1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,300 What invites you to open your Bibles to John chapter 3. 2 00:00:03,300 --> 00:00:07,400 If you need the scripture, if you have one in hand or you can 3 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:11,000 open the Bible app they're not sure about the Bible app you can 4 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:15,000 go to the link tree and at the very bottom in the resources 5 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:18,300 you'll see John 3, click on that. 6 00:00:18,300 --> 00:00:23,000 It will take you to the Bible app and you can read along with 7 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:28,200 me this morning from John chapter 3 beginning in verse 16, 8 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:33,300 perhaps in our Our Generation and the last 50 years, maybe 9 00:00:33,300 --> 00:00:40,500 since the work of Billy Graham, John 3:16 has become one of the 10 00:00:40,500 --> 00:00:43,700 most. Well-known verses of scripture, 11 00:00:45,300 --> 00:00:51,500 may this message not get old to us simple though, it may sound 12 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:59,900 met its profound nature truly impact and shape your life. 13 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:04,400 Life and mine. So this is a reading from John 3 14 00:01:04,500 --> 00:01:08,700 beginning in verse 16. For God. 15 00:01:08,700 --> 00:01:14,400 So loved the world that he gave his one and only son that 16 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:18,800 whoever believes in him, shall not perish but have eternal 17 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:22,800 life. For God did not send his son 18 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:27,700 into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world 19 00:01:27,700 --> 00:01:33,700 through him, whoever believes in him is not condemned, but 20 00:01:33,700 --> 00:01:38,000 whoever does not believe stands, condemned already, because they 21 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:41,500 have not believed in the name of God's one and only son. 22 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:47,900 This is the verdict light has come into the world, but people 23 00:01:47,900 --> 00:01:52,300 loved Darkness, instead of light Light because their deeds were 24 00:01:52,300 --> 00:01:56,100 evil everyone. Who does evil hates the light 25 00:01:56,300 --> 00:01:59,400 and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will 26 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:06,300 be exposed but whoever lives by the truth comes into the light 27 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:10,300 so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done. 28 00:02:10,900 --> 00:02:14,400 Has been done in the sight of God. 29 00:02:16,900 --> 00:02:20,800 The backdrop to this story is Jesus is experienced with 30 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:24,600 Nicodemus in the night. They had a conversation 31 00:02:25,300 --> 00:02:30,400 Nicodemus Found, Jesus and told him right up front. 32 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:34,800 That everyone knows, you're more than a teacher, you're more than 33 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:37,400 a great teacher. Because of the things that you 34 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:41,300 are doing and Jesus cuts to the Chase and tells him. 35 00:02:41,300 --> 00:02:45,400 Truly, I tell you that. No one can see the kingdom of 36 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:50,000 God, unless Born again. Well, this astonished Nicodemus 37 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:55,300 who was at that moment thinking, very literally and said, how is 38 00:02:55,300 --> 00:02:59,600 that possible? How could I be born again? 39 00:02:59,700 --> 00:03:02,800 In fact, Nicodemus at that point, probably thought it 40 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:06,800 impossible that he would crawl into the womb of his mother and 41 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:10,600 be born again. The such interesting language 42 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:14,600 that Jesus uses and Jesus says, truly I tell you, he just 43 00:03:15,100 --> 00:03:20,200 doubles down On the point, truly, I tell you that, no one 44 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:26,400 can enter the kingdom of God. Unless they're born again. 45 00:03:27,700 --> 00:03:32,800 And so that born rebirth experience. 