WEBVTT 00:00:04.120 --> 00:00:05.998 We are finishing up the book of Hebrews. 00:00:05.998 --> 00:00:06.638 Let me go ahead. 00:00:06.638 --> 00:00:09.846 I'm not going to give you the whole summary that I've been giving you 00:00:09.846 --> 00:00:11.496 about every day since January, 00:00:11.542 --> 00:00:13.690 but here's the point. 00:00:14.350 --> 00:00:16.970 Jesus is the object of our worshIp. 00:00:17.790 --> 00:00:19.130 If we worship, 00:00:19.630 --> 00:00:21.770 it should be directed toward JeSus. 00:00:22.470 --> 00:00:24.198 Actually, we were created for worship. 00:00:24.198 --> 00:00:25.806 ThAt's what God created us for, 00:00:25.806 --> 00:00:28.926 worship. The problem is that a lot of times people are worshiping the 00:00:28.926 --> 00:00:31.772 wrong Things or the WrOng somethings. 00:00:31.966 --> 00:00:35.848 And we've been talking all year about JEsus being the object of our 00:00:35.848 --> 00:00:37.992 worship, the object of our faith. 00:00:38.136 --> 00:00:44.424 And God makes the case throughout the book of Hebrews for the supremacy 00:00:44.472 --> 00:00:49.344 of ChrIst as the focus of our worship and our faith. 00:00:49.392 --> 00:00:51.672 And so when we get to this ending, 00:00:51.672 --> 00:00:56.888 part of it is that a lot of this is really just kind of the product of 00:00:56.888 --> 00:00:57.520 our worship. 00:00:57.520 --> 00:00:57.776 I mean, 00:00:57.776 --> 00:01:02.000 if we are truly going to devote ourselves and commit ourselves and 00:01:02.040 --> 00:01:02.824 surrender ourselves, 00:01:02.872 --> 00:01:05.340 and I'll get all the verbs together here in a minute. 00:01:05.340 --> 00:01:10.080 If we are going to make Christ the focus of our being right, 00:01:10.540 --> 00:01:13.148 he is going to be the priority of our lives, 00:01:13.148 --> 00:01:15.128 and not just on Sunday morning. 00:01:15.700 --> 00:01:19.292 Christ is going to be the one that we consider at all times. 00:01:19.292 --> 00:01:21.924 And I've shared with you several times that when you get up in the 00:01:21.924 --> 00:01:23.360 morning, consider Jesus. 00:01:23.780 --> 00:01:24.812 Go to bed at night, 00:01:24.812 --> 00:01:26.588 consider Jesus lunchtime, 00:01:26.644 --> 00:01:29.436 consider Jesus all the times in between. 00:01:29.508 --> 00:01:35.646 Consider Jesus is our life a testimony of what God has done on our 00:01:35.678 --> 00:01:38.902 behalf. But what Jesus has accomplished in us, 00:01:39.006 --> 00:01:44.158 are we focusing our hearts and minds on who he is and who it is that he 00:01:44.158 --> 00:01:45.690 desires us to be? 00:01:45.990 --> 00:01:47.174 And so that's sort of, 00:01:47.174 --> 00:01:48.318 as we wind this down, 00:01:48.318 --> 00:01:51.478 we're only dealing with a few verses here toward the end now. 00:01:51.478 --> 00:01:53.458 But this is part of the, 00:01:53.750 --> 00:01:54.734 it's not act. 00:01:54.590 --> 00:01:56.934 The benediction doesn't come until we get to verse 20. 00:01:56.934 --> 00:01:59.510 But this is kind of like the writer of Hebrews is, 00:01:59.510 --> 00:02:02.240 is sort of tying it all up in a bow. 00:02:02.240 --> 00:02:02.568 You see, 00:02:02.568 --> 00:02:06.660 our lives are a gift from God. 00:02:07.360 --> 00:02:08.024 You know, 00:02:08.112 --> 00:02:08.832 I always say, 00:02:08.832 --> 00:02:09.600 people say, 00:02:09.760 --> 00:02:10.344 I'll ask them, 00:02:10.344 --> 00:02:11.192 well, how you doing today? 00:02:11.192 --> 00:02:11.904 They say, 00:02:12.072 --> 00:02:14.712 I'm on the green side of the grass. 00:02:15.920 --> 00:02:17.888 Okay, yeah, 00:02:17.904 --> 00:02:19.224 I understand the point. 00:02:19.304 --> 00:02:21.128 Yeah, I understand what you're saying. 00:02:21.128 --> 00:02:23.904 But what does I mean is my life, 00:02:23.992 --> 00:02:28.520 do I live my life as the gift it is from God? 00:02:29.300 --> 00:02:31.524 Do I devote myself to him? 00:02:31.652 --> 00:02:34.000 Do I make my days about him? 00:02:34.300 --> 00:02:37.172 Do I surrender myself, 00:02:37.236 --> 00:02:37.764 my time, 00:02:37.764 --> 00:02:38.388 my energy, 00:02:38.388 --> 00:02:38.940 my talent, 00:02:38.940 --> 00:02:42.040 my resources to serving him? 00:02:42.900 --> 00:02:45.540 So our lives are a gift from God, 00:02:45.572 --> 00:02:49.760 but they're also supposed to be a gift to God. 00:02:50.060 --> 00:02:53.842 I've told you about some of the horrible gifts I've gotten over the 00:02:53.842 --> 00:02:54.670 years, right? 00:02:56.970 --> 00:02:58.946 And my son is a he. 00:02:58.946 --> 00:03:00.210 I don't know where he gets it from, 00:03:00.210 --> 00:03:01.186 but he, 00:03:01.218 --> 00:03:05.082 um. I told the story about the willow. 00:03:05.266 --> 00:03:05.738 You know, 00:03:05.738 --> 00:03:07.106 remember the willow story? 00:03:07.298 --> 00:03:09.938 Man, I was so disappointed in that gift. 00:03:09.906 --> 00:03:12.650 So you know what my son gave me that Christmas? 00:03:12.650 --> 00:03:13.630 A wheelo. 00:03:14.690 --> 00:03:16.666 It's up in the top of my closet up there, 00:03:16.666 --> 00:03:18.754 and I'm saving it for posterity now. 00:03:18.754 --> 00:03:19.186 But, I mean, 00:03:19.186 --> 00:03:19.434 you know, 00:03:19.434 --> 00:03:20.202 the idea was, 00:03:20.202 --> 00:03:22.090 is that he heard the story, 00:03:22.090 --> 00:03:24.570 too. So here's the question. 