WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:22.260 Hi, and welcome to the Willow Ridge Church weekly podcast. 00:00:22.780 --> 00:00:25.880 This is where you can find audio for our current and past sermons. 00:00:26.080 --> 00:00:30.420 We hope that you enjoy this week's installment, and be sure to check back next week to hear 00:00:30.420 --> 00:00:31.260 the latest message. 00:00:31.680 --> 00:00:32.460 Thanks for listening. 00:00:44.300 --> 00:00:45.140 Good morning. 00:00:46.020 --> 00:00:48.040 Glad that you guys are here with us today. 00:00:48.140 --> 00:00:52.820 If you've got your Bible, go ahead and open it up to 2 John is where we're going to be. 00:00:52.820 --> 00:00:57.260 I want to thank Dave for speaking for me last week, sharing God's Word. 00:00:57.760 --> 00:01:03.360 I was off having the wonderful privilege of suffering for the Lord in West Virginia, skiing 00:01:03.360 --> 00:01:05.180 with our middle schoolers and high schoolers. 00:01:05.500 --> 00:01:07.280 It was a wonderful experience. 00:01:07.380 --> 00:01:07.980 It was great. 00:01:08.260 --> 00:01:12.960 I had the opportunity to laugh and tell some stories with some parents and some grandparents 00:01:12.960 --> 00:01:18.480 this morning, just how wonderful and funny their kids are, whether they meant to be funny 00:01:18.480 --> 00:01:18.980 or not. 00:01:19.020 --> 00:01:23.560 It was just a wonderful time of together, but you know, it's good. 00:01:23.640 --> 00:01:29.720 It took till about Friday of this week for my soreness to get gone, and so it seems like 00:01:29.720 --> 00:01:35.320 every year out of my 30s is another day that it takes to recuperate from something like that. 00:01:35.860 --> 00:01:39.860 I was telling Dave, I don't know if you know this or not, Dave's a little bit older than 00:01:39.860 --> 00:01:46.520 me, and so, sorry Dave, and I came in, and Dave's always going skiing with us, and Dave's 00:01:46.520 --> 00:01:48.860 a phenomenal, phenomenal skier. 00:01:49.620 --> 00:01:52.720 Like Dave zipping down through the mountain, Chad Frye's seen him. 00:01:52.740 --> 00:01:53.580 He knows what it's like. 00:01:53.660 --> 00:01:57.940 Just watching Dave go through the body control, just it is fantastic. 00:01:58.760 --> 00:02:01.520 But I walked in, kind of had this little limp going on. 00:02:02.860 --> 00:02:04.320 I said, Dave, let me tell you what happened. 00:02:05.260 --> 00:02:06.300 I said, I got hurt. 00:02:07.520 --> 00:02:08.500 He said, what happened? 00:02:09.620 --> 00:02:12.900 I said, well, I went down to Black Diamond, and I went down to Black Diamond four times 00:02:12.900 --> 00:02:17.240 with students, teaching them how to do a Black Diamond. 00:02:18.020 --> 00:02:18.900 And it wasn't that. 00:02:20.180 --> 00:02:21.260 He said, well, what happened? 00:02:22.280 --> 00:02:25.560 I said, I was out at the lodge, and if you've been to Winter Place before, you know there's 00:02:25.560 --> 00:02:29.460 the lodge, and you have to ski down this little hill to get to the ski lifts. 00:02:29.460 --> 00:02:35.680 I was out at the lodge, and I laid my skis down, and I took my left boot, and I clicked 00:02:35.680 --> 00:02:36.020 in. 00:02:36.940 --> 00:02:38.480 I took my right boot, and I clicked in. 00:02:39.560 --> 00:02:45.180 I took my ski poles and put them in my left hand, and I thought, let me see what Twitter's 00:02:45.180 --> 00:02:52.760 got to say as I go forward down this little hill that anybody can do. 00:02:53.880 --> 00:02:58.120 And so I'm standing there like this, and I take the poles, and I push off. 00:02:58.640 --> 00:03:01.500 And all of a sudden, this beautiful thing called gravity kicked in. 00:03:02.380 --> 00:03:07.840 And I had not clicked in my right boot all the way because of the ice that was frozen 00:03:07.840 --> 00:03:08.400 on the bottom. 00:03:09.640 --> 00:03:19.220 And as ungracefully as it could be, I simply just went, thunk, and looked at my wife and 00:03:19.220 --> 00:03:23.020 said, that hurt, as she laughed. 00:03:25.020 --> 00:03:30.060 And then, till Friday, right here, my hip hurt. 00:03:30.380 --> 00:03:34.800 So, you know, it's no great story of this jump that I was doing. 00:03:35.340 --> 00:03:40.140 It was simply a fat old man standing on the side of a slope looking at his phone when his 00:03:40.140 --> 00:03:41.980 ski came off, and he fell over. 00:03:42.160 --> 00:03:43.920 That's my story of the ski trip. 00:03:44.000 --> 00:03:46.340 But it was a wonderful, wonderful time together. 00:03:46.980 --> 00:03:51.760 I told Dave, and then Dave looked at me, and Dave's kindness and compassion and grace and 00:03:51.760 --> 00:03:54.640 said, Bo, it doesn't get better, right? 00:03:54.720 --> 00:03:58.760 So that's the bit of encouragement that I leave you with this morning. 00:03:59.260 --> 00:04:03.080 And some of you have already learned that life lesson, and some of you are going to learn 00:04:03.080 --> 00:04:04.940 it shortly as I'm learning it right now. 00:04:05.000 --> 00:04:05.920 It just doesn't get any better. 00:04:06.520 --> 00:04:10.720 Well, we are, we're in the last two weeks of this study in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John. 00:04:10.800 --> 00:04:12.500 So this week, we'll look at 2nd John. 00:04:12.580 --> 00:04:13.940 Next week, we'll look at 3rd John. 00:04:14.280 --> 00:04:17.400 And then I'm excited, on March 12th, we're going to begin this journey. 00:04:17.520 --> 00:04:19.940 And I say journey, because it's going to take us a while to do it. 00:04:19.980 --> 00:04:22.360 We're going to go through the book of Genesis together. 00:04:22.500 --> 00:04:26.160 Now, we'll take some strategic breaks as we walk through Genesis together. 00:04:26.160 --> 00:04:30.880 We'll take breaks around Easter, graduate recognition, different times at work, and we have 00:04:30.880 --> 00:04:31.840 guest speakers. 00:04:32.100 --> 00:04:36.940 But to really dive through, I've been spending a lot of time over the last several months 00:04:36.940 --> 00:04:42.160 reading through 1st, 2nd, and, well, I'm sorry, Genesis 1 and 2, studying creation. 00:04:42.240 --> 00:04:44.560 I got 1st and 2nd stuck in my brain with John right now. 00:04:44.780 --> 00:04:49.840 But reading Genesis 1 and 2 and studying creation, just all the beauty of what God teaches us about 00:04:49.840 --> 00:04:54.260 Himself and His love for us and His plan and redemption as we look at Genesis. 00:04:54.260 --> 00:04:55.560 So we're excited about that. 00:04:56.240 --> 00:05:00.900 There's also, there's another announcement that I'm going to share with you guys this morning 00:05:00.900 --> 00:05:01.700 that didn't make it. 00:05:01.800 --> 00:05:03.980 Because we're working out the details this week. 00:05:04.040 --> 00:05:07.200 But we will be doing an adult mission trip this spring. 00:05:07.720 --> 00:05:12.900 So if you want to jot these dates down, we're going to do an information meeting coming up soon. 00:05:13.080 --> 00:05:15.600 But I want to get these dates out to you for you to be thinking about it. 00:05:15.660 --> 00:05:20.000 On May 17th through the 22nd, so that's a pretty quick trip that we're going to do. 00:05:20.060 --> 00:05:22.140 That's a Wednesday through a Monday. 00:05:22.560 --> 00:05:28.100 We're going to send a small team from Willow Ridge to Salt Lake City to work with Dustin 00:05:28.100 --> 00:05:30.440 Stotman and Hope Valley Church. 00:05:30.500 --> 00:05:38.000 We're going to be doing some outdoor relational evangelism outreach with them there. 00:05:38.360 --> 00:05:38.840 It was funny. 00:05:38.920 --> 00:05:39.820 He and I were talking. 00:05:40.840 --> 00:05:43.680 And I don't know about y'all, but it got hot here this week, right? 00:05:44.100 --> 00:05:46.680 So I was talking to Dustin and I was like, how do these dates work? 00:05:46.700 --> 00:05:48.060 We were looking at a bunch of different times. 00:05:48.440 --> 00:05:52.260 And he said, you know, these dates would really be good toward the middle of May. 00:05:52.340 --> 00:05:56.560 And he said, because there'll be people coming out to parks in the evening time. 00:05:56.640 --> 00:05:59.840 Because, you know, up until then, it's been a little too cold to do that. 00:06:00.480 --> 00:06:01.920 So here's what I'm offering you. 00:06:02.880 --> 00:06:09.800 When it's 105 degrees here in the shade, go to Salt Lake City and serve the Lord in a nice 00:06:09.800 --> 00:06:11.180 70 degree evening, okay? 00:06:11.460 --> 00:06:13.740 That's what you'll have the opportunity to do. 00:06:13.820 --> 00:06:17.580 So if you're interested in that, we'll have a sign up for the interest meeting. 00:06:17.900 --> 00:06:22.180 But if you would like to let me know, like Dave said, I'll be back in the back and you 00:06:22.180 --> 00:06:22.900 can share that with me. 00:06:22.980 --> 00:06:23.320 Excited. 00:06:23.520 --> 00:06:25.060 It's a wonderful trip. 00:06:25.140 --> 00:06:28.060 If you've been on many mission trips, it's a wonderful one to go on. 00:06:28.280 --> 00:06:31.900 If this is your first time going on a mission trip, be a wonderful trip. 00:06:32.160 --> 00:06:35.500 Basically, what we'll do is we'll do ministry Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. 