46 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:39,500 We are all familiar with that moment of creation where we are 47 00:03:39,500 --> 00:03:45,100 astonished at this little creature in the hands of a 48 00:03:45,100 --> 00:03:50,400 mother or father. And there's new life, there's 49 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:53,500 the Cry of life, and that moment. 50 00:03:55,000 --> 00:04:01,200 And Jesus, Likens a spiritual Rebirth of a person to be like 51 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:08,000 that, that it's the work of the spirit in a person who has flesh 52 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:13,000 and bone that somehow they would be born again. 53 00:04:13,300 --> 00:04:17,300 There would be some kind of spiritual work of God that would 54 00:04:17,300 --> 00:04:21,700 make it possible for them to be brought into the kingdom. 55 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:31,300 Even the family of God, yeah. Jesus goes on to point out that 56 00:04:31,300 --> 00:04:35,600 it seems strange to him that Nicodemus didn't get it. 57 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:41,900 He said, Nicodemus, you are one of the scholars of the word of 58 00:04:41,900 --> 00:04:47,200 God and yet, you do not understand Heavenly things. 59 00:04:47,700 --> 00:04:50,700 How would you understand them? If you don't understand Earthly 60 00:04:50,700 --> 00:04:57,800 things as well, and then Jesus goes on to explain how this new 61 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:03,900 birth will be revealed and he points back to a very strange 62 00:05:03,900 --> 00:05:08,900 event. Jesus says, surely I tell you 63 00:05:08,900 --> 00:05:16,000 just as Moses raised the snake on a pole, the son of man will 64 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:22,700 be raised on a pole and all who look on him in belief shall be 65 00:05:22,900 --> 00:05:27,700 saved. Well, that was a strange moment. 66 00:05:27,700 --> 00:05:31,400 I'm sure for Nicodemus as he tried to contemplate. 67 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:35,700 What does it mean for the son? Of man, to be raised on a pole? 68 00:05:36,100 --> 00:05:39,500 For this was a strange event, even in the history of Israel. 69 00:05:39,900 --> 00:05:43,900 In the history of Israel, they had had a season and time of 70 00:05:43,900 --> 00:05:49,300 complaint and Rebellion against God and in the Judgment of their 71 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:55,500 Rebellion against God snakes came through their tents, who 72 00:05:55,500 --> 00:05:58,300 would be Freaked out with a snake in the tent. 73 00:06:00,500 --> 00:06:03,900 Yeah, I'd be freaked out too. They just weren't your average 74 00:06:03,900 --> 00:06:06,900 snake. They were poisonous snakes and 75 00:06:06,900 --> 00:06:10,000 those who were bit were going to die. 76 00:06:11,900 --> 00:06:16,500 And they were dying. And so, Moses inquired what to 77 00:06:16,500 --> 00:06:19,500 do, and God said, fashion a snake. 78 00:06:19,900 --> 00:06:25,100 Raise it on a pole and all who look on it shall be healed. 79 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:29,100 There shall be saved, weird, right? 80 00:06:30,300 --> 00:06:36,100 That's a weird moment. I'm sure Nicodemus at this 81 00:06:36,100 --> 00:06:40,500 point, could not imagine that the Christ and Messiah of God 82 00:06:40,700 --> 00:06:44,900 would be killed on a cross, that he would be lifted up and that 83 00:06:44,900 --> 00:06:50,600 all who put their faith in this one who was killed and wounded 84 00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:56,200 for them on a cross would live, but have eternal life. 85 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:02,500 Even for the readers of John's gospel. 86 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:09,400 This would have been a strange moment, so John provides a 87 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:15,000 commentary for. Why the son of man was raised up 88 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:19,800 on a pole and wounded and killed? 89 00:07:21,100 --> 00:07:28,300 He says for God, so loved the world that he gave his one and 90 00:07:28,300 --> 00:07:35,800 only son that all who believe in him shall not perish but have 91 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:46,700 eternal life. John routes this vision of God's 92 00:07:46,700 --> 00:07:56,600 salvation as a vision of love. God loves the world. 