00:03:24.650 --> 00:03:26.960 What gift are you giving to God, 00:03:27.930 --> 00:03:29.138 right? I mean, 00:03:29.314 --> 00:03:32.350 if our lives are a gift from God, 00:03:33.370 --> 00:03:37.034 and our lives are supposed to be a gift back to God, 00:03:37.034 --> 00:03:38.858 what gift are you offering? 00:03:38.954 --> 00:03:42.242 Because this is part of the picture of the sacrificial system of the Old 00:03:42.242 --> 00:03:46.430 Testament was don't bring the worthless stuff to the temple. 00:03:47.350 --> 00:03:49.286 Don't bring the last of the flock. 00:03:49.286 --> 00:03:53.470 Don't bring the ugliest or the dirtiest or the cheapest thing you got. 00:03:53.166 --> 00:03:58.030 What we're supposed to give back to God is the very best of who we are, 00:03:58.030 --> 00:03:59.798 the very best of our lives, 00:03:59.798 --> 00:04:01.810 the very best of our produce. 00:04:02.190 --> 00:04:03.974 We're supposed to give God our best. 00:04:03.974 --> 00:04:04.318 And so, 00:04:04.318 --> 00:04:05.518 as we look at this passage, 00:04:05.518 --> 00:04:09.358 just understand the writer is just trying to bring it all together for 00:04:09.358 --> 00:04:12.658 us, because it starts in verse 15 with the word therefore, 00:04:12.740 --> 00:04:15.900 considering everything we've studied in the book of Hebrews, 00:04:15.940 --> 00:04:18.796 everything that the writer of Hebrews has brought to the table, 00:04:18.796 --> 00:04:21.028 therefore, through him, 00:04:21.124 --> 00:04:25.628 let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise. 00:04:25.764 --> 00:04:29.200 That is the fruit of lips that confess his name. 00:04:29.820 --> 00:04:33.120 Don't neglect to do what is good and to share, 00:04:33.340 --> 00:04:35.840 for God is pleased with such sacrifices. 00:04:36.740 --> 00:04:38.972 Obey your leaders and submit to them, 00:04:38.972 --> 00:04:42.806 since they keep watch over your souls as those who give an account so 00:04:42.806 --> 00:04:45.166 that they can do this with joy and not with grief, 00:04:45.166 --> 00:04:47.490 for that would be unprofitable for you. 00:04:47.830 --> 00:04:48.774 Pray for us. 00:04:48.774 --> 00:04:51.870 For we are convinced that we have a clear conscience, 00:04:51.870 --> 00:04:54.366 wanting to conduct ourselves honorably in everything. 00:04:54.478 --> 00:04:58.878 And I urge you all the more to pray that I may be restored to you very 00:04:58.878 --> 00:05:01.182 soon, and we'll quit with verse 19. 00:05:01.246 --> 00:05:01.486 All right, 00:05:01.486 --> 00:05:02.146 let's pray. 00:05:02.166 --> 00:05:03.742 God, I praise you and thank you again, 00:05:03.742 --> 00:05:05.102 that as we gather this morning, 00:05:05.102 --> 00:05:06.382 you meet with us in this place. 00:05:06.382 --> 00:05:08.692 And that's just a very cool thing. 00:05:08.720 --> 00:05:09.920 That when we come together, 00:05:09.920 --> 00:05:12.080 God, your word teaches us two or three can gather, 00:05:12.080 --> 00:05:13.568 and you meet in their midst. 00:05:13.568 --> 00:05:13.856 And so, 00:05:13.856 --> 00:05:17.240 God, we just trust that as you move among us this morning, 00:05:17.240 --> 00:05:22.336 God, that we're not so much paying attention to the things around us, 00:05:22.368 --> 00:05:23.232 even my voice. 00:05:23.232 --> 00:05:23.608 But, God, 00:05:23.608 --> 00:05:25.120 we want to hear you, 00:05:25.120 --> 00:05:26.864 God, we want to hear from you this morning. 00:05:26.712 --> 00:05:28.424 We want to understand more about you. 00:05:28.424 --> 00:05:29.624 We want to get a better glimpse of you. 00:05:29.624 --> 00:05:36.820 We want to grow to understand that what you expect of us, 00:05:37.750 --> 00:05:40.070 God, what do you want to see in our lives? 00:05:40.070 --> 00:05:43.370 What is it that we can present back to you? 00:05:43.750 --> 00:05:44.806 Help us. 00:05:44.998 --> 00:05:46.486 We pray it in Jesus name. 00:05:46.486 --> 00:05:49.734 Amen. Interestingly, 00:05:49.902 --> 00:05:53.610 interestingly, when we think about gifts, 00:05:54.310 --> 00:05:54.758 all right, 00:05:54.758 --> 00:05:56.814 so everybody knows my birthday was this week, 00:05:56.814 --> 00:05:59.310 right? Typically speaking, 00:05:59.390 --> 00:06:01.890 people give me edible things, 00:06:02.880 --> 00:06:04.200 just so you know, 00:06:05.240 --> 00:06:06.256 which is fine. 00:06:06.368 --> 00:06:08.018 I'm okay with edible things. 00:06:10.320 --> 00:06:13.048 But when I think about what we offer, 00:06:13.144 --> 00:06:17.048 God, I think we have a challenge before us, 00:06:17.064 --> 00:06:18.576 y'all. I mean, 00:06:18.608 --> 00:06:20.776 because we fill up our lives with everything else, 00:06:20.776 --> 00:06:22.584 right? I mean, 00:06:22.752 --> 00:06:26.280 if you were to examine your days of this past week, 00:06:26.280 --> 00:06:26.736 you know, 00:06:26.736 --> 00:06:28.232 what did you spend the most time doing? 00:06:28.232 --> 00:06:30.860 I asked this last week and a week or so ago, 00:06:30.860 --> 00:06:35.764 this idea of if you evaluated the time spent, 00:06:35.812 --> 00:06:37.200 the energy given, 00:06:38.220 --> 00:06:41.080 what you invest in other things, 00:06:41.900 --> 00:06:46.004 if you were just to look at the spreadsheet of how you've invested your 00:06:46.004 --> 00:06:49.520 life, what have you given to God? 00:06:50.980 --> 00:06:52.284 What's the offering? 00:06:52.412 --> 00:06:53.836 Because that's what it starts out with. 00:06:53.836 --> 00:06:55.160 Therefore, through him. 00:06:55.860 --> 00:06:57.524 Dick pointed it out this morning. 00:06:57.524 --> 00:06:59.780 Him is easily overlooked right there. 