1 00:00:00,066 --> 00:00:03,336 Many, many men. Now. 2 00:00:05,805 --> 00:00:08,808 This is Jesus, and this is the one that we've come 3 00:00:09,542 --> 00:00:12,545 to celebrate this morning. 4 00:00:13,213 --> 00:00:14,814 Usually at our church, 5 00:00:14,814 --> 00:00:17,817 we celebrate communion every Sunday morning 6 00:00:17,984 --> 00:00:21,087 as the reminder of the life, the death, and the resurrection 7 00:00:21,087 --> 00:00:24,124 of Jesus and the promise of his coming again. 8 00:00:24,124 --> 00:00:27,560 He said, I won't do this again until I come in my to my kingdom with you. 9 00:00:28,795 --> 00:00:32,032 Communion is the tool that is given to us, the symbol, 10 00:00:32,032 --> 00:00:36,369 the ordinance that reminds us of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. 11 00:00:36,369 --> 00:00:39,372 And we celebrate that every Sunday at our church. 12 00:00:39,539 --> 00:00:42,542 This Sunday, I'm going to do it differently. 13 00:00:43,843 --> 00:00:45,845 If you've been a part of our church for any length of time, 14 00:00:45,845 --> 00:00:48,848 you've heard us do this every week. 15 00:00:49,149 --> 00:00:53,019 So as you exit, there'll be little communion cups, the same ones we use 16 00:00:53,019 --> 00:00:56,222 with the little bread in them as you see, the same ones we use on Sunday. 17 00:00:57,524 --> 00:00:59,059 If you're the leader of your home, 18 00:00:59,059 --> 00:01:01,361 the leader of your family, pick those up for your family 19 00:01:01,361 --> 00:01:03,363 and you leave communion with your family at home. 20 00:01:03,363 --> 00:01:06,366 Today. Make it personal. 21 00:01:06,433 --> 00:01:09,402 Make it intimate. 22 00:01:09,402 --> 00:01:10,770 Especially you men. 23 00:01:10,770 --> 00:01:13,239 Lead. 24 00:01:13,239 --> 00:01:15,241 And so that's how we're going to do communion today. 25 00:01:15,241 --> 00:01:19,412 We're not going to bypass it, but we're going to change the way we administer it. 26 00:01:19,446 --> 00:01:22,449 And I want you to minister to yourselves and your families. 27 00:01:22,782 --> 00:01:25,785 If you have a relationship with Jesus Christ, 28 00:01:26,186 --> 00:01:29,189 some of you are going to enter into that relationship this morning. 29 00:01:30,757 --> 00:01:33,760 The resurrection of Jesus was a hinge point 30 00:01:34,627 --> 00:01:36,996 of all of history. 31 00:01:36,996 --> 00:01:39,566 And what we're going to look at today is a little different passage. 32 00:01:39,566 --> 00:01:41,568 It's not the typical Easter passage. 33 00:01:41,568 --> 00:01:43,536 If you've been with us at our church, we've been going 34 00:01:43,536 --> 00:01:47,273 through the book of Matthew, and I'm just staying in the book of Matthew. 35 00:01:47,807 --> 00:01:51,978 In the book of Matthew, chapter 12 is the hinge point of Jesus's life. 36 00:01:51,978 --> 00:01:54,314 It's the hinge point of Jesus's ministry. 37 00:01:54,314 --> 00:01:56,349 It's the hinge point. 38 00:01:56,349 --> 00:01:59,285 Everything changed at Matthew 12. 39 00:01:59,285 --> 00:02:01,921 In Matthew 12, we learn that it's the first time 40 00:02:01,921 --> 00:02:05,758 that the religious elite decided to kill Jesus. 41 00:02:05,758 --> 00:02:08,595 Matthew 12 is what will lead to the 42 00:02:08,595 --> 00:02:11,231 the crucifixion that will eventually lead to the resurrection. 43 00:02:11,231 --> 00:02:12,332 It's the hinge point. 44 00:02:13,399 --> 00:02:16,402 His own ministry changed at Matthew 12, 45 00:02:17,370 --> 00:02:20,373 the first time Jesus mentions 46 00:02:20,807 --> 00:02:25,011 the idea of his own death, burial and resurrection is Matthew 12. 47 00:02:25,011 --> 00:02:28,014 So the resurrection is seen the death, 48 00:02:28,114 --> 00:02:31,117 burial, and resurrection of Jesus as seen in Matthew 12. 49 00:02:31,551 --> 00:02:34,554 And because we value the study of God's Word, 50 00:02:35,221 --> 00:02:38,625 I'm not going to diverge from our study of Matthew 12 this morning 51 00:02:38,625 --> 00:02:39,559 just because it's Easter. 52 00:02:39,559 --> 00:02:41,594 Because Matthew 12 tells the story. 53 00:02:41,594 --> 00:02:44,597 It sets the stage. It's the hinge point, 54 00:02:45,031 --> 00:02:48,468 not just of his life, of his ministry, but the hinge point of all of history. 55 00:02:48,501 --> 00:02:52,839 Every time we write the date, we refer back to the hinge point 56 00:02:53,606 --> 00:02:58,077 of the resurrection of his birth that led to his death and his resurrection. 57 00:02:58,077 --> 00:02:59,245 So the hinge point of all things 58 00:03:01,147 --> 00:03:03,783 in Matthew 12, 59 00:03:03,783 --> 00:03:06,786 his death was set in motion by the religious elite 60 00:03:07,053 --> 00:03:11,925 because he was audacious to make claims, and the claims he made is that 61 00:03:11,925 --> 00:03:15,361 he was greater than all of the things he's greater than. 62 00:03:15,361 --> 00:03:18,364 Anybody who's come before him is greater than anyone that will come after him. 63 00:03:19,165 --> 00:03:22,435 He's greater than all their religious beliefs, all their superstitions. 64 00:03:22,802 --> 00:03:23,970 He's greater than at all. 65 00:03:23,970 --> 00:03:25,972 And when he was making these claims, it was greater 66 00:03:25,972 --> 00:03:27,874 than everything that they trusted in. 67 00:03:27,874 --> 00:03:30,877 They decided he was too dangerous to stay alive. 68 00:03:32,612 --> 00:03:35,281 And so they conspired because of his claims 69 00:03:35,281 --> 00:03:38,284 to be greater than to kill him. 70 00:03:39,619 --> 00:03:42,655 And in Matthew 12, what he will introduce to us. 71 00:03:42,655 --> 00:03:46,192 And some of you may have heard this idea that there's an unforgivable sin. 72 00:03:46,192 --> 00:03:48,661 Jesus is going to talk about it today. 73 00:03:48,661 --> 00:03:50,330 And I want to be very clear with what that is. 74 00:03:50,330 --> 00:03:51,764 So you're not misunderstanding. 75 00:03:53,499 --> 00:03:54,067 And he will 76 00:03:54,067 --> 00:03:57,070 point to his own death and resurrection. 77 00:03:57,337 --> 00:03:58,571 I want to suggest this. 78 00:03:58,571 --> 00:04:01,574 I don't want to suggest I'm going to tell you here it is. 79 00:04:02,675 --> 00:04:03,509 Go to that new year. 80 00:04:03,509 --> 00:04:06,212 Easter is not a holiday. 81 00:04:06,212 --> 00:04:09,182 Easter is God's verdict about Jesus. 82 00:04:11,317 --> 00:04:14,320 This day that we celebrate, he is not a holiday. 83 00:04:14,554 --> 00:04:17,490 The resurrection day was God's verdict about Jesus 84 00:04:17,490 --> 00:04:20,526 that confirmed and affirmed everything Jesus claimed. 