1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:06,800 The grand finale, which you've all been waiting for, Matthew 2 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:09,320 28, turning your Bible to Matthew. 3 00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:14,040 Somebody said, pastor, what are you going to? 4 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:16,680 What are you going to do after the book of Matthew? 5 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:20,920 I said, I'm going to start over. We're going to go back and I've 6 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:25,360 already got 110 sermons written. And once y'all obey all of them, 7 00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:26,800 then we'll move on to another book. 8 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:31,600 So there was a pastor years ago who was doing a series of just 9 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:33,920 months and months and months and months and months on Walking in 10 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:35,960 love. And somebody finally came up to 11 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:37,040 him. They said, you know, pastor, 12 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:39,280 really enjoying your series on Walking in love. 13 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:41,800 Just wondering when you're going to preach on something else. 14 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:44,920 He said when y'all start doing it, fair enough. 15 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:49,360 But now I don't, I don't think we'll go right back into Matthew 16 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:53,880 right away. But this has been good, and I'm 17 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:58,920 very excited to preach the Word to you today, specifically the 18 00:00:58,920 --> 00:01:03,120 Great Commission, Matthew 28 and verse 16. 19 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:08,560 Now the 11 disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to 20 00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:12,280 which Jesus had directed them, and when they saw him, they 21 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:16,240 worshipped him. But some doubted, and Jesus came 22 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:20,480 and said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been 23 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:23,840 given to me. Go therefore, and make disciples 24 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:27,560 of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of 25 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:31,840 the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all 26 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:35,560 that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always 27 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:40,240 to the end of the age. Almighty God, thank you so much 28 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:43,600 for the gift of Your Word. What a privilege and treasure 29 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:48,760 that we have had to walk through this gospel verse by verse, to 30 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:51,560 behold the treasures and the wealth and the depth and the 31 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:54,800 breadth and the height. God, I pray you will continue to 32 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:59,360 open our eyes this morning and expand our vision, our joy and 33 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:02,760 our obedience and our love. I pray that the Great Commission 34 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:05,320 would not just be something that we know about, but something 35 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:08,520 that we live for. That you would, as you have 36 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:11,160 already spoken this morning to us. 37 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:13,720 That you would in this new season, That you would start a 38 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:19,160 new chapter and that we would grow faithfully obedient to the 39 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:21,120 primary calling of every Christian's life. 40 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:26,240 Help us to see the authority of Jesus and respond to it in the 41 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:29,160 only way that we should, with more love and more devotion. 42 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:32,080 Guide me in the preaching of your word. 43 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:37,520 Lord, I need you, I need your help, your direction so that 44 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:39,440 your flock receives everything you want them to have. 45 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:42,800 In Jesus name we thank you. Amen. 46 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:50,880 Matthew ends with a power punch. He ends by directing us to see 47 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:55,080 the authority of Jesus and Jesus's love for all people. 48 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:58,840 The king is come, the king is died, the king is risen, and now 49 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:02,080 the king sends out his people to accomplish the work. 50 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:04,160 This is not a soft ending at all. 51 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:07,520 This is Jesus saying. This is not Jesus saying try to 52 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:10,200 keep your faith private and hold on until I come back. 53 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:12,680 Guys like do your best to not get yourselves hurt. 54 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:14,280 Do your best to not get yourselves killed. 55 00:03:14,640 --> 00:03:16,480 It's a rough world out there. Not everybody's going to be 56 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:19,320 interested in me and my message and what I have to say. 57 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:22,200 Nothing like that. This is the risen Christ 58 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:25,480 standing in total authority, sending His people into the 59 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:28,280 world to make disciples of all nations. 60 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:31,600 This passage is not just for missionaries or those who are 61 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:34,560 just ordained. This passage is for the whole 62 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:38,720 Church of Jesus Christ. It is for every disciple of 63 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:41,320 Jesus. If you belong to Christ, you 64 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:44,440 have been brought under his authority, into his mission, and 65 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:47,960 under his promise. Every Christian is a disciple 66 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:51,480 Maker. To be a disciple of Jesus is to 67 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:55,240 make disciples of Jesus. There can be no confusion about 68 00:03:55,240 --> 00:03:58,960 that message from the beginning. Invitation to the final command. 69 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:02,120 Come and follow me. Well, that rabbi said we should 70 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:05,880 follow him. Why I'll make you fishers of 71 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:09,520 men. He never hit it. 72 00:04:09,880 --> 00:04:11,760 He didn't say follow me, follow me, follow me. 73 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:12,960 Have a wonderful plan for your life. 74 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:14,440 It's going to be super sweet and easy. 75 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:17,600 It was day one upfront. Come and follow me. 76 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:21,000 There's a cross involved. There's sacrifice involved. 77 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:23,280 There's eternal life involved. I'm worth all of it. 78 00:04:23,280 --> 00:04:24,800 You're going to be fishers and men. 79 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:26,160 It's always been there the whole time. 80 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:28,600 The way we invite people to Jesus matters. 81 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:31,880 We should tell people the whole truth about Jesus because the 82 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:34,000 whole truth is beautiful. You're not. 83 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:37,120 You cannot do better marketing for Jesus than Jesus has done 84 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:39,360 for himself. He does not need you to improve 85 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:41,440 the message. He doesn't need you to hang back 86 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:43,920 with anything. The whole truth is the best way 87 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:46,960 to share the truth. I heard there's a brother named 88 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:51,480 Christopher Alam. He was a Pakistani Muslim 89 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:56,440 jihadist and he was 19 years old and somebody had come to him and 90 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:58,560 shared the gospel with him and he still talks about, he says, 91 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:00,880 I'm so thankful. The way they shared the gospel 92 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:03,360 with me was the way the Bible shares the gospel with people, 93 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:07,520 which was come and die, come and follow Jesus, come and give your 94 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:10,560 life for Christ. He requires everything of you, 95 00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:13,040 but he's paid everything for you, he said. 96 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:15,800 I understood from day one what I was saying yes to. 97 00:05:16,280 --> 00:05:18,640 There was no confusion. The message didn't build and 98 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:21,080 wait over time. I mean, imagine if marriages 99 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:23,520 were set up that way, like, hey, why don't you 2 just get 100 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:26,560 together, just say some stuff. And then over time, we're going 101 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:29,520 to explain to you the massive commitment, the exclusivity, 102 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:31,920 everything that comes along with this covenant that you've made. 103 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:33,960 We'll, we'll, we'll explain more later. 104 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:38,400 Stupid, idiotic, foolish, completely dumb. 105 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:39,680 No one would ever think to do something. 106 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:43,000 But in Christianity we're like, hey, if you could just like if I 107 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:44,280 could just share some of these things. 108 00:05:44,280 --> 00:05:47,440 It's all good news. It's all good news. 109 00:05:47,440 --> 00:05:49,160 Following Jesus is always awesome. 110 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:52,240 Following Jesus is always great. I didn't say it's always easy, 111 00:05:52,520 --> 00:05:54,880 but it's always the right thing. It's always the best thing. 112 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:58,480 So to be a disciple of Jesus is to make disciples of Jesus. 113 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:01,200 We see that all throughout the Scriptures. 