00:06:59.860 --> 00:07:01.180 Who's the him there? 00:07:01.060 --> 00:07:02.170 Him's Jesus. 00:07:02.290 --> 00:07:03.470 Through Jesus, 00:07:04.050 --> 00:07:08.950 let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise. 00:07:09.930 --> 00:07:11.642 What does this sacrifice mean? 00:07:11.746 --> 00:07:12.266 What do you mean, 00:07:12.266 --> 00:07:13.106 a sacrifice? 00:07:13.178 --> 00:07:18.458 It doesn't hurt me a bit to come in here with all you folks and sing. 00:07:19.090 --> 00:07:21.378 See, that's what we've always considered our praise is, 00:07:21.378 --> 00:07:22.698 okay, singing to God. 00:07:22.706 --> 00:07:24.010 Or, you know, 00:07:24.050 --> 00:07:25.618 some traditions of church will say, 00:07:25.618 --> 00:07:27.532 well, I raise my hands, 00:07:27.556 --> 00:07:29.206 that means I'm praising God. 00:07:29.348 --> 00:07:31.468 Either that or you're surrendering to the police. 00:07:31.468 --> 00:07:32.100 One or the other. 00:07:32.100 --> 00:07:33.090 I don't know. 00:07:33.660 --> 00:07:34.868 Right? I mean, 00:07:34.884 --> 00:07:35.628 that's kind of thing. 00:07:35.628 --> 00:07:36.260 What is it? 00:07:36.260 --> 00:07:40.740 What does a sacrifice of praise look like in your life? 00:07:40.900 --> 00:07:45.280 What is it that you sacrifice to praise? 00:07:46.420 --> 00:07:47.156 You see, 00:07:47.268 --> 00:07:50.652 this is going to be challenging for us because given the first twelve 00:07:50.652 --> 00:07:51.924 chapters of this book, 00:07:51.924 --> 00:07:55.148 what we understand is that when the world can, 00:07:55.324 --> 00:07:58.220 can keep us swirling with the distractions, 00:07:58.380 --> 00:07:59.876 sometimes we're going to have to, 00:07:59.876 --> 00:08:03.316 we're going to have to sacrifice the things that are in this world so 00:08:03.316 --> 00:08:05.956 that we can offer our lives to God. 00:08:06.300 --> 00:08:10.204 Okay? You might have to give up something. 00:08:10.292 --> 00:08:14.800 I might have to give up something to make a sacrifice of praise. 00:08:15.500 --> 00:08:20.316 You might have to give up some of your activities or I keep saying you, 00:08:20.316 --> 00:08:20.692 I'll say, 00:08:20.692 --> 00:08:23.992 we might have to give up some of our activities. 00:08:24.540 --> 00:08:29.916 We might have to give up some of our resources to offer a sacrifice of 00:08:29.948 --> 00:08:34.940 praise. We might have to give up some of the things that entertain us to 00:08:34.980 --> 00:08:37.280 offer up a sacrifice of praise. 00:08:37.780 --> 00:08:39.796 He goes on to give a little bit of. 00:08:39.796 --> 00:08:42.716 And considering the roman world at the time this was written, 00:08:42.716 --> 00:08:43.188 listen to this. 00:08:43.188 --> 00:08:46.364 The fruit of lips that confess his name. 00:08:46.492 --> 00:08:46.884 You see, 00:08:46.884 --> 00:08:48.524 in the roman world at that time, 00:08:48.524 --> 00:08:51.360 you were required to worship the Caesar. 00:08:53.090 --> 00:08:55.906 But God's calling upon believers and christians to say, 00:08:55.906 --> 00:08:56.154 no, no, 00:08:56.154 --> 00:08:57.298 no, I don't worship him. 00:08:57.298 --> 00:08:58.990 I worship Jesus, 00:08:59.970 --> 00:09:01.522 the focus of our worship, 00:09:01.522 --> 00:09:03.010 the object of our faith. 00:09:03.010 --> 00:09:06.670 Right? So in that day and time, 00:09:07.330 --> 00:09:12.710 to offer up the fruit of lips to the name of Jesus might mean execution. 00:09:13.530 --> 00:09:14.098 Matter of fact, 00:09:14.098 --> 00:09:16.954 we're going to get to it in the last part of the chapter where it says, 00:09:16.954 --> 00:09:17.410 oh, yeah, 00:09:17.410 --> 00:09:17.898 by the way, 00:09:17.898 --> 00:09:19.390 Timothy just got out. 00:09:19.780 --> 00:09:22.090 Doesn't tell you got out of what? 00:09:22.380 --> 00:09:23.316 It just tell you, 00:09:23.316 --> 00:09:23.732 oh, yeah, 00:09:23.732 --> 00:09:25.440 he's been released. 00:09:25.860 --> 00:09:26.920 I'm thinking, 00:09:27.300 --> 00:09:32.980 okay, what it most likely means an imprisonment because of his faith. 00:09:33.100 --> 00:09:34.588 So look at this a minute. 00:09:34.364 --> 00:09:38.084 What is it that we are actually sacrificing in praise to God, 00:09:38.084 --> 00:09:39.780 the fruit of lips that confess his name? 00:09:39.780 --> 00:09:40.820 Absolutely, y'all. 00:09:40.940 --> 00:09:43.900 We need to be confessing the name of Christ. 00:09:43.900 --> 00:09:49.440 We need for people around us to understand that Christ is the priority of 00:09:49.480 --> 00:09:50.470 who we are. 00:09:50.536 --> 00:09:53.980 Jesus in us is what defines our identity. 00:09:55.080 --> 00:09:55.920 You know, 00:09:56.080 --> 00:09:58.088 I laugh about it because as a pastor, 00:09:58.088 --> 00:09:59.552 everybody, you know, 00:09:59.576 --> 00:10:00.464 I've joked about it. 00:10:00.464 --> 00:10:02.104 It's always fun to me that people go, 00:10:02.104 --> 00:10:02.600 oh, sorry, 00:10:02.600 --> 00:10:07.980 preacher. Usually it follows a expletive of some sort. 00:10:08.600 --> 00:10:09.024 You know, 00:10:09.024 --> 00:10:09.568 they'll say something. 00:10:09.568 --> 00:10:09.976 They go, 00:10:09.976 --> 00:10:11.000 sorry, preacher. 00:10:11.160 --> 00:10:11.820 I go, 00:10:11.904 --> 00:10:13.536 you're not offending me. 00:10:13.728 --> 00:10:15.360 Don't apologize to me. 00:10:15.520 --> 00:10:16.380 You know, 00:10:17.640 --> 00:10:21.216 but people need to know that Christ in us, 00:10:21.288 --> 00:10:23.340 that's our hope of glory. 