1 00:00:01,468 --> 00:00:04,204 When the alien Macy. 2 00:00:04,204 --> 00:00:06,773 We were talking about winter camp coming up. 3 00:00:06,773 --> 00:00:09,776 My mind flash back 43 years ago 4 00:00:11,044 --> 00:00:15,815 on February 19th, 1983, when I was sitting at a winter camp 5 00:00:16,816 --> 00:00:18,985 next to my first 6 00:00:18,985 --> 00:00:21,988 ever tackle football coach named Rick. 7 00:00:22,288 --> 00:00:25,291 It was also my first high school football coach, 8 00:00:26,593 --> 00:00:28,261 and he was a counselor for us. 9 00:00:28,261 --> 00:00:31,231 Some of us high school guys at the time. 10 00:00:31,898 --> 00:00:34,901 And it was it was their 11 00:00:35,435 --> 00:00:41,007 43 years ago at winter camp that I heard, 12 00:00:42,842 --> 00:00:46,813 what God was trying to tell me said, I want all your life, Carl, 13 00:00:47,580 --> 00:00:50,550 I don't want I don't want just the church, kid. 14 00:00:50,950 --> 00:00:53,887 I want the totality of who you are. 15 00:00:53,887 --> 00:00:56,289 And, I'm. 16 00:00:56,289 --> 00:00:59,993 I sat there being convicted, and I sat there with my football coach, 17 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:03,963 and he prayed with me and over me, 18 00:01:04,697 --> 00:01:08,301 about a commitment of my life to Christ in a very profound way, 19 00:01:09,369 --> 00:01:10,703 that started to shape, 20 00:01:10,703 --> 00:01:14,007 you know, my ups and my downs, the valleys and the mountains. 21 00:01:14,974 --> 00:01:17,010 And so I'm excited that our kids are going to camp. 22 00:01:17,010 --> 00:01:21,081 It's it's it is a fantastic opportunity that they have 23 00:01:21,581 --> 00:01:24,584 to get away from everything else and unplug from everything else. And, 24 00:01:25,652 --> 00:01:28,288 Lord willing, hear the voice of God. 25 00:01:28,288 --> 00:01:30,857 And so thank you for your generosity. 26 00:01:30,857 --> 00:01:32,659 I say all the time, you don't give to us. 27 00:01:32,659 --> 00:01:34,694 You give through us. 28 00:01:34,694 --> 00:01:39,666 And, we want to make sure that our counselors at the children's camp 29 00:01:39,666 --> 00:01:42,936 and the junior high and high school camp don't pay anything to go. 30 00:01:42,969 --> 00:01:44,237 We want to pay for them to be able 31 00:01:44,237 --> 00:01:48,274 to give their weekend to counsel our kids and help lead them to Jesus. 32 00:01:48,274 --> 00:01:49,776 And so thank you for your generosity. 33 00:01:49,776 --> 00:01:53,546 And and, and one thing I've realized in the past 43 years 34 00:01:53,546 --> 00:01:55,181 is camp has gotten more expensive. 35 00:01:56,850 --> 00:01:59,853 And so we want to be able to provide for our kids. 36 00:02:00,453 --> 00:02:02,288 You know, partial scholarships to be able to go. 37 00:02:02,288 --> 00:02:05,291 So thank you for your continued generosity. 38 00:02:05,425 --> 00:02:07,594 It's bearing good fruit. 39 00:02:07,594 --> 00:02:10,530 Just by way of, some Maisy and Allie. 40 00:02:10,530 --> 00:02:12,599 I didn't ask them to share with you, but I just want to make sure 41 00:02:12,599 --> 00:02:15,735 that you understand that you're invited to my Bible study on Wednesday night 42 00:02:15,735 --> 00:02:18,872 at 6:00, right in this place called the forge, where we 43 00:02:19,706 --> 00:02:21,474 we talk about verse by verse. 44 00:02:21,474 --> 00:02:24,811 We go through Scripture because we understand that, 45 00:02:25,411 --> 00:02:28,448 faith is formed by the Word of God. 46 00:02:28,448 --> 00:02:32,418 And so if you don't have a regular Bible study, come Wednesday night at 6:00, 47 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:36,556 and also just as a reminder, you mean, February 48 00:02:36,556 --> 00:02:40,393 14th, Valentine's Day morning, men's right. 49 00:02:40,660 --> 00:02:43,429 Group breakfast right here in this place. 50 00:02:43,429 --> 00:02:44,397 We're going to have breakfast. 51 00:02:44,397 --> 00:02:46,432 We're going to have a bunch of competition 52 00:02:46,432 --> 00:02:49,502 with, opportunity to win a great big gift card 53 00:02:49,502 --> 00:02:51,838 so you can take your Valentine out to dinner that night. 54 00:02:51,838 --> 00:02:57,744 So if you're connected to one and you love her, come win something to treat her. 55 00:02:57,744 --> 00:02:59,179 If you don't love her, don't show up. 56 00:02:59,179 --> 00:03:00,980 So, ladies, you'll know if you're loved or not. 57 00:03:03,049 --> 00:03:04,284 But just let us know you're coming 58 00:03:04,284 --> 00:03:06,186 so we can make sure that we got breakfast provided. 59 00:03:06,186 --> 00:03:08,154 So please drop us a note somehow. 60 00:03:08,154 --> 00:03:09,956 Let us know, but please take advantage. 61 00:03:09,956 --> 00:03:13,493 And then on the 15th, the day after, in the evening time, 6:00, Sunday 62 00:03:13,493 --> 00:03:16,696 the 15th, I want to teach you how to share your faith. 63 00:03:16,696 --> 00:03:20,800 There are six ways of sharing our faith in the New Testament that we see 64 00:03:21,034 --> 00:03:24,037 Jesus or the disciples do, and I want to help. 65 00:03:24,070 --> 00:03:26,639 One of them fits you perfectly. You just don't know it. 66 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:27,874 You know how to do it. 67 00:03:27,874 --> 00:03:30,009 And so I want to share. I want to help you discover 68 00:03:30,009 --> 00:03:33,046 what your style of, of of of evangelism is, honestly. 69 00:03:33,279 --> 00:03:35,448 And it'll fit. Don't make sense or be easy for you. 70 00:03:36,482 --> 00:03:39,118 I'm gonna show you what yours is and how to do it. 71 00:03:39,118 --> 00:03:42,121 So please take advantage of that on the 15th as well. 72 00:03:42,722 --> 00:03:45,258 Anyway, we're going to wrap up 73 00:03:45,258 --> 00:03:48,261 Matthew seven. 74 00:03:48,595 --> 00:03:49,862 I think all those announcements 75 00:03:49,862 --> 00:03:52,865 from my way of delaying getting into this, 76 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:56,603 I've said before, I, 77 00:03:56,869 --> 00:04:00,106 I don't get excited about teaching the sermon on the Mount 78 00:04:01,474 --> 00:04:03,576 because 79 00:04:03,576 --> 00:04:06,045 it's profound 80 00:04:06,045 --> 00:04:09,315 and it's deep and it's convicting. 81 00:04:10,183 --> 00:04:11,284 It's sobering. 82 00:04:11,284 --> 00:04:14,287 It's liberating all at the same time. 83 00:04:14,988 --> 00:04:16,723 But I want to be very careful 84 00:04:16,723 --> 00:04:19,726 that I don't do it in a way. 85 00:04:21,094 --> 00:04:24,931 That comes across as if I can do a better job 86 00:04:24,931 --> 00:04:27,934 explaining what Jesus meant than Jesus could do. 87 00:04:28,801 --> 00:04:29,802 Do you understand what I'm saying? 88 00:04:29,802 --> 00:04:32,872 Like Jesus did a fine job 89 00:04:34,374 --> 00:04:37,377 and and and. 90 00:04:38,311 --> 00:04:40,113 The hesitation that I have. 91 00:04:42,181 --> 00:04:45,151 Is to say, let me explain what Jesus meant. 92 00:04:45,685 --> 00:04:48,888 That's a that's some sacred ground. 93 00:04:51,057 --> 00:04:51,724 You understand? 94 00:04:51,724 --> 00:04:54,627 That's, And so I want to make sure that I do. 95 00:04:54,627 --> 00:04:57,630 This was a great deal of humility. 96 00:04:58,564 --> 00:05:00,667 And and a, 97 00:05:00,667 --> 00:05:03,670 with an understanding of the weight of it. 98 00:05:05,838 --> 00:05:06,973 I told someone 99 00:05:06,973 --> 00:05:10,810 this last week that I wish I could just skip chapters five, six, 100 00:05:10,810 --> 00:05:15,214 and seven of Matthew because it's there's I don't want to do it a disservice. 