114 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:06,160 And for people who have been brought into His mission under 115 00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:08,160 His promise, this is our natural desire. 116 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:13,680 In verse 16. Now the 11 disciples went to 117 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:17,000 Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 118 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:19,360 Right away you notice something here. 119 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:22,560 The 11 disciples, we're reminded again, this is heavy. 120 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:25,800 There should have been 12. But Judas is gone. 121 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:28,280 Judas walked with Jesus. Judas heard the sermons. 122 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:30,880 Judas saw the miracles. He watched demons flee. 123 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:35,160 He saw storms obey, sick bodies healed, dead people raised, and 124 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:36,800 he betrayed the Lord Jesus Christ. 125 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:40,960 That should sober everybody. I've said it before, I'll say it 126 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:43,680 again. Any person is capable of any sin 127 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:45,440 that any other person is capable of. 128 00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:49,480 What are we going to do with all this vadnais? 129 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:52,480 We throw ourselves on the mercy and on the grace of God. 130 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:54,840 Lord, help me. Lord, protect me. 131 00:06:55,600 --> 00:06:58,160 I cannot do anything on my own. Apart from you. 132 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:01,720 I can do nothing. You're the vine, I'm the branch. 133 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:05,520 Proximity to holiness does not equal salvation. 134 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:09,560 Being around the people of God is not the same thing as 135 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:12,520 belonging to God. Hearing truth is not the same 136 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:16,760 thing as submitting to truth. So Judas is a warning for us. 137 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:20,080 You can be close to the work of God and still be dead in your 138 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:24,000 sin and lost forever in hell. It's a sad truth. 139 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:26,040 It's a sobering truth. But we're reminded of again as 140 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:28,800 we see the 11 Because somebody's missing. 141 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:34,000 Hebrews 6, 4 through 6 warns us that it is impossible to renew, 142 00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:36,800 to repentance. Those who were once enlightened, 143 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:39,480 once they have tasted the heavenly gift, shared in the 144 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:43,160 Holy Spirit, tasted God's good word and the powers of the 145 00:07:43,160 --> 00:07:44,680 coming age, and then they fell away. 146 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:47,320 Judas had tasted, Judas had seen. 147 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:50,240 Judas had shared in the blessings around the Son of God, 148 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:53,720 but he still fell away. So this is not a casual warning. 149 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:57,600 This is God telling us not to play games with holy things. 150 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:02,120 What else do we see about the 11? 151 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:05,320 They do what they're told to do. Simple obedience. 152 00:08:05,320 --> 00:08:08,400 Again, discipleship. Jesus speaks, His people obey. 153 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:11,200 They go to Galilee. I'm sure they're thankful. 154 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:14,400 They've abandoned the Lord. They've scattered. 155 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:17,320 Am I even worthy to be his disciple? 156 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:19,320 Is anyone worthy to be his disciple? 157 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:21,960 And yet Jesus extends his kindness and his mercy. 158 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:23,640 He told them that I'm going to meet you there. 159 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:25,960 He sends the Angel to tell them to meet him there. 160 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:29,480 And the women tell them as well. They're obedient. 161 00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:32,400 We've talked about this before. You want to see more Jesus in 162 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:35,039 your life, He's going to be found in your obedience. 163 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:37,159 That that's where the fellowship is going to be found. 164 00:08:37,159 --> 00:08:38,720 That's where the nearness is going to be found. 165 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:41,880 Doing what he says. That's where you're going to 166 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:45,160 experience the most of his presence, the most fulfillment 167 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:47,720 of his presence. If I tell Natalie, hey, I'm 168 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:50,520 taking you on a date, we're leaving at six and she doesn't 169 00:08:50,520 --> 00:08:53,760 get in the car. Why is my husband left me? 170 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:56,400 You didn't do what your husband said to do. 171 00:08:56,400 --> 00:08:57,600 You're like he wants to be with you. 172 00:08:57,600 --> 00:08:59,480 He's got the whole date planned and prepared. 173 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:03,680 So if you want to be in his presence, do what he said to do, 174 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:05,520 that's where he's going to be found. 175 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:14,080 As you look at the, the, the passage here, you have to 176 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:16,240 remember, as we've talked about many times before, the way 177 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:20,080 Matthew writes, the way that we write, the way we think in, in 178 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:23,400 the West is just very different. And it seems right to us. 179 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:26,680 Spoken like a westerner, though, the way we think and, and the 180 00:09:26,680 --> 00:09:29,520 logic that we use in the order of events that we use, it's just 181 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:31,360 not the way it's been done globally. 182 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:33,320 It's not the way it's always been done historically. 183 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:34,880 It's just the way we're doing it now. 184 00:09:34,880 --> 00:09:37,160 And to you, and I would just say it's the right way to do it, 185 00:09:37,320 --> 00:09:40,440 which spoken like an American as well, right, because everything 186 00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:44,120 we do is the best. So we would say, but this isn't 187 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:48,040 how Matthew writes his gospel. Matthew is not super focused on 188 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:50,000 getting his chronology right with everything. 189 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:53,600 So that's why it could explain what's happening here from verse 190 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:56,080 17 to 17. But there are places in 191 00:09:56,080 --> 00:09:59,360 Scripture where the timeline of the resurrection appearances is 192 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:02,640 are compressed. Matthew does not give us every 193 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:04,720 single appearance. Luke, John, and Acts give us 194 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:07,000 other details. We know Jesus appeared in 195 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:10,040 Jerusalem already to them on the same day of the resurrection. 196 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:13,040 We know Thomas doubted there. We know the ascension happened 197 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:16,400 eventually near Jerusalem, around Bethany and the Mount of 198 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:18,200 Olives. But Matthew's not confused. 199 00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:20,440 Matthew's not trying to give us a minute by minute timeline. 200 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:24,400 I mean, Matthew literally leaves out the fact, hey, guys, he hung 201 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:26,960 out with us for 40 days after the resurrection. 202 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:29,640 You know, I think I would have included that, but the Holy 203 00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:31,960 Spirit said, no, Matthew, I've got that covered elsewhere. 204 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:36,000 So the Lord gives us what we, what we need here, but Matthew's 205 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:37,800 not giving us a minute by minute timeline. 206 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:39,560 He's taking us to the grand finale. 207 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:43,680 The risen king meets his disciples and he sends them to 208 00:10:43,680 --> 00:10:44,960 the nation's. That's the point. 209 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:47,600 That really is the point. All the other details are, wow, 210 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:50,520 OK, that's how it happened, but we get the message that matters 211 00:10:50,680 --> 00:10:54,480 for us, for our obedience. So verse 17. 212 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:59,200 And when they saw him, they worshipped him, but some doubted 213 00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:01,640 they saw him and they worshipped him. 214 00:11:01,640 --> 00:11:03,080 Of course, that's the right response. 215 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:07,040 Not sentimental admiration. We see a lot of sentimental 216 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:09,840 admiration for Jesus all the time. 217 00:11:10,680 --> 00:11:13,520 We live in the United States of America, and in particular we 218 00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:16,280 live in the South. The region we live in would be 219 00:11:16,280 --> 00:11:17,960 considered what they call the Bible Belt. 220 00:11:18,560 --> 00:11:22,120 So there's just Christendom has influenced America. 221 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:24,040 Everybody could say praise God for that. 222 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:28,280 And yet the downside is people can get a version of the dead 223 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:31,560 thing and then they are inoculated to the living thing. 224 00:11:32,560 --> 00:11:35,720 So there, there are many people who there's a, there's a good 225 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:37,640 book called The Unsaved Christian. 226 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:40,040 Of course, there's no such thing as an unsaved Christian. 227 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:44,320 But the author, he's a pastor in Georgia or Alabama. 228 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:47,600 Yeah. And he just explains like he 229 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:48,840 said he was leaving for Bible college. 