1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:03,920 We're in Matthew chapter 28. I'm going to read another 2 00:00:03,920 --> 00:00:07,120 resurrection account to you. If this resurrection account 3 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:08,920 sounds any different from the one I read to you at the 4 00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:10,440 beginning of service, I just want to give a quick 5 00:00:10,440 --> 00:00:12,640 explanation. There's four Gospels written 6 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:14,960 Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. They each give an account of the 7 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:17,040 resurrection. They each highlight different 8 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:19,200 details. This is not some complicated or 9 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:20,800 perplexing thing to be overwhelmed by. 10 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:23,280 They said it was 1 Angel, They said it was 2 angels. 11 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:24,760 They said this happened outside the tomb. 12 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:25,840 They said it happened in the tomb. 13 00:00:26,080 --> 00:00:28,280 All of it's true, all of it happened. 14 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:31,280 And yet particular disciples saw fit to bring out different 15 00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:33,280 points, to raise up different details. 16 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:35,680 In the same way that when you and I would tell a story we 17 00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:37,520 might highlight different things at different times. 18 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:40,560 The Holy Spirit saw fit as he inspired the disciples to write 19 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:42,760 the scriptures to bring out certain points and to make 20 00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:44,600 particular points. So I'm reading to you from 21 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:48,160 Matthew chapter 28. Now after the Sabbath, toward 22 00:00:48,160 --> 00:00:50,920 the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the 23 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:54,920 other Mary went to see the tomb, and behold, there was a great 24 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:57,040 earthquake. For an Angel of the Lord 25 00:00:57,040 --> 00:01:00,240 descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone and 26 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:02,240 sat on it. His appearance was like 27 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:06,360 lightning and his clothing white as snow, and for fear of him the 28 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:08,480 guards trembled and became like dead men. 29 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:16,160 A lot of theologians agree here that in this passage the the the 30 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:19,200 Roman soldiers were probably faking dead. 31 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:21,360 They're still four or five boats taking place. 32 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:24,520 They dropped to the ground like I'm even too scared to run. 33 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:27,360 I don't want to grab a detention of this, this angelic being. 34 00:01:27,960 --> 00:01:29,880 I'm horrified all throughout scripture, by the way, when an 35 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:32,720 Angel appears to somebody, they're always horrified. 36 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:36,080 We don't necessarily know why, but the Angel always has to say, 37 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:37,760 hey, peace. Well, if it's peaceful for 38 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:39,560 somebody, depending on why the angel's there. 39 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:41,200 But a lot of times the angels say, peace be to you. 40 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:43,400 But for these Roman soldiers, this was not a peaceful event, 41 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:45,800 This was a horrifying event. They're supposed to be guarding 42 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:48,200 this body, guarding this tomb and making sure that the 43 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:49,880 disciples don't come steal the body away. 44 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:53,320 Now these men play dead in hopes that this Angel doesn't destroy 45 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:55,160 them. But the Angel said to the women, 46 00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:58,360 Do not be afraid. For I know that you seek Jesus 47 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:02,160 who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen 48 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:05,160 as he said, Come, see the place where he lay. 49 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:08,120 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from 50 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:11,240 the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee. 51 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:13,760 There you will see him. See I have told you. 52 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:17,720 So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great 53 00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:19,880 joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 54 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:22,880 And behold, Jesus met with them and said greetings. 55 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:25,560 And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshipped him. 56 00:02:25,920 --> 00:02:27,600 Then Jesus said to them, do not be afraid. 57 00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:30,280 Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee. 58 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:35,200 And there they will see me. Heavenly Father, thank you so 59 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:38,280 much for the resurrection. Thank you for all that it means. 60 00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:41,640 Thank you for your continued dominance over all your 61 00:02:41,640 --> 00:02:44,200 creation. You are sovereign over us. 62 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:46,320 It is our joy and privilege to worship you. 63 00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:49,600 This morning I pray you will bring light and revelation. 64 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:54,040 God, not just a yearly tradition is happening today, but a 65 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:56,560 commemoration of the most important event in all of human 66 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:58,320 history is what's happening today. 67 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:01,760 The King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, is being worshipped in 68 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:04,600 his glory in His Majesty. I pray God that you would 69 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:09,080 resurrect lives. You were the first born from the 70 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:11,640 through the resurrection, but since you have brought many 71 00:03:11,640 --> 00:03:14,360 others to follow, I pray you would continue to do so today. 72 00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:20,200 In Jesus name, Amen. Jesus, this Jesus, He is king 73 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:22,920 over all people, all places and over all time. 74 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:24,360 I want to make that clear right out of the gate. 75 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:26,200 Why are we so excited? Why are we worshipping? 76 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:28,880 Why are we raising our hands? Why do we rejoice? 77 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:30,920 Why don't we? Why don't we put on our Sunday 78 00:03:30,920 --> 00:03:32,400 bass? Even more so on Easter? 79 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:34,800 Is it because we're a bunch of fake Christians and we want to 80 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:36,160 look good on the outside? Well, maybe. 81 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:37,880 I don't know. Maybe. 82 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:39,000 Maybe That's some people's heart. 83 00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:42,240 Putting on a suit and tie on Easter Sunday doesn't save you. 84 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:44,360 You can look handsome. You can look good all the way to 85 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:46,440 hell. Me and my sons have handsome 86 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:48,240 matching shirts that Natalie picked out for us. 87 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:52,160 Nothing wrong with Eastern traditions, but Jesus was very 88 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:55,680 clear that there's a big problem with looking good on the outside 89 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:58,880 and being dead on the inside. He insulted the Pharisees for 90 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:01,560 that very thing. They had ornate robes and and it 91 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:03,400 was all according to the Jewish law. 92 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:07,680 And he said, you're a tomb, You look good on the outside, a 93 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:10,200 whitewashed tomb. This was like an artistic way to 94 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:12,480 display their tombs more beautifully, He said, You're 95 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:15,320 like a beautiful, a beautiful whitewashed tomb, and they're 96 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:17,399 like, is this a compliment? And he goes, no, it's not. 97 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:20,240 You're you look good on the outside, but inside you're dead. 98 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:23,120 And this was the scathing accusation that Jesus brought 99 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:24,080 against them. Really. 100 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:26,920 This is the scathing accusation that goes against all of 101 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:29,720 humanity. There's good news with the 102 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:32,600 gospel, but only if you first understood that there was bad 103 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:35,600 news. The good news of Jesus loves me 104 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:38,640 to to the American mind. Often times just goes well, of 105 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:39,760 course he does. I'm awesome. 106 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:43,680 I mean, yeah, I love me too. Why wouldn't he? 107 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:46,120 Well, hang on, friend. We sounds like for you, we need 108 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:48,360 to rewind a little bit. You're not lovable. 109 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:51,680 You're not lovable. You're not worthy. 