101 00:05:15,815 --> 00:05:19,585 And I don't want to do you a disservice by teaching it 102 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:23,523 inadequately. 103 00:05:23,956 --> 00:05:25,491 But we're going to wrap up. 104 00:05:25,491 --> 00:05:28,328 We're going to wrap up the sermon on the greatest sermon ever preached, 105 00:05:28,328 --> 00:05:32,532 the longest single, message that Jesus ever spoke. 106 00:05:33,299 --> 00:05:36,803 We're going to wrap it up this morning with the last verses of chapter seven. 107 00:05:36,803 --> 00:05:41,007 If you have a Bible and brought one with you, go to Matthew chapter seven. 108 00:05:41,007 --> 00:05:42,809 It's the first of the four Gospels. 109 00:05:45,812 --> 00:05:49,048 We're going to look at verses 21 through 29. 110 00:05:49,048 --> 00:05:52,051 The very last section of this. 111 00:05:52,051 --> 00:05:55,288 But let me, let me, let me give you this big idea as we, as we, 112 00:05:55,488 --> 00:05:58,825 as we go into this, into wrap it up this morning, the big idea is this 113 00:05:59,892 --> 00:06:02,228 the gate is narrow, 114 00:06:02,228 --> 00:06:05,231 the storm is certain, 115 00:06:05,264 --> 00:06:08,267 and only one foundation is going to survive. 116 00:06:11,104 --> 00:06:13,740 The gates narrow. 117 00:06:13,740 --> 00:06:17,243 Not everybody finds it and gets in the. 118 00:06:17,844 --> 00:06:20,513 The storm is certain. There's a storm. 119 00:06:20,513 --> 00:06:22,582 You're either in a storm or you're headed into one. 120 00:06:22,582 --> 00:06:24,717 The storm's coming. 121 00:06:24,717 --> 00:06:27,720 There's no doubt about that. 122 00:06:28,421 --> 00:06:29,655 And it's going to be more difficult. 123 00:06:29,655 --> 00:06:31,023 More powerful than you can imagine. 124 00:06:31,023 --> 00:06:34,026 I'm going to tell you that right now. 125 00:06:34,127 --> 00:06:36,462 And there's only one foundation that's going to survive it. 126 00:06:39,298 --> 00:06:41,367 I want to recap verses 13 and 127 00:06:41,367 --> 00:06:46,839 14 of Matthew seven before we get into the the final section of it, 128 00:06:47,306 --> 00:06:50,510 we talked about it last week, but I want to recap it and and it just 129 00:06:52,044 --> 00:06:53,479 unfolded a little bit more. 130 00:06:53,479 --> 00:06:56,482 Verse 13 Jesus says, enter by the narrow gate, 131 00:06:57,116 --> 00:07:00,353 for the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction. 132 00:07:00,353 --> 00:07:02,822 And those who enter are many. 133 00:07:02,822 --> 00:07:06,392 For the gate is narrow, and the way is hard that leads to life. 134 00:07:06,793 --> 00:07:09,796 And those who find it are few. 135 00:07:10,630 --> 00:07:13,633 He says, enter through the narrow gate. 136 00:07:14,667 --> 00:07:17,203 We talked last week, and I just want to unfold this 137 00:07:17,203 --> 00:07:20,206 a little bit more that the the gate 138 00:07:21,574 --> 00:07:24,544 leads to the path, 139 00:07:24,544 --> 00:07:27,113 and every person will go through a gate 140 00:07:27,113 --> 00:07:30,116 and every person will walk a path. 141 00:07:30,216 --> 00:07:33,853 And Jesus says, be mindful to enter through the narrow gate. 142 00:07:34,921 --> 00:07:37,690 But he warns us, that's going to be hard. 143 00:07:37,690 --> 00:07:41,260 We talked last week how the narrow gate, not like the path, 144 00:07:41,260 --> 00:07:42,361 isn't necessarily difficult. 145 00:07:42,361 --> 00:07:45,465 Jesus said, my yoke is easy, my burden is light. 146 00:07:45,465 --> 00:07:48,201 So walking with him isn't necessarily difficult. 147 00:07:48,201 --> 00:07:51,304 But getting to the gate and through the gate is hard 148 00:07:52,138 --> 00:07:54,974 because it requires self-denial. 149 00:07:54,974 --> 00:07:57,977 It requires his kingdom over ours. 150 00:07:58,811 --> 00:08:01,547 That's a difficult choice for most people to make. 151 00:08:01,547 --> 00:08:05,685 But he will say, other than the narrow gate being the way of self-denial 152 00:08:05,685 --> 00:08:09,722 and kingdom first, that's our stuff, Jesus will say, and he'll define the gate. 153 00:08:10,022 --> 00:08:13,025 In John ten he says, I am the gate. 154 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:17,296 Whoever enters through me will be saved. 155 00:08:17,296 --> 00:08:19,398 They will come in and go out and find pasture. 156 00:08:19,398 --> 00:08:22,502 So Jesus takes this gate imagery. 157 00:08:22,802 --> 00:08:25,771 He said, it's a narrow gate because it's me. 158 00:08:27,640 --> 00:08:30,643 Jesus claims exclusivity. 159 00:08:31,477 --> 00:08:35,114 The only way to the father, the only way to be made 160 00:08:35,114 --> 00:08:38,818 right with God is through Jesus and Jesus alone. 161 00:08:38,951 --> 00:08:44,290 He claims exclusivity on the exclusive and only gate and to find. 162 00:08:44,624 --> 00:08:47,627 And it's a very narrow way. 163 00:08:48,094 --> 00:08:51,097 Listen, not all roads lead to heaven. 164 00:08:52,832 --> 00:08:54,033 And sincerity 165 00:08:54,033 --> 00:08:57,003 of what you believe is not enough. 166 00:08:57,169 --> 00:09:00,172 Sincerity doesn't qualify 167 00:09:00,339 --> 00:09:03,576 to be very sincere about a way of believing, 168 00:09:03,576 --> 00:09:06,579 but just sincerely wrong 169 00:09:06,812 --> 00:09:09,782 and good works don't work. 170 00:09:10,950 --> 00:09:12,752 And Jesus says, I am the gate. 171 00:09:12,752 --> 00:09:14,086 And if you want to go to the father, 172 00:09:14,086 --> 00:09:16,322 you have to come through me and through me alone. 173 00:09:16,322 --> 00:09:19,292 There's no other way. 174 00:09:20,126 --> 00:09:23,262 And a lot of people will look at Christians and say, you're pretty narrow 175 00:09:23,262 --> 00:09:23,696 minded. 176 00:09:23,696 --> 00:09:28,000 And I would say regarding salvation, you're 100% correct, very narrow minded, 177 00:09:29,902 --> 00:09:32,138 because it's through Christ alone, 178 00:09:32,138 --> 00:09:35,141 through what Jesus did on the cross. 179 00:09:36,642 --> 00:09:38,911 There's a lot of religions that teach a lot of things. 180 00:09:38,911 --> 00:09:43,015 There's a lot of beliefs that teach a lot of things about what you must do 181 00:09:44,016 --> 00:09:47,954 and the things associated with a religious belief. 182 00:09:47,954 --> 00:09:50,957 And Jesus says, it's me. 183 00:09:52,391 --> 00:09:54,560 And it's very narrow. 184 00:09:54,560 --> 00:09:59,332 And because he claims as exclusivity, because it's so narrow, 185 00:09:59,332 --> 00:10:02,401 focused on Christ alone, not many people find it 186 00:10:03,603 --> 00:10:06,606 to understand. 187 00:10:08,641 --> 00:10:10,376 And that's why it's hard. 188 00:10:10,376 --> 00:10:12,878 But listen, the gate is narrow 189 00:10:12,878 --> 00:10:15,881 because truth isn't negotiable. 190 00:10:17,516 --> 00:10:20,286 He says I'm the way, the truth and the life. 191 00:10:20,286 --> 00:10:22,655 Nobody comes to the father but through me. 192 00:10:22,655 --> 00:10:25,658 Because I am the gate. 193 00:10:28,227 --> 00:10:29,895 And for most of the world, 194 00:10:29,895 --> 00:10:34,333 that's too narrow an understanding of God. 195 00:10:36,802 --> 00:10:38,671 And that's why Jesus says in verse 14, 196 00:10:38,671 --> 00:10:41,641 there aren't many people who find it. 197 00:10:42,842 --> 00:10:43,943 Because to find 198 00:10:43,943 --> 00:10:48,014 it means that I'm acknowledging that all other beliefs, 199 00:10:48,014 --> 00:10:51,350 if it doesn't lead through Jesus, are in error. 