93 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:07,900 So, he gave his son. God loves not just Israel, not 94 00:08:07,900 --> 00:08:13,400 just your family Nicodemus. Not just the scholarly people of 95 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:20,700 Israel, not just the faithful followers of the Torah in 96 00:08:20,700 --> 00:08:30,600 Israel, but God loves the world. And this was an important 97 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:37,000 reading for all of us that somehow God's family picture 98 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:42,200 included, people that I might not have included in my family 99 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:46,100 picture. In fact, he would have said, 100 00:08:46,100 --> 00:08:49,300 let's take a picture and they would have just kept coming and 101 00:08:49,300 --> 00:08:52,800 coming and coming to get in the picture. 102 00:08:53,300 --> 00:08:58,000 The picture of God's grace, the picture of God's love the 103 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:02,900 picture of God's family, all those who had looked Upon Jesus 104 00:09:02,900 --> 00:09:09,400 raised up on the cross lifted up and had believed in faith that 105 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:14,800 what God was doing at the cross was an expression of his love. 106 00:09:15,700 --> 00:09:31,500 for us for you and for me, You see God when he acted in love, 107 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:36,200 this is something Nicodemus would know that when God acted 108 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:41,200 in love and with a vision of love, he accomplished it. 109 00:09:43,100 --> 00:09:45,500 God had promised to Abraham and Sarah. 110 00:09:45,700 --> 00:09:48,500 I'm going to cause you to be a family. 111 00:09:49,100 --> 00:09:51,900 I'm going to cause you to be a nation. 112 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:56,900 I will bless you. I will make your name great. 113 00:09:57,100 --> 00:10:01,000 And you will be a blessing. And I will bless those who bless 114 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:05,900 you and whoever curses you. I will curse and all peoples on 115 00:10:05,900 --> 00:10:09,100 Earth will be blessed through you. 116 00:10:10,400 --> 00:10:14,200 Nicodemus could have accepted very quickly that this Covenant 117 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:18,900 making God makes Covenant because he chooses to love a 118 00:10:18,900 --> 00:10:23,200 people and he invites them into that Covenant. 119 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:30,100 This Covenant making God knew that Covenant making required a 120 00:10:30,100 --> 00:10:41,400 cost. and so in each Covenant, God pays the cost for making it. 121 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:49,600 And in his grace he invited people to enter into it and so 122 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:57,000 become family with him. Become United with him in his 123 00:10:57,000 --> 00:11:05,300 rule code, his kingdom. but when Isaiah wanted to speak about the 124 00:11:05,300 --> 00:11:11,800 Covenant making God This is what Isaiah says of the servant who's 125 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:14,500 coming. This is what God. 126 00:11:14,500 --> 00:11:18,300 The Lord says the creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, 127 00:11:18,300 --> 00:11:21,500 who spreads out the Earth with all that Springs from it, who 128 00:11:21,500 --> 00:11:25,100 gives breath to its people and Life to those who walk in it. 129 00:11:25,500 --> 00:11:30,400 I the Lord have called you in righteousness, I will take hold 130 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:34,900 of your hand. I will keep you and make you to 131 00:11:34,900 --> 00:11:40,600 be a covenant. For the people and a light for 132 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:45,400 the Gentiles to open eyes that are blind to free captives from 133 00:11:45,400 --> 00:11:49,700 prison and to release from the dungeon, those who sit in 134 00:11:49,700 --> 00:11:53,800 darkness, this is what the Messiah was to be. 135 00:11:54,500 --> 00:11:57,700 This is what God's Gift of Love was to be. 136 00:11:58,500 --> 00:12:02,600 He in himself would be the Covenant. 137 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:09,800 He would make this Covenant through his own body. 138 00:12:10,900 --> 00:12:15,800 Thus, Jesus is the one raised up on a pole. 139 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:23,800 God loves the world. And when we look on the cross, 140 00:12:24,300 --> 00:12:25,900 this should be one of the things. 141 00:12:25,900 --> 00:12:29,900 We remember. God loves the world. 