WEBVTT 87 00:18:33.495 --> 00:18:33.715 God. 88 00:18:33.735 --> 00:18:34.735 We love you. 89 00:18:36.815 --> 00:18:39.635 We know and we believe that you are the Lord of all 90 00:18:40.285 --> 00:18:41.285 Thank you. That 91 00:18:41.285 --> 00:18:42.835 whatever we might face, God, 92 00:18:42.835 --> 00:18:44.555 you are seated on the throne. 93 00:18:44.855 --> 00:18:45.995 You are in control. 94 00:18:47.655 --> 00:18:51.155 Father, we just worship you in this place today. 95 00:18:52.495 --> 00:18:55.235 All of this is for you, Lord. We just wanna honor you. 96 00:18:55.235 --> 00:18:57.395 We just wanna bless your name together 97 00:18:57.495 --> 00:18:58.875 as a church family today. 98 00:19:00.225 --> 00:19:02.915 Lord, We love you. And it's in your wonderful, 99 00:19:03.135 --> 00:19:05.875 and it's in your mighty and your powerful name. 100 00:19:05.875 --> 00:19:08.955 We pray together and the church did. Amen. 101 00:19:09.615 --> 00:19:11.675 Church, you can go ahead and take your seat today. 102 00:19:14.025 --> 00:19:18.475 Amen. Well, hello, hope Community Church. 103 00:19:20.385 --> 00:19:22.675 It's great to see you. It's great to be here with you. 104 00:19:23.415 --> 00:19:26.995 Uh, my name is Jean and I'm one of the pastors here. 105 00:19:28.055 --> 00:19:31.395 And if you're here for the first time, I wanna say welcome 106 00:19:31.415 --> 00:19:32.915 to you and thank you for being here. 107 00:19:33.185 --> 00:19:35.435 It's an honor that you would join us if you're, uh, 108 00:19:35.455 --> 00:19:37.275 new online and say welcome to you as well. 109 00:19:37.275 --> 00:19:38.555 There's a little button that'll pop up 110 00:19:38.555 --> 00:19:40.075 and you can click on that and let somebody know 111 00:19:40.345 --> 00:19:42.155 that you're new and they'll reach out 112 00:19:42.155 --> 00:19:43.475 to you if you're in the room. 113 00:19:43.895 --> 00:19:45.195 Uh, we actually have an area 114 00:19:45.195 --> 00:19:47.715 outside the doors called Next steps where you can stop by. 115 00:19:47.715 --> 00:19:49.355 You can learn about, uh, 116 00:19:49.355 --> 00:19:50.835 different ministries that we have here. 117 00:19:51.335 --> 00:19:53.715 Uh, you can learn about small groups or community groups 118 00:19:54.015 --> 00:19:55.075 and um, just ways 119 00:19:55.075 --> 00:19:56.875 that you can get plugged in, serving or giving. 120 00:19:57.295 --> 00:19:59.675 And so stop by there after service, meet somebody 121 00:20:00.055 --> 00:20:01.755 and, uh, get some information that you need. 122 00:20:02.535 --> 00:20:05.675 Uh, you know, this past weekend we had, uh, 123 00:20:05.735 --> 00:20:07.155 an amazing, uh, thing happen. 124 00:20:07.215 --> 00:20:09.235 We had our high school retreat 125 00:20:10.175 --> 00:20:15.075 and there were 144 students and leaders at the retreat. 126 00:20:15.075 --> 00:20:16.315 And they had an incredible time. 127 00:20:16.735 --> 00:20:20.595 Uh, but nine students accepted Christ for the first time. 128 00:20:20.775 --> 00:20:22.035 And so I wanna celebrate that. 129 00:20:22.065 --> 00:20:24.075 Just take a moment, celebrate that with you all. 130 00:20:27.535 --> 00:20:31.355 And you know, it truly was a retreat, you know, 131 00:20:31.355 --> 00:20:33.795 because there's so much noise in this world 132 00:20:33.795 --> 00:20:36.075 and our high schoolers are just bombarded with it. 133 00:20:36.535 --> 00:20:38.795 And they have this opportunity to just get away, 134 00:20:38.815 --> 00:20:40.475 get disconnected from all those things, 135 00:20:41.095 --> 00:20:43.635 and encounter God, uh, learn 136 00:20:43.635 --> 00:20:45.115 who he is, connect with each other. 137 00:20:46.145 --> 00:20:47.685 It's a powerful time to get to worship. 138 00:20:47.715 --> 00:20:49.485 They hear from Aaron Nelson's teaching. 139 00:20:49.825 --> 00:20:52.005 Uh, it's an amazing, uh, weekend. 140 00:20:52.745 --> 00:20:57.565 And you know, when you give to hope, Um, 141 00:20:57.865 --> 00:21:02.525 you're actually investing in the future generation. 142 00:21:03.465 --> 00:21:06.685 And that's powerful. There were 12 students 143 00:21:07.745 --> 00:21:09.405 who couldn't go, who couldn't afford to go. 144 00:21:09.945 --> 00:21:11.805 And because of your generosity, 145 00:21:11.805 --> 00:21:14.285 there were scholarships available for them to be able to go. 146 00:21:14.285 --> 00:21:16.645 It was like $2,200 worth of scholarships that were given. 147 00:21:16.705 --> 00:21:18.045 So that's an incredible thing. 148 00:21:18.705 --> 00:21:19.805 And so I wanna thank you for that. 149 00:21:19.985 --> 00:21:22.325 And I wanna take a moment to read, uh, Psalm. 150 00:21:22.715 --> 00:21:25.765 This is Psalm 1 45. I'm just gonna read a small part of it. 151 00:21:26.225 --> 00:21:30.205 It says, I will extol you, my God and King, 152 00:21:31.665 --> 00:21:34.485 and bless your name forever and ever, every day. 153 00:21:34.725 --> 00:21:38.005 I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. 154 00:21:39.415 --> 00:21:41.765 Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised. 155 00:21:43.225 --> 00:21:45.325 And his greatness is unsearchable. 156 00:21:46.865 --> 00:21:49.525 And then this is the verse, one generation shall commend 157 00:21:49.525 --> 00:21:53.645 your works to another and shall declare your mighty acts. 158 00:21:54.145 --> 00:21:56.045 And that's what happened this past weekend. 159 00:21:56.545 --> 00:22:00.005 Our high school students got to encounter the living God. 160 00:22:00.705 --> 00:22:05.285 And so I just want to thank you for your faithful generosity 161 00:22:06.505 --> 00:22:09.725 in believing in what God is doing here and now, 162 00:22:09.725 --> 00:22:12.005 but also for future generations. 163 00:22:12.385 --> 00:22:14.645 So thank you for that. Uh, 164 00:22:14.645 --> 00:22:17.005 right now we're actually gonna have a moment where we see, 165 00:22:17.425 --> 00:22:18.885 uh, a story video of 166 00:22:18.885 --> 00:22:21.685 how God is moving here in Hope Community Church. 167 00:22:29.145 --> 00:22:30.805 My name is Jessica de Los Santos. 168 00:22:30.915 --> 00:22:33.405 I've been going to hope for about two and a half years. 169 00:22:33.905 --> 00:22:35.925 Um, I lived with my mom and my dad 170 00:22:36.025 --> 00:22:37.365 and my brother and my grandma. 171 00:22:37.805 --> 00:22:39.285 I didn't grow up in a Christian household. 172 00:22:39.725 --> 00:22:42.005 I really let the world, um, kind of define me. 173 00:22:42.145 --> 00:22:44.365 It gave me a kind of distorted view of myself with all 174 00:22:44.365 --> 00:22:46.165 of these different opinions coming at me. 175 00:22:46.565 --> 00:22:48.765 I struggled with anorexia for about two years. 176 00:22:49.225 --> 00:22:52.685 It was like living in insecurity and shame. 177 00:22:53.065 --> 00:22:54.125 Um, and I was really lost 178 00:22:54.125 --> 00:22:58.325 because I had no voice to be like, this is who I created you 179 00:22:58.325 --> 00:22:59.965 to be and I define you this way. 180 00:23:00.065 --> 00:23:03.125 And it just being like a fog of lies 181 00:23:03.395 --> 00:23:04.925 that just distorted my view. 182 00:23:05.485 --> 00:23:07.605 I got an ad for the Bible app one day, 183 00:23:08.065 --> 00:23:10.085 and I, I felt really let to get it. 184 00:23:10.125 --> 00:23:12.845 I really like, felt like I was living in 185 00:23:12.845 --> 00:23:13.965 despair and I needed hope. 186 00:23:14.065 --> 00:23:16.885 And I was like, maybe, maybe this can gimme hope. 187 00:23:16.885 --> 00:23:19.285 Like let me, let me see what, what the Bible has to offer. 188 00:23:19.435 --> 00:23:21.885 When I started to watch the videos that were on there 189 00:23:22.185 --> 00:23:24.925 and like read the word, I was like, 190 00:23:24.985 --> 00:23:26.285 how has nobody told me about this? 191 00:23:26.625 --> 00:23:28.405 Did they know that we're made in the image of God? 192 00:23:28.425 --> 00:23:29.685 And like, did everyone just know 193 00:23:29.685 --> 00:23:30.965 that like God calls us his 194 00:23:31.245 --> 00:23:33.005 masterpieces and that he's like proud of us? 195 00:23:33.005 --> 00:23:34.445 Like he doesn't look at us with judgment, 196 00:23:34.625 --> 00:23:36.565 but like proud, like those are my kids. 197 00:23:37.285 --> 00:23:39.365 I was like, how have I never heard this before? 198 00:23:39.515 --> 00:23:41.005 This is so beautiful. So 199 00:23:41.005 --> 00:23:42.685 after I started learning about the Bible 200 00:23:42.745 --> 00:23:45.525 and about Jesus, um, for the first time I told my mom 201 00:23:45.705 --> 00:23:47.445 and I was like, this is really cool. 202 00:23:47.445 --> 00:23:49.885 Like, have you seen this? Um, so she told my neighbors 203 00:23:49.885 --> 00:23:51.205 and my neighbors already went to hope. 204 00:23:51.465 --> 00:23:54.085 So they invited us to come for Easter 2023. 205 00:23:54.345 --> 00:23:57.925 As I started to learn more, God started to redefine me 206 00:23:58.585 --> 00:24:00.445 and to give me an identity. 207 00:24:00.905 --> 00:24:03.525 Met some amazing other Christians in my life. 208 00:24:03.965 --> 00:24:06.445 I just grew deeper and deeper, like in love with Jesus. 209 00:24:06.985 --> 00:24:09.845 And there came a turning point where I was like, 210 00:24:10.565 --> 00:24:11.605 I don't want the world. 211 00:24:12.085 --> 00:24:15.245 I don't want this emptiness and this pain anymore. 212 00:24:15.625 --> 00:24:17.605 And like, I don't know if Jesus can heal me, 213 00:24:17.625 --> 00:24:19.285 but I feel more alive when I'm with him. 214 00:24:19.555 --> 00:24:21.005 Like that's, that's the one that I want. 215 00:24:21.185 --> 00:24:24.805 So in January, 2024, I decided to get baptized. 