200 00:10:54,387 --> 00:10:57,089 No matter how good you are, no matter what you believe, no matter 201 00:10:57,089 --> 00:11:00,092 the confirmation, the baptism, the good works, 202 00:11:01,794 --> 00:11:03,562 there's anything other than Jesus 203 00:11:03,562 --> 00:11:06,565 because of God's grace through faith. 204 00:11:07,933 --> 00:11:10,936 It's a wide gate that leads to destruction. 205 00:11:18,511 --> 00:11:21,781 And if that has not been your understanding of salvation, 206 00:11:21,781 --> 00:11:25,651 if that has not been your understanding of the God who loves you, 207 00:11:26,752 --> 00:11:29,889 I'm going to give you an opportunity later in this message 208 00:11:30,856 --> 00:11:34,193 to come to the father through the son alone. 209 00:11:36,462 --> 00:11:39,465 Exclusively through Christ. 210 00:11:40,232 --> 00:11:42,835 Because of God's grace, you didn't earn it 211 00:11:44,003 --> 00:11:46,205 through faith, 212 00:11:46,205 --> 00:11:49,075 not through what you do. 213 00:11:49,075 --> 00:11:52,078 There's one gate. 214 00:11:53,913 --> 00:11:56,916 And the storm is coming. 215 00:11:57,450 --> 00:11:58,150 The foundation 216 00:11:58,150 --> 00:12:01,153 on which you build will determine 217 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:04,323 your survival. 218 00:12:06,092 --> 00:12:06,559 In verses 219 00:12:06,559 --> 00:12:09,862 21 through 27, he wraps up this incredible sermon. 220 00:12:09,862 --> 00:12:11,831 And it's not let me tell you this right now. 221 00:12:11,831 --> 00:12:14,967 It's not a it's not a rah rah wrap up. 222 00:12:16,335 --> 00:12:19,171 He doesn't have people jumping up and down going, yeah, this is awesome. 223 00:12:19,171 --> 00:12:21,507 Jesus. You're great. 224 00:12:21,507 --> 00:12:24,510 And nobody high fiving each other as you walk out. 225 00:12:25,444 --> 00:12:29,181 He's going to wrap up this message with a profound and deep 226 00:12:29,582 --> 00:12:32,585 call to commitment. 227 00:12:32,985 --> 00:12:35,988 And Jesus is going to basically, he's going to ask this question. 228 00:12:37,089 --> 00:12:40,793 He's going to ask, is your faith real or is your confession of faith 229 00:12:40,793 --> 00:12:43,796 just noise? 230 00:12:44,830 --> 00:12:45,731 And so let me read 231 00:12:45,731 --> 00:12:48,801 for you verses 21, 22 and 23. 232 00:12:50,102 --> 00:12:53,072 This is a terrifying passage. 233 00:12:54,173 --> 00:12:56,609 Not everyone who says to me, Lord, 234 00:12:56,609 --> 00:12:59,678 Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, 235 00:13:00,279 --> 00:13:03,449 but the one who does the will of my father who is in heaven. 236 00:13:04,550 --> 00:13:06,585 On that day 237 00:13:06,585 --> 00:13:09,421 many will say to me, Lord, Lord, 238 00:13:09,421 --> 00:13:14,660 did we not prophesy in your name, cast out demons in your name, 239 00:13:14,660 --> 00:13:17,663 and do many mighty works in your name? 240 00:13:18,564 --> 00:13:21,567 And I will declare to them, 241 00:13:22,201 --> 00:13:24,236 I never knew you. 242 00:13:24,236 --> 00:13:27,239 Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. 243 00:13:27,239 --> 00:13:30,242 It's terrifying. 244 00:13:32,945 --> 00:13:34,814 When Jesus uses these words, 245 00:13:34,814 --> 00:13:37,817 you'll say to me, Lord, Lord. 246 00:13:38,918 --> 00:13:41,921 That's master slave verbiage. 247 00:13:42,721 --> 00:13:45,090 In order for there to be a Lord. 248 00:13:45,090 --> 00:13:47,960 That's the word master. 249 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:52,598 And the only way someone's a master is if the master has slaves. 250 00:13:53,966 --> 00:13:56,101 And so the verbiage is right. 251 00:13:57,703 --> 00:13:59,605 You're the master. 252 00:13:59,605 --> 00:14:01,407 I'm your slave. 253 00:14:01,407 --> 00:14:03,042 Or you say, go, I'll go. 254 00:14:03,042 --> 00:14:05,211 What you say do all do. 255 00:14:05,211 --> 00:14:07,780 The verbiage is right. 256 00:14:07,780 --> 00:14:10,983 And what he's saying is those who have the right verbiage 257 00:14:12,785 --> 00:14:15,788 still might not get in. 258 00:14:16,355 --> 00:14:19,358 Not because they don't say the right words, but because 259 00:14:20,426 --> 00:14:23,429 Jesus, the Son of God, doesn't know them. 260 00:14:25,197 --> 00:14:28,200 It's terrifying. 261 00:14:30,035 --> 00:14:33,639 Just because I say I believe in Jesus, that is important. 262 00:14:33,706 --> 00:14:37,243 But by itself, Jesus says, apparently that's not enough. 263 00:14:40,412 --> 00:14:43,382 Just because I claim you're the master doesn't 264 00:14:43,849 --> 00:14:47,686 necessarily mean that I have a relationship with him. 265 00:14:49,054 --> 00:14:53,392 And this is Jesus's warning to those who would claim 266 00:14:53,692 --> 00:14:58,497 Christian superficially, but whose spiritual life 267 00:14:58,497 --> 00:15:02,401 and spiritual habits have no impact on their daily life. 268 00:15:03,969 --> 00:15:07,773 It's those who claim to be religious, who claim to know God. 269 00:15:11,243 --> 00:15:12,378 But their daily lives 270 00:15:12,378 --> 00:15:15,381 look no different than anybody who doesn't. 271 00:15:16,348 --> 00:15:19,351 A superficial confession 272 00:15:20,452 --> 00:15:23,422 I was just talking 273 00:15:24,356 --> 00:15:27,359 with a man this week. 274 00:15:27,660 --> 00:15:29,228 And he's 275 00:15:29,228 --> 00:15:32,231 he's dying of cancer, and he knows it. 276 00:15:34,066 --> 00:15:37,169 And someone asked me, they said, hey, I want you to get them baptized. 277 00:15:37,169 --> 00:15:40,306 And I told, I told this guy, baptism isn't going to do 278 00:15:40,306 --> 00:15:43,309 you any good. 279 00:15:44,076 --> 00:15:46,445 You're only hope 280 00:15:46,445 --> 00:15:49,348 is to accept Jesus as your Savior, 281 00:15:49,348 --> 00:15:52,351 to accept what he did on the cross so your sin could be forgiven, 282 00:15:52,918 --> 00:15:56,288 and all of the nastiness of your past can be forgiven. 283 00:15:57,156 --> 00:16:00,859 And to come to the father through with this idea that your only hope 284 00:16:02,061 --> 00:16:05,064 for what you're facing, eternity. 285 00:16:08,934 --> 00:16:11,270 He said, I mean, I yeah, okay. 286 00:16:11,270 --> 00:16:13,305 But I got a lot of people praying for me and said, 287 00:16:13,305 --> 00:16:14,940 I don't care who you have, praying for you. 288 00:16:17,242 --> 00:16:18,277 Their prayers for you 289 00:16:18,277 --> 00:16:21,280 aren't going to do you any good. 290 00:16:22,147 --> 00:16:23,849 Until you realize that Jesus 291 00:16:23,849 --> 00:16:29,021 is your only hope of forgiveness and salvation, it's a very narrow way. 292 00:16:29,021 --> 00:16:32,024 Do you understand? 293 00:16:34,159 --> 00:16:35,294 I don't see him here, he said. 294 00:16:35,294 --> 00:16:39,431 Who's going to come to church either the the, the 930, the 11:00 service. 295 00:16:39,431 --> 00:16:39,932 So I'm praying. 296 00:16:39,932 --> 00:16:42,901 You sure y'all pray that he'll show up at 11:00? 297 00:16:42,901 --> 00:16:45,871 Amen. 298 00:16:51,844 --> 00:16:52,244 Jesus 299 00:16:52,244 --> 00:16:55,581 says on that day your words aren't going to end. 300 00:16:55,581 --> 00:16:56,382 On that day. 301 00:16:56,382 --> 00:16:59,952 Your words, even your acts, are going to do what Daisy talking about on that day. 302 00:17:02,221 --> 00:17:05,157 It's talking about day of judgment 303 00:17:05,157 --> 00:17:07,960 and so on that day when you and I stand 304 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:11,063 before God and have to give an an account of our lives. 