110 00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:54,320 You're not enough, Contrary to whatever social media mean you 111 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:57,040 may have seen this week, you're not enough. 112 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:00,440 And yet you're deeply loved by God Almighty. 113 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:03,600 You're deeply sinful. That's scary. 114 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:05,640 And yet this is the grace of God. 115 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:07,440 He wants to reveal his love to you. 116 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:09,040 But I'm scared. I'm. 117 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:11,240 I'm not feel ashamed. That's normal. 118 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:14,000 And yet he also wants to remove your shame. 119 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:17,280 And he has a mechanism by which all of it can be removed. 120 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:21,840 Your sin, your shame, your fear, your guilt, your condemnation, 121 00:05:21,840 --> 00:05:24,320 all things that you should feel, All things that you and I try to 122 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:26,360 run from. I don't like this feeling. 123 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:28,320 Let me medicate it with alcohol. I don't like this feeling. 124 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:30,400 Let me medicate it with lust. I don't like this feeling. 125 00:05:30,400 --> 00:05:33,040 Let me, let me medicate it with. Fill in the blank with your 126 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:35,440 preferred means of sinful comfort or whatever it may look 127 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:36,000 like. I'm going to. 128 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:38,600 I'm going to medicate this with more work, with more 129 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:41,280 accomplishment. With, with my spouse, I'll make 130 00:05:41,280 --> 00:05:42,920 them my everything. With my children, I'll make them 131 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:46,280 my everything with whatever. I've got all kinds of idolatry 132 00:05:46,280 --> 00:05:49,400 that can rise up in my heart. And yet still Jesus calls me 133 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:52,280 vertical to him to say, hey, Joe, Michael, everything you're 134 00:05:52,280 --> 00:05:54,360 trying to do, it's a poor substitute for me. 135 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:56,960 I built you. I designed you to walk with and 136 00:05:56,960 --> 00:05:59,480 to live with me. That's the purpose. 137 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:02,040 That's what God wanted. Back in the garden, all the way 138 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:06,600 back in the Garden of Eden, God made Adam and Eve 2 real literal 139 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:10,400 people that actually existed according to to Moses and 140 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:12,760 according to Jesus and according to all of Scripture. 141 00:06:13,280 --> 00:06:15,440 It was God's will to walk with us and live with us, and we all 142 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:17,880 live happily ever after. That was the plan. 143 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:20,520 If Adam hadn't sinned, that's what would have happened. 144 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:24,560 We continue to walk and live happily ever after, and yet our 145 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:27,440 covenant head, Adam sinned. So we all fall. 146 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:30,760 We're all guilty, we're all sinful, and we're all lost. 147 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:33,160 Why? Is why I thought this supposed 148 00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:35,040 to be a resurrection sermon? It is. 149 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:37,320 But you need to know why the resurrection matters. 150 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:40,520 Not some random Jew who died 2000 years ago. 151 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:42,280 He came back to life. Good for him. 152 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:44,400 Why does it matter? Who cares? 153 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:47,440 Good job, Jesus. What does it have to do with me? 154 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:50,040 Everything and the entire cosmos. 155 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:53,200 Because not only is Jesus, not only does Jesus resurrection 156 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:55,960 good news for you, it's good news for the entire universe. 157 00:06:56,240 --> 00:06:58,560 What I said to the children, adults need to hear as well. 158 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:03,240 Jesus is Lord over all. Jesus is king over everybody, 159 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:05,240 whether or not they acknowledge him as king. 160 00:07:05,640 --> 00:07:07,880 Jesus is your king. Well, I didn't elect him. 161 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:11,720 That's not how kings work. Jesus is king over everybody, 162 00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:14,800 everywhere, Whether or not, well, I don't believe that. 163 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:17,920 And yet he's still king, and yet he still rules, and yet he still 164 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:20,240 reigns. And friend, that is good news. 165 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:22,760 You should bend the knee to the Lord Jesus. 166 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:25,160 You should kiss the ring of the Lord Jesus Christ. 167 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:28,720 You should submit to the Lord Jesus Christ. 168 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:31,960 Crush your pride and the human ego, Which is what the gospel 169 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:34,360 does, by the way. Which is why men don't want to 170 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:36,920 come to Christ or women or children or anybody. 171 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:40,000 Because to come to Christ is to acknowledge I am needy, I am 172 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:41,080 broken. I am sinful. 173 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:44,440 I am in a humiliated place. Well, I don't. 174 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:46,080 I don't want to do that. I'm too prideful for that. 175 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:47,880 And yet he allows you to make that choice. 176 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:51,040 It's that's your choice to make. No one can force you. 177 00:07:51,040 --> 00:07:54,840 And yet the king calls you and says, come, come, come, come, 178 00:07:54,840 --> 00:07:56,800 come and die. I don't want to die. 179 00:07:57,120 --> 00:07:58,440 You want resurrection, though, right? 180 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:01,080 Everybody wants resurrection, right? 181 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:04,440 There's a prerequisite for for resurrection. 182 00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:07,800 Can you guess what it is? It's death. 183 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:10,200 So, like, do we have to literally die? 184 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:12,920 Do I have to like, go kill myself and then and then I'll be 185 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:14,560 resurrected. Well, we will be literally 186 00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:16,120 physically resurrected with our bodies. 187 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:18,760 But what I'm talking to you about today is the resurrection 188 00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:21,560 of your spirit, a new life on the inside. 189 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:26,040 And that also requires a death. It also requires a a going to 190 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:29,360 the cross. So we rejoice because Jesus is 191 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:31,000 risen. But why did he die? 192 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:34,120 He died for the sins of the world, for yours and for mine. 193 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:37,120 The Bible says for the wages. Wages sound good, right? 194 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:38,919 It's payment I like where this is going. 195 00:08:39,159 --> 00:08:42,880 For the wages of sin is death. Oh, that's a terrible payment. 196 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:47,600 But the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our 197 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:50,520 Lord. So Jesus Christ was the pure and 198 00:08:50,520 --> 00:08:53,640 willing sacrifice for the justice and the holiness of God 199 00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:55,880 to be satisfied. This is the mechanism of the 200 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:58,000 gospel. There's even Christians who are 201 00:08:58,000 --> 00:08:59,960 actually saved. They have been rescued, they are 202 00:08:59,960 --> 00:09:01,680 new, but they still couldn't explain. 203 00:09:01,680 --> 00:09:04,400 If you'd say, why are you saved, they'd say, I believe in Jesus 204 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:05,920 and you'd say, and what does that mean? 205 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:10,200 And they go, Jesus died for my sins, you go, do you have any 206 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:13,360 more clarity around that? So it's OK to be immature, but 207 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:15,760 we want to continue to grow. We want to have clarity on the 208 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:18,440 mechanism of even of how the Lord rescued us. 209 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:20,440 There's plenty of mechanisms that aren't that important to 210 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:24,640 me, like, I'm not a I'm not a car guy in that right, Fred. 211 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:26,480 Fred can tell you Joe Michael's not a car guy. 212 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:28,320 Joe Michael doesn't know a lot about vehicles. 213 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:30,280 I don't have to know a lot about the mechanism of the truck. 214 00:09:30,280 --> 00:09:32,920 As long as the the thing turns on when I start it, as long as I 215 00:09:32,920 --> 00:09:34,720 don't let it run out of fuel, anything else goes wrong. 216 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:37,600 I call Fred and Fred. Fred Fred's worried about all 217 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:39,800 the mechanisms. But I'm like, it doesn't matter 218 00:09:39,800 --> 00:09:43,040 to me, but the mechanism of the gospel matters so that you don't 219 00:09:43,040 --> 00:09:47,880 have a a an incomplete and a distorted misunderstanding of 220 00:09:47,880 --> 00:09:50,200 what happens through the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. 221 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:54,120 All people were guilty. Like I told the children, we 222 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:55,840 should have been crushed and we deserve hell. 223 00:09:55,840 --> 00:09:58,920 The Bible says so repeatedly. Well, I feel like I'm kind of a 224 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:01,040 good person, and yet God would disagree. 