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Welcome to the Bridge Church VB Podcast, your weekly source for uplifting and transformative Sunday messages! Each episode features insightful, practical teachings rooted in Scripture, designed to inspire and guide you on your spiritual journey. Led by our passionate Lead Pastors, Archie and Tangie Callahan, we strive to create a welcoming environment that encourages individuals from all walks of life to connect with the person, power, and purpose of Jesus Christ.
In this podcast, we delve into relevant themes and timeless biblical truths that speak to the challenges and joys of everyday living. Whether you’re commuting, exercising, or simply seeking encouragement, our messages aim to empower you to grow in faith and discover your unique purpose.
Join our vibrant community of believers as we explore how to apply God’s Word in practical ways, fostering a deeper connection with Him and one another. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to enrich your life through these dynamic teachings. Connect with us and find out more at www.bridgechurch.tv!
0.000000 6.120000 Again, good morning and welcome to bridge church and once you take out your bibles and turn to Matthew chapter one
6.120000 11.440000 It's good to see you whether you're online or in the building my name is Archim lead pastor here
11.440000 14.600000 These guys did a great job. Didn't they man? That those guys can play
14.600000 22.840000 They took Psalm 150 very seriously, you know praise the Lord with a harp in the lyre amen and
22.840000 29.640000 They worship the Lord we just believe in worship because worship man really begins to form
29.640000 36.740000 Your world and we are called to be worshipers in fact all of us are worshipers every person in here
36.740000 39.240000 We're all worshipers
39.240000 41.440000 But not all of us are worshiping God
41.440000 47.000000 You hear that there was a there was a low tone
47.000000 52.920000 That's true everybody on planet earth is a worshiper
52.920000 57.920000 We just have to locate the object of our worship and for believers the object of our worship is
58.320000 65.520000 God Almighty a man who has revealed himself in the person of Jesus we continue the series called light your world and
65.520000 72.440000 We've been taking this series the main passage of scriptures out of Isaiah chapter nine and Isaiah's a prophet
72.440000 74.520000 prophesying under
74.520000 81.640000 Roman tyranny and he's prophesying of a better day coming to the nation of Israel and in verse two
81.640000 84.480000 It says this the people walking and darkness
84.920000 92.680000 Have seen a great light that great light is Jesus on those living in the land of darkness a light has
92.680000 96.360000 Don't today. I want to talk about the light of the world
96.360000 100.600000 We talked about the light of hope the light of peace the light of joy last week
100.600000 108.200000 We're gonna talk about the light of love today and we're gonna look at Matthew chapter one verse 21 and it says this
108.200000 112.160000 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about
112.840000 120.160000 I want you to notice something about Matthew Matthew focuses on Jesus. His focus is Jesus as the Messiah
120.160000 122.760000 He talked about that a whole lot
122.760000 131.640000 John who was John the revelator the forefront of Jesus the forerunner of Jesus he talked about Jesus being life and love
131.640000 139.240000 But Matthew talks about Jesus as the Messiah and he goes on to say this because Joseph her husband
139.480000 145.000000 God you got that right back there Joseph her this is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came up now
145.000000 150.100000 We're just making sure everybody's okay. His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph
150.100000 156.760000 But before they came together she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. That is kind of weird in it
156.760000 163.480000 We read the stories like their pristine. They they have no problems. Well think about that
163.480000 169.440000 She was pregnant through what the Holy Spirit because Joseph her husband was faithful to
169.440000 174.000000 The law and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace
174.000000 177.040000 He didn't want to disgrace her
177.040000 179.440000 He had in mind to divorce her what?
179.440000 185.320000 Quietly quietly he did it quietly, but after he had considered
185.320000 193.680000 He had considered this an angel of the Lord appeared to him and a dream and said Joseph son of David do not be afraid
193.680000 199.120000 Take Mary home as your wife because what is conceived in her is from
199.120000 207.680000 Who the Holy Spirit she will give birth to a son and you are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from
207.680000 210.200000 There since we're going to talk about
210.200000 216.660000 Love today the light of love. I remember years ago back in 1991
216.660000 225.480000 I heard a pastor a speaking on this subject and he began to talk about the love of God and he asked this question
226.720000 234.540000 To his congregation the people that were listening to him that day he says who can get into your circle of love
234.540000 242.820000 Who can get into your circle of love and he began to explain that that that love is is something that is
242.820000 248.220000 Bidled to the heart of God and sometimes we draw our circle of love to small
248.220000 256.700000 Sometimes our circle of love is is reserved for people that we're very close to and and people that look
256.700000 260.100000 Like us think like us dress like us and live where we live
260.100000 271.020000 But he began to expound on scripture saying that Jesus came to teach us how to draw our circle of love a lot larger than it
271.020000 277.720000 Presently is see love is a central theme in the Bible the Bible says that God is love
277.720000 282.620000 It doesn't say God loves it just says God is love
282.620000 291.060000 It means that that God's very nature is one of love and we need to be like God and love those that are around us
291.060000 296.220000 God is love and we must let his love shine brightly where through us
296.220000 300.940000 Through us we got to let it shine brightly through us
300.940000 309.020000 Mark chapter 12 says love the Lord God with all your heart with all your mind with all your soul and with all your strength
309.420000 314.340000 He says the second command is like the first but love your neighbor as
314.340000 317.020000 Yourself
317.020000 324.140000 Jesus came and redefined what it meant to be neighborly or who your neighbor was and the New Testament for the Jewish people
324.140000 329.740000 Their neighbor was just Jews the people that live next door to them the people that live down the street
329.740000 336.940000 But Jesus comes and he expands this thought of being neighborly to go beyond the boundaries of the Jewish nation
337.060000 344.260000 Over to the Samaritans to the Romans and all the known world and Jesus said I didn't just come for these people
344.260000 353.020000 I came for all people and we need to love each other. How many you know the proof of our Christian life
353.020000 360.700000 It is not how much money we give the proof of it is love they will know us by our love for one another
360.700000 364.940000 Let me ask you this are you having a hard time loving the people around you?