305 00:17:13,866 --> 00:17:14,900 When we have to stand 306 00:17:14,900 --> 00:17:19,772 before God, and when God says, why, why, why do you get to come and share 307 00:17:19,772 --> 00:17:22,574 in your master's happiness for all eternity? On that day, 308 00:17:24,343 --> 00:17:27,346 every one of us will stand before God and give him an account of our lives. 309 00:17:27,346 --> 00:17:29,948 What we've said, what we've done, what we've thought. 310 00:17:29,948 --> 00:17:32,785 An account of our faith on account of how we respond to what God, 311 00:17:32,785 --> 00:17:36,455 what to what we know that God has told us on that day. 312 00:17:38,724 --> 00:17:40,859 He says on that day 313 00:17:40,859 --> 00:17:43,962 many will say to me, Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in her name and cast out 314 00:17:43,962 --> 00:17:44,530 demons today? 315 00:17:44,530 --> 00:17:47,533 Don't we do mighty, mighty, many mighty works in your name. 316 00:17:51,036 --> 00:17:53,172 Charles Spurgeon 317 00:17:53,172 --> 00:17:54,506 spoke many messages. 318 00:17:54,506 --> 00:17:56,508 One was about this and I want to share with you part 319 00:17:56,508 --> 00:17:59,511 of what Charles Spurgeon said about this passage. 320 00:18:00,612 --> 00:18:03,615 He says, what's your primary object in life? 321 00:18:03,615 --> 00:18:06,018 What's your objective in life? 322 00:18:06,018 --> 00:18:08,087 And will you think that much of it 323 00:18:08,087 --> 00:18:11,256 on that day, as you do right now? 324 00:18:13,592 --> 00:18:16,361 Will you think of it on that day 325 00:18:16,361 --> 00:18:19,364 as such a wise pursuit as you think of it now? 326 00:18:20,632 --> 00:18:23,235 You can defend your decisions now, 327 00:18:23,235 --> 00:18:26,672 but will you be able to defend your decisions on that day? 328 00:18:31,710 --> 00:18:33,078 Their objection 329 00:18:33,078 --> 00:18:36,081 is, didn't we do all of this in your name? 330 00:18:38,250 --> 00:18:39,551 And Jesus doesn't 331 00:18:39,551 --> 00:18:42,554 doubt their claims to miracles. 332 00:18:42,921 --> 00:18:48,026 He doesn't refute that they did these great things in the name of Jesus. 333 00:18:48,260 --> 00:18:51,930 But apparently Jesus is telling us that miracles 334 00:18:51,930 --> 00:18:54,933 prove nothing. 335 00:18:56,702 --> 00:18:59,705 Don't get overwhelmed by signs and wonders, 336 00:19:00,639 --> 00:19:00,973 though. 337 00:19:00,973 --> 00:19:03,375 They did them in Jesus's name. 338 00:19:03,375 --> 00:19:07,079 Apparently they had no loving relationship and fellowship 339 00:19:07,079 --> 00:19:10,082 with Jesus. 340 00:19:10,082 --> 00:19:12,751 The name of Jesus has great authority, but even those 341 00:19:12,751 --> 00:19:15,754 who don't have a relationship with him obviously. 342 00:19:22,261 --> 00:19:24,663 So they hear Jesus's words depart from me. 343 00:19:24,663 --> 00:19:25,497 I never knew you. 344 00:19:27,633 --> 00:19:28,066 See, in 345 00:19:28,066 --> 00:19:31,103 the end, the basis of a salvation is this. 346 00:19:31,103 --> 00:19:32,771 And I don't want you to miss this. 347 00:19:32,771 --> 00:19:35,541 It's both knowing Jesus and being known 348 00:19:35,541 --> 00:19:38,544 by Jesus. 349 00:19:40,279 --> 00:19:41,513 According to what Jesus is saying 350 00:19:41,513 --> 00:19:44,516 in Matthew seven, this is the basis for our salvation. 351 00:19:45,450 --> 00:19:48,020 Jesus didn't say, oh, I know your works. 352 00:19:48,020 --> 00:19:50,122 You're good. 353 00:19:50,122 --> 00:19:53,125 He says, I needed to know you. 354 00:19:55,727 --> 00:19:56,762 In essence, he's saying, 355 00:19:56,762 --> 00:20:00,098 you may have claim to know me, but I never 356 00:20:00,098 --> 00:20:03,101 knew you. 357 00:20:03,902 --> 00:20:06,171 It's not that these people lost their salvation. 358 00:20:06,171 --> 00:20:09,174 Apparently, they never had salvation to begin with. 359 00:20:11,043 --> 00:20:13,845 And so the question has got to be, 360 00:20:13,845 --> 00:20:19,618 how do I make sure that I know Jesus and am known by Jesus? 361 00:20:19,618 --> 00:20:22,621 Isn't that the question? 362 00:20:25,824 --> 00:20:26,992 We say it all the time. 363 00:20:26,992 --> 00:20:27,960 I hope it sinks in. 364 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:30,062 It's about a relationship, not religion. 365 00:20:30,062 --> 00:20:31,897 It's just not about what you believe. 366 00:20:34,032 --> 00:20:34,566 It's about a 367 00:20:34,566 --> 00:20:37,569 relationship that you've entered into. 368 00:20:38,737 --> 00:20:40,472 Where you know Jesus, certainly, 369 00:20:40,472 --> 00:20:43,742 but he also knows you and what Jesus is saying here. 370 00:20:43,742 --> 00:20:47,913 So we have to be very careful that we're just not people who claim to know Christ. 371 00:20:49,114 --> 00:20:52,117 Yeah, I believe in God. 372 00:20:54,453 --> 00:20:54,720 Yeah. 373 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:57,723 No, I know, I know, yeah, but does he know you? 374 00:20:58,590 --> 00:21:03,061 There's a there's a there's a level of intimacy that Jesus 375 00:21:03,061 --> 00:21:06,231 is addressing here that not everybody who claims to know 376 00:21:06,231 --> 00:21:09,234 Jesus possesses. 377 00:21:11,403 --> 00:21:12,137 See, a heart 378 00:21:12,137 --> 00:21:17,042 that knows Jesus and is known by Jesus is a heart 379 00:21:17,042 --> 00:21:22,381 both that is open and receives Jesus and then opens itself 380 00:21:22,381 --> 00:21:25,350 to Jesus. 381 00:21:27,319 --> 00:21:30,289 Receiving him by faith 382 00:21:30,289 --> 00:21:33,191 and revealing yourself to him 383 00:21:33,191 --> 00:21:36,194 in relationship. 384 00:21:36,461 --> 00:21:39,998 Where the confession is, I believe, Jesus, that you're the only way to heaven, 385 00:21:39,998 --> 00:21:42,167 that you died on the cross, that you rose from the grave, 386 00:21:42,167 --> 00:21:44,803 and that you shed your blood for the forgiveness of my sin. 387 00:21:44,803 --> 00:21:46,004 Absolutely. 388 00:21:46,004 --> 00:21:49,841 I know you and I accept you, and likewise Jesus. 389 00:21:50,042 --> 00:21:51,910 This is all of me. 390 00:21:53,979 --> 00:21:56,214 And I'm giving all of me to. 391 00:21:56,214 --> 00:21:59,518 I want you to know me, not just know about me 392 00:21:59,685 --> 00:22:03,955 in the sovereign mind of God, but to know me personally. 393 00:22:03,955 --> 00:22:06,958 That you know my inner. 394 00:22:07,225 --> 00:22:08,760 You know who I am. 395 00:22:08,760 --> 00:22:11,496 You know my tendencies, you know my failures. 396 00:22:11,496 --> 00:22:15,834 I have let you into my life and you know all the deep, dark resources, 397 00:22:15,834 --> 00:22:20,639 just not in a knowledge sense, but in a personal sense that I let you into me 398 00:22:20,939 --> 00:22:26,144 in every part of me and every part of me responds to this relationship with you, 399 00:22:26,144 --> 00:22:31,283 and I let you transform the inner stuff in me, just not my outward behavior. 400 00:22:31,283 --> 00:22:33,085 Do you understand? 401 00:22:33,085 --> 00:22:36,455 It's knowing Jesus and Him knowing me. 402 00:22:41,893 --> 00:22:42,761 It's the difference 403 00:22:42,761 --> 00:22:46,832 between I know someone and I write them text messages or letters 404 00:22:47,065 --> 00:22:50,035 and the intimacy of a marriage where 405 00:22:50,035 --> 00:22:53,004 husband and wife know each other. 