225 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:03,120 And yet the scripture tells us something different. 226 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:04,040 Well, I don't like that very much. 227 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:07,440 Spoken like a human and not like the king who was actually sinned 228 00:10:07,440 --> 00:10:08,880 against. But I haven't given you. 229 00:10:08,880 --> 00:10:11,040 I haven't given you. Well, I have given you bad news, 230 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:13,320 but I'm giving you good news. So the good news is God doesn't 231 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:15,760 want to leave us there. God's not willing that we should 232 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:18,800 stay there. But God also requires us to come 233 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:22,520 to him in humility and say, Lord, I am a Sinner, I need 234 00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:25,400 forgiveness and I'm actually putting my faith on Christ. 235 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:27,920 To believe in Jesus is to follow Jesus. 236 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:29,240 Could you please repeat that with me? 237 00:10:29,440 --> 00:10:32,320 To believe in Jesus is to follow Jesus. 238 00:10:32,520 --> 00:10:35,480 There can be no separation. I believe in Jesus, but I don't 239 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:37,840 follow Jesus. My friend, you've made-up a new 240 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:41,320 religion that doesn't exist. You won't find it in the 241 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:42,920 scriptures. Show it to me and then I'll 242 00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:44,800 believe it. You know you can't show it to 243 00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:46,200 me. Well then I won't believe it. 244 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:51,120 To believe in Jesus is to follow Jesus the same thing. 245 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:52,880 Well, I'm not perfect. Hey, I know you're not perfect. 246 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:54,720 Neither am I. But we're talking about a 247 00:10:54,760 --> 00:10:56,440 faithfulness here, not a perfection. 248 00:10:56,440 --> 00:10:59,560 A faithfulness. Are you perfect as a husband? 249 00:10:59,840 --> 00:11:02,760 Are you perfect as a wife? But can't you still be faithful 250 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:05,800 as a husband and faithful as a wife without perfection? 251 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:09,600 I'm not a perfect husband. And that's not a that's also not 252 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:11,440 an excuse to use. Nobody's perfect, right? 253 00:11:11,440 --> 00:11:12,960 Be careful here. Nobody's perfect. 254 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:14,680 Sometimes I'll rob banks and kill people, but nobody's 255 00:11:14,680 --> 00:11:16,160 perfect. We're not taking this to some 256 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:19,360 bizarre extreme here. So yeah, it's true that nobody's 257 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:21,600 perfect, and yet we can still walk in faithfulness. 258 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:23,400 The same thing is true for the Christian life. 259 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:26,200 The Christian life is not marked by perfection. 260 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:28,520 The Christian life is marked by repentance. 261 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:31,520 So I walk with the Lord, and when I sin against the Lord, 262 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:34,000 even as a Christian, I go, oh, that's not who I am anymore. 263 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:36,200 And the Holy Spirit says that's not who you are anymore. 264 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:39,920 And I'd say, Lord, I confess my sins and I confess to my my wife 265 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:42,080 or my children or you or whoever I've sinned against. 266 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:43,960 And you say, yeah, man, grace, it's forgiven. 267 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:46,440 Let's move on. And we move on as forgiven 268 00:11:46,440 --> 00:11:50,000 people, as renewed people. Because why? 269 00:11:50,120 --> 00:11:53,120 Because all of our sin was placed on the Lord Jesus Christ 270 00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:55,760 on the cross. And to believe in him and to 271 00:11:55,760 --> 00:11:59,960 follow him means that the righteousness of Christ was not 272 00:11:59,960 --> 00:12:03,000 swallowed up by the sin that overcame him on the cross. 273 00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:06,280 The righteousness of Christ is given to sinful people. 274 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:08,880 It is a beautiful and radical exchange. 275 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:11,040 That is the gospel. That's the good news. 276 00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:14,360 It's why every other world religion falls, shows so short. 277 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:17,640 Every other world religion and world philosophy is a doctrine 278 00:12:17,640 --> 00:12:20,120 of demons. It is demonic. 279 00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:21,480 It is Satanic. How so? 280 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:24,640 Because it destroys men's lives. Because it leads people to hell. 281 00:12:24,920 --> 00:12:29,480 The Jew, the Muslim, the Mormon, the Jehovah's Witness, they go 282 00:12:29,480 --> 00:12:32,360 to the same place. They all go to hell. 283 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:34,200 Why? Because they're not in your 284 00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:34,880 club. No, no, no. 285 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:38,320 It's not my anything. It's it's King Jesus. 286 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:42,120 It's King Jesus. I'm a nobody except that I bend 287 00:12:42,120 --> 00:12:45,000 the knee to King Jesus. No one will be in the presence 288 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:48,520 of God in heaven except that no one will look around each other 289 00:12:48,520 --> 00:12:50,800 and say, how'd you get here? Oh, let me tell you my story 290 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:52,400 now. Everybody's story's the same. 291 00:12:53,040 --> 00:12:56,280 Jesus died for my sins. I trusted him and I walked with 292 00:12:56,280 --> 00:12:57,080 him. That's it. 293 00:12:57,520 --> 00:13:00,080 Jesus paid it all. I did nothing to earn it. 294 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:02,640 I did nothing to deserve it. Jesus accomplished it. 295 00:13:02,800 --> 00:13:05,320 God saves the world through His Son Jesus. 296 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:08,360 This is why the resurrection is so exciting and so powerful. 297 00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:11,560 We know the Father accepted Jesus's sacrifice because he 298 00:13:11,560 --> 00:13:14,200 raised him from the dead. Anybody can die on a cross. 299 00:13:14,520 --> 00:13:16,280 How do you really know he died for your sins? 300 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:19,240 Because the Father, through the resurrection, says this is my 301 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:20,720 son. And now he is enthroned. 302 00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:25,000 He is enthroned to live forever. He is worthy of it all. 303 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:28,720 Jesus is not our dead good example of how to live. 304 00:13:28,920 --> 00:13:31,560 Jesus is not just a moral teacher to try and get your kids 305 00:13:31,560 --> 00:13:34,680 to obey you better. Jesus is not just somebody to 306 00:13:34,680 --> 00:13:38,280 help you be a better person. That is not who the Lord is. 307 00:13:38,680 --> 00:13:41,480 He's way, way, way beyond it. Way beyond it. 308 00:13:41,480 --> 00:13:44,840 Let's kill that idea today. Let's smash it violently. 309 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:48,520 Jesus is so much more. Jesus is the risen, living God 310 00:13:48,640 --> 00:13:51,960 who forgives sin and rescues people from their old life. 311 00:13:52,840 --> 00:13:55,720 Not just people who say I don't want to go to hell because that 312 00:13:55,720 --> 00:13:58,840 sounds terrible. Well, it is, but but I'd rather 313 00:13:58,840 --> 00:14:00,840 go to heaven. That's not the whole gospel. 314 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:03,840 That is an Americanized gospel that's been given to us for 315 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:07,400 decades now that has been very focused on you and very focused 316 00:14:07,400 --> 00:14:09,680 on me. Hey, friend, don't go to hell. 317 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:11,120 It's hot. Go to heaven. 318 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:15,080 OK, What do I need to do? Just repeat after me. 319 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:18,720 OK, I'll repeat after you. Now what do I do? 320 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:20,080 You're good. See. 321 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:22,160 In heaven. Really. 322 00:14:23,040 --> 00:14:24,080 Where was that? In the scripture. 323 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:26,240 Show it to me. I'm all in if you can show me in 324 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:28,880 the word of God. But Jesus actually called for 325 00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:32,160 something entirely different. I'm not giving you some some 326 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:33,760 kind of super Christianity Today. 327 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:36,520 This is not like this is Navy SEAL Christianity. 328 00:14:36,520 --> 00:14:38,240 I'm giving you kindergarten Christianity. 329 00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:40,040 I'm giving you Jesus Christianity. 330 00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:42,080 I'm giving you entry level Christianity. 331 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:45,680 This is not calculus. This is 1 + 1 = 2 Christianity. 332 00:14:45,920 --> 00:14:48,080 The only Christianity anybody should have ever known of. 333 00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:49,680 Well then why don't they? Why don't? 334 00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:52,200 I don't answer for them, friends, but I do answer to him. 335 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:54,800 And I'm scared of him. I walk with the fear of the Lord 336 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:56,720 that makes me tell men and women the truth. 337 00:14:57,000 --> 00:14:59,040 Men and women who sometimes their faces tell me. 338 00:14:59,040 --> 00:15:00,840 Shut up, preacher. I don't like where you're going 339 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:02,440 with this. I say I love you too much to 340 00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:04,280 shut up. I love you too much to be afraid 341 00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:05,560 of you. I love you too much to worry 342 00:15:05,560 --> 00:15:07,960 about what you think about me. I care too much about you. 343 00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:10,640 I've been praying for you. The Lord has been drawing you to 344 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:13,080 himself. So if you're walking faithful 345 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:15,520 faithfully with the Lord, a message like this is going to 346 00:15:15,520 --> 00:15:17,000 draw you even closer. And go, Lord, you're so 347 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:17,960 faithful. You're so good. 348 00:15:18,280 --> 00:15:19,600 Thank you. Thank you. 349 00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:22,480 How can I get even closer? Like John the disciple at the 350 00:15:22,480 --> 00:15:25,400 Last Supper says he laid his head on Jesus's chest. 