365.740000 368.580000 Are you having a hard time loving those people at work?
368.580000 374.260000 Are you having the hard time loving that person that cut you off at the mall to get a parking spot?
374.260000 381.060000 Are you having a hard time loving the person who's directing traffic in the parking lot here at bridge?
381.060000 386.300000 Do you get mad when they tell you to go all the way around the building to get to a spot that was
386.300000 392.220000 Ten yards from you, but you had to circle around and get there there is a there is a
392.740000 396.440000 Rhyme to the reason there's some madness that's going on out there
396.440000 401.820000 But it's the key people safe amen, and so we have to love one
401.820000 409.460000 Another you say what is love oftentimes in our culture love is reduced down to a feeling
409.460000 414.260000 an emotional feeling oh, I just love him I
414.260000 422.340000 Just love her and we reduce this thing down to these butterflies that are on the inside of us is this
422.620000 425.500000 Feeling but how many you know your feelings change quite often?
425.500000 430.340000 It changes like the weather in Virginia Beach
430.340000 435.060000 One day is 70 the next day is 19
435.060000 440.180000 That's the way our feelings are but in the new testament. It doesn't reduce
440.180000 445.820000 Love down to a feeling we begin to understand that love is a commitment
447.060000 454.120000 Love is deeper than a feeling it it overflows in a commitment and God is
454.120000 461.900000 Committed to the redemption of the world. He his love is one of commitment and Paul in the New Testament
461.900000 464.260000 He begins to define for us what love is
464.260000 471.420000 And first Corinthians chapter number 13. He gives us a 16-fold definition of love
471.420000 474.740000 He says if you don't have love you're just a noisy person
475.220000 481.940000 You're clinging symbol and he says this about love. He says love is patient. Now when I say love
481.940000 487.660000 I want you to put your name there put your name love is patient. Archie is patient sometimes
487.660000 497.220000 Sometimes not all the time look here love is patient love is kind. It does not envy love does not boast love is not proud
497.220000 499.700000 It is not rude is not self-seeking
499.700000 504.900000 It is love is not easily angered love keeps no records of wrongs
504.900000 513.460000 It's an old joke that a man came to the council and said councilor my wife is just
513.460000 517.580000 Historical he says you met hysterical. No, she is hysterical
517.580000 523.620000 Every time we get in a fight she brings up all these things. I've done 20 years into the past
524.980000 531.420000 Love keeps no records of what wrong love does not delight an evil, but rejoices with the truth
531.420000 536.260000 Love always protects love always trust love always hopes love always perseveres
536.260000 543.340000 Love never fails verse 13 now faith hope and love abide, but the greatest of these is
543.340000 545.380000 Love
545.380000 547.380000 Love is eternal
547.380000 549.380000 Love comes from God
549.700000 557.220000 First John talks about love in chapter four and chapter five that we first love God because he loved us
557.220000 566.540000 We love God because he first love does and and this is love that Christ laid down his life for his brother and and we're called to lay down
566.540000 571.300000 Our lives for one another that that's what true love is. It's it's willing
571.300000 573.860000 It's willing to give up its own right
573.860000 575.860000 It's willing to give up its own position
576.340000 584.460000 Willing to let other people first and and we have to be people that exude love. We have to shine brightly in a dark world
584.460000 592.700000 Where where love is needed and your love your love is needed the love that God has put in you is need it where you work
592.700000 599.780000 And where you shop and and where you live love is needed in fact and and over there Matthew
600.020000 606.100000 24 and Jesus says in the last days the love of many will grow what cold?
