1 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:14,760 So you can turn in your Bible to Matthew chapter 10, similar to 2 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:17,280 the portion of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus has a long, 3 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:19,200 long period. If you have a Bible that puts 4 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:23,480 the the words of Jesus in red, then you see a lot of red text 5 00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:25,400 here. And we're we're taking that in 6 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:26,880 chunks. We're taking it one piece at a 7 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:28,880 time. But it would do you really well 8 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:33,480 to read it all together to go from like Chapter 9, verse 35, 9 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:39,320 all the way through to chapter 10, verse 42, and you're getting 10 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:42,920 the whole context over and over and over and seeing what was the 11 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:44,440 the whole picture that he shared. 12 00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:46,360 It didn't take him as long as it takes me. 13 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:48,840 We've understood that Jesus is a much better preacher. 14 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:52,240 So it takes me longer to say the things that he says and then to 15 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:54,080 to unpack the meaning behind that. 16 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:55,440 But the Holy Spirit's helping us. 17 00:00:55,960 --> 00:00:58,760 It's going to be good. So here we have the context. 18 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:01,760 Jesus told them, hey, pray for the harvest. 19 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:03,920 Good news, boys, the Lord has answered your prayers. 20 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:06,160 The Father has. You are the workers for the 21 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:08,240 harvest. The harvest is ready. 22 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:10,720 And then he starts to give. He gives them authority. 23 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:14,120 He gives them his power and permission, he says. 24 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:18,960 Now you will be my ambassadors to go cast out demons, go heal 25 00:01:18,960 --> 00:01:21,240 every disease. Go heal every affliction. 26 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:25,400 Go out and accomplish this work. Here's how you're going to do 27 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:26,800 it. Here's how you're going to trust 28 00:01:26,960 --> 00:01:28,280 in me. You're going to heal the sick. 29 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:29,960 You're going to raise the dead. You're going to cleanse the 30 00:01:29,960 --> 00:01:32,080 lepers. You're going to cast out demons, 31 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:33,640 Give it all the way freely, boys. 32 00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:37,240 I've given it to you and I. That's my intention, to bless 33 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:40,040 the whole world through my church. 34 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:42,280 And then by the way, guys, whenever you go somewhere, if 35 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:44,600 they, if they reject you and they don't receive, you just 36 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:46,720 move on. No need to call down fire and 37 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:49,440 brimstone, he says. By the way, fire and brimstone 38 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:51,440 will be coming for them. It will actually be worse for 39 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:53,800 that village than it was Sodom and Gomorrah. 40 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:57,080 So Sodom and Gomorrah apparently will receive some mercy that the 41 00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:00,360 villages who could have received the living Christ won't receive. 42 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:02,240 So it's not that Jesus has no judgment. 43 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:04,840 It's not that he has no wrath. It's just that he's saying 44 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:07,000 there's a time and a season. He is very patient. 45 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:09,919 He is very long-suffering. He wills that none should 46 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:12,480 perish. But he says your mission is not 47 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:14,080 to judge, is not to condemn them. 48 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:16,480 Your mission is to preach. If they don't receive it, move 49 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:18,320 on. So we made the application for 50 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:20,760 ourselves to understand, OK, I love people. 51 00:02:20,920 --> 00:02:23,720 I'm My assumption is that if the harvest is ready, that is my 52 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:26,040 default assumption because Jesus said so. 53 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:29,120 Now if the harvest somehow shows me otherwise, then I say OK, 54 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:31,720 then I can just move on. I don't have to beat my head 55 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:34,160 against the wall. There's there are many persons 56 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:36,520 of peace who are ready for me to tell them the truth. 57 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:39,600 There are many humble hearts who are ready to receive the truth 58 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:43,520 shared from my heart of love. Maybe not with perfect language, 59 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:46,880 but with a heart that is genuinely caring for that 60 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:49,960 individual. So we knock the dust off of our 61 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:52,440 feet when we're not welcomed and we just continue to move on 62 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:55,720 because the harvest is ready. And then Jesus told us last 63 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:58,280 week, he says, I'm sending you out in these situations. 64 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:02,880 You're like sheep among wolves, so I want you to be wise as 65 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:05,400 serpents and harmless and as innocent. 66 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:09,360 Some translations say harmless. Really, the better translation 67 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:12,840 is innocent and as innocent as doves. 68 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:15,640 And then he says beware of men. We learned that that beware of 69 00:03:15,640 --> 00:03:18,520 men means be aware, not be afraid. 70 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:21,000 And that's really what he's going to emphasize today, 71 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:22,880 because he tells them everything that's going to happen. 72 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:25,840 He says you're going to be flogged, you're going to be 73 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:28,240 killed, you're going to be taken to court. 74 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:32,520 All these things are going to happen for my name's sake. 75 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:34,800 They. He says, hey, if they do it to 76 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:37,600 me, they're going to do that and worse to you. 77 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:42,000 And now we come to verse 26. After he has just given those 78 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:46,880 those warnings and that heat here in verse 26 he says so have 79 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:52,600 No Fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be 80 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:55,560 revealed or hidden, that will not be known. 81 00:03:55,960 --> 00:04:00,320 What I tell you in the dark, say in the light and what you hear 82 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:03,120 whispered proclaim on the housetops. 83 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:07,000 And do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the 84 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:11,560 soul. Rather fear him who can destroy 85 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:16,480 both soul and body. In hell are not two sparrows 86 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:20,279 sold for a penny, and not one of them will fall to the ground 87 00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:24,000 apart from your father. But even the hairs on your head 88 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:27,520 are all numbered. Fear not, therefore you are of 89 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:32,280 more value than many sparrows. So everyone who acknowledges me 90 00:04:32,280 --> 00:04:36,080 before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who 91 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:39,120 is in heaven. But whoever denies me before 92 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:43,560 men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. 93 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:47,880 Lord Jesus, fill us with courage this morning. 94 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:49,600 Don't let us be a fearful people. 95 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:52,600 Make us a bold people. Holy Spirit, fill us with 96 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:54,720 yourself. When we're filled with the Holy 97 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:59,320 Spirit, we will be bold. We will be bold witnesses no 98 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:00,800 matter what the consequence may be. 99 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:03,680 We're looking at the reward. We're not considering 100 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:05,360 consequences that the world could bring. 