00:10:23.760 --> 00:10:25.140 That's who we are. 00:10:25.640 --> 00:10:31.496 And we need to be projecting that as a sacrifice of praise in our lives, 00:10:31.608 --> 00:10:33.258 in the world around us. 00:10:33.680 --> 00:10:35.020 It's who we are. 00:10:36.640 --> 00:10:38.464 Don't neglect to do what is good. 00:10:38.464 --> 00:10:42.048 Okay, that's about the most unnecessary statement I think we could look 00:10:42.048 --> 00:10:46.310 at, except that people aren't doing good. 00:10:48.010 --> 00:10:49.670 People are doing bad, 00:10:51.090 --> 00:10:54.590 right? So our lives should be characterized by what, 00:10:54.930 --> 00:10:56.258 doing what's good, 00:10:56.354 --> 00:10:57.590 what's righteous. 00:10:58.050 --> 00:10:59.266 People all the time will ask me, 00:10:59.266 --> 00:11:00.826 well, such and such happened. 00:11:00.826 --> 00:11:01.426 This happened, 00:11:01.426 --> 00:11:01.994 or that happened, 00:11:01.994 --> 00:11:02.842 or somebody did this, 00:11:02.842 --> 00:11:03.832 somebody did that. 00:11:03.842 --> 00:11:04.314 And they'll say, 00:11:04.314 --> 00:11:05.850 what do you think I ought to do? 00:11:05.850 --> 00:11:06.490 And I go, 00:11:06.490 --> 00:11:09.308 well, now, 00:11:09.404 --> 00:11:11.228 this will come into play when it gets down here and says, 00:11:11.228 --> 00:11:12.044 obey your leaders, 00:11:12.044 --> 00:11:13.004 but I won't get there yet. 00:11:13.004 --> 00:11:13.994 Here you go. 00:11:14.500 --> 00:11:14.988 I'll go. 00:11:14.988 --> 00:11:21.388 Well, God's expectation of each of us is that our choices are righteous 00:11:21.444 --> 00:11:25.160 choices. Do what's right, 00:11:25.860 --> 00:11:27.800 do what pleases God. 00:11:28.220 --> 00:11:30.860 I don't care what the people around you are doing. 00:11:30.860 --> 00:11:34.760 You have to make sure your actions are righteous actions, 00:11:35.220 --> 00:11:41.748 that your lives speak righteousness so that we don't bring. 00:11:41.884 --> 00:11:42.840 For instance, 00:11:43.340 --> 00:11:44.588 it's a phrase in there, 00:11:44.588 --> 00:11:47.240 the shame on the cause of Christ. 00:11:48.780 --> 00:11:52.332 This idea that my choices in my life speak Jesus. 00:11:52.396 --> 00:11:53.572 And it's a song we sing, 00:11:53.572 --> 00:11:55.076 right? I speak Jesus. 00:11:55.268 --> 00:11:55.932 Right. 00:11:56.076 --> 00:11:57.900 That my choices speak Jesus. 00:11:57.940 --> 00:11:59.764 That my attitude speaks Jesus. 00:11:59.812 --> 00:12:04.262 That all of those things that people are not going to say, 00:12:04.286 --> 00:12:04.958 well, you know what? 00:12:04.958 --> 00:12:06.422 I hear you speak Jesus, 00:12:06.422 --> 00:12:09.730 but I don't see you live speaking Jesus. 00:12:10.590 --> 00:12:14.930 There's got to be an agreement in what we say and do. 00:12:15.430 --> 00:12:17.740 We've got to live out our faith. 00:12:17.910 --> 00:12:20.262 Don't neglect to do what is good and to share. 00:12:20.262 --> 00:12:22.130 Okay, here's preschool lessons, 00:12:22.750 --> 00:12:24.262 right? We teach our kids to share. 00:12:24.262 --> 00:12:25.252 Do you know, 00:12:25.438 --> 00:12:27.862 and I got convinced of this when I had my own son, 00:12:27.862 --> 00:12:28.436 right? 00:12:28.598 --> 00:12:32.558 Do you know that we actually teach our kids not to share? 00:12:33.000 --> 00:12:33.416 You know, 00:12:33.416 --> 00:12:34.608 some of the first things I see, 00:12:34.608 --> 00:12:35.216 and I did it, 00:12:35.216 --> 00:12:35.720 I'm guilty. 00:12:35.720 --> 00:12:39.312 I try not to do it anymore because I was made aware of it. 00:12:39.312 --> 00:12:41.920 But do not take the kid's bottle and go, 00:12:41.920 --> 00:12:46.184 mine. But I see adults do that with children all the time because they 00:12:46.184 --> 00:12:47.432 want to play with the child, 00:12:47.432 --> 00:12:48.112 right? 00:12:48.296 --> 00:12:49.616 Well, the kid all of a sudden goes, 00:12:49.616 --> 00:12:50.460 no mind, 00:12:51.240 --> 00:12:53.300 man. We teach selfishness, 00:12:54.330 --> 00:12:56.110 right? My toys, 00:12:56.970 --> 00:12:57.738 my time, 00:12:57.834 --> 00:12:58.602 my space, 00:12:58.706 --> 00:12:59.910 all that stuff. 00:13:00.330 --> 00:13:01.746 Well, what God is saying is, 00:13:01.746 --> 00:13:05.618 like, we're supposed to share not just stuff, 00:13:05.714 --> 00:13:10.030 but we're supposed to share with others of who we are. 00:13:10.570 --> 00:13:14.322 Do you give yourself to other people now, 00:13:14.346 --> 00:13:14.626 you know, 00:13:14.626 --> 00:13:14.938 I mean, 00:13:14.938 --> 00:13:18.238 this is going back to the whole righteous choices thing. 00:13:18.770 --> 00:13:22.308 Do you sacrifice of your time, 00:13:22.404 --> 00:13:23.724 energy, talents, 00:13:23.852 --> 00:13:26.644 all of those things to serve others? 00:13:26.732 --> 00:13:28.712 That's what this is all about. 00:13:28.860 --> 00:13:34.680 God wants his people characterized by giving of themselves, 00:13:36.380 --> 00:13:39.244 right? And that this is, 00:13:39.292 --> 00:13:40.204 like I said, 00:13:40.204 --> 00:13:41.268 15 to 19. 00:13:41.364 --> 00:13:43.748 These verses right here are the writer of Hebrews, 00:13:43.748 --> 00:13:45.156 by inspiration of God, 00:13:45.308 --> 00:13:52.140 bringing it all to the point of living our lives as a testimony, 00:13:52.680 --> 00:13:54.900 as a sacrifice of praise. 00:13:55.640 --> 00:14:02.248 Our lives should be a testimony to Christ in us because it goes on to 00:14:02.264 --> 00:14:06.448 say, for God is pleased with such sacrifices. 