85 00:04:20,893 --> 00:04:24,864 And all my dear friends I so desperately want you to understand this. 86 00:04:27,066 --> 00:04:28,601 I want you to get this. 87 00:04:28,601 --> 00:04:31,604 If you don't get this. 88 00:04:31,804 --> 00:04:33,873 It's a hinge point of not just your life. 89 00:04:33,873 --> 00:04:36,876 It's the hinge point of your very eternity 90 00:04:38,011 --> 00:04:39,979 and the resurrection of Jesus. What's God's 91 00:04:39,979 --> 00:04:43,716 verdict about him that confirmed he was all that he said he was? 92 00:04:46,152 --> 00:04:49,522 In Matthew chapter 12 I'm not going to read the whole thing this passage. 93 00:04:49,522 --> 00:04:52,525 I'm going to highlight some verses, though 94 00:04:52,692 --> 00:04:54,294 Matthew chapter 12, starting in verse 95 00:04:54,294 --> 00:04:57,297 22 and 23. 96 00:04:58,031 --> 00:04:59,766 There's man was brought to him. 97 00:04:59,766 --> 00:05:02,769 And the Bible says in Matthew 1222 and 23 98 00:05:02,902 --> 00:05:05,972 that he was possessed and blind and mute. 99 00:05:05,972 --> 00:05:07,440 And the way it's written, 100 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:10,076 it gives indication that the reason he was blind 101 00:05:10,076 --> 00:05:11,477 and mute is because he was possessed. 102 00:05:11,477 --> 00:05:13,913 Here's what I know. 103 00:05:13,913 --> 00:05:16,416 A lot of the things that we go through 104 00:05:16,416 --> 00:05:19,419 physically in this world have a spiritual component to it. 105 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:24,223 This man was possessed and it worked itself out in his physical world. 106 00:05:24,223 --> 00:05:27,560 Here's the thing that I know and that you know to, if you'll admit it, 107 00:05:29,395 --> 00:05:33,499 when there is spiritual difficulty, when there's spiritual issue, 108 00:05:33,499 --> 00:05:37,036 when when we're not right with God spiritually, it creates all kinds 109 00:05:37,036 --> 00:05:41,074 of other issues that work themselves out in the physical world. 110 00:05:41,374 --> 00:05:43,409 And so this man is brought to Jesus 111 00:05:45,044 --> 00:05:46,979 and and the Bible says Jesus. 112 00:05:46,979 --> 00:05:50,583 He cast the demon out and heals him of his blindness and his muteness. 113 00:05:52,151 --> 00:05:55,154 And at that work, at that miracle, 114 00:05:55,421 --> 00:05:58,424 the people are amazed and they're astounded. 115 00:05:59,025 --> 00:06:02,095 And the Bible says that people start to believe in him 116 00:06:02,161 --> 00:06:05,164 because of the miracle that was done. 117 00:06:05,698 --> 00:06:08,668 And in that miracle, Jesus proves that he has authority 118 00:06:08,668 --> 00:06:12,405 over everything seen and everything unseen. 119 00:06:13,806 --> 00:06:15,842 In that miracle 120 00:06:15,842 --> 00:06:18,845 possessed blind in huge spiritual, physical, physical. 121 00:06:19,545 --> 00:06:23,182 Jesus steps into that broken life and says, 122 00:06:23,182 --> 00:06:27,587 let me take care of the spiritual issue, which will then address the physical. 123 00:06:27,587 --> 00:06:30,923 And he proves that he has authority over all things spiritual 124 00:06:30,990 --> 00:06:33,993 and all things physical. 125 00:06:34,427 --> 00:06:38,331 Man. Be. 126 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:42,735 And as a crowd start to believe, they asked this question, 127 00:06:43,703 --> 00:06:46,572 they said, can this be the Son of David? 128 00:06:46,572 --> 00:06:48,841 That was a messianic term. 129 00:06:48,841 --> 00:06:52,311 They said, can this be the Jesus, the Christ? 130 00:06:53,312 --> 00:06:55,381 It's an honest question. 131 00:06:55,381 --> 00:06:57,917 And there's a question that every one of us has wrestled with. 132 00:06:57,917 --> 00:06:59,986 And some of you are still wrestling. 133 00:06:59,986 --> 00:07:02,121 And here, here, here's the thing. 134 00:07:02,121 --> 00:07:03,890 So same question. 135 00:07:03,890 --> 00:07:06,893 Go to that next slide. 136 00:07:07,026 --> 00:07:10,029 This is what they ask is this true. 137 00:07:10,096 --> 00:07:12,198 Is Jesus really the answer. 138 00:07:12,198 --> 00:07:15,201 Is Jesus really the authority. 139 00:07:15,401 --> 00:07:18,404 And it's the same question that you and I ask. 140 00:07:19,639 --> 00:07:21,474 Here's the question we ask, 141 00:07:21,474 --> 00:07:24,043 what do I do with Jesus? 142 00:07:24,043 --> 00:07:27,046 What do I do with him? 143 00:07:27,146 --> 00:07:28,781 Do I actually submit 144 00:07:28,781 --> 00:07:32,819 and give the allegiance of my life to this one who claims to be God? 145 00:07:33,653 --> 00:07:36,289 Or do I treat this as just another story, 146 00:07:36,289 --> 00:07:39,392 another folklore, and try to be a good person and appease him? 147 00:07:40,593 --> 00:07:41,194 It's the same 148 00:07:41,194 --> 00:07:44,263 question you and I ask why it here? 149 00:07:44,430 --> 00:07:47,433 What are you going to do with Jesus? 150 00:07:48,301 --> 00:07:50,069 Jesus going to press this with them. 151 00:07:50,069 --> 00:07:51,370 He's going to press it with us. 152 00:07:51,370 --> 00:07:54,173 But it's going to come down to your answer of that question. 153 00:07:54,173 --> 00:07:56,876 What do you do with Jesus? 154 00:07:56,876 --> 00:07:59,879 He's two significant to ignore. 155 00:07:59,912 --> 00:08:02,648 Amen, Amen. 156 00:08:02,648 --> 00:08:05,651 What are you going to do with Jesus? 157 00:08:06,819 --> 00:08:09,388 The religious leaders, 158 00:08:09,388 --> 00:08:12,391 they refused to surrender to who Jesus is. 159 00:08:13,726 --> 00:08:17,763 And so rather than saying, we see what you've done, you have to be him. 160 00:08:17,864 --> 00:08:21,167 They say, we think you've done what you've done by a demon. 161 00:08:21,267 --> 00:08:23,402 We think we think you're possessed. 162 00:08:23,402 --> 00:08:26,372 I mean, they just get crazy. 163 00:08:27,206 --> 00:08:30,910 So rather than admit who Jesus is and submit 164 00:08:30,910 --> 00:08:34,447 their lives to him, they make an excuse for why they don't have to submit. 165 00:08:38,784 --> 00:08:40,353 And Jesus response to them is this. 166 00:08:40,353 --> 00:08:43,356 Listen. 167 00:08:43,856 --> 00:08:46,859 You can't take something away from a strong man 168 00:08:47,326 --> 00:08:49,795 unless you first subdue the strong man. 169 00:08:49,795 --> 00:08:51,497 Does that make sense? 170 00:08:51,497 --> 00:08:54,367 I can't take nothing away from you if you're bigger and stronger than me. 171 00:08:54,367 --> 00:08:55,835 David. Come here. I didn't ask you. 172 00:08:55,835 --> 00:08:58,604 I didn't tell I was going to do this. I just had to stop right now. Come over. 173 00:08:58,604 --> 00:08:59,839 Come here. 174 00:08:59,839 --> 00:09:01,707 Hey, give him a hand for not tripping up the stairs. 175 00:09:01,707 --> 00:09:03,676 That was pretty creative right there. 176 00:09:03,676 --> 00:09:07,980 Now, listen, there's a little difference between me and him right? 