101 00:05:05,360 --> 00:05:09,200 We look at the reward that our Father will bring to please you 102 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:11,040 as our greatest aim. It's our highest goal. 103 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:14,080 God, I pray that as your word is preached this morning would fill 104 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:16,960 your Saints with conviction. That it would fill them with 105 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:18,800 boldness. It would fill them with love. 106 00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:22,880 Love for the harvest, love for their enemies, love for their 107 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:24,520 friends. Love for you. 108 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:31,080 That we would have the healthy fear of God, the fear of the 109 00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:36,360 Lord, that is the beginning of wisdom, make us a wise, a 110 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:39,960 strong, a bold, a loving and a courageous church. 111 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:45,080 In Jesus name, Amen. Jesus purpose here is not to 112 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:50,040 scare anyone, but it is to put the reverential fear of God in 113 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:53,720 his disciples. He starts off by telling them to 114 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:55,480 not be afraid. So that's where we're going to 115 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:58,000 spend a lot of our time today emphasizing and reminding 116 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:00,200 ourselves why we shouldn't be afraid. 117 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:03,640 We've all felt fear. I felt fear. 118 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:06,120 I felt fear this week. You know, it's a spectrum, 119 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:07,440 right? There's like level 10 and 120 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:09,880 there's level one and there's everything in between. 121 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:14,600 And should I say this or should I not say that I felt fear even 122 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:17,400 in even in preparing this message, the Holy Spirit brought 123 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:20,040 something back up to me. It was about a week ago. 124 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:23,280 The Lord put it on my heart one morning to make a post on 125 00:06:23,280 --> 00:06:26,600 Facebook. Something along the lines of, 126 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:31,640 you know, every loved one that that has ever passed away is 127 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:34,760 either in in heaven with King Jesus or they're in hell right 128 00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:36,760 now. And then the Lord put that on my 129 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:39,400 heart. But I had a particular person in 130 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:42,720 mind on Facebook who I was afraid would be offended by it. 131 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:46,920 This this person just lost a loved one and and this person is 132 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:49,560 a family member. So I was, I was considering that 133 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:54,240 situation and I'm like the Lord and I wasn't intending to make 134 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:56,440 the post for them, but the Lord was like, hey, I want you to 135 00:06:56,440 --> 00:06:58,200 make this post and I was going to go make it and I was like, 136 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:04,360 but what if this hurts them? And fear kept me from being 137 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:07,640 truthful? I was unloving because I wasn't 138 00:07:07,640 --> 00:07:10,160 telling the true thing. It's a very basic Christian 139 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:12,960 doctrine, right? It's a very old, old thing, but 140 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:15,320 there's plenty of old and simple and true doctrines that are 141 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:17,840 under attack right now and that people aren't open to. 142 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:20,400 So then if you saw and yesterday, yesterday I repented, 143 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:23,200 I said, Lord, I'm so sorry that I didn't just share that simple 144 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:26,280 thing, but but I was. I was afraid that was cowardice 145 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:28,480 a week ago when I was like, I don't want anyone to take it 146 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:29,840 wrong. I don't want anyone to take that 147 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:33,280 as a a dig or a slam. But that's foolishness. 148 00:07:33,560 --> 00:07:37,960 That's called niceness. Niceness is the greatest goal of 149 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:41,840 niceness is to never, ever, ever do anything that anyone would 150 00:07:41,840 --> 00:07:44,960 disagree with. And niceness really is the the 151 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:48,920 chief doctrine of our age. To be nice is the most important 152 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:51,960 thing that the world would say you need to be nice. 153 00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:54,120 And what do what do they mean when they say be nice? 154 00:07:54,120 --> 00:07:57,280 They say, well, don't do anything that would bother me. 155 00:07:57,800 --> 00:08:00,880 Well, that's really difficult, you know, Don't say anything 156 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:04,240 that would really bother me. Well, love is greater than nice. 157 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:08,720 Kind is greater than nice, Good is greater than nice. 158 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:11,240 Niceness is not our target. Niceness is not our goal. 159 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:14,600 Love is. So if someone's just lost a 160 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:16,560 loved one and they don't know where that person is and they're 161 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:19,080 like, well, that person probably wasn't a Christian and now 162 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:21,800 you're, you're throwing this in my face. 163 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:23,880 Well, I'm not responsible for their reaction to me. 164 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:26,000 And of course, that person hasn't said anything to me. 165 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:28,000 Time could still go on. Maybe they will, maybe they 166 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:30,000 won't. But that's that was where my 167 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:32,080 head was. Whether that was the enemy 168 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:34,880 influencing me or it was just my own flesh, that was my own 169 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:37,280 cowardice. That was my lack of love for the 170 00:08:37,799 --> 00:08:42,039 for the Lord, not not walking in obedience to Him, and my lack of 171 00:08:42,039 --> 00:08:43,640 love for people who needed to hear that. 172 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:46,600 Maybe Christians were emboldened by that by reading that and 173 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:49,680 their their own spines were stiffened, and maybe non 174 00:08:49,680 --> 00:08:52,520 believers were reminded again. Who knows how the Lord used that 175 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:54,560 to minister. That's not my responsibility. 176 00:08:54,920 --> 00:08:59,520 My responsibility is obedience. Were you obedient in that 711 177 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:02,280 yesterday? Were you obedient in your living 178 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:04,160 room? Were you obedient on the job 179 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:06,320 site? Were you obedient with your 180 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:08,600 social media? That's all you're responsible 181 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:11,400 for. Is obedience to the master, not 182 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:15,640 niceness, because culture will press this idea of niceness onto 183 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:17,960 you more and more and more. And of course, people don't get 184 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:21,520 killed for being nice. The church is not called to be 185 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:23,720 nice. We are called to be faithful, to 186 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:28,400 be true, to be bold, to be ambassadors for the king and his 187 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:30,640 Kingdom. To be nice means to be 188 00:09:30,640 --> 00:09:33,560 agreeable. If I'm if, if niceness is my 189 00:09:33,560 --> 00:09:36,160 target, then I will just be agreeable to a fault. 190 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:39,040 Chris could say, hey man, I want to go do this, but I really 191 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:41,840 don't want to do that. But more than anything, I'm 192 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:44,320 afraid that I will offend or upset Chris somehow. 193 00:09:44,320 --> 00:09:46,760 So I go, yeah, that's what I want to do too. 194 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:48,120 Well, it's not what I want to do. 195 00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:50,960 And it's OK that I tell Chris that Chris, I don't want to see 196 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:52,160 that movie. He's like, yeah, we should go 197 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:53,360 see it. I don't want to see it, man. 198 00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:55,480 It looks stupid. Chris is like, come on, man, 199 00:09:55,480 --> 00:09:58,240 let's go see it. We we can navigate that. 200 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:00,920 Our fellowship isn't severed just because there's a little 201 00:10:00,920 --> 00:10:02,600 bit of friction, just because there's a little bit of 202 00:10:02,600 --> 00:10:05,840 disagreement. But we also, sometimes we know 203 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:08,600 that fellowship will be severed when there's disagreement. 204 00:10:08,640 --> 00:10:10,800 And again, that's not our responsibility. 