406 00:22:57,576 --> 00:23:00,812 And apparently Jesus is saying, until there's that intimacy, 407 00:23:00,812 --> 00:23:04,116 I don't know you because you haven't let me in. 408 00:23:06,385 --> 00:23:07,319 You believe in me. 409 00:23:07,319 --> 00:23:10,322 You say you accept me, but you don't haven't let me in. 410 00:23:13,291 --> 00:23:15,727 So depart from me. 411 00:23:15,727 --> 00:23:18,730 You may know me, but I don't know you. 412 00:23:21,867 --> 00:23:24,870 You understand? 413 00:23:27,906 --> 00:23:30,909 And so to that end. 414 00:23:32,010 --> 00:23:35,013 I want to give you an opportunity right now. 415 00:23:35,981 --> 00:23:38,683 Not just to confess that you know Jesus, 416 00:23:38,683 --> 00:23:42,154 but to let Jesus know you. 417 00:23:46,792 --> 00:23:49,828 There's no magical body position for prayer, 418 00:23:50,796 --> 00:23:54,032 but because many of us are like little black 419 00:23:54,032 --> 00:23:57,002 lab puppies that just, oh. 420 00:23:58,203 --> 00:23:59,237 When we pray, 421 00:23:59,237 --> 00:24:02,240 we close our eyes because it helps us not to be distracted. 422 00:24:03,341 --> 00:24:06,344 And so I'm going to invite you in this moment just to close your eyes 423 00:24:06,478 --> 00:24:07,712 so you're not distracted. 424 00:24:10,348 --> 00:24:11,917 And you do your own 425 00:24:11,917 --> 00:24:14,920 spiritual self-assessment. 426 00:24:17,522 --> 00:24:20,525 Do you know Jesus? 427 00:24:21,660 --> 00:24:25,230 And have you invited allowed him access 428 00:24:25,230 --> 00:24:28,233 so that he knows you? 429 00:24:32,771 --> 00:24:35,774 I encourage you in this moment simply 430 00:24:37,075 --> 00:24:38,677 confession of faith. Jesus. 431 00:24:38,677 --> 00:24:42,447 Thank you that you I believe that you died on the cross 432 00:24:42,447 --> 00:24:43,648 so my sins could be forgiven. 433 00:24:43,648 --> 00:24:47,686 You shed your blood so my sin could be forgiven. 434 00:24:47,686 --> 00:24:52,591 I accept what you've done, and I appropriate your blood over my life 435 00:24:52,824 --> 00:24:55,827 for the forgiveness of my sin. 436 00:24:56,828 --> 00:24:59,831 What I know of you, I accept, 437 00:25:00,332 --> 00:25:03,335 and I ask you to lead my life. 438 00:25:03,535 --> 00:25:04,536 And then. 439 00:25:04,536 --> 00:25:08,006 And, Jesus, I want you to know me 440 00:25:08,006 --> 00:25:11,042 not in the grand, omniscient way, 441 00:25:12,477 --> 00:25:15,347 but in the personal way, 442 00:25:15,347 --> 00:25:19,985 where every nook and cranny and dark place 443 00:25:21,453 --> 00:25:25,056 where everything that I've held on myself. 444 00:25:26,691 --> 00:25:29,694 I invite you into. 445 00:25:30,028 --> 00:25:33,031 And I give you authority 446 00:25:33,031 --> 00:25:36,001 into every one of those places of my life. 447 00:25:39,804 --> 00:25:41,239 Clean. 448 00:25:41,239 --> 00:25:43,441 Make new 449 00:25:43,441 --> 00:25:46,444 rule over. 450 00:25:49,114 --> 00:25:52,117 I am yours and you are mine. 451 00:25:53,084 --> 00:25:56,087 And every part of my life. 452 00:25:58,557 --> 00:25:59,190 Your name I pray. 453 00:25:59,190 --> 00:26:02,160 Amen. 454 00:26:03,328 --> 00:26:03,595 Friends, 455 00:26:03,595 --> 00:26:06,598 my prayer is that none of you leave this place 456 00:26:06,665 --> 00:26:10,201 without knowing Christ and Him knowing you. 457 00:26:11,770 --> 00:26:14,072 And if you prayed that prayer, please, 458 00:26:14,072 --> 00:26:17,075 I'm telling you. 459 00:26:19,911 --> 00:26:20,745 Let me know. 460 00:26:20,745 --> 00:26:21,379 Let us know. 461 00:26:21,379 --> 00:26:25,083 I want to walk with you through this relationship, into this relationship. 462 00:26:28,620 --> 00:26:30,488 Don't walk out of here without telling one of us. 463 00:26:30,488 --> 00:26:32,958 One of those was the prayer landers. Let us pray over you. 464 00:26:32,958 --> 00:26:33,858 The just. 465 00:26:33,858 --> 00:26:36,861 Just confirming your decision. 466 00:26:36,962 --> 00:26:39,965 It's too important. 467 00:26:40,198 --> 00:26:43,201 To understand. 468 00:26:44,803 --> 00:26:47,672 As Jesus goes on and wraps up this this sermon 469 00:26:49,174 --> 00:26:49,741 in verses 470 00:26:49,741 --> 00:26:52,711 24 through 27, he tells this parable 471 00:26:53,178 --> 00:26:56,982 parables Jesus used because they're profound. 472 00:26:57,649 --> 00:27:00,552 They're profound stories 473 00:27:00,552 --> 00:27:04,422 that teach the unchanging, the unchanging truth 474 00:27:04,422 --> 00:27:07,425 of the kingdom of God and citizens of the Kingdom. 475 00:27:08,426 --> 00:27:10,528 And the reason Jesus taught him parables. 476 00:27:10,528 --> 00:27:13,665 He tells us why in Mark chapter four, 477 00:27:14,566 --> 00:27:17,369 when he was alone, those around, 478 00:27:17,369 --> 00:27:20,672 those around him with the 12 disciples, they asked about these parables 479 00:27:20,672 --> 00:27:23,308 because he's talking to parables all the time. 480 00:27:23,308 --> 00:27:26,211 And he said to them, to you, 481 00:27:26,211 --> 00:27:28,413 you know me, and I know you. 482 00:27:28,413 --> 00:27:31,016 We have this deep, intimate relationship with each other. 483 00:27:31,016 --> 00:27:31,616 To you. 484 00:27:31,616 --> 00:27:34,953 You've been given the secret of the kingdom of God. 485 00:27:35,453 --> 00:27:36,788 That's why I'm talking to you. 486 00:27:36,788 --> 00:27:38,990 Parables. You get it? 487 00:27:38,990 --> 00:27:42,961 The parables are telling you the secrets of the kingdom of God. 488 00:27:43,495 --> 00:27:45,263 But to those on the outside, 489 00:27:46,231 --> 00:27:48,466 they may say they know me, but I don't know them. 490 00:27:48,466 --> 00:27:49,768 They're on the outside. 491 00:27:49,768 --> 00:27:53,304 Everything's in parables, so they may indeed see, 492 00:27:53,304 --> 00:27:55,740 but not perceive, and indeed hear, but not understand. 493 00:27:55,740 --> 00:27:57,208 Otherwise they would turn to be forgiven. 494 00:27:57,208 --> 00:28:00,378 I wish they would turn to be forgiven, but they won't. Why? 495 00:28:00,412 --> 00:28:02,881 Because they they perceive, but they don't see it. 496 00:28:02,881 --> 00:28:04,382 They hear but they don't understand it. 497 00:28:04,382 --> 00:28:05,984 They're on the outside. 498 00:28:05,984 --> 00:28:08,720 Don't get it. 499 00:28:08,720 --> 00:28:12,791 And so I teach the secrets of the kingdom for those who get it, 500 00:28:13,258 --> 00:28:15,326 who are not going to trample on it and defame it. 501 00:28:15,326 --> 00:28:18,463 That's what he just said, a few verses earlier about throwing 502 00:28:18,463 --> 00:28:21,466 a pearls to the dogs and pigs. 503 00:28:22,100 --> 00:28:24,803 He said the pearls of the kingdom, the mercy and grace of God, 504 00:28:24,803 --> 00:28:27,539 the kingdom of God, the love of God, the forgiveness. 505 00:28:27,539 --> 00:28:27,872 That's right. 506 00:28:29,207 --> 00:28:31,042 That's that's beautiful. 507 00:28:31,042 --> 00:28:34,713 And you give that they're just going to trample on it and defame it. 508 00:28:35,880 --> 00:28:38,249 And so I'm going to speak in parables that those who get it 509 00:28:38,249 --> 00:28:40,685 will get the secrets of the kingdom of God and those who don't. 510 00:28:40,685 --> 00:28:43,688 All they're going to do is trample on anyway, 511 00:28:44,155 --> 00:28:46,524 because they see if they don't perceive it, they hear, but they don't. 512 00:28:46,524 --> 00:28:49,094 They don't understand. 