216 00:24:25.335 --> 00:24:28.805 After I got baptized, Jesus just changed my life. 217 00:24:29.025 --> 00:24:33.365 And so it gave me so much freedom to know both 218 00:24:33.505 --> 00:24:35.685 how loved I am by Jesus, 219 00:24:36.305 --> 00:24:39.565 but also how accepted I am by Jesus. 220 00:24:40.155 --> 00:24:41.765 When I lived in anorexia, 221 00:24:42.085 --> 00:24:44.365 I felt very trapped like I was a prisoner to it. 222 00:24:44.585 --> 00:24:46.685 But Jesus was the one that set me free. 223 00:24:46.865 --> 00:24:50.165 He opened my eyes and removed that fog of lies. 224 00:24:50.475 --> 00:24:53.565 That distorted my view to see that the fact 225 00:24:53.565 --> 00:24:56.085 that I am made in the image of God means 226 00:24:56.305 --> 00:25:00.925 so much more matters, so much more than my physical image. 227 00:25:01.545 --> 00:25:03.365 He looks for a beautiful heart 228 00:25:03.665 --> 00:25:05.005 and not a beautiful appearance. 229 00:25:05.225 --> 00:25:07.285 And in a world where it felt like nothing 230 00:25:07.385 --> 00:25:08.965 and no one could be good enough, 231 00:25:09.055 --> 00:25:11.125 Jesus is like your belief is more than enough. 232 00:25:11.185 --> 00:25:13.005 And that was all I had when I met Jesus. 233 00:25:13.165 --> 00:25:17.685 I was so weak and burdened and that was all I had. 234 00:25:17.725 --> 00:25:18.805 All I could do was believe in him. 235 00:25:18.805 --> 00:25:19.845 And that was more than enough. 236 00:25:30.355 --> 00:25:31.805 Amen. Let's stand to our feet. 237 00:25:32.975 --> 00:25:35.085 We're gonna read from God's word. 238 00:25:35.505 --> 00:25:40.175 One John chapter one verse one says this, 239 00:25:41.215 --> 00:25:43.945 that which was from the beginning, which we have heard, 240 00:25:44.515 --> 00:25:47.585 which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon 241 00:25:48.165 --> 00:25:50.785 and have touched with our hands concerning the word of life. 242 00:25:51.605 --> 00:25:53.105 The life was made manifest. 243 00:25:53.105 --> 00:25:55.865 And we have seen it and testified to it 244 00:25:56.085 --> 00:25:58.025 and proclaim to you the eternal life, 245 00:25:58.715 --> 00:26:00.505 which was with the Father. 246 00:26:00.845 --> 00:26:04.505 And it was made manifest to us that which we have seen 247 00:26:04.805 --> 00:26:08.385 and heard, we proclaim also to you so 248 00:26:08.385 --> 00:26:10.265 that you too may have fellowship with us. 249 00:26:10.805 --> 00:26:13.105 And indeed our fellowship is with the Father 250 00:26:13.605 --> 00:26:15.945 and with his son Jesus Christ. 251 00:26:17.085 --> 00:26:18.745 And we are writing these things so 252 00:26:18.745 --> 00:26:21.025 that our joy may be complete. 253 00:26:21.655 --> 00:26:23.905 This is the message we have heard from him. 254 00:26:24.205 --> 00:26:27.465 And proclaim to you that God is light 255 00:26:27.925 --> 00:26:30.545 and in him is no darkness at all. 256 00:26:31.445 --> 00:26:33.385 If we say we have fellowship 257 00:26:33.385 --> 00:26:36.385 with him while we walk in darkness, we lie 258 00:26:36.565 --> 00:26:37.985 and do not practice the truth. 259 00:26:38.685 --> 00:26:42.065 But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, 260 00:26:42.525 --> 00:26:44.085 we have fellowship with one another. 261 00:26:44.105 --> 00:26:48.045 And the blood of Jesus, his son cleanses us from all sin. 262 00:26:48.705 --> 00:26:51.525 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. 263 00:26:51.945 --> 00:26:53.845 And the truth is not in us. 264 00:26:54.705 --> 00:26:57.285 If we confess our sins, he's faithful 265 00:26:57.285 --> 00:26:59.525 and just to forgive us of our sins 266 00:26:59.705 --> 00:27:02.805 and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 267 00:27:03.665 --> 00:27:06.805 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar. 268 00:27:07.345 --> 00:27:10.875 And his word is not in us. My little children. 269 00:27:11.795 --> 00:27:14.915 I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. 270 00:27:15.545 --> 00:27:18.725 But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father 271 00:27:19.295 --> 00:27:21.405 Jesus Christ, the righteous. 272 00:27:22.305 --> 00:27:26.405 He is the propitiation for our sins and not ours only, 273 00:27:26.665 --> 00:27:28.885 but also for the sins of the whole world. 274 00:27:29.815 --> 00:27:32.995 And by this, we know that we have come to know him. 275 00:27:33.535 --> 00:27:37.715 If we keep his commandments, whoever says I know him, 276 00:27:38.215 --> 00:27:41.035 but does not keep his commandments, is a liar. 277 00:27:41.415 --> 00:27:43.275 And the truth is not in him, 278 00:27:43.855 --> 00:27:46.875 but whoever keeps his word in him, truly the love 279 00:27:46.875 --> 00:27:49.755 of God is perfected by this. 280 00:27:50.215 --> 00:27:51.875 We may know that we are in him. 281 00:27:52.385 --> 00:27:57.075 Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way 282 00:27:57.815 --> 00:27:59.275 in which he walked. 283 00:28:00.965 --> 00:28:03.615 This is the word of the Lord. You may be seated. 284 00:28:08.765 --> 00:28:12.585 Uh, back in the summer of 2010, 285 00:28:13.265 --> 00:28:14.785 I asked my mom to bring me to the movies. 286 00:28:15.165 --> 00:28:16.105 Uh, 'cause there was a movie coming 287 00:28:16.105 --> 00:28:17.185 out I was really excited to see. 288 00:28:17.205 --> 00:28:18.985 It was called Inception. Have you seen it before? 289 00:28:20.535 --> 00:28:22.625 Okay, there's a handful of us, a little bit of a mixed bag. 290 00:28:22.805 --> 00:28:26.185 Um, came out 15 years ago. I'm about to spoil it. I'm sorry. 291 00:28:26.215 --> 00:28:27.985 Okay. But I feel like I gave you ample 292 00:28:27.985 --> 00:28:29.065 time to check it out for yourself. 293 00:28:29.405 --> 00:28:31.665 Um, let me tell you how how the end of the movie goes. 294 00:28:31.665 --> 00:28:32.825 Okay, I'm actually gonna start there. 295 00:28:33.165 --> 00:28:34.545 Um, we're sitting in the movie theater. 296 00:28:34.545 --> 00:28:36.185 It's a packed house, like everybody is 297 00:28:36.185 --> 00:28:37.385 leaned in, they're locked in. 298 00:28:37.385 --> 00:28:39.505 It's open weekend. And uh, 299 00:28:39.685 --> 00:28:41.705 the way the movie ends is Leonardo 300 00:28:41.705 --> 00:28:43.105 DiCaprio, who's the main character. 301 00:28:43.165 --> 00:28:46.425 He walks into his house, which he hadn't been to in years. 302 00:28:46.885 --> 00:28:48.745 Uh, due to some other stuff in the story, 303 00:28:48.745 --> 00:28:50.025 he hadn't been allowed to go home. 304 00:28:50.085 --> 00:28:52.385 So he goes home and he does something weird. 305 00:28:52.445 --> 00:28:55.145 He pulls this little silver spinning top out of his pocket 306 00:28:56.245 --> 00:28:59.465 and he spins it on the table and he's staring at it. 307 00:28:59.465 --> 00:29:00.745 And while he's staring at it, 308 00:29:00.765 --> 00:29:03.025 he hears his kids laugh behind him. 309 00:29:03.085 --> 00:29:04.705 Now, he hasn't seen his kids in years, 310 00:29:05.045 --> 00:29:07.465 so he turns his attention away from the spinning top. 311 00:29:07.485 --> 00:29:09.905 And he walks off now while he goes over 312 00:29:09.925 --> 00:29:11.185 and embraces his kids. 313 00:29:11.445 --> 00:29:14.865 Uh, the camera is still hooked on that spinning top 314 00:29:15.365 --> 00:29:18.785 and it's slowly zooming in and the music starts to swell 315 00:29:18.785 --> 00:29:19.945 and it's getting really intense. 316 00:29:20.005 --> 00:29:21.985 And everybody in the movie theater is like 317 00:29:21.985 --> 00:29:23.105 holding their breath at this point. 318 00:29:23.105 --> 00:29:24.265 It gets like really, really serious. 319 00:29:24.685 --> 00:29:26.545 The top starts to wobble a little bit 320 00:29:26.725 --> 00:29:28.145 and then the screen cuts to black. 321 00:29:28.145 --> 00:29:30.665 That's the end of the movie. And I remember there were 322 00:29:30.685 --> 00:29:32.385 so many people, myself included, 323 00:29:32.525 --> 00:29:34.585 who were like, that can't be it. 324 00:29:34.585 --> 00:29:35.785 Like that can't be the end of it. 325 00:29:35.785 --> 00:29:36.985 There has to be more to the story. 326 00:29:37.045 --> 00:29:40.545 Is that, and my mom was probably the only person in the 327 00:29:40.545 --> 00:29:43.005 movie theater who's like, why is everybody so angry? 328 00:29:44.305 --> 00:29:47.725 She had no idea what was going on, why people were upset. 329 00:29:47.725 --> 00:29:50.325 And so on the car ride home, I had to explain 330 00:29:50.325 --> 00:29:52.045 to her this detail that she had missed. 331 00:29:52.315 --> 00:29:54.125 That little spinning top was super 332 00:29:54.125 --> 00:29:55.765 important, uh, to the story. 333 00:29:55.945 --> 00:29:57.045 Um, of inception. 334 00:29:57.075 --> 00:29:58.085 Basically what happened, 335 00:29:58.105 --> 00:29:59.805 I'm gonna say it's like two and a half hours long. 336 00:29:59.825 --> 00:30:01.245 I'm gonna try to trim it down for you real quick. 337 00:30:01.715 --> 00:30:03.005 Basically, in this movie, 338 00:30:03.205 --> 00:30:06.605 Leonardo DiCaprio's character is kind of like this thief. 339 00:30:06.905 --> 00:30:09.925 But what he does is he goes into people's subconsciousness, 340 00:30:09.985 --> 00:30:12.845 he goes into their dreams to extract information. 341 00:30:12.905 --> 00:30:14.485 So like he'll talk to somebody in the dream 342 00:30:14.485 --> 00:30:15.685 to try to learn some information, right? 