Hello, and welcome to
Behold the Lamb Presents.
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I'm Chris Shelton, your host.
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I wanna thank you, thank
you, thank you for joining us.
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Today's message is entitled,
"Following Christ all the Way."
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And it is the 24th
lesson in our 25 part series
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that we have been
doing in conjunction
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with this Bible Study
Guide that is entitled,
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"Sharing God's
Love Makes You Happier,
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What the Bible Says."
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This study brochure was compiled
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by Brother Richard Bland,
of United Prison Ministries.
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And we are soon to
complete this series.
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It has truly been a blessing,
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as we have experienced
the power of the Holy Spirit
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and the presentation
of these timely studies.
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Again, Following
Christ all the Way
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is our message for today.
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And during today's study
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we will find answers
to questions such as,
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"How far Jesus was
willing to go to save us?"
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"How far we must be
willing to go for Him?"
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And once we've
begun serving Him,
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what should we
purpose in our hearts to do.
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There are
encouraging and challenging
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biblical answers
to these questions
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as well as
several other questions
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that we hope to cover today.
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But before we are blessed
to join Pastor Kenny Shelton,
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let's visit 3ABN and
listen to John Stoddart
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as he plays and
sings, "Give Me Your Heart."
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Holding on to faded dreams
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Of yesterday
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Wondering how this heart of mine
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is broken into
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Still I can't remember
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last I wore a smile
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And lately children's laughter
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Just brings tears to my eyes
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But with every passing day
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You give strength along the way
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When I hear you gently say to me
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Give me your heart
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Again your tears
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Your disappointment
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And your fears
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The burdens you've carried
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Through the years
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Just give me
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Your heart
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And when you've done
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All you can do
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And your broken promises
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Have fallen through
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All that I'm asking of you
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Is that you give me your heart
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Now those faded dreams
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Have come to life again
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I've never known a love like
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This before
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You kissed away my tears
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Now I can smile
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Oh, Lord
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And in my heart there's joy
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I've been longing for
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But with every passing day
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No matter come what may
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You'll be here for me
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Always, and forever
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You offer something better
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And I believe you when you say
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Give me your heart again
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Your tears
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Your disappointment
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And your fears
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The burdens you carried
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Through the years
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Just give me
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Your heart
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And when you've
done all you can do
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And your broken promises
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Have fallen through
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All that I'm asking of you
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Is that you give me
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your heart
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All that I'm
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Asking of you
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Is that you give me
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Your heart
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Give me your
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Your heart
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Thanks for joining us once again
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here at Behold the Lamb.
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We appreciate you so very much,
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and appreciate your prayers
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and appreciate your
phone calls, your letters,
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and your support of
Behold the Lamb Ministry
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to get this gospel
word to go around the world.
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Praise God for that.
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Today, as you've already
heard, we're going to be...
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It's most interesting
subject, one, you will say,
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"Oh, this is awful simple."
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But, you know, sometimes
we miss the simple things.
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"Following Christ all the Way."
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How can that be accomplished?
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Following Christ all the Way.
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Now we're gonna
look into that subject
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here in just a moment.
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But first we're
going to have prayer.
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And I want to
invite you to pray with me.
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I'm gonna kneel,
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you just pray with me
where you can, please.
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Loving Father in heaven,
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truly we thank You for
the privilege of prayer,
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we thank You we
can call Your Father.
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Today, we just
want to submit ourself,
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our mind, our body, our soul,
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that I care and
I keep and we pray
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that You will use us
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for your honor
and for Your glory.
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We ask for forgiveness of sin,
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anything in our hearts and
life that need not be there.
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We need open
communication with you.
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We pray the
heaven will speak to us.
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And we are just asking,
would have ears to hear,
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what you have in
store for us today.
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And we thank You
in Jesus' name, amen.
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As always,
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it's very good to be able
to have your pencil and paper,
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and your Bible ready
because, you know, Bible says,
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"Study to show
thyself approved unto God."
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And the only way we
can be approved unto God...
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that means,
approved or disapproved.
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So approved means,
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we're gonna be
in the Word of God
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and we're gonna be
going line upon line,
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precept upon precept,
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here a little
and there a little,
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so we cover
things rather quickly
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in the time that we have to do,
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but today
following Christ all the way.
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Now, how does...
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How is that accomplished?
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Well, you know, there's a
story told of Leonardo da Vinci.
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Anybody know Leonardo da Vinci?
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He was what?
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He was... He is a
painter, wasn't he?
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Yeah. Yeah.
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Well, you know, what a
man, he certainly had such a,
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really had a talent.
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But he was the one
that painted the scene,
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if you
remember, a lot of things,
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but he painted the
scene of the Last Supper
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and the disciples.
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And many of you may not have...
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Maybe you read,
maybe you haven't.
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But you think, "Well,
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that's just a
little picture as it were,
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Jesus and the
disciples around the table."
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It took him three years
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to accomplish
that little picture.
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And, of course, that's not for,
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you know, since I don't paint,
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I'm just saying,
"Oh, that's a long time."
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But took him
three years to do it
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and when it was all finished,
he was excited about it.