177 00:09:08,714 --> 00:09:09,081 And then. 178 00:09:09,081 --> 00:09:11,751 So if David, if you pretend like you're holding, like, $100 179 00:09:11,751 --> 00:09:15,254 and I want $100, I can't get it away from the strong man. 180 00:09:15,721 --> 00:09:18,624 Right. Until I subdue the strong man. 181 00:09:18,624 --> 00:09:19,392 Do you understand? 182 00:09:20,493 --> 00:09:21,527 But once, 183 00:09:21,527 --> 00:09:24,730 if I had the ability, once I subdue him. 184 00:09:24,931 --> 00:09:27,900 Get down on your knees. 185 00:09:28,067 --> 00:09:29,468 Be harder to get up. 186 00:09:29,468 --> 00:09:33,472 Once I subdue him, I can take anything he has. 187 00:09:34,173 --> 00:09:35,808 Do you understand? 188 00:09:35,808 --> 00:09:38,044 So what Jesus is saying is. Listen. 189 00:09:38,044 --> 00:09:42,048 That man that I just healed, he was the devil's. 190 00:09:43,115 --> 00:09:45,051 And I've subdued the devil 191 00:09:45,051 --> 00:09:48,054 so I can take back what used to be his. 192 00:09:48,354 --> 00:09:50,256 Do you understand? 193 00:09:50,256 --> 00:09:51,691 Do you understand? 194 00:09:51,691 --> 00:09:52,792 Answer with your mouth is open. 195 00:09:52,792 --> 00:09:55,461 You understand? Yes. 196 00:09:55,461 --> 00:09:58,464 This is Jesus's claim. 197 00:09:58,464 --> 00:10:01,467 I have authority over all things. 198 00:10:01,734 --> 00:10:04,036 I even have authority over Satan himself. 199 00:10:04,036 --> 00:10:07,974 So I have the authority to take back everything that he's stolen. 200 00:10:12,278 --> 00:10:14,847 Because this is the thing. 201 00:10:14,847 --> 00:10:17,650 That's the hinge point of your eternity. 202 00:10:17,650 --> 00:10:19,685 He's been subdued. 203 00:10:19,685 --> 00:10:22,221 Jesus has the authority to get you back. 204 00:10:24,290 --> 00:10:25,458 Give David Hamm thank you, sir. 205 00:10:25,458 --> 00:10:28,461 I appreciate that. 206 00:10:29,061 --> 00:10:30,763 Never come to church without $100 bill. 207 00:10:30,763 --> 00:10:33,766 I might ask for it next time. 208 00:10:36,202 --> 00:10:37,570 And when Jesus says in verse 209 00:10:37,570 --> 00:10:40,573 28 of this, he says, listen, 210 00:10:41,974 --> 00:10:44,477 I have authority, 211 00:10:44,477 --> 00:10:47,613 and the proof of the kingdom is me in your midst. 212 00:10:48,447 --> 00:10:52,018 I'm the proof that the kingdom of God has already come among you. 213 00:10:53,386 --> 00:10:55,354 Quit denying me. 214 00:10:55,354 --> 00:10:57,423 Yeah, yeah. 215 00:10:57,423 --> 00:11:00,393 Quit denying me. 216 00:11:01,360 --> 00:11:03,029 Quit denying my authority 217 00:11:03,029 --> 00:11:06,032 over all things he including your life. 218 00:11:07,466 --> 00:11:10,469 There's too much at stake. 219 00:11:10,803 --> 00:11:13,806 Not just spiritually, but physically as well. 220 00:11:14,974 --> 00:11:17,977 He has the authority over all things. 221 00:11:18,277 --> 00:11:20,312 Oh, dear. 222 00:11:20,312 --> 00:11:23,416 Oh, and Jesus warns them. 223 00:11:26,218 --> 00:11:29,221 In verses 31 and 32. 224 00:11:30,589 --> 00:11:33,592 It is interesting the way he responds. 225 00:11:33,592 --> 00:11:35,461 He says, listen, you want to deny me? I 226 00:11:36,696 --> 00:11:39,031 that can be forgiven. 227 00:11:39,031 --> 00:11:42,034 Some of you remind me your whole life that can be forgiven. 228 00:11:42,101 --> 00:11:45,104 But there's one thing that cannot be forgiven. 229 00:11:45,671 --> 00:11:48,808 And in verses 31 and 32 he says this blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. 230 00:11:48,908 --> 00:11:49,742 He says, blasphemy. 231 00:11:49,742 --> 00:11:52,745 Guess the Holy Spirit is unforgivable. 232 00:11:53,245 --> 00:11:54,346 Let me tell you what that means. 233 00:11:54,346 --> 00:11:57,349 I'm going to set the record straight right now. 234 00:11:57,349 --> 00:12:00,152 The role of the Holy Spirit in the world 235 00:12:00,152 --> 00:12:03,456 is to point people to Jesus as the only way to salvation. 236 00:12:04,423 --> 00:12:06,892 That's what the Holy Spirit does. 237 00:12:06,892 --> 00:12:11,630 The Holy Spirit illumines hearts and illumines minds to understand 238 00:12:11,731 --> 00:12:15,101 that the only way to be right with the father is through the son. 239 00:12:15,868 --> 00:12:18,871 That's what the Holy Spirit does. 240 00:12:19,205 --> 00:12:20,906 And the blasphemy against the Holy 241 00:12:20,906 --> 00:12:24,043 Spirit is to say, I think you're a liar. 242 00:12:24,043 --> 00:12:28,981 I think there are other ways to God that's calling the Holy Spirit a liar. 243 00:12:29,615 --> 00:12:31,050 That's a blasphemy. 244 00:12:32,451 --> 00:12:33,052 The role of 245 00:12:33,052 --> 00:12:36,122 the Holy Spirit is to illumine your hearts and illumine your minds. 246 00:12:36,122 --> 00:12:36,956 Open your ears. 247 00:12:36,956 --> 00:12:40,826 Open your eyes so that you see that Jesus and Jesus alone 248 00:12:40,926 --> 00:12:44,263 has authority over all things spiritual and all things physical, 249 00:12:44,430 --> 00:12:47,433 and is the only way to be right with God. 250 00:12:48,334 --> 00:12:51,337 And when you live in constant rejection 251 00:12:51,437 --> 00:12:54,440 of that testimony, the Holy Spirit, 252 00:12:55,141 --> 00:12:58,110 that's blasphemy, because you're calling him a liar. 253 00:12:58,911 --> 00:13:01,213 You're saying you think there's another way, 254 00:13:01,213 --> 00:13:04,216 you think there are other ways 255 00:13:04,550 --> 00:13:07,620 that if you die in that state. 256 00:13:10,289 --> 00:13:13,292 And none of us know when that day is. 257 00:13:13,359 --> 00:13:16,362 If you die in that state. 258 00:13:18,330 --> 00:13:19,165 Of confusion. 259 00:13:19,165 --> 00:13:21,000 If your heart saying, Holy Spirit, you're a liar. 260 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:24,003 I think there's other ways to get to God. 261 00:13:24,870 --> 00:13:26,972 At the point of your death that is unforgivable. 262 00:13:26,972 --> 00:13:27,573 There's no other hope. 263 00:13:29,842 --> 00:13:32,845 To understand your. 264 00:13:44,423 --> 00:13:47,426 And Jesus warns them. 265 00:13:51,263 --> 00:13:53,465 And he says, if you continue 266 00:13:53,465 --> 00:13:55,768 to live in resistance to the testimony 267 00:13:55,768 --> 00:13:58,771 of the Holy Spirit. 268 00:13:58,904 --> 00:14:01,740 There's no forgiveness in that. 269 00:14:01,740 --> 00:14:04,743 And it's so interesting what the religious people do. 270 00:14:05,344 --> 00:14:08,347 It's so interesting. 271 00:14:08,647 --> 00:14:11,650 Verses 31 and 32. 272 00:14:13,285 --> 00:14:13,586 It says, 273 00:14:13,586 --> 00:14:16,589 you got to deal with what the Holy Spirit showing you. 274 00:14:16,956 --> 00:14:19,358 And so what they did, 275 00:14:19,358 --> 00:14:22,428 they they didn't deny that Jesus did a miracle. 