606.100000 614.060000 You know why it will grow cold in the last days because people will be become de-sensitized
614.060000 618.980000 We live in a world where you can watch somebody get murdered in real time
618.980000 625.580000 We live in a world where video games have become very realistic
626.420000 630.860000 In their debauchery and in their murder and in their
630.860000 633.540000 reveling and in their
633.540000 641.300000 Pushing down of people and so somehow even when we watch the news and we listen to the news
641.300000 643.300000 It doesn't impact us anymore
643.300000 645.700000 Why because we have become jaded
645.700000 648.980000 We have become hard and
649.540000 656.820000 And once again, we need the the presence of God to come into our hearts and soften our hearts and make our hearts
656.820000 663.620000 Pliable help us to love one another. I believe we need to weep with people who weep
663.620000 667.620000 And we need to rejoice with people who rejoice
667.620000 674.660000 And so this love the Bible says has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit
675.140000 680.820000 So if I'm filled with the Holy Spirit the fruit of the spirit is love
680.820000 685.860000 I know we say it's love joy peace patience goodness kindness meekness self-control
685.860000 690.180000 But how many you know all those others are wrapped up in love
690.180000 697.460000 If I've got love I'm going to be gentle if I've got love I'm going to be kind if I've got love
697.460000 704.100000 I'm going to be good so love is is the supreme thing is the eternal thing is the thing that will last
704.340000 711.140000 It actually reflects the nature of God into the world and we need to be people of love
711.140000 713.140000 You say pastor you don't know the people I work with
713.140000 717.220000 You don't know the people that live in my home
717.220000 721.220000 You don't know the crazy people in the river bro driving
721.220000 724.740000 You don't know all these crazy. Yeah, I shop
724.740000 729.140000 I drive on the roads. How many know I'm in the people business
729.140000 733.460000 People can be weird
734.340000 736.340000 They can be fickle
736.340000 739.780000 They can be cray cray
739.780000 747.140000 Like they think I'm Jesus and I can save the world
747.140000 753.380000 And all that pressure is dumped on pastors I live in the same world you live in I pay taxes
753.380000 759.460000 I've got a house payment. I've got a car payment. I've got kids in college
759.460000 762.580000 They have cash app
763.300000 765.300000 I
765.300000 772.180000 I've got grandkids. I've got grown kids that still think they should get big gifts for christmas
772.180000 776.420000 We live in a crazy world
776.420000 785.140000 But we have to love and we have to say lord help me to love the unloving
785.140000 788.340000 Now we get back to Matthew
788.340000 790.580000 Matthew
790.580000 795.620000 With a tax collector more than that he was a Jewish tax collector
795.620000 798.980000 He was hated by his fellow Jews
798.980000 803.220000 He was helping
803.220000 805.220000 Roman government
805.220000 809.140000 To tax his fellow people
809.140000 813.220000 Tax collectors were the
813.220000 817.620000 The waste of society they were looked down on they were hated
818.260000 824.820000 By the people in society because they always overtaxed so they could cut some money off the top and live wealthy
824.820000 828.260000 Matthew
828.260000 832.740000 Being a tax collector was approached by Jesus and Jesus said come follow me
832.740000 840.340000 His name is also Levi. He leaves his tax collecting business and begins to follow
840.340000 843.300000 Jesus
843.300000 847.380000 He gives us an account of the birth of Jesus
848.260000 852.100000 The surrounding temperature when Jesus was born
852.100000 855.140000 It's a little bit different than Luke chapter 2
855.140000 860.340000 Luke chapter 2 gives us an account of the birth of Jesus through the eyes of Mary
860.340000 863.460000 This gives us the account through the eyes of Joseph
863.460000 868.500000 How many you know marries account and Joseph's account is totally different
872.020000 878.100000 Mary's account is all about angels and the Holy Spirit and I'm the chosen one
878.100000 884.100000 Joseph's account is him having to believe that Mary's pregnant and has never been with a man
884.100000 891.460000 That's totally two different
891.460000 893.300000 Viewpoints in it
893.300000 896.100000 Matthew gives us the genealogy
896.100000 899.540000 That comes all the way to Joseph in Bethlehem
901.300000 905.780000 He gives us the genealogy starting out with Abraham
905.780000 910.180000 So Abraham and then you have David
910.180000 916.100000 Then you have Babylon which is the captivity of the Israelites in the Babylon and then you have Jesus
916.100000 920.180000 There are 14 generations between Abraham and David
920.180000 925.700000 King David there are 14 generations between King David and Babylon
925.700000 930.340000 There are 14 generations between Babylon and Jesus that's 42 generations
930.500000 935.060000 So he gives us a 42 generational genealogy of Jesus