142 00:12:31,900 --> 00:12:38,100 And then strangely we can confess, God loves me. 143 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:46,300 I am loved the movement towards making that confession of I am 144 00:12:46,300 --> 00:12:51,400 loved has to go through. Sometimes a very important 145 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:56,100 passage way. Because John goes on in this 146 00:12:56,500 --> 00:13:00,500 commentary in John chapter 3. Notice what? 147 00:13:00,500 --> 00:13:06,400 What he says in verse 17, For God did not send his son into 148 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:10,700 the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through 149 00:13:10,700 --> 00:13:15,000 him, whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does 150 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:18,200 not believe stands condemned already, because they have not 151 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:21,700 believed in the name of God's one and only son. 152 00:13:22,100 --> 00:13:26,000 This is the verdict light has come into the world but people 153 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:30,000 loved Darkness, instead of light because their deeds were evil 154 00:13:30,300 --> 00:13:32,600 everyone. Who does evil hates the light 155 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:34,000 and will not come into the light. 156 00:13:34,100 --> 00:13:38,000 Light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 157 00:13:38,700 --> 00:13:44,800 What John doubles down again to announce is that not only does 158 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:50,600 God love the world but God loves The Condemned. 159 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:58,300 In the world. God loves The Condemned so he 160 00:13:58,300 --> 00:14:03,200 didn't send Jesus, his son, the Messiah in order to condemn the 161 00:14:03,200 --> 00:14:09,000 world, because the world was already Condemned. 162 00:14:12,300 --> 00:14:17,800 That seems like bad news. And so there must be at some 163 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:22,600 point and awareness that awakens in the heart and the conscience 164 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:27,700 by the spirit of God that says, I am Among The Condemned. 165 00:14:29,300 --> 00:14:33,900 I am among those who have been bitten by this snake. 166 00:14:35,100 --> 00:14:38,700 And though I live in the moment, I will die. 167 00:14:40,500 --> 00:14:45,000 I'm too must look Upon Jesus for salvation. 168 00:14:45,300 --> 00:14:51,800 For healing for forgiveness. I too must come to Jesus for. 169 00:14:51,800 --> 00:15:00,300 He only is the one who holds the healing for my soul for my mind. 170 00:15:02,200 --> 00:15:06,300 The writer of Hebrews would say that this Jesus, who died is the 171 00:15:06,300 --> 00:15:10,400 one who makes it possible for us to worship him with a clear 172 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:15,000 conscience. John would say of him later, he 173 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:19,700 is the one who cleanses us of all unrighteousness. 174 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:28,600 But we must recognize that we also stand among those who are 175 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:31,900 condemned. This might have been a hard 176 00:15:31,900 --> 00:15:40,300 acknowledgement for Nicodemus. For the language that John goes 177 00:15:40,300 --> 00:15:43,100 in describing. This event would be the language 178 00:15:43,100 --> 00:15:48,900 of criminality condemnation here, refers an illegal way to a 179 00:15:48,900 --> 00:15:53,500 legal standing. That one recognizes that I have 180 00:15:53,500 --> 00:15:56,700 come under judgment. I have been assessed, perhaps, 181 00:15:56,700 --> 00:16:01,200 according to the law, and now I had no, my just penalty. 182 00:16:01,500 --> 00:16:06,400 I am condemned. And so, a city manager who comes 183 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:10,700 to a house that's had a fire is going to examine the house, and 184 00:16:10,700 --> 00:16:15,000 if that house cannot be lived in, it will be determined to be 185 00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:20,000 Condemned unlivable, I can't live here. 186 00:16:20,300 --> 00:16:25,200 And so if God himself comes to look and side the house of your 187 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:30,100 life and mind and heart, and body, and says this house, I 188 00:16:30,100 --> 00:16:35,800 can't live in this house. It's Condemned. 