00:06:35.680 --> 00:06:36.880 We'll worship with them Sunday. 00:06:37.180 --> 00:06:42.300 Spend some free time around the greater Salt Lake area Sunday afternoon to Sunday evening. 00:06:42.660 --> 00:06:44.780 And then we'll return on Monday morning. 00:06:44.780 --> 00:06:46.940 And so a wonderful time to do that. 00:06:47.220 --> 00:06:51.140 So, but let's go ahead and we're going to jump into 2 John. 00:06:51.260 --> 00:06:57.140 Now, we're going to do 2 John a little differently than we did as we had sections that we could 00:06:57.140 --> 00:06:58.820 break 1 John into. 00:06:59.300 --> 00:07:01.660 2 John is really short. 00:07:01.800 --> 00:07:05.980 So here at the beginning of the message, we're going to read all the way through with taking 00:07:05.980 --> 00:07:11.500 some breaks and talking a little bit about what John is writing about to give us context. 00:07:11.500 --> 00:07:15.740 But then we're going to come back at the very end, kind of the last quarter of the message 00:07:15.740 --> 00:07:21.040 and really dive into the first four verses of 2 John. 00:07:21.140 --> 00:07:25.360 So let's just go really quick, four sections that we're going to read and talk through this. 00:07:25.420 --> 00:07:31.320 So John is going to begin in these first three verses by giving us his greeting to the recipients 00:07:31.320 --> 00:07:32.240 of this letter. 00:07:32.740 --> 00:07:33.800 John writes and says, 00:07:33.800 --> 00:08:00.480 grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father's Son in truth and love. 00:08:00.480 --> 00:08:05.120 So here we have the introduction, the greeting of this letter. 00:08:05.260 --> 00:08:06.480 So here's who John's talking about. 00:08:06.520 --> 00:08:09.280 We see some names, but we don't see the name. 00:08:09.420 --> 00:08:10.940 So who's writing this? 00:08:10.960 --> 00:08:13.940 So John is writing this and John is the elder. 00:08:14.300 --> 00:08:20.580 Now we don't necessarily believe that John is the elder of the church that he is writing to as we have elders of our church. 00:08:20.700 --> 00:08:24.780 But think of this in a large structure sense like a denomination. 00:08:25.040 --> 00:08:32.680 And so John is an elder that is over, that has authority, that speaks to many different churches. 00:08:32.680 --> 00:08:35.180 And so John is the elder who is writing. 00:08:35.580 --> 00:08:38.720 Now the elect lady is the church as a whole. 00:08:38.880 --> 00:08:46.620 So instead of writing to the name of this church or the name of churches in a region that we see in a lot of Paul's letters, 00:08:47.040 --> 00:08:53.960 John writes and uses a theological term of the elect and the lady, the bride of Christ, is the church. 00:08:54.200 --> 00:08:58.180 And then her children are those who make up the church. 00:08:58.280 --> 00:09:02.340 And so this is who is going to receive this letter from John. 00:09:02.440 --> 00:09:05.760 Now in this, John says who the true church is. 00:09:05.780 --> 00:09:09.080 And it's going to be very important as we read down through this. 00:09:09.080 --> 00:09:15.960 It's not just, well, if you attend, if you've associated, if you say that this is where you are. 00:09:16.280 --> 00:09:20.400 But John defines this a little bit of saying who the church is. 00:09:20.740 --> 00:09:25.900 They are those whom he loves in truth and those who know the truth. 00:09:27.440 --> 00:09:30.760 And the truth that we are talking about is the truth of the gospel. 00:09:30.880 --> 00:09:31.740 It's going to be the standard. 00:09:32.920 --> 00:09:34.200 It's not the truth of facts. 00:09:34.280 --> 00:09:35.780 It's not the truth of circumstances. 00:09:36.240 --> 00:09:37.680 But it's the truth of the gospel. 00:09:37.680 --> 00:09:40.680 It's what identifies us as a body of believers. 00:09:41.020 --> 00:09:44.460 It's what identifies this church as a body of believers. 00:09:44.620 --> 00:09:46.240 It is the truth of the gospel. 00:09:46.600 --> 00:09:49.860 And this truth in many ways has been attacked. 00:09:50.020 --> 00:09:57.200 Now, kind of alluded to this here, this truth that he speaks to is more than what is known. 00:09:57.440 --> 00:09:57.740 Right? 00:09:58.160 --> 00:09:59.120 More than what is known. 00:09:59.320 --> 00:10:02.820 Like, we can speak about truths of things that we know. 00:10:03.760 --> 00:10:09.660 Like, I can tell you that I know for a fact a truth is that it is cold in Antarctica. 00:10:09.920 --> 00:10:11.600 And I believe that. 00:10:11.800 --> 00:10:12.880 I've seen pictures. 00:10:13.100 --> 00:10:14.220 I've read stories. 00:10:14.380 --> 00:10:16.140 I know the facts of Antarctica. 00:10:16.140 --> 00:10:20.840 But I haven't experienced that myself to speak from experience. 00:10:21.360 --> 00:10:22.820 And so John writes this. 00:10:23.040 --> 00:10:30.640 He says that truth is more than what is known because he defines truth as the truth that abides in the believer. 00:10:31.920 --> 00:10:32.080 Right? 00:10:32.500 --> 00:10:38.580 And because this truth abides in the believer, it permeates their whole existence. 00:10:39.960 --> 00:10:50.680 So from their head to their toes, to their thoughts, to their mind, to their will, in all of these, the truth abides in them. 00:10:51.680 --> 00:11:00.520 And so there's no part of their being, of who they are, that this truth does not impact, that this truth does not reach. 00:11:01.800 --> 00:11:07.100 And John says in this introduction that this truth is an eternal truth. 00:11:07.240 --> 00:11:09.060 It's a not-changing truth. 00:11:09.320 --> 00:11:10.920 It's a not-dying truth. 00:11:11.220 --> 00:11:14.320 This truth lives forever, is what John says. 00:11:15.320 --> 00:11:18.240 And then at the end of this greeting, John gives a promise. 00:11:19.460 --> 00:11:20.580 Grace, peace, and mercy. 00:11:21.860 --> 00:11:30.460 Grace, peace, and mercy will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father, Son, in truth and love. 00:11:30.560 --> 00:11:32.500 So that this is what you want. 00:11:32.600 --> 00:11:33.560 This is what you desire. 00:11:33.640 --> 00:11:37.260 You desire the grace of God, the peace of God, the mercy of God. 00:11:37.260 --> 00:11:50.580 Because God is the one who gives these, and we're promised them when we remain in him, when we remain in the truth, and we remain in the love, that this abiding is what we see. 00:11:51.500 --> 00:11:52.460 So this is the introduction. 00:11:53.300 --> 00:11:59.300 A lot of truth, a lot of love, a lot of promises, a lot of encouragements, as John Wright says. 00:11:59.380 --> 00:12:00.240 So let's look. 00:12:00.280 --> 00:12:02.420 He gives an exhortation in verses 4 through 6. 00:12:03.940 --> 00:12:09.480 He says, I rejoice greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth. 00:12:09.560 --> 00:12:12.420 And remember, he's talking to the church as a whole. 00:12:12.540 --> 00:12:20.080 So he says, I find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. 00:12:21.000 --> 00:12:29.280 And now I ask you, dear lady, not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning, and that we love one another. 00:12:29.920 --> 00:12:32.780 And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments. 00:12:32.780 --> 00:12:39.300 And this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. 00:12:39.400 --> 00:12:45.220 Now, this is really a neat letter, and it's different from sometimes things that we see. 00:12:45.520 --> 00:12:48.840 This is an exhortation that John is giving. 00:12:49.060 --> 00:12:54.080 Now, there's going to be a piece of a rebuke that comes out of John's warning that he gives. 00:12:54.160 --> 00:13:03.780 But as he writes to those that are going to be reading this letter, this is not from a heart of John of I've got you, a rebuke of coming to you. 00:13:03.780 --> 00:13:13.160 But instead, what we see from within the midst of this church, we find these children, and here we see John's pleasure with them. 00:13:13.480 --> 00:13:19.880 And he shares that he's rejoicing as he has received the news of them. 00:13:19.880 --> 00:13:26.560 Now, the news that he has received is news that has come out of not a great situation. 00:13:27.360 --> 00:13:31.780 The news that he receives is that there's been a division in the church. 00:13:32.020 --> 00:13:33.520 There's been trouble in the church. 00:13:33.860 --> 00:13:39.660 We've seen in 1 John where the heretics, and there's the divide and the division that takes place. 00:13:39.900 --> 00:13:41.260 And so that's what's been set. 00:13:41.500 --> 00:13:49.200 And so 2 John has then written to them that many people, as he's found out, have left to follow these false teachings. 00:13:49.620 --> 00:13:52.120 There's many who have bought into the heresies. 00:13:52.400 --> 00:13:55.740 There's many who have rejected the biblical Christ that we know. 00:13:55.740 --> 00:14:02.900 But John rejoices in those who have remained faithful to the truth. 00:14:03.680 --> 00:14:10.200 And then we see in these verses, we see some writing that's very similar to 1 John. 00:14:10.300 --> 00:14:13.680 He says, not a new commandment, but one from the beginning. 00:14:13.980 --> 00:14:16.680 Not a new commandment, but the one that you know. 00:14:16.820 --> 00:14:17.260 To what? 00:14:17.380 --> 00:14:18.720 To love one another. 