935.060000 942.580000 Jesus is called the son of David the son of Abraham goes all the way back 42 generations
942.580000 948.420000 But if I were Matthew there were some people I would never put in the genealogy of Jesus
948.420000 951.460000 I would try to hide some of those folks
951.460000 955.060000 And you know you got people in your family you try to hide
955.060000 959.380000 You don't introduce some of the weird people of your family to other people
960.180000 964.500000 But but but Matthew doesn't leave some of these critters out
964.500000 968.900000 He brings into this genealogy
968.900000 971.300000 Look here. He brings Jacob
971.300000 974.420000 Jacob was a swindler
974.420000 976.260000 He was a trickster
976.260000 978.500000 He was crazy. I would have left him out
978.500000 984.420000 He brings David. I know all y'all think David was righteous, but David was a peeping Tom
984.420000 989.220000 He would have been arrested
989.940000 991.940000 in our debt
991.940000 997.300000 He had incest in his family
997.300000 1000.500000 He commits adultery
1000.500000 1005.540000 He kills you rather hit high that she was husband and hides it
1005.540000 1008.500000 He's in the genealogy of Jesus
1008.500000 1012.820000 I think I would have hid David
1012.820000 1016.020000 I think I would have just left him out. I would have skipped him
1016.020000 1018.820000 No, I'm not gonna write that down
1019.780000 1021.300000 And then there's another one
1021.300000 1024.180000 This one's a lady
1024.180000 1027.380000 Ray Havne
1027.380000 1030.020000 A prostitute
1030.020000 1033.220000 I want you to look what Matthew's doing
1033.220000 1036.420000 He's putting a trickster
1036.420000 1041.060000 An adulterer and a prostitute in the genealogy of Jesus
1041.060000 1046.020000 You thought you had some weird folk in your genealogy
1048.340000 1051.860000 Why was he doing that? Why did why is that
1051.860000 1054.740000 Inspired in scripture
1054.740000 1063.300000 It tells us that Jesus was not afraid to be numbered among the transgressors
1063.300000 1067.540000 That he wasn't scared to have jacked up people in his family
1067.540000 1070.660000 That's why he came into the world
1070.660000 1076.580000 To save a Abraham to save a Jacob to save a David to save a Ray Havne
1077.380000 1081.540000 He came to save those people that were sick those people that were lost
1081.540000 1083.940000 Those people that needed to be redeemed
1083.940000 1088.980000 And that's why he came and sometimes we we try to get our lives so pristine
1088.980000 1093.140000 That that we can't relate to people that are hurt and down and out
1093.140000 1096.820000 And addicted and bruised and battered and divorced
1096.820000 1101.220000 But Jesus is not is not scared to be associated with those people
1101.220000 1103.220000 And Matthew the task collector writes this
1103.220000 1107.060000 So he gives us a view
1107.860000 1109.300000 Of Jesus's birth
1109.300000 1114.100000 Through his own eyes and in this story in Matthew
1114.100000 1117.220000 We see a love that is revealed
1117.220000 1119.700000 A love that is demonstrated
1119.700000 1122.420000 And they love that saves
1122.420000 1126.180000 Love reveal look what it says in verse 20
1126.180000 1132.340000 But after he had considered this an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream
1132.340000 1136.580000 And said Joseph son of David do not be afraid to take Mary home
1136.580000 1138.420000 As your wife
1138.420000 1143.700000 Because what is conceived in her is from what the Holy Spirit
1143.700000 1146.980000 Now I know
1146.980000 1150.420000 Man, I don't know if I could have been Joseph
1150.420000 1155.620000 This 1314 year old comes to me and says
1155.620000 1158.260000 I'm already betrayed to her legally he's already
1158.260000 1161.780000 bound himself to this lady
1162.740000 1167.860000 In Jewish custom there was three parts to a wedding first there was the engagement
1167.860000 1171.140000 Then the betrothal which was a legal contract
1171.140000 1175.700000 And then the marriage which was one year after being betrayed
1175.700000 1180.100000 So he's legally bound himself to this woman
1180.100000 1182.740000 Mary
1182.740000 1184.980000 Mother Mary
1184.980000 1188.420000 And she comes to him and says I'm pregnant
1188.420000 1192.660000 But it's not what you think
1192.740000 1194.740000 I
1194.740000 1197.780000 Been with no man
1197.780000 1200.660000 Now I was born at night, but not last night
1200.660000 1204.660000 I don't know what I would have said
1204.660000 1210.260000 I wish Matthew would have went in greater detail and gave us some of the words that Joseph spoke
1210.260000 1213.380000 I wish it had gave him some of the thoughts he had
1213.380000 1220.340000 See we we make Joseph pristine we make him real clean we we make him real holy
1220.660000 1223.860000 I don't know any man that would not have said something
1223.860000 1231.780000 Any man in here y'all would have y'all would have y'all would interrogate it Mary wouldn't you I would have I was there what you talking about
1231.780000 1235.780000 There ain't but one way to get pregnant Mary
1235.780000 1242.100000 But he I'd never heard this before Mary are you crazy?
