When peace like a river,
00:00:18.12\00:00:24.88
attendeth my way
00:00:24.91\00:00:32.00
When sorrows
00:00:32.03\00:00:35.92
like sea billows roll
00:00:35.95\00:00:41.37
Whatever my lot,
00:00:43.09\00:00:48.64
Thou hast taught
00:00:48.67\00:00:51.97
me to know
00:00:52.00\00:00:55.36
It is well, it is well,
00:00:55.39\00:01:01.96
with my soul
00:01:01.99\00:01:07.69
Their chains were fastened tight
00:01:23.10\00:01:27.12
Down at the jail that night
00:01:27.15\00:01:30.31
Still Paul and Cylus
00:01:30.34\00:01:33.05
would not be dismayed
00:01:33.08\00:01:37.63
They said, It's
time to lift our voice
00:01:37.66\00:01:41.93
Sing praises to the Lord
00:01:41.96\00:01:45.43
Let's prove that
we will trust Him,
00:01:45.46\00:01:49.36
come what may
00:01:49.39\00:01:52.98
God wants to hear you sing
00:01:53.01\00:01:56.48
When the waves
are crashing round you
00:01:56.51\00:01:59.99
When the fiery
darts surround you
00:02:00.02\00:02:03.55
When despair is all you see
00:02:03.58\00:02:07.06
God wants to hear your voice
00:02:07.09\00:02:10.62
When the wisest man has spoken
00:02:10.65\00:02:13.67
And says your
circumstance is as hopeless
00:02:13.70\00:02:17.29
as can be
00:02:17.32\00:02:20.38
That's when God
wants to hear you sing
00:02:20.41\00:02:27.25
God loves to hear our praise
00:02:31.66\00:02:36.55
On our cheerful days
00:02:36.58\00:02:39.53
When the pleasant times
00:02:39.56\00:02:41.67
out weigh the bad, by far
00:02:41.70\00:02:47.12
But when suffering comes along
00:02:47.15\00:02:51.42
And we still sing Him the song
00:02:51.45\00:02:55.14
That is when we bless
00:02:55.17\00:02:58.16
the Father's heart
00:02:58.19\00:03:02.10
God wants to hear you sing
00:03:02.13\00:03:05.61
When the waves
are crashing round you
00:03:05.64\00:03:08.79
When the fiery
darts surround you
00:03:08.82\00:03:12.40
When despair is all you see
00:03:12.43\00:03:15.77
God wants to hear your voice
00:03:15.80\00:03:19.30
When the wisest man has spoken
00:03:19.33\00:03:22.34
And says your circumstance
00:03:22.37\00:03:24.41
is as hopeless as can be
00:03:24.44\00:03:28.67
That's when God
00:03:28.70\00:03:30.49
wants to hear you sing
00:03:30.52\00:03:36.18
It is what,
00:03:36.21\00:03:41.21
it is what in my soul
00:03:41.77\00:03:46.12
God wants to hear you sing
00:03:57.72\00:04:01.61
When the waves
are crashing round you
00:04:01.64\00:04:04.26
When the fiery
darts surround you
00:04:04.29\00:04:07.60
When despair is all you see
00:04:07.63\00:04:11.41
God wants to hear your voice
00:04:11.44\00:04:14.65
When the wisest man has spoken
00:04:14.68\00:04:17.69
And says your circumstance
00:04:17.72\00:04:19.80
is as hopeless as can be
00:04:19.83\00:04:23.87
That's when God wants
00:04:23.90\00:04:26.29
to hear you sing
00:04:26.32\00:04:30.71
Amen. Amen, praise the Lord.
00:04:42.70\00:04:48.10
I like to invite
you to bow your heads
00:04:48.13\00:04:49.53
with me as we pray this evening.
00:04:49.56\00:04:55.20
Our Father in Heaven,
00:04:55.23\00:04:59.58
we thank You that you have
00:04:59.61\00:05:03.23
chosen the foolish things
00:05:03.26\00:05:06.41
of the world to
confound the voice.
00:05:06.44\00:05:11.08
The weak things.
00:05:11.11\00:05:14.58
And tonight Father,
we pray for Your help.
00:05:14.61\00:05:20.27
We pray for Your Holy Spirit
00:05:20.30\00:05:24.31
to be poured out
upon us here tonight.
00:05:24.34\00:05:29.54
We pray that
Jesus would be seen,
00:05:29.57\00:05:33.23
that Christ would be uplifted,
00:05:33.26\00:05:37.47
that all of us would be drawn
00:05:37.50\00:05:41.58
to the
character of Jesus Christ.
00:05:41.61\00:05:46.23
That we might become changed,
00:05:46.26\00:05:49.20
transformed, reformed,
00:05:49.23\00:05:54.48
that we would
recognized that the world
00:05:54.51\00:05:56.38
is changed by You changing me.
00:05:56.41\00:06:01.44
So bless us here
tonight, send Your Holy Spirit
00:06:01.47\00:06:06.32
for we ask these
things in Jesus name, amen.
00:06:06.35\00:06:11.29
Amen. Tonight I
would like to invite you
00:06:13.30\00:06:16.76
to turn with me in your
Bibles to 1 Corinthians,
00:06:16.79\00:06:21.25
actually 2 Corinthians 11:22-27.
00:06:27.24\00:06:33.93
2 Corinthians
11:22-27, I'll be reading
00:06:39.23\00:06:46.76
from the New King James
Version you can follow along
00:06:46.79\00:06:49.12
in whatever version you have.
00:06:49.15\00:06:52.19
Paul here is listing
some of the sufferings
00:06:52.22\00:06:55.67
and some of the challenges
that he has had in ministry
00:06:55.70\00:07:01.23
and he starts out in 2
Corinthians 11:22 by saying,
00:07:01.26\00:07:04.87
"Are they Hebrews? So am I.
00:07:04.90\00:07:08.40
Are they Israelites? So am I.
00:07:08.43\00:07:14.22
Are they the seed
of Abraham? So am I.
00:07:14.25\00:07:18.13
Are they ministers of Christ?
00:07:18.16\00:07:20.77
(I speak as a fool) I am more,
00:07:20.80\00:07:25.66
in labors more abundant,
00:07:25.69\00:07:30.07
in stripes above measure,
00:07:30.10\00:07:34.83
in prisons more
frequent, in deaths often.
00:07:34.86\00:07:41.22
From the Jews five
times I've received
00:07:41.25\00:07:44.81
forty stripes minus one.
00:07:44.84\00:07:48.48
Three times I
was beaten with rods.
00:07:48.51\00:07:51.98
Once I was stoned.
00:07:52.01\00:07:54.64
Three times I was shipwreck.
00:07:54.67\00:07:57.85
A night and a day
00:07:57.88\00:07:59.80
I have been in the deep,
00:07:59.83\00:08:02.27
in journeys often,
in perils of waters,
00:08:02.30\00:08:07.40
in perils of robbers, in
perils of my own countrymen,
00:08:07.43\00:08:13.68
in perils of the
gentiles, in perils in the city,
00:08:13.71\00:08:16.94
in perils in the wilderness,
in perils in the sea,
00:08:16.97\00:08:19.94
in perils among false brethren,
00:08:19.97\00:08:24.28
in weariness and toil,
00:08:24.31\00:08:27.52
in sleeplessness often in hunger
00:08:27.55\00:08:30.93
and thirst in fastings
00:08:30.96\00:08:33.45
often in cold and nakedness."
00:08:33.48\00:08:39.98
Paul is arguably
the most influential
00:08:40.01\00:08:43.47
apostle of the New Testament.