351 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:28,080 John's like, I want to be. How close can I get to him? 352 00:15:28,440 --> 00:15:30,000 I want to be with him at all times. 353 00:15:31,280 --> 00:15:33,280 That's that's what the the Christian life is like. 354 00:15:33,280 --> 00:15:35,040 Not cool. I go to heaven when I die, 355 00:15:35,040 --> 00:15:36,000 right. And be like, hang on. 356 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:38,240 Do you have any love for Jesus in you? 357 00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:41,520 Oh sure, but I go to heaven, right? 358 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:45,600 Like the kind of person who would be content to not walk 359 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:47,640 with Jesus their whole life is the kind of person who would be 360 00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:49,680 content to get to a heaven if there was no Jesus. 361 00:15:50,520 --> 00:15:53,560 And a Christian could never say that a Christian would never be 362 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:55,320 content. Like as long as I go to heaven, 363 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:58,080 I don't care who's there. Well, my friend, you won't be 364 00:15:58,080 --> 00:16:01,960 going to heaven. Because to to walk with Jesus is 365 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:04,760 to love Jesus. It's to know him, it is to 366 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:08,760 actually desire him. A heaven without Jesus just put 367 00:16:08,760 --> 00:16:10,920 me to sleep. Like what there is. 368 00:16:10,920 --> 00:16:13,360 That's that sounds like torment. What's the point? 369 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:15,760 What's the point? He is the point. 370 00:16:15,760 --> 00:16:18,280 He's the pinnacle. God is the thing, not his 371 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:20,760 heaven. Heaven is a created thing. 372 00:16:20,920 --> 00:16:22,520 It's glorious. And it's a place where his 373 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:24,040 family will live together forever. 374 00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:25,880 Why? Because he's going to restore 375 00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:28,480 what went wrong in the garden. Adam's sin. 376 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:30,480 He blew it. And now you and I are born as 377 00:16:30,480 --> 00:16:33,280 sinners. These sweet babies will also 378 00:16:33,280 --> 00:16:36,200 need to put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ because 379 00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:39,280 they're born as sinners and God's going to restore all that 380 00:16:39,280 --> 00:16:40,920 through all of Scripture. He's restoring it. 381 00:16:40,920 --> 00:16:42,960 And then we come all the way through the Book of Revelation 382 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:45,640 where he says here's what's to come and God's people will be 383 00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:48,080 together forever with God their father. 384 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:51,440 That was the point. God built a family and Jesus 385 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:57,000 comes and rescues the bride. So we don't follow Jesus to try 386 00:16:57,000 --> 00:17:00,080 and be better people or to try and make God not mad at us. 387 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:03,840 We come to follow Jesus because we were guilty sinners who were 388 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:07,200 dead in sin, who needed forgiveness, who needed rescue, 389 00:17:07,200 --> 00:17:09,880 who needed eternal life. We don't need better morals. 390 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:11,880 We don't need something to just help the kids behave. 391 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:14,079 We don't need to just make our in laws happy with our church 392 00:17:14,079 --> 00:17:15,720 attendance. We don't need to bring a little 393 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:17,359 comfort to our guilty conscience. 394 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:20,560 We need resurrection. And that's what Jesus gives. 395 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:22,800 What does a dead man need? Does he need some breath 396 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:25,079 freshener? Does he need somebody to clean 397 00:17:25,079 --> 00:17:27,280 his ear wax? What does a dead man lit? 398 00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:30,400 What does a dead man need? That's you and I outside of 399 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:32,320 Christ. Well, I I need to do a little 400 00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:33,640 better. What, are you going to put 401 00:17:33,640 --> 00:17:35,800 makeup on a dead man? Maybe we do that for the 402 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:37,160 funeral. But what does a dead man really 403 00:17:37,160 --> 00:17:38,960 need? He needs a new life. 404 00:17:39,440 --> 00:17:42,240 He needs resurrection. Good news, you can have it. 405 00:17:42,640 --> 00:17:44,640 Jesus promises it. Jesus gives it. 406 00:17:44,960 --> 00:17:47,200 Jesus is king over everybody, everywhere. 407 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:49,920 And we rejoice that our Savior was victorious over sin on the 408 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:53,440 cross, but also over death itself when he was raised from 409 00:17:53,440 --> 00:17:59,560 the dead. 1st Corinthians 1521 and 22 tells us For as by a man 410 00:17:59,560 --> 00:18:03,760 came, death, by a man has also come the resurrection of the 411 00:18:03,760 --> 00:18:07,160 dead. For as in Adam all die, so also 412 00:18:07,160 --> 00:18:09,280 in Christ all shall be made alive. 413 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:13,200 Because of Adam we all sin. Because of Christ we can all be 414 00:18:13,200 --> 00:18:15,840 made alive. It's not automatic, but we can 415 00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:17,520 by faith receive the grace of God. 416 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:20,760 A man got us into this mess, and now all men suffer under the 417 00:18:20,760 --> 00:18:22,920 curse. But one man got us out of this 418 00:18:22,920 --> 00:18:25,920 mess, and now all men can be free by following him. 419 00:18:26,760 --> 00:18:29,680 But if you want a resurrection, it is going to cost you. 420 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:32,520 If you've been led to believe that you can follow Jesus and 421 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:34,640 keep your old life, you were lied to. 422 00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:38,600 But the truth is, if you follow Jesus, you won't want to keep 423 00:18:38,800 --> 00:18:42,120 your old life. You won't see your old life as 424 00:18:42,120 --> 00:18:45,240 something prized and valuable and incredible. 425 00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:48,080 You will see it the way the Lord sees it, as death. 426 00:18:48,400 --> 00:18:51,160 And you will see the new life in Christ as something beautiful. 427 00:18:51,320 --> 00:18:53,960 This is why we pray that the Lord would open the eyes of our 428 00:18:53,960 --> 00:18:56,880 hearts so we would have real revelation, real light. 429 00:18:57,000 --> 00:18:59,240 This is why the Saints have been giving their lives for the past 430 00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:02,160 2000 years. This is why Saints have rather 431 00:19:02,160 --> 00:19:05,640 than reject the name of Jesus that throughout the scriptures, 432 00:19:05,640 --> 00:19:08,640 through the Old Testament into the New, all the disciples, 433 00:19:08,680 --> 00:19:13,240 their lives end very violently. All of them very, very, very 434 00:19:13,240 --> 00:19:15,280 violently. Peter himself, they said we're 435 00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:17,720 going to crucify you like you like we crucified your Lord. 436 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:20,320 He said please don't crucify me upside down. 437 00:19:20,320 --> 00:19:23,720 Instead, I'm not worthy to be crucified like Jesus was. 438 00:19:24,120 --> 00:19:27,080 What kind of man, what kind of person would do that? 439 00:19:27,080 --> 00:19:28,760 This is the man who denies him, remember? 440 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:31,600 I don't know him. The night of his crucifixion, He 441 00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:33,160 denies him. I don't know him. 442 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:36,000 And yet, when power comes from the Holy Spirit, when a man is 443 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:40,240 made alive by the resurrection power of Jesus, you go, what are 444 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:42,240 you going to do, kill me? And they go, yeah. 445 00:19:42,240 --> 00:19:45,360 And then you go and then what? That's your only move. 446 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:49,720 That's your best play. Jesus says don't fear man who 447 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:51,760 can kill the body and then do nothing else to you. 448 00:19:52,320 --> 00:19:55,720 He says fear God, who can kill your body and then throw your 449 00:19:55,720 --> 00:19:57,560 soul into hell. Jesus would say something like 450 00:19:57,560 --> 00:19:58,920 that. Jesus told us to fear God. 451 00:19:59,160 --> 00:20:01,400 I know, right? The American gospel never told 452 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:04,240 me that story, but it's right there in the scriptures, over 453 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:06,200 and over. The King talks this way. 454 00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:07,880 Why? Because he loves you. 455 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:11,240 He loves people, and he wants his resurrection power to not 456 00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:13,760 just be a story that you look back on, but he wants it to be 457 00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:15,600 an ongoing testimony in your life. 458 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:18,960 Jesus raised me from the dead. That's why I'm confident. 459 00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:22,240 That's why I can boldly tell you good news and say, hey, it's 460 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:24,000 good news. I'm giving you good news today. 461 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:26,080 I'm not giving you bad news and I'm going to prove it to you. 462 00:20:27,160 --> 00:20:34,240 I'm going to go to Matthew chapter 16, Matthew chapter 16 463 00:20:34,320 --> 00:20:37,760 and verse 24. Jesus then told the disciples if 464 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:42,000 anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his 465 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:45,600 cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life 466 00:20:45,600 --> 00:20:49,640 will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find 467 00:20:49,640 --> 00:20:53,280 it. Wow, what a what a surprising 468 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:55,680 paradox. If anyone would come after me, 469 00:20:55,680 --> 00:20:58,640 let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me. 470 00:20:59,120 --> 00:21:02,080 Jesus hadn't gone to the cross yet, but all the Jews listening 471 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:04,400 to him, they knew exactly what the cross and the crucifixion 472 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:06,280 looked like. It was not uncommon for the 473 00:21:06,280 --> 00:21:09,200 Romans, whenever there would be a rebellion, to crucify hundreds 474 00:21:09,200 --> 00:21:11,680 of people and they would do it on the roadside. 