00:14:06.504 --> 00:14:07.136 So go ahead. 00:14:07.136 --> 00:14:08.600 Look, when I asked a minute ago, 00:14:08.600 --> 00:14:10.056 what does sacrifice look like? 00:14:10.056 --> 00:14:10.296 All right, 00:14:10.296 --> 00:14:11.024 so sacrifice, 00:14:11.072 --> 00:14:11.968 properly defined, 00:14:12.024 --> 00:14:17.218 is the act of giving up something highly valued for the sake of something 00:14:17.314 --> 00:14:19.070 else, of greater value. 00:14:19.810 --> 00:14:24.698 So that's giving up something of value for something of greater value. 00:14:24.874 --> 00:14:28.154 So what is it that we give of ourselves to praise God? 00:14:28.154 --> 00:14:31.030 What of value are we giving of ourselves? 00:14:31.330 --> 00:14:32.070 Right. 00:14:34.130 --> 00:14:35.706 That's the challenge for us. 00:14:35.706 --> 00:14:37.170 What is our sacrifice? 00:14:37.290 --> 00:14:41.070 Fruit of lips that confess his name. 00:14:41.470 --> 00:14:44.766 So what is it that you say about God in your life, 00:14:44.766 --> 00:14:46.670 both verbally and non verbally? 00:14:46.750 --> 00:14:48.582 I love it when couples get ready for weddings, 00:14:48.582 --> 00:14:49.054 right? 00:14:49.182 --> 00:14:50.126 We sit down and have, 00:14:50.126 --> 00:14:50.870 I tell people, 00:14:50.870 --> 00:14:51.958 if I'm doing your wedding, 00:14:51.958 --> 00:14:53.938 we're going to have six conversations. 00:14:54.310 --> 00:14:55.810 Generally scares people. 00:14:56.590 --> 00:14:58.570 We're going to have six conversations. 00:14:59.190 --> 00:15:02.598 When we get to the communication conversation, 00:15:02.654 --> 00:15:03.990 it's usually number three. 00:15:04.150 --> 00:15:06.828 We get to the communication conversation and. 00:15:06.974 --> 00:15:07.496 And I'll say, 00:15:07.496 --> 00:15:07.768 all right, 00:15:07.768 --> 00:15:09.688 how many ways can you communicate? 00:15:09.688 --> 00:15:10.248 Oh, man. 00:15:10.248 --> 00:15:11.312 They get really serious. 00:15:11.312 --> 00:15:13.208 They start listing and get all big. 00:15:13.208 --> 00:15:13.464 I said, 00:15:13.464 --> 00:15:14.784 no, there's only two. 00:15:15.040 --> 00:15:18.100 You're going to communicate either verbally or nonverbally. 00:15:18.520 --> 00:15:20.180 And you know what's loudest? 00:15:20.560 --> 00:15:21.740 Non verbal. 00:15:23.560 --> 00:15:24.864 My mama used to tell us, 00:15:24.864 --> 00:15:25.176 she said, 00:15:25.176 --> 00:15:26.826 don't you be door cussing. 00:15:28.160 --> 00:15:30.800 Cause I'd get mad and slam the door. 00:15:29.960 --> 00:15:32.048 Wham. Right? 00:15:32.144 --> 00:15:33.448 She's probably watching right now. 00:15:33.448 --> 00:15:35.440 She might be laughing at this point, 00:15:35.440 --> 00:15:36.256 but that was the thing. 00:15:36.256 --> 00:15:37.704 She called it door cussing. 00:15:37.560 --> 00:15:40.800 When you slam the door because you're mad about something, 00:15:40.800 --> 00:15:44.260 nonverbal communication speaks volumes. 00:15:46.440 --> 00:15:49.696 And a lot of people have trouble putting into words what they want to 00:15:49.696 --> 00:15:51.984 say. But by action, 00:15:52.072 --> 00:15:54.980 you can show what love, 00:15:56.520 --> 00:15:58.304 concern, compassion, 00:15:58.432 --> 00:16:02.910 care. You can show anger in your actions. 00:16:04.090 --> 00:16:06.146 So when we consider these things, 00:16:06.298 --> 00:16:11.714 what is it that we've agreed and understand to be our sacrifice of 00:16:11.762 --> 00:16:18.710 praise? How often do you get to tell people what God's done in your life? 00:16:20.050 --> 00:16:25.458 How often do you take the opportunity to tell people what God's done in 00:16:25.474 --> 00:16:26.270 your life? 00:16:27.000 --> 00:16:32.220 See, it's funny to me that God just arranges things, 00:16:32.840 --> 00:16:35.536 conversations, you know, 00:16:35.688 --> 00:16:37.136 those moments in passing. 00:16:37.168 --> 00:16:38.968 It's like we've got. 00:16:39.064 --> 00:16:46.340 We're going to pass some connection with somebody in just a split second. 00:16:47.440 --> 00:16:49.420 That's all the time you got. 00:16:50.400 --> 00:16:53.370 You might not ever run into that person again. 00:16:53.520 --> 00:16:57.150 Are they going to get Jesus from you in that moment? 00:16:57.760 --> 00:17:01.320 Now, I'm not talking about whacking them with a bible or anything, 00:17:01.320 --> 00:17:05.032 but I'm talking about giving God praise for what he's done in you, 00:17:05.032 --> 00:17:06.960 what he's done in your life, 00:17:06.960 --> 00:17:08.740 and letting people know that, 00:17:09.160 --> 00:17:09.544 you know, 00:17:09.544 --> 00:17:13.232 I always joke about who's on the other side of the gas pumps when you 00:17:13.232 --> 00:17:14.280 pull up to fill up your tank, 00:17:14.280 --> 00:17:17.264 who's on the other side of the gas pump freaks people out. 00:17:17.264 --> 00:17:18.535 If you just kind of go, 00:17:18.535 --> 00:17:19.389 good morning, 00:17:21.569 --> 00:17:23.321 they'll think you're crazier than, 00:17:23.345 --> 00:17:26.425 uh. But it always. 00:17:26.497 --> 00:17:27.817 They always will say, 00:17:27.969 --> 00:17:28.945 well, good morning, 00:17:28.945 --> 00:17:29.937 or thank you. 00:17:30.073 --> 00:17:31.657 It's different from running down the beach. 