00:14:19.020 --> 00:14:20.260 To love one another. 00:14:20.260 --> 00:14:22.840 And then in verse 6, he explains that. 00:14:22.900 --> 00:14:30.700 What I spoke about a couple weeks ago, that love is an obedience to the Lord. 00:14:30.900 --> 00:14:32.440 It's an obedience to God. 00:14:32.740 --> 00:14:33.400 And so this is what we talked about. 00:14:33.460 --> 00:14:35.880 How do I love the Lord? 00:14:36.080 --> 00:14:38.840 How do I love others? 00:14:39.000 --> 00:14:45.260 What that is summed up in is not some earthly definition of what love looks like. 00:14:45.340 --> 00:14:47.000 But John says it in 1 John. 00:14:47.000 --> 00:14:53.720 He says it again in 2 John, that if you want to love God, if you want to love others, then his words here are, 00:14:54.360 --> 00:15:03.120 He says it again in 2 John, that if you want to love others, you want to love others, you want to love others, you want to love others, you want to love others. 00:15:03.120 --> 00:15:04.180 That's how you love the Lord. 00:15:04.980 --> 00:15:07.860 You're obedient to him. 00:15:08.640 --> 00:15:13.740 But in verses 7 through 11 here, John's going to give us his warning. 00:15:13.980 --> 00:15:15.420 He says, 00:15:15.420 --> 00:15:15.580 He says, 00:15:15.580 --> 00:15:19.680 For many deceivers have gone out into the world. 00:15:20.820 --> 00:15:25.160 Those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. 00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:29.340 Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. 00:15:30.320 --> 00:15:37.220 Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. 00:15:38.180 --> 00:15:43.660 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ does not have God. 00:15:44.580 --> 00:15:48.100 Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 00:15:49.300 --> 00:15:58.980 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting. 00:15:59.720 --> 00:16:04.520 For whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works. 00:16:06.440 --> 00:16:11.180 And these are some harsh words and some warnings that John gives us. 00:16:13.260 --> 00:16:15.760 What you see is he describes the deceivers. 00:16:16.580 --> 00:16:20.280 They're the ones who at one point in time were a part of the community. 00:16:20.620 --> 00:16:22.780 They would define themselves as a part of the church. 00:16:23.040 --> 00:16:25.060 They would define themselves as believers in Christ. 00:16:25.360 --> 00:16:26.340 But they have left. 00:16:26.640 --> 00:16:30.160 And their break in which they have left is over doctrine. 00:16:30.380 --> 00:16:32.840 Now here's the issue that's fleshing out. 00:16:32.840 --> 00:16:35.360 This is the issue that's coming forth in this. 00:16:35.620 --> 00:16:41.220 Is they refuse to acknowledge that Jesus Christ came in flesh. 00:16:41.600 --> 00:16:42.580 They refuse to acknowledge. 00:16:42.820 --> 00:16:46.660 They believe that Jesus is spirit and spirit alone. 00:16:46.960 --> 00:16:52.780 But to do that would be to reject the humanity of Christ, which is what they are doing. 00:16:53.080 --> 00:16:55.960 And so in doing that, they don't acknowledge the humanity. 00:16:55.960 --> 00:17:00.100 You can't acknowledge the humanity and the deity of coming together to be the person. 00:17:00.360 --> 00:17:01.560 Fully God, fully man. 00:17:01.680 --> 00:17:03.640 It's what we know who Christ is. 00:17:03.820 --> 00:17:05.000 And so these are the deceivers. 00:17:05.340 --> 00:17:09.520 This is the antichrist that he speaks of as they're there. 00:17:09.740 --> 00:17:11.240 And so John warns them. 00:17:11.300 --> 00:17:13.520 He says, watch for yourself. 00:17:14.920 --> 00:17:24.040 And I don't know that there's ever been a point in time in my life when you look at the world that labels itself as Christians, 00:17:25.080 --> 00:17:30.260 that these two words don't stand more truth than they do today. 00:17:31.400 --> 00:17:33.200 Watch yourself. 00:17:35.880 --> 00:17:47.480 In a world where we can jump on YouTube and pull up any heresy that's proclaimed by a pastor who claims to know Jesus but is broken from false doctrine, we can do it. 00:17:49.040 --> 00:17:57.860 We can allow it to permeate and penetrate our hearts and our families and our small groups and our churches. 00:17:59.440 --> 00:18:03.920 And John says, watch for yourself. 00:18:05.160 --> 00:18:10.200 He says, watch your belief so that you don't wander from the faith. 00:18:11.100 --> 00:18:12.860 Watch what you know. 00:18:13.240 --> 00:18:14.940 Watch what Scripture says. 00:18:15.260 --> 00:18:19.440 Cling to this so that you don't wander from this. 00:18:19.800 --> 00:18:25.860 But also watch your belief to protect what he says what we have worked for. 00:18:26.200 --> 00:18:27.280 What are they working for? 00:18:28.240 --> 00:18:30.580 They're working for the spread and for the kingdom of God. 00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:33.840 They're working for the mission of God so that those will be known. 00:18:34.440 --> 00:18:39.100 They're working for the name of Christ to be exalted. 00:18:39.940 --> 00:18:45.140 And that when we break from this, that where we can bring damage to is the mission of God. 00:18:45.420 --> 00:18:51.660 And then he says, and those who wander from the truth, they don't have God. 00:18:54.120 --> 00:19:03.460 And so when right doctrine, I don't care how entertaining they are to listen to. 00:19:04.840 --> 00:19:07.220 I don't care how good they make you feel. 00:19:08.380 --> 00:19:12.180 I don't care about the emotions that they can bring on to you. 00:19:13.680 --> 00:19:24.660 When right doctrine doesn't match right doctrine of the word, they've wandered from the truth. 00:19:26.540 --> 00:19:31.100 John's words, the words of God, they don't have God. 00:19:32.680 --> 00:19:34.740 And so he gives warnings. 00:19:35.940 --> 00:19:39.060 And his warnings are a picture of hospitality. 00:19:40.820 --> 00:19:45.440 And this picture is like, don't offer them this. 00:19:45.820 --> 00:19:50.280 It's so dangerous of what they claim. 00:19:50.520 --> 00:19:53.680 It's so dangerous of what they're teaching. 00:19:53.680 --> 00:20:02.580 That John says, the best thing you can do for the work of God, the best thing you can do for your soul is you reject them. 00:20:03.440 --> 00:20:04.740 You reject them. 00:20:05.120 --> 00:20:06.260 You cast them out. 00:20:06.560 --> 00:20:11.880 You allow them to wander in their sins and their lies and their deceit. 00:20:12.240 --> 00:20:17.820 And in that, maybe what God's word teaches us, that they can be brought back in. 00:20:19.560 --> 00:20:22.180 But John says, no, we've got to be careful. 00:20:23.300 --> 00:20:24.800 We've got to watch this. 00:20:25.940 --> 00:20:29.620 And then John gives his closing, verses 12 through 13. 00:20:30.840 --> 00:20:36.760 He says, though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. 00:20:38.180 --> 00:20:41.460 Instead, I hope to come to you and talk face to face. 00:20:42.240 --> 00:20:48.800 So that our joy may be complete, the children of your elect sister greet you. 00:20:49.360 --> 00:20:50.540 And I love this. 00:20:50.940 --> 00:20:59.900 Because as we read John and we see John in the Gospels and we see this loving characteristic that just flows from him. 00:21:00.320 --> 00:21:02.880 He's like, you know, I could write more to you guys. 00:21:03.540 --> 00:21:05.700 There's so much more that we could talk about. 00:21:06.700 --> 00:21:07.620 But here's the deal. 00:21:07.640 --> 00:21:08.620 I don't want to do it on paper. 00:21:09.400 --> 00:21:11.060 I want to do it face to face. 00:21:12.240 --> 00:21:15.360 In his longing of being there with them. 00:21:16.160 --> 00:21:20.900 So in these four sections, and then we're going to move to these first four verses. 00:21:22.100 --> 00:21:24.580 Here's what John is pressing toward. 00:21:25.860 --> 00:21:32.140 He says, the basis for our relationship, both between John and the church, 00:21:33.280 --> 00:21:37.620 which is the basis for our relationship, is the truth of God. 00:21:38.680 --> 00:21:38.940 That's it. 00:21:38.960 --> 00:21:39.600 That's why we gather. 00:21:40.480 --> 00:21:41.400 That's why we're here today. 00:21:42.200 --> 00:21:44.800 That's why the Bible defines us as brothers and sisters in Christ. 00:21:45.780 --> 00:21:48.820 We're not here because of some secular movement. 00:21:49.520 --> 00:21:51.180 We're not here because of a program. 00:21:51.920 --> 00:21:54.080 We're not here because of a trip we can offer. 00:21:55.120 --> 00:22:00.000 We're here, and the basis of our relationship is the truth of God. 00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:03.120 And then the second one, John says, well done. 00:22:03.720 --> 00:22:04.440 Well done. 00:22:05.060 --> 00:22:06.320 Because here's what you've done. 00:22:07.440 --> 00:22:11.340 Those few who are left, those few who have gone through the battle, 00:22:12.080 --> 00:22:14.560 is you've stood up for truth. 00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:17.340 Now continue in it, right? 00:22:17.760 --> 00:22:22.120 It's you've gone through the battle, but there's more battle to come. 00:22:23.800 --> 00:22:31.340 So persevere, endure, and in that, right, and in that is the affirmation. 