1242.100000 1246.260000 I'm going to take you to the hospital
1247.540000 1249.540000 A mental one
1249.540000 1254.820000 You are having a mental breakdown something's wrong upstairs, baby
1254.820000 1261.780000 You telling me you pregnant and you've never been with a man over here in Nazareth and galley
1261.780000 1265.140000 I'd be asking every man hey
1265.140000 1267.860000 You know Mary
1267.860000 1274.660000 Have you have you seen her slipping out at night anywhere
1276.340000 1280.980000 Just tell me I'll pay you I'll pay the price I'd have been all over Nazareth
1280.980000 1285.220000 I'd have been all over the region of galley man. I I would have thrown a fit
1285.220000 1293.300000 See we think Joseph was this quiet little dignified holy of a man. I don't believe it was like that
1293.300000 1300.740000 I believe he had some questions. He had some I think he had some even when the angel I know the angel showed up to it
1300.740000 1304.900000 But even after the angel appeared I believe he had some questions
1305.460000 1309.620000 I'm on I'm gonna do what you say but man, I don't know
1309.620000 1313.300000 I'm going I'm on I'm gonna stay
1313.300000 1317.140000 But I don't know stay with her Joseph stay with her
1317.140000 1323.460000 What's what's happening to her is is is conceived in her by the Holy Spirit
1323.460000 1327.460000 I understand what you're saying angel Gabriel your good guy, but I'm still confused
1327.460000 1331.220000 But you know just let me process this he was like every man
1331.220000 1334.020000 It takes him a little bit to process. It's like when your wife comes this
1334.180000 1336.500000 Let's get a $80,000 vehicle hold up
1336.500000 1340.660000 Give me 18 days to process this
1340.660000 1344.740000 And I'll come back with an answer. Oh, we need to write it hold up
1344.740000 1350.420000 Let me process. I believe he had to take some time to process what was going on with him
1350.420000 1354.420000 He finally gave in to the plan of God
1354.420000 1360.500000 But what we see is love revealed not just God's love for us by sending his son
1360.740000 1364.020000 But Joseph's love to love Mary
1364.020000 1368.500000 unconditionally
1368.500000 1371.860000 Even though he couldn't understand everything with his mind
1371.860000 1378.020000 See in the New Testament we have some Greek words that mean love
1378.020000 1382.980000 I don't translate well in English sometimes
1382.980000 1387.140000 The first one is Falea which is a friendship type of love
1387.140000 1390.100000 It's like I got friends man. I love my friends. You know
1390.500000 1392.340000 I love my peeps
1392.340000 1393.860000 My groupies
1393.860000 1395.700000 Yeah, I love them
1395.700000 1402.420000 Then you have this other word eros which is an erotic love. It's a passionate love between love us amen
1402.420000 1408.180000 Then you have this store gay love which is family love which is a
1408.180000 1414.020000 A natural love for family members. Hey man. I hadn't seen my family in a long time
1414.020000 1419.940000 But when you get together you can feel the love. Hey man. Don't touch my family. We gonna fight. I love my family
1420.900000 1424.340000 Don't look at my mom wrong. We're gonna fight. Amen. I love my mom
1424.340000 1430.740000 I said famous store gay love and then you have this agape love which is this unconditional
1430.740000 1434.500000 sacrificial love of God
1434.500000 1443.460000 That God was willing to send his son and and and and Joseph has this unconditional love this agape loves
1443.460000 1449.700000 I believe it was a supernatural love that that was revealed in this passage of scripture to
1449.700000 1458.820000 Mary because he had to walk with his lady. She was probably looked at by society and looked down on but other ladies and and they heard the story
1458.820000 1465.380000 I know they didn't have Facebook and they didn't have text and they didn't have Twitter or X
1465.380000 1469.540000 I know they didn't have Instagram, but guess what they had tell a woman
1469.540000 1476.020000 That was before telephone
1476.340000 1483.700000 That news traveled all through Galilee and around Nazareth. It was just like traveling and so people knew that
1483.700000 1488.580000 Joseph was with a woman who was mad. She said she pregnant but she hadn't been with a maid
1488.580000 1492.820000 So he had to keep loving this girl
1492.820000 1494.820000 Keeps loving this girl
1494.820000 1500.660000 So it was revealed at that moment that Joseph really loved marrying but it had to be demonstrated also
1501.220000 1507.060000 See love not only is revealed but it's demonstrated often go to my wife and say baby. I love you
1507.060000 1512.740000 Well, you're so fine. You're just like wine. You get better with age. Hey, man
1512.740000 1516.180000 You know what she says? Show me
1516.180000 1520.500000 Show me you love me
1520.500000 1523.460000 Show me
1523.460000 1525.620000 Prove it
1525.620000 1528.660000 Demonstrate it stop the jabber
1529.140000 1531.140000 It
1531.140000 1537.620000 Prove it and I believe love has to be demonstrated look what Matthew 121 says
1537.620000 1541.380000 She will give birth to a son and you are to give him the name
1541.380000 1544.420000 Jesus
1544.420000 1547.460000 God
1547.460000 1549.460000 Demonstrates his love
1549.460000 1553.860000 The eternal
1553.860000 1556.180000 Becoming a baby
1556.340000 1558.340000 and
1558.340000 1561.300000 Some aspects
1561.300000 1564.260000 Mary gives birth to God
1564.260000 1567.540000 The one who created her
1567.540000 1572.900000 God becoming man
1572.900000 1575.940000 The eternal becoming temporal
1575.940000 1580.100000 The divine becoming human
1580.100000 1584.500000 That is the mystery of the incarnation
1585.540000 1587.540000 Of God into the world
1587.540000 1596.740000 That God somehow could become man fully man and live out our experience so that love could be demonstrated
1596.740000 1605.460000 If God would have stayed in heaven and never came into our world there would be no demonstration of the love of God and God would not be love
1605.460000 1615.520000 So he he demonstrates his love by coming into this world and coming to us when we couldn't get to him
1615.680000 1619.360000 He demonstrates this unique love that he has
1619.360000 1626.960000 You will give him the name Jesus the name Jesus means y'all way is salvation
1626.960000 1635.360000 Josephus and historical writings that he has he mentioned 12 different Jesuses during that time
1635.360000 1640.320000 So Jesus was not a unique name many people had the name of Jesus
1640.320000 1642.800000 But everybody knew this Jesus
1643.600000 1653.840000 We know this Jesus we know the one that that God is sent to save us he will save his people from what their sins
1653.840000 1659.520000 He comes to us and he saves us
1659.520000 1663.360000 So this love has to be demonstrated can I ask you this?