189 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:41,500 And this is the assessment that Jesus didn't come to make 190 00:16:41,500 --> 00:16:45,400 because this assessment had already been done this 191 00:16:45,400 --> 00:16:48,000 assessment had been made of humanity. 192 00:16:51,700 --> 00:16:57,500 And yet, this broke God's heart. And so he moves in love. 193 00:16:58,700 --> 00:17:04,400 Because Jesus loves The Condemned even upon the cross. 194 00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:09,500 Jesus, love The Condemned. With two criminals thieves who 195 00:17:09,500 --> 00:17:13,800 had been convicted of their crimes on either side of him, 196 00:17:14,300 --> 00:17:19,500 one made fun of Jesus. And the other Made life with 197 00:17:19,500 --> 00:17:24,300 Jesus. As he says, oh Jesus, when you 198 00:17:24,300 --> 00:17:28,300 come into your paradise, and you come into your kingdom, remember 199 00:17:28,300 --> 00:17:31,100 me? And Jesus says this very day, 200 00:17:31,100 --> 00:17:34,600 you shall be with me in Paradise. 201 00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:39,600 Tim a key points out that the word Paradise here is actually a 202 00:17:39,608 --> 00:17:44,600 reference to the word of garden. This very day, you will be with 203 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:50,800 me in the garden. Oh, oh, that from the cross. 204 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:55,600 Jesus would reference the garden, The Garden of even Eden, 205 00:17:55,600 --> 00:18:00,500 the very place where Humanity had rebelled and sought to live 206 00:18:00,500 --> 00:18:06,100 independent of him. And he says, I'm going to take 207 00:18:06,100 --> 00:18:12,700 you back to the garden. Jesus himself, stood Among The 208 00:18:12,700 --> 00:18:15,500 Condemned and was nailed on a cross. 209 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:20,800 Among The Condemned that he might bring Salvation to The 210 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:25,700 Condemned. Because Jesus loves the 211 00:18:25,700 --> 00:18:40,000 condemned. Bob ekblad had an incredible 212 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:44,900 experience where he traveled to Toronto and a time of deep 213 00:18:45,300 --> 00:18:49,900 loneliness and despair in Ministry while he was there. 214 00:18:49,900 --> 00:18:52,000 He visited it at a Prayer Ministry. 215 00:18:53,400 --> 00:19:00,400 And he was invited said, all people who are ministers serving 216 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:02,900 and churches, would you come forward? 217 00:19:03,300 --> 00:19:06,900 So that we can pray for you and he is like the last thing I 218 00:19:06,900 --> 00:19:10,700 wanted was at that moment for someone to pray for me. 219 00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:15,400 Because I wanted to avoid that moment. 220 00:19:16,700 --> 00:19:19,500 And he said there was one man, making his way down the road, 221 00:19:19,500 --> 00:19:22,600 praying for people. And sometimes people fell over 222 00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:26,600 when they were being prayed for some people just sat down. 223 00:19:27,400 --> 00:19:30,100 He's like, that is not going to happen to me. 224 00:19:34,500 --> 00:19:40,700 And when the man got in front of him, he said the Lord has shown 225 00:19:40,700 --> 00:19:47,300 me something about you. I've seen a picture of you with, 226 00:19:47,300 --> 00:19:53,000 in a circle with people in orange suits jumpsuits. 227 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:59,500 And the Lord wants you to know. That he's very thankful. 228 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:05,800 That you love his prisoners. Does that mean anything to you? 229 00:20:06,600 --> 00:20:10,700 And Bob xlab said, oh yeah, that means something to me and I 230 00:20:10,700 --> 00:20:12,400 think he probably took a step back. 231 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:16,800 He says I go every week to the prison and I have Bible study 232 00:20:17,100 --> 00:20:22,900 with the prisoners there. And the man said, well, now I'm 233 00:20:22,900 --> 00:20:26,000 going to pray for you. And so we prayed. 234 00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:31,700 Bob experience, the power and the fullness of God's presence 235 00:20:31,700 --> 00:20:38,100 and spirit in that moment, why? Because Jesus loves the 236 00:20:38,100 --> 00:20:42,700 prisoners, Jesus loves the condemned. 