205 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:13,280 Our responsibility is the obedience. 206 00:10:13,560 --> 00:10:15,080 Our responsibility is speaking up. 207 00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:16,960 Now, of course, there are all kinds of things that we can 208 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:19,440 cater to one another. There's plenty of times where 209 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:21,120 yes, Chris could say, hey, let's go see this movie. 210 00:10:21,120 --> 00:10:23,040 I'm like, I don't really care, but I want to hang out with 211 00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:25,120 Chris. So there's there's certain times 212 00:10:25,120 --> 00:10:28,080 and places where agree where it is good to be agreeable, and 213 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:30,080 there's certain times and places where it isn't. 214 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:32,720 And we need the wisdom to know the difference. 215 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:36,520 But when it comes to sharing the truths of Jesus, agreeability is 216 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:39,120 not our goal. Kindness is seasoning our 217 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:41,880 language with salt. All of that is we want to 218 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:46,440 persuade men. We want to draw people in. 219 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:49,600 The scripture is not a baseball bat that we swing around. 220 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:53,000 The scripture is a healing balm that we bring to sinners who are 221 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:55,680 wounded, whether or not they know it, People who are lost, 222 00:10:55,680 --> 00:10:58,400 whether or not they know it, it is a light that we shine. 223 00:10:59,680 --> 00:11:02,080 So you need to understand persecution. 224 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:06,000 When persecution comes for the church, it never comes because 225 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:09,560 you were walking down the street just saying, I love Jesus and 226 00:11:09,560 --> 00:11:12,920 people said let's get him. That's not how persecution is 227 00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:15,600 working, particularly in our moment here in the West. 228 00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:19,520 If you want to love Jesus and mind your own business, that 229 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:22,040 will be tolerated for now, for now. 230 00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:24,560 Eventually, that comes to the place where it's not it. 231 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:27,080 As long as you're a naive Christian, you go, Oh well, they 232 00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:28,640 do their thing, I'll do my thing. 233 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:30,920 You're naive. You don't realize that there are 234 00:11:30,920 --> 00:11:34,600 two kingdoms, only two. One is light, one is darkness, 235 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:38,080 and they are at war. There is no neutral ground. 236 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:42,200 You're naive to believe so. And the Church, for decades has 237 00:11:42,200 --> 00:11:45,440 put us into a very difficult situation in the West because 238 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:48,520 they naively believed that they could live in some sort of 239 00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:50,960 neutral world. And there is no such thing. 240 00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:54,360 They thought if they just voted correctly, whatever that means 241 00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:57,160 at the ballot box, that they could just do their Sunday 242 00:11:57,160 --> 00:11:59,280 worship thing and mind their own business. 243 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:01,720 Well, guess what? The enemy loved it. 244 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:03,320 And he said, I'll take a little more ground. 245 00:12:03,560 --> 00:12:05,800 I'll take a little more ground. I'll take a little more ground. 246 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:08,840 Oh, in the name of tolerance. Don't be an intolerant bigot, 247 00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:10,920 you dirty Christian. Oh, I'm sorry. 248 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:12,640 I didn't know. I didn't think I was that way. 249 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:13,720 Well, you are. Oh, OK. 250 00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:17,080 I guess I'll back up again. I guess I'll back up again. 251 00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:19,120 And now the church looks back over the Cliff and go. 252 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:21,480 How did we get here? We were cowards. 253 00:12:21,680 --> 00:12:24,520 We were silent. We were deceived by wolves. 254 00:12:24,880 --> 00:12:28,520 Wolves who said hey come to my house And we said OK, these guys 255 00:12:28,520 --> 00:12:32,640 seem nice. My what big teeth you have So 256 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:36,240 persecution doesn't come because you say I love you, Jesus, 257 00:12:36,240 --> 00:12:39,120 Persecution is going to come because you tell the truth. 258 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:41,360 That's why persecution is going to come. 259 00:12:41,560 --> 00:12:44,280 One of the favorite accusations that you that's used against the 260 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:47,120 faithful Saints of our day is that you are a bigot. 261 00:12:48,080 --> 00:12:51,840 That you are intolerant when you stand trial, whether it's a 262 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:55,400 literal trial in court someday or the OR just the trial of the 263 00:12:55,400 --> 00:12:58,360 cultural court, the trial of cultural shame. 264 00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:01,360 They're not going to say you're guilty of loving Jesus. 265 00:13:01,560 --> 00:13:03,240 They're going to say you're guilty of hate. 266 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:05,480 That's what they're going to accuse you of. 267 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:08,160 You're hateful. How am I hateful? 268 00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:12,800 Because you said a very plain and obvious biblical truth. 269 00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:15,520 You said that Jesus is the only way to heaven. 270 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:18,960 You said that everybody's either going to heaven or everybody's 271 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:20,880 either going to hell. How dare you? 272 00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:24,240 You're so hateful, you're so close minded. 273 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:27,640 Those are the accusations. There's such a harshness about 274 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:29,240 you or the claims that they'll make. 275 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:32,360 And you being a sincere and kind person. 276 00:13:32,480 --> 00:13:35,880 If you're not wise, you'll go, Oh my goodness, well, surely 277 00:13:35,880 --> 00:13:37,920 everyone's angry at me. Surely I must be wrong. 278 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:41,880 Well, I love the I love the humility there. 279 00:13:42,720 --> 00:13:45,400 I love the I love the impulse to check yourself first. 280 00:13:45,560 --> 00:13:49,040 But check with the master and see what the master says. 281 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:52,080 First. They'll say that you've 282 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:54,400 committed acts of verbal violence. 283 00:13:54,920 --> 00:13:58,080 Listen to me. Every culture has blasphemy 284 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:01,120 laws, even if they're not on the books. 285 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:03,480 Every culture has blasphemy laws. 286 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:05,720 You mean like laws against speaking out against God? 287 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:09,120 Yes, but but it's because every culture has gods. 288 00:14:10,080 --> 00:14:12,120 So our culture has blasphemy laws. 289 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:14,880 They might not be enforced by police officers, but they are 290 00:14:14,880 --> 00:14:17,560 enforced by the court of society. 291 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:20,320 They're enforced by the court of social media. 292 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:23,320 They're enforced by the court of the break room or the HR 293 00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:26,600 department. Blasphemy laws are real in every 294 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:28,640 culture. They exist across every culture 295 00:14:28,640 --> 00:14:31,240 because every culture has gods that it worships. 296 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:35,840 Some of our culture's gods are are are called things like the 297 00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:37,920 almighty woman's right to choose. 298 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:42,000 That's a God in our culture. It's a false God. 299 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:45,400 It's a deceptive name. It wants to hide A wickedness. 300 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:49,640 Another false God in our culture is a person's right to love 301 00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:53,080 whoever they want. Just such good things right? 302 00:14:53,200 --> 00:14:55,040 Who could oppose a woman's right to make a choice? 