1663.360000 1667.040000 How are you demonstrating the love of God to your neighbors?
1670.080000 1672.240000 I'll never see my neighbors they never come out of their home
1672.240000 1680.080000 We live in a world where people don't come out of their house because everything they need is at the touch of the finger
1680.080000 1685.520000 You can get your groceries delivered you can get your shoes delivered you can get your
1685.520000 1688.480000 Your clothes delivered
1688.480000 1690.960000 And never come out
1690.960000 1693.600000 But we're not called to live like that
1693.600000 1697.280000 Because redemption is relational
1699.760000 1705.680000 Meaning that I have to step out of where I'm at and become relational to the people around me
1705.680000 1709.680000 If I'm going to bring redemption if I'm going to bring the light of love to people
1709.680000 1714.720000 I can't cocoon in my home I have to get outside and that's what bridge churches all about
1714.720000 1719.200000 It's about building bridges and connecting all people to the person power and purpose of Jesus
1719.200000 1724.800000 It's about reaching outside of the walls. That's why we have cameras and that's why we go into all the world
1724.800000 1729.680000 That's why we do Christmas outreaches that touch 73 kids that we're not going to get Christmas
1729.680000 1735.680000 Now this Christmas they're going to have Christmas 53 seniors and cypress point a living home
1735.680000 1742.560000 Assistant living home are going to get gifts and and be minister to why because love gives love has to be demonstrated
1742.560000 1750.800000 That's why we receive a Christmas offering to reach beyond the walls of this church. I want to encourage you
1750.800000 1753.520000 You said pastor. I don't have any money this Christmas. Do you have 50?
1758.960000 1763.040000 Everybody gives different levels but everybody has to sacrifice
1763.040000 1772.960000 It got quiet in here why because when you when you touch the God or the idol of money people get quiet
1772.960000 1781.760000 The gospel is free, but it takes money to get it out there
1781.760000 1788.160000 That's why we do the Christmas offer it reaches beyond this building
1788.880000 1790.880000 It reaches church planning
1790.880000 1794.880000 Missionaries around the world. It reaches into the unwed mother's home
1794.880000 1801.440000 It reaches into the prices crisis pregnancy center. It reaches pin ministries people in need ministries
1801.440000 1804.960000 It reaches down into restoring hope center in North Carolina
1804.960000 1811.440000 It reaches down into curta county where we help with human trafficking all that last Christmas
1811.440000 1816.880000 We gave 100,000 dollars away to strategic partners outside of this building
1817.360000 1819.360000 Helping people that are in need
1819.360000 1821.840000 Why because love has to be demonstrated
1821.840000 1829.760000 It has to be demonstrated if it's not demonstrated. It's not true love
1829.760000 1833.040000 Love was revealed
1833.040000 1839.280000 Love was demonstrated and there's a love that saves I love that word saves
1839.280000 1844.480000 Can I tell you something about salvation
1846.640000 1853.520000 Salvation is not a one-time event where I come and shake a pastor's hand
1853.520000 1858.560000 It's an everyday thing
1858.560000 1869.840000 Because in reality we can say it like this. I am saved. I made the commitment to follow Jesus
1869.840000 1871.920000 He's giving me a new heart
1871.920000 1875.680000 That's the New Testament. He takes out my heart of stone. He gives me a heart of flesh. So I can obey him
1875.680000 1880.320000 He gives me a new attitude. He gives me all this new thing so I can obey him
1880.320000 1885.760000 But though I've been saved I am deemed saved every day
1885.760000 1890.560000 Because if we were really real in church
1890.560000 1895.680000 We would really understand that there are parts of me that are more saved than other parts
1900.320000 1904.720000 Some of us yet we know we're saved in our heart. It just hasn't got to our tongue yet
1904.720000 1909.680000 Whoo
1909.680000 1914.320000 We use words
1914.320000 1918.880000 That are unholy why because we're not truly totally saved
1918.880000 1923.520000 But we are being saved to the level we submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in our lives
1923.520000 1930.160000 I mean, we shouldn't be able to bless God with this tongue and then turn around and curse men
1930.160000 1934.160000 Who are made in his image. I love James. Don't you? That's the book of James
1934.160000 1937.920000 He's a hard hitter. He punched you in the mouth and just watch you believe
1937.920000 1946.560000 You know men are good at this. We're compartmentalized man
1946.560000 1950.160000 We have our business life, our married life, our father life
1950.160000 1955.440000 We have our hobby life and we have a life we don't want anybody to know about and we compartmentalize this
1955.440000 1958.880000 But salvation has to reach every compartment of your life
1960.000000 1968.320000 Every part of your life so I'm saved being saved and ultimately will be saved glorified when I get to heaven
1968.320000 1972.080000 Notice what he says he will save his people who's his people
1972.080000 1979.760000 Is he talking about the Jews there? No, his people is the world. That's why he came and and said man for God
1979.760000 1985.760000 So love the world that he gave is one and only something that who's so ever believes in him will not perish
1985.760000 1991.760000 But have everlasting life he will save all of humanity from their sins
1991.760000 1998.560000 What sin has he saved us he saves us from the penalty of sin
1998.560000 2005.840000 You know what the penalty of sin for all his sin and falling short of the glory of God the wages of sin is what
2005.840000 2010.320000 Death that's the penalty of sin is death
2011.440000 2016.640000 See oftentimes as parents we tell our kids we want you to be good little boys and girls
2016.640000 2019.600000 And we think
2019.600000 2024.160000 The whole gospel is about being good or evil. No, it's about life and death
2024.160000 2030.560000 I you know what I teach our kids if you're gonna make a decision don't make don't base it on good and evil
2030.560000 2035.520000 Based it on life or death is that decision you're gonna make is it gonna produce life and you are death in you
2037.600000 2043.760000 You'll totally think a different way because the reality is the gospel the whole Bible is about two trees
2043.760000 2047.760000 It's about the tree of the knowledge of getting the evil and the tree of life. Which tree are you gonna eat from?