475 00:21:11,920 --> 00:21:14,560 So you're you're travelling from one town to another and you're 476 00:21:14,560 --> 00:21:18,680 walking past men and sometimes women who are on the cross. 477 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:20,520 People lived on the cross for days. 478 00:21:20,520 --> 00:21:23,200 Just so you know, we won't go in too much detail here, but people 479 00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:26,560 could survive a crucifixion for days because not everyone was 480 00:21:26,560 --> 00:21:29,280 beaten as savagely as Jesus was. Jesus was beaten multiple times 481 00:21:29,280 --> 00:21:32,280 through the night and and he chose to die when he died on the 482 00:21:32,280 --> 00:21:34,120 cross. But men could live four days on 483 00:21:34,120 --> 00:21:37,040 a cross. So the Jews were very familiar 484 00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:38,840 with what crucifixion looked like. 485 00:21:38,880 --> 00:21:40,920 Children were familiar with what crucifixion looked like. 486 00:21:41,120 --> 00:21:43,360 And this is Jesus's marketing for his ministry. 487 00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:47,400 How are you going to try and get a, you know, if I'm starting a 488 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:50,080 false religion, I'm not going to tell you that you have to die on 489 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:52,400 a cross, am I? I'm like, guys, I'll make you 490 00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:54,240 rich. I'll make you wealthy. 491 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:56,080 I'll keep you happy. I want to. 492 00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:57,680 I want to tell you things that you want to hear. 493 00:21:58,160 --> 00:21:59,840 Jesus says, hey, anyone wants to follow me. 494 00:21:59,840 --> 00:22:03,040 And they go, yeah, And Jesus goes, you have to take up your 495 00:22:03,040 --> 00:22:06,280 cross and follow me. And they go, never mind, maybe 496 00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:08,200 not so much. Why would he say that? 497 00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:11,200 Because he knows what he's worth, and he knows that there 498 00:22:11,200 --> 00:22:13,520 has to be death. Well, did he mean a literal 499 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:15,400 cross? Well, no, he wasn't Promising. 500 00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:16,840 Everybody has to die on a literal cross. 501 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:19,560 Although for Peter and a few others, and actually plenty of 502 00:22:19,560 --> 00:22:21,240 other Christians, that's been the case. 503 00:22:21,360 --> 00:22:25,720 But for you and I, that's not the most likely path for us, our 504 00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:27,400 grandchildren. I think things could continue to 505 00:22:27,400 --> 00:22:29,520 go in a different direction, but So what? 506 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:34,440 So what? Jesus is king, but Jesus 507 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:38,280 actually commands that we have to let go and give up our lives 508 00:22:38,280 --> 00:22:40,480 for whoever, for whoever would save his life. 509 00:22:40,480 --> 00:22:42,000 No, I'm keeping it. I'm keeping it. 510 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:45,240 We'll lose it. What? 511 00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:49,240 But whoever loses his life for my sake will actually find it. 512 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:51,320 Now I'm going to hold on to my thing. 513 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:53,120 Well, then you're going to lose your life. 514 00:22:53,960 --> 00:22:56,520 You're you're already lost. And you'll continue to lose your 515 00:22:56,520 --> 00:22:57,880 life. That's your default setting. 516 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:00,400 But if you'll lose your life, Lord, it's all yours. 517 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:03,360 I give it all to you. My my measly life. 518 00:23:03,360 --> 00:23:04,600 I give it. And he goes, I'll take it. 519 00:23:05,120 --> 00:23:07,920 And he says, and I'm going to give you resurrection because it 520 00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:10,520 pleases the Father when we would put, when we put faith in his 521 00:23:10,520 --> 00:23:12,440 Son. Because the Father loves Jesus 522 00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:15,560 and the Father loves you. But there is no way to please 523 00:23:15,560 --> 00:23:18,120 the Father except by going to his Son, Jesus. 524 00:23:18,520 --> 00:23:21,120 And so if we don't accept the fact that justice was satisfied 525 00:23:21,120 --> 00:23:24,200 through Christ on the cross, then we have to still satisfy 526 00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:26,760 that justice. If you don't, if you don't put 527 00:23:26,760 --> 00:23:29,640 faith in what the Father did through Jesus on the cross, why 528 00:23:29,640 --> 00:23:31,920 was he tormented? Why was he crushed? 529 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:34,800 Why was he pierced? For our sins, for our 530 00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:36,960 transgressions, for our iniquities? 531 00:23:37,560 --> 00:23:41,480 So if I don't walk by faith in that promise, well, according 532 00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:45,600 for for your life, justice is still feeling unsatisfied. 533 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:49,000 So when I meet the judge and I stand before him, he'll say I 534 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:50,360 don't see the blood of Jesus on you. 535 00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:53,440 So the wrath hasn't been satisfied. 536 00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:56,360 And in your case, it will be satisfied for all eternity. 537 00:23:57,720 --> 00:23:59,720 Are you just trying to scare me, Pastor? 538 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:02,560 I'm not trying to scare you. If I if I was, I would tell you 539 00:24:02,560 --> 00:24:04,280 I've said that at other times in other sermons. 540 00:24:04,280 --> 00:24:06,040 Like, there's nothing wrong with trying to scare people. 541 00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:10,520 There's plenty to be scared of, and yet I want rather to draw 542 00:24:10,520 --> 00:24:13,160 your affection to Christ. I want rather this morning. 543 00:24:13,160 --> 00:24:14,840 What I've been praying for is that you would actually love 544 00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:17,360 him, that you would actually care for him, that you would not 545 00:24:17,360 --> 00:24:20,280 see him as an escape hatch for your life, but that you would 546 00:24:20,280 --> 00:24:23,680 actually want to devote in loyalty and complete submission 547 00:24:23,680 --> 00:24:25,880 to the one who's worthy. Why? 548 00:24:25,880 --> 00:24:28,520 Because he's worth it. And because he will resurrect 549 00:24:28,520 --> 00:24:30,080 you. And because outside of him, 550 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:33,640 you're a dead man. Well, I don't like ultimatums 551 00:24:33,640 --> 00:24:35,600 Like, OK, we'll pick another universe to live in. 552 00:24:35,600 --> 00:24:38,720 Because this is, this is how this one works, by the way. 553 00:24:38,720 --> 00:24:40,440 He owns that one too, if you could find it. 554 00:24:42,840 --> 00:24:45,120 What does this look like? Has anyone done this before Me. 555 00:24:45,120 --> 00:24:46,800 Yes. You're not the first. 556 00:24:46,800 --> 00:24:50,120 We're going to look at a man named Matthew and his the way he 557 00:24:50,120 --> 00:24:54,960 followed the Lord. Matthew, Chapter 9, My church. 558 00:24:54,960 --> 00:24:58,400 We've been walking through Matthew verse by verse, and this 559 00:24:58,400 --> 00:24:59,640 is actually the passions we got to. 560 00:24:59,640 --> 00:25:02,040 So Salt Church folks are wondering, like, are we going to 561 00:25:02,040 --> 00:25:03,760 go through Matthew today? Yes, we're still going to hit 562 00:25:03,760 --> 00:25:06,040 our passage. And it was perfect. 563 00:25:06,040 --> 00:25:08,720 It was perfect timing. This is the calling of Matthew. 564 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:11,080 So Matthew, he's writing this gospel. 565 00:25:11,080 --> 00:25:14,400 This is the the story about the man who who himself is called 566 00:25:14,920 --> 00:25:17,600 Matthew 9, verse nine. As Jesus passed on from there, 567 00:25:17,600 --> 00:25:20,880 he saw a man called Matthew sitting in the tax booth, and he 568 00:25:20,880 --> 00:25:24,240 said to him, follow me. And he rose and followed him. 569 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:28,200 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, so Matthew has him 570 00:25:28,480 --> 00:25:30,920 over that night. Come over, let's have a feast. 571 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:32,640 Let's celebrate. I want to honor you, Rabbi. 572 00:25:33,040 --> 00:25:35,440 As Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax 573 00:25:35,440 --> 00:25:38,480 collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and 574 00:25:38,480 --> 00:25:41,320 his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, 575 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:44,080 they said to his disciples, why does your teacher eat with tax 576 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:47,280 collectors and sinners? But when he heard it, he said, 577 00:25:48,240 --> 00:25:51,560 those who are well have no need of a physician but those who are 578 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:53,840 sick. Go and learn what this means. 579 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:57,360 I desire mercy and not sacrifice, for I came to call 580 00:25:57,360 --> 00:25:59,680 the right not the righteous, but sinners. 581 00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:02,760 So here we have Matthew, a very, very wealthy man. 582 00:26:02,920 --> 00:26:05,280 Quick back story. The Jews were being ruled over 583 00:26:05,280 --> 00:26:08,120 by the Romans. The Romans taxed everybody and 584 00:26:08,120 --> 00:26:10,200 everything. They taxed how many wheels your 585 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:11,960 cart had on it. They taxed how many fish you 586 00:26:11,960 --> 00:26:13,320 caught. They taxed everything. 587 00:26:13,320 --> 00:26:17,080 Not too, not too different from from life today under under our 588 00:26:17,080 --> 00:26:20,760 government. And yet the Romans also would 589 00:26:20,760 --> 00:26:24,120 employ Jewish people to turn against their people, to spy, to 590 00:26:24,120 --> 00:26:26,880 understand their culture and to keep tabs on families, and to 591 00:26:26,880 --> 00:26:30,320 tax everything to the fullest. But you're a traitor if you do 592 00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:31,840 that. You're going to be hated by your 593 00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:33,480 people, but you're going to be very wealthy. 594 00:26:33,480 --> 00:26:35,800 You're going to, you're going to make a lot of money and you're 595 00:26:35,800 --> 00:26:37,640 going to live very comfortably in one sense. 