00:08:43.50\00:08:47.24
He wrote 13 out of the 27
00:08:47.27\00:08:51.18
books of the New Testament.
00:08:51.21\00:08:53.61
The majority of second
half of the Books of Acts
00:08:53.64\00:08:56.45
is devoted to
Paul's missionary labors.
00:08:56.48\00:08:59.29
If anyone in body,
the spirit of revolution
00:08:59.32\00:09:03.96
in the New Testament
it was the apostle Paul.
00:09:03.99\00:09:07.77
He lived revolution.
00:09:07.80\00:09:11.70
If it was anyone
00:09:11.73\00:09:13.62
that was
possessed of the mission,
00:09:13.65\00:09:16.16
the gospel commission to
take the gospel to the world
00:09:16.19\00:09:19.03
in his generation it was Paul.
00:09:19.06\00:09:23.60
He could write later with
his own pen that the gospel
00:09:23.63\00:09:26.86
had gone to every
creature under heaven.
00:09:26.89\00:09:30.06
Praise the Lord.
00:09:30.09\00:09:34.42
The apostle Paul
was a revolutionary.
00:09:34.45\00:09:38.68
It's been said
that Paul's influence
00:09:38.71\00:09:41.15
on Christian thinking arguably
has been more significant
00:09:41.18\00:09:46.59
than any other
New Testament author.
00:09:46.62\00:09:52.21
Yet we read here
00:09:52.24\00:09:53.94
in 2 Corinthians 11:22-27,
00:09:53.97\00:10:00.56
that-- this
revolutionary apostle
00:10:00.59\00:10:05.22
paid a high personal price.
00:10:05.25\00:10:11.22
Let's not romanticize
revolution here tonight.
00:10:11.25\00:10:17.22
Revolution is always born
00:10:17.25\00:10:21.59
in personal sacrifice.
00:10:21.62\00:10:25.43
Not that there is
any merit in sacrifice.
00:10:25.46\00:10:28.56
Not they were
safe through sacrifice.
00:10:28.59\00:10:31.54
But sacrifice is
a result of being
00:10:31.57\00:10:34.55
a follower of Jesus Christ.
00:10:34.58\00:10:38.10
We'll touch more on
that tomorrow tonight.
00:10:38.13\00:10:40.96
Revolutions always
come at great personal cost.
00:10:40.99\00:10:47.06
It's easy to talk about
and tough to leave and today
00:10:47.09\00:10:51.45
in Christianity
there is presented
00:10:51.48\00:10:53.29
a cross-less Christ
for a cross-less Christian.
00:10:53.32\00:10:59.36
Paul lived revolution.
00:10:59.39\00:11:03.96
It's estimated that he
traveled over 10,000 miles
00:11:03.99\00:11:07.17
in the Book of Acts on
his missionary journeys,
00:11:07.20\00:11:09.92
over 4000 of those
miles probably on foot.
00:11:09.95\00:11:14.12
He was an individual
that was motivated to take
00:11:14.15\00:11:16.80
the gospel to the world
and as--as we have just read
00:11:16.83\00:11:19.77
here tonight the
apostle Paul whipped five times,
00:11:19.80\00:11:25.39
beaten with rods three
times, shipwrecked three times,
00:11:25.42\00:11:31.03
robed, beaten by
Jews and gentiles,
00:11:31.06\00:11:35.30
sleepless nights,
hungers, thirst, cold,
00:11:35.33\00:11:38.56
nakedness ultimately martyrdom.
00:11:38.59\00:11:44.77
And here our question tonight
00:11:44.80\00:11:46.59
as we begin our
study in scripture.
00:11:46.62\00:11:50.18
What motivated the apostle Paul?
00:11:50.21\00:11:56.20
What drove him?
00:11:56.23\00:11:58.31
What possessed an
individual to ultimately
00:11:58.34\00:12:02.02
give up his life for
sake of the cause of Christ?
00:12:02.05\00:12:07.03
What was it Paul psyche
and thinking that drove him,
00:12:07.06\00:12:10.58
that propelled
him, that compelled him,
00:12:10.61\00:12:12.55
to keep on moving even
though there was difficulty,
00:12:12.58\00:12:15.84
odds beyond measure
that we can not even imagine.
00:12:15.87\00:12:18.67
You remember in
the Book of Acts,
00:12:18.70\00:12:20.02
that John Mark came
with Paul and Silas,
00:12:20.05\00:12:22.34
he was a young
adult-- a young person
00:12:22.37\00:12:24.33
and he couldn't handle it.
00:12:24.36\00:12:26.03
It was too difficult
that cost was too great
00:12:26.06\00:12:28.82
and he had to leave.
00:12:28.85\00:12:30.91
That latter become a subject
00:12:30.94\00:12:32.27
very contention
between Paul and Silas.
00:12:32.30\00:12:36.36
Paul wanted to give
him a second chance.
00:12:36.39\00:12:38.87
Silas actually
wanted to give him
00:12:38.90\00:12:40.36
the second and Paul said, no.
00:12:40.39\00:12:43.37
Latter on he would recognize
the ministry of John Mark
00:12:43.40\00:12:45.80
but Paul was an
individual that was driven,
00:12:45.83\00:12:48.80
that was
compelled, that was motivated.
00:12:48.83\00:12:51.37
What was it that drove the
apostle Paul to such lengths
00:12:51.40\00:12:56.53
to give everything that he had,
to take the gospel to the world?
00:12:56.56\00:13:03.75
I as a minister of the
gospel I had many times
00:13:03.78\00:13:05.84
in my own personal
reflections I had to think
00:13:05.87\00:13:08.04
about my
motivations for service.
00:13:08.07\00:13:12.24
And I'll be honest with you
that in my own introspection
00:13:12.27\00:13:14.96
that deeper I go
into my soul I recognize
00:13:14.99\00:13:19.17
that there are many
times selfish motivations.
00:13:19.20\00:13:23.31
I find that is
possible to do the right things
00:13:23.34\00:13:27.04
for the wrong reasons.
00:13:27.07\00:13:30.40
And here we see and
unprecedented individual
00:13:30.43\00:13:35.83
that literally was
instrumental by the grace of God
00:13:35.86\00:13:39.09
in changing the
landscape of Christianity
00:13:39.12\00:13:42.60
and taking the gospel
beyond the borders of Judaism
00:13:42.63\00:13:45.79
to the entire
world in his generation.
00:13:45.82\00:13:50.76
What was it that drove
00:13:50.79\00:13:53.39
the apostle
Paul to such lengths?
00:13:53.42\00:13:57.51
What compelled him?
00:13:57.54\00:13:58.95
What impelled him
to take the gospel
00:13:58.98\00:14:01.78
to the world
regardless of the cost?
00:14:01.81\00:14:07.53
What was the
motivation in the Book of Acts?
00:14:07.56\00:14:13.51
With this question in mind
I'd like to invite you to turn
00:14:13.54\00:14:17.97
with me in your Bibles
to the Book of Hebrews.
00:14:18.00\00:14:24.71
Hebrews Chapter 12,
we're giving insight
00:14:24.74\00:14:27.25
into the mind
00:14:27.28\00:14:30.07
of the apostle Paul.
00:14:30.10\00:14:37.97
Hebrews 12:1, 2 and 3.
00:14:38.00\00:14:44.15
"Therefore we also,
since we are surrounded
00:14:50.55\00:14:57.14
by so great a
cloud of witnesses,
00:14:57.17\00:15:01.49
let us lay aside every weight,
00:15:01.52\00:15:03.13
and sin which so
easily ensnares us,
00:15:03.16\00:15:08.04
and let us run with endurance
00:15:08.07\00:15:09.37
the race that is set before us.