343 00:30:16.235 --> 00:30:18.325 Inception is this procedure 344 00:30:18.325 --> 00:30:20.405 where he goes into someone's dream 345 00:30:20.465 --> 00:30:21.925 and instead of taking an idea, 346 00:30:22.115 --> 00:30:23.565 he's actually trying to plant one there. 347 00:30:24.065 --> 00:30:27.125 And so the only way this works is if they go deep enough 348 00:30:27.155 --> 00:30:28.485 into someone's sleep cycle. 349 00:30:28.625 --> 00:30:31.365 So multiple layers down in a dream to be able to, some 350 00:30:31.365 --> 00:30:32.525 of y'all looking at me like I have two heads right now. 351 00:30:33.125 --> 00:30:35.765 Multiple layers down into the dream, uh, to be able 352 00:30:35.765 --> 00:30:37.525 to leave an idea there now, 353 00:30:38.035 --> 00:30:39.885 because they're going into a dream, 354 00:30:39.885 --> 00:30:41.645 within a dream, within a dream. 355 00:30:42.145 --> 00:30:45.645 And the idea is for these dreams to feel as realistic 356 00:30:45.665 --> 00:30:49.045 as possible, they need these little items called totems. 357 00:30:49.585 --> 00:30:52.245 And the totems are for the people going into the dream. 358 00:30:52.245 --> 00:30:54.485 Here's a small item for you to hold onto 359 00:30:54.625 --> 00:30:57.565 to help you recognize what's real and what's a dream. 360 00:30:58.465 --> 00:30:59.845 So for Leonardo DiCaprio, 361 00:30:59.845 --> 00:31:01.325 when he takes this little spinning top 362 00:31:01.325 --> 00:31:03.965 and he spins it on a table, if it keeps spinning 363 00:31:03.965 --> 00:31:06.005 and never falls over, it means he's in a dream. 364 00:31:07.105 --> 00:31:09.205 But if it eventually tops over, it means 365 00:31:09.205 --> 00:31:10.645 that he's in real life. 366 00:31:11.705 --> 00:31:13.605 So jump back to the end of the movie. 367 00:31:13.605 --> 00:31:14.605 This thing is spinning 368 00:31:14.605 --> 00:31:16.285 and we're all waiting to see is he still dreaming? 369 00:31:16.285 --> 00:31:18.525 Is he alive? Is this real life? What's going on? 370 00:31:18.545 --> 00:31:20.605 And before you get an answer, the movie ends. 371 00:31:20.705 --> 00:31:23.405 And for 15 years people have been uncertain. 372 00:31:23.905 --> 00:31:26.365 Was he in a dream or was it reality? 373 00:31:27.095 --> 00:31:28.885 We've been asking that question and debating it. 374 00:31:28.885 --> 00:31:30.565 It's been a lot of fun to have that conversation. 375 00:31:30.605 --> 00:31:32.925 I love to get people's takes on it, all that sort of stuff. 376 00:31:33.705 --> 00:31:35.525 But I was watching this movie not too long ago 377 00:31:35.545 --> 00:31:36.645 and I had the same thought. 378 00:31:36.725 --> 00:31:38.405 I was like, man, these things are so important. 379 00:31:38.405 --> 00:31:41.605 Because when they were, uh, in a time of uncertainty, 380 00:31:42.595 --> 00:31:45.885 they needed something they can hold onto to bring them back 381 00:31:45.885 --> 00:31:47.085 to the ground to keep them grounded. 382 00:31:47.905 --> 00:31:52.045 And I asked myself, I said, what in this world 383 00:31:52.665 --> 00:31:56.685 can I hold onto that keeps me grounded in reality? 384 00:31:57.555 --> 00:32:00.805 Like when I'm uncertain, when I can't really make sense 385 00:32:00.805 --> 00:32:03.765 of what's going on around me, what do I hold onto? 386 00:32:03.825 --> 00:32:05.445 And that's the question that I wanna pose to each 387 00:32:05.445 --> 00:32:06.605 and every one of you in life. 388 00:32:07.075 --> 00:32:08.565 What can we hold onto 389 00:32:09.185 --> 00:32:12.165 to give us certainty in uncertain times? 390 00:32:14.685 --> 00:32:17.205 I, uh, I want you to imagine a society. Okay? 391 00:32:17.265 --> 00:32:19.045 Put your, put your thinking caps on for a minute. 392 00:32:19.105 --> 00:32:20.445 Let your mind's eye get rolling. 393 00:32:21.205 --> 00:32:23.645 I want you to imagine a society that's filled 394 00:32:23.645 --> 00:32:24.725 with competing voices. 395 00:32:25.675 --> 00:32:28.125 Okay? So many voices in fact that, uh, 396 00:32:28.265 --> 00:32:29.645 no one really knows who to trust. 397 00:32:31.085 --> 00:32:32.485 I want you to imagine a society 398 00:32:32.485 --> 00:32:34.445 where it becomes increasingly difficult 399 00:32:34.445 --> 00:32:35.845 to discern truth from laws. 400 00:32:38.005 --> 00:32:39.095 Imagine a society 401 00:32:39.165 --> 00:32:41.885 where people seek personal enlightenment over truth. 402 00:32:43.915 --> 00:32:47.485 Imagine a society where essential truths about the identity 403 00:32:47.545 --> 00:32:48.845 of Jesus are denied. 404 00:32:49.105 --> 00:32:51.885 And in turn, well sin isn't really that big of a deal. 405 00:32:53.635 --> 00:32:57.405 Imagine a society where some people in this community claim 406 00:32:57.505 --> 00:32:59.965 to know God, but they actually live however they want. 407 00:33:02.005 --> 00:33:04.165 I want you to imagine a world defined 408 00:33:04.185 --> 00:33:05.605 by spiritual consumerism, 409 00:33:06.175 --> 00:33:08.365 moral compromise and disconnection. 410 00:33:09.755 --> 00:33:12.895 Does that sound familiar? If not, 411 00:33:13.635 --> 00:33:18.335 go look out the closest window or open your Bible. 412 00:33:19.605 --> 00:33:21.335 Welcome to the world of First John 413 00:33:22.895 --> 00:33:24.835 and welcome to the world that we live in today. 414 00:33:25.115 --> 00:33:27.955 'cause church, we live in uncertain times. 415 00:33:29.095 --> 00:33:32.355 Uh, two weeks ago I showed my wife Morgan a video. 416 00:33:32.695 --> 00:33:35.795 And in this video there was a lady sitting on a bleacher at 417 00:33:35.835 --> 00:33:36.915 a high school football game. 418 00:33:36.935 --> 00:33:38.355 And this guy walks up with one 419 00:33:38.355 --> 00:33:40.035 of those t-shirt cannons, you know what I'm talking about? 420 00:33:40.295 --> 00:33:41.515 And he stands in front of her. 421 00:33:41.515 --> 00:33:42.595 And at point Blake Rain, 422 00:33:42.615 --> 00:33:44.315 she shoots the t-shirt cannon at her. 423 00:33:44.315 --> 00:33:45.875 She goes flying back like ankles 424 00:33:45.875 --> 00:33:46.995 over her head, the whole thing. 425 00:33:47.215 --> 00:33:49.075 And me and my wife, we watched this video like 30 times 426 00:33:49.175 --> 00:33:50.875 and we're like, I hate to say it, we were laughing. 427 00:33:50.875 --> 00:33:53.395 We thought it was hilarious. That was two weeks ago. 428 00:33:53.795 --> 00:33:56.515 I found out today that video was AI generated. 429 00:33:59.015 --> 00:34:01.195 In a world where it's so tough to be able 430 00:34:01.195 --> 00:34:03.555 to figure out what's real and what's not, man, I, 431 00:34:03.635 --> 00:34:05.275 I can't help but think that a lot 432 00:34:05.275 --> 00:34:06.795 of us feel this sense of angst. 433 00:34:06.795 --> 00:34:10.555 We live in a day that is conditioning us not to trust. 434 00:34:11.805 --> 00:34:13.355 Every day you see videos online 435 00:34:13.355 --> 00:34:14.875 and you go, is this real or is it fake? 436 00:34:16.005 --> 00:34:17.105 And then you hear a news story 437 00:34:17.105 --> 00:34:18.305 and somebody says, oh, don't trust that. 438 00:34:18.305 --> 00:34:19.745 That's fake news. Actually. Listen to this one. 439 00:34:19.745 --> 00:34:21.225 And now somebody else tells me, oh no, actually 440 00:34:21.225 --> 00:34:22.225 that one's the fake news. 441 00:34:23.645 --> 00:34:26.265 In our current day and age, we are being conditioned not 442 00:34:26.265 --> 00:34:29.265 to trust, uh, government, family structures, the church, 443 00:34:29.525 --> 00:34:31.465 all these different things that we were supposed 444 00:34:31.465 --> 00:34:32.705 to find certainty in. 445 00:34:33.165 --> 00:34:34.425 Now feel uncertain. 446 00:34:36.085 --> 00:34:37.465 And what about when it comes to our faith? 447 00:34:37.465 --> 00:34:38.705 What about our walk with Jesus? 448 00:34:38.845 --> 00:34:41.185 How can we be certain of anything even there, right? 449 00:34:41.245 --> 00:34:43.905 How can we know that Jesus is worth following? 450 00:34:44.885 --> 00:34:46.505 How can we even be sure that he lived? 451 00:34:47.525 --> 00:34:49.745 How can we know if we're truly saved? 452 00:34:51.045 --> 00:34:53.225 How can we know what truth is at all? 453 00:34:53.885 --> 00:34:55.865 The beauty is is that first John 454 00:34:56.385 --> 00:34:57.985 actually speaks to all of these things. 455 00:34:58.445 --> 00:35:01.665 And so for the next nine weeks as we lead up to Christmas, 456 00:35:01.885 --> 00:35:04.945 uh, we are going to be in this series called Uncertainty, 457 00:35:05.195 --> 00:35:06.945 where we are trying to figure out 458 00:35:06.945 --> 00:35:09.865 how do we find certainty in the midst of uncertain times. 459 00:35:10.005 --> 00:35:12.345 And to do that, we're gonna be walking through, uh, 460 00:35:12.365 --> 00:35:13.785 the book of First John. 461 00:35:13.785 --> 00:35:15.705 So if you have your Bible, go ahead and flip over there. 462 00:35:16.045 --> 00:35:18.425 Um, and maybe even move that little ribbon to that spot 463 00:35:18.585 --> 00:35:19.825 'cause we're gonna be camped out there for, 464 00:35:19.845 --> 00:35:20.905 for about the rest of the year. 465 00:35:21.645 --> 00:35:24.225 Um, I wanna encourage you be here every week, 466 00:35:24.695 --> 00:35:26.025 because first John, 467 00:35:26.045 --> 00:35:27.865 the way it's written, it's kind of cyclical. 468 00:35:27.895 --> 00:35:29.105 Like after a while, he kind 469 00:35:29.105 --> 00:35:30.345 of sounds like he's repeating himself. 