Freedom is having the sight that you need to stop. 331 00:30:14,640 --> 00:30:23,000 Slavery is when you can't stop. Verse 34 Jesus, answer them 332 00:30:23,280 --> 00:30:27,400 Truly, truly. I say to you, everyone who 333 00:30:27,400 --> 00:30:31,720 practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the 334 00:30:31,720 --> 00:30:34,000 house forever. The sun remains forever. 335 00:30:34,720 --> 00:30:38,520 So if the sun sets you free, you will be free. 336 00:30:38,800 --> 00:30:44,120 Indeed. Abiding is moving from knowledge 337 00:30:44,120 --> 00:30:46,920 collecting to life transformation. 338 00:30:48,920 --> 00:30:51,760 Our big idea for today is simply stated. 339 00:30:51,960 --> 00:30:58,680 It's easy to say, yet it's not often taken seriously. 340 00:31:00,840 --> 00:31:06,480 I know because I often fall short of abiding in His word, 341 00:31:07,480 --> 00:31:12,000 from dwelling in it, from pondering how His words should 342 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:17,480 change my character, from letting it truly set me free. 343 00:31:18,440 --> 00:31:22,800 I do this because it's easier to skim than to soak. 344 00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:30,920 Because I will seek the Lord as an afterthought because I'm too 345 00:31:30,920 --> 00:31:34,120 caught up in everything else. And there's a lot going on. 346 00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:39,320 Romans 12/2 says do not be conformed to the patterns of 347 00:31:39,320 --> 00:31:43,920 this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 348 00:31:44,320 --> 00:31:48,320 And it's crazy to me how I will only see transformation when 349 00:31:48,320 --> 00:31:52,920 it's so deep, when I'm in it so deep that it's hurting. 350 00:31:58,200 --> 00:32:03,960 My thought life, my prayer life, it becomes about me. 351 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:13,720 I'm enslaved by what I want, ultimately letting the sin of my 352 00:32:13,720 --> 00:32:21,920 life overcome and enslave me. And if I'm being honest, the 353 00:32:21,920 --> 00:32:27,760 same split sin that's enslaving me is enslaving you, not 354 00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:33,160 allowing you to have and enjoy the benefits that God is 355 00:32:33,160 --> 00:32:36,320 promising us, keeping us from the benefits that we were 356 00:32:36,320 --> 00:32:42,040 created to receive. And that's my question I asked 357 00:32:42,040 --> 00:32:48,240 you today. Do you have true freedom from 358 00:32:48,240 --> 00:32:53,320 life's bondages? Christ offers freedom in his 359 00:32:53,320 --> 00:32:57,240 salvation. It's not merely enough to know 360 00:32:57,240 --> 00:33:02,080 that Christ can set you free. He has to be a part of you 361 00:33:02,080 --> 00:33:09,480 before you become free to take off those sinful chains of your 362 00:33:09,480 --> 00:33:14,400 life. Christ offers in this through a 363 00:33:14,400 --> 00:33:19,280 real relationship with Him and if you actually believe in 364 00:33:19,280 --> 00:33:25,360 Christ that Christ is who he says He is, He gives you the 365 00:33:25,360 --> 00:33:29,040 free gift of salvation and it starts to break you free. 366 00:33:29,960 --> 00:33:36,600 Our lives consequences may seem impossible to overcome, but the 367 00:33:36,600 --> 00:33:45,720 reality is without Christ most of them are right now I give you 368 00:33:45,720 --> 00:33:50,800 the opportunity to have a real relationship with Jesus today. 369 00:33:51,120 --> 00:33:55,080 The Bible says you must place your faith in Him to be saved. 370 00:33:55,960 --> 00:34:00,240 Romans 10/9 through 10 says because if you confess with your 371 00:34:00,240 --> 00:34:05,440 mouth that Jesus is Lord, and you believe in your heart that 372 00:34:05,440 --> 00:34:09,159 God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 373 00:34:10,840 --> 00:34:16,000 For with a heart 1 believes and is justified, and with the mouth 374 00:34:16,040 --> 00:34:22,840 1 confesses and is saved. If you would like to surrender 375 00:34:22,840 --> 00:34:26,480 your life to God today, I want to give you that chance. 376 00:34:27,800 --> 00:34:32,159 So if everybody could please bow your heads, close your eyes, 377 00:34:32,159 --> 00:34:36,960 just for a quick moment. This is just so you can focus on 378 00:34:36,960 --> 00:34:43,719 God, if you're willing to ask Him for forgiveness and 379 00:34:43,719 --> 00:34:52,239 salvation with every head bound you can quietly, silently repeat 380 00:34:52,560 --> 00:34:54,400 repeat this prayer or something similar. 381 00:34:54,800 --> 00:35:00,720 Jesus, I know I am messed up. I am a Sinner. 