00:15:09.40\00:15:12.15
Looking unto Jesus,
00:15:12.18\00:15:15.20
the author and
finisher of our faith,
00:15:15.23\00:15:18.33
who for the joy that was set
before Him endured the cross,
00:15:18.36\00:15:22.25
despising the
shame, and has sat down
00:15:22.28\00:15:25.31
at the right hand
of the throne of God.
00:15:25.34\00:15:28.58
For consider Him who
endured such hostility
00:15:28.61\00:15:31.41
from sinners against
Himself, lest you become weary
00:15:31.44\00:15:35.30
and discouraged in your souls."
00:15:35.33\00:15:39.79
I like to spend a little
bit of time in this passage
00:15:39.82\00:15:43.70
and it beings in Hebrew 12:1
with the words, "therefore."
00:15:43.73\00:15:50.84
Now whenever
you're studying the Bible
00:15:50.87\00:15:52.58
and you come
across the word therefore,
00:15:52.61\00:15:56.35
the word
therefore is a concluding
00:15:56.38\00:15:58.82
statement or concluding word.
00:15:58.85\00:16:03.04
You have the promise
and then you have therefore,
00:16:03.07\00:16:06.61
one of my favorite
subjects in school was geometry.
00:16:06.64\00:16:12.10
I didn't care so much for
algebra but I love geometry.
00:16:12.13\00:16:16.53
And I remember
doing these proofs
00:16:16.56\00:16:18.35
some of you may
remember that from--from
00:16:18.38\00:16:20.20
your high school days and
we would write these proofs
00:16:20.23\00:16:23.41
and we would list the reasons.
00:16:23.44\00:16:27.20
The promise and then we
would come down to the end
00:16:27.23\00:16:31.62
and there were those three
dots, therefore conclusion.
00:16:31.65\00:16:37.80
And here you have
the word therefore.
00:16:37.83\00:16:40.38
The word therefore
this is Paul's punchline.
00:16:40.41\00:16:44.67
This is his point,
this is his application
00:16:44.70\00:16:48.37
of what he's trying
to convey to the Hebrews.
00:16:48.40\00:16:54.02
He says,
therefore, so we have to go
00:16:54.05\00:16:57.33
to what is before
the word therefore.
00:16:57.36\00:17:02.66
The Chapter before Hebrews,
well this Hebrews Chapter 11,
00:17:02.69\00:17:09.61
there were no
chaptered divisions
00:17:09.64\00:17:12.44
these are here
for our convenience.
00:17:12.47\00:17:14.06
I'm not gonna read
through the entirety
00:17:14.09\00:17:15.76
of Hebrews Chapter 11
but I just want to highlight
00:17:15.79\00:17:19.64
a few verses that
kind of stuck out of me.
00:17:19.67\00:17:23.36
So let's go to Hebrews 11:1,
00:17:23.39\00:17:25.03
I promise I won't
read the entire Chapter.
00:17:25.06\00:17:28.15
Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith
00:17:28.18\00:17:30.08
is the substance
of things hoped for,
00:17:30.11\00:17:31.68
the evidence of
things not seen."
00:17:31.71\00:17:35.57
Verse 4, "By faith
Abel offered to God
00:17:35.60\00:17:40.66
a more excellent
sacrifice than Cain,
00:17:40.69\00:17:44.26
through which he obtained
witness that he was righteous,
00:17:44.29\00:17:48.30
God testifying to
his gifts, and through
00:17:48.33\00:17:51.08
it being dead still speaks."
00:17:51.11\00:17:53.70
Verse 13, "These
all died in faith,
00:17:53.73\00:17:57.17
not having
received the promises,
00:17:57.20\00:17:58.85
but having seen them
afar off were assured of them,
00:17:58.88\00:18:01.33
embraced them and confessed
that they were strangers
00:18:01.36\00:18:05.03
and pilgrims on the earth.
00:18:05.06\00:18:07.69
For those who say
such things declare plainly
00:18:07.72\00:18:10.59
that they seek a homeland.
00:18:10.62\00:18:13.36
And if truly they had
called to mind that country
00:18:13.39\00:18:17.17
from which they had come out,
00:18:17.20\00:18:18.63
they would have had
opportunity to return.
00:18:18.66\00:18:22.41
But now they desire a better,
that is, a heavenly country.
00:18:22.44\00:18:28.70
Therefore God is not
ashamed to be called their God,
00:18:28.73\00:18:32.25
for He has
prepared a city for them.
00:18:32.28\00:18:35.13
By faith Abraham, when he
was tested, offered up Isaac,
00:18:35.16\00:18:40.06
and he who had
received the promises offered up
00:18:40.09\00:18:43.81
his only begotten
son, of whom it said,
00:18:43.84\00:18:48.10
In Isaac your
seed shall be called,
00:18:48.13\00:18:50.81
concluding that God
was able to raise him up,
00:18:50.84\00:18:54.72
even from the dead,
from which he also received
00:18:54.75\00:18:58.96
him in a figurative sense."
00:18:58.99\00:19:01.33
Verse 24, By faith
Moses, when he became of age,
00:19:01.36\00:19:04.75
refused to be called the
son of Pharaoh's daughter,
00:19:04.78\00:19:08.11
choosing rather
to suffer affliction
00:19:08.14\00:19:11.34
with the people
of God than to enjoy
00:19:11.37\00:19:14.10
the passing pleasures of sin."
00:19:14.13\00:19:16.94
Verse 30, "By faith
the walls of Jericho,
00:19:16.97\00:19:20.97
fell down after they
were encircled for seven days.
00:19:21.00\00:19:23.32
By faith the harlot
Rahab did not perish
00:19:23.35\00:19:25.85
with those who
did not believe them,
00:19:25.88\00:19:28.03
when she had
received the spies with peace.
00:19:28.06\00:19:31.42
And what shall I more say?
00:19:31.45\00:19:34.76
For the time would
fail me to tell of Gideon
00:19:34.79\00:19:37.45
and Barak and
Samson and Jephthah,
00:19:37.48\00:19:41.31
and of David and
Samuel the prophets,
00:19:41.34\00:19:44.47
who through
faith subdued kingdoms,
00:19:44.50\00:19:46.59
worked righteousness,
obtained promises,
00:19:46.62\00:19:49.37
stopped the mouths of lions,
quenched the violence of fire,
00:19:49.40\00:19:53.73
escaped the edge of the sword,
00:19:53.76\00:19:55.37
out of weakness
were made strong,
00:19:55.40\00:19:57.42
became valiant in battle,
00:19:57.45\00:19:59.62
turned to flight the
armies of the aliens.
00:19:59.65\00:20:02.38
Women received their
dead raised to life again.
00:20:02.41\00:20:05.24
Others were tortured,
not accepting deliverance,
00:20:05.27\00:20:07.59
that they might
obtain a better resurrection.
00:20:07.62\00:20:10.28
Still others had trial
of mockings and scourgings,
00:20:10.31\00:20:14.47
yes, and of
chains and imprisonment.
00:20:14.50\00:20:16.92
They were stoned, they
were sawn in two, they,
00:20:16.95\00:20:19.77
were tempted, they
were slain with the sword.
00:20:19.80\00:20:22.35
They wandered in
sheepskins and goatskins,
00:20:22.38\00:20:25.26
being destitute,
afflicted, tormented
00:20:25.29\00:20:27.41
of whom the
world was not worthy.
00:20:27.44\00:20:30.40
These wandered in
deserts and mountains,
00:20:30.43\00:20:32.28
in dens and caves of the earth.
00:20:32.31\00:20:33.86
And these, having obtained a
good testament through faith,
00:20:33.89\00:20:37.69
did not receive the promise.
