Episode Transcript
Speaker 1 00:00:04 Good morning, village Church. Good
Speaker 0 00:00:06 Morning.
Speaker 1 00:00:06 Morning. Can you tell if something's wrong with my voice Yesterday? I couldn't speak at all, so, um, praise God, this is coming out, so I'm probably not going to, um, scream and yell, which I never do. So that's not gonna happen. This is probably gonna be the tone. So if you want a nap, this is a great opportunity for a monotone preacher to give you a nap. Um, we are in a series called, uh, red Lines. And, uh, I, I wanna just be a little honest, uh, on the front end, I wanna share with you two things, uh, scare me more than anything else in the world. Um, number two on the list is visiting new churches. I don't like it. I don't enjoy it. I get really nervous. Christians are weird. Churches are weirder, and pastors are the weirdest. So if you're new, uh, as Michelle, uh, said earlier, it takes guts to go into a new church.
Speaker 1 00:00:56 And I'm, I'm proud of you and, and I hope that we feed you and, uh, the word of God in actual food and fellowship, and it's a great experience. Um, but the number one greatest fear, and, and I'm gonna come back to a theme from last week's subject, it's heights, hands down. But I, I, there's a caveat here. It's heights with my family. Like, I still feel anxious when I'm near heights with my friends, but if they die, it's not really my fault. You know what I mean? I'm not responsible for you. And let's be honest, it's not the same. So there's just a, there's like a little bit less anxiety. No offense, I love you guys, but, um, the worst is heights with my children. I cannot explain to you, there is no greater panic moment in my life than when my son is within 30 feet of a cliff.
Speaker 1 00:01:48 And I'm not talking five feet or two feet, I mean, anywhere in the proximity, everything inside of me is on fire and I can't stop it. Uh, the next is with my wife and I, I, I, I, I just, I'm like, there's reasons behind this, but I'm just like, I'm like, you got nothing to prove. It's fine. And she loves the adrenaline. She loves like putting her head over a big cliff and looking down. I can't do it. I'm like, with my luck, there's gonna be an earthquake in that singular moment. I know it, I know it, and I'm gonna be like I told you. So as she goes down, that's what be, but she won't hear me cuz I'll be so far back. I'm a little bit better than my friends. I've, I've gotten near some very dangerous cliffs with my friends and I get nervous for them, but really, like, it's manageable and I do it. But when I'm all alone, it, I'm nervous. Don't get me wrong, but like, I can overcome anything when I'm alone. Now, I'm curious. Humor me for a moment. Uh, I wanna show you some pictures and uh, would you just raise your hand if you personally would go do these things? So here's the first one. Raise your hand if you would do that. Good. We're great, right? All right. How about, how about this?
Speaker 1 00:02:56 Anybody raise your hand. Be awesome. You guys are amazing right?
Speaker 1 00:03:01 Now, here's one, it doesn't look scary, but just think about the, the, the architecture of this. Like, raise your hand. Would you do this guys? So would I, do you know why? Because I'm safe. Now if my kids were there, no way. Not a chance. Cuz my son would find a way to undo the buckles and be like dangle like that one. So I, again, you can see what happens the moment my children are near heights, but I would do that because statistically what are the chances that someone's gonna construct this and then people are gonna die Then nobody, there's money in the, they're, I'm fine. I'll go to the biggest rollercoaster you can imagine because I'm in, all right, raise your hands if you would do this. Yes. Oh Lord Jesus. No, <laugh> not a chance. Don't you feel like that rock? Oh,
Speaker 3 00:03:47 <laugh>
Speaker 1 00:03:52 Guys, I almost threw up. I'm gonna be honest. And I put the picture there. All right, let's look at these mountain bikers. Let's just soak in the moment, soak that in. Anybody? Kevin, I love you and I'm so you inspire me. All right, next one. Yeah, no, I'm good.
Speaker 3 00:04:21 <laugh>.
Speaker 1 00:04:22 This girl drives me nuts. If that were my daughter, I'd be like, we're going to the hospital. This isn't just soak that in. Like, really consider this. All right, next one.