00:17:31.657 --> 00:17:32.521 You can run down the beach, 00:17:32.521 --> 00:17:33.361 tell people good morning, 00:17:33.361 --> 00:17:35.029 they can ignore you, 00:17:35.769 --> 00:17:37.129 but not at the gas pump. 00:17:37.129 --> 00:17:43.137 They can't split second to give God praise, 00:17:43.193 --> 00:17:45.213 folks, that's what God's looking for. 00:17:45.361 --> 00:17:46.390 Verse 17 says, 00:17:46.430 --> 00:17:48.740 obey your leaders and submit to them. 00:17:48.870 --> 00:17:53.190 Says, they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account 00:17:53.190 --> 00:17:56.126 so that they can do this with joy and not with grief, 00:17:56.126 --> 00:17:58.838 for that would be unprofitable for you. 00:17:59.014 --> 00:17:59.438 All right, 00:17:59.438 --> 00:18:02.174 so I'm scared of this verse, 00:18:02.302 --> 00:18:03.158 just so y'all know. 00:18:03.158 --> 00:18:05.110 I'll just be honest with you. 00:18:05.110 --> 00:18:06.182 It's a tough verse. 00:18:06.182 --> 00:18:09.510 Cause that whole obey your leaders and submit to them. 00:18:09.550 --> 00:18:13.040 Folks, when I examine this verse, 00:18:13.080 --> 00:18:16.088 it reflects back to the previous verse, 00:18:16.144 --> 00:18:16.804 verse seven, 00:18:16.824 --> 00:18:19.240 I think it is in this passage where it says, 00:18:19.240 --> 00:18:20.184 watch your leaders. 00:18:20.184 --> 00:18:21.664 Let me see if I can go back here and find it, 00:18:21.664 --> 00:18:23.314 because this was last week. 00:18:24.000 --> 00:18:24.968 Yeah. Verse seven says, 00:18:24.968 --> 00:18:27.848 remember your leaders who have spoken God's word to you as you carefully 00:18:27.848 --> 00:18:29.344 observe the outcome of their lives, 00:18:29.344 --> 00:18:30.464 imitate their faith. 00:18:30.552 --> 00:18:32.496 So what this is actually saying is, 00:18:32.496 --> 00:18:34.776 yeah, watch your leaders faith. 00:18:34.888 --> 00:18:38.904 Imitate their faith when they get up and share with you how they got to 00:18:38.904 --> 00:18:40.208 where they are in their faith. 00:18:40.208 --> 00:18:41.600 Pay attention to that, 00:18:41.980 --> 00:18:42.796 right? I mean, 00:18:42.796 --> 00:18:43.180 there are. 00:18:43.180 --> 00:18:47.948 There are godly people that I watch that I listen to, 00:18:48.124 --> 00:18:51.660 that I let give instruction into my life. 00:18:51.820 --> 00:18:53.612 Now, they don't even know. 00:18:53.716 --> 00:18:56.100 A lot of them don't even know that they're my leaders, 00:18:56.100 --> 00:18:59.060 right? But I listen to them and I watch their faith. 00:18:59.060 --> 00:19:00.396 And I want to. 00:19:00.508 --> 00:19:06.786 I want God to use them in my life to give refinement and to show shape me 00:19:06.898 --> 00:19:09.208 so that I can praise God better. 00:19:09.490 --> 00:19:11.470 Now, I'll be honest with you. 00:19:12.490 --> 00:19:13.642 I'm kind of a. 00:19:13.642 --> 00:19:15.042 I won't say I'm a fatalist, 00:19:15.042 --> 00:19:18.146 but. But I'll get up here and I will share with you what I believe God 00:19:18.146 --> 00:19:22.170 has laid on my heart and given for the word of God to say. 00:19:22.170 --> 00:19:23.370 And then I'm one of these people. 00:19:23.370 --> 00:19:24.110 I go, 00:19:24.730 --> 00:19:26.380 now it's up to you. 00:19:26.690 --> 00:19:28.626 You decide not to do it, 00:19:28.626 --> 00:19:31.926 I'm probably not going to worry about it beyond that. 00:19:32.750 --> 00:19:37.550 So this whole verse right here goes back to a first century context where 00:19:37.670 --> 00:19:42.190 the new movement of Christ in Christianity was getting the leaders 00:19:42.270 --> 00:19:48.210 arrested and tortured and stuff. 00:19:49.230 --> 00:19:52.574 And the body of Christ is supposed to be different from what the world 00:19:52.574 --> 00:19:53.078 looks like. 00:19:53.078 --> 00:19:53.998 At that time, 00:19:53.998 --> 00:19:54.658 one Peter, 00:19:54.678 --> 00:19:55.198 chapter five, 00:19:55.198 --> 00:19:55.918 verses one and three, 00:19:55.918 --> 00:19:59.326 says, I exhort the elders among you as a fellow elder witness to the 00:19:59.326 --> 00:20:00.490 sufferings of Christ, 00:20:01.020 --> 00:20:05.310 as well as one who shares in the glory about to be revealed. 00:20:05.540 --> 00:20:08.924 And then Peter's giving instruction to leadership in the body of Christ. 00:20:08.780 --> 00:20:09.204 He says, 00:20:09.204 --> 00:20:12.036 shepherd, God's flock among you, 00:20:12.148 --> 00:20:15.372 not overseeing out of compulsion, 00:20:15.516 --> 00:20:17.900 but willingly as God would have you, 00:20:17.940 --> 00:20:19.556 not out of greed for money, 00:20:19.556 --> 00:20:20.556 but eagerly, 00:20:20.668 --> 00:20:23.756 not lording it over those entrusted to you, 00:20:23.788 --> 00:20:27.410 but being examples to the flock. 00:20:28.990 --> 00:20:32.294 Now, here's something that I realized years ago in great fear and 00:20:32.294 --> 00:20:35.654 trembling. If I'm going to stand before you and share the word of God, 00:20:35.654 --> 00:20:39.944 God's going to hold me doubly accountable for living the word of God, 00:20:41.430 --> 00:20:44.070 man, you know what? 00:20:44.110 --> 00:20:46.210 That'll make a preacher run away. 00:20:47.710 --> 00:20:48.846 But what he's saying is, 00:20:48.846 --> 00:20:49.190 he says, 00:20:49.190 --> 00:20:50.238 watch your leaders. 00:20:50.414 --> 00:20:53.326 They're there studying and understanding. 00:20:53.358 --> 00:20:56.510 And elders at that time were the ones who had the message. 