00:22:33.080 --> 00:22:41.320 John says that there's deceivers, and what they want to do is they want to pull you away from truth. 00:22:41.860 --> 00:22:42.960 That's where Satan works. 00:22:44.420 --> 00:22:48.020 That's his attack of mankind in the garden. 00:22:49.080 --> 00:22:51.220 He wants to pull you away. 00:22:51.780 --> 00:22:53.420 Did God really say? 00:22:54.980 --> 00:22:57.320 Does God's word really say? 00:22:58.600 --> 00:23:01.140 Did Paul really mean that for today? 00:23:02.780 --> 00:23:04.560 Did Jesus really mean? 00:23:06.240 --> 00:23:13.620 Let me take you from a standard and move you one step away, and one step away, and one step away. 00:23:13.880 --> 00:23:19.240 And what seems like inches becomes miles like that. 00:23:20.680 --> 00:23:22.120 And so he warns them. 00:23:22.200 --> 00:23:30.420 He says, they're trying to pull you away, and this is so dangerous, what John says. 00:23:31.540 --> 00:23:46.000 The one who says love, but they're my neighbors, but they're my neighbors, but have no association with them. 00:23:46.680 --> 00:23:49.980 But you don't understand, we were in a group together, have no association with them. 00:23:51.180 --> 00:23:52.600 They've wandered from the truth. 00:23:52.600 --> 00:23:53.180 They've wandered from the truth. 00:23:53.180 --> 00:23:58.420 They've taken others from the truth, have no association with them. 00:23:58.540 --> 00:24:02.100 And then John says, he longs to be there with them. 00:24:02.100 --> 00:24:02.860 Why? 00:24:02.860 --> 00:24:04.700 For truth. 00:24:05.660 --> 00:24:07.000 I have more to say. 00:24:08.140 --> 00:24:09.720 More to talk about. 00:24:10.460 --> 00:24:13.740 There's more truth that we can sit down and unpack together. 00:24:14.860 --> 00:24:25.720 And so John's emphasis in these 13 verses that we see in God's word of what we find here is John's emphasis is on truth. 00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:35.100 And so what I want us to do is try to look at and understand truth and then how truth applies to our life based off of these four verses. 00:24:35.160 --> 00:24:38.360 So let's reread 2 John verses 1 through 4 again. 00:24:39.960 --> 00:24:40.420 It says, 00:24:40.420 --> 00:24:49.760 The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth, 00:24:50.400 --> 00:24:55.440 because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever, 00:24:56.320 --> 00:25:04.260 grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son in truth and love. 00:25:05.160 --> 00:25:12.700 And I rejoice greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth just as we were commanded by the Father. 00:25:13.500 --> 00:25:18.960 One of the things that I do that I had a seminary professor teach me a long time ago, right? 00:25:18.960 --> 00:25:27.580 I was very young in my faith and very raw in ministry and was getting in and trying to understand how to study and accurately teach the Bible. 00:25:27.840 --> 00:25:30.500 And he was teaching me just all certain things to look out for, right? 00:25:30.540 --> 00:25:32.300 I've been a believer for less than two years. 00:25:32.560 --> 00:25:37.800 And he reminded me of the beauty of repetition, that when you see a word written over and over and over again, 00:25:38.100 --> 00:25:40.780 pause because we may need to see what that word means. 00:25:40.960 --> 00:25:46.420 And so I want to encourage you that in these four verses what we see is the word truth written five times. 00:25:46.420 --> 00:25:55.060 And so what we can draw from this is we've seen this whole letter from the skyscraper down view, right? 00:25:55.320 --> 00:26:01.220 As we see truth that's there, we want to dive in and understand that biblical truth as the standard. 00:26:01.620 --> 00:26:04.680 So let's talk about this word truth for the next 15 minutes. 00:26:05.600 --> 00:26:06.620 This word truth. 00:26:07.620 --> 00:26:10.520 What do we mean when we say truth? 00:26:11.480 --> 00:26:12.600 I speak truth. 00:26:13.260 --> 00:26:14.680 I'm going to tell you the truth. 00:26:15.820 --> 00:26:16.820 What do we mean? 00:26:17.300 --> 00:26:22.500 Does that mean differently for us as believers when we talk about biblical truth? 00:26:22.500 --> 00:26:29.880 Because here's what I'm saying, biblical truth, when we talk about biblical truth, we are talking about more than simple honesty. 00:26:30.760 --> 00:26:33.400 Now, we're not talking against honesty, right? 00:26:33.960 --> 00:26:34.960 That's not what I'm saying. 00:26:35.960 --> 00:26:46.640 But the simple statement of true facts, whether they're biblical or circumstantial, when we talk about biblical truth, it's more than that. 00:26:47.820 --> 00:26:56.540 It's more than a repetition of things that we know, that we've been told, that we've been talked into believing. 00:26:56.540 --> 00:27:07.300 It's more than a simple moment with speaking of a factual existence of what is happening and taking place in the current day in which we find ourselves. 00:27:07.880 --> 00:27:15.860 When we talk about biblical truth, we're talking more than about simple, the knowledge of facts. 00:27:19.520 --> 00:27:21.320 There's a professor at Harvard. 00:27:22.620 --> 00:27:24.500 There's a professor of New Testament theology. 00:27:26.600 --> 00:27:40.920 I would argue with you that he knows more knowledge and facts of the Bible than anyone I've ever been around, anyone I've ever read. 00:27:42.180 --> 00:27:45.480 He can quote more scripture than anyone that I know. 00:27:47.200 --> 00:27:50.120 The problem is, he's agnostic. 00:27:52.920 --> 00:27:57.000 So, he can state facts about the Bible. 00:27:58.680 --> 00:28:01.940 He can explain the knowledge of those. 00:28:03.720 --> 00:28:07.480 But when we talk about biblical truth, it's more than that. 00:28:08.740 --> 00:28:16.880 When we talk about biblical truth, it is the moral concept that is rooted in God's character. 00:28:18.640 --> 00:28:21.520 Biblical truth is who God is. 00:28:22.360 --> 00:28:30.660 And so, with this, when we submit in obedience to biblical truth, we're submitting in obedience to God. 00:28:32.280 --> 00:28:38.860 So, when I say, Lord, this is your plan, this is your will, this is what you desire for my life, 00:28:39.000 --> 00:28:41.720 I'm not submitting to a rule. 00:28:42.760 --> 00:28:45.380 I'm not submitting to a standard. 00:28:45.380 --> 00:28:49.840 I am submitting to him because he is truth. 00:28:51.320 --> 00:28:52.660 This is the submission to him. 00:28:52.660 --> 00:29:04.500 So, on the other side of the coin for that, in our moments of rebellion, when we reject biblical truth, we're rejecting God. 00:29:06.120 --> 00:29:14.180 God, I know, right, this is what you call me to, but I'm going to do something different. 00:29:15.740 --> 00:29:21.540 Right, that seems, that seems less threatening than heresies, doesn't it? 00:29:23.660 --> 00:29:24.700 But it's the same. 00:29:26.540 --> 00:29:37.200 God, I know that you actively desire and call me to this truth, but Lord, I'm going to reject it and pursue what I have. 00:29:38.040 --> 00:29:46.080 And in that, where we begin is these side shuffles away from truth. 00:29:47.660 --> 00:29:49.880 The warning in which John gives us. 00:29:51.020 --> 00:29:54.600 So, let's look at knowing biblical truth, knowing biblical truth. 00:29:54.720 --> 00:30:05.340 Here in these four verses, truth here, the word that's used five times, carries with it two variations of meanings. 00:30:05.580 --> 00:30:09.320 Now, I want to kind of clarify with that really quick, okay, because that can get confusing. 00:30:10.200 --> 00:30:11.680 It's the same word. 00:30:12.340 --> 00:30:24.120 It's going to carry with it truth of God, but it carries within that a variation of meanings that helps us understand truth a little bit more, right? 00:30:24.320 --> 00:30:29.100 So, let me use a word that is common to us that has varied meanings, okay? 00:30:30.300 --> 00:30:31.680 I love my wife. 00:30:32.340 --> 00:30:33.800 She couldn't be here with us this morning. 00:30:33.940 --> 00:30:40.700 My niece is getting baptized at Shandon Baptist Church this morning, and so she's going there to celebrate with her family. 00:30:40.860 --> 00:30:44.260 And so, we're excited for Lily as she's getting baptized today. 00:30:44.700 --> 00:30:46.000 But I love my wife. 00:30:46.060 --> 00:30:47.860 I love everything about my wife. 00:30:47.860 --> 00:30:51.800 I love how my wife keeps me in step and in line, right? 00:30:51.880 --> 00:30:53.180 Because we need that. 00:30:53.320 --> 00:30:53.880 Amen, guys? 00:30:56.960 --> 00:30:58.640 Kyle said amen, all right? 00:30:59.380 --> 00:31:05.380 The rest of you, Dave's going to do a class on marriage after this, and we all want to go to it. 00:31:05.440 --> 00:31:06.540 So, guys, join me. 00:31:06.860 --> 00:31:08.820 We all need to be kept in line, right? 00:31:09.540 --> 00:31:10.740 Amen, amen, right? 00:31:11.020 --> 00:31:11.180 Right? 00:31:11.320 --> 00:31:13.220 That's what our wives do, and we love them for it. 00:31:13.260 --> 00:31:19.260 And they give us grace and mercy and all of those things packaged up in a nice big package of truth, right? 