00:20:37.72\00:20:39.93
God having provided
something better for us
00:20:39.96\00:20:42.93
that they should
not be made perfect
00:20:42.96\00:20:44.79
apart from us therefore."
00:20:44.82\00:20:50.69
Paul is building a
crescendo of his argument.
00:20:50.72\00:20:56.14
He goes through the
hall of faith and then comes
00:20:56.17\00:21:00.72
to his concluding
remark in Hebrews 12:1.
00:21:00.75\00:21:07.58
It's an application.
00:21:07.61\00:21:09.61
It goes from them to us.
00:21:09.64\00:21:16.22
"Therefore we also,
since we are surrounded
00:21:16.25\00:21:23.33
by so great a
cloud of witnesses."
00:21:23.36\00:21:30.84
These witnesses
are the individuals,
00:21:30.87\00:21:33.39
the faithful
that have gone before.
00:21:33.42\00:21:37.34
The faithfulness of Abel,
of Ina, of Noah, of Abraham,
00:21:37.37\00:21:42.97
of Jacob, of
Joseph, of David, of Samuel,
00:21:43.00\00:21:46.31
the faithful who
have gone before.
00:21:46.34\00:21:48.80
These are the witnesses,
these are the individuals
00:21:48.83\00:21:52.53
that are fold to
trail in the path for us.
00:21:52.56\00:21:55.73
He says, "therefore we also,
00:22:01.51\00:22:04.11
since we are surrounded by
so great a cloud of witnesses."
00:22:04.14\00:22:08.99
The witnesses are
the ones that we've read
00:22:09.02\00:22:11.45
in the hall of faith
in Hebrews Chapter 11.
00:22:11.48\00:22:13.72
Paul is here is
painting a picture.
00:22:13.75\00:22:16.23
He's using a
metaphor were surrounded
00:22:16.26\00:22:19.51
by this proverbial
cloud of individuals
00:22:19.54\00:22:22.98
that have been
faithful before us.
00:22:23.01\00:22:26.44
And then he starts
to make his application.
00:22:26.47\00:22:29.30
"Let us lay aside every weight,
00:22:29.33\00:22:33.09
and sin which so
easily ensnares us."
00:22:33.12\00:22:38.50
Secret sin,
cherish sins, cherish sins,
00:22:41.88\00:22:48.42
addictions, habits,
00:22:48.45\00:22:54.42
things that perhaps
00:22:54.45\00:22:56.72
no one else in the
world knows but the Lord does.
00:22:56.75\00:23:02.01
Perhaps it's
something that you been
00:23:02.04\00:23:03.07
struggling with
your entire life.
00:23:03.10\00:23:06.64
Perhaps you're a youth leader,
00:23:06.67\00:23:08.02
perhaps you're a GYC volunteer,
00:23:08.05\00:23:12.10
perhaps you're an
elder in your church,
00:23:12.13\00:23:14.22
perhaps you're even a pastor.
00:23:14.25\00:23:17.71
And this sin, this
habit, this addiction
00:23:17.74\00:23:21.07
has been plaguing
you, your entire life.
00:23:21.10\00:23:26.07
And here the apostle Paul says,
00:23:26.10\00:23:29.60
we need to lay them aside.
00:23:29.63\00:23:33.68
Because this
thing is besetting us,
00:23:33.71\00:23:36.03
it's whining us
down, it's keeping us back
00:23:36.06\00:23:38.27
in our Christian experience.
00:23:38.30\00:23:40.76
We're told in the book Steps to
Christ that "One sinful desire,
00:23:40.79\00:23:46.85
persistently cherish,
well eventually neutralize
00:23:46.88\00:23:51.80
all the power of the gospel."
00:23:51.83\00:23:55.66
"One sinful desire,
persistently cherish,
00:23:55.69\00:23:58.45
well eventually neutralize
all the power of the gospel."
00:23:58.48\00:24:04.04
It's holding us back.
00:24:04.07\00:24:07.29
You recognize that this
cherish sin is keeping you back
00:24:07.32\00:24:10.80
in your Christian but I
praise the Lord for His grace.
00:24:10.83\00:24:15.60
I praise the
Lord for His victory.
00:24:15.63\00:24:22.08
I praise the Lord that
in Steps to Christ not pray
00:24:22.11\00:24:24.44
that if you have not
read the books Steps to Christ
00:24:24.47\00:24:26.62
that you read it here tonight.
00:24:26.65\00:24:30.72
The book Steps
to Christ it says,
00:24:30.75\00:24:32.24
that the Lord would
love to have us come to Him
00:24:32.27\00:24:34.97
just the way that we are.
00:24:35.00\00:24:38.92
I praise the Lord that we
can come to Him just the way
00:24:38.95\00:24:40.93
that we are but
He loves us too much
00:24:40.96\00:24:42.36
to leave us in
that condition, amen.
00:24:42.39\00:24:44.51
Amen. We're told in
00:24:44.54\00:24:46.12
the Book Steps to Christ
that even repentance is a gift.
00:24:46.15\00:24:51.58
Repentance is sorrow for sin
and you're turning away from it.
00:24:51.61\00:24:57.21
Repentance is a gift.
00:24:57.24\00:25:00.06
Repentance is not a barrier
to keep you away from Jesus.
00:25:00.09\00:25:03.08
So many people think, I need
repent before I come to Jesus.
00:25:03.11\00:25:07.84
But you can come
to Jesus and say Lord,
00:25:07.87\00:25:12.28
I'm not even sorry,
help me to be sorry.
00:25:12.31\00:25:17.92
Give me the gift of
repentance, hallelujah.
00:25:17.95\00:25:21.64
Amen. Do for me
00:25:21.67\00:25:22.85
what I'm incapable
of doing for myself.
00:25:22.88\00:25:28.28
Come to Him and I prayed
tonight if you have not accepted
00:25:28.31\00:25:31.79
the Jesus Christ as your Lord
00:25:31.82\00:25:33.17
and Savior that
you'll do that tonight.
00:25:33.20\00:25:36.76
You can't beat that
cherish sin by yourself.
00:25:36.79\00:25:41.15
Jesus is our only hope. Amen.
00:25:41.18\00:25:45.93
You can give God your will.
00:25:45.96\00:25:49.28
Our promises are
like ropes of sand.
00:25:49.31\00:25:55.23
He can change your heart.
00:25:55.26\00:25:56.46
He can change your reflections.
00:25:56.49\00:25:59.89
"Therefore we also
since we are surrounded
00:25:59.92\00:26:02.32
by so great a
cloud of witnesses,
00:26:02.35\00:26:06.56
let us lay aside every weight,
00:26:06.59\00:26:09.56
and sin which so
easily ensnares us."
00:26:09.59\00:26:15.52
Why do we need to take this off?
00:26:15.55\00:26:18.01
Because here Paul uses
00:26:18.04\00:26:20.39
his metaphor, he
says, let us run.
00:26:20.42\00:26:25.26
The reason why,
we need to lay aside
00:26:25.29\00:26:26.91
every weight and sin that
so easily besets us because
00:26:26.94\00:26:29.39
he's using this
metaphor of running.
00:26:29.42\00:26:32.70
And you recognize
when you're running
00:26:32.73\00:26:35.13
you need to
layoff excess weight.
00:26:35.16\00:26:39.14
You need to take
these things off.
00:26:39.17\00:26:41.82
Here Paul is
grasping for a metaphor
00:26:41.85\00:26:46.68
to describe the
Christian experience.