470 00:35:30.685 --> 00:35:31.785 Um, and considering the fact 471 00:35:31.785 --> 00:35:34.065 that we only have 30 minutes when we get together to talk, 472 00:35:34.245 --> 00:35:36.345 uh, I'm not gonna be able to hit on everything 473 00:35:36.365 --> 00:35:37.420 as we walk through it. 474 00:35:37.420 --> 00:35:39.925 But if there's something that comes up that you're like, oh, 475 00:35:40.125 --> 00:35:41.765 I I really wish we would've talked about that. 476 00:35:41.765 --> 00:35:43.445 Like, come back next week or the next week. 477 00:35:43.645 --> 00:35:45.045 'cause we'll probably end up revisiting it. 478 00:35:45.045 --> 00:35:46.885 But for now, uh, let's start at the beginning 479 00:35:47.585 --> 00:35:49.605 to begin our time, Sam came out 480 00:35:49.605 --> 00:35:52.165 and he read a passage that we'll be walking through today. 481 00:35:52.165 --> 00:35:53.325 And maybe you were listening to that 482 00:35:53.325 --> 00:35:55.565 and you were like, what the heck is going on? 483 00:35:55.685 --> 00:35:58.005 I, I got lost like eight verses ago, right? 484 00:35:58.305 --> 00:35:59.965 Uh, let's, let's ground ourselves. 485 00:35:59.975 --> 00:36:02.445 Let's talk about the context of First John. 486 00:36:02.455 --> 00:36:05.325 Let's start here. Low hanging fruit. Not a trick question. 487 00:36:05.385 --> 00:36:08.885 Who wrote first? John? John, there you go. Okay. 488 00:36:09.005 --> 00:36:10.045 I said it wasn't a trick question 489 00:36:10.875 --> 00:36:12.565 that might have not been completely honest. 490 00:36:12.785 --> 00:36:14.765 Um, there is some debate 491 00:36:15.495 --> 00:36:17.405 about which John are we talking about. 492 00:36:17.585 --> 00:36:19.685 Now, the camp that I've landed in 493 00:36:19.705 --> 00:36:22.725 and the camp that I've, I think like 95, 90 6% 494 00:36:22.725 --> 00:36:24.565 of people land in, is that this book is written 495 00:36:25.305 --> 00:36:26.845 by John the Apostle 496 00:36:26.845 --> 00:36:28.685 or John the disciple, the same John 497 00:36:28.745 --> 00:36:30.405 who wrote the Gospel of John. 498 00:36:30.555 --> 00:36:33.325 Okay? And we have a couple of reasons to believe that, uh, 499 00:36:33.445 --> 00:36:35.765 I think we'll kind of unpack some of that as we go along. 500 00:36:35.825 --> 00:36:38.445 But regardless of which John, it was, 501 00:36:38.555 --> 00:36:41.205 this is what's important to know, it is a John 502 00:36:41.345 --> 00:36:42.645 who walked with Jesus. 503 00:36:43.845 --> 00:36:46.245 I think there would be a lot less debate if the author had a 504 00:36:46.245 --> 00:36:48.645 less common name like John. 505 00:36:48.645 --> 00:36:50.725 That could be anybody, right? There's probably 30 Johns in 506 00:36:50.725 --> 00:36:53.685 this room right now, but whoever this John was, 507 00:36:53.985 --> 00:36:55.205 he walked with Jesus. 508 00:36:55.305 --> 00:36:57.285 And this is so important for us to know. 509 00:36:57.425 --> 00:37:00.405 Let me, let me let you know why in the beginning 510 00:37:00.465 --> 00:37:02.725 of this letter, John refers to himself 511 00:37:02.825 --> 00:37:04.365 and his audience by different terms. 512 00:37:05.105 --> 00:37:09.645 He says, there is us or we. And then he says, there is you. 513 00:37:10.235 --> 00:37:12.405 Okay? Who is he differentiating between? 514 00:37:12.555 --> 00:37:16.565 Well, the letter of one John was written approximately 55 515 00:37:16.585 --> 00:37:19.205 to 65 years after the ascension of Jesus. 516 00:37:19.545 --> 00:37:21.805 So Jesus has come to earth, he's lived, he's died, 517 00:37:21.835 --> 00:37:24.365 he's been buried, resurrected, he's ascended back to heaven. 518 00:37:24.625 --> 00:37:25.725 And now 55 519 00:37:25.825 --> 00:37:29.525 or 65 years later, there's a conversation going on 520 00:37:30.505 --> 00:37:32.285 asking, well, who was Jesus? 521 00:37:33.365 --> 00:37:34.485 I want you to think about it this way. 522 00:37:34.515 --> 00:37:35.845 When John says us 523 00:37:35.945 --> 00:37:39.005 or we, he's referring to the first generation church. 524 00:37:39.015 --> 00:37:40.485 These are the people who actually 525 00:37:40.485 --> 00:37:41.565 had interaction with Jesus. 526 00:37:41.595 --> 00:37:43.125 They remember when he was on the scene, 527 00:37:43.125 --> 00:37:44.205 like they were getting the breaking 528 00:37:44.205 --> 00:37:45.405 news updates on their phone. 529 00:37:45.475 --> 00:37:47.965 They, they were there in the day, right? 530 00:37:47.965 --> 00:37:49.005 They remember where they were. 531 00:37:49.435 --> 00:37:50.685 When John says you, 532 00:37:51.315 --> 00:37:53.605 he's talking about the second generation church. 533 00:37:53.665 --> 00:37:56.045 And these are the people who weren't around then. 534 00:37:56.585 --> 00:37:58.725 But now the only thing they have to go off 535 00:37:58.725 --> 00:38:00.845 of are these stories about this Jesus guy. 536 00:38:01.545 --> 00:38:04.125 And the problem is, is that sometime between then 537 00:38:04.505 --> 00:38:07.285 and now, there are other voices rising to the surface. 538 00:38:08.295 --> 00:38:10.845 There are other people, these, these false teachers 539 00:38:10.845 --> 00:38:13.885 who are coming in and they're spreading misinformation about 540 00:38:14.185 --> 00:38:15.205 who Jesus was. 541 00:38:15.225 --> 00:38:18.965 And so as us, we, those original disciples were starting 542 00:38:18.965 --> 00:38:21.365 to die off and these new voices were rising. 543 00:38:22.305 --> 00:38:25.005 Uh, John says, Hey, let me write some stuff down. 544 00:38:25.065 --> 00:38:27.845 So there's no confusion about who Jesus was. 545 00:38:28.695 --> 00:38:31.765 There was this idea back in the day called Doism that was, 546 00:38:31.785 --> 00:38:32.845 uh, it was a heresy 547 00:38:32.845 --> 00:38:34.045 that was spreading throughout the church. 548 00:38:34.145 --> 00:38:37.125 And basically the idea of this belief was 549 00:38:37.125 --> 00:38:38.645 that Jesus wasn't really human. 550 00:38:39.025 --> 00:38:41.765 Uh, he was really spiritual. He didn't have a body. 551 00:38:41.865 --> 00:38:43.685 He was all spirit. And so, uh, 552 00:38:43.685 --> 00:38:46.885 maybe people had kinda like this shared projection of Jesus 553 00:38:47.025 --> 00:38:50.365 or like maybe God just like imply like did an inception 554 00:38:50.465 --> 00:38:52.605 and put this idea of Jesus in people's head. 555 00:38:52.665 --> 00:38:55.685 But the goal in this was let's separate 556 00:38:56.325 --> 00:38:57.445 physical from spiritual. 557 00:38:58.305 --> 00:39:00.565 And maybe this doesn't sound that dangerous, 558 00:39:00.565 --> 00:39:02.285 but the reason why this is so dangerous 559 00:39:02.285 --> 00:39:04.685 and the reason why John writes this letter is 560 00:39:04.685 --> 00:39:08.165 because if we believe that Jesus didn't really become human, 561 00:39:08.675 --> 00:39:10.325 that he only appeared as a man, 562 00:39:10.325 --> 00:39:12.165 well then Jesus didn't really die. 563 00:39:13.945 --> 00:39:16.685 And if Jesus didn't really die well then Jesus didn't really 564 00:39:16.965 --> 00:39:20.885 resurrect, he only appeared to this separation 565 00:39:20.905 --> 00:39:23.245 of the spiritual from the physical, uh, 566 00:39:23.355 --> 00:39:25.645 gave people this false belief that as long 567 00:39:25.645 --> 00:39:28.205 as my spirit is pure, then my body can do whatever it wants. 568 00:39:29.195 --> 00:39:31.725 This was the ancient equivalent of, Hey, 569 00:39:31.785 --> 00:39:33.125 my behavior doesn't really matter 570 00:39:33.125 --> 00:39:36.525 because God knows my heart, right? 571 00:39:36.525 --> 00:39:39.765 So I can live however I want. Now I know that's a lot. 572 00:39:39.765 --> 00:39:41.685 Are you still with me? Okay, cool. 573 00:39:41.845 --> 00:39:43.205 'cause we're about to hop into this 574 00:39:43.205 --> 00:39:45.045 and we're gonna actually start exploring some of this stuff. 575 00:39:45.185 --> 00:39:47.365 But with all of those things in mind, with all 576 00:39:47.365 --> 00:39:51.885 of this uncertainty around who Jesus was, John is about 577 00:39:51.885 --> 00:39:54.245 to start with what I call three totems. 578 00:39:54.595 --> 00:39:55.805 Just like from inception, right? 579 00:39:55.975 --> 00:39:59.325 These are three foundational truths that we can hold onto 580 00:39:59.595 --> 00:40:03.805 that anchor us in reality to let us know who Jesus is 581 00:40:03.945 --> 00:40:05.565 and in turn how we're supposed to live. 582 00:40:05.905 --> 00:40:07.085 And I'm gonna give them to you up top 583 00:40:07.085 --> 00:40:08.445 so you know where we're going, okay? 584 00:40:08.625 --> 00:40:12.365 One, Jesus is real. Two, God is light. 585 00:40:13.225 --> 00:40:15.085 And three, Jesus is the way 586 00:40:15.385 --> 00:40:16.845 by which we remain in that light. 587 00:40:17.635 --> 00:40:21.165 Okay? So let's start with that first one. Jesus is real. 588 00:40:22.065 --> 00:40:25.205 Uh, John opens his letter with an eyewitness testimony, 589 00:40:25.205 --> 00:40:27.085 and this really is a beautiful moment. 590 00:40:27.385 --> 00:40:29.885 Uh, what he's doing is, is he's like, Hey, listen, uh, 591 00:40:29.945 --> 00:40:32.645 the older generations, the OG Saints, uh, 592 00:40:32.905 --> 00:40:34.525 we know who Jesus is. 593 00:40:34.745 --> 00:40:36.325 And so now younger generation, 594 00:40:36.385 --> 00:40:37.645 we want to tell you about 'em. 595 00:40:38.595 --> 00:40:40.495 And we don't wanna just tell you about 'em from like 596 00:40:40.495 --> 00:40:41.935 what we've been taught or what we've, 597 00:40:41.935 --> 00:40:43.175 what we've learned over time 598 00:40:43.175 --> 00:40:45.335 or anything we want to tell you about the genuine 599 00:40:45.385 --> 00:40:46.535 encounters that we've had. 600 00:40:47.165 --> 00:40:50.455 John is saying, Hey, let me tell you because I was there. 