00:31:19.320 --> 00:31:21.000 And we love them for it. 00:31:21.000 --> 00:31:21.940 I love my wife. 00:31:21.980 --> 00:31:24.640 I couldn't imagine life without her. 00:31:25.300 --> 00:31:28.720 I went on our campus of the college that we graduated from yesterday. 00:31:28.920 --> 00:31:34.520 And as I was walking around, just thinking through the times where we met and we're there and we had our lunch dates. 00:31:34.720 --> 00:31:38.080 And she had to come wake me up in the library and remind me to go to class, right? 00:31:38.120 --> 00:31:40.040 So, see, it started then as well, right? 00:31:40.180 --> 00:31:42.440 And so, I love my wife. 00:31:43.160 --> 00:31:44.080 I love my wife. 00:31:44.760 --> 00:31:45.720 I love my wife. 00:31:46.600 --> 00:31:48.560 I love tacos, too, though, right? 00:31:48.940 --> 00:31:49.240 Right? 00:31:50.100 --> 00:31:50.820 I do. 00:31:51.340 --> 00:31:51.880 I do. 00:31:52.220 --> 00:31:55.160 Like, if you say, do you want to go get some lunch? 00:31:55.400 --> 00:31:56.080 It may be. 00:31:56.180 --> 00:31:56.920 Well, I don't know. 00:31:57.120 --> 00:31:58.780 You say, we're going to a taco truck. 00:31:58.880 --> 00:31:59.400 Yes, please. 00:31:59.480 --> 00:32:00.460 Like, which one do you want to go to? 00:32:00.660 --> 00:32:04.540 I'm down, and I will eat a gross amount of them while we are there. 00:32:04.700 --> 00:32:06.160 By the way, quick side story. 00:32:06.220 --> 00:32:07.300 It doesn't relate to anything. 00:32:08.000 --> 00:32:09.800 When we were skiing, we got done. 00:32:09.840 --> 00:32:10.440 I was hungry. 00:32:10.700 --> 00:32:15.700 Like, they feed you, like, this much, and I need more than this much with our free meal pass. 00:32:15.860 --> 00:32:17.380 So, we went to Taco Bell. 00:32:19.840 --> 00:32:20.680 Yeah, yeah. 00:32:20.760 --> 00:32:29.700 We went to Taco Bell, and my bill was $14 at Taco Bell, just for me, just for me, which you know, like, whole thing at Taco Bell, eat a lot of food cheaply, right? 00:32:29.700 --> 00:32:30.720 So, we walk in. 00:32:30.800 --> 00:32:39.820 It's me and about 14 people, adults and kids there, and so all the kids go up to the counter to order, but I see the kiosk, and I'm like, I'm going to bypass all that. 00:32:39.840 --> 00:32:54.040 I'm going to go to the kiosk, and so I go in, and I start doing my order, and so I ordered a combo meal, and then I thought, well, you know, those nachos, not the small nachos in the pack that come with the little cheese, but the big nachos, that'd probably be good to go with it on the side, and y'all, I ain't kidding you. 00:32:54.080 --> 00:32:56.600 There was a lady and her husband standing behind me to my left. 00:32:56.600 --> 00:33:03.740 I had never met them a day before in my life, and she says to me, you going to order anything else? 00:33:07.480 --> 00:33:09.380 You know what the Lord did in that moment? 00:33:09.840 --> 00:33:15.540 He brought up on that screen, would you like to order Cinnamon Twist? 00:33:17.340 --> 00:33:20.340 And I let her, and I said, yes, and I added those, right? 00:33:22.840 --> 00:33:23.840 Ate all of it. 00:33:24.000 --> 00:33:25.000 Ate all of it, right? 00:33:26.080 --> 00:33:26.480 Right? 00:33:27.560 --> 00:33:29.040 But it's different, right? 00:33:29.120 --> 00:33:29.600 It's different. 00:33:30.480 --> 00:33:32.220 It describes something about me. 00:33:33.160 --> 00:33:36.560 It describes the person of who I am, but it's different. 00:33:37.560 --> 00:33:41.860 And so when we see this, we see this word, truth, that's there. 00:33:42.060 --> 00:33:45.100 It's a word that depends on the context of what's meant. 00:33:45.260 --> 00:33:49.660 So one of the words that is used for truth, one of the definitions, is divine truth. 00:33:50.720 --> 00:33:51.580 Who God is. 00:33:52.520 --> 00:33:53.260 It's the gospel. 00:33:54.760 --> 00:33:55.760 It's the gospel. 00:33:56.720 --> 00:33:57.940 The divine truth of God. 00:33:57.940 --> 00:34:06.420 But then the other word that is used in this for truth is the love of truth that displays an action. 00:34:07.620 --> 00:34:09.800 The love of truth that displays an action. 00:34:10.540 --> 00:34:19.040 So in verse 2, we see this type of truth, this type of truth, this divine truth, truth that abides. 00:34:19.180 --> 00:34:20.100 Verse 2. 00:34:20.280 --> 00:34:21.640 This is the divine truth. 00:34:21.740 --> 00:34:22.640 And so here's what this means. 00:34:23.660 --> 00:34:29.480 That the divine truth of the gospel abides in us. 00:34:30.760 --> 00:34:40.040 So that this truth is active and it is working in the believer through the work of the Holy Spirit. 00:34:40.900 --> 00:34:46.340 So when we're saved, we're not saved and left alone to go wander through this and figure this thing out. 00:34:46.840 --> 00:34:52.340 That God loves us so that when he saves us, he sends his Holy Spirit who indwells in us. 00:34:52.340 --> 00:34:58.100 And what happens is the truth of the gospel abides in us. 00:34:58.560 --> 00:34:59.740 The truth that abides. 00:34:59.840 --> 00:35:02.220 But it's also the truth that guides. 00:35:02.860 --> 00:35:03.020 Right? 00:35:03.120 --> 00:35:03.880 You think guides. 00:35:04.020 --> 00:35:06.500 Well, that's active truth. 00:35:06.680 --> 00:35:07.800 And it is. 00:35:08.200 --> 00:35:11.020 But this word that is used here is divine truth. 00:35:11.240 --> 00:35:15.940 When John in verse 4 says, walking in truth. 00:35:16.420 --> 00:35:20.040 So it's not just truth that abides in us. 00:35:20.040 --> 00:35:22.300 The truth of the gospel that abides in us. 00:35:22.680 --> 00:35:25.320 That we know is working in through us. 00:35:25.600 --> 00:35:28.900 To work through the thoughts and the ideas and the things that we have. 00:35:29.000 --> 00:35:33.900 And it's working out that old character and developing the character of the gospel within us. 00:35:34.180 --> 00:35:35.900 That we begin to see the fruit of the spirit. 00:35:36.240 --> 00:35:38.780 But it's also in walking in the truth. 00:35:39.060 --> 00:35:39.980 The divine truth. 00:35:40.100 --> 00:35:43.340 And so we see this in the physical manifestation of a person. 00:35:43.340 --> 00:35:45.100 That it can be seen. 00:35:45.420 --> 00:35:46.860 And it's tangible to you. 00:35:47.140 --> 00:35:48.680 And it's tangible to others. 00:35:48.860 --> 00:35:50.120 Is what we find. 00:35:51.380 --> 00:35:53.440 And so here then when we see. 00:35:54.160 --> 00:35:57.660 What does this mean now to apply this biblical truth? 00:35:58.900 --> 00:36:01.200 What does it mean from what John says. 00:36:01.900 --> 00:36:04.540 That this truth abides in me. 00:36:05.420 --> 00:36:07.920 And that I'm to walk in this truth. 00:36:08.860 --> 00:36:10.580 What does it mean that the truth. 00:36:10.580 --> 00:36:13.420 How do I apply in my everyday life. 00:36:13.500 --> 00:36:15.980 That Jesus Christ is the son of God. 00:36:17.020 --> 00:36:19.260 Who died on the cross for my sins. 00:36:20.260 --> 00:36:22.480 Who was buried and who rose again. 00:36:23.260 --> 00:36:24.760 Who ascended to the father. 00:36:24.920 --> 00:36:28.700 Who will return and call his bride back with him. 00:36:29.800 --> 00:36:31.220 What does it mean. 00:36:31.720 --> 00:36:33.260 For you and for I. 00:36:33.340 --> 00:36:35.400 That we are sinners saved by grace. 00:36:35.520 --> 00:36:36.840 It's not our own merit. 00:36:36.960 --> 00:36:37.900 It's by the work of God. 00:36:39.060 --> 00:36:40.860 What is the application. 00:36:41.760 --> 00:36:42.640 Of that. 00:36:43.000 --> 00:36:44.200 In our life. 00:36:45.020 --> 00:36:46.020 And what we see. 00:36:46.400 --> 00:36:48.200 Is that it is this truth. 00:36:48.520 --> 00:36:50.580 That displays itself. 00:36:50.800 --> 00:36:52.320 Is what we find. 00:36:52.900 --> 00:36:55.020 It's the truth that shows. 00:36:55.460 --> 00:36:56.620 It shows us. 00:36:56.800 --> 00:36:58.900 As active lover of truth. 00:37:00.420 --> 00:37:02.260 An active lover of truth. 00:37:03.300 --> 00:37:05.320 Now six times. 00:37:05.480 --> 00:37:06.960 And I'm going to tell you about these. 00:37:07.060 --> 00:37:07.880 I'll give you the references. 00:37:08.060 --> 00:37:09.160 If you want to jot them down. 00:37:10.060 --> 00:37:10.680 That's great. 00:37:11.340 --> 00:37:12.800 But six times. 00:37:12.920 --> 00:37:14.140 In six different encounters. 00:37:14.260 --> 00:37:15.600 Let me rephrase it that way. 00:37:15.800 --> 00:37:16.960 In six different encounters. 00:37:17.120 --> 00:37:18.860 In the New Testament at least. 00:37:19.040 --> 00:37:21.320 We see this variation. 00:37:21.640 --> 00:37:23.320 Of this word truth used. 00:37:24.140 --> 00:37:26.280 And I loved as I was reading through this. 00:37:26.380 --> 00:37:27.720 This week sitting in my office. 00:37:27.960 --> 00:37:29.380 Because every single time I'm like. 00:37:29.520 --> 00:37:31.100 Okay that's what this means. 00:37:31.280 --> 00:37:32.480 That's what this looks like. 00:37:32.480 --> 00:37:33.440 That's what it says. 00:37:33.720 --> 00:37:35.080 That it shows me. 00:37:35.340 --> 00:37:36.120 That I'm a person. 