Speaker 3 00:04:36 Ooh,
Speaker 1 00:04:40 Anybody else nauseous? All right. My least, my least favorite. He died. Just kidding. He's fine. <laugh>. This, this dude's got a whole page. I don't know what he's trying to prove.
Speaker 1 00:05:05 Anyways, <laugh>, all these pictures crossed my red line, all of 'em too far narco and not doing it. It, Jesus, if you told me go do that, I'd be like, no. I mean, it would've to be audible. You'd have to be physically present. I don't have to look him in the eyes, you know what I mean? There'd have to be something really significant that would make me do that. And so, um, red line, I wanna define it because for some people, this is a, this is kind of a new phrase, but, um, a red line is your personal boundary beyond which you have decided not to pass. It's like your limit. I will not do this thing. I'll go this far, but no further. It's the fastest, furthest or highest point of degree considered safe. And so what, what lies beyond the red line? Unacceptable danger, risk, discomfort, loss, death.
Speaker 1 00:05:57 This morning we're gonna, we're gonna focus on something that holds, I think most Christians back from following Jesus. And it's the red line of fear. Jesus, I'll go this far, but I am petrified of what is on the other side. I, I am frozen. I cannot move. I will follow you to the ends of the earth. But if you ask me to do, fill in the blank. And, and as I said last week, what I, I just want you to do is I want you in the back of your brain to say, holy Spirit, if there is something that is holding me back from following Jesus, would you gently reveal it to me? And, and if you are the stubborn type who's like, yeah, I'm not asking cause I don't wanna know, um, I'll pray Holy Spirit, would you bring that to their brain aggressively <laugh>, so that they must face, we must face the things that stand between us and following Jesus.
Speaker 1 00:06:59 And so if you have a Bible open up to John chapter 12, and the series where it goes through John chapter 12 in the beginning part of, of chapter, um, 14. And there are four groups of people that we're focusing on in each of these four weeks. And three of the four have something major that stands between them and following Jesus. But last week there was, there was one person who was kind of the hero of these chapters. And she comes up first, her name is Mary. And what set Mary apart was that there was nothing that stood between her and following Jesus. And Jesus, uh, uh, uh, John elevates this woman and so does Jesus and says this, this is what it looks like. This is what it looks like to follow me no matter what. This is what it looks like to cross all of your red lines.
Speaker 1 00:07:50 And and we looked at her last week, and again, these chapters kind of forced us to ask the question, what stands between me and Jesus? Now, before we jump in, you need to know how to very important groups of people are referenced in the book of John. Here's the first group. They're just simply called the Jews. Now, if you've been with us for a while, and John, you know that whenever the phrase the Jews come up for John, who is himself Jewish, by the way, this is a bad group of people. So whatever they seem to do on the front end, even if it seems to be good likely statistically, is it gonna be good on the back end? Everybody, the answer is no. Um, the second group of people, they're just something called the crowd. And whenever you see the word, the crowd, John wants you to be very weary and, and the crowd is gonna be the primary group we're gonna look at this morning.
Speaker 1 00:08:52 Now, when you see this phrase, the large crowd of the Jews, John wants you to go, ooh, in whatever they appear to do on the surface, just give them a few paragraphs and you're gonna watch something unexpected happen with this group of people. All right, John chapter 12, we're starting verse not nine. And look who we encounter right away. When the large crowd of the Jews, this is where you go, okay? Learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only count of him, but also to see Lazarus whom he raised from the dead. Remember, whatever you read next, doubt it. So the chief priest, bad guys, made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, as well as who, as well as Jesus. They wanted him dead and they wanted Lazarus dead. And, and already you're just realizing there are a bunch of bad characters.
Speaker 1 00:09:53 And if this is the height of the religious leadership of Israel, how evil has this nation become? Now verse 11 says, because on account of him, why do they wanna put Lazarus to death? Many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus. Aren't you so excited? The Jews, the bad guys, they're believing in Jesus. Pause, whatever they do, slow it down because have you ever met somebody who appeared to believe and then completely abandoned it, walked away. Have you ever met somebody who had appeared one thing on the surface and in time it only was actually something very different in the long run? Look at John chapter, uh, 12 verse 12. We're not finding ourselves on Palm Sunday says, then the next day, the large crowd that had come to the feast heard the Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they, they took branches of palm trees, they went out to meet him, crying out Hosanna blessed as he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the king of Israel, doesn't it feel like they get it In 2000 years removed, we sing songs with the phrase hosanna in it, and it's worship songs from the depth of sincere people who are worshiping God.