601 00:40:52.145 --> 00:40:54.285 And so John, starting in one, 602 00:40:54.285 --> 00:40:55.645 one might make a little more sense 603 00:40:55.645 --> 00:40:57.165 to you this time around as we go through it. 604 00:40:57.475 --> 00:41:00.165 John writes, uh, that which was from the beginning, 605 00:41:00.735 --> 00:41:04.845 which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, 606 00:41:04.995 --> 00:41:07.445 he's saying, I was there, which we looked upon 607 00:41:07.465 --> 00:41:09.045 and have touched with our hands. 608 00:41:09.185 --> 00:41:11.485 He was physical concerning the word of life. 609 00:41:11.545 --> 00:41:13.285 The life was made manifest. 610 00:41:13.305 --> 00:41:15.965 And we have seen it and we testified to it, 611 00:41:16.105 --> 00:41:18.845 and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was 612 00:41:18.845 --> 00:41:21.205 with the father and was made manifest to us. 613 00:41:21.995 --> 00:41:23.405 That which we have seen 614 00:41:23.865 --> 00:41:27.565 and heard, we proclaim to you also so 615 00:41:27.565 --> 00:41:30.925 that you too may have fellowship with us. 616 00:41:31.065 --> 00:41:34.005 So remember right now he's saying us, we, and there's you. 617 00:41:34.115 --> 00:41:35.925 He's saying, Hey, I want you to become us. 618 00:41:37.665 --> 00:41:39.765 And indeed our fellowship is with the Father 619 00:41:40.145 --> 00:41:41.525 and with the son Jesus Christ. 620 00:41:41.785 --> 00:41:43.845 And we are writing these things so 621 00:41:43.845 --> 00:41:46.765 that our joy may be complete translation. 622 00:41:47.055 --> 00:41:48.925 Jesus is real 623 00:41:49.945 --> 00:41:52.245 and we know it without a shadow of a doubt 624 00:41:52.245 --> 00:41:55.085 because we have had genuine encounters with him. 625 00:41:55.195 --> 00:41:58.445 John is holding onto this, it's, it's, it's his totem. 626 00:41:58.475 --> 00:42:00.885 It's how he finds, uh, reality 627 00:42:01.065 --> 00:42:03.085 and certainty in the midst of uncertain times. 628 00:42:03.145 --> 00:42:05.565 And so I just want to ask you, this is John's testimony. 629 00:42:05.565 --> 00:42:09.005 What's yours? When was a time in your life 630 00:42:09.035 --> 00:42:11.325 that you knew without a shadow of a doubt 631 00:42:11.325 --> 00:42:12.325 that Jesus was real? 632 00:42:15.265 --> 00:42:16.285 And I ask you that 633 00:42:16.835 --> 00:42:20.125 because if you can find that moment, if you can hold onto 634 00:42:20.125 --> 00:42:22.285 that truth, I want you to rest assured in this, 635 00:42:22.785 --> 00:42:25.885 if Jesus was real, then he's real now. 636 00:42:27.865 --> 00:42:29.795 Like he didn't just pop into the scene to deal 637 00:42:29.795 --> 00:42:31.235 with your specific issue there. 638 00:42:31.235 --> 00:42:36.075 Like no, he, he is eternal and he will be eternal. 639 00:42:36.215 --> 00:42:40.395 He will last forever. If he was real, then he's real. 640 00:42:40.535 --> 00:42:43.835 Now, what is the story that you hold onto to remind you 641 00:42:43.835 --> 00:42:45.435 of the certainty of the goodness of God? 642 00:42:45.435 --> 00:42:47.715 Maybe it's the story of how Jesus saved you 643 00:42:47.815 --> 00:42:49.395 or how he healed you 644 00:42:49.455 --> 00:42:52.195 or how he revealed himself to you through his word, 645 00:42:52.195 --> 00:42:54.075 or how Jesus brought you peace in 646 00:42:54.075 --> 00:42:55.115 the midst of difficult times. 647 00:42:55.415 --> 00:42:57.595 Can I give you one that I know is true of all of us? 648 00:42:58.095 --> 00:42:59.635 How about the time he died for us? 649 00:43:01.255 --> 00:43:04.235 If we can hold onto that, if we hold onto the truth 650 00:43:04.235 --> 00:43:06.675 that Jesus was real, then, then we know 651 00:43:07.025 --> 00:43:08.995 that Jesus is real now. 652 00:43:09.055 --> 00:43:10.755 And then the follow up to that is 653 00:43:10.865 --> 00:43:12.315 what do you do with that story? 654 00:43:13.905 --> 00:43:16.235 John used that story as the tool 655 00:43:16.975 --> 00:43:18.635 by which he let future generations 656 00:43:18.635 --> 00:43:19.715 know about the goodness of God. 657 00:43:20.925 --> 00:43:24.065 He said, Hey, listen, I want you to know, uh, 658 00:43:24.215 --> 00:43:25.785 I've experienced his realness 659 00:43:26.045 --> 00:43:28.025 and that realness is available to you as well. 660 00:43:28.775 --> 00:43:31.265 This past weekend I had the privilege of going 661 00:43:31.265 --> 00:43:33.625 with the high schoolers to the high school fall retreat. 662 00:43:33.725 --> 00:43:35.665 We, you know, go up to late Gaston. 663 00:43:35.685 --> 00:43:37.585 And man, it was a a beautiful time. 664 00:43:37.605 --> 00:43:41.065 And lemme just tell you, if you're walking around right now 665 00:43:41.245 --> 00:43:45.465 and you need like a story to encourage you 666 00:43:46.365 --> 00:43:48.225 or if you need to hear about God's faithfulness, 667 00:43:48.325 --> 00:43:51.505 his realness, find a high schooler that went on that retreat 668 00:43:51.505 --> 00:43:53.745 and just asked him, Hey, what did God do? 669 00:43:54.625 --> 00:43:56.825 I think one of the highlights of this time together, 670 00:43:57.405 --> 00:44:00.305 the highlight of this time together was Saturday night, uh, 671 00:44:00.305 --> 00:44:01.985 before the session before I get up to go 672 00:44:01.985 --> 00:44:03.185 and teach Justin Thompson, 673 00:44:03.195 --> 00:44:05.265 who's our high school pastor over at the Apex Campus. 674 00:44:05.605 --> 00:44:08.745 Uh, he just opened up a microphone and he said, Hey, uh, 675 00:44:08.805 --> 00:44:11.385 before we get going, I just wanna pass around a microphone. 676 00:44:11.385 --> 00:44:12.825 And if anybody has a story 677 00:44:12.845 --> 00:44:15.265 of God's faithfulness in your life and you wanna share that 678 00:44:15.265 --> 00:44:16.825 and be so bold, will you just raise your hand? 679 00:44:16.825 --> 00:44:18.185 And so one student raise their hand 680 00:44:18.185 --> 00:44:19.305 and then two students raise their hand 681 00:44:19.305 --> 00:44:20.465 and then three students raise their hand. 682 00:44:20.465 --> 00:44:22.225 And then eventually I said, Hey, let me get a second 683 00:44:22.225 --> 00:44:23.905 microphone so we can keep up. 684 00:44:23.925 --> 00:44:28.145 And y'all for 90 minutes, freshmen 685 00:44:28.805 --> 00:44:30.985 and sophomores and juniors 686 00:44:31.345 --> 00:44:33.245 and seniors in high school 687 00:44:33.865 --> 00:44:36.765 shared stories about God's faithfulness in their lives. 688 00:44:38.025 --> 00:44:41.805 And they shared stories of grief, of depression, 689 00:44:42.145 --> 00:44:46.005 of attempted suicide, of drug abuse, of loneliness, 690 00:44:46.145 --> 00:44:47.245 of confusion. 691 00:44:47.465 --> 00:44:50.125 And they were shared not as their present realities, 692 00:44:50.145 --> 00:44:53.085 but as a record of all that God has helped them overcome 693 00:44:54.665 --> 00:44:57.565 for 90 minutes after one shared so did another. 694 00:44:57.625 --> 00:44:58.965 And then when that one started crying, 695 00:44:58.965 --> 00:45:00.845 someone else came from across the room 696 00:45:00.865 --> 00:45:02.285 and wrapped their arms around them 697 00:45:02.305 --> 00:45:05.805 and became this tangible, uh, uh, expression of God's love 698 00:45:05.865 --> 00:45:08.205 and forgiveness and grace and encouragement. 699 00:45:08.505 --> 00:45:12.125 And after that, nine students stood up 700 00:45:12.125 --> 00:45:14.125 and said, Hey, I want a piece of that action. 701 00:45:15.285 --> 00:45:16.525 I wanna put my faith in Jesus 702 00:45:16.525 --> 00:45:19.205 because I've seen it, I've experienced it. 703 00:45:19.205 --> 00:45:20.565 These witnesses who stood up 704 00:45:20.565 --> 00:45:23.045 and testified to the goodness of God, I want 705 00:45:23.045 --> 00:45:24.245 to experience that as well. 706 00:45:24.265 --> 00:45:25.885 And so, you know what I did? I didn't say, Hey, if 707 00:45:25.885 --> 00:45:26.885 that's you, go ahead and stand 708 00:45:26.885 --> 00:45:27.765 up and I'm gonna pray for you. 709 00:45:27.805 --> 00:45:30.325 I said, no students, y'all surround these nine people 710 00:45:30.985 --> 00:45:32.405 and I want you to pray out loud. 711 00:45:32.845 --> 00:45:35.045 I want you to think about your spiritual walk 712 00:45:35.065 --> 00:45:36.245 and I want you to pray 713 00:45:36.245 --> 00:45:37.605 for them the wish you the way you 714 00:45:37.605 --> 00:45:38.725 wish somebody would've prayed for you. 715 00:45:38.785 --> 00:45:42.885 And y'all this room swells with the voices 716 00:45:42.945 --> 00:45:45.005 of students praying out loud 717 00:45:45.665 --> 00:45:48.165 boldly 130 some odd students praying 718 00:45:48.185 --> 00:45:50.925 for the other nine saying, God, reveal yourself to them. 719 00:45:50.955 --> 00:45:53.565 Make them make yourself more real to them over time. 720 00:45:53.875 --> 00:45:57.485 Pray for genuine experiences, genuine encounters with Jesus. 721 00:45:57.545 --> 00:46:01.725 And lemme tell you something in this room, there are people 722 00:46:01.825 --> 00:46:02.845 who are struggling 723 00:46:02.845 --> 00:46:05.365 because they're walking through some level of uncertainty 724 00:46:05.385 --> 00:46:08.285 and your story might be the one that reminds them 725 00:46:08.305 --> 00:46:09.925 of the realness of Jesus. 