303 00:14:55,040 --> 00:14:56,920 What kind of hateful bigot could you be? 304 00:14:57,600 --> 00:14:59,800 Who could oppose a person's right to love whoever they want 305 00:14:59,800 --> 00:15:02,800 to love? Only hateful bigot a wicked 306 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:04,600 person could hate something like that. 307 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:08,080 Because love is love, after all. Phrase, it says nothing and 308 00:15:08,080 --> 00:15:09,880 means nothing. Love is love. 309 00:15:09,880 --> 00:15:14,200 I guess that's technically true. Wall is wall. 310 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:17,280 Chair is chair. Love is love. 311 00:15:17,320 --> 00:15:21,640 All right, these are the false gods of our age. 312 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:25,800 And if you speak against these gods, you're hateful, you're 313 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:29,280 evil, you're a bigot, you're cruel, and maybe worst of all, 314 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:33,880 you are intolerant. We won't spend time on the 315 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:38,960 hypocrisy and the stupidity of the intolerant people calling us 316 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:42,280 intolerant. Christians are the most tolerant 317 00:15:42,280 --> 00:15:46,000 people in the world. We love our enemies, and our 318 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:50,480 enemies don't even understand it, because they're not like I'm 319 00:15:50,480 --> 00:15:52,000 not their enemy. They're mine. 320 00:15:53,160 --> 00:15:55,720 You're no one's enemy. You're to be no one's enemy. 321 00:15:55,720 --> 00:15:58,840 But you will have enemies. And our enemies can't understand 322 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:01,640 this. They they're it's a foreign 323 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:03,880 concept to them. They don't understand that we 324 00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:08,480 can simultaneously love them deeply and absolutely hate what 325 00:16:08,480 --> 00:16:11,320 they stand for. Because they don't feel that way 326 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:14,000 about you. Because they can't. 327 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:17,080 Because they don't have the love of God shed abroad in their 328 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:20,040 hearts. So Christian love, the love of 329 00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:23,120 God that's been poured out in your heart, is a supernatural 330 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:24,720 miracle. That's why you can 331 00:16:24,720 --> 00:16:28,760 simultaneously feel rage towards the wickedness of sin. 332 00:16:28,760 --> 00:16:31,320 And at the same time, you love that person deeply. 333 00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:34,160 But they they can't always. They're they're they're 334 00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:35,840 wondering, how are you reconciling that? 335 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:37,360 And you're going. That's a crazy question. 336 00:16:37,360 --> 00:16:41,960 Like welcome to the love of God. Welcome, welcome to the Kingdom, 337 00:16:41,960 --> 00:16:43,760 love. I care for you. 338 00:16:43,880 --> 00:16:46,560 I want the best for you. Which is why I will also tell 339 00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:50,000 you the truth. This is how persecution will 340 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:53,120 come for you and your day and age, and in the coming 341 00:16:53,120 --> 00:16:55,120 generations. It may change, it may worsen, 342 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:59,000 but for now, it's not you singing songs to Jesus and 343 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:02,560 people just hating you, but it's that you tell the truth. 344 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:05,440 What are you supposed to do? You're supposed to fear not. 345 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:07,400 That's why Jesus says it three times. 346 00:17:07,599 --> 00:17:11,160 Fear not. Like Moses when he sends the 12 347 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:14,200 spies in to to look out over the promised land. 348 00:17:14,599 --> 00:17:16,640 The 12 spies going to the promised land, they're supposed 349 00:17:16,640 --> 00:17:18,920 to, hey, spy it out. The Lord says he's given us the 350 00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:22,680 land. Well, 10 spies come back and 351 00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:26,000 they say we're like grasshoppers in the eyes of these people. 352 00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:29,120 They're giants in the land. We cannot take the land. 353 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:32,320 And all of Israel is filled with fear and doubt. 354 00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:33,720 And they doubted the word of the Lord. 355 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:36,360 And the Bible says that the 10 spies who brought that report, 356 00:17:36,360 --> 00:17:39,400 they brought an evil report. An evil report. 357 00:17:39,400 --> 00:17:41,080 Why? Because it doubted God, and it 358 00:17:41,080 --> 00:17:42,880 was fearful. It looked at the circumstances, 359 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:45,600 it looked at the culture. It looked at we can't do it. 360 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:48,000 We're not able. But Joshua and Caleb came back. 361 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:50,000 They're excited, they're thrilled. 362 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:51,680 They're jumping. They're going, hey, everybody, 363 00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:52,840 Everybody's all weepy. Oh, it's terrible. 364 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:55,840 It's terrible. Guys, guys, guys, we're well 365 00:17:55,840 --> 00:17:59,400 able to take the land. We are like giants and they're 366 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:02,640 like grasshoppers. The Lord has given us the land. 367 00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:05,080 It is a land flowing with milk and honey. 368 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:07,200 But Israel said no, no, we can't do it. 369 00:18:07,640 --> 00:18:08,600 We can't do it. Why? 370 00:18:08,600 --> 00:18:10,040 Fear. Cowardice. 371 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:15,280 It's a huge, huge problem. We don't talk about it enough. 372 00:18:15,520 --> 00:18:18,400 I don't talk about it enough. We want to be like Joshua and 373 00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:23,040 Caleb, who trusts the Lord. So that's what it looks like at 374 00:18:23,040 --> 00:18:27,040 the moment when people are destroying their lives with sin. 375 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:31,640 Most of the time, Christians are afraid of people and they lack 376 00:18:31,640 --> 00:18:33,720 the love that would have them speak the truth. 377 00:18:33,720 --> 00:18:35,360 Because it's love that has you speak truth. 378 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:39,400 It's love for a person. It's faith in God and it's fear 379 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:42,400 of the Lord, and it's looking forward to the eternal reward. 380 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:45,680 It's wanting to please Jesus instead of wanting to please 381 00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:49,960 man. The church loses its saltiness. 382 00:18:49,960 --> 00:18:54,040 That's our preserving power. The bright church grows dim. 383 00:18:54,040 --> 00:18:57,160 That's our revealing power. And what's worse is that we 384 00:18:57,160 --> 00:19:00,040 often pat ourselves on the back in the process, saying I'm doing 385 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:02,520 the nice thing, I'm doing the nice thing. 386 00:19:02,680 --> 00:19:04,240 I'm not like that street preacher. 387 00:19:05,600 --> 00:19:10,080 He needs to build a relationship and he needs to take 55 years. 388 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:11,440 And you know all these other things. 389 00:19:11,440 --> 00:19:13,560 There's plenty of relationships where you take your time and we 390 00:19:13,560 --> 00:19:17,640 walk in wisdom. But Jesus goes on to say here, 391 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:21,720 we're going to look at it, preach it from the rooftop, from 392 00:19:21,960 --> 00:19:24,760 the rooftop. So what rooftop has the Lord 393 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:28,480 given you in your life? What opportunity do you have to 394 00:19:28,480 --> 00:19:32,600 yell at out to broadcast the truth that the Lord is revealing 395 00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:33,760 to you? Y'all got me getting ahead of 396 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:38,240 myself, stay here, tricking me, trying to speed me along. 397 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:46,800 So what are you going to do? What does this look like in your 398 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:49,880 context, in your situation with the people in your life? 399 00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:52,560 Are you ever going to tell your friend that he needs to marry 400 00:19:52,560 --> 00:19:56,240 his girlfriend? Are you ever going to tell your 401 00:19:56,240 --> 00:19:58,600 sister that she needs to care better for her children? 402 00:19:59,880 --> 00:20:03,000 Most importantly, are you ever going to tell them or anyone the 403 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:06,280 good news that Jesus will save them from all their sin and give 404 00:20:06,280 --> 00:20:09,600 them a new life, a new heart, and send the Holy Spirit to live 405 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:11,920 in them and lead them just like he did for you? 406 00:20:12,360 --> 00:20:15,760 Or are you being nice? Are you being nice as the sin of 407 00:20:15,760 --> 00:20:18,880 fornication continues to destroy your friend and his girlfriend's 408 00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:20,480 life? Are you being nice to your 409 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:23,600 nieces and nephews who lack the nurture and care of an attentive 410 00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:25,640 mother? Are you being nice to the non 411 00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:27,480 believer who is on their way to hell? 412 00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:31,080 Because, well, you know, they might not like you if you tell 413 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:34,640 them about Jesus. That's all bondage, that's all 414 00:20:34,640 --> 00:20:38,080 slavery, That's all fear of man. It's a snare. 415 00:20:38,080 --> 00:20:39,240 It's a trap. It's a pit. 416 00:20:39,240 --> 00:20:43,520 It's a misery, It's a sin. And we have all felt fear. 417 00:20:43,720 --> 00:20:47,760 Jesus teaches us here how to fear, and he teaches us who to 418 00:20:47,760 --> 00:20:49,640 fear. And when we get that right, we 419 00:20:49,640 --> 00:20:51,840 live in freedom instead of in bondage. 