237 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:49,800 Jesus loves any who feel captivated and blinded by their 238 00:20:50,100 --> 00:20:53,600 unknowingness of him. He loves them. 239 00:20:54,800 --> 00:20:59,400 Jesus, loves all of those who have been carried off because of 240 00:20:59,408 --> 00:21:02,800 their sins and put into prison. He loves them. 241 00:21:03,100 --> 00:21:07,500 He loves those two who have acted righteous enough, just 242 00:21:07,500 --> 00:21:12,600 righteous enough not to end up in prison as well in this world. 243 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:16,300 But who because they have never looked up on him. 244 00:21:16,300 --> 00:21:19,700 And faith will share the same fate. 245 00:21:21,500 --> 00:21:31,900 Jesus loves the condemned. In John, chapter 1, in 246 00:21:31,900 --> 00:21:35,700 introducing, this whole experience of Jesus coming. 247 00:21:37,800 --> 00:21:42,600 John says, out of his fullness, we have all received Grace in 248 00:21:42,600 --> 00:21:47,100 place of Grace already given for the law was given through Moses 249 00:21:47,300 --> 00:21:49,700 but Grace and Truth came through. 250 00:21:49,700 --> 00:21:55,700 Jesus Christ, no one has ever seen God but the one and only 251 00:21:55,700 --> 00:21:58,400 son who is himself. God and is in closest 252 00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:01,800 relationship with the father has made him known. 253 00:22:02,500 --> 00:22:06,800 Jesus comes with Grace and Truth. 254 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:07,700 Why? Why? 255 00:22:08,900 --> 00:22:14,500 Because he's on a mission of love, a mission of love to love 256 00:22:14,500 --> 00:22:18,300 the whole world and to love The Condemned. 257 00:22:20,400 --> 00:22:27,500 And in his love, he brings Grace Grace, is that warmth of embrace 258 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:32,200 and welcome? Freely. 259 00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:38,900 Freely. And Truth is that piercing light 260 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:44,200 that brings acknowledgement and recognition. 261 00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:50,400 The truth about me, the truth about God, the truth about our 262 00:22:50,400 --> 00:23:00,100 world. The truth about people But that 263 00:23:00,100 --> 00:23:06,400 Grace and Truth also brings transformation, notice verse 21. 264 00:23:08,200 --> 00:23:12,300 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light. 265 00:23:13,700 --> 00:23:17,400 So that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has 266 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:22,500 been done in the sight of God. This is a vision of 267 00:23:22,500 --> 00:23:27,300 transformation. The transformation of those who 268 00:23:27,300 --> 00:23:32,400 have believed in Jesus and have received this grace and this 269 00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:38,300 truth ongoing in their lives. Such that now they walk freely 270 00:23:38,500 --> 00:23:43,600 into the light. They may be able to say once I 271 00:23:43,600 --> 00:23:48,800 was lost, but now I'm found once I was wracked by bitterness, but 272 00:23:48,800 --> 00:23:52,900 now I have joy. Once I had no self-control in my 273 00:23:52,900 --> 00:23:57,300 life, but now I have a measure of control that surprises. 274 00:23:57,300 --> 00:24:05,100 Even me. Now, I know I'm loved and that 275 00:24:05,100 --> 00:24:09,500 Vision of Love is transforming my life. 276 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:18,600 And this is what Jesus dies. His love transforms people into 277 00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:27,800 Kingdom citizens. The great work of the church. 278 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:35,600 Is to help the redeemed know who they are in Christ. 279 00:24:38,300 --> 00:24:42,600 The great work of the church today for the church is to help 280 00:24:42,600 --> 00:24:47,100 each other know your identity in Christ. 281 00:24:49,100 --> 00:24:53,100 So that we also could be known by the name. 282 00:24:54,600 --> 00:25:01,100 Of Jesus. People who know the name of 283 00:25:01,100 --> 00:25:05,100 Jesus, become extraordinary, lovers. 284 00:25:06,500 --> 00:25:11,900 They will do strange things in the name of Jesus. 285 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:19,400 And Gordon tells the story of Father Maximilian Kolbe, who was 286 00:25:19,400 --> 00:25:25,500 a prisoner in Auschwitz in August 1941, a prisoner had 287 00:25:25,500 --> 00:25:28,600 escaped. The camp had tried to flee, his 288 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:33,700 condemnation It was just unjust, truly. 289 00:25:38,300 --> 00:25:41,500 The Nazis who were running that camp ordered that 10. 290 00:25:41,500 --> 00:25:44,100 Prisoners Must Die by starvation. 