726 00:46:12.915 --> 00:46:15.125 This is the reason why the incarnation Jesus 727 00:46:15.685 --> 00:46:17.965 actually putting on flesh was such a big deal to John 728 00:46:17.965 --> 00:46:22.005 because uh, Jesus actively becoming human is proof 729 00:46:22.005 --> 00:46:25.485 that God makes himself known to us through Jesus. 730 00:46:26.545 --> 00:46:28.165 And as we put our faith in him, 731 00:46:28.625 --> 00:46:30.245 we can have fellowship with Christ. 732 00:46:31.305 --> 00:46:34.725 And now he wants, uh, John wants to share this so 733 00:46:34.725 --> 00:46:36.525 that you may have fellowship with us. 734 00:46:36.835 --> 00:46:39.685 Also, when we share this story 735 00:46:39.705 --> 00:46:43.125 of Jesus's realness in our lives, we invite others to taste 736 00:46:43.185 --> 00:46:44.405 of that realness as well. 737 00:46:46.215 --> 00:46:48.035 And John says, this fellowship that we get 738 00:46:48.035 --> 00:46:50.635 to take part in together, man, when you're joined with that, 739 00:46:50.745 --> 00:46:52.795 then he says, our joy will be complete. 740 00:46:52.815 --> 00:46:55.115 And this is one of the reasons why I believe this is the 741 00:46:55.115 --> 00:46:59.035 same John who wrote, uh, the um, gospel of John 742 00:47:00.185 --> 00:47:04.075 because gospel of John John chapters 15, 16, 17, 743 00:47:04.105 --> 00:47:05.955 this is kind of called the farewell discord. 744 00:47:05.985 --> 00:47:08.395 This is before Jesus is about to go to the garden 745 00:47:08.395 --> 00:47:10.235 of Gethsemane before he goes to the cross. 746 00:47:10.885 --> 00:47:13.835 Jesus is, is giving this farewell to his disciples. 747 00:47:13.835 --> 00:47:15.995 And and guess what He says three times 748 00:47:16.625 --> 00:47:18.835 between chapters 15, 16, and 17. 749 00:47:20.095 --> 00:47:23.235 He says, I'm telling you this so that your joy may be full. 750 00:47:24.785 --> 00:47:27.635 What was Jesus telling them in John 15? 751 00:47:27.695 --> 00:47:30.965 He says, well, when you abide, you have fellowship with me. 752 00:47:31.585 --> 00:47:33.685 And through that fellowship, your joy will be full. 753 00:47:33.825 --> 00:47:37.245 In John 16, he says, you'll have fellowship with the father 754 00:47:37.585 --> 00:47:39.205 and your joy will be full. 755 00:47:39.865 --> 00:47:42.365 And then in John 17, he says, when you have fellowship 756 00:47:42.365 --> 00:47:45.125 with one another, your joy will be full. 757 00:47:45.185 --> 00:47:48.445 And we gather around the name of Jesus, we have unity 758 00:47:48.515 --> 00:47:51.525 with him, with the church, and with the Father. 759 00:47:53.325 --> 00:47:56.145 And this argument that John is making is the bedrock 760 00:47:56.165 --> 00:47:57.985 of every other implication that he's gonna make. 761 00:47:57.985 --> 00:47:59.185 Let's move on. Starting in verse 762 00:47:59.185 --> 00:48:00.505 five, verses five through 10. 763 00:48:01.085 --> 00:48:03.625 Uh, John says, this is the message we have heard from him 764 00:48:03.625 --> 00:48:06.785 talking about Jesus and now we proclaim it to you. 765 00:48:08.795 --> 00:48:10.525 This is God's message about himself. 766 00:48:10.585 --> 00:48:12.885 He says, God is light 767 00:48:14.195 --> 00:48:16.815 in him is no darkness at all. 768 00:48:16.915 --> 00:48:19.615 And this is, uh, the part where John begins to teach that 769 00:48:19.835 --> 00:48:21.575 who God is has implications on 770 00:48:21.575 --> 00:48:23.215 who you are and how you're supposed to live. 771 00:48:23.985 --> 00:48:26.575 Verse six, he says, if we say we have fellowship 772 00:48:26.575 --> 00:48:29.695 with him while we walk in darkness, we lie 773 00:48:29.795 --> 00:48:31.255 and do not practice the truth. 774 00:48:31.595 --> 00:48:35.015 But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, 775 00:48:35.435 --> 00:48:37.255 we have fellowship with one another 776 00:48:37.915 --> 00:48:41.815 and the blood of Jesus, his son cleanses us from all sin. 777 00:48:41.815 --> 00:48:44.695 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. 778 00:48:45.235 --> 00:48:46.415 And the truth is not in us, 779 00:48:46.635 --> 00:48:50.935 but if we confess our sins, he is faithful 780 00:48:51.075 --> 00:48:53.295 and just to forgive us our sins 781 00:48:53.295 --> 00:48:55.855 and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 782 00:48:56.675 --> 00:48:59.535 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar. 783 00:48:59.915 --> 00:49:01.815 And his word is not in us. 784 00:49:01.925 --> 00:49:04.735 John is saying something incredibly profound. 785 00:49:04.795 --> 00:49:07.615 He is saying that God is light. 786 00:49:10.075 --> 00:49:12.055 And if you're a note taker, I know this is usually the part 787 00:49:12.055 --> 00:49:13.015 where you look down and start 788 00:49:13.015 --> 00:49:14.135 writing whatever's up on the screen. 789 00:49:14.135 --> 00:49:15.335 So I want you to write that down 790 00:49:15.335 --> 00:49:16.855 and I want you to lock in for just a second 791 00:49:16.975 --> 00:49:21.695 'cause this is so important because God is light. 792 00:49:23.235 --> 00:49:27.375 You cannot claim to be in him and hide something from him. 793 00:49:30.755 --> 00:49:32.895 You can't claim to know God yet. 794 00:49:33.035 --> 00:49:36.895 Try to hide parts of your life from him by its very nature. 795 00:49:37.105 --> 00:49:39.295 Light does two things. It exposes 796 00:49:39.355 --> 00:49:42.215 and it reveals you ever turn on your light when 797 00:49:42.215 --> 00:49:43.375 you're walking around your room at night. 798 00:49:44.275 --> 00:49:47.215 Why? Because you know, if you try to get around 799 00:49:47.315 --> 00:49:48.415 and those lights are off 800 00:49:48.515 --> 00:49:50.975 and you stub that pinky toe on the corner of the bed, 801 00:49:52.115 --> 00:49:55.135 you're gonna lose all religion, right? 802 00:49:55.995 --> 00:49:57.255 By turning the light on, 803 00:49:57.355 --> 00:49:59.655 it helps you avoid dangers and pitfalls. 804 00:50:00.915 --> 00:50:04.255 And God is light as you walk in union with him, 805 00:50:05.395 --> 00:50:07.655 he identifies the dangers and the pitfalls 806 00:50:07.655 --> 00:50:09.455 and he helps you avoid those things in him. 807 00:50:09.455 --> 00:50:12.815 There are no secrets and there is nothing that is unknown. 808 00:50:12.955 --> 00:50:14.695 So your options according to John is this. 809 00:50:14.835 --> 00:50:17.335 You either bring your whole self into the light 810 00:50:18.195 --> 00:50:19.855 or you recognize that you're in the darkness. 811 00:50:21.475 --> 00:50:22.815 And this raises another concern. 812 00:50:24.085 --> 00:50:27.215 John says that there are some who claim to have fellowship 813 00:50:27.245 --> 00:50:29.085 with God and they really don't. 814 00:50:31.585 --> 00:50:33.845 Now, I think that can open up a can of worms for us, right? 815 00:50:33.845 --> 00:50:36.485 Because we can think, well, how do I know if I really have 816 00:50:36.895 --> 00:50:38.285 union with God? 817 00:50:39.445 --> 00:50:43.765 I think one of the indicators here out of this passage, one 818 00:50:43.765 --> 00:50:45.685 of the questions that rise to the surface is this. 819 00:50:45.945 --> 00:50:49.205 Are you walking in the light or are you trying to hide 820 00:50:51.545 --> 00:50:52.795 because you can't do both? 821 00:50:56.685 --> 00:51:00.545 Are you trying to hide? When someone asks you 822 00:51:00.545 --> 00:51:01.945 how you're doing, do you just say, I'm fine? 823 00:51:03.325 --> 00:51:05.655 When you think about that conflict that you were in, 824 00:51:05.655 --> 00:51:08.055 do you just say, I've forgiven them when really you're not 825 00:51:08.055 --> 00:51:09.735 fine and you haven't forgiven them? 826 00:51:10.875 --> 00:51:12.215 Are you afraid to show weakness 827 00:51:12.215 --> 00:51:15.175 because everyone, including yourself, uh, uh, has to believe 828 00:51:15.175 --> 00:51:16.895 that you're superman or superwoman? 829 00:51:17.955 --> 00:51:19.935 Are you sharing words of encouragement online 830 00:51:19.935 --> 00:51:21.735 but then gossiping behind closed doors? 831 00:51:22.845 --> 00:51:25.375 When you talk about your sin, do you try to minimize it? 832 00:51:25.375 --> 00:51:26.495 Like do you try to make it seem like 833 00:51:26.495 --> 00:51:27.655 it's really not that big of a deal? 834 00:51:29.125 --> 00:51:31.935 Perhaps you compartmentalize your faith where you've, uh, 835 00:51:31.935 --> 00:51:33.575 you've surrendered some parts of your life, 836 00:51:33.575 --> 00:51:35.015 but then there's some other parts that you hold onto 837 00:51:35.015 --> 00:51:36.335 with a closed fist and say, yeah, God, 838 00:51:36.335 --> 00:51:40.185 but not that, let me ask you this. 839 00:51:40.205 --> 00:51:42.625 Are, are you trying to play hide and seek with God? 840 00:51:44.455 --> 00:51:45.105 Good luck? 841 00:51:49.565 --> 00:51:50.995 Isn't it funny how we understand 842 00:51:50.995 --> 00:51:53.635 that confessing our sin is necessary for salvation, 843 00:51:53.635 --> 00:51:54.955 but then we stop doing it? 844 00:51:56.185 --> 00:51:57.715 Like I don't wanna assume knowledge here, 845 00:51:57.715 --> 00:51:58.795 maybe you haven't realized this, 846 00:51:58.795 --> 00:52:00.715 but in order to put your faith in Jesus, there has 847 00:52:00.715 --> 00:52:01.915 to be a moment where you say, Hey God, 848 00:52:01.915 --> 00:52:03.035 I've been living in sin. 849 00:52:03.335 --> 00:52:05.515 I'm done with that. I want expose that to you. 850 00:52:05.635 --> 00:52:07.955 I want you to have your way and I'm gonna repent. 