230 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:50,840 Him and his buddy were packing up and his buddy was going to 231 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:52,880 Washington State. And he said I was going to 232 00:11:52,880 --> 00:11:54,280 Alabama. And he told him he's like, man, 233 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:56,560 I just got to say it. I just feel like a real coward, 234 00:11:57,120 --> 00:11:59,800 like I'm going into like the buckle of the Bible belt where 235 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:02,920 everybody loves Jesus. And he, he calls it, he calls 236 00:12:02,920 --> 00:12:04,360 this out. He says, I'm going to preach the 237 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:06,880 gospel in the, in the land of the, the land of the 238 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:09,720 monogrammed. And he said, you're going to 239 00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:14,520 Washington, Washington state. And his buddy turned to him. 240 00:12:14,520 --> 00:12:17,560 He goes, you're an idiot. He's like, what? 241 00:12:17,560 --> 00:12:20,120 What do you mean? He's like, dude, I got it easy 242 00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:22,520 where I'm going. Everybody, you know where 243 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:24,400 everybody stands in Washington state. 244 00:12:24,680 --> 00:12:26,320 Are you a Christ follower? No. 245 00:12:26,640 --> 00:12:28,680 Are you a Christ follower? Yes. 246 00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:31,080 It's very obvious. He's like, you're going to 247 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:33,200 Georgia. Are you a Christ follower? 248 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:36,840 Yeah, everybody is. It's America. 249 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:38,920 It's the South. He was like, good luck to you, 250 00:12:38,920 --> 00:12:41,280 bro. Convincing people who think that 251 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:43,800 they've been Christians for 50 years that they're not. 252 00:12:44,560 --> 00:12:46,440 He's like, you've got it way harder than I do. 253 00:12:48,560 --> 00:12:52,080 I thought that's actually true. So. 254 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:54,880 So, yeah, I can't take it anymore. 255 00:12:54,880 --> 00:12:56,120 It's too hard. We're moving to Washington 256 00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:58,880 State. Just kidding. 257 00:13:01,920 --> 00:13:05,040 Where did all that come from? Not sentimental. 258 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:09,240 Not sentimental admiration. I tip my hat to the man 259 00:13:09,240 --> 00:13:12,840 upstairs. I am very interested in Jesus. 260 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:18,480 I like Jesus, but he's not talking about or this worship is 261 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:20,360 not religious interest, It is worship. 262 00:13:20,720 --> 00:13:23,760 Jesus receives worship because Jesus is God. 263 00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:27,760 If Jesus is not God, of course worshipping Jesus is blasphemy. 264 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:32,360 But if Jesus is God, then anything less than worship of 265 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:38,000 Jesus is rebellion. If Jesus is God, not worshipping 266 00:13:38,080 --> 00:13:41,920 Jesus equals rebellion. That's what I talked about, I 267 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:44,520 think last week. What's satanic? 268 00:13:44,520 --> 00:13:48,120 Well, anything that would exalt itself against Jesus, anything 269 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:49,640 that would seek to diminish his glory. 270 00:13:52,920 --> 00:13:55,920 Matthew here does not pretend that the Saints are superheroes. 271 00:13:55,920 --> 00:13:57,840 Of course, none of the Gospels do. 272 00:13:58,040 --> 00:14:01,240 They show their failures over and over and over and over. 273 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:06,200 John most comically, You know, when he's like, no, nobody else 274 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:09,800 cited who cut off the year. And then John's like that was 275 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:13,080 Peter. In case also I beat him to the 276 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:14,520 tomb. We raced and I won. 277 00:14:17,680 --> 00:14:19,600 But Matthew doesn't pretend the Saints are superheroes. 278 00:14:19,600 --> 00:14:22,360 He recognizes and he acknowledges that some doubted. 279 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:25,760 So this could have been Matthew's just Matthew just 280 00:14:25,760 --> 00:14:27,840 combining his timeline. He was like this was the day of 281 00:14:27,840 --> 00:14:30,120 the resurrection. Thomas doubting this could be 282 00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:32,840 other doubting. So other other theologians and 283 00:14:32,840 --> 00:14:35,160 Christians throughout the ages have said this could have also 284 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:38,200 applied to not a doubt of like is Jesus raised after we've been 285 00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:40,880 walking with him for 40 days. I'm still not sure what to make 286 00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:43,440 of all this, but it could have been just been confusion on I 287 00:14:43,560 --> 00:14:44,720 don't understand what's happening now. 288 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:48,320 I don't know what's next. I'm doubting can this thing move 289 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:51,240 forward at this point? This is nice, Jesus, but Jesus 290 00:14:51,240 --> 00:14:54,880 still clearly has no interest in like, OK, now let's March on 291 00:14:54,880 --> 00:14:58,040 Rome. So like, what are we doing 292 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:00,000 exactly? He's still just talking to us 293 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:02,800 about the Kingdom. Like, when are we going to like 294 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:07,600 what's supposed to happen next? And they still probably until 295 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:10,680 this moment comes, they still probably don't know what's 296 00:15:10,680 --> 00:15:12,920 coming. I still think that they might 297 00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:16,920 not realize that they are the whole plan and that they were 298 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:20,040 the plan 3 years ago, which is still wild. 299 00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:24,200 It's still wild that the Lord chose to use us. 300 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:26,640 I mean, look at us, look in the mirror. 301 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:30,720 This is His plan. Well filled with His Spirit, 302 00:15:31,520 --> 00:15:34,000 filled with His Spirit and equipped with His Word. 303 00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:38,920 Who are we? Well, on our own, nothing, but 304 00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:45,480 in Christ we're well able. We're like Caleb and Joshua and 305 00:15:45,480 --> 00:15:48,080 we look at the land and we say we are well able to take the 306 00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:49,720 land. There's giants in the land. 307 00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:53,240 No, no, it's ready. There's big fruit there and it's 308 00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:54,920 ripe for the picking. It's all ours. 309 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:56,480 It'll be just like the Lord said. 310 00:15:57,280 --> 00:15:59,200 That's the response of the disciples of Christ. 311 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:00,880 Why? Because they walk in the 312 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:03,840 authority of Christ. Because we walk in the power of 313 00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:06,640 Jesus. Because he gave us power to 314 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:10,160 trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of 315 00:16:10,160 --> 00:16:14,120 the evil 1, to lay hands on the sick so that they would recover, 316 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:17,840 to drive out demons, to raise the dead. 317 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:21,440 So who are we? We're the people of God now. 318 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:24,320 We're the righteousness of God in Christ. 319 00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:27,280 This is where identity has to shift for us. 320 00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:29,120 This is where we have to go from. 321 00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:32,720 I'm just this, I'm just this small thing. 322 00:16:33,160 --> 00:16:34,920 I'm a Sinner who's saved by grace. 323 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:36,440 I'm just not going to hell anymore. 324 00:16:36,440 --> 00:16:39,560 That's essentially who I am. I'm just a person who won't burn 325 00:16:40,040 --> 00:16:42,320 to. I actually have a mighty calling 326 00:16:42,920 --> 00:16:46,680 because I have a mighty God. Maybe that's where you have some 327 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:50,160 of your doubts. You're doubting what your 328 00:16:50,160 --> 00:16:53,240 abilities are because you're ultimately still doubting what 329 00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:56,800 the Lord has said about you and who you are now in Christ. 330 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:00,360 What do we do now? What's the plan? 331 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:02,120 Am I really able to move forward? 332 00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:05,319 We should acknowledge there's a difference between doubt and 333 00:17:05,319 --> 00:17:08,160 unbelief. I'm categorizing them 334 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:10,880 differently. Doubt, I would say is a 335 00:17:10,880 --> 00:17:14,359 struggle. A struggle forward though, and a 336 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:17,040 struggle ultimately that will lead you to the Lord if you 337 00:17:17,040 --> 00:17:21,280 allow the Lord to lead you. Unbelief is a settled refusal. 338 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:24,000 Doubt says, Lord, help me understand. 339 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:28,040 Unbelief says I will not bow, I will not believe, and I will not 340 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:30,640 obey. Doubt can still be facing Jesus, 341 00:17:31,160 --> 00:17:34,040 but have concerns, have questions, and have hesitations 342 00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:37,960 as it faces Jesus. Doubt could still be in the 343 00:17:37,960 --> 00:17:43,680 room, but doubt could be helped. Doubt has options though. 344 00:17:43,880 --> 00:17:47,200 Doubt can go towards the Lord or a doubt can go towards unbelief. 345 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:49,800 But doubt and unbelief, I want you to understand. 346 00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:51,840 Like sometimes I have doubts about stuff. 347 00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:56,440 Well, congratulations on being a human being, but also keep going 348 00:17:56,440 --> 00:17:59,120 to the Lord with all of it. Be real and all of your prayer 349 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:03,440 and be engaged in relationships that are discipling you and 350 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:07,400 discipling others and in the fellowship of the body and 351 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:10,840 having mentors that are disciple you and peers who are growing 352 00:18:10,840 --> 00:18:13,120 with you. Your questions get answered and 353 00:18:13,120 --> 00:18:17,120 your doubts get comforted and people pray for you and you get 354 00:18:17,120 --> 00:18:18,400 breakthrough and you get blessing. 