596 00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:39,560 Well, Matthew was one of those traitors. 597 00:26:39,840 --> 00:26:41,440 The Jews looked down on tax collectors. 598 00:26:41,760 --> 00:26:45,480 Jesus seemed to as well at one point even saying, hey, when you 599 00:26:45,480 --> 00:26:47,640 deal with people through church discipline, if they, if they 600 00:26:47,640 --> 00:26:50,080 don't follow all the proper things, then eventually you 601 00:26:50,080 --> 00:26:52,760 treat them as a tax collector. Jesus even placing judgment 602 00:26:52,960 --> 00:26:54,280 against the way tax collectors live. 603 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:56,120 So here we have a very wealthy man. 604 00:26:56,520 --> 00:26:58,240 Matthew has a very comfortable life. 605 00:26:58,640 --> 00:27:02,520 Things are easy for him as far as his success goes, and yet a 606 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:05,280 rabbi comes along. Matthew, by the way, has also 607 00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:07,080 been barred from fellowship in the synagogue. 608 00:27:07,240 --> 00:27:08,600 He's no longer allowed in the synagogue. 609 00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:10,400 That was another thing to happen with tax collectors. 610 00:27:10,640 --> 00:27:13,080 So he's not like a good practicing Jew who's just kind 611 00:27:13,080 --> 00:27:14,880 of hypocritical. He's out. 612 00:27:15,280 --> 00:27:18,080 He's out of the Kingdom. He's out of Jewish culture. 613 00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:21,520 Everybody hates him, except for other rich people who who have 614 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:24,280 also turned on people, other tax collectors and that kind of 615 00:27:24,280 --> 00:27:27,080 thing. This is the man who turns and 616 00:27:27,080 --> 00:27:29,120 gives it all away. And by the way, he doesn't show 617 00:27:29,120 --> 00:27:30,520 back up to his job the next morning. 618 00:27:30,760 --> 00:27:33,400 To leave a post to sign to you on the Romans is to leave it for 619 00:27:33,400 --> 00:27:34,200 life. You're done. 620 00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:39,480 Matthew walks away from all of that, absolutely all of it, and 621 00:27:39,480 --> 00:27:42,480 he does it with boldness, and he never has any confusion about 622 00:27:42,480 --> 00:27:44,480 it. In one moment he leaves a great 623 00:27:44,480 --> 00:27:46,880 job with status and lots of wealth. 624 00:27:47,360 --> 00:27:49,640 He probably walked away from more worldly comfort and more 625 00:27:49,640 --> 00:27:51,760 worldly success than any of the other disciples. 626 00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:55,480 And in one moment he went after something far greater than 627 00:27:55,480 --> 00:27:58,720 worldly success and someone far greater than worldly success. 628 00:27:58,920 --> 00:28:01,760 Do not pity Matthew. If you feel sorry for Matthew 629 00:28:01,760 --> 00:28:03,640 when you hear that story, then Matthew feels sorry for you. 630 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:07,800 Right now, Matthew is one of the 24 elders around the throne of 631 00:28:07,800 --> 00:28:10,800 God in heaven. Matthew is doing well. 632 00:28:11,200 --> 00:28:15,880 He gave up his incredible life of wealth and means to what? 633 00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:18,760 To to go suffer a terrible death later in life. 634 00:28:19,760 --> 00:28:22,000 But is that all? No, to actually have the life 635 00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:24,440 that is truly life. Matthew didn't hold on to his 636 00:28:24,440 --> 00:28:26,880 life. He goes, Jesus says follow me. 637 00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:29,960 I don't know how many times. Maybe Jesus only asks once. 638 00:28:29,960 --> 00:28:31,200 How many times has Jesus asked you? 639 00:28:31,200 --> 00:28:33,720 Jesus is merciful and kind to you. 640 00:28:33,920 --> 00:28:35,800 If you're not following Jesus, he's giving you another 641 00:28:35,800 --> 00:28:39,880 invitation today. Follow me, one man, when Jesus 642 00:28:39,880 --> 00:28:42,080 said follow me, the man said, let me go and bury my father 643 00:28:42,080 --> 00:28:43,560 1st. And Jesus said no. 644 00:28:45,640 --> 00:28:47,240 Another man said, I'll follow you anywhere. 645 00:28:47,400 --> 00:28:48,960 And Jesus said, well, it's going to be difficult. 646 00:28:48,960 --> 00:28:51,080 It was a man who had comfort and means and he said it's not going 647 00:28:51,080 --> 00:28:52,560 to be comfortable. It's not going to be what you're 648 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:54,720 used to. Jesus is not begging. 649 00:28:55,080 --> 00:28:57,440 He's not desperate. He does not get down on his 650 00:28:57,440 --> 00:29:00,320 knees for you and I. It's the opposite. 651 00:29:00,320 --> 00:29:01,720 What should be happening? Why? 652 00:29:01,720 --> 00:29:02,920 Because he knows what he's worth. 653 00:29:03,520 --> 00:29:05,600 Follow me. Hey, I'm not interested. 654 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:09,120 He goes, OK, move it on, moving on, because there's somebody 655 00:29:09,120 --> 00:29:11,040 who's going to follow. He asked. 656 00:29:11,040 --> 00:29:13,240 A lot of people, hey, follow me. And they're like, no thanks. 657 00:29:13,680 --> 00:29:17,040 I appreciate the miracles though, Appreciate the bread. 658 00:29:17,600 --> 00:29:20,200 Thank you for healing my family. Thank you for answering those 659 00:29:20,200 --> 00:29:22,240 those desperate prayers I pray in the 11th hour. 660 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:24,920 I really appreciate that You're a you're a wonderful spiritual 661 00:29:24,920 --> 00:29:26,840 Santa Claus. Don't worry, I'll come back 662 00:29:26,960 --> 00:29:29,680 whenever I need something because I know you're merciful. 663 00:29:32,160 --> 00:29:33,720 He might answer it. He's good. 664 00:29:33,960 --> 00:29:35,680 He's faithful, He's kind, He's loving. 665 00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:37,720 He's very, very, very, very good. 666 00:29:38,400 --> 00:29:42,280 So I don't want you to doubt his goodness for one second, but I 667 00:29:42,280 --> 00:29:45,480 do want you to doubt you. I want you to doubt your 668 00:29:45,480 --> 00:29:48,240 hypocrisy. And I and I want you to question 669 00:29:48,240 --> 00:29:51,200 whether or not the life that you have outside of Christ could 670 00:29:51,280 --> 00:29:53,960 ever hold a candle to to the life in Christ. 671 00:29:56,360 --> 00:29:58,680 Matthew chose, and he cast his vote publicly. 672 00:29:58,680 --> 00:30:00,480 And today I'm going to give you the same opportunity. 673 00:30:00,680 --> 00:30:03,440 When we end our service, I'm not sure what I'm going to do. 674 00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:05,520 You should follow Jesus. That's what you should do. 675 00:30:05,880 --> 00:30:07,240 Well, my faith is a private thing. 676 00:30:07,240 --> 00:30:09,240 Except that it's not, and it shouldn't be. 677 00:30:10,280 --> 00:30:11,720 Faith in Jesus is a public thing. 678 00:30:11,800 --> 00:30:13,040 That's what he asks. He says. 679 00:30:13,040 --> 00:30:16,960 If you deny me before men, I just keep quoting Jesus. 680 00:30:16,960 --> 00:30:18,320 How did all this stuff get in the Bible? 681 00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:22,680 If you deny me before men, I will deny you before my Father, 682 00:30:22,680 --> 00:30:26,880 who is in heaven. That is so uncomfortable that 683 00:30:26,880 --> 00:30:29,160 the Jesus of the Bible, if he met the American Jesus, he would 684 00:30:29,160 --> 00:30:32,440 punch him in the face. That's just a silly joke. 685 00:30:32,520 --> 00:30:34,360 There is no such thing as an American Jesus. 686 00:30:34,640 --> 00:30:38,720 There's just King Jesus. But we've gotten distorted 687 00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:40,160 versions that just make us comfortable. 688 00:30:40,240 --> 00:30:42,720 Whatever you're comfortable with, whatever your comfort 689 00:30:42,720 --> 00:30:45,640 level is, Jesus said, Are you comfortable with the cross? 690 00:30:46,360 --> 00:30:47,800 Are you comfortable with crucifixion? 691 00:30:48,200 --> 00:30:50,800 Me either. And yet, for the joy set before 692 00:30:50,800 --> 00:30:55,360 him, he went to the cross. Saints, friends, for the joy set 693 00:30:55,360 --> 00:30:57,640 before us. That's why we go to death. 694 00:30:57,880 --> 00:31:00,960 That's why we go to the cross. To say, Lord, I give it all up. 695 00:31:01,320 --> 00:31:04,360 I turn from my old life, from my own ways. 696 00:31:05,920 --> 00:31:10,120 In Matthew 1344, Jesus said the Kingdom of heaven is like 697 00:31:10,120 --> 00:31:14,040 treasure hidden in a field which a man found and covered up. 698 00:31:14,440 --> 00:31:15,760 So it's a field that he doesn't own. 699 00:31:16,120 --> 00:31:18,120 He's in a field. Maybe he stumps his foot on 700 00:31:18,120 --> 00:31:18,920 something. He goes, what is this? 701 00:31:18,920 --> 00:31:21,240 Let me just dig this thing up. He founds incredible. 702 00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:23,960 He finds incredible treasure in this field. 703 00:31:24,200 --> 00:31:29,680 Then he goes and he sells all that he has in his joy and he 704 00:31:29,680 --> 00:31:31,640 buys the field. That's what the Kingdom of 705 00:31:31,640 --> 00:31:34,000 heaven is like. This is one of my favorite 706 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:35,080 parables. It's one of the shortest 707 00:31:35,080 --> 00:31:37,680 parables there is. A man finds a treasure in a 708 00:31:37,680 --> 00:31:39,200 field. This is amazing. 709 00:31:39,360 --> 00:31:43,800 Covers it up, goes and sells everything that he has and rails 710 00:31:43,800 --> 00:31:45,960 like, what are you doing? He's like, I'm selling my house, 711 00:31:46,080 --> 00:31:47,560 I'm selling this, I'm selling this, I'm selling this. 712 00:31:47,880 --> 00:31:49,720 I'm just buying this field. What are you going to live in? 713 00:31:49,720 --> 00:31:52,040 I just don't worry about it. I just need the field. 714 00:31:52,520 --> 00:31:55,280 It's just a field. And we drive by and this idiot's 715 00:31:55,280 --> 00:31:57,400 dancing out in his field, rejoicing like that guy loves 716 00:31:57,400 --> 00:31:59,040 that field. Like it? 717 00:31:59,040 --> 00:32:00,680 Just it doesn't look like anything to me. 718 00:32:00,920 --> 00:32:03,880 Such as the Kingdom of heaven. Such as the Kingdom of heaven. 719 00:32:03,880 --> 00:32:05,920 Saints, why do you love Jesus so much? 720 00:32:05,920 --> 00:32:08,080 Oh, I've got the treasure. No, I don't. 721 00:32:08,080 --> 00:32:10,360 I don't see much. Open your eyes. 722 00:32:10,680 --> 00:32:13,520 He is the treasure. Well, but I've got so much to 723 00:32:13,520 --> 00:32:14,760 give up. No, you don't. 724 00:32:15,400 --> 00:32:18,720 You, if you knew about the treasure in the field, then you 725 00:32:18,720 --> 00:32:21,000 would sell everything. You would give everything. 726 00:32:21,160 --> 00:32:24,320 When you finally have your eyes open to see who he is and what 727 00:32:24,320 --> 00:32:27,600 he's worth, he is worthy of it all. 728 00:32:27,680 --> 00:32:30,520 And Matthew knew that. So the tax collector walks away, 729 00:32:30,520 --> 00:32:31,880 and then he has a feast that night. 730 00:32:32,120 --> 00:32:34,000 I'm sure other all the tax collectors and sinners are 731 00:32:34,000 --> 00:32:36,360 pulling Matthew. Hey, this rabbi guy, he's cool, 732 00:32:36,360 --> 00:32:39,600 man. But bro, you just ruined your 733 00:32:39,600 --> 00:32:41,160 whole life. You left your posts today. 734 00:32:41,320 --> 00:32:44,360 It's over. And Matthew's like, it's the 735 00:32:44,360 --> 00:32:46,320 treasure in the field. I know you don't see it, but 736 00:32:46,320 --> 00:32:48,400 like, please walk with us. Follow us. 737 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:50,920 Please. Like, no, dude, it's not my. 738 00:32:50,920 --> 00:32:53,480 I'm not about that life, Bo. But you should be. 739 00:32:53,960 --> 00:32:55,440 But you should be. He's already. 