851 00:52:08.095 --> 00:52:10.515 I'm gonna choose to live as you choose to live. 852 00:52:10.515 --> 00:52:13.035 And we kind of have that moment, uh, of where we say, God, 853 00:52:13.195 --> 00:52:15.315 I believe, but that's not just like an intellectual 854 00:52:15.315 --> 00:52:17.675 understanding that there is a God no listen. 855 00:52:17.775 --> 00:52:20.755 In order to believe and to keep walking and to receive 856 00:52:20.855 --> 00:52:22.115 and walk in salvation. 857 00:52:22.385 --> 00:52:25.875 It's not just a one-time confession, it is a lifetime 858 00:52:26.135 --> 00:52:28.035 and a heart posture of confession, 859 00:52:30.235 --> 00:52:31.375 waking up every day 860 00:52:32.235 --> 00:52:33.695 and saying, God, search my heart, 861 00:52:34.225 --> 00:52:35.895 point out what's wrong in me. 862 00:52:37.705 --> 00:52:40.755 It's bringing your real self into the presence 863 00:52:40.755 --> 00:52:43.835 of a real savior every single day. 864 00:52:43.835 --> 00:52:45.875 And so John is warning here that there are some people 865 00:52:45.875 --> 00:52:48.195 who have confessed their sin and repented once, 866 00:52:48.615 --> 00:52:50.635 but they don't persist in that repentance. 867 00:52:52.585 --> 00:52:54.365 In verse eight, he calls that deception, 868 00:52:54.425 --> 00:52:56.205 but in verse nine he says, Hey, guess what? 869 00:52:56.205 --> 00:52:58.165 There's a cure. Verse nine. 870 00:52:58.165 --> 00:53:01.925 He says, if we confess our sins, he is faithful 871 00:53:02.065 --> 00:53:03.885 and just to forgive us of our sins 872 00:53:03.905 --> 00:53:06.205 and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 873 00:53:06.205 --> 00:53:07.525 Listen, this was another thing that students 874 00:53:07.545 --> 00:53:08.605 got to experience at camp. 875 00:53:08.825 --> 00:53:11.165 Uh, I told students, I said, Hey, scatter off 876 00:53:11.385 --> 00:53:13.285 and I want you to go talk to God about 877 00:53:13.285 --> 00:53:15.045 that thing you're afraid to talk to God about. 878 00:53:16.415 --> 00:53:17.995 So they took about five minutes, they went off 879 00:53:17.995 --> 00:53:19.115 and they did it and they came back 880 00:53:19.115 --> 00:53:20.555 and some of 'em, their eyes are all red 881 00:53:20.575 --> 00:53:22.395 and faces are puffy and that sort of thing. 882 00:53:22.395 --> 00:53:23.555 And they come back and I say, here, 883 00:53:23.575 --> 00:53:24.755 here's what I want you to do now. 884 00:53:26.305 --> 00:53:27.965 So I want you to find one or two 885 00:53:27.965 --> 00:53:30.765 or three people that you trust and I want you to commit to 886 00:53:30.765 --> 00:53:31.965 before you leave camp. 887 00:53:32.705 --> 00:53:34.405 You're gonna share that thing with them as well 888 00:53:35.195 --> 00:53:38.365 because James five 16 tells us that if we confess our sins 889 00:53:38.365 --> 00:53:39.565 to one another, that we will be healed. 890 00:53:41.435 --> 00:53:44.375 And guess what, y'all, they did it. And you know what? 891 00:53:44.375 --> 00:53:45.455 They're met with grace 892 00:53:46.635 --> 00:53:49.335 and they realize that, man, if I let this stuff stay out 893 00:53:49.335 --> 00:53:51.615 of the dark and I actually drag it into the light for God 894 00:53:51.615 --> 00:53:53.055 to deal with it, there's healing there. 895 00:53:55.145 --> 00:53:58.285 Listen, if you want to experience complete unity with God 896 00:53:58.665 --> 00:54:00.685 and the church, it starts with confession. 897 00:54:00.865 --> 00:54:03.205 For some of you, the reason why you don't feel the intimacy 898 00:54:03.205 --> 00:54:04.725 that you desire in your marriage is 899 00:54:04.725 --> 00:54:06.085 because there are secrets you're holding onto. 900 00:54:07.345 --> 00:54:08.845 The reason why you don't feel intimacy 901 00:54:08.865 --> 00:54:10.445 or connection with the church is 902 00:54:10.445 --> 00:54:11.645 because there's secrets you're holding onto. 903 00:54:11.895 --> 00:54:14.365 Maybe the reason why you don't feel the intimacy with God 904 00:54:14.365 --> 00:54:16.365 that you want is because there are things 905 00:54:16.365 --> 00:54:17.645 you're trying to hide from them. 906 00:54:20.865 --> 00:54:22.245 The Bible tells us that confession 907 00:54:22.245 --> 00:54:23.525 brings about this healing. 908 00:54:25.025 --> 00:54:26.565 We got one more little chunk to get through 909 00:54:27.345 --> 00:54:28.605 one John two, one through three. 910 00:54:28.605 --> 00:54:30.925 It says, my little children, I'm writing these things to you 911 00:54:30.945 --> 00:54:33.925 so that you may not sin, but if anyone does sin. 912 00:54:34.585 --> 00:54:39.005 So really quick contingency here, his goal is do not sin. 913 00:54:39.785 --> 00:54:42.325 So he's not about to give you permission for you to sin. 914 00:54:43.355 --> 00:54:45.685 What John is saying here is, Hey, listen, sin is normal. 915 00:54:45.835 --> 00:54:48.965 It's not okay, so don't sin. 916 00:54:49.185 --> 00:54:50.885 But in the case that you do, 917 00:54:50.985 --> 00:54:52.925 we have an advocate with the Father. 918 00:54:53.025 --> 00:54:54.285 His name is Jesus Christ. 919 00:54:54.585 --> 00:54:56.765 He is the righteousness, he is the 920 00:54:57.285 --> 00:54:59.045 propitiation for our sins. 921 00:54:59.045 --> 00:55:02.045 That's a big theological way of saying, Hey, there's a debt 922 00:55:02.045 --> 00:55:04.045 that's due, and Jesus himself pays it. 923 00:55:05.585 --> 00:55:08.725 He is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only, 924 00:55:08.785 --> 00:55:11.325 but also for the sins of the whole world. 925 00:55:11.465 --> 00:55:14.405 Two terms that John uses to describe Christ's relationship 926 00:55:14.405 --> 00:55:16.325 with us is that he is our advocate, 927 00:55:17.275 --> 00:55:20.485 mean he stands on our behalf and he's our perpetuation. 928 00:55:20.505 --> 00:55:23.285 He takes on the punishment that we deserve. 929 00:55:25.465 --> 00:55:28.725 So if Jesus does all that, what else is there for you to do? 930 00:55:31.195 --> 00:55:32.965 He's carried the weight of your sin. He deals with it. 931 00:55:37.275 --> 00:55:38.485 John wants us to know that 932 00:55:38.485 --> 00:55:40.365 so we can be certain in Christ's identity so 933 00:55:40.365 --> 00:55:42.445 that we can be certain of our own salvation. 934 00:55:43.705 --> 00:55:46.245 He closes with these words, one John two, three through six. 935 00:55:48.025 --> 00:55:51.325 And by this we know we have come to know him. 936 00:55:51.325 --> 00:55:53.125 Listen, if you are in here and you've ever asked a question, 937 00:55:53.125 --> 00:55:54.525 man, how do I know if I'm really saved? 938 00:55:56.425 --> 00:56:00.405 How do I know if the prayer worked, if it stuck? 939 00:56:01.405 --> 00:56:03.085 'cause I'm not always that sure, I'm uncertain. 940 00:56:03.085 --> 00:56:04.325 Here's how you find certainty. 941 00:56:05.585 --> 00:56:07.405 By this, we know that we have come to know him. 942 00:56:07.985 --> 00:56:12.725 If we keep his commands, whoever says, I know him, 943 00:56:12.725 --> 00:56:14.885 but does not keep his commandments as a liar. 944 00:56:15.745 --> 00:56:17.045 And the truth is not in him, 945 00:56:17.045 --> 00:56:20.565 but whoever keeps his word in him, truly the love 946 00:56:20.565 --> 00:56:22.565 of God is perfected by this. 947 00:56:22.705 --> 00:56:24.485 We may know that we are in him. 948 00:56:24.555 --> 00:56:27.685 Whoever says he abides in him ought 949 00:56:27.705 --> 00:56:30.485 to walk in the same way in which he walked. 950 00:56:33.265 --> 00:56:35.125 So here's the question that that raises for us, 951 00:56:35.125 --> 00:56:36.125 and it's a two-parter. 952 00:56:37.225 --> 00:56:40.965 One, do you look more like Jesus today than you used to? 953 00:56:42.225 --> 00:56:44.245 And if not, do you know 'em? 954 00:56:48.835 --> 00:56:50.605 This can give us certainty in both directions. 955 00:56:50.605 --> 00:56:53.405 Listen, if your life is becoming progressively more 956 00:56:53.415 --> 00:56:55.845 Christlike and more obedient to the word of God, 957 00:56:56.105 --> 00:56:58.725 you can trust that you have salvation. 958 00:56:59.825 --> 00:57:03.365 On the flip side, if you claim to follow Jesus, 959 00:57:04.585 --> 00:57:07.085 but there is no progressive change in your life 960 00:57:08.105 --> 00:57:11.325 and you are not becoming increasingly more obedient 961 00:57:11.325 --> 00:57:14.165 to His word, then I think it's safe to say that according 962 00:57:14.165 --> 00:57:16.605 to John, you can have a certainty that you don't know Jesus. 963 00:57:18.355 --> 00:57:21.085 Because If you know the Lord, you will love the Lord. 964 00:57:21.945 --> 00:57:24.725 And if you love the Lord, you will obey his commands. 965 00:57:26.065 --> 00:57:27.205 Do you obey his commands? 966 00:57:28.545 --> 00:57:31.245 If not, do you love him? 967 00:57:32.185 --> 00:57:34.445 And if not, do you know him? 968 00:57:36.785 --> 00:57:38.165 So we get ready to close here. 969 00:57:39.025 --> 00:57:41.965 Um, I think that there's some of us who, if we were 970 00:57:41.965 --> 00:57:43.485 to sit down and really think about it 971 00:57:43.505 --> 00:57:46.765 and say, man, if I look at the, the, the last little chunk 972 00:57:46.765 --> 00:57:48.165 of my life, man, it is evident 973 00:57:48.965 --> 00:57:51.445 I have not been obedient to the word of God. 974 00:57:54.385 --> 00:57:57.365 It is evident that it is not important to me 975 00:57:58.345 --> 00:57:59.925 to follow God's commands. 