355 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:23,480 To claim that you never have doubt makes you a liar and to 356 00:18:23,480 --> 00:18:25,640 hide your doubt makes you a prideful fool. 357 00:18:26,800 --> 00:18:29,600 So acknowledge that you've had doubt or that you are 358 00:18:29,600 --> 00:18:31,760 experiencing doubt in a particular thing, in a 359 00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:35,480 particular area, not, not, not maybe things that you may be 360 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:39,600 used to doubt, but something now that you're struggling with and 361 00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:42,320 share that with somebody so that it can be surfaced, so it can 362 00:18:42,320 --> 00:18:45,040 come to the light and it can be prevented from ever becoming 363 00:18:45,040 --> 00:18:47,840 unbelief. Unbelief is when something is 364 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:49,600 hardened against itself in the Lord. 365 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:52,200 There are people who love the Lord and they will be with the 366 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:54,400 Lord forever, but they have unbelief in their lives in 367 00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:58,400 certain areas in regarding in regarding the promises of God. 368 00:18:58,960 --> 00:19:01,200 But they're locked in a belief in a particular area because of 369 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:04,480 a doctrinal perspective, because of a philosophy, because of a 370 00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:11,400 theology. They doubt. 371 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:15,520 Some doubted. Verse 18 And Jesus came to them 372 00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:20,000 and said, all authority in heaven and on earth has been 373 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:23,880 given to me. Jesus came to them. 374 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:26,600 This is another sweet mercy of the Lord. 375 00:19:26,880 --> 00:19:28,920 They didn't have to climb up to Him and prove they're worthy. 376 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:31,120 Even though some were doubting, He came near. 377 00:19:31,120 --> 00:19:33,040 He spoke to them. What does He say? 378 00:19:33,520 --> 00:19:37,240 All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 379 00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:41,840 Not some authority, not local authority, not religious 380 00:19:41,840 --> 00:19:45,520 authority, only the important distinction I will make to you 381 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:48,880 over and over, and I will always pound the pulpit on Jesus 382 00:19:48,880 --> 00:19:52,160 doesn't just have authority over like religions. 383 00:19:53,280 --> 00:19:58,200 Jesus has all authority over everything, everybody, 384 00:19:58,320 --> 00:20:01,160 everywhere. Authority over heaven, authority 385 00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:04,680 over earth, authority over angels, authority over demons, 386 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:08,400 authority over kings, authority over nations, authority over 387 00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:11,120 presidents, authority over prime ministers. 388 00:20:11,760 --> 00:20:15,600 He has authority over your home. He has authority over your body. 389 00:20:16,120 --> 00:20:18,240 Jesus has authority over your marriage. 390 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:19,920 Jesus has authority over your money. 391 00:20:20,360 --> 00:20:24,040 Jesus has authority over your future, over your children, over 392 00:20:24,040 --> 00:20:26,280 your church. Jesus has authority over your 393 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:28,320 death. Jesus has authority over your 394 00:20:28,320 --> 00:20:32,000 eternity. Jesus is not asking for 395 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:34,840 permission. Jesus is not running for office 396 00:20:34,840 --> 00:20:39,320 to win a majority vote. Jesus is not asking for anyone's 397 00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:41,800 perception on it. He is saying this is the way it 398 00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:46,200 is. Jesus is King right now over 399 00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:47,840 everybody. This is the authority that he's 400 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:49,760 establishing before the Commission comes. 401 00:20:50,360 --> 00:20:53,000 All authority has been given to me. 402 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:56,760 I want to clarify though, Jesus did not become God at the 403 00:20:56,760 --> 00:21:00,560 resurrection, and he didn't even gain more authority after the 404 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:03,000 resurrection. The Son has always shared the 405 00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:05,800 full divine authority with the Father and the Spirit. 406 00:21:06,600 --> 00:21:10,120 Jesus is eternally God, but after his obedience, His death 407 00:21:10,120 --> 00:21:14,520 and His resurrection, this is the public declaration where the 408 00:21:14,520 --> 00:21:18,480 Father exalts Jesus as the risen God, man, the Messiah and the 409 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:21,720 victorious King. This is the public proclamation. 410 00:21:22,080 --> 00:21:25,880 Before it had not been publicly proclaimed that Jesus is King 411 00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:30,240 and Lord over all. Now the church age has begun and 412 00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:34,080 this is the time for the church to run with the message Jesus is 413 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:35,560 King. Well, what about? 414 00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:39,640 What about Yahweh? There is one God the Father, Son 415 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:42,280 and Holy Spirit. He's always been the same God 416 00:21:42,440 --> 00:21:44,360 and it's always been about Jesus. 417 00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:48,080 Jesus is king. Now we are clearly declaring. 418 00:21:48,280 --> 00:21:51,960 Now we are plainly speaking. Can you prove that to me, 419 00:21:51,960 --> 00:21:54,000 Pastor? I love when you all ask me that 420 00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:59,440 question. Long ago, Hebrews 11 At many 421 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:04,320 times and in many ways God spoke to our fathers by the prophets. 422 00:22:04,320 --> 00:22:07,760 So this is a Jewish author writing this book, writing the 423 00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:11,800 book of Hebrews to who? You only get one guess, only one 424 00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:14,200 guess on this one. This is written to Hebrews, to 425 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:17,680 Jews long ago, at many times and in many ways. 426 00:22:17,880 --> 00:22:22,400 God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days 427 00:22:22,480 --> 00:22:26,480 He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed the heir of 428 00:22:26,480 --> 00:22:33,240 all things, through whom He also created the world, He, Jesus. 429 00:22:33,360 --> 00:22:37,520 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of 430 00:22:37,520 --> 00:22:41,480 His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His 431 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:44,200 power. After making purification for 432 00:22:44,200 --> 00:22:47,800 sins, He sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high, 433 00:22:48,040 --> 00:22:52,400 having become as much superior to angels as the name He has 434 00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:54,400 inherited is more excellent than theirs. 435 00:22:56,400 --> 00:23:00,640 In the old days he spoke to us, to the prophets, but now guys, 436 00:23:01,120 --> 00:23:03,480 all is fully revealed through Jesus. 437 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:09,080 He has always had divine authority, but now his authority 438 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:13,960 is is declared and displayed. The crucified one has risen and 439 00:23:13,960 --> 00:23:17,400 heaven announces what the earth must learn. 440 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:24,760 Jesus Christ is Lord of all. Hallelujah, Hallelujah verse 19. 441 00:23:25,640 --> 00:23:30,480 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them 442 00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:33,400 in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. 443 00:23:33,960 --> 00:23:37,000 So there's a there's a helpful Bible reminder tool. 444 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:40,040 Whenever you find a therefore in your Bible, make sure you know 445 00:23:40,040 --> 00:23:45,600 what it's there for very clever. A dad came up with that that 446 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:49,200 that Bible training. It's helpful, though, if there's 447 00:23:49,200 --> 00:23:51,600 a therefore, find out what is it in reference to. 448 00:23:52,120 --> 00:23:54,640 So therefore, what's He referring to? 449 00:23:55,440 --> 00:23:57,680 I have all authority in heaven and on earth. 450 00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:03,040 So because I have all authority in heaven and on earth, go 451 00:24:03,880 --> 00:24:07,080 because I have all the power, because you should obey me, 452 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:09,120 because the whole world needs to hear, and because the whole 453 00:24:09,120 --> 00:24:11,680 world needs to know. He's connecting the command of 454 00:24:11,680 --> 00:24:15,360 what they're supposed to do to the authority of who He is and 455 00:24:15,360 --> 00:24:17,480 what He has. Because I have all power. 456 00:24:17,800 --> 00:24:23,440 Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them 457 00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:27,480 in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. 458 00:24:27,480 --> 00:24:29,880 There, of course, we see the Trinity once again. 459 00:24:29,880 --> 00:24:32,360 Although the word Trinity is never used in Scripture, the 460 00:24:32,360 --> 00:24:36,920 theology is always taught. Go there for it, because Jesus 461 00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:40,280 has all authority. The Great Commission is not 462 00:24:40,280 --> 00:24:43,560 built on your guilt. The Great Commission is not 463 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:47,840 built on you having passion or you having a heart for others 464 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:50,360 even which of course Christians will have. 465 00:24:51,440 --> 00:24:53,760 The Great Commission is built on the authority of Jesus. 466 00:24:54,920 --> 00:24:58,600 This is not Jesus saying go and see if anyone would let me be 467 00:24:58,600 --> 00:25:05,040 Lord. Jesus is saying, go tell them I 468 00:25:05,040 --> 00:25:08,920 am Lord. That should reframe the way you 469 00:25:08,920 --> 00:25:11,880 talk to people about Jesus. You're not having a, a an 470 00:25:12,920 --> 00:25:16,000 approach where you're passive. You're not having an approach 471 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:18,000 where you're saying, would it be all right? 472 00:25:18,280 --> 00:25:20,920 You have no apology to make. You have good news to share. 473 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:25,760 Don't be sorry, be joyful, don't be sad, don't be worried, be 474 00:25:25,760 --> 00:25:29,240 excited. Jesus is Lord. 475 00:25:31,560 --> 00:25:35,160 The main command is to make disciples. 476 00:25:35,960 --> 00:25:38,640 How do we make disciples? Well, he doesn't say go make 477 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:41,760 church attenders. He does not say make more 478 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:46,080 religious consumers. He does not say go make people 479 00:25:46,080 --> 00:25:50,160 pray prayers and ultimately still never follow me. 480 00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:54,440 He says make disciples. A disciple is a learner. 481 00:25:55,360 --> 00:25:58,320 A disciple is a follower. A disciple is an apprentice, 482 00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:01,680 someone brought under the teaching and under the authority 483 00:26:01,680 --> 00:26:03,920 of Jesus Christ. That's what a disciple is. 484 00:26:05,560 --> 00:26:09,320 Are you a Christian? I rarely use that word. 485 00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:11,080 I haven't. I've rarely used that word for 486 00:26:11,080 --> 00:26:14,240 years and years and years now. I have tried to get more 487 00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:16,920 specific because I live in the land of the monogrammed. 