Speaker 1 00:11:18 And they are saying, thank you Jesus, for saving us from our sin. And if we take even our modern use of hosanna because of contemporary Christian music for the last couple hundred years and transfer it onto this text, we miss it. So, so the palms, um, actually have a really important meaning In verse 13, they are equivalent to our American flag when they're waving the palm branches that is like us waving an American flag. They are a symbol of Jewish nationalism and they are an expression and symbol of their desire to be released from Rome. Hosanna literally means save us. And they were not saying, Jesus, I believe you are God in the flesh. And just like you have been preaching, you have come to die for my sins in my place. They are saying sin, whatever we want freedom. We don't want freedom from sin, we want freedom from Rome.
Speaker 1 00:12:28 Uh, misunderstanding the palms as spiritual instead of political is like somebody 2000 years in the future finding a MAGA hat and a yes we can flag or banner and saying that was spiritual. No, they're primarily political. And so to, to mix these up, but John and his original audience were hearing is, I don't think they get it. That's what they're hearing. And we're we're quickly learning. Their belief in Jesus was political. They had confidence in him politically, but they did not even begin to understand the spiritual ramifications of Jesus. They wanted salvation to be quick, effortless, and now and from Rome. Look at verse 17. The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to bear witness. Here's the deal, their bearing witness that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, not that he's the savior of the world.
Speaker 1 00:13:37 And we're gonna see this. The reason verse 18, why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard, he had done the sign. What did they want? A savior or a spectacle? What do you think? A spectacle, they believed in Jesus for sure as a political messiah. And, and, and John is gonna show you very clearly, they did not believe in him as a savior of their sins. Skip ahead. We're gonna look at verse 27, and here's what happens. Because Jesus's personal prayer life was out loud and audible so the disciples could hear how he prays. We get the privilege to eavesdrop into Jesus' personal prayer life. Jesus says this in verse 27. Now, is my soul troubled? Shouldn't he be so excited because the crowds love him? No, he's troubled by this. And what shall I say, father, save me from this hour, but for this purpose I have come to this hour.
Speaker 1 00:14:43 Father, glorify your name and then just watch this. Then a voice came from heaven. Anybody else wanna be here? Like I want, I want, I want to. I wanna hear this. I have glorified it and I will glorify it again. So who's listening to this verse 29 tells us the crowd. The crowd stood there and heard it and said that it had thundered. Isn't that cool? Others said an angel has spoken to him. It, what's interesting is that the crowd's belief in Jesus is growing, but they don't believe in him as the savior of their sins and the savior of the world. They, they just can't see past what is right in front of them. I want freedom from the pain and the trouble that are right in front of me. And, and they made a, a huge error that, I'll be honest, so many of us are so tempted to make, we come to Jesus. We believe in Jesus, not because we really believe we need salvation from our sins, but because we want him to make our life easier.
Speaker 1 00:16:05 And for those who are saved, we come because we need forgiveness. And when we are saved, we follow to build his kingdom. And, and, and one of the things that Jesus is teaching in his ministry is that his kingdom is not built through war. That's what the Jews want in their Messiah. And the kingdom is not built primarily through politics and Jesus's kingdom economy. The kingdom is built through death. Couple verses earlier, here's what he says. Verse 23, the hour has come for the son of man to be glorified. And truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it bear bears much fruit. And, and, and apparently God wove this kingdom principle into the very fabric and rhythm of creation. Great things in God's kingdom come from small things that die.
Speaker 1 00:17:03 And when the small things die, that's where the fruit is. Most Christians don't love this message. Do you mean if I want bring God much glory, I have to become less and die. If I want to bear much spiritual fruit, I might have to die physically or to things in my life. Are you kidding me? I thought following Jesus made my life better and easier. Read the Bible. Nobody's lives get better and easier. When they follow Jesus, it actually gets harder. So verse 25, it's like he's prepping them. Whoever loves his life, you're gonna lose it. In the end, if you love this, following me isn't gonna get anything for you. But whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Just verse 25, by the way, moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas, th this might be one of those verses that we take and we really instill into the heart and mind of our children.