420 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:56,400 And the harvest, which is ready, can then be brought in. 421 00:20:57,760 --> 00:21:00,120 So look at verse 26. You are listening slow. 422 00:21:00,120 --> 00:21:04,000 We're only still in verse 26, like, man, where is this one 423 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:05,920 going? So I have No Fear of them. 424 00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:09,280 That's what he starts with. So I have No Fear of them. 425 00:21:09,360 --> 00:21:11,560 Them who's that referred to All the people who was just talking 426 00:21:11,560 --> 00:21:15,080 about the people who are going to do all the terrible things to 427 00:21:15,120 --> 00:21:17,000 you have No Fear of them, he says. 428 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:21,120 The people who want you to remain silent about Jesus and 429 00:21:21,120 --> 00:21:23,120 about his reign, because that's the point. 430 00:21:23,120 --> 00:21:25,960 You're going to talk about his reign, not just this person, but 431 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:28,680 you're going to obey what he tells us later as well in 432 00:21:28,680 --> 00:21:34,880 Matthew 28. Teach them to obey everything I 433 00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:39,960 have commanded you. Teach the world to obey 434 00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:43,280 everything Jesus has commanded us. 435 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:48,240 But we often are so naive and we take our cues from the world and 436 00:21:48,240 --> 00:21:49,120 they go. I don't believe that way. 437 00:21:49,120 --> 00:21:52,800 I feel like I know and you should, which is why I'm here. 438 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:57,120 Well, stop, because I won't. Well, sometimes I got to weigh 439 00:21:57,120 --> 00:21:58,520 that, and I've got to measure that. 440 00:21:58,520 --> 00:22:00,560 Is it time to move on? Is it time to knock the dust off 441 00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:02,680 my feet? But it's never time to shut up. 442 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:05,240 It's just it's just time to determine which field I'm 443 00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:07,880 supposed to be in. If this field isn't quite 444 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:11,240 receptive of me, it's not my responsibility. 445 00:22:11,560 --> 00:22:13,400 My responsibility is just to find the next field. 446 00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:15,640 Lord, what's the next field you're leading me to? 447 00:22:15,880 --> 00:22:18,600 My mission is that I'm never commanded to just shut up. 448 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:24,880 I'm commanded to just move on. The people who will say that 449 00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:26,720 you're judgmental have No Fear of them. 450 00:22:26,720 --> 00:22:29,760 The people who will say mind your own business, have No Fear 451 00:22:29,760 --> 00:22:31,520 of them. The people who will say you're 452 00:22:31,520 --> 00:22:33,920 pushing your religion on them have No Fear of them. 453 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:36,560 The people who will leave you mean comments on your social 454 00:22:36,560 --> 00:22:38,360 media posts, Have No Fear of them. 455 00:22:39,160 --> 00:22:45,520 Love them and fear God. I want to go to Jeremiah. 456 00:22:46,240 --> 00:22:47,440 You can go there with me if you'd like. 457 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:53,240 I'm going to go to Jeremiah chapter one Old Testament 458 00:22:53,240 --> 00:23:00,400 Isaiah, Jeremiah. Jeremiah was a prophet of God. 459 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:05,640 Jeremiah knows all about preaching, preaching, preaching 460 00:23:05,880 --> 00:23:09,400 and being hated, hated, hated, being rejected, being rejected, 461 00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:12,480 being rejected. Jeremiah is known as the weeping 462 00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:18,760 prophet weeping. He was probably very lonely and 463 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:24,840 he had a long ministry with not a lot of fruit to show for it in 464 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:26,200 his time. And in his ministry there was 465 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:29,400 some, but a lot of times he just constantly just sees the people 466 00:23:29,400 --> 00:23:33,160 of Israel rebelling against God. But this is his calling. 467 00:23:33,160 --> 00:23:36,720 This is when the Lord first calls Jeremiah into ministry. 468 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:40,000 We know that Jeremiah probably was young, but we don't know 469 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:43,600 what young necessarily means. So we're going to look in 470 00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:46,080 Jeremiah chapter one, verses 4 through 10. 471 00:23:47,120 --> 00:23:50,800 Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Before I formed you 472 00:23:50,800 --> 00:23:54,880 in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I 473 00:23:54,880 --> 00:23:57,960 consecrated you. I appointed you a prophet to the 474 00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:00,920 nations. Then I said, I, Lord God, 475 00:24:00,920 --> 00:24:03,840 behold, I do not know how to speak, for I'm only a youth. 476 00:24:04,360 --> 00:24:08,160 But the Lord said to me, do not say I'm only a youth. 477 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:11,720 For to who? To all whom I send you, you 478 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:14,280 shall go. Whatever I command you, you 479 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:17,560 shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I 480 00:24:17,560 --> 00:24:20,800 am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord. 481 00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:25,520 Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth, and the 482 00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:29,320 Lord said to me, Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. 483 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:32,880 See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms. 484 00:24:33,120 --> 00:24:37,800 To pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to 485 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:42,640 build and to plant is not so different from your calling in 486 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:45,440 mine. We want to destroy the Kingdom 487 00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:49,000 of the devil. We want to overthrow and destroy 488 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:50,920 it completely, thoroughly, and totally. 489 00:24:51,600 --> 00:24:54,600 We want the spirit of Antichrist to be destroyed. 490 00:24:54,960 --> 00:24:58,760 We want every single square inch that already belongs to Jesus to 491 00:24:58,760 --> 00:25:02,760 bring glory to Jesus. We want every part of society 492 00:25:02,920 --> 00:25:07,240 and every person to obey Jesus. Will we force them to do so? 493 00:25:07,240 --> 00:25:08,600 No. No, we're not like them. 494 00:25:09,120 --> 00:25:12,160 We will preach, we will teach. We will love. 495 00:25:12,280 --> 00:25:14,360 We will encourage, We will persuade. 496 00:25:14,360 --> 00:25:17,360 We will draw. But we can't do that if we are 497 00:25:17,480 --> 00:25:24,600 afraid of them. So who is Jeremiah supposed to 498 00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:26,040 fear? Well, he's supposed to fear the 499 00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:27,360 same one that we're supposed to fear. 500 00:25:27,560 --> 00:25:29,760 Look ahead. Verses 17 and 19 there in 501 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:35,160 Jeremiah one, he says, But you dress yourself for work. 502 00:25:35,760 --> 00:25:39,680 Arise and say to them everything that I command you. 503 00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:44,800 Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. 504 00:25:45,960 --> 00:25:50,960 And behold, today I make you this day a fortified city, an 505 00:25:50,960 --> 00:25:54,920 iron pillar and bronze walls against the whole land, against 506 00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:58,320 the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the 507 00:25:58,320 --> 00:26:01,480 people of the land. They will fight against you, but 508 00:26:01,480 --> 00:26:03,120 they shall not prevail against you. 509 00:26:03,360 --> 00:26:06,320 For I am with you, declares the Lord to deliver you. 510 00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:11,720 So Jeremiah is commanded and told to tell the truth. 511 00:26:11,960 --> 00:26:14,280 Tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. 512 00:26:15,320 --> 00:26:18,280 And he's told to fear God. That is his motive. 513 00:26:18,480 --> 00:26:21,440 He says if you're terrified before them, I will terrify you. 514 00:26:21,440 --> 00:26:23,760 Before them is what another translation says. 515 00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:26,880 Jeremiah, obey me. I'm with you. 516 00:26:26,880 --> 00:26:29,240 He encourages him in the beginning, and he brings another 517 00:26:29,240 --> 00:26:31,200 warning, similar to what Jesus does with us. 518 00:26:31,600 --> 00:26:34,600 Encouragement. Don't deny me. 519 00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:39,120 Don't deny me because there is a day of judgement. 520 00:26:39,280 --> 00:26:43,320 Don't deny me before men, or I will deny you before my father, 521 00:26:44,960 --> 00:26:46,000 Jesus. That's not very nice. 522 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:47,560 No, it's not. But he's very good. 523 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:50,440 He's very good. He's very gracious. 524 00:26:50,840 --> 00:26:52,280 He loves you more than you love you. 525 00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:55,360 He's already died for you to prove it. 526 00:26:56,480 --> 00:26:57,960 That's the one that we're supposed to fear. 527 00:26:57,960 --> 00:27:01,360 That's the one that we're supposed to please fear God and 528 00:27:01,360 --> 00:27:03,560 you won't fear anything else, is the point. 529 00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:07,560 When we think about Judgment Day, we're not afraid of the 530 00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:11,720 judgment of men. And that's the motive that Jesus 531 00:27:11,720 --> 00:27:13,800 brings to us. He's saying, look ahead to your 532 00:27:13,800 --> 00:27:17,360 reward, look ahead to what's coming, let that motivate you 533 00:27:17,360 --> 00:27:20,280 and encourage you. For today, Last week, I was 534 00:27:20,280 --> 00:27:23,080 thinking about temporary things. I was thinking about what it 535 00:27:23,080 --> 00:27:26,840 could cost me, what it could mean for my discomfort and my 536 00:27:26,840 --> 00:27:30,480 and my close relationships. How would that impact me? 537 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:33,280 Instead of what would it mean what? 538 00:27:33,280 --> 00:27:36,040 What might have happened, What ministry might have needed to 539 00:27:36,040 --> 00:27:39,360 take place even in the moment when I was supposed to post it 540 00:27:39,360 --> 00:27:42,360 last week? Oh, brother, don't beat 541 00:27:42,360 --> 00:27:43,720 yourself. I'm not beating myself up. 542 00:27:43,720 --> 00:27:47,560 But I'm honest about reality. I'm forgiven by the grace of 543 00:27:47,560 --> 00:27:50,040 God, but I'm still honest about consequences. 