488 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:20,040 So I get more precise and I say Christ follower. 489 00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:22,920 Aren't they the same thing? Well, they should be, but the 490 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:27,520 culture that I'm in has has ruined that word and made it 491 00:26:27,520 --> 00:26:29,360 mean nothing because everybody's a Christian. 492 00:26:29,800 --> 00:26:32,880 Literally every president we've ever had in this country is a 493 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:36,080 Christian. Like everybody's a Christian. 494 00:26:36,080 --> 00:26:39,840 If you need any sort of social clout in the American South, 495 00:26:39,840 --> 00:26:42,560 it's still beneficial to use that tagline. 496 00:26:42,880 --> 00:26:44,320 It is. Its power has faded, 497 00:26:44,360 --> 00:26:48,080 unfortunately, but but that name is still beneficial to you. 498 00:26:48,080 --> 00:26:51,400 So if you're running for an election, it's a good idea to be 499 00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:53,840 a Christian and you'll make some church attendances as well 500 00:26:53,840 --> 00:26:56,160 before Election Day to make sure everybody can see. 501 00:26:58,320 --> 00:26:59,720 Jesus didn't ask for any of that. 502 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:03,480 He didn't command any of that. A disciple is a learner, A 503 00:27:03,520 --> 00:27:06,560 follower and apprentice. Someone brought under the 504 00:27:06,560 --> 00:27:09,840 teaching, someone brought under the authority of Jesus Christ. 505 00:27:09,840 --> 00:27:12,800 He has authority over everybody, but this looks like someone 506 00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:15,120 who's actually submitting to the authority of Jesus. 507 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:17,600 A disciple is not someone who attended a class. 508 00:27:18,760 --> 00:27:23,240 So this is the mistake that we often make is we can we can 509 00:27:23,240 --> 00:27:26,480 reframe discipleship and say it's a series of classes. 510 00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:28,960 It is a it is a bulk of information. 511 00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:31,040 Information does not make disciples. 512 00:27:31,280 --> 00:27:35,960 Obedience makes disciples. I have met people waterlogged 513 00:27:36,320 --> 00:27:41,080 with truth who are not faithful. I've grown up in the church. 514 00:27:41,080 --> 00:27:44,000 Praise God. That is a testimony of mine and 515 00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:47,320 I'm thankful for it. I grew up, my dad was a pastor. 516 00:27:47,800 --> 00:27:50,360 I was there before service. I was there after service. 517 00:27:50,360 --> 00:27:55,280 Wednesday night, Sunday morning, Sunday night, all a blessing. 518 00:27:55,680 --> 00:27:58,080 But in that I've seen a few folks. 519 00:27:58,640 --> 00:28:04,360 I'm only 41, so I'm a very young man, but I've seen a few things 520 00:28:04,360 --> 00:28:06,840 over the years and I've seen people who had all the knowledge 521 00:28:06,840 --> 00:28:11,480 in the world and not the fruit. I'm interested in fruit. 522 00:28:12,320 --> 00:28:14,440 I don't have all the knowledge in the world. 523 00:28:14,680 --> 00:28:18,000 You're looking at your two time college dropout pastor, in case 524 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:22,520 anyone had forgotten. But fruit has been my pursuit 525 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:25,960 and loving the Lord has been my pursuit, and I find that that 526 00:28:25,960 --> 00:28:29,120 keeps me safe. Is it wrong for us to have 527 00:28:29,120 --> 00:28:31,000 classes and programs? It's not wrong. 528 00:28:31,720 --> 00:28:34,080 It is wrong though, because it has become a substitute for 529 00:28:34,080 --> 00:28:39,280 actual discipleship because the church unfortunately has turned 530 00:28:39,280 --> 00:28:42,960 discipleship into programs. And if you go to good churches, 531 00:28:43,080 --> 00:28:46,400 faithful churches, Bible preaching churches, they still 532 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:50,640 often say we have a discipleship program instead of something 533 00:28:50,640 --> 00:28:53,080 that models more of the discipleship program that Jesus 534 00:28:53,080 --> 00:28:55,080 invented and that he ran for three years. 535 00:28:55,400 --> 00:28:58,400 It looks something like this when you're hanging around the 536 00:28:58,400 --> 00:29:00,840 fire pit. They see how you are with the 537 00:29:00,840 --> 00:29:02,600 crowd. They see how you are with the 538 00:29:02,600 --> 00:29:05,760 woman at the well. They see how you are when you're 539 00:29:05,760 --> 00:29:07,840 tired and exhausted. They see how you are in the 540 00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:10,560 middle of the storm. It is a life together. 541 00:29:10,840 --> 00:29:14,120 Discipleship. That's what discipleship look 542 00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:16,920 like in the Scriptures. Maybe I can't do it the same 543 00:29:16,920 --> 00:29:18,520 way. Well, maybe we can't. 544 00:29:18,520 --> 00:29:20,880 Maybe you're not going to call 12 others to come and follow you 545 00:29:20,880 --> 00:29:22,400 and live with you. And others may support your 546 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:26,080 ministry and discipleship time. And yet, how can we best pursue 547 00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:29,840 the model of Jesus? It involves life on life kind of 548 00:29:29,840 --> 00:29:32,480 stuff. So then churches were like, OK, 549 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:35,200 it's true, we do need life on life. 550 00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:38,040 How do we fix that? We'll make life groups and 551 00:29:38,040 --> 00:29:40,880 that's where we'll put it. But even then, we can still fall 552 00:29:40,880 --> 00:29:44,560 short in building programs and it can still just be, this is 553 00:29:44,560 --> 00:29:47,280 where we gather together. But if you don't still have 554 00:29:47,280 --> 00:29:49,760 relationships that are discipling one another, 555 00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:53,520 correcting one another, helping one another, and deeply 556 00:29:53,520 --> 00:29:56,320 connected to one another, then you could still just end up with 557 00:29:56,360 --> 00:29:59,240 programs that people attend, and you could still end up with 558 00:29:59,240 --> 00:30:00,960 fruitlessness. Well, what's our life group do? 559 00:30:00,960 --> 00:30:02,800 Well, we're studying this, we're studying that, we're studying 560 00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:05,640 this. Keep studying, by the way, keep 561 00:30:05,640 --> 00:30:08,800 studying, but for the purpose of obedience. 562 00:30:10,320 --> 00:30:14,880 So a disciple is an obeyor. And where are we supposed to 563 00:30:14,880 --> 00:30:18,120 make these disciples? This mission, he says, is for 564 00:30:18,120 --> 00:30:20,560 all nations. Remember, Matthew's gospel is 565 00:30:20,560 --> 00:30:24,040 written to Jews. So Matthew from chapter 1 here 566 00:30:24,040 --> 00:30:26,320 to chapter 28, he's writing to a Jewish people. 567 00:30:26,640 --> 00:30:30,160 He has presented the kingship of Jesus literally from chapter 1, 568 00:30:30,800 --> 00:30:32,400 because Matthew's just awesome like that. 569 00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:35,360 And now if somehow somebody missed it, which would have been 570 00:30:35,360 --> 00:30:39,720 impossible along the way, now it's just even all of it all 571 00:30:39,720 --> 00:30:42,920 just explodes. For Jesus came as the son of 572 00:30:42,920 --> 00:30:46,480 David, as the son of Abraham, as the Messiah of Israel. 573 00:30:47,520 --> 00:30:51,120 But the nation of Israel still thought that things were going 574 00:30:51,120 --> 00:30:54,440 to be exclusive for them. Jesus is correcting that 575 00:30:54,440 --> 00:30:56,920 misunderstanding. All nations. 576 00:30:57,360 --> 00:30:59,480 Does he mean every country? He does mean every country. 577 00:30:59,480 --> 00:31:01,680 But in particular, the Jewish readers would have understood. 578 00:31:02,040 --> 00:31:05,320 Wait, not just us, that's right. Not just you. 579 00:31:05,760 --> 00:31:10,120 All nations, all people, group Jew and Gentiles. 580 00:31:11,040 --> 00:31:15,320 That's, that's you and me, most likely all of us. 581 00:31:15,320 --> 00:31:18,240 You're you're definitely one of those Jews and Gentiles. 582 00:31:18,240 --> 00:31:20,360 What's a Jew? A genetic descendants of 583 00:31:20,360 --> 00:31:22,520 Abraham. Those are the Jewish people. 584 00:31:23,120 --> 00:31:25,520 Abraham had kids, they had kids, they had kids and the Lord 585 00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:28,240 multiply to more than the stars of the sky and the Lord bless 586 00:31:28,240 --> 00:31:32,600 them and made promises to them. That is what a a Jew was. 587 00:31:33,160 --> 00:31:36,160 And then the Gentiles was everybody who didn't come from 588 00:31:36,160 --> 00:31:41,120 Abraham. But it was never just for them. 589 00:31:41,720 --> 00:31:44,240 The promise to Abraham was never only for Israel. 590 00:31:44,480 --> 00:31:48,160 Through Abraham's seed, all the families of the earth would be 591 00:31:48,160 --> 00:31:50,480 blessed. Who is Abraham's seed? 592 00:31:51,480 --> 00:31:53,560 Jesus. The Sunday school answer hit me 593 00:31:53,560 --> 00:31:57,480 with it. Jesus, Jesus is Abraham's seed. 594 00:31:59,520 --> 00:32:01,480 Remember, Psalm 2 says it this way. 595 00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:05,120 Ask of me and I will make the nation's your inheritance, your 596 00:32:05,120 --> 00:32:06,840 inheritance. That's the Father talking to the 597 00:32:06,840 --> 00:32:09,240 Son. And then we read Psalm 110 this 598 00:32:09,240 --> 00:32:11,240 morning. The Lord's Messiah will sit at 599 00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:14,160 his right hand until he makes his enemies his footstool. 600 00:32:14,560 --> 00:32:18,440 The nations belong to Jesus, not a small Jewish group hiding in a 601 00:32:18,440 --> 00:32:20,800 corner. Not just these eleven men. 602 00:32:21,280 --> 00:32:25,400 The Kingdom of God is going to the ends of the earth in Romans 603 00:32:25,400 --> 00:32:28,400 2. Clarifies what a true Jew is. 604 00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:33,080 A true Jew is not a Jew who is 1 outwardly, meaning a genetic 605 00:32:33,080 --> 00:32:36,840 descendant of Abraham. A true Jew is a Jew inwardly, 606 00:32:37,560 --> 00:32:40,640 not just the circumcision that happens to the flesh, but he he 607 00:32:40,640 --> 00:32:43,160 describes it as the circumcision of the heart. 608 00:32:44,320 --> 00:32:47,400 So all the nation, all the other nations are not second class 609 00:32:47,400 --> 00:32:50,160 guests. They're made disciples of the 610 00:32:50,160 --> 00:32:52,720 King and the Lord said, I'll even break off a branch and 611 00:32:52,720 --> 00:32:56,080 graft in another one. How do you get in Jesus? 612 00:32:56,160 --> 00:32:59,480 That's it. Only by trusting in Jesus. 613 00:33:00,120 --> 00:33:01,960 That is what makes us the children of Abraham. 614 00:33:02,000 --> 00:33:05,040 Jesus said I I can raise up stones and make them children of 615 00:33:05,040 --> 00:33:09,240 Abraham like you guys are counting on, like your actual 616 00:33:09,240 --> 00:33:11,240 lineage. You're literally counting on the 617 00:33:11,240 --> 00:33:15,520 family tree saving you. That is not what I intended and 618 00:33:15,520 --> 00:33:18,840 that is not what I was teaching. I can make rocks be Jews. 619 00:33:19,160 --> 00:33:21,240 So do you think it's special to be a Jew anymore? 620 00:33:21,400 --> 00:33:24,720 And he says and yet it is. There are there were advantages 621 00:33:25,240 --> 00:33:29,520 to being Jew, but but not for eternal perspectives. 622 00:33:31,920 --> 00:33:33,360 How do I become a child of Abraham? 623 00:33:33,480 --> 00:33:38,080 You have faith like Abraham had. You believe God's word and that 624 00:33:38,120 --> 00:33:40,440 is counted to you as righteousness. 