Speaker 1 00:17:57 I I don't know what's gonna happen in the next 10, 20, 30, 40 years. I have a hunch this might be one of those key verses that we need to keep in our pocket and memorize. Verse 26, he says, if anyone serves me, he must follow me. And where I am there will my servant also be. If anyone serves me, the father will honor him. In other words, when Rome kills me, who of you will be standing by my side? And all the gospels highlight a bunch of women and they're amazing and they're the heroes. And there is one of the 12 who are with Jesus publicly affiliating with him at the end, dear know who it is, conveniently the author of the book, John, all the rest abandoned him. Jesus, too far not go in there. If I stand by you at the cross, that could kill me. Two.
Speaker 1 00:19:04 So John's showing us that not all belief is the same. Look at verse 42. Nevertheless, many the crowds, even subcategory of the authorities are believing in him. Verse 42 goes on and it, it actually gives us a little bit of insight. But for fear of the Pharisees, they did not confess it. Verse 42 tells us why goes on so that they would not be put out of the synagogue. Three chapters earlier, John chapter nine, verse 22. We learned of this. Here's what it says. His parents, this is the parents of a blind man who is healed, said these things because they feared the Jews, they didn't tell the truth. For the Jews had already agreed that if anybody should confess Jesus to be the Christ he was to be put out of the synagogue. Let's go back to John 1242. But for fear of the Pharisees, they did not confess it so that they would not be put out of the synagogue for they loved the glory that comes from man, more than the glory that comes from God.
Speaker 1 00:20:25 So let's consider, what did the crowds stand to lose by following Jesus? Number one, their religion. And praise God, most people in the world need to abandon their religion and find the person of Jesus Christ. But they would be withheld entrance to the temple and to the synagogue, which means no worship, no sacrifices, unable to fulfill the law's requirements. Remember this is Passover week where everybody had to bring a specific sacrifice for their sins according to Old Testament law, we now know that this was a shadow of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus. But to fulfill the law and be in right relationship with God, you needed to do this. So the religious leaders were saying, if you actually confess Christ, we're not gonna allow you to fill, fulfill the law. And the net result is that you and God are gonna be at odds with each other or the crowd's afraid of losing.
Speaker 1 00:21:28 Number two, they're family. Jesus actually has a lot to say about following him. And the implications for your family. Husbands, what if my wife won't follow me? What if my children won't go wives, what if my husband thinks I'm crazy? All of these questions are going through their brain because just because one person in the family follows Christ, now you have to take into consideration the relational collateral damage for the rest of your family. Third, the crowds are afraid of losing social standing for business owners. What happens if you are in rebellion against God in a tight-knit economy that is city driven. People stop shopping at your store. You're slandered in the community. And then you have to think about your parents. What will my parents think of me? The gossip is gonna get to them. The act of dishonoring your mom and dad is ultimate fourth, the crowds are afraid of losing safety to follow.
Speaker 1 00:22:36 Jesus is life threatening in this moment? Praise God. There is no one in this room who's gonna die because you profess faith in Jesus. You can get up here and get baptized and nobody is going to kill your family because of this. Praise God for them. There is a known plot to kill Jesus. And now there is a known plot to kill Lazarus simply because he's making Jesus look good. The implications for these people to follow Jesus are huge. Jesus, I will follow you until you ask me to lose my religion or my family or my social standing or my standard of living or my safety. I mean, somewhere in this list, probably your heart can relate to some of these, can't they? And you're like, yep, that, that, that would be excruciating. So if you read the book of John closely, you're, you're quickly gonna be confused by the way John uses the word believe.