00:26:46.71\00:26:51.07
He is grasping for
this metaphor and aspect
00:26:51.10\00:26:53.71
of the Christian experience
that he's trying to convey
00:26:53.74\00:26:56.04
and he does not use in
this intense the word, walk.
00:26:56.07\00:27:02.59
He didn't say let us stroll.
00:27:02.62\00:27:06.16
Let's saunter, let's plod,
00:27:06.19\00:27:10.62
let's shuffle, let's crawl.
00:27:10.65\00:27:18.24
Now there are
places in scripture
00:27:18.27\00:27:19.87
where the Christian experience
is giving the implication
00:27:19.90\00:27:23.79
of a walk but in
this intense Paul
00:27:23.82\00:27:26.32
uses the metaphor of running.
00:27:26.35\00:27:34.31
Now for those of you
that are here tonight,
00:27:34.34\00:27:37.70
what is your emotional response
00:27:37.73\00:27:42.12
when I say the word, run?
00:27:42.15\00:27:46.69
I'll be honest with
you I-- when I think
00:27:46.72\00:27:49.44
of physical running for fun,
00:27:49.47\00:27:55.91
I don't have any
positive feelings.
00:27:55.94\00:28:01.35
I would have much preferred
that Paul use the metaphor walk.
00:28:01.38\00:28:04.59
Because when I
hear the word walk,
00:28:04.62\00:28:06.55
David, let's go for a walk.
00:28:06.58\00:28:08.34
I'm like oh yeah,
let's--let's go for a walk,
00:28:08.37\00:28:10.38
we can talk and do other
things while we're walking.
00:28:10.41\00:28:13.04
But when someone says,
David, let's go for a run,
00:28:13.07\00:28:16.67
I--I just don't
feel warm things.
00:28:16.70\00:28:22.50
And I wish that Paul
would have used another metaphor
00:28:22.53\00:28:25.15
and here Paul is
trying to convey something
00:28:25.18\00:28:27.33
and--and he is grasping
for a metaphor and he says
00:28:27.36\00:28:29.75
let us run with
endurance. Let us run.
00:28:29.78\00:28:35.65
He's trying to convey an aspect
of the Christian experience.
00:28:35.68\00:28:40.74
No, he did not say,
saunter, plod or shuffle.
00:28:40.77\00:28:43.93
He did not even say walk.
00:28:43.96\00:28:45.94
He's trying to illustrate
an aspect of Christianity
00:28:45.97\00:28:49.85
and he uses the
metaphor of running.
00:28:49.88\00:28:55.72
Paul did not end there.
00:28:55.75\00:28:58.98
I wish he would have start
but he goes on and he says,
00:28:59.01\00:29:02.37
"Let us run with endurance."
00:29:02.40\00:29:09.23
In other words,
00:29:09.26\00:29:12.36
this run is not a 100 yard dash.
00:29:12.39\00:29:20.27
It's not like you run 10
feet and you're like, I'm done.
00:29:20.30\00:29:24.70
It's not a 1000
meters, it's not even a mile.
00:29:24.73\00:29:31.50
Here Paul uses the
word run with endurance,
00:29:31.53\00:29:34.29
in other words, this is a race
00:29:34.32\00:29:36.47
at which some point you are
going to be tempted to quit.
00:29:36.50\00:29:43.04
It's going to be
a challenging race.
00:29:43.07\00:29:45.42
It's going to be difficult.
00:29:45.45\00:29:47.02
Matter of fact its even
going to get to the place
00:29:47.05\00:29:49.36
where you're going
to be tempted to stop.
00:29:49.39\00:29:53.01
And there are many
people that had began
00:29:53.04\00:29:55.02
the Christian experience,
they began with enthusiasm
00:29:55.05\00:29:59.62
but they haven't
started what they finished,
00:29:59.65\00:30:02.84
they've dropt out.
00:30:02.87\00:30:05.35
Here in
Galatians the apostle Paul
00:30:05.38\00:30:08.31
makes a comment and he says,
00:30:08.34\00:30:11.72
"You were
running the race so well.
00:30:11.75\00:30:13.65
Who has held you back
from following the truth?"
00:30:13.68\00:30:16.67
There is going to
be people that start
00:30:16.70\00:30:18.99
the race and yet do
not finished the race.
00:30:19.02\00:30:24.92
Paul in Hebrews Chapter12
00:30:24.95\00:30:29.21
uses a metaphor of endurance
00:30:29.24\00:30:34.31
running to describe
00:30:34.34\00:30:37.42
the Christian experience.
00:30:37.45\00:30:43.95
Recently I started reading
00:30:43.98\00:30:48.75
a book on endurance running.
00:30:48.78\00:30:54.68
It's called Ultramarathon.
00:30:54.71\00:30:59.05
You ever read about
some of these individuals,
00:30:59.08\00:31:03.94
it's really quite fascinating
because it's gone to the place
00:31:03.97\00:31:07.36
who were a marathon 26.2 miles,
00:31:07.39\00:31:10.54
it's not enough and they called
00:31:10.57\00:31:13.41
themselves ultra
endurance runners.
00:31:13.44\00:31:18.54
There's one race I read about
it's called the Leadville 100.
00:31:18.57\00:31:23.95
They started the race to boost
00:31:23.98\00:31:25.49
the economic activity
of a town in Leadville.
00:31:25.52\00:31:31.30
It's Leadville 100
because it's 100 miles.
00:31:31.33\00:31:36.57
Its 15,600 feet of
climbing and descent.
00:31:36.60\00:31:42.24
They say it's like
running 4 marathons back to back
00:31:42.27\00:31:45.88
with the sock in your
mouth because of the elevation.
00:31:45.91\00:31:52.09
And the record
for running this race
00:31:52.12\00:31:53.92
is 15 hours and
42 minutes nonstop.
00:31:53.95\00:31:58.78
Less than half of
the runners that starts
00:32:02.96\00:32:05.50
the race finished the race.
00:32:05.53\00:32:11.45
The individuals they
do this are machines.
00:32:11.48\00:32:15.55
Just super human.
00:32:15.58\00:32:19.12
I--I want to meet one of them.
00:32:19.15\00:32:22.34
I just can't
imagine running miles
00:32:22.37\00:32:25.18
for fun much less pain to do so.
00:32:25.21\00:32:32.21
And there was a
gentleman I read about
00:32:32.24\00:32:33.95
his name is Dean
Karnazes, I'm not sure
00:32:33.98\00:32:37.78
if I'm saying that right.
00:32:37.81\00:32:41.32
He is a Ultramarathon champion.
00:32:41.35\00:32:46.05
He ran 350 miles nonstop.
00:32:46.08\00:32:52.76
It took him 80
hours and 44 minutes,
00:32:52.79\00:32:54.97
he did this in 2005.
00:32:55.00\00:33:00.03
He ran 50 marathons in 50 states
00:33:00.06\00:33:02.44
in consecutive days in 2006.
00:33:02.47\00:33:08.37
And then in 2007 he swam
00:33:08.40\00:33:14.80
across the San Francisco Bay
00:33:14.83\00:33:17.94
and this was his warm
up before he ran 3000 miles
00:33:17.97\00:33:25.44
across the United States
from California to New York City
00:33:25.47\00:33:28.37
in 75 days running
40 to 50 miles per day.
00:33:28.40\00:33:34.53
This man is-- I
don't know of there
00:33:34.56\00:33:36.88
is an English word to
describe him. Incredible.
00:33:36.91\00:33:43.19
And I had to ask
myself when I was reading
00:33:43.22\00:33:45.72
about these phenomenal
athletes and those one question
00:33:45.75\00:33:51.01
that always would come up,
00:33:51.04\00:33:52.20
why would
anyone want to do that?