625 00:33:41,240 --> 00:33:45,920 Abraham believed God. How do you get saved that faith 626 00:33:46,440 --> 00:33:49,240 By faith. Faith was counted to him as 627 00:33:49,240 --> 00:33:51,640 righteousness. You want righteousness accounted 628 00:33:51,640 --> 00:33:52,640 to you. Of course you do. 629 00:33:52,880 --> 00:33:56,120 Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and then you become a true child 630 00:33:56,120 --> 00:34:02,760 of Abraham as well. This passage is one of my 631 00:34:02,760 --> 00:34:05,240 favorite in the Bible. I say that about a lot of 632 00:34:05,240 --> 00:34:08,199 passages, but it's more true of this one. 633 00:34:10,320 --> 00:34:13,480 Often Christians will ask and they wonder, what is God's will 634 00:34:13,480 --> 00:34:17,880 for my life? Dear Christian, I present to you 635 00:34:18,280 --> 00:34:21,600 the answer to that question. Good news, you don't have to 636 00:34:21,600 --> 00:34:24,719 fish, You don't have to wonder. This is God's will for your 637 00:34:24,719 --> 00:34:28,560 life, to make disciples, to actually be a disciple maker. 638 00:34:28,560 --> 00:34:32,480 No matter what your job is, no matter what your age or stage in 639 00:34:32,480 --> 00:34:35,320 life, this is always the first thing that you should start 640 00:34:35,320 --> 00:34:37,040 with. Pastor Chris Morgan at 641 00:34:37,040 --> 00:34:38,719 Cornerstone always taught us well. 642 00:34:38,920 --> 00:34:41,520 He said if you will focus on the general will of God for your 643 00:34:41,520 --> 00:34:43,800 life, you will find the Lord getting involved and the 644 00:34:43,800 --> 00:34:46,560 specific will of your life. But everybody always does it 645 00:34:46,760 --> 00:34:50,400 backwards. I want to know my special, 646 00:34:50,400 --> 00:34:58,520 special, special, special plan all about me and how I can have 647 00:34:58,600 --> 00:35:08,480 all of my dreams fulfilled. I'm a disciple of America and 648 00:35:08,480 --> 00:35:11,920 I've been taught that everything about me is great and 649 00:35:11,920 --> 00:35:15,640 individualism is the highest value that I could ever aspire 650 00:35:15,640 --> 00:35:18,600 to. What do you want to be when you 651 00:35:18,600 --> 00:35:24,440 grow up? You can be anything you want to 652 00:35:24,440 --> 00:35:28,040 be. Don't you dare let anyone tell 653 00:35:28,040 --> 00:35:33,160 you you can't be anything. Where did that get us? 654 00:35:35,480 --> 00:35:38,800 It literally gave us children who thought they could be the 655 00:35:38,800 --> 00:35:43,280 opposite gender. That is the extreme insanity 656 00:35:43,280 --> 00:35:48,360 that it led to. You can be anything. 657 00:35:48,720 --> 00:35:51,640 Don't you let anybody. I mean, come on, there's we got 658 00:35:51,640 --> 00:35:53,680 some good movies that that fit that theme, right? 659 00:35:54,040 --> 00:35:56,280 So sometimes there's a there's a feel good story around it. 660 00:35:56,280 --> 00:35:59,120 But could it be taken to an idiotic conclusion? 661 00:35:59,320 --> 00:36:04,000 Yes, it can and yes it has. So there's a spectrum there. 662 00:36:04,000 --> 00:36:06,920 I gave you the level 10 worst case scenario. 663 00:36:07,240 --> 00:36:09,640 But there are other stupid options along the way. 664 00:36:10,240 --> 00:36:12,640 And there is much dumb selfishness that takes place 665 00:36:12,640 --> 00:36:17,160 along the way. Instead of make me a vessel, 666 00:36:18,440 --> 00:36:22,080 make me an offering, make me whatever you want me to be. 667 00:36:22,640 --> 00:36:25,360 Amen. I came here with nothing except 668 00:36:25,360 --> 00:36:28,760 what you have given me. Jesus, bring new wine out of me. 669 00:36:30,280 --> 00:36:33,320 My life is actually completely and truly yours. 670 00:36:33,880 --> 00:36:36,360 And if you want me to clean septic tanks with teaspoons, if 671 00:36:36,360 --> 00:36:40,000 that pleases you, then that pleases me, because my will is 672 00:36:40,000 --> 00:36:43,880 to do your will. And the Lord said, I can work 673 00:36:43,880 --> 00:36:48,120 with that. Delight yourself in the Lord. 674 00:36:50,520 --> 00:36:51,960 He'll give you the desires of your heart. 675 00:36:51,960 --> 00:36:55,360 There's more to that passage I'm standing on. 676 00:36:55,360 --> 00:36:56,880 He'll give me the desires of my heart. 677 00:36:58,000 --> 00:37:01,200 If you delight yourself in Him, because then your desires have 678 00:37:01,200 --> 00:37:04,680 actually become His desires. That's the play He ran on you 679 00:37:04,680 --> 00:37:07,200 there. Your desires, your desires are 680 00:37:07,200 --> 00:37:10,280 actually correct instead of selfish and idiotic. 681 00:37:12,960 --> 00:37:17,240 What is God's will for my life? Go there for and make disciples 682 00:37:17,240 --> 00:37:19,640 of all nations. This is your highest purpose. 683 00:37:19,640 --> 00:37:23,840 This is your greatest calling. No matter, no matter what you do 684 00:37:23,840 --> 00:37:27,400 for work. I'm just, I'm retired, or I'm 685 00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:30,280 doing this or I'm doing that, or I'm a plumber, or I'm a Baker. 686 00:37:30,280 --> 00:37:33,800 I'm a Candlestick maker. You are first a disciple maker. 687 00:37:34,760 --> 00:37:37,920 That is your calling. That is your priority, no matter 688 00:37:37,920 --> 00:37:41,920 what your vocation may be. You have a calling Christian and 689 00:37:41,920 --> 00:37:45,520 you most likely undermined it. You most likely minimized it. 690 00:37:46,040 --> 00:37:49,120 Yeah, I got a lot of stuff I'm doing also need to throw in 691 00:37:49,120 --> 00:37:52,000 there like, like I really ought to do this Christian thing. 692 00:37:52,000 --> 00:37:54,320 I'm making disciples. No, my friend, you had your 693 00:37:54,320 --> 00:37:57,280 hierarchy messed up. This is the umbrella with which 694 00:37:57,280 --> 00:37:59,800 we start from. How do I make disciples in my 695 00:37:59,800 --> 00:38:04,040 context, with my children, with my friends, with my family? 696 00:38:05,040 --> 00:38:06,640 This is God's will for your life. 697 00:38:08,080 --> 00:38:09,760 This is the high calling of your life. 698 00:38:10,400 --> 00:38:14,680 Verse 19. Go there for and make disciples 699 00:38:14,680 --> 00:38:17,720 of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of 700 00:38:17,720 --> 00:38:21,280 the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Disciples are marked publicly. 701 00:38:21,800 --> 00:38:24,920 Baptism is not an optional decoration for Christians. 702 00:38:25,480 --> 00:38:27,480 Jesus includes it in the making of disciples. 703 00:38:27,480 --> 00:38:31,920 Baptism identifies you with God the Father of God the Son, God 704 00:38:31,920 --> 00:38:35,400 the Holy Spirit, one God. These are not names plural, but 705 00:38:35,400 --> 00:38:38,600 one name, singular. He says baptize them in the 706 00:38:38,600 --> 00:38:42,040 name, the word that Jesus used. There is a singular word. 707 00:38:42,160 --> 00:38:45,360 It's not a plural word, He's not saying in all three of us. 708 00:38:46,040 --> 00:38:49,680 So this again, the mystery of the Trinity is revealed to us to 709 00:38:49,680 --> 00:38:51,800 some degree here. Baptize them in the singular 710 00:38:51,800 --> 00:38:56,000 name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 711 00:38:57,840 --> 00:39:00,800 There is one God and three persons in your baptism says I 712 00:39:00,800 --> 00:39:04,120 belong to him. It is a public sign of your 713 00:39:04,120 --> 00:39:07,440 union with Christ, of your cleansing of the death of your 714 00:39:07,440 --> 00:39:09,920 old life and your resurrection and a new life. 715 00:39:10,120 --> 00:39:12,520 It is entrance into the visible people of God. 716 00:39:12,800 --> 00:39:15,160 I want to identify with the Church of Jesus Christ. 717 00:39:15,720 --> 00:39:18,120 That's me. I want to be with Jesus people. 718 00:39:18,200 --> 00:39:19,720 I don't care about any other table. 719 00:39:19,840 --> 00:39:21,520 I don't care where the cool kids sit. 720 00:39:21,720 --> 00:39:24,240 I want to sit with Jesus people because Jesus people are the 721 00:39:24,240 --> 00:39:25,800 cool kids. I know that. 722 00:39:26,240 --> 00:39:28,840 I've learned that. I want to be with them. 723 00:39:29,160 --> 00:39:31,160 If they're going to suffer, I want to suffer with them. 724 00:39:31,280 --> 00:39:33,000 If they're going to rain, I want to rain with them. 725 00:39:33,000 --> 00:39:35,280 I don't care. I love Jesus Church. 726 00:39:35,640 --> 00:39:36,880 I'm going to be with Jesus Church. 727 00:39:37,080 --> 00:39:40,200 None of you could ever offend me out of Jesus Church. 728 00:39:40,360 --> 00:39:43,880 I promise you, there's nothing any of you can do to offend me 729 00:39:43,880 --> 00:39:47,280 away from Jesus Church. Could it create friction and 730 00:39:47,280 --> 00:39:48,760 you're in my fellowship? Of course it could. 731 00:39:49,280 --> 00:39:51,520 But nothing can drive me away from Jesus Church. 732 00:39:52,560 --> 00:39:55,040 How could it? I love Jesus so. 733 00:39:55,040 --> 00:39:57,040 I love his body. You offended me. 734 00:39:57,040 --> 00:39:58,960 You hurt me. I need to forgive you. 735 00:39:59,280 --> 00:40:01,720 I need to do my best to reconcile with you to the degree 736 00:40:01,720 --> 00:40:04,000 that I'm able. Maybe I can do that fully. 737 00:40:04,000 --> 00:40:07,520 Maybe we can't. That'll be up to you, but you 738 00:40:07,520 --> 00:40:12,200 can't do anything to push me from Jesus church ever ever. 739 00:40:13,120 --> 00:40:15,360 I mean, I guess y'all could all like literally like throw me out 740 00:40:15,560 --> 00:40:17,720 if you did that together, but I wouldn't leave his church. 741 00:40:17,720 --> 00:40:18,880 You would just make me leave salt. 742 00:40:20,160 --> 00:40:21,640 But I'm not abandoning Oh the church. 743 00:40:21,640 --> 00:40:23,200 Me and Natalie, we got church hurt. 744 00:40:24,240 --> 00:40:26,960 We got church hurt. People leave the church over 745 00:40:26,960 --> 00:40:30,280 church hurt like that. You ever had restaurant hurt? 746 00:40:30,280 --> 00:40:31,640 You have had to restaurants there, don't you? 747 00:40:34,120 --> 00:40:37,880 You ever had a bad experience when you were shopping anybody? 748 00:40:38,520 --> 00:40:40,240 Yeah. Have you gone shopping again? 749 00:40:41,040 --> 00:40:43,360 I'm shopping hurt. We're going to work through it. 750 00:40:43,600 --> 00:40:45,920 I'm going through. I'm going to a shopping treat, a 751 00:40:46,160 --> 00:40:50,320 trauma counselor, pastor. Are you going to minimize 752 00:40:50,800 --> 00:40:52,280 issues? You know I'm not. 753 00:40:53,280 --> 00:40:56,240 You know I'm not. But I can tell the whole truth 754 00:40:56,240 --> 00:41:01,120 and not just part of it. That's a mark of maturity to be 755 00:41:01,120 --> 00:41:04,080 able to acknowledge all of the truth and not a portion of it 756 00:41:04,080 --> 00:41:11,720 that suits your storyline. Christians want to be baptized 757 00:41:11,720 --> 00:41:15,400 because they want to say I have died, I have been raised, and I 758 00:41:15,400 --> 00:41:23,800 identify with Jesus's people. Verse 20 teaching them to 759 00:41:23,800 --> 00:41:27,120 observe all that I have commanded you, and behold, I am 760 00:41:27,120 --> 00:41:29,800 with you always to the end of the age. 761 00:41:31,600 --> 00:41:34,800 So this again is where we miss it in the modern West. 762 00:41:35,680 --> 00:41:38,920 Jesus did not say teach them everything I taught. 763 00:41:40,520 --> 00:41:44,040 He says teach them to observe everything I have commanded. 764 00:41:44,440 --> 00:41:47,200 We are not just to say, hey, here's what Jesus taught. 765 00:41:47,520 --> 00:41:49,720 Our mission is to teach someone to obey. 766 00:41:51,120 --> 00:41:53,920 This is why you notice that my preaching might sound different 767 00:41:54,280 --> 00:41:56,600 from other sermons that you may have heard at other places and 768 00:41:56,600 --> 00:41:59,040 other times. Faithful pastors are teaching 769 00:41:59,040 --> 00:42:01,680 you to obey. They're not just teaching you to 770 00:42:01,680 --> 00:42:05,040 know what they know. I don't just need you to know 771 00:42:05,040 --> 00:42:08,720 what I know. My responsibility as I disciple 772 00:42:08,720 --> 00:42:11,120 you is to make sure that you actually obey. 773 00:42:11,800 --> 00:42:13,760 This is why church discipline matters. 774 00:42:13,760 --> 00:42:17,000 This is why authority in the church actually has teeth and 775 00:42:17,000 --> 00:42:21,000 actually has the ability to move someone towards obedience, To be 776 00:42:21,000 --> 00:42:25,200 able to say my brother in Christ, my sister in Christ, I 777 00:42:25,200 --> 00:42:26,760 have to confront you on this issue. 