Speaker 1 00:23:37 So I want to, I wanna actually make this as accessible as possible. There are three primary ways the book of John uses the word believe. And here's the first one, when Jesus speaks about the only pathway to forgiveness and salvation, the only pathway is one word and it is belief, it is trust. It is this heart disposition to God where my heart believes I am a sinner and I have confidence in you and what you have done for me. Uh, g John wants you to know this, that salvation, it's only ever, ever given through belief. But number two, the second way this word is used is when the crowd or a large group of people believe, and every single time in John that the crowd or the Jews believe it's not sincere real belief, it's the crowd effect. They're after the spectacle and not a savior of their, from their sins.
Speaker 1 00:24:47 And so it's interesting whenever you see the crowds and the groups believing this is different and, and you see this right? You see this all around you. There are crowds that believe and that is really not, not the same. Now, uh, just go with me for a minute. I I need you to see this because some of you're gonna read the whole chapter. We're, we're highlighting the crowds here. But I, I need to draw your attention and explain something because you're gonna read this and if I skip it, you're gonna come back to me and say, why didn't you talk about this? Look at verse 37. It says this though, he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in what's ironic, the same word. They believed him earlier, but now they're not believing him. Now why? What's wrong with these crowds?
Speaker 1 00:25:31 Verse 39 says this, therefore they could not believe anybody else. Like what can't anybody believe for? Again, Isaiah said he God has blinded their eyes and hardened their heartless. They see with their eyes and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them. Are you soaking that in? Does that feel like mean? Don't worry, I have great news. This was temporary because according to the prophecies, the people of Israel, the Messiahs people must reject him and must murder him. Thankfully, this hardening and this blinding, which by the way all it is, is God removing right His mercy on them all he is he's giving them over to their natural state. None of these people did anything they would not have done without God's intervention. All God does in hardening and blinding is giving them over. But what is wonderful news is that this was a temporary hardening and blinding so that the plan and the prophecies would be fulfilled.
Speaker 1 00:26:43 So many of these crowds and authorities, after Jesus died and was raised from the dead, they then came to faith in Jesus Christ. This was a temporary hardening or blinding. And this is why whenever you see the groups in John John's understanding is this God has not given them the ability to see who Jesus is yet because by the prophecies, this group must reject the Messiah and must kill the Messiah. But there is not anybody after the death and resurrection who was not able to believe in Jesus after what they had seen. That was temporary. Now let's go back to what we were talking about. The third way, the Book of John uses the word belief is this, it is when an individual personally believes without exception. In the book of John, every individual person who believes it is a sincere belief that leads to their salvation.
Speaker 1 00:27:42 And every individual who believes is marked by two things. Number one, a clear and sincere profession of belief in who Jesus really is. Number two, it is always some version of a changed life. And so you watch these two things happen. And in the first chapter, uh, alone of John, uh, the book of John, uh, here are the following individual professions. John the Baptist, Andrew, Peter, John Philip, Nathaniel. In the rest of the book we have Nicodemus, he believes defends Jesus and ultimately bures Jesus. You have the blind man. He confesses and he worships. Martha confesses, believes, follows to the very end. Mary believes, worships follows to the very end. Thomas, interestingly enough, doesn't make a confession till after the resurrection and then gives his entire life to Christ after seeing the resurrection, the resurrected Jesus Christ, which brings us really to our so whats we have two of them.
Speaker 1 00:28:47 The book of the whole book of John, John 12 especially. But the whole book, it presses us to ask this question, have I personally trusted in Jesus? John wants you to know that group. Think going with the masses, being a part of a club, being a part of going to a church. That's not where real true salvation happens. Salvation happens individually one person at a time. Not because you were baptized, not because you went to church, not because you're a good person. It happens when an individual personally trusts in Jesus. And what John would say to you if he had every single one of you individually is he would say this, do you believe Jesus is the Messiah? He is God in the flesh who came to pay the price for your sins. Do you believe that he died on the cross for your sins in your place?