544 00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:54,120 And life has consequences and disobedience has consequences. 545 00:27:54,400 --> 00:27:56,200 Well, I don't want to. Don't get in shame and 546 00:27:56,200 --> 00:27:57,480 condemnation. There is none. 547 00:27:57,480 --> 00:27:59,880 There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 548 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:04,080 And yet, if I am silent when I should speak, it meant something 549 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:07,160 for someone. It meant something for someone 550 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:11,440 and love for them. And fear of God will cause me to 551 00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:13,480 do what's right instead of my own comfort. 552 00:28:13,480 --> 00:28:16,160 Well, don't kid yourself, Joe Michael. 553 00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:18,120 You're worried about your comfort right now. 554 00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:20,480 You're thinking about what it would mean for you. 555 00:28:20,840 --> 00:28:23,520 Your comfort or your discomfort is your priority. 556 00:28:24,320 --> 00:28:26,720 That is your barrier. It's fear. 557 00:28:27,120 --> 00:28:29,560 It's cowardice. It's right to name it so that 558 00:28:29,560 --> 00:28:32,720 you can then crucify it. Welcome to the Christian life. 559 00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:34,680 Take up your cross. It's Sunday. 560 00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:36,520 We'll do it again tomorrow and Monday. 561 00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:38,960 We'll do it again on Tuesday. Man. 562 00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:40,680 It's like this flesh. It just keeps rising up. 563 00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:43,600 Yep, every day. Pick it up again. 564 00:28:43,920 --> 00:28:46,840 Kill it all over again. There will be new opportunities. 565 00:28:50,160 --> 00:28:52,520 When you fear God, you won't fear the judgment of men. 566 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:55,000 Jesus says it so. Well, all your enemies can do is 567 00:28:55,000 --> 00:28:57,400 kill you. Perfect. 568 00:28:57,400 --> 00:28:59,920 I love his logic. When you realize how powerless 569 00:28:59,920 --> 00:29:02,240 they are, all you can do is kill me. 570 00:29:02,640 --> 00:29:05,640 Then you're free because fear is the only real weapon that your 571 00:29:05,640 --> 00:29:07,960 enemies have. And when you're no longer afraid 572 00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:11,280 of men, you cannot be silenced and you cannot be defeated. 573 00:29:12,120 --> 00:29:13,760 Defeat would just look like cowardice. 574 00:29:13,760 --> 00:29:16,560 By the way, you're not responsible for fruit, you're 575 00:29:16,560 --> 00:29:19,240 responsible for obedience. To tell the truth. 576 00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:22,800 Jesus also says here that fear of hell is a motivator. 577 00:29:23,320 --> 00:29:27,000 Hell is real, and you should believe in it because Jesus 578 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:29,760 does. God created hell. 579 00:29:30,440 --> 00:29:32,800 Jesus is in charge of hell. The devil isn't in charge of 580 00:29:32,800 --> 00:29:34,440 hell. The devil's not sitting on a 581 00:29:34,440 --> 00:29:38,640 throne in hell saying punish them this way, punish them that 582 00:29:38,640 --> 00:29:41,480 way. God created hell and God's 583 00:29:41,480 --> 00:29:44,200 enemies will be in hell, including Satan and his demons. 584 00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:47,440 They're not running the show. They're not in charge of 585 00:29:47,440 --> 00:29:50,000 torment. They themselves will be 586 00:29:50,000 --> 00:29:53,600 tormented and the smoke of their burning will go up. 587 00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:58,440 All of God's enemies will go up forever and ever and ever, for 588 00:29:58,440 --> 00:30:00,320 all eternity. You should believe in hell. 589 00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:02,760 We don't all go to a better place when we die. 590 00:30:02,920 --> 00:30:06,000 Only people who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus 591 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:08,800 Christ of Nazareth go to a better place when they die. 592 00:30:10,920 --> 00:30:13,360 And Paul, this was part of his motivation in his ministry in 593 00:30:13,360 --> 00:30:17,120 2nd Corinthians 511 he says knowing the terror of the Lord, 594 00:30:17,720 --> 00:30:20,040 knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men. 595 00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:22,600 Then he talks about that is that is the purpose. 596 00:30:22,600 --> 00:30:24,520 That is why we were so motivated in the ministry of 597 00:30:24,520 --> 00:30:27,680 reconciliation. Well, they don't really believe 598 00:30:27,680 --> 00:30:31,280 in hell, do you? Well, they don't really believe 599 00:30:31,280 --> 00:30:34,280 that, do you? I didn't ask what they believed. 600 00:30:34,680 --> 00:30:36,840 They can believe when they hear the word of God. 601 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:41,600 Have faith and confidence in the foolishness of preaching. 602 00:30:42,640 --> 00:30:45,760 That's what the Bible calls it. The the foolishness air quotes 603 00:30:45,760 --> 00:30:47,800 around it. The Lord says it's not actually 604 00:30:47,800 --> 00:30:50,320 foolish, it is my supernatural plan. 605 00:30:50,560 --> 00:30:52,960 Have faith and confidence in the word of God. 606 00:30:53,520 --> 00:30:56,680 So even the word of God in your mouth is powerful when you 607 00:30:56,680 --> 00:30:59,600 declare it to someone. Faith travels with the word of 608 00:30:59,600 --> 00:31:02,120 God. Whatever you may say, whatever 609 00:31:02,120 --> 00:31:05,160 you would encourage someone, whatever obedience you would 610 00:31:05,160 --> 00:31:07,360 encourage that friend or loved one or Co worker. 611 00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:10,160 And you say, hey, you know, this really would be better. 612 00:31:10,440 --> 00:31:12,600 I know, I know you've said this, I know you've said that, but I 613 00:31:12,600 --> 00:31:14,520 want to encourage you and tell you this is really the best way 614 00:31:14,520 --> 00:31:17,200 to do that. This is actually what God says. 615 00:31:17,920 --> 00:31:21,640 When you communicate the word of God along with the word of God 616 00:31:21,640 --> 00:31:23,720 travels faith. Faith is riding shotgun. 617 00:31:23,720 --> 00:31:27,480 And in that moment they have the ability to believe because the 618 00:31:27,480 --> 00:31:30,680 word of God brings faith. You're not responsible with what 619 00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:33,360 they do with that faith. But to them is given a measure 620 00:31:33,360 --> 00:31:36,800 of faith and they can say, they can harden up and say no, you're 621 00:31:36,800 --> 00:31:41,640 not getting that seed in here. Or they can go, wow, that was 622 00:31:41,680 --> 00:31:44,200 like oil and wine. That was ministry. 623 00:31:44,200 --> 00:31:46,640 That was the healing balm. That was the direction that I 624 00:31:46,640 --> 00:31:48,000 needed you. Tell your friend. 625 00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:49,560 Hey, man, you didn't marry that girl. 626 00:31:49,640 --> 00:31:50,840 How do you. How long you don't live with her 627 00:31:50,840 --> 00:31:52,960 before you marry her? He's oh, man, I don't know. 628 00:31:52,960 --> 00:31:54,880 I can't browser. You didn't marry that woman. 629 00:31:55,400 --> 00:31:57,760 That's what God wants. It's the right thing to do. 630 00:31:58,080 --> 00:32:00,560 What Y'all doing isn't right. I know it, man. 631 00:32:00,640 --> 00:32:02,520 You're right. You're telling the truth. 632 00:32:02,920 --> 00:32:05,760 You're bringing conviction. You're teaching people to obey 633 00:32:05,760 --> 00:32:08,080 everything that God has commanded you. 634 00:32:09,240 --> 00:32:10,520 Why? Because you love them. 635 00:32:10,760 --> 00:32:13,320 You want what's best for them. And you actually believe that 636 00:32:13,320 --> 00:32:14,800 God's ways are best. Well, Jim Michael, they don't 637 00:32:14,800 --> 00:32:16,320 believe that way. I know. 638 00:32:16,960 --> 00:32:20,600 And they should. And you are the ambassador who's 639 00:32:20,600 --> 00:32:23,160 there to bring that encouragement, to bring that 640 00:32:23,200 --> 00:32:24,520 correction. Why? 641 00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:27,360 Because you're high and mighty? Because you're high and lifted 642 00:32:27,360 --> 00:32:30,400 up? No, because you're rescued and 643 00:32:30,400 --> 00:32:31,920 you want to see other people walk in. 644 00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:34,480 In a minimum, of course, we want to see people walking. 645 00:32:34,480 --> 00:32:37,360 Kingdom Principles. Marrying your girlfriend who 646 00:32:37,360 --> 00:32:40,160 you're living with, does not secure your eternity. 647 00:32:40,480 --> 00:32:43,200 And yet still one thing is better than the other. 648 00:32:43,720 --> 00:32:45,640 And of course we want to bring people all the way into the 649 00:32:45,640 --> 00:32:48,040 Kingdom, but Kingdom ways are a part of that. 650 00:32:49,360 --> 00:32:52,440 Knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men Jesus goes on in 651 00:32:52,440 --> 00:32:55,640 verse 26, for nothing is covered, that will not be 652 00:32:55,640 --> 00:32:59,280 revealed, nothing is hidden that will not be known. 653 00:32:59,560 --> 00:33:01,920 He's saying I will expose them in their plans. 654 00:33:01,920 --> 00:33:04,280 Don't be afraid of the people who oppose you. 655 00:33:04,600 --> 00:33:07,280 I will expose here he's talking about people really with 656 00:33:07,280 --> 00:33:09,720 malicious intent. Not just the passive person 657 00:33:09,720 --> 00:33:11,600 who's a little bit offended by you and they move on with their 658 00:33:11,600 --> 00:33:15,440 life, but true enemies who want your downfall, he says. 659 00:33:15,440 --> 00:33:19,000 Don't worry, I'll expose them. You will be kept even in death. 660 00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:21,880 You will be safe with the Lord. Fear not. 661 00:33:23,040 --> 00:33:28,080 Remember, in the book of Esther Mordecai and Haman, Haman is 662 00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:31,720 preparing to kill Mordecai. Haman builds the gallows. 