740 00:32:55,600 --> 00:32:58,160 He's already doing things in me and changing me and making me a 741 00:32:58,160 --> 00:33:00,320 different man like Matthew. Look what you're going to give 742 00:33:00,320 --> 00:33:01,480 up. Look what you're going to lose. 743 00:33:01,480 --> 00:33:03,840 Like what's going to happen? Like he's traveling all over the 744 00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:05,640 region. What are you going to do with 745 00:33:05,640 --> 00:33:07,800 your servants or your household or all this stuff? 746 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:10,400 Like he's like it. It doesn't matter. 747 00:33:10,840 --> 00:33:13,800 I've got the field. Why can't you see there's a 748 00:33:13,800 --> 00:33:16,240 treasure in the field? You want resurrection? 749 00:33:16,240 --> 00:33:19,520 You can have it. There's just one thing that has 750 00:33:19,520 --> 00:33:22,320 to happen first for the joy set before him. 751 00:33:22,400 --> 00:33:25,120 Jesus died for the joy set before us. 752 00:33:25,400 --> 00:33:29,240 We die to our old life. But there is no mourning, this 753 00:33:29,240 --> 00:33:31,200 death. There's no grieving in this 754 00:33:31,200 --> 00:33:32,560 process. Matthew will sit there that 755 00:33:32,560 --> 00:33:34,960 night like, oh, it's going to be so difficult. 756 00:33:35,560 --> 00:33:37,480 He's going, yes, Victory is mine. 757 00:33:38,440 --> 00:33:41,280 There's no sadness. This is one death where there's 758 00:33:41,280 --> 00:33:44,400 no grieving. Becoming a Christian is not the 759 00:33:44,400 --> 00:33:49,280 finish line. It is the starting point again, 760 00:33:49,320 --> 00:33:51,440 bringing it back to this American gospel that you and I 761 00:33:51,440 --> 00:33:54,200 have been sold for decades. Repeat after me. 762 00:33:54,200 --> 00:33:55,360 Say the prayer. OK, cool. 763 00:33:55,360 --> 00:33:58,240 See you in heavenly. Are you sure that's the Bible? 764 00:33:58,240 --> 00:34:00,760 Invitation to Christ. Was there any more to it? 765 00:34:00,920 --> 00:34:03,600 Don't worry about that. Or Or, yeah, or do, but it 766 00:34:03,600 --> 00:34:05,560 doesn't really matter. You pray to prayer when you're 5 767 00:34:05,560 --> 00:34:07,800 years old at VBS. You're in. 768 00:34:08,560 --> 00:34:09,920 Well, Jamaica, are you saying that they're not? 769 00:34:09,920 --> 00:34:13,600 I'm not saying either way, but I'm saying that if you were born 770 00:34:13,600 --> 00:34:16,239 again at that five year old prayer in VBS, praise God. 771 00:34:16,639 --> 00:34:20,239 And there will also be fruit. Yes, that's what I'm saying. 772 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:22,760 Well, I don't have any fruit. All right, friend. 773 00:34:22,760 --> 00:34:25,760 Well, that should concern you. And you can also fix it. 774 00:34:26,159 --> 00:34:28,800 You can also say, Lord, wherever I've been, whatever I've done, 775 00:34:28,960 --> 00:34:31,360 we don't even have to parse out. We don't have to do a full audit 776 00:34:31,360 --> 00:34:33,280 on your whole life. We can just bring it all to the 777 00:34:33,280 --> 00:34:34,960 cross. We just come. 778 00:34:35,199 --> 00:34:38,280 And this feels me. I feel a little bit of panic. 779 00:34:38,280 --> 00:34:39,560 I feel a little bit of anxiety around this. 780 00:34:39,679 --> 00:34:42,320 Run to the cross, take it all to the cross. 781 00:34:42,760 --> 00:34:44,600 You're not in charge of solving all of that. 782 00:34:44,600 --> 00:34:46,120 You don't have to reconcile everything. 783 00:34:46,560 --> 00:34:49,280 Jesus does that. You bring your confusion. 784 00:34:49,280 --> 00:34:50,880 You bring your shame. You bring your anxiety. 785 00:34:50,880 --> 00:34:52,679 You bring your worry. You bring all the things. 786 00:34:52,679 --> 00:34:55,719 You bring your anger. You bring that to the cross. 787 00:34:55,960 --> 00:34:59,240 He reconciles it. You don't reconcile the books. 788 00:35:00,240 --> 00:35:02,880 This is the freedom of belonging to somebody. 789 00:35:03,320 --> 00:35:05,880 But that's what it means to call somebody master. 790 00:35:06,440 --> 00:35:09,040 That means he's actually king. He's actually ruling. 791 00:35:09,040 --> 00:35:11,240 He's actually reigning. He's actually in charge. 792 00:35:11,440 --> 00:35:13,640 Being becoming a Christian isn't the finish line. 793 00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:16,440 It is the starting point. It's a life of actually 794 00:35:16,560 --> 00:35:20,160 following Jesus. If somebody believes in Jesus, 795 00:35:20,400 --> 00:35:23,640 they will follow Jesus. It's interesting. 796 00:35:23,640 --> 00:35:27,600 It's a it's a unique thing, preaching in the American South 797 00:35:27,680 --> 00:35:29,880 or preaching on what they call the Bible Belt of the United 798 00:35:29,880 --> 00:35:31,800 States. A lot of times people think will 799 00:35:31,800 --> 00:35:33,520 be so easy, but I don't think so. 800 00:35:33,760 --> 00:35:35,880 I think it's one of the greatest mission fields in the entire 801 00:35:35,880 --> 00:35:37,960 world. Because you go to California, 802 00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:40,440 you go to to more liberally minded places. 803 00:35:40,560 --> 00:35:44,760 It's very clear, Christian, not Christian, Christian not 804 00:35:44,760 --> 00:35:47,440 Christian. It's very, it's very divided and 805 00:35:47,440 --> 00:35:50,680 it also makes your work very clear because that Co worker, 806 00:35:51,240 --> 00:35:53,160 they didn't grow up in the pews with grandma. 807 00:35:53,800 --> 00:35:56,160 They haven't been to church on Christmas and Easter their whole 808 00:35:56,160 --> 00:35:57,400 life. They haven't done any of those 809 00:35:57,400 --> 00:35:58,920 things. So they don't have any 810 00:35:58,920 --> 00:36:00,120 confusion. They're like no, I'm not a 811 00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:01,720 Christian. You know, y'all are cool people, 812 00:36:01,720 --> 00:36:04,520 but I'm not. Praise God for that kind of 813 00:36:04,520 --> 00:36:06,920 clarity. In the American South, we have 814 00:36:06,920 --> 00:36:09,200 no such thing. We have this comfort. 815 00:36:09,640 --> 00:36:11,280 Why? Because I like Jesus. 816 00:36:11,480 --> 00:36:15,680 Everybody likes Jesus. Everybody likes Jesus. 817 00:36:16,240 --> 00:36:19,240 Yeah, I like Jesus. Tip my hat to the man upstairs. 818 00:36:19,400 --> 00:36:22,720 He's in every country song. Let's get hammered on Saturday 819 00:36:22,720 --> 00:36:24,320 night. But on Sunday morning, we're 820 00:36:24,320 --> 00:36:26,080 going to sit on the back row and praise the Lord. 821 00:36:26,480 --> 00:36:29,680 And we get comfortable with this idiot, with this idiotic 822 00:36:29,680 --> 00:36:32,760 perspective of Christianity. We get comfortable. 823 00:36:32,920 --> 00:36:33,800 Oh, yeah. Yeah. 824 00:36:33,920 --> 00:36:35,320 I'm a I'm a generational Catholic. 825 00:36:35,320 --> 00:36:37,960 I'm a generational Methodist. I'm a generational Baptist. 826 00:36:38,040 --> 00:36:40,040 You're Baptist. Oh, OK Oh, where do you worship? 827 00:36:40,040 --> 00:36:41,520 Oh, hey, we don't really go that much. 828 00:36:41,520 --> 00:36:44,200 Like, OK, tell me about your walk with the Lord. 829 00:36:44,200 --> 00:36:45,920 Yikes. That's a weird question. 830 00:36:46,560 --> 00:36:48,360 What are you doing? That's personal. 831 00:36:48,360 --> 00:36:51,720 Don't talk to me about the Jesus that I just said I follow and 832 00:36:51,720 --> 00:36:53,800 love. Oh, OK. 833 00:36:53,800 --> 00:36:55,200 I thought that was kind of a normal question. 834 00:36:55,200 --> 00:37:00,320 No, this is like American, you know, Southern living 835 00:37:00,320 --> 00:37:05,040 Christianity, sweet tea American flag Republicanism. 836 00:37:05,040 --> 00:37:07,680 Let's just, it's all in a pot. Sprinkle Jesus in there, too. 837 00:37:09,360 --> 00:37:13,280 You people are hard to preach to because you all think that 838 00:37:13,280 --> 00:37:15,320 you're already in the Kingdom and you're not all in the 839 00:37:15,320 --> 00:37:18,400 Kingdom and you're the hardest people in the world to preach to 840 00:37:18,960 --> 00:37:20,920 because you're like, yeah, exactly. 841 00:37:20,920 --> 00:37:24,840 I'm like, I'm talking to you. I was talking to you, bro. 842 00:37:26,040 --> 00:37:28,880 Have you grown in the past decade in your faith at all? 843 00:37:29,560 --> 00:37:33,200 I'm talking to you, sister. Are you talking to Mimi? 844 00:37:33,200 --> 00:37:34,600 Yeah, sure. You. 845 00:37:35,120 --> 00:37:38,120 I'm not preaching to myself, man. 846 00:37:38,120 --> 00:37:40,120 You're kind of calling us out. Oh, my goodness. 847 00:37:40,120 --> 00:37:41,360 Almost like a shepherd who loves you. 848 00:37:42,160 --> 00:37:43,240 I don't like this kind of preaching. 849 00:37:43,240 --> 00:37:44,360 It's 'cause you don't want a shepherd. 850 00:37:44,520 --> 00:37:47,440 You want a preacher. I want a preacher, man. 851 00:37:48,160 --> 00:37:50,680 That's another thing that that Southern American Christians 852 00:37:50,680 --> 00:37:52,200 want. I want a preacher. 853 00:37:52,760 --> 00:37:55,200 You don't want a pastor who shepherds your soul. 854 00:37:55,920 --> 00:37:57,440 I want to preach. That was a good sermon. 855 00:37:57,560 --> 00:37:59,320 It made me feel better about myself. 856 00:38:00,000 --> 00:38:02,800 I want you to just know the truth, the whole truth, and 857 00:38:02,800 --> 00:38:05,520 nothing but the truth. And I want you to feel good 858 00:38:05,520 --> 00:38:07,600 because you're so secure in King Jesus. 859 00:38:07,840 --> 00:38:10,280 Not a perfect person, but a repentant person. 860 00:38:10,520 --> 00:38:13,520 A person who is marked, whose life is marked by a a devotion 861 00:38:13,680 --> 00:38:16,240 and a love. You can see a spouse who loves 862 00:38:16,240 --> 00:38:18,760 their spouse, can't you? But do you think that that 863 00:38:18,760 --> 00:38:20,800 person's perfect? No. 864 00:38:21,280 --> 00:38:23,880 But people know that your Michael loves Natalie. 865 00:38:24,280 --> 00:38:26,760 It's obvious to anyone who spends any time with us. 866 00:38:26,920 --> 00:38:30,000 You know that Joe Michael loves Natalie. 867 00:38:30,080 --> 00:38:33,120 And you're also not deceived to think Joe Michael is the perfect 868 00:38:33,200 --> 00:38:35,520 husband. But both of those things can be 869 00:38:35,520 --> 00:38:39,120 true. So devotion is a marker of the 870 00:38:39,120 --> 00:38:41,600 Christian life. Love is a marker of the 871 00:38:41,600 --> 00:38:45,280 Christian life. Resurrection matters because 872 00:38:45,280 --> 00:38:48,000 resurrection gives you and I resurrection. 873 00:38:48,320 --> 00:38:52,800 God accepts Jesus's sacrifice. God accepts Jesus's victory, and 874 00:38:52,800 --> 00:38:55,880 it will be applied to you by faith in the Son of God. 875 00:38:56,520 --> 00:38:59,480 And faith in the Son of God means love for the Son of God. 876 00:39:00,840 --> 00:39:04,480 It's not just going to heaven, it's walking with your Lord 877 00:39:04,480 --> 00:39:06,640 right now. So I told you I was going to 878 00:39:06,640 --> 00:39:08,680 give you that opportunity, and now I'm giving you that 879 00:39:08,680 --> 00:39:10,920 opportunity. I don't have a big band. 880 00:39:11,720 --> 00:39:13,320 Well, I got Dylan. Dylan's going to bring up some 881 00:39:13,320 --> 00:39:14,960 music. I don't have a big band to woo 882 00:39:14,960 --> 00:39:16,960 you in. I don't have a chance to create 883 00:39:17,160 --> 00:39:19,000 some gigantic emotional experience. 884 00:39:19,000 --> 00:39:21,400 I'm not going to say bow your heads and close your eyes and 885 00:39:21,400 --> 00:39:23,800 then make you open your eyes and then raise your hand and then 886 00:39:23,800 --> 00:39:26,320 stand and then kind of baby step you up to the front. 887 00:39:26,520 --> 00:39:29,920 I'm not going to do all of that. I'm going to say if you have 888 00:39:29,920 --> 00:39:33,000 been walking with the Lord Jesus Christ, then praise God, 889 00:39:33,200 --> 00:39:34,760 continue to walk with him faithfully. 