778 00:42:26,760 --> 00:42:28,440 I have to confront you on this sin. 779 00:42:28,600 --> 00:42:30,840 I have to call you to account on it so that you would be 780 00:42:30,840 --> 00:42:33,000 restored, just be restored instantly. 781 00:42:33,000 --> 00:42:35,520 Let's not escalate anywhere beyond this moment. 782 00:42:36,920 --> 00:42:41,200 But if necessary, we can and we will because the goal is not 783 00:42:41,200 --> 00:42:44,280 just information transfer. Like we said before, I've seen 784 00:42:44,280 --> 00:42:48,840 lots of information transfer, but fruit is the thing that 785 00:42:48,840 --> 00:42:52,280 Jesus is looking for. Branches that do not bear fruit 786 00:42:52,480 --> 00:42:54,600 get cut off and thrown into the fire. 787 00:42:55,560 --> 00:42:58,320 So we are always loving one another by seeking to teach one 788 00:42:58,320 --> 00:43:02,320 another to obey, to make sure that we observe His 789 00:43:02,520 --> 00:43:05,160 commandments. You're not discipled because you 790 00:43:05,160 --> 00:43:08,480 know more Bible trivia. You are discipled when the Word 791 00:43:08,480 --> 00:43:11,960 of Christ is teaching you to obey Christ. 792 00:43:12,560 --> 00:43:15,080 Teaching matters. Doctrine matters, truth matters, 793 00:43:15,320 --> 00:43:18,040 but teaching has to be aimed at obedience. 794 00:43:19,000 --> 00:43:20,560 Parents, this is what you do with your children. 795 00:43:20,800 --> 00:43:23,440 Not just filling their heads with Bible facts, but teaching 796 00:43:23,440 --> 00:43:27,520 them to obey Jesus. I have and hope this doesn't 797 00:43:27,520 --> 00:43:32,480 embarrass mom but I have like 0 memories of mom and dad doing 798 00:43:32,480 --> 00:43:38,240 like Bible catechism with us. I have 0 memories of actual like 799 00:43:38,240 --> 00:43:41,480 sit down for Bible study time as a family. 800 00:43:42,320 --> 00:43:43,760 I don't think that's the highest calling. 801 00:43:43,760 --> 00:43:45,280 I don't think it's the highest far and I'm sure there were 802 00:43:45,280 --> 00:43:51,000 some, but I have literally 0 memories of it and I am so 803 00:43:51,000 --> 00:43:53,880 thankful for the way my parents raised me because I was raised 804 00:43:53,880 --> 00:43:57,600 in the presence of God, not only the principles of God. 805 00:43:57,640 --> 00:44:01,120 We had both. But I don't ever remember a 806 00:44:01,280 --> 00:44:06,560 systematic approach. But I just remember, like my 807 00:44:06,560 --> 00:44:08,360 parents love the Lord for real, for real. 808 00:44:09,040 --> 00:44:10,600 I just remember my parents loved God. 809 00:44:10,600 --> 00:44:12,680 I remember they walked in the fruit of the Spirit and the 810 00:44:12,680 --> 00:44:15,600 gifts of the Spirit and our prayers were answered and the 811 00:44:15,600 --> 00:44:17,760 Lord was just a part of our life. 812 00:44:18,800 --> 00:44:22,080 Like just in deep. And I didn't even know that as a 813 00:44:22,080 --> 00:44:23,600 kid. I'm like, this is just what 814 00:44:23,600 --> 00:44:25,720 Christians do. This is just how Christians 815 00:44:25,720 --> 00:44:26,680 live. And then I would get around 816 00:44:26,680 --> 00:44:29,160 other Christians and I'm like, well, that was weird. 817 00:44:29,200 --> 00:44:31,600 And when you're little, you don't understand those contexts. 818 00:44:32,160 --> 00:44:37,160 So you just think, huh, that red flag must mean nothing and 819 00:44:37,160 --> 00:44:38,120 that's how you do it when you're a kid. 820 00:44:38,120 --> 00:44:39,920 You're like, that seems different, huh? 821 00:44:39,920 --> 00:44:43,200 I must have a misunderstanding. And then of course, I stopped 822 00:44:43,200 --> 00:44:46,320 being a child and I grew up and I realized, wow, my childhood 823 00:44:46,320 --> 00:44:49,000 was amazing because my parents raised me in the presence of 824 00:44:49,000 --> 00:44:51,920 God, not only the principles of God. 825 00:44:52,640 --> 00:44:55,880 I've seen people raised in the principles of God exclusively, 826 00:44:56,080 --> 00:44:57,800 and they never end up in the presence of God. 827 00:44:58,480 --> 00:45:01,720 This is a household where the rules are established, where the 828 00:45:01,720 --> 00:45:06,600 truth is established, and there might be family worship every 829 00:45:06,600 --> 00:45:13,280 single night of the week. Discipleship is happening. 830 00:45:14,000 --> 00:45:16,600 So they thought, and those parents thought, Lord, we are 831 00:45:16,600 --> 00:45:19,320 doing our part, we're doing what's right. 832 00:45:19,320 --> 00:45:21,960 But they were just principles and there wasn't the fruit in 833 00:45:21,960 --> 00:45:25,800 their lives. You know anybody like that 834 00:45:26,200 --> 00:45:29,200 raised in the principles, the rigid legalistic principles of 835 00:45:29,200 --> 00:45:31,320 God instead of the presence of God? 836 00:45:32,920 --> 00:45:35,320 Well, meaning parents have missed it there. 837 00:45:35,840 --> 00:45:38,480 But the fruit matters more. So I'm not saying you have to 838 00:45:38,480 --> 00:45:40,400 pick between the principles and the presence. 839 00:45:41,240 --> 00:45:44,440 I'm not saying that. But if you had to, if you had 840 00:45:44,440 --> 00:45:48,360 to, you pick the presence, because if you start in the 841 00:45:48,360 --> 00:45:51,120 presence of God, God will get you to His principles. 842 00:45:51,880 --> 00:45:54,960 Look at Moses. Did he start Moses with the 10 843 00:45:54,960 --> 00:45:56,680 commandments? Moses just wandering out in the 844 00:45:56,680 --> 00:46:00,000 wilderness and Moses finds the 10 commandments, the principles 845 00:46:00,000 --> 00:46:02,040 of God? No, he starts with the fire of 846 00:46:02,040 --> 00:46:05,760 God in a burning Bush, and Moses meets the presence of God. 847 00:46:06,960 --> 00:46:10,920 Years later the law comes, but the presence of God changes a 848 00:46:10,920 --> 00:46:12,880 person. The presence of God makes all 849 00:46:12,880 --> 00:46:15,280 the difference in the presence of God makes you want to obey 850 00:46:15,280 --> 00:46:18,480 the commands of God. That's why Moses was so markedly 851 00:46:18,480 --> 00:46:20,280 different from all the other people of Israel. 852 00:46:20,760 --> 00:46:22,920 He's up on the mountain and the presence of God. 853 00:46:22,920 --> 00:46:24,800 The people of Israel said we don't want to go into the 854 00:46:24,800 --> 00:46:27,800 presence of God, just tell us what he said. 855 00:46:27,800 --> 00:46:31,320 But they don't have any desire or power to obey it. 856 00:46:31,440 --> 00:46:34,760 Moses comes down filled with the Holy Spirit, his face glowing. 857 00:46:35,280 --> 00:46:37,200 The people didn't even want to see his face. 858 00:46:38,000 --> 00:46:40,480 We don't even want to see the power of the Holy Spirit in your 859 00:46:40,480 --> 00:46:41,360 life. Cover it up. 860 00:46:41,360 --> 00:46:45,360 It's weird. The presence of God has to be 861 00:46:45,360 --> 00:46:49,160 the priority and that leads to fruitfulness and that leads to 862 00:46:49,160 --> 00:46:52,160 faithfulness. This is why we actually get to 863 00:46:52,160 --> 00:46:56,040 obedience. This is what we must do with one 864 00:46:56,040 --> 00:46:58,040 another. Not just sitting in rows or 865 00:46:58,040 --> 00:47:00,760 listening to sermons, not even gathering for our Bible studies 866 00:47:01,040 --> 00:47:04,440 to acquire more knowledge, but helping each other also obey 867 00:47:04,680 --> 00:47:07,120 what Christ commanded and leading one another into the 868 00:47:07,120 --> 00:47:13,760 presence of Jesus. He said teach them to obey 869 00:47:13,800 --> 00:47:18,880 everything that I have commanded, everything that Jesus 870 00:47:18,880 --> 00:47:22,360 has commanded. The ignorant will often say, the 871 00:47:22,360 --> 00:47:25,320 ignorant, those who don't know the Bible, but you need to know 872 00:47:25,320 --> 00:47:26,840 this so you don't get stumped by it. 873 00:47:27,800 --> 00:47:31,000 They'll say where did Jesus talk about this or that or the other 874 00:47:31,320 --> 00:47:33,480 And they'll take some like where did Jesus say I'm not supposed 875 00:47:33,480 --> 00:47:34,760 to be on my cell phone that much. 876 00:47:35,200 --> 00:47:37,480 You know, just stupid arguments. First of all, you already know 877 00:47:37,480 --> 00:47:39,160 in that moment you're dealing with a dog and a pig. 878 00:47:39,440 --> 00:47:42,160 So just be mindful of how many pearls you really want to throw 879 00:47:42,160 --> 00:47:44,520 out there because they're going to devour your pearls and then 880 00:47:44,520 --> 00:47:47,000 they're going to devour you. So just keep in mind when you're 881 00:47:47,000 --> 00:47:49,720 dealing with a fool, not to, not to give your time and attention 882 00:47:49,720 --> 00:47:50,880 where it's not going to be fruitful. 883 00:47:51,280 --> 00:47:54,280 But that said, some people ignorantly think that Jesus only 884 00:47:54,280 --> 00:47:58,640 speaks in the four gospels, but they forget that the whole Bible 885 00:47:59,000 --> 00:48:01,960 is the word of God and Jesus is the word of God. 886 00:48:01,960 --> 00:48:05,240 He's the word of God made flesh. So it's all Jesus. 887 00:48:05,800 --> 00:48:08,120 Or if you want to be more particular, you say it's the 888 00:48:08,120 --> 00:48:12,600 word Jesus, the Word, and then the Word made flesh, and then 889 00:48:12,600 --> 00:48:15,160 it's his apostles teaching everything that he taught. 890 00:48:15,360 --> 00:48:19,040 So everything this means we're not going to edit what Jesus 891 00:48:19,040 --> 00:48:21,040 taught. We don't get to say I like his 892 00:48:21,040 --> 00:48:24,240 comfort, but not his commands. I like his forgiveness, but not 893 00:48:24,240 --> 00:48:26,520 his authority. I like his promises, but not his 894 00:48:26,520 --> 00:48:29,040 warnings. I like his mercy, but not His 895 00:48:29,040 --> 00:48:31,720 Holiness. I like everything about Jesus. 896 00:48:32,960 --> 00:48:35,960 That includes his commands about forgiveness, repentance, 897 00:48:36,080 --> 00:48:41,160 marriage, lust, money, enemies, prayer, humility, truth, 898 00:48:41,280 --> 00:48:45,200 judgment, divorce, holiness, love, everything. 899 00:48:45,920 --> 00:48:48,040 Everything. Which part of Jesus am I 900 00:48:48,040 --> 00:48:50,360 supposed to obey? All of it, all of it. 901 00:48:51,160 --> 00:48:53,800 You got your whole Bible. And in particular, there are 902 00:48:53,800 --> 00:48:56,200 some things in your in the new covenant that you are not bound 903 00:48:56,200 --> 00:48:59,480 to obedience to anymore. Some, not all, but some. 904 00:49:00,720 --> 00:49:03,640 But still your whole Old Testament is relevant for you. 905 00:49:04,600 --> 00:49:07,080 Every command in your Old Testament is not required for 906 00:49:07,080 --> 00:49:08,720 your obedience. You're allowed to mix your 907 00:49:08,720 --> 00:49:11,520 fabrics now. Good thing because you probably 908 00:49:11,520 --> 00:49:13,400 all are wounds and you're allowed to have bacon now. 909 00:49:13,760 --> 00:49:16,080 And yet your whole Old Testament is still a blessing to you. 910 00:49:16,080 --> 00:49:17,840 Don't fall into the trap and think in like I just read the 911 00:49:17,840 --> 00:49:19,000 New Testament because I'm a Christian. 912 00:49:19,360 --> 00:49:20,600 That would be an ignorant mistake. 913 00:49:20,800 --> 00:49:23,320 Your whole Bible is about Jesus. Your whole Bible is for a 914 00:49:23,320 --> 00:49:26,400 blessing, for edification, for comfort, for strengthening, for 915 00:49:26,400 --> 00:49:29,120 correction. But your New Testament in 916 00:49:29,120 --> 00:49:32,440 particular, all of it is perfectly relevant for you 917 00:49:32,440 --> 00:49:36,320 exactly where you are. The disciple of Jesus does not 918 00:49:36,320 --> 00:49:39,800 stand over the words of Jesus, deciding which ones fit the age. 919 00:49:40,320 --> 00:49:42,480 The disciple bows under the words of Jesus and learns to 920 00:49:42,480 --> 00:49:44,480 obey them. Who, Lord? 921 00:49:44,480 --> 00:49:45,800 I'm struggling. Who? 922 00:49:45,800 --> 00:49:46,800 This is heavy. Who? 923 00:49:46,800 --> 00:49:49,480 You're crushing me like a grape. Lord, make new wine. 924 00:49:51,520 --> 00:49:54,720 Make me closer to you. And we're closing. 925 00:49:56,960 --> 00:50:00,040 Teach them to observe all that I have commanded you, and behold, 926 00:50:00,240 --> 00:50:05,520 I am with you always to the end of the age. 927 00:50:06,720 --> 00:50:11,640 Matthew begins in chapter 1 with Emmanuel, God with us. 928 00:50:11,880 --> 00:50:15,160 And Matthew ends with Jesus saying, I am with you always. 929 00:50:15,480 --> 00:50:19,400 He wasn't with us temporarily. He wasn't with us for 33 years. 930 00:50:20,280 --> 00:50:22,840 He is with us always. This is not sentimental. 