276 00:14:24,230 --> 00:14:25,431 They just reframed it 277 00:14:25,431 --> 00:14:28,434 so they didn't have to respond to him. 278 00:14:29,702 --> 00:14:32,605 See, the religious people, they didn't deny the miracle. 279 00:14:32,605 --> 00:14:35,040 They just reframed it. 280 00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:37,142 Instead of saying, we realize that you do have 281 00:14:37,142 --> 00:14:40,379 authority over all things, and now I'm giving you authority over my life. 282 00:14:40,379 --> 00:14:43,382 They didn't say that. They reframed it 283 00:14:43,582 --> 00:14:45,951 so that they wouldn't have to submit to him. 284 00:14:45,951 --> 00:14:47,186 Here's what you and I do. 285 00:14:48,487 --> 00:14:51,490 Of all the proof that God has given us 286 00:14:51,757 --> 00:14:55,928 of his presence, of his love, of his mercy and his grace, the resurrection of son 287 00:14:56,228 --> 00:15:01,133 instead of many people, and I would say the vast majority of people, rather 288 00:15:01,133 --> 00:15:05,371 than submitting to him as the authority and the leader of their life, 289 00:15:07,339 --> 00:15:09,942 they reframe it 290 00:15:09,942 --> 00:15:12,945 so they don't have to submit. 291 00:15:13,579 --> 00:15:16,582 And it's just and it sounds religious. 292 00:15:17,049 --> 00:15:20,119 We make up all kinds of religious ways to get around it. 293 00:15:21,587 --> 00:15:23,889 But Jesus says, listen, at the end of the day, 294 00:15:23,889 --> 00:15:25,858 if you're not for me, you're against me. 295 00:15:25,858 --> 00:15:29,962 And Jesus removes the neutrality issue. 296 00:15:30,796 --> 00:15:33,766 He says, listen, you, you can't ride the fence anymore. 297 00:15:33,766 --> 00:15:36,602 You can't be neutral about me anymore. 298 00:15:36,602 --> 00:15:38,170 I'm going to take away the neutrality. 299 00:15:38,170 --> 00:15:39,071 You put that next slide up. 300 00:15:39,071 --> 00:15:43,242 The neutrality is a myth that people use to deny that, to deny obedience 301 00:15:43,242 --> 00:15:44,576 and deny submission to Jesus. 302 00:15:47,613 --> 00:15:49,515 You can't be neutral. 303 00:15:49,515 --> 00:15:50,082 Jesus said. 304 00:15:50,082 --> 00:15:51,183 You're for me. You're against me. 305 00:15:51,183 --> 00:15:54,186 There's no middle ground. 306 00:15:54,219 --> 00:15:57,222 A lot of people try to ride the fence and try to play both sides. 307 00:15:58,190 --> 00:16:00,859 And Jesus says, I'm done with that. 308 00:16:00,859 --> 00:16:03,862 I have complete authority 309 00:16:03,929 --> 00:16:06,932 and I demand it. 310 00:16:06,932 --> 00:16:08,267 He says, you're for me or against me. 311 00:16:08,267 --> 00:16:09,401 I don't care how you dress it up. 312 00:16:09,401 --> 00:16:11,370 I don't care what it looks like for you. 313 00:16:11,370 --> 00:16:13,238 There's two options. 314 00:16:13,238 --> 00:16:14,707 And so he removes the. 315 00:16:14,707 --> 00:16:19,111 Then he removes this get new neutral game, this neutral religious game we play. 316 00:16:20,145 --> 00:16:22,881 He removes the excuse of being a good person, removes it, 317 00:16:22,881 --> 00:16:25,651 removes the excuse of the good things we do to make us right with. 318 00:16:25,651 --> 00:16:28,587 He takes all of that off the table. 319 00:16:28,587 --> 00:16:30,255 He says it's about me and me alone. 320 00:16:31,623 --> 00:16:33,258 And then Jesus says he's weird. 321 00:16:33,258 --> 00:16:37,863 Words in Matthew 30, 1234 and 36 he says, listen 322 00:16:38,897 --> 00:16:39,765 out of your heart. 323 00:16:39,765 --> 00:16:42,434 Your mouth speaks, and so your own words are going to condemn you. 324 00:16:42,434 --> 00:16:44,303 That's what he says. 325 00:16:44,303 --> 00:16:47,239 And on the last day, you're going to give an account of every word you say. 326 00:16:47,239 --> 00:16:49,842 Here's what he's talking about. 327 00:16:49,842 --> 00:16:53,545 What he's saying is your hearts are living in rejection 328 00:16:53,545 --> 00:16:56,548 of me and denial of me, 329 00:16:57,483 --> 00:17:00,586 and that's going to come out in the way you talk and what you say, 330 00:17:01,186 --> 00:17:04,990 and you'll say things like this I'm a religious person. 331 00:17:05,190 --> 00:17:08,160 Oh, great. You're still in denial of Jesus. 332 00:17:08,360 --> 00:17:10,095 I believe in God. Just not that way. 333 00:17:10,095 --> 00:17:10,462 Well, great. 334 00:17:10,462 --> 00:17:13,465 You're still in denial of Jesus. 335 00:17:15,367 --> 00:17:17,803 He's saying your words are going to condemn you 336 00:17:17,803 --> 00:17:19,705 because they're going to reveal what's in your heart. 337 00:17:20,672 --> 00:17:21,140 And when we 338 00:17:21,140 --> 00:17:24,376 talk about Jesus as a good teacher, a good person, 339 00:17:24,476 --> 00:17:28,313 a good rabbi, a religious figure, but we don't talk about him 340 00:17:28,313 --> 00:17:31,583 as the only way to the father when we don't talk about him 341 00:17:31,717 --> 00:17:35,821 as the one who has complete authority over all things spiritual and physical, 342 00:17:35,821 --> 00:17:39,358 when he is not the Supreme one in our lives. 343 00:17:39,925 --> 00:17:42,928 When we talk about him in any other way, 344 00:17:43,162 --> 00:17:46,165 it reveals what's in our hearts 345 00:17:46,398 --> 00:17:51,303 and even the best religious verbiage that is devoid of Jesus 346 00:17:51,303 --> 00:17:56,075 as the only way to salvation reveals a heart that is far from God. 347 00:17:57,042 --> 00:18:01,246 And he says, in that way your words will condemn you. 348 00:18:01,246 --> 00:18:03,582 On that day, 349 00:18:03,582 --> 00:18:07,352 because you'll be judged by the words you use that denied. 350 00:18:07,352 --> 00:18:08,487 I was the way 351 00:18:09,721 --> 00:18:11,690 to your salvation. 352 00:18:11,690 --> 00:18:14,693 It's not about cleaning up your language. 353 00:18:15,494 --> 00:18:16,762 Matter of fact, to put that slide. 354 00:18:16,762 --> 00:18:18,697 Yeah, it's not clean about your language. 355 00:18:18,697 --> 00:18:21,700 It's about our need for a transformed heart. 356 00:18:22,101 --> 00:18:24,336 That's what it's about. 357 00:18:24,336 --> 00:18:26,972 Our words matter so much that every careless word 358 00:18:26,972 --> 00:18:30,275 that we've said about Jesus will be used to judge us on that last day. 359 00:18:30,342 --> 00:18:31,977 It doesn't mean silly words. 360 00:18:31,977 --> 00:18:33,312 It doesn't mean curse words. 361 00:18:33,312 --> 00:18:35,981 It means those careless words are how we talked about Christ. 362 00:18:35,981 --> 00:18:37,983 That he is not the only way, that there's another way. 363 00:18:37,983 --> 00:18:40,686 That's carelessness. 