890 00:39:35,120 --> 00:39:37,400 That's what we all want to do. We all have a lot of growing to 891 00:39:37,400 --> 00:39:39,520 do, me included. We want to look more and more 892 00:39:39,520 --> 00:39:42,000 like Jesus. But if you haven't, you might 893 00:39:42,000 --> 00:39:43,600 say Joe Michael. I don't even know where I am and 894 00:39:43,600 --> 00:39:45,560 all the things you describe. Am I born again? 895 00:39:45,560 --> 00:39:48,080 Am I not born again? I've prayed that prayer, but 896 00:39:48,080 --> 00:39:49,920 what did it do? But I don't have any of this 897 00:39:49,920 --> 00:39:51,120 fruit. I'm not so sure. 898 00:39:51,720 --> 00:39:54,000 All that aside, let the Lord reconcile all that. 899 00:39:54,120 --> 00:39:58,400 My question is, do you want to be reconciled to God? 900 00:39:58,840 --> 00:40:01,120 Do you want to be rescued from your sin? 901 00:40:01,600 --> 00:40:04,680 And are you willing to give up your life to actually follow 902 00:40:04,680 --> 00:40:06,960 Jesus? I'm not giving you the old, the 903 00:40:06,960 --> 00:40:08,840 old false gospel that we've all been given. 904 00:40:09,080 --> 00:40:11,600 Hey, just go to heaven by repeating after me. 905 00:40:11,600 --> 00:40:14,440 I can teach a bird to to repeat words after me. 906 00:40:14,760 --> 00:40:18,280 Parrots can do it. But what I'm asking is, do you 907 00:40:18,280 --> 00:40:20,960 actually want to confess your sins to the Lord and also say, 908 00:40:20,960 --> 00:40:24,280 Jesus, my life is yours? That's the invitation. 909 00:40:24,960 --> 00:40:27,240 That's what the invitation is. And if your answer to that is 910 00:40:27,240 --> 00:40:30,720 yes, or if your answer to that is man, I, I, I, I did that for 911 00:40:30,720 --> 00:40:33,840 sure, but I haven't been walking faithfully, then the invitation 912 00:40:33,840 --> 00:40:37,040 comes to you as well. So would you please stand to 913 00:40:37,040 --> 00:40:39,560 your feet if that's you, and join me up front. 914 00:40:39,760 --> 00:40:42,520 I want to pray with you. I want to bless you. 915 00:40:42,800 --> 00:40:45,120 I want to encourage you. I want to welcome you into the 916 00:40:45,120 --> 00:40:47,240 Kingdom of God. I won't embarrass you. 917 00:40:47,240 --> 00:40:48,800 It's not going to be anybody else's business. 918 00:40:48,800 --> 00:40:51,160 But you're you're you're coming to the front, sister. 919 00:40:51,400 --> 00:40:53,840 Any other, any others who want to come to the front, you can 920 00:40:53,840 --> 00:40:55,240 just come right here and just face me. 921 00:40:55,560 --> 00:40:57,000 You're not even going to face the Saints. 922 00:40:58,080 --> 00:41:00,440 This is a moment where you're saying I want to give my life to 923 00:41:00,440 --> 00:41:02,040 the Lord. I want to belong to Jesus. 924 00:41:02,040 --> 00:41:03,600 I want to walk in deeper devotion with him. 925 00:41:03,760 --> 00:41:06,800 All the things I want to be fully Christian. 926 00:41:07,480 --> 00:41:08,880 There shouldn't have ever been a distinction. 927 00:41:08,880 --> 00:41:12,440 There's just in and out. But you're saying I'm sign me up 928 00:41:12,440 --> 00:41:14,240 for all of Jesus. Sign me up for all of his 929 00:41:14,240 --> 00:41:16,640 Kingdom. Would anyone else want to 930 00:41:16,640 --> 00:41:18,440 respond to that? The call of Jesus. 931 00:41:18,440 --> 00:41:21,320 He's saying, follow me, it's his invitation. 932 00:41:22,240 --> 00:41:25,280 Follow me. I don't have any other clever 933 00:41:25,280 --> 00:41:27,520 lines to hook you. I don't have any other means to 934 00:41:27,760 --> 00:41:34,000 to bring you along. Confess him before men and he'll 935 00:41:34,000 --> 00:41:37,080 confess you before his father. Everybody comes up for their own 936 00:41:37,080 --> 00:41:40,400 reasons. I know I'm saved, but man Lord, 937 00:41:40,400 --> 00:41:45,360 make me make me more faithful or I don't know if I'm saved, but I 938 00:41:45,360 --> 00:41:49,880 sure want to be anyone else. So for those of you who have 939 00:41:49,880 --> 00:41:51,160 come up here, would you just look at me? 940 00:41:51,720 --> 00:41:53,360 Each of you. God loves you. 941 00:41:54,280 --> 00:41:56,720 I love you. You're each here for your own 942 00:41:56,720 --> 00:41:59,240 reasons. There's two possibilities for 943 00:41:59,240 --> 00:42:01,280 each of you up here right now, you might say. 944 00:42:01,280 --> 00:42:03,760 I know that I'm born again. I know I'm a believer. 945 00:42:04,040 --> 00:42:06,560 I know that God has already done that resurrection miracle inside 946 00:42:06,560 --> 00:42:09,160 of me. But, Lord, I need to walk in a 947 00:42:09,160 --> 00:42:10,720 true devotion and faithfulness to you. 948 00:42:11,120 --> 00:42:12,480 And that's what this moment is for you. 949 00:42:13,000 --> 00:42:15,600 And then there are others of you who would say, I'm not sure, 950 00:42:16,280 --> 00:42:18,760 maybe I've been had some Christianity sprinkled around my 951 00:42:18,760 --> 00:42:21,560 life. I've heard the word, I've had an 952 00:42:21,560 --> 00:42:25,440 affection for Jesus. I like him, but I but I need to 953 00:42:25,440 --> 00:42:28,080 be actually saved. I want a certainty Moment. 954 00:42:28,320 --> 00:42:31,360 I want to know that Jesus is my king, that he's my master, that 955 00:42:31,360 --> 00:42:33,800 he's my Lord, that my sins are forgiven and that I'm in the 956 00:42:33,800 --> 00:42:36,520 Kingdom and I'm devoting my life to him. 957 00:42:37,320 --> 00:42:40,560 Like, this is a new moment. This is Matthew's moment. 958 00:42:40,600 --> 00:42:43,440 You're leaving an old life. What am I supposed to do? 959 00:42:43,760 --> 00:42:45,520 You can still go back to your house later today. 960 00:42:45,560 --> 00:42:47,160 There's some things that still have to happen there. 961 00:42:47,760 --> 00:42:49,000 You're still going to go have lunch. 962 00:42:49,000 --> 00:42:50,760 If you came up here with brown hair, you're going to walk away 963 00:42:50,760 --> 00:42:52,560 with brown hair. There's some things that won't 964 00:42:52,560 --> 00:42:55,520 change, but this will be a moment where you go, I'm. 965 00:42:55,520 --> 00:42:57,880 I'm different now. My priorities are different. 966 00:42:57,880 --> 00:43:01,000 My pursuits are different. Does that make sense to 967 00:43:01,000 --> 00:43:03,200 everybody? So I'm going to lead you in a 968 00:43:03,200 --> 00:43:04,800 prayer. I made fun of that. 969 00:43:04,840 --> 00:43:06,760 But I'm not making fun of praying prayers. 970 00:43:07,200 --> 00:43:10,280 I'm making fun of people who are cheapening the call to follow 971 00:43:10,280 --> 00:43:13,240 King Jesus. It's an expensive thing, but 972 00:43:13,240 --> 00:43:15,160 he's worthy of it all. You have found the treasure in 973 00:43:15,160 --> 00:43:17,120 the field. I rejoice with you. 974 00:43:18,120 --> 00:43:21,280 I bless you. So I will lead you in that 975 00:43:21,280 --> 00:43:24,040 prayer, and I will have you say it out loud with your own mouth 976 00:43:24,040 --> 00:43:27,320 as a moment to mark this, to invite the presence of the Lord. 977 00:43:27,320 --> 00:43:30,520 Will you do that with me? Let's close our eyes together. 978 00:43:30,840 --> 00:43:34,560 Let's bow our heads and say this with joy, with delight. 979 00:43:35,240 --> 00:43:37,200 Heavenly Father, I know that I'm a Sinner. 980 00:43:37,200 --> 00:43:40,800 I know that I'm a Sinner. I have so much guilt. 981 00:43:40,800 --> 00:43:43,800 I have so much guilt and I'm worthy of punishment. 982 00:43:45,360 --> 00:43:47,200 God, you sent Jesus to rescue me. 983 00:43:49,480 --> 00:43:54,560 You put my sins on him so I could have his righteousness. 984 00:43:56,160 --> 00:44:00,640 Lord, I accept that gift of Jesus sacrifice. 985 00:44:01,840 --> 00:44:03,520 He's my Lord. He's my. 986 00:44:03,520 --> 00:44:05,920 He's my master. He's my king. 987 00:44:06,720 --> 00:44:11,760 Make me faithful to you. Make me a new creation, so that 988 00:44:11,760 --> 00:44:15,920 old things pass away and all things become new. 989 00:44:17,240 --> 00:44:20,720 From this moment forward, I am a new creation. 990 00:44:21,560 --> 00:44:24,680 A miracle has taken place. A miracle has taken place. 991 00:44:24,680 --> 00:44:26,240 I was dead. Now I'm alive. 992 00:44:27,680 --> 00:44:29,120 I have the treasure in the field. 993 00:44:30,680 --> 00:44:35,080 Some might not understand, but I want to walk faithfully with you 994 00:44:36,960 --> 00:44:41,280 all the days of my life. I'm a Christian, a real 995 00:44:41,280 --> 00:44:48,360 Christian all the way Christian. A Jesus follower, a disciple who 996 00:44:48,360 --> 00:44:52,560 loves you and I submit to you, My life belongs to you. 997 00:44:53,800 --> 00:44:58,080 I'm no longer mine. I've been purchased and it's 998 00:44:58,080 --> 00:45:03,200 such a good thing to be forgiven, to be loved and to be 999 00:45:03,200 --> 00:45:06,520 LED. Holy Spirit, come into me. 1000 00:45:06,520 --> 00:45:10,280 Now. Fill me up, reveal Jesus to me 1001 00:45:11,080 --> 00:45:14,440 and guide me to the Father in Jesus name. 1002 00:45:15,520 --> 00:45:19,360 Amen. Friends, brothers, sisters, I 1003 00:45:19,360 --> 00:45:20,880 love you. I bless you. 1004 00:45:20,880 --> 00:45:23,840 In Jesus name. You are in the Kingdom of God. 1005 00:45:24,280 --> 00:45:26,600 You are secured by the blood of Jesus. 1006 00:45:27,280 --> 00:45:29,320 It's not the mechanism of us just praying. 1007 00:45:29,320 --> 00:45:31,280 A prayer. I repeat it after the preacher. 1008 00:45:31,560 --> 00:45:34,200 It was the miracle of the new birth, what the Lord did inside 1009 00:45:34,200 --> 00:45:38,080 of you because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross by 1010 00:45:38,080 --> 00:45:40,640 grace. You've been saved through your 1011 00:45:40,640 --> 00:45:43,560 own faith. We didn't earn it. 1012 00:45:43,760 --> 00:45:45,800 We don't deserve it. So now what? 1013 00:45:46,520 --> 00:45:49,920 Now what? Well, now your next step is to 1014 00:45:49,920 --> 00:45:51,400 continue to faithfully follow him. 1015 00:45:51,400 --> 00:45:53,320 What would that include? For example? 1016 00:45:53,840 --> 00:45:56,800 Not to earn anything or deserve anything, but that would include 1017 00:45:56,800 --> 00:45:59,680 some very basic things, like attending church. 1018 00:46:00,040 --> 00:46:02,120 Why? So I could continually be 1019 00:46:02,120 --> 00:46:04,600 discipled, which is what disciples do, right? 1020 00:46:05,080 --> 00:46:06,480 I don't. I didn't get married to Natalie 1021 00:46:06,480 --> 00:46:08,480 at the altar and go, well, have a great life. 1022 00:46:08,680 --> 00:46:10,880 We're married. We moved in together. 1023 00:46:10,880 --> 00:46:13,880 A lot of other things happened that we won't talk about, but 1024 00:46:13,880 --> 00:46:15,680 three boys are here. We built a life together. 1025 00:46:16,800 --> 00:46:17,760 So that's what we're going to do. 1026 00:46:17,760 --> 00:46:19,480 We're going to build a life. I'm. 1027 00:46:19,760 --> 00:46:22,320 I will. I would be honored to be your 1028 00:46:22,320 --> 00:46:24,480 pastor. But if it's not Salt Church, 1029 00:46:24,480 --> 00:46:26,640 that's OK. But it needs to be a local body 1030 00:46:26,640 --> 00:46:29,320 of Christ that faithfully follows and loves King Jesus. 1031 00:46:30,280 --> 00:46:31,760 So. But if it's salt, it would be my 1032 00:46:31,760 --> 00:46:33,080 joy. It would be my privilege. 1033 00:46:33,280 --> 00:46:35,840 There's a room of people behind you who want to be a part of 1034 00:46:35,840 --> 00:46:39,000 your discipleship story as well. And they want to bring you into 1035 00:46:39,000 --> 00:46:42,120 their home, into their family, into this body, to love you and 1036 00:46:42,120 --> 00:46:45,120 disciple you so we can continue to walk with and follow King 1037 00:46:45,160 --> 00:46:46,640 Jesus. Does that sound good? 1038 00:46:46,840 --> 00:46:47,880 Yes. Amen. 1039 00:46:47,880 --> 00:46:49,720 Why I love you. You may go back to your seats. 1040 00:46:50,120 --> 00:46:51,520 I want to greet you before you leave.