00:33:52.23\00:33:58.79
These people are
motivated by something
00:33:58.82\00:34:03.16
that is beyond me to do
00:34:03.19\00:34:06.47
that for fun.
00:34:06.50\00:34:12.89
You have to be
careful what you read.
00:34:12.92\00:34:16.89
You really have to
be careful what you read
00:34:16.92\00:34:19.60
because a few months latter,
I signed up for a marathon.
00:34:19.63\00:34:27.57
It's amazing how
it goes from here
00:34:27.60\00:34:29.42
and then you start
singing up for things
00:34:29.45\00:34:31.82
that you never
thought would sign up.
00:34:31.85\00:34:33.11
And my logic when
something like this--perhaps
00:34:33.14\00:34:35.33
I was going through a
crises I think I kind of was.
00:34:35.36\00:34:37.98
I reached a point, you
know, and I was like oh,
00:34:38.01\00:34:40.61
what, what are the mounts
there to climb and I said,
00:34:40.64\00:34:43.45
oh, marathon and I
said surely if Dean Karnazes
00:34:43.48\00:34:46.98
can run 350 miles
nonstop, I can run 26.
00:34:47.01\00:34:52.41
Piece of cake, 350, 26 come on.
00:34:52.44\00:34:59.58
And so I did start training.
00:34:59.61\00:35:04.72
I didn't realize till latter
00:35:04.75\00:35:07.01
that the average
individual like myself,
00:35:07.04\00:35:11.32
can only hold a certain
amount of glycogen in our tank,
00:35:11.35\00:35:14.89
like certain amount of sugar
00:35:14.92\00:35:16.12
and we only can hold about
18 to 20 miles worth of glycogen
00:35:16.15\00:35:21.22
and then last six
miles you just run on fumes.
00:35:21.25\00:35:27.92
And last year I ran
the Detroit Marathon,
00:35:27.95\00:35:30.26
I don't know what
possessed me but I'm dare
00:35:30.29\00:35:31.87
at the start line
and it's interesting
00:35:31.90\00:35:35.00
how the psychology
of this things goes.
00:35:35.03\00:35:36.92
Because in the beginning
00:35:36.95\00:35:38.04
everyone's
smiling and high-fiving.
00:35:38.07\00:35:41.54
We got this, this is
gonna be great and you know,
00:35:41.57\00:35:45.05
you're all pumped up, marathon.
00:35:45.08\00:35:47.89
Yes, this is wonderful,
there is like thousands
00:35:47.92\00:35:50.85
of people
running on the drenalin
00:35:50.88\00:35:52.94
and the first 13
miles its-- its wonderful.
00:35:52.97\00:35:59.30
I remember going
over the Ambassador Bridge
00:35:59.33\00:36:01.21
I was just flying,
I was passing people
00:36:01.24\00:36:05.16
and I looked down on
my pace and I said oh,
00:36:05.19\00:36:06.73
I'm on set for up
here a personal record.
00:36:06.76\00:36:12.02
And I--I am passing people
and I was next is an individual
00:36:12.05\00:36:16.59
and he told me his marathon
time and 2 hours and 30 minutes.
00:36:16.62\00:36:22.35
And I was like wow,
this is--this is wonderful.
00:36:22.38\00:36:26.74
He was staying back with
the rest of us but I would
00:36:26.77\00:36:29.39
notice that at
certain times he would surge
00:36:29.42\00:36:31.49
and so I would surge with him.
00:36:31.52\00:36:35.10
Mile 13, 14, 15, 16, 17
00:36:35.13\00:36:41.51
and I don't know if excruciating
00:36:41.54\00:36:44.78
describes what I was feeling.
00:36:44.81\00:36:52.70
I--I literally thought
because of the amount of pain
00:36:52.73\00:36:58.02
I was experiencing I
was going to loose my mind.
00:36:58.05\00:37:04.78
I'm not
exaggerating, I'd never been
00:37:04.81\00:37:07.23
in so much pain before
because what I had done
00:37:07.26\00:37:09.41
it was a cool day
and so I was skipping
00:37:09.44\00:37:11.76
water stations like an
intelligent individual.
00:37:11.79\00:37:16.56
And by mile 17, I was
absolutely dehydrated,
00:37:16.59\00:37:19.44
burned out all my electrolytes.
00:37:19.47\00:37:25.57
And a thought entered
my fuzzy consciousness,
00:37:25.60\00:37:30.75
why am I doing this?
00:37:30.78\00:37:37.23
Why did I pay $120 to do this?
00:37:37.26\00:37:44.93
And I'll never forget it.
00:37:44.96\00:37:45.99
I'm running mile 20 and
these people these women
00:37:46.02\00:37:51.63
are cheering 6 more
miles and I'm just thinking,
00:37:51.66\00:37:58.58
I don't think
00:37:58.61\00:38:02.39
this is going to be a reality.
00:38:02.42\00:38:08.33
I honestly thought
00:38:08.36\00:38:12.22
I was not going to finish.
00:38:12.25\00:38:18.07
And some how in the
midst of that foggy agony
00:38:18.10\00:38:23.79
because that's what it was.
00:38:23.82\00:38:27.22
I focused on the finish line.
00:38:27.25\00:38:34.61
Some of you may not think
that's a very motivating thing
00:38:34.64\00:38:37.13
but for some reason it was.
00:38:37.16\00:38:40.28
I focused on the
finish line and everything
00:38:40.31\00:38:45.04
within my being I just
surged and--and ran and ran
00:38:45.07\00:38:50.63
and ran and ran and I saw that
I was literally at one point,
00:38:50.66\00:38:56.40
I remember in another marathon
that I ran that about 300 yards
00:38:56.43\00:39:01.35
from the finish line
there a guy that was about
00:39:01.38\00:39:02.86
the fall backwards and they had
catch him and that's way I fell.
00:39:02.89\00:39:05.38
I was running and
running and running and finally
00:39:05.41\00:39:08.59
I cross the finish
lines and I'm not exaggerating
00:39:08.62\00:39:11.24
I cross the finish line.
00:39:11.27\00:39:13.36
And the guy with the medal was
like from here to the front row.
00:39:13.39\00:39:17.71
He had the medal
00:39:17.74\00:39:19.58
and he said come on.
00:39:19.61\00:39:26.30
And I said okay,
and my legs had frozen.
00:39:26.33\00:39:31.06
And he said come
on and I said I can't.
00:39:31.09\00:39:33.54
And he said, you mean to
tell me you've gone 26 miles
00:39:33.57\00:39:37.26
you can't come
10 feet? I said no.
00:39:37.29\00:39:40.70
And I literally
waddled over to him.
00:39:40.73\00:39:43.23
He put the medal on my neck.
00:39:43.26\00:39:44.82
My wife came to me and I said
00:39:44.85\00:39:46.07
I'm never doing that again.
00:39:46.10\00:39:48.60
Hebrews Chapter
12 has absolutely
00:39:54.75\00:39:56.64
new meaning to me now.
00:39:56.67\00:40:02.86
Paul relates the
Christian experience
00:40:02.89\00:40:09.34
to an endurance run.
00:40:09.37\00:40:14.58
And he says that the
present agony is made easier
00:40:14.61\00:40:20.15
by where your focus lies.
00:40:20.18\00:40:24.59
Let me read that again.
00:40:24.62\00:40:25.65
The present agony is
make easier dependent
00:40:25.68\00:40:30.45
on where your focus lies.
00:40:30.48\00:40:33.97
The Bible tells
us in Genesis 29:20,
00:40:34.00\00:40:36.37
"So Jacob served
seven years to get Rachel."
00:40:36.40\00:40:39.49
Seven years is a long time.