00:37:36.180 --> 00:37:38.160 That's been saved by the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:37:38.320 --> 00:37:40.040 That I am no longer who I was. 00:37:40.140 --> 00:37:41.020 But I am new. 00:37:41.220 --> 00:37:42.840 And now this is a tangible piece. 00:37:42.920 --> 00:37:43.920 Of what this means. 00:37:44.020 --> 00:37:45.460 To go out into this world. 00:37:45.620 --> 00:37:47.160 And it's not a thought that I have. 00:37:47.260 --> 00:37:48.780 It's not something that I know. 00:37:48.940 --> 00:37:50.620 But this permeates from me. 00:37:50.700 --> 00:37:52.760 As the truth of God abides in me. 00:37:52.840 --> 00:37:54.800 And calls me to walk in the truth of God. 00:37:55.820 --> 00:37:57.320 This is what this looks like. 00:37:58.240 --> 00:37:59.920 This is one of the most exciting things. 00:37:59.920 --> 00:38:00.740 That I'm able to see. 00:38:00.960 --> 00:38:02.780 As I walk through and saw these words. 00:38:02.940 --> 00:38:06.380 So I'm going to start probably with the one that's the least exciting for all of us. 00:38:06.600 --> 00:38:07.280 Paying taxes. 00:38:08.660 --> 00:38:09.100 Yay. 00:38:09.580 --> 00:38:09.900 Right? 00:38:11.340 --> 00:38:11.760 Yay. 00:38:11.860 --> 00:38:12.380 That's nice. 00:38:12.760 --> 00:38:13.440 Paying taxes. 00:38:13.800 --> 00:38:14.840 In Matthew 22. 00:38:14.960 --> 00:38:15.560 Mark 12. 00:38:15.660 --> 00:38:16.660 And Luke 20. 00:38:17.980 --> 00:38:20.540 Jesus is asked about paying taxes to Caesar. 00:38:22.200 --> 00:38:22.520 Now. 00:38:24.180 --> 00:38:26.220 Regardless of what you think about the government. 00:38:26.920 --> 00:38:27.920 In which we have. 00:38:28.840 --> 00:38:30.720 And we're not going to have a conversation about it. 00:38:30.760 --> 00:38:32.280 In here or out there when we leave. 00:38:32.360 --> 00:38:32.580 Okay? 00:38:33.320 --> 00:38:34.360 Let's just go ahead and set that. 00:38:34.440 --> 00:38:34.560 Right? 00:38:35.440 --> 00:38:36.780 Regardless of what you think. 00:38:37.400 --> 00:38:39.040 This is not the oppression of Rome. 00:38:40.240 --> 00:38:41.020 It's not. 00:38:42.740 --> 00:38:44.260 Rome would do things like. 00:38:45.540 --> 00:38:47.260 When you step out of bounds. 00:38:48.020 --> 00:38:48.240 You know. 00:38:48.280 --> 00:38:50.240 They didn't come up with crucifixion for Jesus. 00:38:50.380 --> 00:38:51.160 They had this. 00:38:53.220 --> 00:38:56.020 And what made the crucifixion of Jesus. 00:38:56.560 --> 00:38:57.480 Kind of remarkable. 00:38:57.600 --> 00:38:59.460 And how God orchestrated these things. 00:38:59.900 --> 00:39:01.440 Was the common practice was. 00:39:01.520 --> 00:39:03.660 When someone was crucified on the cross. 00:39:03.740 --> 00:39:04.980 They were left on the cross. 00:39:05.020 --> 00:39:07.340 Until all of their flesh decayed. 00:39:07.340 --> 00:39:09.420 And just their bones hung on the cross. 00:39:10.620 --> 00:39:11.460 As a warning. 00:39:13.300 --> 00:39:14.180 Don't do that. 00:39:15.440 --> 00:39:16.200 Here's what will happen. 00:39:17.960 --> 00:39:18.820 So what they would do. 00:39:18.880 --> 00:39:19.900 Is when you stepped out of line. 00:39:20.000 --> 00:39:20.500 They would take you. 00:39:20.560 --> 00:39:21.300 And you're going to be crucified. 00:39:21.440 --> 00:39:22.380 So they'd crucify you. 00:39:22.540 --> 00:39:23.540 They would take you on the journey. 00:39:23.620 --> 00:39:25.420 Remember how they had Jesus carry his cross. 00:39:25.600 --> 00:39:27.080 They would have them carry their cross. 00:39:27.240 --> 00:39:28.220 And you'd carry your cross. 00:39:28.280 --> 00:39:29.000 And you'd carry your cross. 00:39:29.040 --> 00:39:29.840 And you'd carry your cross. 00:39:29.980 --> 00:39:31.220 And then finally you would collapse. 00:39:31.220 --> 00:39:32.600 On the road in which you found yourself. 00:39:32.860 --> 00:39:33.800 And they would stop right there. 00:39:33.880 --> 00:39:34.480 They would dig a hole. 00:39:34.560 --> 00:39:35.400 They would drop your cross. 00:39:35.440 --> 00:39:36.640 Right into that hole. 00:39:36.760 --> 00:39:38.140 On the journey in which you were. 00:39:38.380 --> 00:39:39.740 And then you would be hung on that cross. 00:39:39.880 --> 00:39:40.760 Crucified on that cross. 00:39:40.960 --> 00:39:41.520 Your family. 00:39:41.620 --> 00:39:42.020 Your friends. 00:39:42.100 --> 00:39:42.580 Your neighbors. 00:39:43.300 --> 00:39:44.640 Everyone would see you. 00:39:46.420 --> 00:39:47.660 And when you were dead. 00:39:47.720 --> 00:39:49.120 And your body hung there. 00:39:50.320 --> 00:39:51.940 It was the reminder. 00:39:53.080 --> 00:39:54.560 To not step out from Rome. 00:39:55.680 --> 00:39:55.820 Right. 00:39:57.320 --> 00:39:58.860 So Jesus is asked. 00:39:59.660 --> 00:40:00.780 By the Pharisees. 00:40:01.360 --> 00:40:02.340 Well the Bible tells us. 00:40:02.500 --> 00:40:03.560 In these passages. 00:40:03.800 --> 00:40:04.580 That the Pharisees. 00:40:05.040 --> 00:40:06.420 They like to question Jesus. 00:40:06.540 --> 00:40:07.660 But their questions for Jesus. 00:40:07.800 --> 00:40:08.800 Were not like questions. 00:40:09.140 --> 00:40:11.400 That we ask. 00:40:11.480 --> 00:40:11.620 Right. 00:40:11.660 --> 00:40:12.220 They were questions. 00:40:12.280 --> 00:40:14.180 To try to trap Jesus. 00:40:14.420 --> 00:40:15.480 And so the Bible tells us. 00:40:15.500 --> 00:40:16.120 That the Pharisees. 00:40:16.200 --> 00:40:17.900 Were seeking to trap Jesus. 00:40:18.220 --> 00:40:19.880 And as he approached. 00:40:20.140 --> 00:40:21.500 They call to him. 00:40:22.780 --> 00:40:23.920 But they say. 00:40:24.100 --> 00:40:26.140 To the one that is true. 00:40:27.140 --> 00:40:28.900 And teaches the way. 00:40:29.140 --> 00:40:30.020 Of God. 00:40:30.800 --> 00:40:31.240 Truthfully. 00:40:31.700 --> 00:40:31.920 Right. 00:40:33.320 --> 00:40:35.060 And when they use that word true. 00:40:35.840 --> 00:40:36.880 That's the word. 00:40:36.880 --> 00:40:37.880 Of lover of truth. 00:40:39.080 --> 00:40:40.360 And then they say. 00:40:40.860 --> 00:40:41.620 To him. 00:40:42.320 --> 00:40:43.600 Should they pay taxes. 00:40:43.600 --> 00:40:44.140 To Caesar. 00:40:44.900 --> 00:40:45.160 Well. 00:40:45.500 --> 00:40:46.460 We don't have time. 00:40:46.460 --> 00:40:47.320 To get into. 00:40:47.580 --> 00:40:48.080 All of. 00:40:48.260 --> 00:40:49.280 Of what is going on. 00:40:49.360 --> 00:40:50.260 But Jesus says. 00:40:50.620 --> 00:40:51.240 Give to Caesar. 00:40:51.340 --> 00:40:51.900 What is Caesar. 00:40:52.040 --> 00:40:52.900 And give to God. 00:40:52.960 --> 00:40:53.660 What is God's. 00:40:54.660 --> 00:40:56.140 And here's what Jesus describes. 00:40:57.360 --> 00:40:58.020 Our ethic. 00:40:59.100 --> 00:40:59.700 Our ethic. 00:41:00.660 --> 00:41:02.780 So who we are. 00:41:03.060 --> 00:41:03.900 In Christ. 00:41:05.220 --> 00:41:06.140 The truth. 00:41:06.260 --> 00:41:07.240 Of the gospel. 00:41:08.340 --> 00:41:10.020 Defines our very ethic. 00:41:11.140 --> 00:41:12.520 Not just where we're at. 00:41:12.560 --> 00:41:13.120 In church. 00:41:13.920 --> 00:41:14.980 Not just where we're. 00:41:15.120 --> 00:41:15.920 In Bible study. 00:41:16.960 --> 00:41:18.320 But it defines. 00:41:18.540 --> 00:41:19.600 Our very ethic. 00:41:20.440 --> 00:41:21.960 Even all the way. 00:41:22.120 --> 00:41:23.480 To the extreme. 00:41:24.400 --> 00:41:25.960 Of paying taxes. 00:41:26.960 --> 00:41:28.620 To an oppressive government. 00:41:29.580 --> 00:41:31.040 Who wants to kill those. 00:41:31.180 --> 00:41:32.100 Who are unjust. 00:41:32.200 --> 00:41:33.260 Who wants to kill. 00:41:33.880 --> 00:41:34.360 Unjustly. 00:41:35.340 --> 00:41:35.520 Right. 00:41:36.600 --> 00:41:37.100 Jesus says. 00:41:37.160 --> 00:41:37.500 This is. 00:41:38.060 --> 00:41:39.120 If I'm a lover of truth. 00:41:39.800 --> 00:41:41.480 This is what defines me. 00:41:42.300 --> 00:41:43.640 Not only in paying taxes. 00:41:43.640 --> 00:41:44.660 But we see in John. 00:41:45.500 --> 00:41:45.980 4. 00:41:46.080 --> 00:41:46.520 And 23. 00:41:46.600 --> 00:41:47.080 And 24. 00:41:47.540 --> 00:41:48.540 That Jesus describes. 00:41:48.720 --> 00:41:49.560 This is true worship. 00:41:50.420 --> 00:41:51.120 True worship. 00:41:51.880 --> 00:41:53.080 The lover of truth. 00:41:53.920 --> 00:41:54.880 And true worship. 00:41:55.020 --> 00:41:55.260 Jesus. 00:41:55.440 --> 00:41:55.860 This is the woman. 00:41:55.980 --> 00:41:56.200 Jesus. 00:41:56.360 --> 00:41:57.220 And the Samaritan woman. 00:41:57.220 --> 00:41:57.700 At the well. 00:41:57.700 --> 00:42:00.300 And she's discussing with Jesus. 00:42:00.460 --> 00:42:00.980 She's asking. 00:42:01.080 --> 00:42:01.900 There's so much. 00:42:02.160 --> 00:42:03.180 In this passage of scripture. 00:42:03.340 --> 00:42:04.120 So rich. 00:42:04.280 --> 00:42:04.900 With truth. 00:42:04.940 --> 00:42:06.100 And application for our life. 00:42:06.240 --> 00:42:07.960 But she's asking Jesus. 00:42:08.300 --> 00:42:10.260 What true worship is. 00:42:10.520 --> 00:42:11.280 And he says. 00:42:11.480 --> 00:42:12.620 We worship him. 00:42:12.740 --> 00:42:13.800 God is spirit. 00:42:13.800 --> 00:42:15.480 And so we worship him. 00:42:15.880 --> 00:42:16.920 In spirit. 00:42:17.480 --> 00:42:18.920 In truth. 00:42:20.060 --> 00:42:20.340 Right. 00:42:22.020 --> 00:42:23.620 And so our worship. 