364 00:18:40,686 --> 00:18:41,954 By those careless words, you and 365 00:18:41,954 --> 00:18:44,957 I will be judged. 366 00:18:45,624 --> 00:18:48,627 To understand. 367 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:58,170 My friends, I have wept. 368 00:18:59,138 --> 00:19:02,141 Over this day, in this time in your lives. 369 00:19:07,813 --> 00:19:10,816 I'm so burdened 370 00:19:10,849 --> 00:19:14,052 for you and for this community and riverstone into sorrow. 371 00:19:19,057 --> 00:19:21,460 Because I know 372 00:19:21,460 --> 00:19:24,363 that there are people who are living 373 00:19:24,363 --> 00:19:27,966 in rejection of the testimony of the Holy Spirit. 374 00:19:29,301 --> 00:19:32,304 You know better. 375 00:19:34,206 --> 00:19:35,674 And I know that there are so many. 376 00:19:35,674 --> 00:19:38,677 We're playing this neutrality game. 377 00:19:42,814 --> 00:19:44,216 That, 378 00:19:44,216 --> 00:19:47,219 my friends, if you would understand this. 379 00:19:49,621 --> 00:19:53,125 If you would allow your blind eyes to be open, your deaf ears 380 00:19:53,125 --> 00:19:56,128 to be opened, your dull mind to be enlightened, 381 00:19:57,529 --> 00:20:00,532 your close and hard heart to be open. 382 00:20:03,902 --> 00:20:06,338 A transformed life 383 00:20:06,338 --> 00:20:09,308 and a secure eternity. 384 00:20:09,308 --> 00:20:12,311 This is the hinge point. 385 00:20:14,980 --> 00:20:16,048 And when Jesus says 386 00:20:16,048 --> 00:20:19,685 that this sin is the only unforgivable sin, here's what we have to understand. 387 00:20:19,685 --> 00:20:20,519 Put that slide up. 388 00:20:20,519 --> 00:20:23,589 It's not about God refusing to forgive. 389 00:20:23,822 --> 00:20:26,792 It's about our refusal to repent. 390 00:20:26,858 --> 00:20:29,861 Yes, yes, yes. 391 00:20:31,029 --> 00:20:33,098 It's not because God is mean and unjust. 392 00:20:34,600 --> 00:20:37,603 It's because we refuse to repent. 393 00:20:38,837 --> 00:20:39,638 Every time 394 00:20:39,638 --> 00:20:42,641 you hear the truth of God, every time you hear the call of God, 395 00:20:43,442 --> 00:20:47,679 every time you hear the truth about who Jesus is and you push it down, 396 00:20:47,779 --> 00:20:50,782 your heart gets harder. 397 00:20:54,086 --> 00:20:55,254 Every time you know 398 00:20:55,254 --> 00:20:58,323 he's calling you to respond, he's calling you back to him. 399 00:20:58,490 --> 00:21:00,792 He's calling you off the mediocre fence. 400 00:21:00,792 --> 00:21:04,796 He's calling you out of the shadows of mediocrity and frivolity. 401 00:21:04,896 --> 00:21:07,933 Every time you hear that and you push it down and you continue 402 00:21:07,933 --> 00:21:11,103 in that way, your heart gets harder and harder and harder. 403 00:21:11,203 --> 00:21:15,374 None of us wakes up one day completely rejecting Jesus. 404 00:21:15,374 --> 00:21:17,943 It doesn't happen like that. It doesn't happen in the innocent. 405 00:21:17,943 --> 00:21:21,113 It happens moment by moment, slowly and slowly. 406 00:21:21,113 --> 00:21:22,681 We push down what we know. 407 00:21:22,681 --> 00:21:24,383 We push down with his revelations 408 00:21:24,383 --> 00:21:27,286 until we eventually become the people who no longer want him. 409 00:21:33,125 --> 00:21:35,460 And so the religious leaders, they say, look, Jesus, 410 00:21:35,460 --> 00:21:36,428 we understand what you're saying, but here, 411 00:21:36,428 --> 00:21:39,431 would you just give us one more sign to convince us? 412 00:21:40,332 --> 00:21:42,668 And Jesus says this. 413 00:21:42,668 --> 00:21:44,970 He said, no more signs, but that's light up. 414 00:21:44,970 --> 00:21:46,371 There. 415 00:21:46,371 --> 00:21:48,974 He's saying, no more signs. 416 00:21:48,974 --> 00:21:50,542 And so he's only saying, I'm going to show you another sign. 417 00:21:50,542 --> 00:21:51,310 You've had everything. 418 00:21:51,310 --> 00:21:53,612 In other words, he said, you've seen enough. 419 00:21:53,612 --> 00:21:56,581 I'm not going to show you any other sign. 420 00:21:58,650 --> 00:22:00,185 He says, the only thing I'm going to show you, 421 00:22:00,185 --> 00:22:03,188 the only sign you're going to get, is a sign of Jonah. 422 00:22:03,689 --> 00:22:05,490 Verses 39 and 40 of Matthew 12. 423 00:22:05,490 --> 00:22:07,225 The only sign you'll get is a sign to Jonah. 424 00:22:07,225 --> 00:22:09,995 How many of you know the story of Jonah in the Big Fish? 425 00:22:09,995 --> 00:22:12,130 Any of you? Few of you. Okay. 426 00:22:12,130 --> 00:22:14,433 Yeah. What happened in Jordan? Big fish. What was the story? 427 00:22:17,469 --> 00:22:19,838 He didn't want to go so big on fish. 428 00:22:19,838 --> 00:22:21,773 He had to jump in the Indian Ocean. 429 00:22:21,773 --> 00:22:22,140 They go. 430 00:22:22,140 --> 00:22:25,010 Fish swallowed him, and three days later, throw him up on a 431 00:22:25,010 --> 00:22:27,646 on the shores of Nineveh. Right. That's the story. 432 00:22:27,646 --> 00:22:30,115 So Jesus says the only signs are going to get us a sign of Jonah. 433 00:22:30,115 --> 00:22:32,250 What's he talking about? The sign of Jonah. 434 00:22:32,250 --> 00:22:34,052 There no big ocean around. 435 00:22:34,052 --> 00:22:34,753 What? He's talking about. 436 00:22:34,753 --> 00:22:35,921 This, he will say, 437 00:22:35,921 --> 00:22:38,490 as Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. 438 00:22:38,490 --> 00:22:39,925 So the Son of Man will be in the belly. 439 00:22:39,925 --> 00:22:41,293 That's the only sign you're going to get 440 00:22:41,293 --> 00:22:43,762 the Son of Man be in the belly in three days and three nights. 441 00:22:43,762 --> 00:22:44,563 Here's the thing. 442 00:22:44,563 --> 00:22:47,766 I don't think Jonah's lived in the belly of the fish for three days. 443 00:22:47,966 --> 00:22:51,002 So many people try to convince unbeliever people who don't believe 444 00:22:51,103 --> 00:22:53,872 that Jonah's lived in a fish. He was alive in a fish for three days. 445 00:22:53,872 --> 00:22:56,241 That's not the story, 446 00:22:56,241 --> 00:22:59,244 Jesus says as Jonah's in the belly of the fish for three days and three days. 447 00:22:59,311 --> 00:23:00,812 So the Son of Man will be in the belly. 448 00:23:00,812 --> 00:23:03,415 After three days and three nights, Jesus died. 449 00:23:04,683 --> 00:23:07,519 And if Jesus died, I believe Jonah died. 450 00:23:07,519 --> 00:23:10,922 The miracle was not that he lived in and then then jumped out 451 00:23:11,056 --> 00:23:14,726 the miracles he was once dead and was resurrected. 452 00:23:14,893 --> 00:23:18,163 And it is resurrection gave the message of salvation. 453 00:23:18,163 --> 00:23:19,931 The people believed and were changed. 454 00:23:19,931 --> 00:23:22,267 That's the that's the miracle. 