663 00:33:32,080 --> 00:33:34,480 Was it 50 feet? It's been a while since I read 664 00:33:34,520 --> 00:33:39,320 it. 75 feet, 75 feet gallows. He wants to hang. 665 00:33:39,320 --> 00:33:42,360 He wants to hang this Jew high and show everybody and he wants 666 00:33:42,360 --> 00:33:45,400 to kill this guy. And the Lord exposes Haman's 667 00:33:45,400 --> 00:33:47,960 plan and the Lord reveals Haman's plan. 668 00:33:47,960 --> 00:33:50,320 And finally, guess who hangs on the gallows? 669 00:33:50,880 --> 00:33:53,400 Haman. He built his own gallows and the 670 00:33:53,400 --> 00:33:55,920 Lord said perfect build a taller buddy. 671 00:33:56,440 --> 00:34:00,600 God opposes the proud. He gives grace to the humble and 672 00:34:00,600 --> 00:34:05,480 Haman tasted that deeply. They told did they hang him on 673 00:34:05,480 --> 00:34:08,679 or they impaling on him. OK, I was going to say I was 674 00:34:08,679 --> 00:34:10,760 like, yeah I was like wait a second, didn't we do more 675 00:34:10,840 --> 00:34:14,120 because I remember the king, they they when the king found 676 00:34:14,120 --> 00:34:16,080 out about it he said what did it tell me what he's done? 677 00:34:16,080 --> 00:34:20,520 He said Also also my Lord, just so you know he built a 75 foot 678 00:34:20,520 --> 00:34:23,080 gallows and he says hang him and then impale him. 679 00:34:23,080 --> 00:34:30,840 I guess after like impale a rod so you get put on the tip of the 680 00:34:30,840 --> 00:34:39,960 spear and you over time this is the idea that Jesus is bringing 681 00:34:39,960 --> 00:34:42,960 here. Not a pleasant way to go. 682 00:34:44,320 --> 00:34:48,080 Whatever happens in whatever happens, I will expose their 683 00:34:48,080 --> 00:34:49,400 plans. I will deal with it. 684 00:34:49,960 --> 00:34:52,520 I am the judge. I will make it right. 685 00:34:52,760 --> 00:34:54,600 I will keep you. You can be trust. 686 00:34:54,600 --> 00:34:56,560 You can. You can be Know that you're 687 00:34:56,560 --> 00:34:58,480 safe. You will be kept like Mordecai. 688 00:34:59,600 --> 00:35:01,440 Verse 27. Now we're making progress. 689 00:35:01,880 --> 00:35:05,360 What I tell you in the dark, say in the light and what you hear 690 00:35:05,360 --> 00:35:08,360 whispered. Proclaim it on the housetops. 691 00:35:08,520 --> 00:35:11,520 So they had flat roofs. And a lot of times people would 692 00:35:11,600 --> 00:35:13,800 share messages from the rooftop. You would climb up on your 693 00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:15,160 rooftop. A lot of times that roof would 694 00:35:15,160 --> 00:35:16,960 have a railing. If you spend any time on your 695 00:35:16,960 --> 00:35:21,480 roof, it had to have a railing. But they would proclaim messages 696 00:35:21,480 --> 00:35:23,120 from the rooftop. That was a place to proclaim. 697 00:35:23,120 --> 00:35:25,200 That was Twitter, that was Facebook, that was Instagram. 698 00:35:25,200 --> 00:35:27,120 That was a platform. That was the news channel. 699 00:35:27,440 --> 00:35:29,520 Hey, everybody, here's what's going on. 700 00:35:29,720 --> 00:35:32,160 Here's what the news is. Jesus says what you hear, what 701 00:35:32,160 --> 00:35:36,320 you hear from me in the dark. Proclaim it on the rooftop. 702 00:35:36,360 --> 00:35:40,200 This implies that you've got to be with the Lord in private so 703 00:35:40,200 --> 00:35:42,000 that you can even then say anything in public. 704 00:35:42,600 --> 00:35:44,960 Have you been with the Lord in private? 705 00:35:45,760 --> 00:35:48,120 Because if not, you're going to feel like, What am I supposed to 706 00:35:48,120 --> 00:35:50,040 say? What am I supposed to say? 707 00:35:50,280 --> 00:35:52,840 What am I supposed to say? That's the common question of 708 00:35:52,840 --> 00:35:55,440 the Saint who's not really spending time with the Lord in 709 00:35:55,440 --> 00:35:57,880 private. Oh, that stings. 710 00:35:57,880 --> 00:36:00,040 OK, well, let it sting. And now fix it. 711 00:36:00,760 --> 00:36:03,400 God loves you. Get with the Lord, spend time in 712 00:36:03,400 --> 00:36:05,560 his word, and you're going to have things come up out of you. 713 00:36:05,960 --> 00:36:08,200 That Facebook post that the Lord told me to write, that didn't 714 00:36:08,200 --> 00:36:09,960 come from. I was just minding my own 715 00:36:09,960 --> 00:36:13,920 business, doing nothing. I was in the word and just, man, 716 00:36:13,920 --> 00:36:16,280 I'm supposed to share that. I'm supposed to say that. 717 00:36:16,280 --> 00:36:18,920 That happens a lot with me. Part of that's probably in my 718 00:36:18,920 --> 00:36:21,680 function as your pastor. And like, man, that's that's for 719 00:36:21,680 --> 00:36:26,520 your Saints, but for all of us. Jesus is telling all of his 720 00:36:26,520 --> 00:36:29,040 disciples whatever I whisper to you, what is the Lord whispered 721 00:36:29,040 --> 00:36:30,800 to you? What thing is He shared with 722 00:36:30,800 --> 00:36:33,040 you? It's not just for you, that 723 00:36:33,040 --> 00:36:35,440 small revelation. Well, only the gospel. 724 00:36:35,880 --> 00:36:37,600 Only the gospel. Only the message of redemption. 725 00:36:37,600 --> 00:36:38,720 That's the only thing we're supposed to preach. 726 00:36:38,720 --> 00:36:40,480 That's not true. You're supposed to teach 727 00:36:40,480 --> 00:36:42,440 everything that he's commanded you, Even the things he 728 00:36:42,440 --> 00:36:44,840 whispered to you in secret. Well, the Lord showed it to me 729 00:36:44,840 --> 00:36:47,840 like this. It doesn't mean we take every 730 00:36:47,840 --> 00:36:50,680 secondary and tertiary conviction that we have and 731 00:36:50,680 --> 00:36:53,360 pounded on to other people. But these things are not to be 732 00:36:53,360 --> 00:36:55,360 silent. We're supposed to communicate 733 00:36:55,360 --> 00:36:57,600 these things publicly. So assuming you've been with the 734 00:36:57,600 --> 00:37:01,280 Lord in private, that you've put your word in His heart, he's 735 00:37:01,280 --> 00:37:04,040 giving you revelation, and you actually have something to 736 00:37:04,040 --> 00:37:07,760 share, every doctrine should be proclaimed publicly. 737 00:37:08,400 --> 00:37:11,280 Every doctrine doctrine should be proclaimed publicly. 738 00:37:11,560 --> 00:37:14,800 And again, nice Christians who go, no, no, no, just tell people 739 00:37:15,080 --> 00:37:17,760 Jesus died for their sins and that's it. 740 00:37:17,760 --> 00:37:22,760 And I say, friend, they don't know what sins are, They don't 741 00:37:22,760 --> 00:37:26,800 know what sins are they. They still call it a woman's 742 00:37:26,800 --> 00:37:28,920 right to choose. You know that, right? 743 00:37:29,400 --> 00:37:31,760 So when we tell them Jesus died for their sins, they just go. 744 00:37:31,960 --> 00:37:33,560 Thanks, Jesus. That was cool. 745 00:37:34,960 --> 00:37:37,320 Until you name the thing. Well, that's what's going to 746 00:37:37,320 --> 00:37:39,880 make them mad. That's not my responsibility. 747 00:37:40,240 --> 00:37:43,880 But I have to tell them the truth and they so we have to 748 00:37:43,880 --> 00:37:45,520 name sins. Joe Michael, why are you picking 749 00:37:45,520 --> 00:37:48,320 on those two? I'm gods of our age we want to 750 00:37:48,320 --> 00:37:50,360 tear down. If you want to be faithful in 751 00:37:50,360 --> 00:37:53,120 the moment that you live in, you go after the gods that are being 752 00:37:53,120 --> 00:37:55,880 worshipped in your moment, not the ones that nobody cares 753 00:37:55,880 --> 00:37:57,760 about. Oh, that's an easy one. 754 00:37:58,040 --> 00:38:00,400 Everybody hates racism. Everybody. 755 00:38:00,400 --> 00:38:02,720 Racism is bad. We could say it a bazillion 756 00:38:02,720 --> 00:38:05,160 times, and nobody's going to throw you in a prison cell for 757 00:38:05,160 --> 00:38:07,280 it. Racism is foolish, it's stupid 758 00:38:07,280 --> 00:38:09,600 and it's wicked. The Bible. 759 00:38:09,600 --> 00:38:12,520 Teaches that. And culture goes, Amen. 760 00:38:12,760 --> 00:38:14,520 We go, Thanks. Now I'm at the cool kid table. 761 00:38:14,520 --> 00:38:16,560 No, you're not. The church is the cool kid 762 00:38:16,560 --> 00:38:18,760 table. The cool kid table is the table 763 00:38:18,760 --> 00:38:21,880 that Jesus sits at the head of. So. 764 00:38:21,880 --> 00:38:25,440 You have to tell people what? Sin is you have to communicate 765 00:38:25,440 --> 00:38:27,640 the truth. When they say I'm free to love 766 00:38:27,640 --> 00:38:30,360 whoever I want, you go. Well let me just tell you that 767 00:38:30,360 --> 00:38:32,800 Jesus died for your sins and like, fine, but this isn't a 768 00:38:32,800 --> 00:38:33,360 sin. You go. 769 00:38:36,160 --> 00:38:39,240 You're responsible. You're responsible to tell the 770 00:38:39,240 --> 00:38:41,280 truth. God does the work in people's 771 00:38:41,280 --> 00:38:43,600 hearts through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, through the 772 00:38:43,600 --> 00:38:45,360 word of God. That is sharper than A2 edged 773 00:38:45,360 --> 00:38:48,240 sword that is able to divide between the soul and the Spirit. 774 00:38:48,520 --> 00:38:51,400 Have faith in the word of God. Have faith in the Word of God, 775 00:38:51,400 --> 00:38:53,840 even in your own mouth, in your own ministry. 776 00:38:54,080 --> 00:38:57,560 Have confidence not in you, but in the Lord man. 777 00:38:57,560 --> 00:39:00,240 This is just are you? Is it that simple? 778 00:39:00,240 --> 00:39:01,640 It is. It is. 779 00:39:01,640 --> 00:39:03,200 Is it that simple that you just say it? 780 00:39:03,320 --> 00:39:04,400 Yeah. It's not you. 781 00:39:05,160 --> 00:39:07,560 It's not you. As long as you're thinking that 782 00:39:07,560 --> 00:39:10,200 you've got to do it, you're going to feel like it's. 783 00:39:10,200 --> 00:39:11,480 There's got to be more to it than this. 784 00:39:11,480 --> 00:39:13,200 Yes. If it was on you, we'd have to 785 00:39:13,200 --> 00:39:14,960 get really elaborate with our plans. 786 00:39:15,160 --> 00:39:17,280 We'd have to be really clever with our strategies. 787 00:39:17,520 --> 00:39:21,480 But thank God it's not dependent upon you and I and our delivery. 788 00:39:22,680 --> 00:39:24,920 It's our humility. And the Lord will take the 789 00:39:24,920 --> 00:39:27,760 foolishness of your preaching. He will take the foolishness of 790 00:39:27,760 --> 00:39:32,240 my preaching, and he will bring clarity, hope, and light into 791 00:39:32,240 --> 00:39:35,720 the world, because God so loved the world that he sent his only 792 00:39:35,720 --> 00:39:39,880 Son to save them from sins that have to be named, from false 793 00:39:39,880 --> 00:39:42,360 gods that have to be called down. 794 00:39:47,120 --> 00:39:56,360 Verse 29 through 30. 