00:42:24.720 --> 00:42:27.180 Isn't just this spiritual act. 00:42:27.540 --> 00:42:28.880 Of what's taking place. 00:42:29.700 --> 00:42:30.900 But our worship. 00:42:31.220 --> 00:42:32.380 Comes from. 00:42:32.520 --> 00:42:33.720 That we are the lovers. 00:42:33.720 --> 00:42:34.820 Of truth. 00:42:34.880 --> 00:42:35.960 It's the declaration. 00:42:35.960 --> 00:42:37.220 Of who we are. 00:42:37.500 --> 00:42:38.640 It's in those pieces. 00:42:38.640 --> 00:42:40.100 Where we don't just check. 00:42:40.100 --> 00:42:41.280 The worship box. 00:42:41.280 --> 00:42:42.780 Because we gathered in a room. 00:42:43.120 --> 00:42:44.000 And sang songs. 00:42:44.140 --> 00:42:46.120 That we have within us. 00:42:46.220 --> 00:42:47.480 This worship of him. 00:42:47.640 --> 00:42:48.920 In our lifestyle. 00:42:49.160 --> 00:42:50.120 And in our life. 00:42:50.220 --> 00:42:51.060 As we pursue. 00:42:51.280 --> 00:42:52.300 The obedience. 00:42:52.820 --> 00:42:53.840 To his desires. 00:42:53.840 --> 00:42:54.660 For our life. 00:42:56.560 --> 00:42:57.820 In John 8. 00:42:57.960 --> 00:42:58.600 44. 00:43:00.340 --> 00:43:02.100 Jesus is describing Satan. 00:43:03.780 --> 00:43:06.380 And this type of truth. 00:43:07.220 --> 00:43:09.220 Is given as the description. 00:43:09.220 --> 00:43:10.880 Of what Satan lacks. 00:43:12.740 --> 00:43:12.920 This. 00:43:14.920 --> 00:43:16.200 This should pause. 00:43:16.200 --> 00:43:17.100 Some of our hearts. 00:43:18.700 --> 00:43:18.880 Okay. 00:43:21.560 --> 00:43:22.160 Satan. 00:43:22.920 --> 00:43:23.440 Knows. 00:43:24.020 --> 00:43:24.380 Who. 00:43:25.020 --> 00:43:25.320 Jesus. 00:43:25.940 --> 00:43:26.200 Is. 00:43:28.040 --> 00:43:28.600 Satan. 00:43:28.860 --> 00:43:29.380 Knows. 00:43:30.820 --> 00:43:31.440 In his. 00:43:31.760 --> 00:43:32.380 Factual. 00:43:32.640 --> 00:43:33.220 Knowledge. 00:43:33.980 --> 00:43:35.020 Of Christ. 00:43:35.800 --> 00:43:36.100 His. 00:43:36.220 --> 00:43:36.660 Factual. 00:43:36.820 --> 00:43:37.200 Knowledge. 00:43:37.280 --> 00:43:37.580 Of God. 00:43:37.640 --> 00:43:38.020 The Father. 00:43:38.140 --> 00:43:38.340 God. 00:43:38.400 --> 00:43:38.740 The Son. 00:43:38.860 --> 00:43:39.060 God. 00:43:39.120 --> 00:43:39.820 The Spirit. 00:43:40.820 --> 00:43:41.960 Is accurate. 00:43:44.120 --> 00:43:45.240 The problem. 00:43:46.720 --> 00:43:47.840 Is the application. 00:43:49.380 --> 00:43:50.340 The problem. 00:43:50.980 --> 00:43:51.940 Is the surrender. 00:43:53.060 --> 00:43:54.500 The problem is. 00:43:55.160 --> 00:43:55.840 Satan. 00:43:56.880 --> 00:43:58.000 Wants to take. 00:43:58.500 --> 00:43:59.500 And has taken. 00:44:00.040 --> 00:44:01.740 Those large steps away. 00:44:02.320 --> 00:44:03.500 From the truth. 00:44:03.980 --> 00:44:04.880 And made himself. 00:44:05.260 --> 00:44:05.960 His own God. 00:44:08.780 --> 00:44:10.140 Talked about this before. 00:44:10.320 --> 00:44:11.220 And he heard it again. 00:44:12.400 --> 00:44:12.900 Be careful. 00:44:12.900 --> 00:44:13.900 That your faith. 00:44:14.620 --> 00:44:15.600 Is the faith. 00:44:15.640 --> 00:44:16.140 Of a believer. 00:44:16.140 --> 00:44:16.860 In Christ. 00:44:17.640 --> 00:44:18.600 And be careful. 00:44:18.600 --> 00:44:19.580 That your faith. 00:44:19.900 --> 00:44:20.820 Or your belief. 00:44:20.820 --> 00:44:22.280 Is not the belief. 00:44:22.500 --> 00:44:23.260 Of Satan. 00:44:23.500 --> 00:44:24.220 And demons. 00:44:25.480 --> 00:44:25.840 Satan. 00:44:25.840 --> 00:44:26.760 Knows truth. 00:44:28.060 --> 00:44:29.200 But he's not a lover. 00:44:29.360 --> 00:44:29.840 Of the truth. 00:44:31.520 --> 00:44:32.840 In Ephesians 4. 00:44:33.580 --> 00:44:34.240 24. 00:44:35.240 --> 00:44:36.040 And 5. 00:44:36.140 --> 00:44:36.500 9. 00:44:37.620 --> 00:44:38.720 Paul writes. 00:44:39.680 --> 00:44:40.820 As the picture. 00:44:41.140 --> 00:44:41.880 Of now. 00:44:42.000 --> 00:44:42.760 Of who we are. 00:44:42.820 --> 00:44:43.300 In Christ. 00:44:44.280 --> 00:44:45.260 It is the picture. 00:44:45.260 --> 00:44:46.100 Of ourself. 00:44:47.360 --> 00:44:47.720 In verse. 00:44:47.880 --> 00:44:48.540 Chapter 4. 00:44:48.600 --> 00:44:49.280 Verse 24. 00:44:49.540 --> 00:44:50.340 He describes. 00:44:50.480 --> 00:44:51.160 The new self. 00:44:51.340 --> 00:44:51.760 As that. 00:44:51.840 --> 00:44:52.500 That's true. 00:44:52.620 --> 00:44:53.260 In righteousness. 00:44:55.460 --> 00:44:57.020 In chapter 5. 00:44:57.060 --> 00:44:57.980 Verse 9. 00:44:58.160 --> 00:44:58.520 He says. 00:44:58.660 --> 00:44:59.600 Walk as children. 00:44:59.740 --> 00:45:00.320 Of light. 00:45:00.500 --> 00:45:01.500 As you walk. 00:45:01.580 --> 00:45:01.960 In that. 00:45:02.080 --> 00:45:02.460 Which is. 00:45:02.920 --> 00:45:03.240 True. 00:45:04.460 --> 00:45:06.140 So what's the self-examination. 00:45:06.280 --> 00:45:07.380 It's a look into the mirror. 00:45:07.560 --> 00:45:08.180 It's an evaluation. 00:45:08.180 --> 00:45:09.060 Of who we are. 00:45:09.460 --> 00:45:11.140 Does what I say. 00:45:11.620 --> 00:45:12.800 Match with what I do. 00:45:13.860 --> 00:45:15.440 Does what I believe. 00:45:16.000 --> 00:45:16.620 Match with. 00:45:17.140 --> 00:45:17.940 Who I am. 00:45:19.780 --> 00:45:20.660 And in that. 00:45:20.760 --> 00:45:21.960 We find the application. 00:45:21.960 --> 00:45:23.080 Of the gospel. 00:45:24.560 --> 00:45:25.140 And then. 00:45:25.640 --> 00:45:26.060 Lastly. 00:45:26.200 --> 00:45:26.960 And we'll close with this. 00:45:27.040 --> 00:45:27.700 In Philippians 1. 00:45:27.700 --> 00:45:28.040 18. 00:45:29.600 --> 00:45:31.000 It describes the message. 00:45:31.100 --> 00:45:31.680 That we're carrying. 00:45:32.860 --> 00:45:33.700 The message. 00:45:34.460 --> 00:45:35.800 Marked in the truth. 00:45:36.320 --> 00:45:36.960 Of God. 00:45:38.560 --> 00:45:39.420 So not. 00:45:39.840 --> 00:45:40.360 Just. 00:45:41.440 --> 00:45:42.620 In the proclamation. 00:45:44.060 --> 00:45:45.280 Of the divinity. 00:45:45.420 --> 00:45:45.940 Of Christ. 00:45:46.840 --> 00:45:47.920 The divine truth. 00:45:47.960 --> 00:45:48.520 Of the gospel. 00:45:48.640 --> 00:45:49.460 That must be shared. 00:45:50.300 --> 00:45:51.640 But in the application. 00:45:51.840 --> 00:45:52.360 For us. 00:45:53.420 --> 00:45:54.440 Paul tells them. 00:45:55.340 --> 00:45:56.120 Carry it. 00:45:57.620 --> 00:45:58.980 As you speak it. 00:46:00.500 --> 00:46:01.520 And this is the hope. 00:46:01.640 --> 00:46:01.980 That we have. 00:46:03.840 --> 00:46:05.460 I want to ask you this in closing. 00:46:07.460 --> 00:46:08.480 Where are you with truth? 00:46:09.820 --> 00:46:10.760 Where are you with truth? 00:46:11.980 --> 00:46:13.220 Do we just want to know more? 00:46:14.200 --> 00:46:15.280 And know more? 00:46:16.020 --> 00:46:16.840 And know more? 00:46:17.580 --> 00:46:18.840 And then pick and choose? 00:46:19.700 --> 00:46:20.980 What we want to do with that? 00:46:22.980 --> 00:46:24.360 Or do we want to take what we know? 00:46:25.700 --> 00:46:26.900 And submit to the Lord? 00:46:28.140 --> 00:46:29.720 Do we want to take what we know? 00:46:30.320 --> 00:46:31.780 And apply it to our lives? 00:46:32.700 --> 00:46:34.160 Do we want to take what we know? 00:46:34.620 --> 00:46:35.780 And go through the process. 00:46:36.780 --> 00:46:38.620 Of allowing the Holy Spirit. 00:46:39.200 --> 00:46:40.160 To mold us. 00:46:40.580 --> 00:46:41.540 And shape us. 00:46:42.000 --> 00:46:43.000 In who God would be. 00:46:44.360 --> 00:46:45.480 Well that begins. 00:46:45.660 --> 00:46:46.580 Church for us. 00:46:48.160 --> 00:46:50.120 With our knees before him. 00:46:51.160 --> 00:46:53.040 And a brokenness before God. 00:46:54.720 --> 00:46:56.100 Claiming that we need to be. 00:46:57.040 --> 00:46:57.360 People. 00:46:58.220 --> 00:46:59.440 Who not only know truth. 00:47:00.400 --> 00:47:01.580 But people of truth. 00:47:02.580 --> 00:47:03.360 Would you pray with me? 00:47:10.240 --> 00:47:11.780 God I thank you so much Lord. 00:47:13.180 --> 00:47:14.580 For this time and this day. 00:47:14.640 --> 00:47:16.080 That we could gather in this place. 00:47:17.800 --> 00:47:18.600 Lord I thank you. 00:47:18.660 --> 00:47:20.240 That what bonds us together. 00:47:20.240 --> 00:47:22.320 As a body of people. 00:47:24.600 --> 00:47:26.600 Is not where we've all come from. 00:47:26.680 --> 00:47:28.360 Because we've come from many different places. 00:47:31.360 --> 00:47:32.780 That not the neighborhood. 00:47:32.960 --> 00:47:34.400 That we find ourselves in. 00:47:34.560 --> 00:47:36.860 Because we range in where we live. 00:47:38.360 --> 00:47:39.640 And not the education. 00:47:39.640 --> 00:47:40.860 That we've obtained. 00:47:42.360 --> 00:47:43.980 Lord because that is different. 00:47:43.980 --> 00:47:45.120 From person to person. 00:47:46.380 --> 00:47:47.480 But I thank you Lord. 00:47:47.560 --> 00:47:48.500 What bonds us. 00:47:48.620 --> 00:47:49.980 What brings us together. 00:47:51.540 --> 00:47:53.060 Is the truth of Christ. 00:47:55.080 --> 00:47:56.540 The truth of who he is. 00:47:58.280 --> 00:47:59.240 That Jesus Christ. 00:47:59.380 --> 00:48:00.480 Is the king of kings. 00:48:00.580 --> 00:48:01.480 And the lord of lords. 00:48:03.820 --> 00:48:05.060 He's the son of God. 00:48:07.060 --> 00:48:08.180 Born of a virgin. 