455 00:23:22,267 --> 00:23:25,137 And Jesus says, listen, the only sign you're going to get from 456 00:23:25,137 --> 00:23:29,341 this point forward is the sign of Jonah, the Son of Man, dead, 457 00:23:29,474 --> 00:23:33,345 buried, three days resurrected alive to bring the message of salvation. 458 00:23:33,445 --> 00:23:36,181 That's the only sign you're going to get from here on out. 459 00:23:36,181 --> 00:23:39,151 You've seen enough. 460 00:23:41,787 --> 00:23:43,722 And I know that some of us sit here. 461 00:23:43,722 --> 00:23:46,725 God, if he would just do this one thing, 462 00:23:46,858 --> 00:23:50,662 if you would just show me one more, if you would just reveal yourself 463 00:23:50,662 --> 00:23:54,332 to my children one more time, he says, I've shown you enough. 464 00:23:58,670 --> 00:24:01,673 One. Introduce a friend of mine to you. 465 00:24:02,374 --> 00:24:05,377 This friend we've known each other for 466 00:24:05,944 --> 00:24:08,580 shoot over ten years. 467 00:24:08,580 --> 00:24:11,583 And weren't real great friends at first. 468 00:24:11,983 --> 00:24:14,986 And God did a work in this man's life. 469 00:24:15,387 --> 00:24:17,456 A becoming real. 470 00:24:17,456 --> 00:24:20,459 And him submitting himself to Jesus 471 00:24:20,625 --> 00:24:24,763 and this slow, gradual work as he does in all our bodies of transforming us 472 00:24:24,763 --> 00:24:28,200 from who we are in history to who he made us to be, our destiny. 473 00:24:29,768 --> 00:24:32,771 Would you welcome my friend Phil Brandt? 474 00:24:37,142 --> 00:24:38,109 I think we're going to use this one. 475 00:24:38,109 --> 00:24:41,112 Phil's just went on. 476 00:24:41,146 --> 00:24:43,281 Try that, try that one. 477 00:24:43,281 --> 00:24:45,717 Sure. They asked me today. That's going on. 478 00:24:45,717 --> 00:24:48,720 Asked me today. 479 00:24:49,387 --> 00:24:50,522 Is is it. 480 00:24:50,522 --> 00:24:52,424 Thank you David. 481 00:24:52,424 --> 00:24:55,560 They asked me today to tell you a little bit about my life. 482 00:24:55,861 --> 00:24:58,330 And it is exactly what he's talking about. 483 00:24:59,331 --> 00:25:01,533 I came from the perfect Catholic family. 484 00:25:01,533 --> 00:25:04,336 I went to church every Sunday. 485 00:25:04,336 --> 00:25:06,571 I went off to college to play football. 486 00:25:06,571 --> 00:25:09,307 I got introduced to steroids 487 00:25:09,307 --> 00:25:11,510 from that point on, 488 00:25:11,510 --> 00:25:14,513 I was on such a hard I was fighting, get in trouble, 489 00:25:14,946 --> 00:25:18,016 went to alcohol, then went to cocaine, 490 00:25:19,751 --> 00:25:22,754 met my wife, got her pregnant, 491 00:25:23,255 --> 00:25:25,357 got somebody else pregnant, 492 00:25:25,357 --> 00:25:28,360 crushed my family, embarrassed my family. 493 00:25:29,261 --> 00:25:31,062 And I always went to church 494 00:25:31,062 --> 00:25:34,065 every Sunday, so I had one foot in all the time. 495 00:25:34,199 --> 00:25:36,635 But I never submitted. 496 00:25:36,635 --> 00:25:38,403 So the story goes like this. 497 00:25:38,403 --> 00:25:40,972 Then I got sentenced to jail for a year. 498 00:25:40,972 --> 00:25:42,107 I was looking at three years. 499 00:25:42,107 --> 00:25:45,076 I got out six months. I'm 500 00:25:45,076 --> 00:25:47,879 still doing this and went right back to my life. 501 00:25:47,879 --> 00:25:51,416 My wife was unbelievable to put up with me. 502 00:25:51,416 --> 00:25:54,152 I was hurting everybody around me. I made a lot of money. 503 00:25:55,220 --> 00:25:57,155 And then I got cancer 504 00:25:57,155 --> 00:26:00,158 at 42. 505 00:26:00,492 --> 00:26:02,594 Still got out, prayed 506 00:26:02,594 --> 00:26:05,397 that I was going to change, going to work, do God's work. 507 00:26:05,397 --> 00:26:08,199 I went right back to my life again. 508 00:26:08,199 --> 00:26:10,168 And then the big one hit me. 509 00:26:10,168 --> 00:26:12,771 I had a surgery. 510 00:26:12,771 --> 00:26:14,072 They had to put me into a coma. 511 00:26:14,072 --> 00:26:17,075 I had a blood clot, I got double pneumonia, 512 00:26:17,475 --> 00:26:19,911 and my wife never left my bedside. 513 00:26:19,911 --> 00:26:22,914 After I did all those terrible things to her. 514 00:26:23,815 --> 00:26:24,516 And I'm sorry. 515 00:26:24,516 --> 00:26:25,951 Rachel. 516 00:26:25,951 --> 00:26:28,753 Oh. My heart. 517 00:26:28,753 --> 00:26:30,755 And then I had to learn how to walk. 518 00:26:30,755 --> 00:26:33,692 I had to learn how to do everything again. 519 00:26:33,692 --> 00:26:37,495 But at that time, I submitted to God, and she take me. 520 00:26:37,495 --> 00:26:40,832 I'm done. I'm tired. Forgive me for my sins. 521 00:26:40,832 --> 00:26:44,869 And I heard the dingle beating and I went off into a coma. 522 00:26:45,704 --> 00:26:48,773 And when I woke, everything was better. 523 00:26:48,907 --> 00:26:50,675 Everything slowed down. 524 00:26:50,675 --> 00:26:55,614 My life slowed down, I understood things, I wasn't in trouble anymore. 525 00:26:55,680 --> 00:26:56,748 I could see it. 526 00:26:56,748 --> 00:27:01,186 And I thank Carl and this church for explaining things. 527 00:27:01,186 --> 00:27:04,956 And part of my problem was I always thought I was going to get another chance. 528 00:27:06,257 --> 00:27:08,026 And if I would have died 529 00:27:08,026 --> 00:27:11,029 I don't think I would have gone to hell. 530 00:27:11,630 --> 00:27:14,466 So listen and guys and kids and gentlemen 531 00:27:14,466 --> 00:27:17,469 and young girls you will get caught. 532 00:27:18,570 --> 00:27:20,171 Your sin doesn't go away. 533 00:27:20,171 --> 00:27:23,541 You may not get caught that day but it will catch you 534 00:27:23,541 --> 00:27:27,445 and you will hurt your family, your parents, the people that love you. 535 00:27:28,079 --> 00:27:30,048 I crushed my mother and father. 536 00:27:30,048 --> 00:27:33,051 I had the best parents you could have. 537 00:27:33,151 --> 00:27:35,887 And I don't know why I went left or how it started, 538 00:27:35,887 --> 00:27:40,592 but I do believe that the steroids gave me a false hope of somebody I wasn't. 539 00:27:41,493 --> 00:27:44,462 And I knew to be a good man. 540 00:27:44,596 --> 00:27:47,732 So I thank Carl for giving me the chance to share this. 541 00:27:47,732 --> 00:27:49,501 If I helped any of your young guys. 542 00:27:50,702 --> 00:27:52,570 Thank you 543 00:27:52,570 --> 00:27:53,171 for how I feel. 544 00:27:53,171 --> 00:27:54,973 Feel. Let me ask you, let me let me ask you this question. 545 00:27:54,973 --> 00:27:57,976 Hold on a minute. So, 546 00:27:58,443 --> 00:28:01,680 what did you chase before it all came crashing down? 547 00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:01,913 What? 548 00:28:01,913 --> 00:28:04,349 What kept you going back to back to the old life? 549 00:28:04,349 --> 00:28:06,785 What were you chasing? 