Speaker 1 00:29:52 Do you believe that he was raised from the dead? Are you willing to trust him personally? Not accrue a bunch of good works? Kill that lie, it's evil. Good people will never go to heaven cuz no one's good enough. The only people who go to heaven are forgiven because they have individually personally trusted in Jesus. And if John who wrote this book could get a one-on-one with all of you, he would say, have you not your parents, not your grandma, not your friends. Have you made a personal decision to trust in Jesus? I said it earlier, let's say it again. Evidence of true belief. Number one, an individual profession of faith in Jesus. And number two, a billion people make professions of faith. It's clear that many don't mean it. True belief is evidenced by a willingness to follow Jesus wherever he leads. Now will somebody who's truly saved, stumble, fall and fail? Everybody say yes, yes, yes. And then they get up and then often we fail miserably again. And the blood of Christ covers us and we get up. Salvation is not about perfection or a lack of failure. I I'm looking out into a room of a bunch of people, myself included, I have walked up to the red line like you and said No, and the Holy Spirit tormented me. And then I got back up and I put a toe over it and the Holy Spirit helped me. Anyone else's story.
Speaker 1 00:31:49 The the real issue is when the Holy Spirit never provokes you. Yep. Not doing it. I'm out. I'm gone. And you just ignore him. And what I find with true salvation, it's, it's actually not about perfection. It's not about a standard of righteousness. It really is about a general trajectory of your life. I I have never, ever, and you might be that unique person, just please don't tell me you are if you are, I have never, ever not done what Jesus has asked me to do. Well, kudos to you. I have, and I'm really grateful that the Holy Spirit is just relentless with my mind and my heart. Nope, not putting up with that. You nope. Let's go another shot at it. And I don't know about you, like, um, maybe it's just cuz I had, I think a good mom and dad and really good leaders in my life, but the Holy Spirit's voice is not condemning to me.
Speaker 1 00:32:38 It's very encouraging. He is our helper by the way. And so like even when I fail, I don't have this like overwhelming sense of condemnation over my life. I think Roman says there's no condemnation for those who are in Christ. And so the Holy Spirit is like this. Let's go. Nope, that wasn't good. That wasn't, let's just, I gotcha. Stand up is my faith like the crowd's faith fickle with a bunch of red lines or the individual's faith willing to confess and follow and even when I mess up, get back up again. And so number two, when Jesus asks you to cross your red line, just prayerfully walk, walk over it. I understand that on the other end of it is fear the disciples get it. I guarantee if you could interview all the disciples, they would say, I wish I would've stuck by his side.
Speaker 1 00:33:28 I was afraid if I could go back, I would do it again. And I would stand with him. I'd go to the foot of that cross and I would be proud to be represented with Jesus of Nazareth. Mo most people, um, I think we have ideas of what our red line is gonna be, but until we actually have to face it, we don't know it. You know what I mean? Like some of us are very idealistic. We're like, there's nowhere I won't go. Anything that comes up and, and then unexpectedly. I mean you wake up one morning never expecting to like meet your red line and then it's right in front of your face and you're like, oh, duly noted. Um, helpful to know, would've appreciated some preparation. Holy Spirit, Jesus, anything. The Holy Spirit is so good. And in that moment, you will have all the courage you need to walk past it.
Speaker 1 00:34:17 And should you fail, you have the blood of price to cover you and you will be given a second chance. It is, okay, I wanna just emphasize this, it's okay to be afraid of a red line. Christians have the emotion of fear. It's understandable, but fear doesn't control or dictate me. It's okay to struggle with crossing the red line. I get it. Jesus literally had to bear the full weight of God, the father's wrath for all the sins of humanity. And he looks at the Father and says, take this cup away from me. If he can ask the Father, if God the son can look at the Father and say, is there another way? Not your will but mine. I'm okay if it is gut-wrenching and difficult. And if even maybe I plead with the Lord in the process, could there be a different way?
Speaker 1 00:35:11 That's okay. And I'm really grateful that Jesus graciously modeled in his humanity what it's like to have to face these rub minds. And it's okay to fail and come back to the red line. Don't choose failure by the way, just cuz you know you're gonna get grace. Like that's not a really great excuse. I'd exhort you not to do that. But if for some reason in that moment fear wins rather than your courage and faith, get up and walk back to it. It, I do have to say this in case there's any miscommunication. Crossing a red line doesn't save you. What it does is you're able to walk past them. It's evidence that the Holy Spirit is in you. The Apostle Paul in San Corinthians says, test yourselves regularly to see if you're in the faith. And, and, and one of the tests that I have for my life is, am I being convicted of sin?