513 00:28:49,094 --> 00:28:52,597 It's interesting to me that as part of this group was Judas 514 00:28:54,032 --> 00:28:56,835 and Jesus spoke in parables. 515 00:28:56,835 --> 00:28:59,804 And one reason, because I think he knew Judas was just going to trample 516 00:28:59,804 --> 00:29:02,807 on to fame, on the mercy and grace and forgiveness of God. 517 00:29:04,142 --> 00:29:04,943 He saw it. 518 00:29:04,943 --> 00:29:07,946 He just didn't understand it. 519 00:29:09,514 --> 00:29:13,718 And so he tells this parable, and this is what he says in this parable. 520 00:29:13,918 --> 00:29:18,089 Everyone who hears these words of mine, everyone who's heard what I've said, 521 00:29:18,623 --> 00:29:19,758 we're in that camp. 522 00:29:20,992 --> 00:29:21,526 We've all 523 00:29:21,526 --> 00:29:24,529 heard the words that he said in these three chapters. 524 00:29:24,662 --> 00:29:26,965 Every one of us who's heard these words of mine 525 00:29:26,965 --> 00:29:30,702 and does them, will be like a wise man who built his house on a rock. 526 00:29:31,636 --> 00:29:34,305 And the rain fell, and the floods came, 527 00:29:34,305 --> 00:29:37,308 and the wind blew and beat on that house. 528 00:29:37,342 --> 00:29:39,177 But it did not fall. Why? 529 00:29:39,177 --> 00:29:42,180 Because it was founded on the rock. 530 00:29:47,051 --> 00:29:47,952 And everyone 531 00:29:47,952 --> 00:29:50,955 who hears these words of mine, just like we have 532 00:29:51,456 --> 00:29:54,225 and does not do them, will be like a foolish man 533 00:29:54,225 --> 00:29:57,228 who built his house on the sand, not the rock. 534 00:29:58,630 --> 00:30:00,865 And the rain fell and the floods came, and the winds 535 00:30:00,865 --> 00:30:03,868 blew and beat against that house, and it fell. 536 00:30:05,637 --> 00:30:07,539 And great was the fall of it. 537 00:30:09,174 --> 00:30:11,943 There's one gate, 538 00:30:11,943 --> 00:30:14,445 storms coming, 539 00:30:14,445 --> 00:30:17,448 and only one foundation is going to survive. It. 540 00:30:20,552 --> 00:30:23,488 When Jesus tells this parable, I want you understand what he's saying. 541 00:30:23,488 --> 00:30:26,524 He's saying there's three truths here that we're all building. 542 00:30:27,926 --> 00:30:29,894 We're all building our lives. 543 00:30:29,894 --> 00:30:32,263 That's that's the that's the that's the house. 544 00:30:32,263 --> 00:30:34,032 We're all building our lives. 545 00:30:34,032 --> 00:30:36,401 Storms are coming, 546 00:30:36,401 --> 00:30:37,168 without a doubt. 547 00:30:37,168 --> 00:30:40,171 Some of you are in it. 548 00:30:40,171 --> 00:30:41,673 Some of us are headed into it. 549 00:30:41,673 --> 00:30:42,273 That's just. 550 00:30:42,273 --> 00:30:46,244 That's just the truth of life and the success of what I build. 551 00:30:46,244 --> 00:30:48,179 The success of what you build will be determined 552 00:30:48,179 --> 00:30:51,182 by the foundation on which it's built. 553 00:30:52,283 --> 00:30:55,119 You know, it's interesting in this, in this, in this parable 554 00:30:55,119 --> 00:30:58,523 that Jesus tells, every building looks the same from the outside. 555 00:31:00,358 --> 00:31:01,626 We all look the same. 556 00:31:04,562 --> 00:31:06,464 The foundation is the most important part 557 00:31:06,464 --> 00:31:09,467 of the of the structure, and it's unseen. 558 00:31:11,836 --> 00:31:12,270 And though 559 00:31:12,270 --> 00:31:15,273 it's unseen, the found every foundation is proven. 560 00:31:15,273 --> 00:31:18,109 When the storm hits. 561 00:31:18,109 --> 00:31:21,112 Though we all look the same. 562 00:31:21,613 --> 00:31:23,248 We all go through the same stuff. 563 00:31:23,248 --> 00:31:26,451 Nobody sees the foundation until the storm hits. 564 00:31:26,451 --> 00:31:29,454 And then it's apparent to 565 00:31:30,722 --> 00:31:31,689 see with the building. 566 00:31:31,689 --> 00:31:34,692 The facade is for show, 567 00:31:34,826 --> 00:31:37,829 but the foundation determines the future. 568 00:31:37,929 --> 00:31:39,898 And there are some lives who have built 569 00:31:39,898 --> 00:31:42,901 nothing but a facade. 570 00:31:44,035 --> 00:31:47,038 And so when the storm comes, 571 00:31:47,472 --> 00:31:50,475 destruction and great is that destruction. 572 00:31:54,212 --> 00:31:57,615 When Jesus used this, this, this analogy of the storm, 573 00:31:57,615 --> 00:32:02,887 the storms in this day was the greatest experience of power 574 00:32:02,987 --> 00:32:03,821 that they knew. 575 00:32:03,821 --> 00:32:05,256 Because they didn't have nuclear stuff 576 00:32:05,256 --> 00:32:06,591 then they didn't have the fossil fuel stuff. 577 00:32:06,591 --> 00:32:09,627 They so it's like the storms are the ultimate in power. 578 00:32:09,827 --> 00:32:11,996 And Jesus says, what is that? 579 00:32:11,996 --> 00:32:14,465 That type of forces coming against your life? 580 00:32:14,465 --> 00:32:15,400 Here's what he's saying, 581 00:32:15,400 --> 00:32:19,771 that every one of us is going to face some type of storm against us. 582 00:32:19,871 --> 00:32:23,741 That is going to be far beyond our power to handle. 583 00:32:23,841 --> 00:32:25,610 We won't be able to handle it. 584 00:32:27,245 --> 00:32:30,715 The power of the storms are going to be so great 585 00:32:30,949 --> 00:32:35,253 that it's going to be so far beyond our power to to endure. 586 00:32:36,621 --> 00:32:39,223 That is going to shake us to the very foundation 587 00:32:39,223 --> 00:32:42,226 of what our life and faith is built on. 588 00:32:42,393 --> 00:32:47,131 And if it's built on any other thing, then Jesus himself. 589 00:32:47,131 --> 00:32:50,234 It's a sandy foundation and great will be the fall. 590 00:32:54,372 --> 00:32:56,207 Sea. When the storm shifts, 591 00:32:56,207 --> 00:33:00,144 we don't rise to the level of the storm. 592 00:33:01,245 --> 00:33:03,548 We default 593 00:33:03,548 --> 00:33:06,284 to the foundation. 594 00:33:06,284 --> 00:33:08,519 Most of us think when the storm hits like 595 00:33:08,519 --> 00:33:10,188 God won't give me anything more than I can handle. 596 00:33:10,188 --> 00:33:11,823 That's a lie from the devil. 597 00:33:11,823 --> 00:33:13,758 He absolutely will give you more than you can handle. 598 00:33:13,758 --> 00:33:16,027 He won't allow you to be tempted more than what you can handle, 599 00:33:16,027 --> 00:33:19,764 but he will absolutely allow you to have more than what you can bear. Why? 600 00:33:19,864 --> 00:33:21,733 To test the found. To not test. 601 00:33:21,733 --> 00:33:22,867 To reveal the foundation. 602 00:33:24,435 --> 00:33:25,837 And most of us think, well, when that time 603 00:33:25,837 --> 00:33:27,638 comes, I'll just, you know, I'll be able to handle it all. 604 00:33:27,638 --> 00:33:31,943 I want to know you won't because we don't rise to the level of the storm. 605 00:33:31,943 --> 00:33:34,946 We sink. 606 00:33:35,213 --> 00:33:38,216 Our default is the foundation. 607 00:33:43,187 --> 00:33:44,756 Think about this as a parent. 608 00:33:44,756 --> 00:33:48,593 I mean, just imagine you had a child and you're like, hey, boy, 609 00:33:48,626 --> 00:33:51,629 go clean up your room. It's a pigsty. 610 00:33:51,662 --> 00:33:54,732 And your son says, I hear you 611 00:33:56,234 --> 00:33:57,035 all right. 