1. Are not two sparrows sold? 795 00:39:56,360 --> 00:39:59,040 For a penny, and not one of them will fall to the ground apart 796 00:39:59,040 --> 00:40:01,520 from your father. But even the hairs on your head 797 00:40:01,520 --> 00:40:02,800 are all numbered. Fear not. 798 00:40:03,120 --> 00:40:07,400 Again, fear not. Therefore you are of more value 799 00:40:07,760 --> 00:40:13,600 than many sparrows. God cares for the birds that. 800 00:40:13,600 --> 00:40:17,160 Have little worth. He says like they're they're 801 00:40:17,160 --> 00:40:18,240 not. Worth much to you guys. 802 00:40:18,240 --> 00:40:20,400 These birds y'all sell two of them for a penny and they're 803 00:40:20,400 --> 00:40:21,640 like, yeah, we use them all the time. 804 00:40:21,960 --> 00:40:25,080 Food, sacrifice, you name it. Like they're just a part of our 805 00:40:25,080 --> 00:40:26,840 culture. You see them in the market, no 806 00:40:26,840 --> 00:40:29,720 big deal. Their lives aren't valuable, he 807 00:40:29,720 --> 00:40:31,240 says. Well, actually they are to the 808 00:40:31,240 --> 00:40:33,560 father. The father pays attention to the 809 00:40:33,560 --> 00:40:35,200 sparrows. He sees them all, and he knows 810 00:40:35,200 --> 00:40:37,120 when one of them falls off the branch and dies. 811 00:40:39,920 --> 00:40:41,240 They go. Well, we hadn't thought. 812 00:40:41,240 --> 00:40:44,600 About that before and he goes, and you're worth more than all 813 00:40:44,600 --> 00:40:48,280 the sparrows of the world. Your father knows every hair on 814 00:40:48,280 --> 00:40:50,520 your head. As a kid I used to just think 815 00:40:50,520 --> 00:40:52,400 that was amazing. Why does God care so much about 816 00:40:52,400 --> 00:40:53,840 the hairs on my head? I kind of missed the point. 817 00:40:54,280 --> 00:40:58,520 The point is, he knows you and loves you deeply and personally 818 00:40:58,920 --> 00:41:01,040 and cares about all the details of your life. 819 00:41:01,640 --> 00:41:03,240 Does he literally know all the hairs on your head? 820 00:41:03,240 --> 00:41:08,040 Well, yes, literally he does. But also, more importantly, he 821 00:41:08,040 --> 00:41:12,120 loves it and cares about you completely and everything about 822 00:41:12,120 --> 00:41:14,520 your life. That's the comfort he goes. 823 00:41:14,520 --> 00:41:16,920 So you're not forgotten, he says. 824 00:41:16,920 --> 00:41:18,440 You're not. You're not sheep sent among 825 00:41:18,520 --> 00:41:21,560 wolves and just ignored by your shepherd. 826 00:41:22,120 --> 00:41:25,440 You're sheep sent among wolves and your love deeply and 827 00:41:25,440 --> 00:41:29,640 personally and tenderly. And he says, and he also reminds 828 00:41:29,640 --> 00:41:32,160 us, remember, I went first. I've done it. 829 00:41:33,040 --> 00:41:35,440 I've overcome the world and I've done this first. 830 00:41:35,480 --> 00:41:37,560 He's faced everything that you face. 831 00:41:37,680 --> 00:41:41,320 He's felt everything that you feel and thankfully he did it 832 00:41:41,400 --> 00:41:43,840 without sin. Even the hairs on your head are 833 00:41:43,840 --> 00:41:46,200 numbers. If his eyes on the Sparrow, you 834 00:41:46,200 --> 00:41:49,320 know he watches you. Everybody say fear not fear. 835 00:41:52,440 --> 00:41:55,160 Not now, verse 32. So. 836 00:41:55,160 --> 00:41:58,640 Everyone who acknowledges. Me before men, I also will 837 00:41:58,640 --> 00:42:00,480 acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven. 838 00:42:01,120 --> 00:42:05,040 But whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my 839 00:42:05,040 --> 00:42:10,600 Father who is in heaven. He comforted. 840 00:42:11,120 --> 00:42:15,920 And now he warns again. Be faithful to me, I take it. 841 00:42:15,920 --> 00:42:18,640 Very. Seriously, that was his 842 00:42:18,640 --> 00:42:22,280 accusation over and over and over against Israel, He says 843 00:42:22,280 --> 00:42:24,720 you're an adulterous. He says you're an adulterous 844 00:42:24,720 --> 00:42:26,680 wife. I'm a good and faithful husband, 845 00:42:26,680 --> 00:42:29,440 and you have been an adulterous wife over and over. 846 00:42:29,440 --> 00:42:31,240 You run around on me, you run around on me. 847 00:42:31,240 --> 00:42:33,840 You run around on me. He takes it seriously. 848 00:42:34,200 --> 00:42:36,240 And he says to his church, be faithful to me. 849 00:42:36,800 --> 00:42:39,960 I am faithful to you. I am faithful to you. 850 00:42:39,960 --> 00:42:41,840 Be faithful to me. I've already proven my 851 00:42:41,840 --> 00:42:44,400 faithfulness. I've already died for you. 852 00:42:44,760 --> 00:42:48,520 It's not AI would die for you. All of us husbands, we have to 853 00:42:48,520 --> 00:42:49,800 say, hey baby, I would die for you. 854 00:42:49,800 --> 00:42:52,480 And she's like, I hope so. I sure hope so. 855 00:42:52,880 --> 00:42:55,320 Jesus says I did it. I've already done it. 856 00:42:55,320 --> 00:42:56,640 I've already pulled you out of the. 857 00:42:56,880 --> 00:42:58,360 I've already saved you from the dragon. 858 00:42:59,080 --> 00:43:02,320 You've already been rescued from the castle, My church, my bride. 859 00:43:02,320 --> 00:43:04,560 You're with me now. I've proven it. 860 00:43:04,560 --> 00:43:06,560 I've given it. If you ever forget, Look at the 861 00:43:06,560 --> 00:43:10,080 wounds in my hands and my feet. And I would do it again if I had 862 00:43:10,080 --> 00:43:15,960 to be faithful to me. What an amazing moment. 863 00:43:17,160 --> 00:43:18,480 When we stand. Before the Father. 864 00:43:18,680 --> 00:43:21,840 And Jesus claims you as his faithful servant to the Father, 865 00:43:23,240 --> 00:43:26,280 Father says and and Jesus says He's mine. 866 00:43:27,000 --> 00:43:30,640 She's mine. I know his name. 867 00:43:31,360 --> 00:43:33,600 It's written right here, Father. I know her name. 868 00:43:34,280 --> 00:43:37,160 It's written right here on the palm of my hand. 869 00:43:37,720 --> 00:43:40,800 He is the apple of my eye. She's the apple of my eye. 870 00:43:42,600 --> 00:43:46,960 And what an ultimate horror. If he doesn't say that, if he 871 00:43:46,960 --> 00:43:54,520 says I never knew you, or if he says no, they denied me, so I 872 00:43:54,520 --> 00:43:57,160 deny them. We'll close in Revelation 21. 873 00:44:15,000 --> 00:44:16,400 Fear not. Fear not. 874 00:44:16,440 --> 00:44:21,800 Fear not revelation. 21. Verses one through 8. 875 00:44:22,640 --> 00:44:24,440 Revelation is the last book of the Bible. 876 00:44:26,840 --> 00:44:32,000 Not to be confused with maps, little preacher joke there for 877 00:44:32,040 --> 00:44:36,680 you. Then I saw a new heaven and. 878 00:44:36,680 --> 00:44:39,920 A new Earth for the 1st heaven and the first earth had passed 879 00:44:39,920 --> 00:44:44,600 away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new 880 00:44:44,600 --> 00:44:48,640 Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a 881 00:44:48,640 --> 00:44:52,800 bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from 882 00:44:52,800 --> 00:44:56,800 the throne saying, Behold, the dwelling place of God is with 883 00:44:56,800 --> 00:44:57,960 man. Praise God. 884 00:44:58,720 --> 00:45:01,920 He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God 885 00:45:01,920 --> 00:45:04,120 himself will be with them as their God. 886 00:45:04,320 --> 00:45:08,000 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall 887 00:45:08,000 --> 00:45:10,480 be no more. Neither shall there be mourning, 888 00:45:10,640 --> 00:45:14,160 nor crying, nor pain anymore, For the former things have 889 00:45:14,160 --> 00:45:18,600 passed away. And he who was seated on the. 890 00:45:18,600 --> 00:45:23,280 Throne said, Behold, I am making all things new. 891 00:45:23,840 --> 00:45:27,200 Also he said, write this down, for these words are trustworthy 892 00:45:27,520 --> 00:45:31,480 and true. And he said to me, it is done. 893 00:45:32,440 --> 00:45:39,000 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end To the 894 00:45:39,000 --> 00:45:43,360 thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life 895 00:45:43,560 --> 00:45:47,800 without payment. The one who conquers will have 896 00:45:47,800 --> 00:45:52,800 this heritage, and I will be his God, and he will be my son. 897 00:45:52,960 --> 00:45:55,680 That is your heritage. That is what you have to look 898 00:45:55,680 --> 00:45:58,240 forward to. All of the reward, all of the 899 00:45:58,240 --> 00:46:02,240 pleasure of your master, all of King Jesus's delight being 900 00:46:02,240 --> 00:46:04,920 pointed at you, saying well done. 901 00:46:05,480 --> 00:46:08,560 Drink deeply, eat from the tree of life. 902 00:46:09,360 --> 00:46:12,240 It's here for you. Now it is revealed to you now 903 00:46:12,840 --> 00:46:16,560 the leaves of the tree are the healing for the nations. 904 00:46:18,160 --> 00:46:21,800 Enjoy it. He won't say you earned it. 905 00:46:22,680 --> 00:46:26,120 He'll say Enjoy it. I earned it, enjoy it. 906 00:46:26,160 --> 00:46:29,680 It costs me everything. And I want you to delight in it 907 00:46:29,680 --> 00:46:31,840 because I delight in you. Why? 908 00:46:32,240 --> 00:46:35,480 Welcome to the love of God. It doesn't make sense. 909 00:46:35,680 --> 00:46:39,800 It doesn't reconcile. You can't make it make sense. 910 00:46:39,920 --> 00:46:45,560 And yet this is the reality. But Jesus being Jesus, not being 911 00:46:45,560 --> 00:46:49,280 a nice guy, but being a good God goes on in verse 8. 912 00:46:50,200 --> 00:46:54,720 But As for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable? 913 00:46:55,280 --> 00:47:00,600 As for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, that's 914 00:47:00,760 --> 00:47:03,640 witchcraft. That's a broad category. 915 00:47:03,800 --> 00:47:09,360 Idolaters and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that 916 00:47:09,360 --> 00:47:15,520 burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death, both 917 00:47:15,520 --> 00:47:19,600 And two choices. Fear not. 918 00:47:21,160 --> 00:47:26,000 Fear not, you're loved. God cares about the birds, and 919 00:47:26,000 --> 00:47:28,200 you're worth much more than many, many birds. 920 00:47:29,600 --> 00:47:30,920 Pick your favorite critter, you're. 921 00:47:30,920 --> 00:47:33,880 Worth more than that. God loves you. 922 00:47:33,920 --> 00:47:36,680 God strengthens you. God is for you. 923 00:47:37,360 --> 00:47:40,400 God has blessed you. God gives you the strength. 924 00:47:40,560 --> 00:47:42,320 Where am I supposed to get this power from now? 925 00:47:42,520 --> 00:47:44,520 God make me courageous. That's the prayer to pray. 926 00:47:45,160 --> 00:47:48,720 Holy Spirit fill me. When the Holy Spirit fills, 927 00:47:48,720 --> 00:47:51,280 boldness comes. Boldness is an automatic fruit 928 00:47:51,520 --> 00:47:52,920 of being filled with the Holy Spirit. 929 00:47:54,000 --> 00:47:55,400 I thought tongues. Was well tongues. 930 00:47:55,400 --> 00:47:57,800 Is good too. We want to pray in tongues. 931 00:47:57,800 --> 00:48:00,480 We want to speak in tongues. And also every time people are 932 00:48:00,480 --> 00:48:03,360 filled with the Spirit, you see boldness come out there. 933 00:48:03,760 --> 00:48:06,120 They were filled with the Spirit and they spoke. 934 00:48:06,240 --> 00:48:08,560 Look all through Acts, they were filled with the Spirit and they 935 00:48:08,560 --> 00:48:10,080 spoke. When you're filled with the 936 00:48:10,080 --> 00:48:12,000 Spirit, you speak. When you're filled with the 937 00:48:12,000 --> 00:48:14,720 Spirit, you speak. God fill us with your spirit. 938 00:48:15,240 --> 00:48:16,680 Fill your church this morning.