00:40:39.52\00:40:42.83
He actually had to work 14.
00:40:42.86\00:40:45.94
"But they seemed,"
notice this next part.
00:40:45.97\00:40:48.93
Now this is true
love, "but they seemed
00:40:48.96\00:40:52.91
only a few days
00:40:52.94\00:40:55.44
because of his love for her."
00:40:55.47\00:40:56.60
The present agony is made
easier by where your focus lies.
00:41:01.19\00:41:06.72
The more
profound the focus point
00:41:06.75\00:41:09.23
the more
profound our motivation.
00:41:09.26\00:41:11.66
Let's go back to
Hebrews Chapter 12,
00:41:11.69\00:41:16.45
"Therefore we also,
since we are surrounded
00:41:16.48\00:41:18.51
by so great a
cloud of witnesses,
00:41:18.54\00:41:19.98
let us lay aside every
weight, and sin which so easily
00:41:20.01\00:41:22.60
ensnares us, and let
us run with endurance
00:41:22.63\00:41:25.31
the race that is set before us."
00:41:25.34\00:41:26.71
Looking unto whom? Jesus.
00:41:26.74\00:41:29.60
Looking unto, whom? Jesus.
00:41:29.63\00:41:31.30
"Jesus, the author
and finisher of our faith,
00:41:31.33\00:41:34.71
who for the joy that was
set before us endured the cross,
00:41:34.74\00:41:37.40
despising the
shame, and has sat down
00:41:37.43\00:41:39.65
at the right hand
of the throne of God."
00:41:39.68\00:41:44.16
Jesus says, that we
should look to Jesus.
00:41:44.19\00:41:48.56
Jesus is our motivation.
00:41:48.59\00:41:52.12
Someone say, amen.
00:41:52.15\00:41:55.84
Amen. Jesus is who drives us.
00:41:55.87\00:42:00.08
Jesus is who propels us forward.
00:42:00.11\00:42:03.75
Jesus is the individual
that motivated that Book of Acts
00:42:03.78\00:42:08.99
and motivates every Christian
to take the gospel to the world.
00:42:09.02\00:42:16.63
Focus on Jesus and He enables
00:42:16.66\00:42:22.07
you to be carry through.
00:42:22.10\00:42:27.04
The apostle Paul goes
on looking onto Jesus,
00:42:27.07\00:42:32.37
what should we focus on?
00:42:32.40\00:42:33.58
The author and the
finisher of our faith,
00:42:33.61\00:42:35.23
the God that
started within should, amen.
00:42:35.26\00:42:37.12
Amen. "Who for the joy
00:42:37.15\00:42:39.17
that was set before
him endured the cross,
00:42:39.20\00:42:42.34
despising the
shame, and set down
00:42:42.37\00:42:45.96
at the right hand
of the throne of God."
00:42:45.99\00:42:50.83
We're told to focus
00:42:50.86\00:42:54.29
on the way that Jesus endured.
00:42:54.32\00:43:00.26
I want to read this
from the Desire of Ages,
00:43:00.29\00:43:04.05
"The awful moment had come--
the moment which was to decide
00:43:04.08\00:43:09.14
the destiny of the world.
00:43:09.17\00:43:11.76
The fate of humanity
trembled in the balance.
00:43:11.79\00:43:16.62
Christ might even now
refuse to drink the cup
00:43:16.65\00:43:19.56
apportioned to guilty man."
00:43:19.59\00:43:22.08
This is in Gethsemane.
00:43:22.11\00:43:24.22
"It was not yet too late.
00:43:24.25\00:43:25.98
He might wipe away the
bloody swept from His brow
00:43:26.01\00:43:28.71
and leave to
perish in His equinity.
00:43:28.74\00:43:31.73
He might say,
let the transgressor
00:43:31.76\00:43:33.81
receive the penalty of his sin.
00:43:33.84\00:43:35.34
I will go back to his Father."
00:43:35.37\00:43:37.08
Jesus in Gethsemane
could have walked away
00:43:37.11\00:43:39.85
and he would
have owned us nothing.
00:43:39.88\00:43:43.65
He could go and
right back to heaven.
00:43:43.68\00:43:46.64
The weight of sin and guilt
was crushing His very soul.
00:43:46.67\00:43:51.64
The sinless one was
becoming the sin bearer.
00:43:51.67\00:43:56.37
And his nature
recoil from Gethsemane.
00:43:56.40\00:44:03.30
She goes on, the
words fall trembling
00:44:03.33\00:44:08.81
from the pale lips of Jesus.
00:44:08.84\00:44:11.82
"O my Father, if this cup
may not pass away from me,
00:44:11.85\00:44:16.80
except I drink
it, thy will be done."
00:44:16.83\00:44:21.60
Three times he
uttered that prayer,
00:44:21.63\00:44:23.25
three times has humanity shrunk
00:44:23.28\00:44:26.10
from the last
crowning sacrifice.
00:44:26.13\00:44:29.22
The reality is
Jesus wanted to quit.
00:44:29.25\00:44:36.31
He asked not once,
not twice but three times.
00:44:36.34\00:44:39.12
Father, do I have
to drink this cup?
00:44:39.15\00:44:42.98
He was going through
the agony of Gethsemane
00:44:43.01\00:44:46.85
and it got to the place
or heaven could no longer
00:44:46.88\00:44:50.04
take in and an
angel had to be sent.
00:44:50.07\00:44:55.16
Take this cup away.
00:44:55.19\00:45:00.75
The words fall trembling
from the pale lips of Christ.
00:45:00.78\00:45:05.94
But now the
history of the human race
00:45:05.97\00:45:10.85
comes up before
the world's Redeemer.
00:45:10.88\00:45:14.94
He sees that the
transgressors of the law
00:45:14.97\00:45:19.33
if left to
themselves must perish.
00:45:19.36\00:45:23.71
His decision is made.
00:45:23.74\00:45:26.25
He was safe man at
any cost to himself.
00:45:26.28\00:45:32.82
Amen. What kept Jesus
00:45:32.85\00:45:40.46
going in Gethsemane?
00:45:40.49\00:45:46.15
He is going through agony.
00:45:46.18\00:45:52.83
He wants to go back to heaven.
00:45:52.86\00:45:58.43
Wipe the sweat from His brow.
00:45:58.46\00:46:00.62
He doesn't want
to be the sin-bearer
00:46:00.65\00:46:02.36
its crushing the
life of His very soul.
00:46:02.39\00:46:06.78
He's experiencing
separation from God
00:46:06.81\00:46:12.44
and then He thinks of you. Amen.
00:46:12.47\00:46:18.54
He thinks of me, David Shin
00:46:18.57\00:46:25.15
and He says, I'll do it.
00:46:25.18\00:46:29.29
Praise the Lord.
00:46:29.32\00:46:32.96
We're told that heaven is not
a place to be desire for Christ
00:46:32.99\00:46:39.51
with the thought that
we would not be there.
00:46:39.54\00:46:44.12
He endured Gethsemane
and His motivation was you.
00:46:44.15\00:46:51.73
He thought of you.
00:46:51.76\00:46:55.12
Not a collective
faceless group of individuals
00:46:55.15\00:46:57.86
but you sitting in
that chair, the individual.
00:46:57.89\00:47:02.72
We're told so many times that
Christ would have come for one
00:47:02.75\00:47:05.31
but He came literally
for you and in Gethsemane
00:47:05.34\00:47:09.75
even when He
wanted to walk away.
00:47:09.78\00:47:13.54
What compelled
Him, what motivated Him
00:47:13.57\00:47:16.40
forward was you.