612 00:33:57,035 --> 00:33:57,802 Walked away. 613 00:33:57,802 --> 00:34:00,505 Our hour and a half comes back. 614 00:34:00,505 --> 00:34:03,508 You say, son, clean up your own. 615 00:34:03,541 --> 00:34:06,511 No. And clean up. 616 00:34:06,577 --> 00:34:09,580 But I heard what you said. 617 00:34:10,181 --> 00:34:12,183 And I have paid attention to your words so much. 618 00:34:12,183 --> 00:34:15,186 I even memorized what you said. 619 00:34:15,586 --> 00:34:16,921 And your words were so important to me. 620 00:34:16,921 --> 00:34:18,923 I just memorize them, but I translate them. 621 00:34:18,923 --> 00:34:21,225 I could tell you what you said in Greek. Isn't that impressive? 622 00:34:23,094 --> 00:34:25,663 What are you going to say as a parent? 623 00:34:25,663 --> 00:34:27,031 Right? 624 00:34:27,031 --> 00:34:28,232 I don't care, idiot. 625 00:34:28,232 --> 00:34:30,935 I didn't ask you to 626 00:34:30,935 --> 00:34:32,370 like, like go clean. 627 00:34:32,370 --> 00:34:35,373 Do what I said. 628 00:34:37,642 --> 00:34:39,911 And so many people. 629 00:34:39,911 --> 00:34:42,313 Lord, Lord, 630 00:34:42,313 --> 00:34:43,181 I heard what you said. 631 00:34:43,181 --> 00:34:45,116 I even memorized some of it. 632 00:34:45,116 --> 00:34:48,119 I studied it. 633 00:34:48,953 --> 00:34:49,954 I don't you didn't. 634 00:34:49,954 --> 00:34:52,957 You didn't do it. 635 00:34:54,625 --> 00:34:55,026 Great. 636 00:34:55,026 --> 00:34:57,261 Is the four. 637 00:34:57,261 --> 00:34:58,729 Many will think I'm. 638 00:34:58,729 --> 00:34:59,697 I'm coming to church. 639 00:34:59,697 --> 00:35:02,700 I'm learning what you said that that's good. 640 00:35:02,700 --> 00:35:04,735 And that's a start. 641 00:35:04,735 --> 00:35:07,738 But that ain't the end game. 642 00:35:11,476 --> 00:35:12,810 James 122. 643 00:35:12,810 --> 00:35:13,377 Don't be. 644 00:35:13,377 --> 00:35:16,380 Here's of the word and only and deceive yourselves. 645 00:35:16,380 --> 00:35:19,383 Do what it says. 646 00:35:22,220 --> 00:35:23,754 We have to get to the 647 00:35:23,754 --> 00:35:26,757 to the place where we do believe, 648 00:35:27,191 --> 00:35:30,628 so that we will belong to the family of God 100%. 649 00:35:31,329 --> 00:35:35,700 But after belonging to the family of God, just because we say the words Lord, Lord, 650 00:35:35,867 --> 00:35:40,004 then we become by the doing of the word 651 00:35:40,972 --> 00:35:43,975 a transformed person, 652 00:35:44,041 --> 00:35:47,478 a transformed husband, a transformed wife, a transformed 653 00:35:47,745 --> 00:35:51,382 son, daughter, student work, a transformed. 654 00:35:52,216 --> 00:35:55,820 And as you were transformed, we give what we have all our resource 655 00:35:55,820 --> 00:35:57,021 to the work of the Kingdom. 656 00:35:57,021 --> 00:36:00,258 When we go on mission with God. 657 00:36:05,463 --> 00:36:08,432 And that's how Jesus wraps up this 658 00:36:08,466 --> 00:36:11,102 sermon. 659 00:36:11,102 --> 00:36:13,604 And the results of it are profound. 660 00:36:13,604 --> 00:36:14,572 Look at what it says. 661 00:36:14,572 --> 00:36:18,242 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching 662 00:36:18,342 --> 00:36:21,879 for was teaching them as one who had authority and not as the scribes. 663 00:36:21,979 --> 00:36:24,315 What was so amazing about this method? 664 00:36:24,315 --> 00:36:26,150 What was so authoritative about this? 665 00:36:26,150 --> 00:36:28,452 Let me tell you, the other rabbis and teachers, 666 00:36:28,452 --> 00:36:31,489 all they did was simply quote other rabbis and teachers. 667 00:36:31,923 --> 00:36:33,858 They didn't stand on their own authority. 668 00:36:33,858 --> 00:36:37,061 They stood on this sort of what everybody had already said before them. 669 00:36:37,061 --> 00:36:41,098 Jesus spoke from his own authority, with his own inherent power and authority. 670 00:36:41,098 --> 00:36:42,266 Here's here's his point. 671 00:36:45,002 --> 00:36:46,938 Whenever God's Word, 672 00:36:46,938 --> 00:36:49,740 this God's Word is authoritative 673 00:36:49,740 --> 00:36:52,710 in and of itself. 674 00:36:52,910 --> 00:36:55,246 It doesn't need anything to authenticate it. 675 00:36:55,246 --> 00:36:56,147 It doesn't need any. 676 00:36:56,147 --> 00:36:58,616 It doesn't need to borrow the power from the anything else 677 00:36:58,616 --> 00:37:00,151 to be authoritative and powerful. 678 00:37:00,151 --> 00:37:01,786 This is it. 679 00:37:01,786 --> 00:37:04,789 And Jesus spoke with the authority of the Word of God. 680 00:37:04,855 --> 00:37:06,157 He didn't have to quote anybody. 681 00:37:06,157 --> 00:37:09,160 He was the Word of God. 682 00:37:10,561 --> 00:37:11,562 And as he taught 683 00:37:11,562 --> 00:37:14,599 with this type of authority, they had never heard such doctrine before. 684 00:37:15,299 --> 00:37:17,935 They had never heard says truth about the kingdom of God 685 00:37:17,935 --> 00:37:20,938 and what was required of the citizens of the kingdom of God. 686 00:37:21,105 --> 00:37:24,108 See, whenever God's Word is presented with 687 00:37:24,275 --> 00:37:28,846 with its own inherent power and authority, it is amazing. 688 00:37:28,846 --> 00:37:30,481 We don't have to fancy it up. 689 00:37:30,481 --> 00:37:32,850 We don't have to preach and teach for sound bites. 690 00:37:32,850 --> 00:37:34,852 We don't have to try to amaze people with it. 691 00:37:34,852 --> 00:37:36,721 It is amazing in and of itself. 692 00:37:39,156 --> 00:37:41,359 God's word is amazing in and of itself, 693 00:37:41,359 --> 00:37:45,363 and when we do it, we experience the amazing Kingdom of God 694 00:37:46,931 --> 00:37:49,934 and it's astounding. 695 00:37:50,735 --> 00:37:51,102 His whole 696 00:37:51,102 --> 00:37:54,438 Jesus boils down this whole thing with authority. 697 00:37:54,438 --> 00:37:57,174 He asked the question, 698 00:37:57,174 --> 00:38:00,177 have you decided to follow me? 699 00:38:02,780 --> 00:38:05,516 Not with lip service, 700 00:38:05,516 --> 00:38:07,818 not with what you claim, 701 00:38:07,818 --> 00:38:09,587 but with unquestioned devotion 702 00:38:09,587 --> 00:38:12,590 and obedience. 703 00:38:14,258 --> 00:38:17,261 I asked Jeff and Ali to sing this song 704 00:38:18,429 --> 00:38:19,563 for us and with us. 705 00:38:19,563 --> 00:38:22,433 At the end of this message, I'm. Invite them up. 706 00:38:22,433 --> 00:38:25,102 And I chose this song 707 00:38:25,102 --> 00:38:28,105 because I think it drives home 708 00:38:28,439 --> 00:38:31,475 what Jesus is demanding of us. 709 00:38:31,542 --> 00:38:34,545 At the end of his sermon. 710 00:38:34,979 --> 00:38:38,149 This song is derived from the words that were spoken 711 00:38:38,616 --> 00:38:41,619 during this event, and I'm going to tell you about 712 00:38:42,053 --> 00:38:44,355 how these words weren't spoken as a song. 713 00:38:44,355 --> 00:38:45,856 They were spoken as a declaration, 714 00:38:46,891 --> 00:38:47,425 and someone 715 00:38:47,425 --> 00:38:50,428 later came on and made these words a song. 716 00:38:51,362 --> 00:38:53,731 During the Welsh revival 717 00:38:53,731 --> 00:38:56,801 back in the turn of the century, early in 1900s, 718 00:38:58,536 --> 00:39:01,505 God's Spirit broke out in such profound ways 719 00:39:01,505 --> 00:39:05,242 amongst people that were called, they calling them to repentance 720 00:39:05,242 --> 00:39:08,512 and calling them to give all their lives to the service of the kingdom. 721 00:39:08,713 --> 00:39:12,650 And out of the results of the Welsh revival, all these, these men and women 722 00:39:12,750 --> 00:39:16,120 decided, God, I'm going to give my life to you on the mission field. 