2047.760000 2053.200000 Jesus is the tree of life
2053.200000 2060.080000 So we we make decisions based on him so he has freed us from the penalty of sin number two the power of sin
2060.080000 2063.200000 When you come to Christ
2063.920000 2070.480000 And he recreates your spirit and gives you a new heart the power of sin is broken over your life
2070.480000 2079.680000 But you've got to realize that by becoming a disciple of Christ. You say pastors the Bible talk about that. Yes, Romans
2079.680000 2083.440000 Amen, I'm glad you ask
2083.440000 2091.440000 He said present the members of your body as instruments of unrighteous of righteousness and not unrighteousness
2091.920000 2098.800000 The power it's dominion over your life because you have become a child of God has been broken over your life
2098.800000 2107.360000 How do I know that collotions one 13 and 14 he rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the sun
2107.360000 2110.240000 He loves and whom we have redemption the forgiveness of sin
2110.240000 2115.840000 So the power of sin has been broken through the death barrel and resurrection of Jesus Christ and my
2116.240000 2121.760000 acceptance of that through faith that I don't have to be bound every day of my life
2121.760000 2128.320000 Jesus didn't come just to give you a fire insurance so you can stay bound till you get to heaven
2128.320000 2131.440000 He came to free you through the gospel
2131.440000 2137.040000 But that takes a little bit of effort on my part not trying to get free
2137.040000 2140.640000 But just understanding what Jesus did by reading the New Testament
2142.480000 2148.400000 Look here not only they free me from the penalty and the power of sin
2148.400000 2152.240000 But finally from the presence of sin when does that happen
2152.240000 2156.560000 When I die and he gives me a glorified body
2156.560000 2159.440000 That's going to be a beautiful day
2159.440000 2163.760000 Some of you might not die you might go when Jesus returns
2163.760000 2166.320000 You might be called up with him in the heavens
2166.320000 2169.200000 But that's going to be a glorious day
2169.360000 2173.840000 He's not going to come destroy the earth he's going to recreate if he's going to make the heavens new
2173.840000 2176.720000 And the earth knew and there's going to be no more sin
2176.720000 2179.760000 That's a beautiful thing there's going to be no people fighting
2179.760000 2183.680000 There's you're not going to be mad at your siblings you're not going to be mad at your parents
2183.680000 2188.480000 Parents are not going to be fighting you'll have to pay no more taxes government will not be corrupt
2188.480000 2191.920000 He's going to recreate make all things that's a beautiful thing
2191.920000 2197.120000 You won't have to watch Fox News or CNN there be no need for all that garbage no conflict
2197.120000 2204.560000 No distortion of the truth they'll just be a pure earth a pure cosmos a pure feeling
2204.560000 2209.200000 He's going to deliver us from the very presence of sin
2209.200000 2212.640000 It's going to be beautiful
2212.640000 2214.720000 That's going to be a beautiful day
2214.720000 2216.880000 I'm longing for that
2216.880000 2225.520000 That the penalty and the power and the very presence of sin
2226.480000 2228.880000 swallowed up in the victory of the resurrection
2228.880000 2233.840000 The birth of Jesus would be no good without the resurrection
2233.840000 2239.840000 Without the resurrection we would not even be meeting here today
2239.840000 2243.600000 We're meeting because the tomb is empty
2243.600000 2248.320000 Our faith is powerful because the tomb is empty
2248.320000 2251.600000 My preaching is powerful because the tomb is empty
2252.240000 2254.800000 I have new life because the tomb is empty
2254.800000 2257.280000 I have redemption because the tomb is empty
2257.280000 2259.600000 I can be healed because the tomb is empty
2259.600000 2262.400000 I can be free because the tomb is empty
2262.400000 2266.560000 I am free because of what Jesus did on the cross
2266.560000 2269.120000 He died a brutal cruel death
2269.120000 2273.200000 So I can live a new life in him for the resurrection
2273.200000 2277.920000 It's reaching out to you today
2278.160000 2285.840000 There is a love that's been revealed
2285.840000 2289.920000 There's a love that's been demonstrated
2289.920000 2292.640000 There's a love that saves
2292.640000 2297.120000 Roman says this
2297.120000 2302.800000 God demonstrates his own love toward us in that while we were yet sinners
2302.800000 2305.840000 Christ died for us
2306.720000 2311.920000 He didn't die for you when you made it to church enough times be worthy of it
2311.920000 2316.640000 He didn't die for you when you stopped cussing
2316.640000 2320.560000 Now he died for you when you were a sinner
2320.560000 2324.240000 When I was a sinner