Speaker 1 00:35:58 Am I being empowered to do the things that in my flesh I would probably not do? Like test yourselves is my belief in the gospel pure. But the red line is this beautiful encouragement when you cross it. It's like the Holy Spirit is saying, good job, I'm with you. You are willing to follow Jesus anywhere. Now, somebody might ask, are there things Jesus won't ask you to do? Yes, Jesus will never ask you to sin. Amen. Amen. He will never ask you to violate a command of scripture. Be very careful before you do something big and dumb that you make sure you are adhering very meticulously to the word of God. And, and I think this, this should be encouraging these next part, Jesus will rarely ask you to make a scene.
Speaker 1 00:36:53 Um, which brings me to the second one, which is Jesus will rarely ask you to draw attention to yourself. There might be these moments that are big and unique where literally life and death are on the line where something like that needs to happen. What I found with most Christians is that it is the quiet, faithful life and the individual conversations where things get the most challenging. But I do know this, Jesus will often ask you to be proud of him publicly to avoid sin and temptation. Humbly what I mean by that is you'll be in circumstances where there's no easy way out for you not to do it. It's almost to passively indict and incriminate the other people who are there. No, I'm sorry, I don't participate in that kind of stuff. You can be kind of a butt in those moments. And proud and arrogant, humbly, humbly avoid sin and temptation.
Speaker 1 00:37:48 And I think Jesus is often gonna ask you to share him gently, particularly as the doors open up before you. For most people, this is where your red lines are gonna be. Will I be proud of him? Will I really avoid sin and temptation? Will I really walk through this wide open door right in front of me and share the good news of Jesus Christ gently. Now I wanna come back to this as we close. If you are hearing any of this, and guilt and condemnation are sweeping over your mind, your soul and your heart, uh, I want to come back to you and I wanna say, number one, the grace of God abounds and is yours in Christ. If you have trusted in Christ, you have the Holy Spirit, use it, apologize to God and you are clean. And then ask him for help to do the thing you know he wants you to do next.
Speaker 1 00:38:53 Maybe you're here and you're just like, I heard this and I am pretty sure my faith is like the crowd. I do not have a personal individual salvation based on a profession of faith, a confession of my own sins and belief in Jesus is my God and Savior risen from the dead. And if you have never made the decision to trust in Christ, today is the greatest day to do it. You have the opportunity right here. There is no mantra or magical prayer or good work you have to do. Think, think about if you were disconnected from somebody you loved, tell 'em you're sorry and you were wrong. And you believe in Jesus and God's promises that anybody who praised to him confesses Jesus' Lord confesses their sin. You will be saved. And here's what you're gonna find. You will have unusual Holy Spirit power to face the red lines as they come.
Speaker 1 00:39:44 But first things first. Have you individually personally trusted in Jesus? Uh, I'm gonna pray for you. And then if you've never done that, uh, as I'm praying, ignore what I'm saying. Talk to God, ask and to save you. And if that's a decision you've made today, tell somebody you came with. Tell one of your friends, your family, somebody you know at the church, somebody up front. We'd love to just celebrate what God is doing in your life and help you take a next step. Let's pray together. Father, I thank you that despite almost no voice, um, your word is good and true and your gospel is filled with power. Um, Lord, I, um, am confident that your Holy Spirit is arousing ideas and thoughts and um, I'm I'm also confident that the evil one and maybe our own flesh is just so self-incriminating and con condemning.
Speaker 1 00:40:31 And, and, and Lord, I thank you that, um, the voice that comes from you is not condemnation. That is, that is the demonic realm in our own flesh. And so, God, I I, I just come before you and I pray you would give us the clarity to hear, um, the voice of the Holy Spirit that is good and true and loving and gracious. And I thank you for the blood of Christ that covers us because, uh, we are all wretched sinner who've fallen short over and over and over again. So thank you that when we get to heaven, one day, when we meet you, entrance will not be granted for those who have accrued good pers, but those who recovered by the blood of Christ. We love you. And as we celebrate communion, remind us of these truths well up in us, gratitude, and we do all of this in Jesus' name. Amen Church. Amen.