00:47:16.43\00:47:20.29
And Paul is saying
in Hebrews Chapter 12,
00:47:20.32\00:47:25.68
Focus on the Christ
that focused on you. Amen.
00:47:25.71\00:47:32.98
Amen. Focus on the Christ
00:47:33.01\00:47:36.62
that focused on you.
00:47:36.65\00:47:41.24
I want to make appeal tonight.
00:47:41.27\00:47:47.52
If it's your desire tonight
to say in your heart of hearts,
00:47:47.55\00:47:55.23
Lord, I want to see Jesus.
00:47:55.26\00:47:59.69
Help me to keep my eyes
00:47:59.72\00:48:02.34
focused on the Christ
00:48:02.37\00:48:06.33
that focused on me.
00:48:06.36\00:48:10.35
Help me to keep my
eyes, focused on Jesus,
00:48:10.38\00:48:12.64
let Jesus me, my
motivation for service
00:48:12.67\00:48:16.56
because everything
else is selfishness.
00:48:16.59\00:48:20.72
Help Jesus be the
reason why we go door to door.
00:48:20.75\00:48:23.61
Have be the reason
why'd be do everything
00:48:23.64\00:48:26.44
and of besides that
your desire tonight.
00:48:26.47\00:48:28.11
I want to invite you to
stand with me saying Lord,
00:48:28.14\00:48:31.63
help me because I
can't help myself.
00:48:31.66\00:48:33.91
Help me to keep my
eyes fixed on Jesus.
00:48:33.94\00:48:37.92
Help Jesus to be the reason
and the motivation for service.
00:48:37.95\00:48:42.41
Help Jesus to be everything
that drives me forward
00:48:42.44\00:48:47.13
to take the gospel to
the world in this generation.
00:48:47.16\00:48:51.57
Tonight I can't close this with
00:48:51.60\00:48:56.92
an opportunity to
give you to respond.
00:48:56.95\00:49:03.04
If there someone here tonight,
00:49:07.29\00:49:12.69
that hasn't fully surrendered
their life to Jesus Christ.
00:49:12.72\00:49:17.98
If there's someone
here tonight that perhaps
00:49:18.01\00:49:20.68
you've given 50%,
perhaps you've given 90%,
00:49:20.71\00:49:23.56
perhaps you've even
given 99% but you know,
00:49:23.59\00:49:26.16
in your heart of hearts that
there is aspect of your heart
00:49:26.19\00:49:29.73
that you haven't
fully laid on the altar.
00:49:29.76\00:49:32.26
And tonight you want
to say Jesus take my heart
00:49:32.29\00:49:36.76
because I can't give it.
00:49:36.79\00:49:37.96
I want to lay
myself unreservedly
00:49:37.99\00:49:40.34
on the altar of
sacrifice for you because
00:49:40.37\00:49:42.83
of what You have
done for me 100%.
00:49:42.86\00:49:46.71
I want to invite
you to come forward.
00:49:46.74\00:49:50.58
There is no merit
in coming forward.
00:49:50.61\00:49:54.12
Coming forward is
a physical response
00:49:54.15\00:49:57.60
that solidifies a
spiritual decision, amen.
00:49:57.63\00:50:01.13
So I want to invite you
to come forward tonight.
00:50:01.16\00:50:03.26
You have not made a full
surrendered to Jesus Christ
00:50:03.29\00:50:06.33
but--but you want to.
00:50:06.36\00:50:09.77
You haven't given 100%.
00:50:09.80\00:50:11.42
Someone here is being
called in the mission field
00:50:11.45\00:50:14.61
and you're struggling
and you want to say Lord,
00:50:14.64\00:50:17.48
I'll go where You want me to go.
00:50:17.51\00:50:18.98
I'll be what You want me to be.
00:50:19.01\00:50:20.46
Someone here tonight
is putting the opinions
00:50:20.49\00:50:23.46
of their boyfriend or
girlfriend above Jesus Christ
00:50:23.49\00:50:26.44
and you want to say, Lord,
00:50:26.47\00:50:27.62
I want to placed
You first in my life.
00:50:27.65\00:50:29.91
I want to invite
you to forward tonight.
00:50:29.94\00:50:31.31
Someone here tonight
is experiencing challenges
00:50:31.34\00:50:35.42
with stewardship
and God is calling
00:50:35.45\00:50:38.24
you to be faithful
stewards and you want
00:50:38.27\00:50:40.16
to lay that on the altar.
00:50:40.19\00:50:41.73
I want to invite
you to forward tonight.
00:50:41.76\00:50:44.07
You want to lay yourself
100% on the altar and say Lord.
00:50:44.10\00:50:49.08
take my heart
because I can't give it.
00:50:49.11\00:50:51.80
Do for me what I'm
incapable of doing for myself.
00:50:51.83\00:50:55.57
Please give me the
gift of repentance.
00:50:55.60\00:51:00.55
Father, help us.
00:51:00.58\00:51:03.47
Father, reveal Jesus to us.
00:51:03.50\00:51:06.28
Father, may Jesus
be the motivation.
00:51:06.31\00:51:10.30
There is nothing more
that Jesus could've done
00:51:10.33\00:51:14.59
that he-- and He did at Calvary.
00:51:14.62\00:51:17.35
All of heaven was poured
out in that gift of Jesus Christ
00:51:17.38\00:51:21.42
and that's why
we're here friends.
00:51:21.45\00:51:25.12
That's why we exist this GYC.
00:51:25.15\00:51:28.55
That's why we go door to door.
00:51:28.58\00:51:30.07
That's why we
sacrifice our Christmas vacation
00:51:30.10\00:51:33.31
it's because of Jesus.
00:51:33.34\00:51:39.01
I want to invite you to bow
your heads with me as we pray.
00:51:39.04\00:51:44.42
Our Father in heaven,
00:51:48.11\00:51:53.82
Lord, I wish that I had
00:51:53.85\00:51:57.32
the tongue of an
angel that I could convey
00:51:57.35\00:52:00.22
how much You love us.
00:52:00.25\00:52:03.65
All that I had
the language of Canaan
00:52:03.68\00:52:06.13
that I could deliver a
message worthy of Your love.
00:52:06.16\00:52:13.36
We're thankful that
You make up the difference.
00:52:13.39\00:52:15.28
And Father, tonight,
Your people have stood,
00:52:15.31\00:52:19.41
saying Lord we want
Jesus to be out motivation.
00:52:19.44\00:52:24.80
We want Jesus to
be the individual
00:52:24.83\00:52:27.20
that drives us,
that motivates us.
00:52:27.23\00:52:31.45
That no matter the
challenges it brings us forward.
00:52:31.48\00:52:36.35
Lord some have come
forward tonight saying,
00:52:36.38\00:52:40.01
I want to give everything.
00:52:40.04\00:52:43.07
There is something that I
had been keeping from the altar
00:52:43.10\00:52:45.04
and I want to lay it down.
00:52:45.07\00:52:46.32
I pray for them tonight.
00:52:46.35\00:52:48.65
I pray that You would
do for the individuals.
00:52:48.68\00:52:55.08
Give them the
gift of repentance.
00:52:55.11\00:52:58.51
Give them Your spirit.
00:52:58.54\00:53:01.50
Give them Your
world of righteousness.
00:53:01.53\00:53:03.32
Cover them and we pray
that You would work in them
00:53:03.35\00:53:07.14
both to will and to
do of Your good pleasure.
00:53:07.17\00:53:12.54
Take our hearts
because we cannot give it.
00:53:12.57\00:53:18.08
For we ask these
things in Jesus name
00:53:18.11\00:53:22.31
and for His sake, amen.
00:53:22.34\00:53:27.56