550 00:28:06,785 --> 00:28:09,854 I come out with Carl, ask me these questions. 551 00:28:09,854 --> 00:28:12,857 He goes back to being selfish. 552 00:28:13,058 --> 00:28:16,061 And I think I was so afraid of being hurt. 553 00:28:16,695 --> 00:28:18,663 Excuses, 554 00:28:18,663 --> 00:28:20,298 excuses and hiding. 555 00:28:20,298 --> 00:28:22,667 And you knew. You knew the answer. 556 00:28:22,667 --> 00:28:24,803 And he knew where you could find it, even in church. 557 00:28:24,803 --> 00:28:27,806 But you kept running. 558 00:28:28,473 --> 00:28:29,841 I don't know how to give you that answer, 559 00:28:29,841 --> 00:28:34,546 other than I think I formed a pattern, you know, habit. 560 00:28:35,580 --> 00:28:38,550 And you then experience the grace of God. 561 00:28:38,550 --> 00:28:39,617 More than once. 562 00:28:39,617 --> 00:28:43,388 That's what's scary, that I knew I had a calling as a young man, 563 00:28:43,922 --> 00:28:46,291 and I kept running from running from it. 564 00:28:46,291 --> 00:28:49,561 And I had a gift, and he got tired of it. 565 00:28:49,561 --> 00:28:50,995 And then he put me down. 566 00:28:50,995 --> 00:28:53,898 And I know now what my work is. 567 00:28:53,898 --> 00:28:54,699 Yeah. 568 00:28:54,699 --> 00:28:57,702 Phil, you're a model of God's grace and his patience 569 00:28:58,103 --> 00:29:00,739 that while we run away, he continues to pursue. 570 00:29:00,739 --> 00:29:01,573 Absolutely. 571 00:29:01,573 --> 00:29:04,576 And he'll let us get to the bottom if we choose to be there. 572 00:29:04,943 --> 00:29:07,011 But he never leaves us there. 573 00:29:07,011 --> 00:29:09,514 If we if we if we put our hand out right. 574 00:29:09,514 --> 00:29:13,852 Every single time, I pray I, I was looking at three years, I got six months. 575 00:29:14,119 --> 00:29:16,087 Went to a drug rehab, came out. 576 00:29:16,087 --> 00:29:18,289 I was good. God's grace. 577 00:29:18,289 --> 00:29:20,992 Not only that, I went broke twice. 578 00:29:20,992 --> 00:29:24,963 I got back in business, I made it, I was Grace, yes. 579 00:29:24,963 --> 00:29:27,198 Yeah. And my wife didn't leave me. 580 00:29:27,198 --> 00:29:28,366 God's grace. 581 00:29:28,366 --> 00:29:28,566 Yeah. 582 00:29:28,566 --> 00:29:30,802 Phil, thank you for being a picture for us. 583 00:29:30,802 --> 00:29:32,270 Of God's grace. 584 00:29:32,270 --> 00:29:34,873 He shines his grace through people like you, 585 00:29:34,873 --> 00:29:38,042 through people like me who are completely unworthy. 586 00:29:38,643 --> 00:29:42,046 But because of what Jesus Christ makes us worthy, right? 587 00:29:42,814 --> 00:29:44,149 Absolutely. Yeah. 588 00:29:44,149 --> 00:29:47,352 And before I leave, I'd like to say what he talks about. 589 00:29:47,552 --> 00:29:49,654 You don't know when you're going to go. 590 00:29:49,654 --> 00:29:53,057 And if you haven't got close to God and ask for forgiveness, 591 00:29:54,392 --> 00:29:56,528 I feel sorry for you. 592 00:29:56,528 --> 00:29:57,762 Today's their day feel. 593 00:29:57,762 --> 00:29:59,898 I love you, my man. I'm proud of you. 594 00:29:59,898 --> 00:30:00,498 Very proud. 595 00:30:00,498 --> 00:30:03,501 Tell Phil thank you. 596 00:30:07,739 --> 00:30:10,208 I hope in his story you find and hear. 597 00:30:10,208 --> 00:30:11,943 Hope. 598 00:30:11,943 --> 00:30:14,546 Let me tell you this as I wrap this up. 599 00:30:14,546 --> 00:30:17,382 If you are still undecided about Jesus, 600 00:30:17,382 --> 00:30:20,151 hear me today. 601 00:30:20,151 --> 00:30:23,154 There's no more evidence that's coming. 602 00:30:24,422 --> 00:30:25,223 You've seen enough. 603 00:30:25,223 --> 00:30:26,724 You've heard enough. 604 00:30:26,724 --> 00:30:29,494 You know. 605 00:30:29,494 --> 00:30:32,497 The resurrection is enough. 606 00:30:32,897 --> 00:30:35,900 If any of you want to understand how to under understand 607 00:30:35,900 --> 00:30:38,703 that a little more logically, I put together this infographic for you. 608 00:30:38,703 --> 00:30:40,071 You can pick them up as you exit 609 00:30:40,071 --> 00:30:44,008 it just might help me give you some other better understanding. 610 00:30:44,008 --> 00:30:47,011 But but let me close with this. 611 00:30:47,345 --> 00:30:48,913 Phil, myself, 612 00:30:48,913 --> 00:30:52,116 many of us have experienced the grace of God 613 00:30:53,251 --> 00:30:56,221 that is greater than any of our past. 614 00:30:56,254 --> 00:30:58,456 And because of his grace and our experience of his grace, 615 00:30:58,456 --> 00:31:01,459 we have pledged our allegiance to Christ 616 00:31:01,593 --> 00:31:04,062 and to the work of his kingdom in this world. 617 00:31:04,062 --> 00:31:08,499 If you have not yet given your allegiance of your life 618 00:31:09,467 --> 00:31:12,470 to Jesus in repentance 619 00:31:12,503 --> 00:31:14,939 and forgiveness and commitment 620 00:31:14,939 --> 00:31:17,942 to holy living. 621 00:31:18,576 --> 00:31:21,246 You don't need another sign. 622 00:31:21,246 --> 00:31:24,249 You need to respond to the sign God's already provided. 623 00:31:24,649 --> 00:31:28,820 The resurrection is not a suggestion, it's a declaration. 624 00:31:30,021 --> 00:31:32,223 And the resurrection is not an invitation. 625 00:31:32,223 --> 00:31:33,958 It's an invasion. 626 00:31:33,958 --> 00:31:36,461 The invasion of the life of Jesus and the Spirit 627 00:31:36,461 --> 00:31:39,464 of God invading your life. 628 00:31:39,631 --> 00:31:42,033 Easter is God's verdict about Christ, 629 00:31:42,033 --> 00:31:45,036 and there's no other. 630 00:31:47,872 --> 00:31:50,875 There's nothing greater coming. 631 00:31:50,942 --> 00:31:52,477 Please, 632 00:31:52,477 --> 00:31:54,846 please hear me with the love that I intend. 633 00:31:54,846 --> 00:31:56,047 When I see these words. 634 00:31:58,917 --> 00:32:02,220 The resurrection is not on trial this morning. 635 00:32:02,820 --> 00:32:05,790 You are. 636 00:32:10,495 --> 00:32:12,130 You think you want more clarity? 637 00:32:12,130 --> 00:32:14,499 You don't. 638 00:32:14,499 --> 00:32:16,301 You need to decide what to do 639 00:32:16,301 --> 00:32:19,304 with what you already know. 640 00:32:19,771 --> 00:32:20,805 See, the resurrection 641 00:32:20,805 --> 00:32:23,808 is not a thing to believe in. 642 00:32:23,875 --> 00:32:25,710 But that's light up. 643 00:32:25,710 --> 00:32:28,713 The resurrection of someone to bow to. 644 00:32:29,380 --> 00:32:32,216 Jesus says in John 1125 and 26, 645 00:32:32,216 --> 00:32:35,219 look at this verse. 646 00:32:35,320 --> 00:32:37,522 I am the resurrection. 