291 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:47,500 And so the ten men were counted out. 292 00:25:47,500 --> 00:25:52,100 One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, 293 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:56,500 And as they were being marched off. 294 00:25:57,600 --> 00:26:02,100 Father, Colby calls out and says, let me take the place of 295 00:26:02,100 --> 00:26:05,700 one. Let me take their place. 296 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:15,300 For two weeks, father, Colby ministered to. 297 00:26:15,300 --> 00:26:23,600 And led the men who were in that starvation bunker In song in 298 00:26:23,600 --> 00:26:30,800 scripture in encouragement. And finally, two weeks. 299 00:26:33,200 --> 00:26:35,700 The soldiers there even had had enough of him. 300 00:26:36,900 --> 00:26:40,000 And so they put him to death by lethal injection. 301 00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:45,800 He was condemned. Was he? 302 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:52,200 Or did he live like one who had real life? 303 00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:58,400 A survivor of Auschwitz describe the effect of Colby's actions. 304 00:26:58,900 --> 00:27:01,900 It was an enormous shock to the whole camp. 305 00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:06,200 We became aware that someone Among Us in this spiritual Dark 306 00:27:06,200 --> 00:27:09,500 Night of the Soul was raising the standard of love. 307 00:27:10,900 --> 00:27:15,500 Someone unknown like everyone else tortured and bereft of name 308 00:27:15,500 --> 00:27:19,500 and social standing went to a horrible death, for the sake of 309 00:27:19,500 --> 00:27:22,200 someone, not even related to him. 310 00:27:23,500 --> 00:27:27,800 Therefore it is not true. We cried that humanity is cast 311 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:30,800 down and trampled in the mud, overcome by oppressors and 312 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:35,200 overwhelmed by hopelessness. Thousands of prisoners were 313 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:40,000 convinced the true World continued to exist and that are 314 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:42,600 torturers. Hers would not be able to 315 00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:46,400 destroy it to say that father Kolb a died for us. 316 00:27:46,600 --> 00:27:49,500 Or for that person's family is too great. 317 00:27:49,700 --> 00:27:54,100 A simplification. His death was the salvation of 318 00:27:54,100 --> 00:27:58,700 thousands. We were stunned by his act, 319 00:27:59,000 --> 00:28:06,000 which became for us, a mighty explosion of light in the dark 320 00:28:06,300 --> 00:28:13,300 camp. Oh, may Jesus be in, you a 321 00:28:13,300 --> 00:28:20,500 mighty explosion of light. He loves you. 322 00:28:22,300 --> 00:28:26,100 Let's pray together. Heavenly Father, we set our 323 00:28:26,100 --> 00:28:32,100 lives before you once again. And we pray that you would cause 324 00:28:32,100 --> 00:28:37,200 your love to rise up in us. Would you pour by your Holy 325 00:28:37,200 --> 00:28:43,800 Spirit your love in our lives? So that we may know that we are 326 00:28:43,800 --> 00:28:50,100 truly your children. May you give courage today to 327 00:28:50,100 --> 00:28:56,000 the person who has been timid to call out and surrender to you. 328 00:28:56,800 --> 00:29:06,000 may they look on you, Heavenly Father, may you give Courage, to 329 00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:11,100 the one who's held their fists up towards you and the cross. 330 00:29:12,900 --> 00:29:18,100 May they surrender to you today and yield so that they may be 331 00:29:18,100 --> 00:29:22,900 brought into your kingdom of light and life and know your 332 00:29:22,900 --> 00:29:25,200 love. O. 333 00:29:25,200 --> 00:29:28,800 Lord, may we not waste the Days of Our Lives. 334 00:29:33,100 --> 00:29:40,400 Instead may we treasure every day as a gift from you because 335 00:29:40,400 --> 00:29:44,900 we experienced the promise of Your Love, though. 336 00:29:44,900 --> 00:29:49,400 We wait for full healing, though. 337 00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:55,400 We wait for this whole world to be restored and set in the 338 00:29:55,400 --> 00:30:01,000 Brilliance of your kingdom. May you give us perseverance 339 00:30:02,100 --> 00:30:07,800 because we are loved by you. We ask this in Jesus name. 340 00:30:08,800 --> 00:30:12,500 Amen. I stand together with those who 341 00:30:12,500 --> 00:30:14,700 are helping with the Lord's Supper come now.