976 00:58:01.325 --> 00:58:02.965 I just want you to have a moment to deal with that. 977 00:58:04.725 --> 00:58:06.885 I want you to have a moment to allow God to deal with that. 978 00:58:08.785 --> 00:58:10.565 And so what I'm gonna do is we get ready to close, is, 979 00:58:10.745 --> 00:58:14.205 is I'm gonna pray for all of us 980 00:58:15.715 --> 00:58:17.245 that the commandments 981 00:58:17.245 --> 00:58:20.045 of God become cr increasingly more and more important to us. 982 00:58:22.105 --> 00:58:25.085 But then I wanna pray for those of you specifically who say, 983 00:58:25.185 --> 00:58:27.685 man, I fall into that category where at at least according 984 00:58:27.685 --> 00:58:30.045 to John, I'm not walking in the 985 00:58:30.045 --> 00:58:31.845 light, I'm walking in darkness. 986 00:58:31.865 --> 00:58:35.565 And, and this has been my check engine light to say, Hey, 987 00:58:35.565 --> 00:58:36.725 maybe I don't know God, 988 00:58:37.025 --> 00:58:39.085 but you have this, this little tap in your heart that says, 989 00:58:39.085 --> 00:58:40.085 yeah, but I want to know him. 990 00:58:41.865 --> 00:58:43.165 If that's you, I wanna pray for you. 991 00:58:43.165 --> 00:58:44.485 So here's what we're gonna do. Everybody bow your 992 00:58:44.545 --> 00:58:45.685 bow, your heads and close your eyes. 993 00:58:47.745 --> 00:58:49.405 And I'm gonna start with that second group first. 994 00:58:49.405 --> 00:58:51.805 Listen, if you're here, if you're watching online 995 00:58:51.805 --> 00:58:56.405 and that's you, and you say, man, 996 00:58:56.545 --> 00:59:01.045 the word of God has drawn some stuff into the light 997 00:59:01.045 --> 00:59:03.325 that maybe I wasn't ready to, to expose yet, 998 00:59:06.185 --> 00:59:07.245 if you're there and you say, Hey, 999 00:59:07.245 --> 00:59:10.085 my life has not been obedient to God, 1000 00:59:11.235 --> 00:59:12.765 that hasn't been a priority for me, 1001 00:59:12.765 --> 00:59:14.285 but I want it to be, I wanna say no 1002 00:59:14.285 --> 00:59:15.485 to my sin and say yes to God. 1003 00:59:15.565 --> 00:59:17.085 I wanna, I wanna take those things out 1004 00:59:17.085 --> 00:59:18.405 of the darkness and drag them into the light. 1005 00:59:18.405 --> 00:59:20.205 Can you do me a favor? Can you just raise your hand for me? 1006 00:59:23.375 --> 00:59:24.725 Raise it up high over your head. 1007 00:59:28.585 --> 00:59:29.885 Praise God. And now I'm gonna, 1008 00:59:30.065 --> 00:59:31.525 I'm gonna ask you to do something a little bit bold. 1009 00:59:31.545 --> 00:59:32.805 Can you stand at your feet for me? 1010 00:59:32.805 --> 00:59:33.645 If you just raise your hands, 1011 00:59:33.665 --> 00:59:34.885 go ahead and stand at your feet for me. 1012 00:59:40.305 --> 00:59:43.085 Listen, I I'm just gonna say this, our high schoolers 1013 00:59:43.835 --> 00:59:46.645 this past weekend, they stepped into a vulnerable place 1014 00:59:46.645 --> 00:59:48.125 and they were met by the love of Jesus. 1015 00:59:48.145 --> 00:59:49.445 And so if you're here and you're hesitant, 1016 00:59:49.485 --> 00:59:51.005 I just wanna encourage you stand on your feet and, 1017 00:59:51.145 --> 00:59:52.925 and prepare to be met with the love of Jesus. 1018 00:59:55.065 --> 00:59:56.325 Here's the last thing that I'm gonna ask, 1019 00:59:56.325 --> 00:59:57.245 and we're all gonna raise our 1020 00:59:57.245 --> 00:59:58.725 voices together in just a moment here. 1021 00:59:58.725 --> 01:00:00.365 Everybody, if you'll just open your eyes 1022 01:00:00.365 --> 01:00:01.845 and look to those people who are standing up, 1023 01:00:01.845 --> 01:00:04.365 if you can do me a favor and just kind of move towards them, 1024 01:00:04.625 --> 01:00:06.325 uh, people standing, if you're comfortable with it, 1025 01:00:06.565 --> 01:00:08.005 somebody's just gonna place a hand on your shoulder. 1026 01:00:08.065 --> 01:00:09.245 If you can't get over to somebody, 1027 01:00:09.265 --> 01:00:10.445 go ahead and extend an arm. 1028 01:00:10.445 --> 01:00:11.845 But, but this is really important. 1029 01:00:13.215 --> 01:00:15.605 There are people in this room who are saying, Hey, listen, 1030 01:00:15.965 --> 01:00:17.405 I have been walking in darkness 1031 01:00:17.405 --> 01:00:20.125 and I want to commit to, to lighting God, 1032 01:00:20.305 --> 01:00:22.485 expose the darkness in my life so that I can live for him. 1033 01:00:22.485 --> 01:00:25.125 And I just can, can we just let them know you're not in this 1034 01:00:25.125 --> 01:00:28.245 alone by stepping into the light. 1035 01:00:28.245 --> 01:00:31.685 You have fellowship with God and with us. We're a family. 1036 01:00:33.625 --> 01:00:34.805 And here's what I'm gonna ask you to do. 1037 01:00:34.865 --> 01:00:36.845 I'm, I'm gonna give you like 10 seconds. I'm gonna be quiet. 1038 01:00:38.005 --> 01:00:40.125 I just want you who are surrounding that person to, 1039 01:00:40.145 --> 01:00:43.245 to just pray out loud, pray for them 1040 01:00:44.065 --> 01:00:45.725 the way you wish somebody would've prayed for you. 1041 01:00:45.835 --> 01:00:49.645 Pray for God to help them, uh, in their walk with Jesus. 1042 01:00:49.705 --> 01:00:51.085 I'm gonna give you about 10 seconds and then I'll 1043 01:00:51.085 --> 01:00:52.125 close us all out with a prayer. 1044 01:00:59.115 --> 01:01:01.565 Come on, let 'em hear you. Let 'em hear you. 1045 01:01:01.565 --> 01:01:02.725 They stood up asking for prayer. 1046 01:01:02.725 --> 01:01:04.285 Let's, let's not leave our friends hanging. 1047 01:01:04.735 --> 01:01:05.925 Let's not leave our family hanging. 1048 01:01:05.935 --> 01:01:07.845 Let's let 'em know that, that we're here to pray for them 1049 01:01:07.865 --> 01:01:10.085 and boldly proclaim truth over their lives. 1050 01:01:19.945 --> 01:01:22.605 Father God, thank you, thank you 1051 01:01:22.605 --> 01:01:24.165 that you call us into the light. 1052 01:01:24.875 --> 01:01:26.525 Lord, there are some of us who have been hiding in the 1053 01:01:26.685 --> 01:01:27.725 darkness for so long, 1054 01:01:29.185 --> 01:01:32.565 and you're just saying, come to me all who are weary. 1055 01:01:34.145 --> 01:01:37.205 Let me give you rest. Let's deal with the sin. 1056 01:01:37.205 --> 01:01:40.965 Let's, let's eliminate it so 1057 01:01:40.965 --> 01:01:42.405 that we can have perfect union together. 1058 01:01:42.405 --> 01:01:44.045 And God, I thank you for those who stepped into that. 1059 01:01:44.045 --> 01:01:45.805 Lord, I know there are some of us in here who, uh, 1060 01:01:45.805 --> 01:01:47.565 just like Peter, just like you told him in 1061 01:01:47.565 --> 01:01:50.525 that same upper room, you said, Hey, you've been cleansed, 1062 01:01:52.945 --> 01:01:54.285 but I need you to return to me. 1063 01:01:54.625 --> 01:01:55.925 Let me continue to cleanse you. 1064 01:01:56.145 --> 01:01:59.445 God, we pray for a lifelong repentance, for hearts 1065 01:01:59.445 --> 01:02:01.005 that continually turn back to you 1066 01:02:01.005 --> 01:02:02.925 and pursue your will for our lives. 1067 01:02:04.145 --> 01:02:05.565 Father, forgive us in the areas 1068 01:02:05.565 --> 01:02:08.005 where we have allowed the darkness to overtake us. 1069 01:02:08.945 --> 01:02:10.645 And thank you that 1070 01:02:10.645 --> 01:02:14.085 because of your son Jesus, the darkness will never win. 1071 01:02:14.665 --> 01:02:16.405 Father, thank you for your marvelous light 1072 01:02:16.405 --> 01:02:18.565 and thank you for your invitation into it. We love you. 1073 01:02:18.785 --> 01:02:21.565 We ask all these things in your son's name, we pray. Amen. 1074 01:02:23.035 --> 01:02:23.325 Yeah, 1075 01:02:29.985 --> 01:02:30.805 man, thank you Aaron. 1076 01:02:31.235 --> 01:02:32.405 That was a powerful message. 1077 01:02:38.065 --> 01:02:42.805 You know, this weekend is baptism weekend 1078 01:02:44.105 --> 01:02:46.005 and there's gonna be a number of people 1079 01:02:46.025 --> 01:02:48.645 who are baptized here and at our Apex campus. 1080 01:02:49.345 --> 01:02:51.965 And so, uh, if you want to join us in that and come 1081 01:02:51.965 --> 01:02:54.285 and be a part of that, we'd love to have you here with us. 1082 01:02:56.025 --> 01:02:59.325 But I also wanna say, if, if you have accepted Christ 1083 01:03:00.145 --> 01:03:03.365 and you haven't taken that step of baptism, 1084 01:03:03.365 --> 01:03:07.285 of being baptized, that step of obedience, um, 1085 01:03:07.285 --> 01:03:09.405 that we're called into after we accept him, 1086 01:03:10.285 --> 01:03:12.565 I wanna just encourage you to talk to someone about that. 1087 01:03:13.425 --> 01:03:14.925 You can come and talk to myself. 1088 01:03:15.145 --> 01:03:17.045 Um, you can talk to anyone here who's on stage. 1089 01:03:17.045 --> 01:03:18.325 You can go to next steps as well. 1090 01:03:18.665 --> 01:03:20.285 You can also text baptism 1091 01:03:20.865 --> 01:03:23.645 to 7 2 9 8 9 if you want more information. 1092 01:03:24.065 --> 01:03:26.445 Uh, but we would love to help you with that 1093 01:03:26.465 --> 01:03:27.805 and walk alongside you in that 1094 01:03:27.805 --> 01:03:29.245 and meet with you and talk through it. 1095 01:03:29.425 --> 01:03:33.085 And so, uh, please text baptism to 7 2 9 8 9 1096 01:03:33.085 --> 01:03:34.805 or talk to someone, uh, 1097 01:03:34.805 --> 01:03:36.125 coming up and we'll get you scheduled. 1098 01:03:37.305 --> 01:03:40.005 Um, this is our second to last Thursday night. 1099 01:03:40.105 --> 01:03:42.965 And so, um, next one will be our last one. 1100 01:03:42.965 --> 01:03:44.125 I encourage you to be here for that. 1101 01:03:44.545 --> 01:03:47.125 I'm looking forward to seeing you and, uh, we love you all. 1102 01:03:47.535 --> 01:03:48.245 We'll see you next week.