00:20:56.510 --> 00:20:58.894 And the books weren't arranged like this all the time, 00:20:58.894 --> 00:21:03.844 but they did have the writings of the gospels by this time in the first 00:21:03.894 --> 00:21:06.630 century. And these were things they were passing around and understanding 00:21:06.630 --> 00:21:07.670 Jesus teaching. 00:21:07.790 --> 00:21:09.246 And the letters were already, 00:21:09.246 --> 00:21:12.982 because some of the writers already referring to Paul's writings and 00:21:13.006 --> 00:21:13.814 those kind of things, 00:21:13.814 --> 00:21:17.478 so they were already starting to see the shape of the body of Christ come 00:21:17.478 --> 00:21:18.330 into being. 00:21:20.410 --> 00:21:23.154 But when I see this obey your leaders thing, 00:21:23.154 --> 00:21:24.738 I know me, 00:21:24.914 --> 00:21:27.224 I'm not real good at that part. 00:21:27.810 --> 00:21:32.470 And yet I do want to submit to Christ. 00:21:33.370 --> 00:21:38.906 And therefore I submit to those who teach and those who lead and the 00:21:38.938 --> 00:21:45.050 people that are sharing with me as they share in the instruction of 00:21:45.090 --> 00:21:47.040 goddess. You see, 00:21:47.540 --> 00:21:49.052 I want to understand that. 00:21:49.052 --> 00:21:51.960 I want to submit as unto the Lord. 00:21:53.580 --> 00:21:56.932 And then the final encouragement here is pray for us, 00:21:57.116 --> 00:21:58.372 because the writers say, 00:21:58.372 --> 00:21:59.076 you know, 00:21:59.228 --> 00:22:01.116 as the elders and all that sort of thing, 00:22:01.116 --> 00:22:03.468 and we're going to get to the imprisonment thing next week, 00:22:03.468 --> 00:22:04.156 pray for us, 00:22:04.156 --> 00:22:07.456 for we are convinced that we have a clear conscience. 00:22:07.660 --> 00:22:09.320 Now, here's what I'll say. 00:22:10.580 --> 00:22:11.322 I have, 00:22:11.436 --> 00:22:15.350 I don't believe in 42 years of ministry that I've ever knowingly 00:22:15.430 --> 00:22:18.414 miscommunicated what I've studied in the word of God. 00:22:18.462 --> 00:22:22.046 Now, I admit that years ago I might have said some things differently 00:22:22.046 --> 00:22:23.038 than the way I would say them. 00:22:23.038 --> 00:22:26.806 Now, that's just part of maturity and part of growing up, 00:22:26.958 --> 00:22:27.462 you know, 00:22:27.462 --> 00:22:28.782 that kind of thing. 00:22:28.678 --> 00:22:29.630 But here you go. 00:22:29.630 --> 00:22:31.046 If I share it with you from here, 00:22:31.046 --> 00:22:34.016 what are you supposed to do with it now? 00:22:34.590 --> 00:22:37.230 What are you all supposed to do next? 00:22:37.480 --> 00:22:38.660 Go study, 00:22:39.400 --> 00:22:42.260 man. Go get into the word of God. 00:22:42.640 --> 00:22:46.440 Go make sure that what I'm telling you is what it says. 00:22:46.440 --> 00:22:47.100 Truth is, 00:22:47.128 --> 00:22:47.384 you know, 00:22:47.384 --> 00:22:51.328 and I know some of these older traditional preachers that they'll tell 00:22:51.328 --> 00:22:53.368 you, they'll get you in worship like this. 00:22:53.368 --> 00:22:54.776 Say, hold up your Bible. 00:22:54.776 --> 00:22:55.664 See, I don't know. 00:22:55.664 --> 00:22:59.680 I want to do that in here because we put it on the screen, 00:22:59.680 --> 00:23:04.488 and then some of you would reach down and grab one from under a chair. 00:23:04.120 --> 00:23:05.440 But here's the point. 00:23:05.880 --> 00:23:07.530 You got to have one. 00:23:07.608 --> 00:23:11.256 And I really don't care whether it's paper and ink or whether it's on 00:23:11.256 --> 00:23:14.344 your phone or on your tablet or on your computer. 00:23:14.344 --> 00:23:15.994 Study the word of God. 00:23:16.168 --> 00:23:18.478 Go get into the word of God. 00:23:18.648 --> 00:23:19.160 You see, 00:23:19.160 --> 00:23:21.944 it's the word of God that by his spirit, 00:23:21.944 --> 00:23:25.688 transforms us and shapes us. 00:23:25.864 --> 00:23:26.820 It's important. 00:23:27.640 --> 00:23:28.416 Pray for us, 00:23:28.416 --> 00:23:30.328 for we are convinced that we have a clear conscience, 00:23:30.328 --> 00:23:33.000 wanting to conduct ourselves honorably in everything. 00:23:33.080 --> 00:23:33.872 And in verse 19, 00:23:33.872 --> 00:23:34.168 he says, 00:23:34.168 --> 00:23:38.140 I urge you all the more to pray that I may be restored to you very soon. 00:23:38.140 --> 00:23:38.932 So, obviously, 00:23:38.956 --> 00:23:42.356 the writer of Hebrews is one of the elders of the body of Christ, 00:23:42.356 --> 00:23:46.436 and one entrusted by God and inspiration to put this down in writing. 00:23:46.252 --> 00:23:48.232 And I told you we're not. 00:23:48.460 --> 00:23:49.196 Greg is, 00:23:49.228 --> 00:23:53.740 but we're not convinced that Paul is the writer of the book of Hebrews. 00:23:53.740 --> 00:23:55.156 There are those who are, 00:23:55.156 --> 00:23:56.964 and I don't argue with them. 00:23:56.964 --> 00:23:59.164 But of all of Paul's letters, 00:23:59.212 --> 00:24:01.120 this one doesn't identify him. 00:24:01.480 --> 00:24:04.224 So I think that kind of leaves it a little bit open. 00:24:04.064 --> 00:24:05.120 And there are some who, 00:24:05.120 --> 00:24:06.896 I've read lots of theories of it, 00:24:06.896 --> 00:24:07.456 and some say, 00:24:07.456 --> 00:24:09.144 well, it could be Apollos. 00:24:09.192 --> 00:24:11.016 Well, Apollos was one of the corinthians, 00:24:11.016 --> 00:24:12.006 and one of, 00:24:12.008 --> 00:24:12.296 you know, 00:24:12.296 --> 00:24:14.936 the whole leadership of the body of Christ. 