931 00:50:23,320 --> 00:50:26,560 This is not religious poetry. This is the living Christ 932 00:50:26,720 --> 00:50:29,720 promising His real presence with his people. 933 00:50:30,200 --> 00:50:34,120 He does not say I was with you. He is not merely say I will be 934 00:50:34,120 --> 00:50:36,280 with you again one day. He says I'm with you till the 935 00:50:36,280 --> 00:50:37,640 end of the age. What does that mean? 936 00:50:37,840 --> 00:50:40,480 It literally means until the end of time. 937 00:50:41,720 --> 00:50:43,080 So when is He not with me anymore? 938 00:50:44,400 --> 00:50:46,680 That day's not coming. I'm with you till the end of the 939 00:50:46,680 --> 00:50:48,240 age. The end of which age? 940 00:50:48,240 --> 00:50:50,640 The church age. How does the church age end? 941 00:50:50,880 --> 00:50:51,960 Well, you're going to like this part. 942 00:50:52,240 --> 00:50:58,120 Jesus comes back so he's always with us, forever and ever. 943 00:50:58,160 --> 00:51:02,000 The Lord is really with you. I don't feel like he's with me. 944 00:51:02,240 --> 00:51:05,720 Me too. I have days like that, right? 945 00:51:05,840 --> 00:51:09,360 Anybody else or just me, man, I feel like the Lord's not with 946 00:51:09,360 --> 00:51:12,200 me. Yes, we have emotions. 947 00:51:12,520 --> 00:51:14,160 Congratulations again on being human. 948 00:51:14,160 --> 00:51:16,360 We have feelings. We have deceptive thoughts. 949 00:51:17,600 --> 00:51:19,960 We can feel doubt in that moment, but we don't let it lead 950 00:51:19,960 --> 00:51:21,800 to unbelief. We return to the promise. 951 00:51:22,440 --> 00:51:25,680 This is why we have to have God's Word to remind us about 952 00:51:25,680 --> 00:51:29,400 God's presence as well. He really is with me, Lord. 953 00:51:29,400 --> 00:51:31,320 I feel alone today, but I know You're with me. 954 00:51:32,480 --> 00:51:36,120 My stupid brain doesn't feel like it, but I'm not submitting 955 00:51:36,120 --> 00:51:38,120 to my brain. I'm bringing my brain in 956 00:51:38,120 --> 00:51:43,480 submission to You. I'm a believer, Lord, and I know 957 00:51:43,480 --> 00:51:45,400 You're with me to the end of the age. 958 00:51:45,720 --> 00:51:47,600 Why would He emphasize that? I'm with you to the end of the 959 00:51:47,600 --> 00:51:48,560 age. What's the context? 960 00:51:48,560 --> 00:51:50,240 Well, it's also connected to the mission. 961 00:51:50,720 --> 00:51:53,280 Go make disciples. PS Not everybody's going to like 962 00:51:53,280 --> 00:51:57,240 it when you tell them that Jesus is currently king. 963 00:51:58,080 --> 00:52:02,280 Not just one day, right now the devil's king, but one day Jesus 964 00:52:02,280 --> 00:52:04,680 will be king. Wrong. 965 00:52:05,200 --> 00:52:07,480 Jesus is king. Does Satan have a limited 966 00:52:07,480 --> 00:52:09,720 temporary jurisdiction? Yes. 967 00:52:10,400 --> 00:52:13,320 But he was crushed by Christ on the cross and through the 968 00:52:13,320 --> 00:52:16,400 resurrection, so now he doesn't have authority over the church. 969 00:52:17,040 --> 00:52:18,760 That's the whole point of the takeover. 970 00:52:19,120 --> 00:52:22,840 This is a hostile takeover, hostile towards Satan and his 971 00:52:22,840 --> 00:52:25,280 Kingdom. And now Jesus said, I want you 972 00:52:25,280 --> 00:52:29,480 to go take over the world, boys. I want you to go everywhere and 973 00:52:29,480 --> 00:52:32,080 tell everybody. And that's exactly what they did 974 00:52:33,640 --> 00:52:38,840 everywhere and everybody, even Thomas who doubted he went to 975 00:52:38,840 --> 00:52:42,240 India. Alan's thankful, literally. 976 00:52:42,480 --> 00:52:45,560 We're not being silly. Like Allen's village in South 977 00:52:45,560 --> 00:52:47,440 India. They can trace. 978 00:52:47,640 --> 00:52:51,400 They have it documented. They can trace every generation 979 00:52:51,400 --> 00:52:54,040 back to Thomas. When Thomas got to India, to 980 00:52:54,040 --> 00:52:58,160 their village, his middle name is Thomas. 981 00:53:01,680 --> 00:53:04,400 Thomas gets a bad rap, like doubting Thomas, like Bro Thomas 982 00:53:04,400 --> 00:53:10,560 was a stud. They went everywhere and they 983 00:53:10,560 --> 00:53:12,560 changed the world, but not everybody was eager to receive 984 00:53:12,560 --> 00:53:14,360 it. So Jesus is encouraging them, 985 00:53:14,640 --> 00:53:18,640 I'm with you. I'm with you always, no matter 986 00:53:18,640 --> 00:53:21,920 what. By the Holy Spirit, Christ is 987 00:53:21,920 --> 00:53:25,720 truly with His people. So Jesus is not physically 988 00:53:25,720 --> 00:53:27,960 standing beside you the way he stood beside the disciples in 989 00:53:27,960 --> 00:53:32,280 Galilee, but he is here. Ephesians 3 speaks of Christ 990 00:53:32,280 --> 00:53:34,240 dwelling in our hearts through faith. 991 00:53:34,960 --> 00:53:38,440 Galatians 2 says Christ lives in me. 992 00:53:40,880 --> 00:53:44,120 Colossians one refers to Christ in you the hope of glory. 993 00:53:45,120 --> 00:53:48,240 John 14 is where Jesus tells us that the Father gives another 994 00:53:48,240 --> 00:53:52,840 helper, the Holy Spirit, who is with us forever, and Jesus is 995 00:53:52,840 --> 00:53:56,720 with us by the Holy Spirit. He dwells in His people, He 996 00:53:56,720 --> 00:53:59,480 leads, He strengthens, He comforts, He convicts, He 997 00:53:59,480 --> 00:54:02,840 empowers, and He keeps all the days. 998 00:54:03,640 --> 00:54:05,880 The days you feel like it, the days you don't, the confusing 999 00:54:05,880 --> 00:54:09,560 days, the days you feel bold, the days you feel weak, the days 1000 00:54:09,560 --> 00:54:11,880 the mission feels exciting, and the days that obedience feels 1001 00:54:11,880 --> 00:54:16,560 costly. He is with you until Christ 1002 00:54:16,560 --> 00:54:18,640 returns. The whole church age is covered 1003 00:54:18,760 --> 00:54:20,840 by this command and by this promise. 1004 00:54:20,840 --> 00:54:23,760 The King who sends us goes out with us. 1005 00:54:26,480 --> 00:54:29,960 So as we finish Matthew, we don't finish Matthew with the 1006 00:54:29,960 --> 00:54:33,680 disciples staring at an empty tomb wondering what to do next. 1007 00:54:34,920 --> 00:54:38,520 Oh no, he's just gone. Now what? 1008 00:54:38,760 --> 00:54:40,760 Well, let's try and be nice people. 1009 00:54:41,760 --> 00:54:44,360 No, we have to carry the message. 1010 00:54:45,080 --> 00:54:50,200 This is God's will for your life to not obey. 1011 00:54:50,200 --> 00:54:53,600 This is disobedience. Let's just make sure we're 1012 00:54:53,600 --> 00:54:55,720 making plain spoken, obvious connections here. 1013 00:54:56,400 --> 00:54:59,280 To not have any pursuit of this is disobedience. 1014 00:54:59,280 --> 00:55:02,320 This is not something that you become at a certain level of 1015 00:55:02,320 --> 00:55:04,840 maturity. There are different levels of 1016 00:55:04,840 --> 00:55:06,040 maturity. I'm going to talk to you about 1017 00:55:06,040 --> 00:55:09,000 those later this summer and I'm going to show you those and help 1018 00:55:09,000 --> 00:55:12,040 you identify where you are and what season you are in your walk 1019 00:55:12,040 --> 00:55:13,840 with Christ and how you can grow from it. 1020 00:55:14,880 --> 00:55:16,680 Oh, there's no shame and condemnation any of that. 1021 00:55:16,680 --> 00:55:18,720 It's just called growth. It's a good thing. 1022 00:55:19,320 --> 00:55:22,040 But even the baby level is a disciple maker. 1023 00:55:22,520 --> 00:55:25,520 I'm going to show you that too. So it's not like, and someday 1024 00:55:25,880 --> 00:55:28,840 you'll actually tell someone about Christ and his kinks. 1025 00:55:28,840 --> 00:55:31,200 No, no, no, that one travels with you the whole time. 1026 00:55:31,760 --> 00:55:34,320 You're always a disciple maker of Jesus. 1027 00:55:34,320 --> 00:55:37,680 You're well able and you're well qualified to talk about the good 1028 00:55:37,680 --> 00:55:41,000 news and the work that God has done for you because Jesus has 1029 00:55:41,000 --> 00:55:42,600 all authority. That's what he expects. 1030 00:55:42,600 --> 00:55:48,400 That's what he commands. All authority belongs to Him, 1031 00:55:48,480 --> 00:55:51,440 All nations belong to Him. All of his commands must be 1032 00:55:51,440 --> 00:55:56,240 obeyed. And then until he returns, He'll 1033 00:55:56,240 --> 00:56:02,000 be with us all the days. So go make disciples, teach your 1034 00:56:02,000 --> 00:56:04,920 children, speak to your neighbors, open your home, share 1035 00:56:04,920 --> 00:56:07,240 the gospel. Call people to repent, to 1036 00:56:07,240 --> 00:56:12,080 believe the gospel because God so loved the world that he gave 1037 00:56:12,080 --> 00:56:15,480 his only Son and teach them to obey Jesus. 1038 00:56:15,480 --> 00:56:19,080 Don't just teach the teachings of Jesus, but you're going to 1039 00:56:19,080 --> 00:56:22,600 work with and walk with. Take ownership and shepherd 1040 00:56:22,600 --> 00:56:25,040 someone. Pastor, isn't that your job? 1041 00:56:25,200 --> 00:56:29,280 No, it's not. It's my job to equip you to do 1042 00:56:29,280 --> 00:56:32,240 the work of the ministry. Do I shepherd you? 1043 00:56:32,360 --> 00:56:35,040 I do, but I don't shepherd in place of you. 1044 00:56:35,520 --> 00:56:37,760 There are others who also need your shepherding. 1045 00:56:38,880 --> 00:56:41,840 Do not shrink back. You do not make peace with a 1046 00:56:41,840 --> 00:56:46,320 private small faith. Your king is alive, the nations 1047 00:56:46,320 --> 00:56:49,400 belong to him, and he is genuinely with you. 1048 00:56:49,880 --> 00:56:54,080 He will help you. Heavenly Father, thank you for 1049 00:56:54,080 --> 00:56:56,560 the good news of our King. Thank you for your glorious 1050 00:56:56,560 --> 00:56:58,840 gospel. In particular, Lord, we thank 1051 00:56:58,840 --> 00:57:03,880 you for our brother Matthew, your faithful apostle who 1052 00:57:03,880 --> 00:57:07,440 followed you, who obeyed the Holy Spirit in recording this 1053 00:57:07,440 --> 00:57:09,840 book. What a privilege and pleasure it 1054 00:57:09,840 --> 00:57:15,080 has been to preach your word, Lord, to your people and God 1055 00:57:15,080 --> 00:57:19,400 today as it culminates and as it encourages us and fills us 1056 00:57:19,400 --> 00:57:22,040 again. God, I pray that your church, I 1057 00:57:22,040 --> 00:57:25,040 pray that all the people would continue to see the glory of 1058 00:57:25,040 --> 00:57:28,760 Jesus and his mighty, mighty, mighty authority. 1059 00:57:29,280 --> 00:57:33,160 My words I know, have not done it justice, but Holy Spirit, you 1060 00:57:33,160 --> 00:57:36,800 are fit for the task and I pray you will continue to massage 1061 00:57:36,840 --> 00:57:40,760 your truth into your people so that they would see the power 1062 00:57:40,760 --> 00:57:42,840 and glory and authority of the King Jesus. 1063 00:57:44,120 --> 00:57:50,640 And then therefore go and tell the whole world and make 1064 00:57:50,640 --> 00:57:57,520 disciples and baptize people, not asking them if you, if they 1065 00:57:57,520 --> 00:57:59,760 would let you be king, but reminding them that you already 1066 00:57:59,760 --> 00:58:04,040 are, so they would be drawn into your family, that they would be 1067 00:58:04,040 --> 00:58:08,960 rescued by your love and rejoice over by your church. 1068 00:58:09,960 --> 00:58:13,440 Thank you for saving us. For those who are not yet in the 1069 00:58:13,440 --> 00:58:17,760 Kingdom God, who have not yet bended, bend their knees, bowed 1070 00:58:17,760 --> 00:58:20,080 their hearts, and surrender their lives to you. 1071 00:58:21,320 --> 00:58:23,680 And I pray that they would come to the full Jesus, the whole 1072 00:58:23,680 --> 00:58:29,160 Jesus, the true Jesus, and the real Jesus, the only Jesus, the 1073 00:58:29,160 --> 00:58:32,480 one who has a wonderful plan for their lives, The one who loved 1074 00:58:32,480 --> 00:58:35,760 them so much and took their shame and suffering and sin and 1075 00:58:35,760 --> 00:58:37,800 nailed it to his own body on the cross. 1076 00:58:38,880 --> 00:58:41,080 The one who calls them to repentance and obedience. 1077 00:58:41,480 --> 00:58:43,720 And most importantly, the one who gives them the power to do 1078 00:58:43,720 --> 00:58:49,960 it all. Save souls right now, God, and 1079 00:58:49,960 --> 00:58:51,640 draw them. Draw them near. 1080 00:58:52,600 --> 00:58:56,840 Help the rest of us to love them well, to be a church full of 1081 00:58:56,840 --> 00:58:59,600 love, full of the fruit of the Spirit, full of the gifts of the 1082 00:58:59,600 --> 00:59:04,040 Spirit and full of the presence and also the principles. 1083 00:59:06,520 --> 00:59:09,800 In Jesus name we love you, we thank you, Amen.