723 00:39:16,120 --> 00:39:20,725 And many of them their hearts were drawn to the area in North India 724 00:39:22,493 --> 00:39:25,496 that had not heard the gospel yet. 725 00:39:26,731 --> 00:39:29,033 And some of these missionaries were called 726 00:39:29,033 --> 00:39:33,104 by God to go to the Goro tribe in North India. 727 00:39:33,104 --> 00:39:37,208 They were a headhunter tribe, and their culture was such that 728 00:39:37,408 --> 00:39:39,910 when they would conquer people, they would cut off their heads 729 00:39:39,910 --> 00:39:41,812 and hang their heads around the village 730 00:39:41,812 --> 00:39:45,549 as symbols of their of their power and their might. 731 00:39:47,184 --> 00:39:49,920 And so these missionaries went to the Galle tribe, 732 00:39:49,920 --> 00:39:54,225 and they eventually gained the opportunity to talk to them about what 733 00:39:54,492 --> 00:39:57,595 the God who had changed their life in the person of Jesus. 734 00:39:58,896 --> 00:40:01,532 And it was during those conversations that one man 735 00:40:01,532 --> 00:40:04,535 named NOK Singh accepted Christ, 736 00:40:05,469 --> 00:40:09,106 and through him his wife and his two sons became Christ followers. 737 00:40:09,940 --> 00:40:13,077 And they were so overwhelmed with the message of the gospel 738 00:40:13,077 --> 00:40:15,045 and the truth of Jesus's life. 739 00:40:15,045 --> 00:40:17,181 Death is resurrection to be made new. 740 00:40:17,181 --> 00:40:20,484 They start to evangelize until everybody else in their tribe of the 741 00:40:20,551 --> 00:40:23,521 the Galle Headhunters about Jesus 742 00:40:24,455 --> 00:40:26,624 and the story of Jesus started to spread 743 00:40:26,624 --> 00:40:31,595 and it got to the the, the leader of the tribe and he was irate. 744 00:40:31,595 --> 00:40:33,330 They were evil, they were demonic. 745 00:40:33,330 --> 00:40:36,667 They had all this other religious beliefs, and they did not want the message 746 00:40:36,667 --> 00:40:42,473 of Jesus, this one savior, to override all their belief system. 747 00:40:42,473 --> 00:40:42,873 And so 748 00:40:43,974 --> 00:40:45,242 the leader of the tribe 749 00:40:45,242 --> 00:40:48,045 got knocked sing and his wife and his two sons, 750 00:40:48,045 --> 00:40:53,384 and brought him before the tribal council in the center of the of the tribe, 751 00:40:53,384 --> 00:40:58,289 and said, you must cease and stop talking about Jesus. 752 00:40:59,723 --> 00:41:02,359 And if you don't, 753 00:41:02,359 --> 00:41:04,995 we'll kill you. 754 00:41:04,995 --> 00:41:07,331 And in response 755 00:41:07,331 --> 00:41:10,134 not, Singh said these words, 756 00:41:10,134 --> 00:41:13,137 I have decided to follow Jesus. 757 00:41:13,938 --> 00:41:16,941 No turning back. 758 00:41:17,341 --> 00:41:20,344 And at that the chief gave the orders to the archers, and they drew back 759 00:41:20,344 --> 00:41:23,481 their their bows, and they shot both of his sons before his eyes, 760 00:41:24,782 --> 00:41:27,751 and his sons fell down dead in the dirt. 761 00:41:28,285 --> 00:41:30,788 He says, you must stop preaching. 762 00:41:30,788 --> 00:41:33,657 Jesus and not saying, look down. 763 00:41:33,657 --> 00:41:36,627 The story of history tells us he looked down at his sons in the dirt, 764 00:41:37,628 --> 00:41:39,597 and he looked up at the tribal leader. 765 00:41:39,597 --> 00:41:41,465 He said, 766 00:41:41,465 --> 00:41:44,468 though none will follow. 767 00:41:47,371 --> 00:41:50,374 Though none go with me. 768 00:41:51,976 --> 00:41:54,979 Still I will follow. 769 00:41:55,012 --> 00:41:58,015 No turning back. 770 00:41:59,083 --> 00:42:01,886 And at that the king, being irate, commanded. 771 00:42:01,886 --> 00:42:04,889 The archers pull back arrows and shoot his wife. 772 00:42:05,055 --> 00:42:07,658 And they did, 773 00:42:07,658 --> 00:42:10,661 and she fell down dead next to her sons, 774 00:42:12,029 --> 00:42:12,363 and not. 775 00:42:12,363 --> 00:42:16,200 Singh looked at his wife and his two sons, and then looked at the tribal leader. 776 00:42:18,302 --> 00:42:21,305 And he said these words, the cross before me, 777 00:42:21,372 --> 00:42:24,008 the world behind me. 778 00:42:24,008 --> 00:42:27,011 No turning back. 779 00:42:27,177 --> 00:42:28,946 And at that the tribal leader 780 00:42:28,946 --> 00:42:32,216 commanded the archers to put arrows in his body. 781 00:42:32,216 --> 00:42:34,351 And they did, 782 00:42:34,351 --> 00:42:37,354 and he perished. 783 00:42:37,788 --> 00:42:43,160 And in a moment of wonderment, the the story of history tells us that 784 00:42:43,160 --> 00:42:46,897 the King looked at NOK Singh and his wife and his two sons, and said, who would? 785 00:42:48,098 --> 00:42:50,100 Who would believe in 786 00:42:50,100 --> 00:42:54,204 in such a man so much that they would lay down their lives like this? 787 00:42:54,204 --> 00:42:58,943 This, and the start of this process in the leader. 788 00:43:01,345 --> 00:43:02,680 To investigate Jesus. 789 00:43:02,680 --> 00:43:05,082 And he came to faith, 790 00:43:05,082 --> 00:43:07,184 and through his faith the entire village 791 00:43:07,184 --> 00:43:10,187 accepted Christ. 792 00:43:11,488 --> 00:43:14,491 Because one man. 793 00:43:15,059 --> 00:43:16,660 Said, I have decided to follow Jesus. 794 00:43:16,660 --> 00:43:18,762 No turning back, 795 00:43:18,762 --> 00:43:20,731 though none go with me. Still I will follow. 796 00:43:20,731 --> 00:43:23,233 No turning back 797 00:43:23,233 --> 00:43:26,236 the cross before me, the world behind me. 798 00:43:26,971 --> 00:43:29,974 No turning back. 799 00:43:30,407 --> 00:43:33,243 And so Jesus has asked us, 800 00:43:33,243 --> 00:43:36,246 will you follow? 801 00:43:36,780 --> 00:43:39,750 Not with lip service. 802 00:43:40,050 --> 00:43:43,053 But every part of your life. 803 00:43:44,688 --> 00:43:47,691 Will you follow? 804 00:43:49,860 --> 00:43:50,894 To narrow gate. 805 00:43:50,894 --> 00:43:53,897 Only if you find it will you be one. 806 00:43:54,665 --> 00:43:56,867 As we sing this song, 807 00:43:56,867 --> 00:43:58,102 I'm not going to ask you to stand it. 808 00:43:58,102 --> 00:44:00,638 We're not going to close this service with a roar roar thing. 809 00:44:00,638 --> 00:44:02,139 It is. This isn't rah rah. 810 00:44:03,841 --> 00:44:04,208 This is. 811 00:44:04,208 --> 00:44:07,211 Lord, I need to do business in my own heart. 812 00:44:07,645 --> 00:44:09,313 And so as we sing this song, I'm 813 00:44:09,313 --> 00:44:12,316 not going to ask you to stand up until 814 00:44:13,083 --> 00:44:16,920 if and until you can sing these words 815 00:44:16,920 --> 00:44:19,890 as your declaration. 816 00:44:20,958 --> 00:44:22,026 I don't want you to stand and sing 817 00:44:22,026 --> 00:44:25,029 the song as we wrap up the service. 818 00:44:25,629 --> 00:44:28,632 If you choose. 819 00:44:29,400 --> 00:44:30,901 To sing the song, 820 00:44:30,901 --> 00:44:33,871 these words as a declaration. 821 00:44:34,471 --> 00:44:37,441 Then you stand up as your declarative statement. 822 00:44:39,243 --> 00:44:41,912 And again, please, I want to implore you in the name of Jesus, 823 00:44:41,912 --> 00:44:44,281 if you've made a decision to follow him, tell us. 824 00:44:44,281 --> 00:44:45,449 Tell some of these prayer people. 825 00:44:45,449 --> 00:44:48,686 Let us pray over you if you need prayer for something, 826 00:44:48,686 --> 00:44:51,855 don't leave this place without going to God with somebody. 827 00:44:55,893 --> 00:44:56,560 I've decided.