647 00:32:37,522 --> 00:32:40,224 I am the life. 648 00:32:40,224 --> 00:32:42,493 The one who believes in me will live though he die, 649 00:32:42,493 --> 00:32:45,496 and the one who dies will never really die. 650 00:32:47,165 --> 00:32:50,168 Do you believe this? 651 00:32:51,002 --> 00:32:52,904 In him is life, 652 00:32:52,904 --> 00:32:55,907 forgiveness, renewal, restoration in heaven. 653 00:32:56,007 --> 00:32:58,643 It's the resurrection. 654 00:32:58,643 --> 00:33:00,078 The question you and I are left with. 655 00:33:00,078 --> 00:33:02,647 Do you believe this? And if so, 656 00:33:02,647 --> 00:33:05,650 there's no neutral ground anymore. 657 00:33:06,150 --> 00:33:07,085 There's no neutral ground. 658 00:33:08,720 --> 00:33:09,954 I want you to pray with me right now. 659 00:33:09,954 --> 00:33:12,957 Please. 660 00:33:15,193 --> 00:33:17,662 If you've never 661 00:33:17,662 --> 00:33:20,665 given the allegiance of your life 662 00:33:20,798 --> 00:33:22,967 to the God who loves you and the Christ 663 00:33:22,967 --> 00:33:25,970 who died for you. 664 00:33:26,070 --> 00:33:27,105 In this moment, 665 00:33:27,105 --> 00:33:31,142 I want you just simply to repeat this in your own words, your own heart. 666 00:33:31,476 --> 00:33:34,779 God, I admit I'm a sinner 667 00:33:35,947 --> 00:33:38,950 and I've lived life on my own terms. 668 00:33:41,085 --> 00:33:41,753 Jesus, 669 00:33:41,753 --> 00:33:45,523 I believe that you died for my sin, that you were raised to life. 670 00:33:46,557 --> 00:33:49,560 Save me. 671 00:33:51,062 --> 00:33:54,032 I commit to turning from my sin. 672 00:33:55,833 --> 00:33:57,435 And I dedicate my life 673 00:33:57,435 --> 00:34:00,438 and my allegiance to you. 674 00:34:01,272 --> 00:34:02,173 Help me now, 675 00:34:02,173 --> 00:34:06,744 by the power of the Holy Spirit, to love you with my whole heart, 676 00:34:07,445 --> 00:34:11,049 my whole mind, my whole strength, my whole soul, 677 00:34:12,850 --> 00:34:15,153 without delay 678 00:34:15,153 --> 00:34:16,387 and without hesitation. 679 00:34:19,357 --> 00:34:22,360 Make that your prayer. 680 00:34:22,994 --> 00:34:24,362 In this moment of prayer, 681 00:34:24,362 --> 00:34:27,698 I'm going to ask you to stay in this moment of prayer. 682 00:34:28,199 --> 00:34:31,202 If you prayed that prayer or one like it 683 00:34:32,804 --> 00:34:34,972 for the first time, or finally, you're just saying, 684 00:34:34,972 --> 00:34:37,975 I'm not going to be neutral about this anymore, 685 00:34:38,509 --> 00:34:39,811 would you just slip your hand up? 686 00:34:39,811 --> 00:34:41,846 I want to pray just for you. 687 00:34:41,846 --> 00:34:43,247 Just slip your hand up. 688 00:34:43,247 --> 00:34:46,150 Thank you. Good. Thank you. Good. 689 00:34:46,150 --> 00:34:48,119 Thank you. Good I see okay, good. 690 00:34:48,119 --> 00:34:51,122 Right there. Good. Don't let this pass by. 691 00:34:51,589 --> 00:34:53,191 You get no other evidence. Good. 692 00:34:53,191 --> 00:34:54,826 Thank you. 693 00:34:54,826 --> 00:34:55,693 All right. In the back. 694 00:34:55,693 --> 00:34:57,495 Thank you. 695 00:34:57,495 --> 00:34:58,262 Who else? Right there. 696 00:34:58,262 --> 00:35:00,098 Thank you. Good, good. 697 00:35:00,098 --> 00:35:02,300 I see that one too. 698 00:35:02,300 --> 00:35:03,601 Good, good. 699 00:35:03,601 --> 00:35:03,968 All right. 700 00:35:03,968 --> 00:35:04,602 There in the back. 701 00:35:04,602 --> 00:35:05,169 Fantastic. 702 00:35:05,169 --> 00:35:08,139 Praise God, don't let this pass you by. 703 00:35:10,241 --> 00:35:12,176 Let me pray over you, father, in the name of Jesus. 704 00:35:12,176 --> 00:35:16,147 Thank you for these who will stretched out their hand in confession 705 00:35:17,615 --> 00:35:20,051 and admitted that you are now 706 00:35:20,051 --> 00:35:23,054 the leader of their life, the ruler of their souls, 707 00:35:23,821 --> 00:35:25,623 that they have given their allegiance to you. 708 00:35:25,623 --> 00:35:27,558 Thank you for the forgiveness that you've given them. 709 00:35:27,558 --> 00:35:29,627 Thank you for the receiving it. 710 00:35:29,627 --> 00:35:34,065 And I pray in the name of the risen Jesus, that you would fill them 711 00:35:34,065 --> 00:35:37,635 with the power of your spirit to walk in holiness, 712 00:35:39,604 --> 00:35:41,072 to walk as men and women 713 00:35:41,072 --> 00:35:44,075 who are righteous because of what you've done, 714 00:35:44,675 --> 00:35:47,545 God, that you would make all things new in their life. 715 00:35:47,545 --> 00:35:49,380 You've already destroyed the power of the enemy. 716 00:35:49,380 --> 00:35:52,416 I pray that physically now in them, in the physical world, 717 00:35:52,416 --> 00:35:55,887 you would go before them confirming your grace on them, 718 00:35:55,887 --> 00:35:58,890 your undeserved and unmerited favor and blessing. 719 00:35:58,890 --> 00:35:59,790 They trust you. 720 00:36:01,259 --> 00:36:03,895 Show yourself faithful. 721 00:36:03,895 --> 00:36:04,829 We love you, Jesus. 722 00:36:04,829 --> 00:36:07,832 Thank you that you're alive. 723 00:36:08,366 --> 00:36:10,701 God, thank you that you loved us so much that you sent your son, 724 00:36:10,701 --> 00:36:13,704 that those who believe in you will not perish but have eternal life. 725 00:36:13,905 --> 00:36:16,941 You so loved the world that Jesus. 726 00:36:17,842 --> 00:36:19,310 Amen. Friends are you. 727 00:36:19,310 --> 00:36:19,844 Just give a hand. 728 00:36:19,844 --> 00:36:22,847 Clap to those who made decision and for Christ himself. 729 00:36:24,048 --> 00:36:25,082 Listen, 730 00:36:25,082 --> 00:36:27,685 we're going to wrap up one more song God who Loved the World. 731 00:36:27,685 --> 00:36:29,020 Parents will be dismissed. 732 00:36:29,020 --> 00:36:31,022 So go get your kids and get them off to the egg thing. 733 00:36:31,022 --> 00:36:34,192 But listen, if you've made some decision, you want to follow up with us. 734 00:36:34,192 --> 00:36:36,627 You want to join Jesus in baptism. You want to make some decision. 735 00:36:36,627 --> 00:36:39,263 You want to have an appointment with honor. 736 00:36:39,263 --> 00:36:41,432 Let us know those little square car. 737 00:36:41,432 --> 00:36:42,733 That QR code will take you everywhere. 738 00:36:42,733 --> 00:36:45,736 You need to be stopped by the the welcome table. 739 00:36:45,903 --> 00:36:48,372 They love to talk with you and get. You can connector some people. 740 00:36:48,372 --> 00:36:52,743 You connect with David White right here I love you, I'm proud of you. 741 00:36:52,777 --> 00:36:54,679 God bless you. 742 00:36:54,679 --> 00:36:57,048 And you're all invited back next Sunday, eight, 743 00:36:57,048 --> 00:37:00,451 nine, 30 and 11 at the Maywood Center to wrap up chapter 12. 744 00:37:00,451 --> 00:37:02,386 It's really, really exciting. 745 00:37:02,386 --> 00:37:03,788 We got one more song. Ali. Yes. 746 00:37:03,788 --> 00:37:04,589 Bless you. Let's go.