00:48:09.700 --> 00:48:11.220 Lived a sinless life. 00:48:11.540 --> 00:48:14.480 Died on a cross. 00:48:14.480 --> 00:48:15.300 And was resurrected. 00:48:17.680 --> 00:48:19.540 And it is from him. 00:48:22.000 --> 00:48:23.160 We are given. 00:48:24.700 --> 00:48:25.180 Freely. 00:48:26.120 --> 00:48:27.760 The beautiful gift of salvation. 00:48:30.880 --> 00:48:32.800 But God I worry Lord. 00:48:33.980 --> 00:48:35.780 That so many of us. 00:48:37.060 --> 00:48:38.060 In our hearts. 00:48:38.060 --> 00:48:38.260 In our hearts. 00:48:39.460 --> 00:48:40.680 Say well I know that. 00:48:40.780 --> 00:48:41.440 I know that. 00:48:41.500 --> 00:48:42.080 I know that. 00:48:42.160 --> 00:48:43.660 I've been taught that since I was little. 00:48:44.080 --> 00:48:45.920 I heard it last week for the first time. 00:48:46.640 --> 00:48:47.260 So I'm saved. 00:48:47.340 --> 00:48:47.760 I'm good. 00:48:49.380 --> 00:48:50.200 But yet Lord. 00:48:50.280 --> 00:48:52.180 There's this call from your word. 00:48:53.480 --> 00:48:53.840 And Lord. 00:48:53.940 --> 00:48:55.000 And if we're truly saved. 00:48:55.120 --> 00:48:56.220 There should be a drawing. 00:48:56.640 --> 00:48:58.100 And a pleading from the spirit. 00:48:59.400 --> 00:49:01.840 To point us to an application of the truth. 00:49:04.300 --> 00:49:06.520 So that what we know about Jesus. 00:49:07.240 --> 00:49:10.120 Is not found in what we can say. 00:49:10.360 --> 00:49:12.080 Or articulate on a paper. 00:49:14.020 --> 00:49:16.980 But it's shown in the very fiber and being. 00:49:17.320 --> 00:49:18.400 Of who we are. 00:49:19.740 --> 00:49:22.420 That it's made manifest amongst us. 00:49:23.520 --> 00:49:24.720 So that we live it. 00:49:24.800 --> 00:49:25.660 That we share it. 00:49:25.700 --> 00:49:26.360 That it's seen. 00:49:26.480 --> 00:49:27.500 That it's tangible. 00:49:27.980 --> 00:49:30.020 That men and women of faith can look at us. 00:49:30.080 --> 00:49:30.300 And Lord. 00:49:30.420 --> 00:49:31.880 They can see where we were. 00:49:31.960 --> 00:49:33.320 And they can see where we are today. 00:49:33.500 --> 00:49:36.080 They can see that we're no longer who we were. 00:49:36.160 --> 00:49:37.880 But who we are in Christ now. 00:49:39.020 --> 00:49:41.180 And it changed the way that we love one another. 00:49:41.260 --> 00:49:43.000 The way that we pray for one another. 00:49:43.000 --> 00:49:49.680 And it impacts. 00:49:52.340 --> 00:49:53.880 And it permeates. 00:49:55.780 --> 00:49:57.020 As we abide. 00:49:58.500 --> 00:49:59.340 And walk. 00:50:11.020 --> 00:50:12.380 Let's in Jesus' name pray now. 00:50:25.320 --> 00:50:25.840 Yesterday. 00:50:27.700 --> 00:50:29.280 When I was walking the campus. 00:50:31.460 --> 00:50:33.060 The school that I graduated from. 00:50:35.400 --> 00:50:38.360 I was talking to another dad that was there. 00:50:39.200 --> 00:50:40.140 We were walking around. 00:50:42.440 --> 00:50:43.320 And he said. 00:50:44.560 --> 00:50:45.800 Does this campus have a. 00:50:47.680 --> 00:50:48.740 Baptist student union. 00:50:48.920 --> 00:50:50.740 If you go back a long time ago. 00:50:51.320 --> 00:50:52.260 You know that Southern Baptist. 00:50:52.260 --> 00:50:53.380 We had Baptist student unions. 00:50:53.520 --> 00:50:53.900 And I said. 00:50:53.960 --> 00:50:55.120 Yeah it's a BCM now. 00:50:56.800 --> 00:50:57.480 And he said. 00:50:57.700 --> 00:50:58.880 So they have BCM. 00:50:58.920 --> 00:50:59.180 And I said. 00:50:59.220 --> 00:50:59.900 Yeah they have BCM. 00:50:59.960 --> 00:51:00.160 And he said. 00:51:00.220 --> 00:51:00.740 When you went here. 00:51:00.780 --> 00:51:01.580 Were you part of that? 00:51:02.980 --> 00:51:03.280 And I said. 00:51:03.320 --> 00:51:03.560 No. 00:51:04.340 --> 00:51:04.860 I wasn't. 00:51:05.380 --> 00:51:08.320 And he kind of looked at me surprised. 00:51:08.380 --> 00:51:09.240 Because he knows I'm a pastor. 00:51:09.360 --> 00:51:09.580 Right? 00:51:11.180 --> 00:51:12.940 Pastors are supposed to be part of Christian organizations. 00:51:12.940 --> 00:51:13.620 When they were younger. 00:51:14.540 --> 00:51:15.040 And I said. 00:51:15.080 --> 00:51:15.200 No. 00:51:15.260 --> 00:51:15.380 I said. 00:51:15.400 --> 00:51:16.760 I didn't get saved until I was 22. 00:51:19.640 --> 00:51:20.780 And kind of looked in his eyes. 00:51:20.840 --> 00:51:21.520 I was surprised. 00:51:23.440 --> 00:51:23.900 And he said. 00:51:24.560 --> 00:51:25.940 Were you raised going to church? 00:51:27.080 --> 00:51:27.500 I said. 00:51:27.540 --> 00:51:27.720 Yeah. 00:51:27.820 --> 00:51:27.980 Yeah. 00:51:28.040 --> 00:51:28.220 Yeah. 00:51:28.500 --> 00:51:29.060 I was raised. 00:51:29.300 --> 00:51:29.880 Going to church. 00:51:31.100 --> 00:51:32.460 Mom and daddy who loved the Lord. 00:51:34.480 --> 00:51:35.740 Who taught me the gospel. 00:51:35.880 --> 00:51:36.920 Who lived out the gospel. 00:51:38.920 --> 00:51:39.860 I went to RAs. 00:51:39.940 --> 00:51:40.820 I went to youth camps. 00:51:41.440 --> 00:51:42.660 I went to world changers. 00:51:43.780 --> 00:51:44.900 And I went to lock-ins. 00:51:44.960 --> 00:51:46.020 And I went to youth nights. 00:51:47.140 --> 00:51:48.800 And I went to vacation Bible schools. 00:51:50.660 --> 00:51:51.540 I did it all. 00:51:51.540 --> 00:51:55.060 I was part of college leadership team as a non-believer. 00:51:55.820 --> 00:51:56.160 Why? 00:51:56.740 --> 00:51:58.360 Because I thought I was a believer. 00:51:58.600 --> 00:51:59.800 And everybody else did too. 00:52:01.260 --> 00:52:01.700 Why? 00:52:05.700 --> 00:52:06.920 Because I knew things. 00:52:08.320 --> 00:52:09.760 I could answer questions. 00:52:11.200 --> 00:52:15.420 I could use the Christianese language that we say from time to time. 00:52:15.800 --> 00:52:19.320 And what I did was convince myself and convince others. 00:52:19.600 --> 00:52:20.340 Now I'm good. 00:52:21.500 --> 00:52:22.300 I'm good. 00:52:24.280 --> 00:52:30.540 And every day God burdens me for people in this world who are that. 00:52:32.660 --> 00:52:33.900 You know stuff. 00:52:35.140 --> 00:52:39.520 You can talk just as good as any pastor can about the Bible. 00:52:41.240 --> 00:52:42.200 You can walk through. 00:52:42.320 --> 00:52:43.400 You can tell people about Jesus. 00:52:43.620 --> 00:52:44.680 You understand the cross. 00:52:44.940 --> 00:52:45.800 You understand redemption. 00:52:46.120 --> 00:52:47.180 You understand grace. 00:52:48.720 --> 00:52:49.480 You know. 00:52:51.400 --> 00:52:54.980 But your life is so void of the truth of God. 00:52:54.980 --> 00:52:56.940 But you've convinced yourself a lie. 00:53:04.800 --> 00:53:12.660 And so, on June 1st, 2001. 00:53:14.080 --> 00:53:32.780 I said, God, you've got all of me. 00:53:32.780 --> 00:53:32.880 I said, God, you've got all of me. 00:53:38.480 --> 00:53:39.440 You've got all of me. 00:53:41.940 --> 00:53:43.180 Show me your heart. 00:53:43.180 --> 00:53:44.400 I said, God, you've got all of me. 00:53:44.400 --> 00:53:45.500 I said, God, you've got all of me. 00:53:45.500 --> 00:53:46.060 I said, God, you've got all of me. 00:53:46.060 --> 00:53:46.320 I said, God, you've got all of me. 00:53:46.320 --> 00:53:47.320 I said, God, you've got all of me. 00:53:47.320 --> 00:53:48.280 I said, God, you've got all of me. 00:53:48.280 --> 00:53:48.480 I said, God, you've got all of me. 00:53:48.480 --> 00:53:49.320 I said, God, you've got all of me. 00:53:49.320 --> 00:53:49.400 I said, God, you've got all of me. 00:53:49.400 --> 00:53:50.440 I said, God, you've got all of me. 00:53:50.440 --> 00:53:51.320 I said, God, you've got all of me. 00:53:51.320 --> 00:53:52.320 I said, God, you've got all of me. 00:53:52.320 --> 00:53:53.480 I said, God, you've got all of me. 00:53:53.480 --> 00:54:03.720 My concern for so many of us in here today is we walk in here with this false sense that 00:54:03.720 --> 00:54:11.940 we're saved because we know a few things that we can walk out of here and bust the gates 00:54:11.940 --> 00:54:16.860 of hell wide open. 00:54:16.860 --> 00:54:29.780 So in only a way that you can search your heart through the gates of the Lord, just ask yourself, 00:54:29.780 --> 00:54:37.680 has it moved from here to here? 00:54:37.680 --> 00:54:43.980 And I think that's what it means when we say things like, I want Jesus to come live 00:54:43.980 --> 00:54:46.860 in my heart. 00:54:46.860 --> 00:54:55.680 Because what that means, I think when we say that, is that I want Jesus to permeate through 00:54:55.680 --> 00:55:02.540 every part of who I am, that I want to be changed and transformed, that I want the old to be gone, 00:55:02.540 --> 00:55:13.760 and I want the new to come, and I want to live for his name and for his glory. 00:55:13.760 --> 00:55:27.760 Thanks again for listening to the Willow Ridge Church weekly podcast. 00:55:27.760 --> 00:55:30.420 We hope that you enjoyed listening to this week's message. 00:55:31.100 --> 00:55:35.900 If you'd like to learn more about who we are or explore additional resources, visit us online 00:55:35.900 --> 00:55:43.040 at www.willowridgechurch.com or by searching for Willow Ridge Church on Facebook and Instagram. 00:55:43.760 --> 00:55:44.760 Thank you. 00:55:44.760 --> 00:55:44.760 Thank you.