00:24:15.160 --> 00:24:18.944 Some have said that the book of Hebrews is not actually a book. 00:24:18.944 --> 00:24:23.440 It was a series of messages that were preached to the New Testament 00:24:23.480 --> 00:24:24.120 church. Well, 00:24:24.120 --> 00:24:26.760 I don't know if I go that far. 00:24:27.050 --> 00:24:28.370 Here's what I know. 00:24:28.970 --> 00:24:31.634 If there's an author of the book of Hebrews, 00:24:31.634 --> 00:24:34.962 it's God who wrote it down. 00:24:35.106 --> 00:24:36.722 Yeah, we might know, 00:24:36.746 --> 00:24:38.898 and we might not know him next week. 00:24:38.898 --> 00:24:42.402 I will make the best case for it being Paul next week because he does 00:24:42.402 --> 00:24:43.394 mention timothy. 00:24:43.522 --> 00:24:44.350 Okay. 00:24:45.410 --> 00:24:51.210 But my whole point here is that are we listening to God and making the 00:24:51.250 --> 00:24:54.880 sacrifice of our praises by our lives? 00:24:56.260 --> 00:24:57.564 Cause I'll be honest, 00:24:57.564 --> 00:24:59.480 and I'd always try to, 00:25:02.100 --> 00:25:05.756 if the 15 minutes we share in worship together is all the praise you're 00:25:05.756 --> 00:25:06.720 giving God, 00:25:07.100 --> 00:25:08.280 it's not enough. 00:25:11.140 --> 00:25:13.644 Our lives need to be a sacrifice. 00:25:13.692 --> 00:25:14.612 Of praise, 00:25:14.756 --> 00:25:17.440 okay? That's what this is about. 00:25:19.150 --> 00:25:20.862 As the writer and as God, 00:25:20.862 --> 00:25:21.830 by inspiration, 00:25:21.910 --> 00:25:23.326 draws us to a point. 00:25:23.326 --> 00:25:27.966 What we're supposed to do is examine our lives and make sure our lives 00:25:28.158 --> 00:25:29.150 speak Jesus, 00:25:29.230 --> 00:25:30.880 because he is the focus, 00:25:30.966 --> 00:25:33.770 he is the priority of who we are. 00:25:34.430 --> 00:25:37.310 Well, it all starts with Jesus. 00:25:37.470 --> 00:25:39.534 See, if you've not trusted Jesus, 00:25:39.622 --> 00:25:40.310 if you. 00:25:40.430 --> 00:25:41.134 I mean, 00:25:41.262 --> 00:25:42.558 I asked a guy this week, 00:25:42.558 --> 00:25:42.806 I said, 00:25:42.806 --> 00:25:43.070 all right, 00:25:43.070 --> 00:25:44.038 if you died right now, 00:25:44.038 --> 00:25:45.570 would you go to heaven? 00:25:45.570 --> 00:25:46.410 And that answer, 00:25:46.410 --> 00:25:47.400 I hope so. 00:25:47.450 --> 00:25:48.610 Well, guess what? 00:25:48.770 --> 00:25:51.080 You can have more of a hope. 00:25:51.090 --> 00:25:52.430 More than a hope. 00:25:52.930 --> 00:25:54.114 John actually says, 00:25:54.162 --> 00:25:56.346 I write these things so that you can know. 00:25:56.346 --> 00:25:58.656 And then my professor in seminary said, 00:25:58.930 --> 00:26:00.642 john's words could be like this. 00:26:00.642 --> 00:26:02.226 I write these things so that you may know, 00:26:02.226 --> 00:26:02.826 that you know. 00:26:02.666 --> 00:26:03.656 That you know, 00:26:04.090 --> 00:26:05.870 right? You can know. 00:26:07.610 --> 00:26:12.680 And then let God live it out in you as you give up sacrifice, 00:26:13.180 --> 00:26:16.564 those things that allow you to praise him. 00:26:16.732 --> 00:26:17.740 If you don't know Jesus, 00:26:17.740 --> 00:26:19.540 we want you to know Jesus. 00:26:19.540 --> 00:26:21.850 We'd love to introduce you to him. 00:26:21.780 --> 00:26:22.440 It's cool. 00:26:22.460 --> 00:26:23.360 Last week, 00:26:24.060 --> 00:26:26.684 I don't know of anybody that we're supposed to baptize today, 00:26:26.684 --> 00:26:28.836 because we baptized them all in the last couple of weeks. 00:26:28.836 --> 00:26:31.868 But last week I didn't know whether we were baptizing anybody. 00:26:31.868 --> 00:26:32.796 And at 925, 00:26:32.828 --> 00:26:33.116 I said, 00:26:33.116 --> 00:26:34.532 is anybody here supposed to be baptized? 00:26:34.532 --> 00:26:34.884 Day? 00:26:34.972 --> 00:26:36.622 Guy right over here went. 00:26:37.150 --> 00:26:38.574 So I walked over and I asked him, 00:26:38.574 --> 00:26:38.774 I said, 00:26:38.774 --> 00:26:39.862 have you trusted Jesus? 00:26:39.862 --> 00:26:40.254 He said, 00:26:40.254 --> 00:26:41.838 no. I said, 00:26:41.854 --> 00:26:42.844 well, let's talk. 00:26:42.974 --> 00:26:43.758 So he prayed, 00:26:43.758 --> 00:26:44.374 receive Christ, 00:26:44.374 --> 00:26:45.718 right there on the front row, 00:26:45.718 --> 00:26:46.494 1245. 00:26:46.542 --> 00:26:49.310 I took him in the ocean and dunked him. 00:26:49.310 --> 00:26:50.966 Right? See, 00:26:50.998 --> 00:26:52.050 God's at work. 00:26:52.950 --> 00:26:54.622 Let him be at work in you. 00:26:54.622 --> 00:26:56.310 Okay, let's pray. 00:26:56.350 --> 00:26:57.366 God, thank you for today, 00:26:57.366 --> 00:26:59.430 and thank you for your word and how clear it is. 00:26:59.430 --> 00:27:00.490 God, we know. 00:27:00.910 --> 00:27:03.528 God, you have given a everything. 00:27:03.624 --> 00:27:04.840 You've given us life. 00:27:04.840 --> 00:27:06.220 And God, 00:27:07.760 --> 00:27:10.730 it's our turn to give it back to you. 00:27:11.360 --> 00:27:11.960 So God, 00:27:11.960 --> 00:27:14.000 help us to give you our lives. 00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:16.320 And if there's one here this morning doesn't know Jesus, 00:27:16.320 --> 00:27:17.344 never trusted Jesus, 00:27:17.392 --> 00:27:18.712 never received the salvation, 00:27:18.728 --> 00:27:20.584 God, that you've offered God, 00:27:20.632 --> 00:27:21.952 my prayer is this, 00:27:22.720 --> 00:27:30.110 that we'd surrender and we'd bowden and we'd make our lives a sacrifice. 00:27:31.170 --> 00:27:32.770 We pray it in Jesus name. 00:27:32.770 --> 00:27:33.010 Amen.