382 00:35:02,520 --> 00:35:10,880 I can't save myself. I want you to save me, adopt me 383 00:35:10,880 --> 00:35:16,600 into your family. I surrender everything to you. 384 00:35:18,480 --> 00:35:21,320 I receive your promise of forgiveness. 385 00:35:25,320 --> 00:35:28,160 I receive your adoption and eternal life. 386 00:35:30,400 --> 00:35:36,640 Jesus, please be my Lord with every head down. 387 00:35:36,640 --> 00:35:41,040 If you pray that prayer for the very first time, would you be 388 00:35:41,040 --> 00:35:45,720 brave enough to raise your hand? Amen. 389 00:35:47,560 --> 00:35:52,040 You may put your hands down in the amazing power of Jesus. 390 00:35:52,120 --> 00:35:56,600 Amen. If you just committed your life 391 00:35:56,600 --> 00:35:59,920 to Jesus for the very first time, welcome to his forever 392 00:35:59,920 --> 00:36:08,480 family. There are tables in the back of 393 00:36:08,480 --> 00:36:14,520 this room behind banners that says, I raised my hand and we 394 00:36:14,520 --> 00:36:17,920 just have a small gift for you, something to celebrate. 395 00:36:17,920 --> 00:36:20,520 But really we just want to pray with you and be there for you 396 00:36:20,520 --> 00:36:23,840 while you make this first step into having Christ come into 397 00:36:23,840 --> 00:36:27,240 your life and change your life and start breaking you free from 398 00:36:27,240 --> 00:36:29,640 the things that you know you're working through. 399 00:36:30,360 --> 00:36:36,000 And before we end today, let me give you some practical steps of 400 00:36:36,000 --> 00:36:42,520 abiding in God's word #1 hang out with God's Word. 401 00:36:43,840 --> 00:36:47,040 Hang out. Take a second. 402 00:36:47,920 --> 00:36:50,880 One of the best places to do this is in our community groups. 403 00:36:51,800 --> 00:36:55,280 Our community groups are not secular Hangouts. 404 00:36:56,520 --> 00:36:59,440 They are centered around the Word of God. 405 00:37:01,040 --> 00:37:06,800 Because community is nice, but biblical community is essential 406 00:37:06,800 --> 00:37:12,520 for everyone here. It's the word that changes us. 407 00:37:13,680 --> 00:37:18,400 Sometimes it's the word from other believers, so hopefully 408 00:37:18,400 --> 00:37:26,200 with a group of people, if not by yourself, take a verse, take 409 00:37:26,200 --> 00:37:28,920 a section of scripture and read it over. 410 00:37:30,400 --> 00:37:35,760 Ask God, am I living like this? Pray and ask Him. 411 00:37:36,680 --> 00:37:39,720 God, what are you telling me in this section of your word? 412 00:37:41,000 --> 00:37:44,960 Let it soak into you. Dwell on it. 413 00:37:45,880 --> 00:37:48,360 If you have no idea what it means, even better. 414 00:37:49,120 --> 00:37:57,240 Search, see, talk to people about it #2 be a doer, not just 415 00:37:57,360 --> 00:38:00,560 a hearer. Throughout the week, take a 416 00:38:00,560 --> 00:38:03,040 moment to ponder the word that you've been reading, that you 417 00:38:03,040 --> 00:38:08,120 opened up and read, and ask yourself, how can this change my 418 00:38:08,120 --> 00:38:12,440 outlook on a situation? How should it change my 419 00:38:12,440 --> 00:38:20,320 character or my actions? Lastly, find a verse that speaks 420 00:38:20,320 --> 00:38:27,480 directly to an area you know you are called to be transformed in. 421 00:38:29,920 --> 00:38:35,200 Utilize your pastors, your elders, your leaders, the people 422 00:38:35,200 --> 00:38:39,080 around you to find a verse that speaks into what you know you 423 00:38:39,080 --> 00:38:42,560 need to change in, Be transformed. 424 00:38:43,880 --> 00:38:46,640 Write that verse somewhere where you'll see it multiple times a 425 00:38:46,640 --> 00:38:49,680 day, every thought, Every time you see it, don't just read it. 426 00:38:50,600 --> 00:38:57,240 Confess your need for God's help to actually live it out, because 427 00:38:57,240 --> 00:39:05,720 we really need God's help. The goal is not perfection, it's 428 00:39:05,960 --> 00:39:11,400 authentic discipleship. It's when we get to see God, 429 00:39:11,400 --> 00:39:15,600 when we are face to face with God and he says, you, you were 430 00:39:15,600 --> 00:39:21,680 my disciple. It's allowing God's truth to 431 00:39:21,680 --> 00:39:25,200 slowly conform you to the image of His Son. 432 00:39:27,840 --> 00:39:30,320 As we close the song, I ask you all to please stand. 433 00:39:33,120 --> 00:39:37,440 Our prayer team will be up here if you need to pray about 434 00:39:37,440 --> 00:39:38,880 anything. And when I say anything, I 435 00:39:38,880 --> 00:39:41,240 really need it. These people have heard it all. 436 00:39:43,960 --> 00:39:48,120 If you need healing, if you need encouragement, if you need just 437 00:39:48,120 --> 00:39:52,800 to be with somebody, come forward and pray with them.