2324.240000 2327.280000 I deserved the penalty of sin
2327.280000 2333.680000 But he himself on the cross died
2334.720000 2336.320000 So I could live to righteousness
2336.320000 2343.840000 46 years ago
2343.840000 2346.960000 I was a young whipper snapper
2346.960000 2353.120000 It was with a friend and we were fishing
2353.120000 2357.440000 A best friend, Octavish Johnson
2357.440000 2360.240000 Lives in Atlanta, Georgia now
2362.880000 2366.560000 We were fishing in an old pond, actually an irrigation hole for a farm
2366.560000 2369.840000 It was very hot
2369.840000 2373.200000 Said I'm gonna swim, I jumped in and swam to the other side
2373.200000 2376.080000 Got up on the other side, jumped back in and swam to where he was
2376.080000 2379.200000 I had shorts on
2379.200000 2382.240000 He decided he wanted to swim to the other side and come back
2382.240000 2385.440000 But he jumped in with
2385.440000 2388.320000 Blue jeans on and a shirt
2389.200000 2394.480000 He swam to the other side, he was a great athlete, athlete, he was a great baseball player, basketball player
2394.480000 2401.600000 Octavish got to the other side, turned and threw up a fist and victory that he made it and he jumped back in
2401.600000 2404.400000 But on the way back
2404.400000 2406.960000 He lost all energy
2406.960000 2409.200000 It's blue jeans
2409.200000 2411.200000 Wading him down
2411.200000 2413.200000 shirt weighing him down
2413.200000 2416.320000 And he began to bob up and down
2417.200000 2420.400000 Like a cork gasping for breath
2420.400000 2424.640000 I panicked, really did, I panicked, I'm like
2424.640000 2426.960000 Watching my best friend die
2426.960000 2433.120000 And I went to jump in and something stopped me
2433.120000 2441.440000 It was just like God stopped me, I think God has angels that doesn't
2441.440000 2446.560000 I came to my senses, an immediate split second, if I jump in he'll drown me
2447.520000 2448.960000 I was only about 14 years old
2448.960000 2453.760000 And I looked around frantically while he's he drowning
2453.760000 2455.440000 And I find this long stick
2455.440000 2461.200000 That walk down in the water and push it way out as far as I extended as far as I could go
2461.200000 2464.000000 Because that irrigation pond dropped straight down
2464.000000 2467.440000 There was a ledge that you could walk on but it would drop straight down I would be under
2467.440000 2469.600000 I reached out
2470.880000 2477.040000 And in his fraling and panicking and and desiring life he reaches out and he grabs that stick
2477.040000 2482.240000 And holds on to that like a rat terrier holding on to a rat
2482.240000 2485.120000 And I pulled him in
2485.120000 2491.840000 He laid on that bank coffee spitting up water
2491.840000 2497.840000 You know what that is? It's a picture of people
2499.040000 2502.720000 sinking in sin without Jesus
2502.720000 2510.880000 And just as those pants, blue jeans and shirt weighed him down
2510.880000 2519.280000 Our sin without Jesus weighs us down into the myry pit of death
2519.280000 2524.800000 And Jesus was born in Bethlehem
2526.560000 2532.480000 Not just so we could be nostalgic and gather around a little manger
2532.480000 2537.440000 No, he did that so that we could be saved
2537.440000 2541.200000 Delivered, set free
2541.200000 2544.960000 And just as I reached out that stick to my friend
2544.960000 2548.640000 God's reaching out a cross to you today
2548.640000 2550.400000 A wooden cross
2550.400000 2552.880000 And it's through the cross
2552.880000 2555.760000 It's through what Jesus did, his death bearing resurrection
2556.560000 2557.760000 That we are saved
2557.760000 2560.000000 God
2560.000000 2563.040000 Demonstrates it by sending his son
2563.040000 2569.520000 By allowing his son to die. It wasn't just his son. You can say it this way. And God came
2569.520000 2572.960000 himself
2572.960000 2576.640000 And he died from me
2576.640000 2582.240000 Won't just stand please. I want you to bury his
2582.240000 2588.800000 This is not a religious game
2588.800000 2592.880000 Please nobody walk and just just stay where you're at
2592.880000 2597.120000 This is not a time to go use the bathroom
2597.120000 2602.560000 So not a time to go get another sip of coffee. I don't mind you bringing coffee in
2602.560000 2607.040000 But there's something greater than all that right this moment
2607.040000 2609.760000 It's the salvation of your soul
2610.240000 2613.200000 The penalty of sin
2613.200000 2616.880000 Swallowed up at the cross
2616.880000 2623.120000 So how do I receive that by faith we're saved by grace through faith
2623.120000 2627.040000 This power has
2627.040000 2629.440000 But I thank you that while we were yet sinners
2629.440000 2632.480000 Christ died for us
2632.480000 2635.200000 Love prevailed
2635.200000 2637.200000 Love won
2637.200000 2639.360000 And love wins today
2639.360000 2641.014625 [Music]