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And so, what does he do?
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Like sometime, like we do,
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we call maybe our best
friend or a good friend
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and somebody we know
that will be honest with us.
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And so, he called
a friend and said,
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"Come in, I want you
to look at this picture
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and tell me exactly
what you think about it."
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And the friend
looked at the picture,
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and then he
looked at this angle,
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he looked at that
angle, and he said,
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"I tell you, this is beautiful.
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This is a
wonderful, wonderful picture."
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And he said, "Well, what's
you think so wonderful about it,
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what captivates your
eye when you look at it?"
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And the guy said, "Well,
when I look at the picture,
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I see the cup that you painted.
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That cup is just so beautiful.
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I can't take my eyes off of it.
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I can't divert my
attention from off of that cup."
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Immediately,
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Leonardo da Vinci
had his paintbrush
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with some paint on it
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and right quick
he smeared that cup.
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And he looked at
that and he said,
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"You know,
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nothing shall detract
from the figure of Christ."
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You know, maybe that's the way
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it should be in our
life, anything that may be,
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you know, detract us
or gets us off course
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from Jesus Christ,
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from following Him all
the way is going to have to go
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even if it calls
years as it did him,
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and his labor, and his work.
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But he said, "I
want Jesus to stand out."
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So I know that you do too
following Christ all the way.
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People talk a lot
about this subject.
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We hear them talk all the time,
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that could be in
the supermarkets,
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it could be at your
workplace, whatever it is,
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people are talking
about Jesus and following Him.
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But what does that
really, exactly does that mean,
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following Jesus all the way?
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Different people have
different explanations
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about what it takes to
follow Jesus all the way.
00:10:52.11\00:10:55.38
Well, you know, one
day we think about it,
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it won't be long that I believe,
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that the nearness of
Jesus, His coming is very soon,
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it's even, you know,
it's near even at the door.
00:11:02.46\00:11:04.79
And we need to really be
ready, our eyes need to be open,
00:11:04.83\00:11:07.43
our ears open,
00:11:07.46\00:11:08.80
to see what's going
on in the world today.
00:11:08.83\00:11:11.83
But I know this in
Christ time, in Christ time,
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and maybe even
today, if a rabbi,
00:11:16.87\00:11:19.07
a lot of rabbis and
rabbi would go along,
00:11:19.11\00:11:21.04
and sometime they
would choose young men
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to follow them and to learn,
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you know, what becomes
to be a rabbi to follow him.
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It was a real honor
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if that young person
was chosen to be a rabbi,
00:11:32.15\00:11:35.99
to become a complete teacher
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they needed
someone to look up to.
00:11:37.99\00:11:41.26
And certainly he
accepted that invitation.
00:11:41.30\00:11:43.60
And if he did, this meant
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that he had to submit
everything to the rabbi.
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He no longer
would really be thinking
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on his own anymore,
00:11:51.27\00:11:52.61
but he submitted
everything to the rabbi,
00:11:52.64\00:11:55.31
rabbi's authority.
00:11:55.34\00:11:57.31
Wherever they go,
00:11:57.35\00:11:58.68
what they would do
is what the rabbi said,
00:11:58.71\00:12:00.62
they're just going to do.
00:12:00.65\00:12:02.38
What the rabbi
ate, the student ate.
00:12:02.42\00:12:04.95
And so it's very
interesting here.
00:12:04.99\00:12:06.79
Basically, you become a rabbi,
00:12:06.82\00:12:10.73
you become that rabbi.
00:12:10.76\00:12:13.09
And notice how closely
that should be maybe to us
00:12:13.13\00:12:15.56
as we are imitating Jesus Christ
00:12:15.60\00:12:17.73
that we should become like Him.
00:12:17.77\00:12:20.87
If we are imitating
Him, we will be like Jesus.
00:12:20.90\00:12:25.57
Jesus invited His
disciples to experience
00:12:25.61\00:12:29.24
what it means to follow Him.
00:12:29.28\00:12:31.31
How wonderful, Jesus always
set such a wonderful example,
00:12:31.35\00:12:33.85
didn't He?
00:12:33.88\00:12:35.22
He might tell you something,
then He'd give you an example.
00:12:35.25\00:12:37.25
So, you know, we
couldn't really mess up
00:12:37.29\00:12:39.22
so we know exactly how to do it.
00:12:39.25\00:12:42.86
Jesus wanted and I think
His disciples and us today
00:12:42.89\00:12:47.00
to share His enthusiasm.
00:12:47.03\00:12:49.46
You know,
shouldn't we be enthusiastic
00:12:49.50\00:12:51.10
as Christians today?
00:12:51.13\00:12:52.77
Yeah, of the
promise of His soon coming,
00:12:52.80\00:12:55.10
the promise of a new home, a
new life living for eternity?
00:12:55.14\00:12:58.17
Absolutely.
00:12:58.21\00:13:00.31
And Jesus wanted
them to be enthusiastic
00:13:00.34\00:13:03.08
about what He was saying.
00:13:03.11\00:13:04.45
And he wanted them
to catch the vision,
00:13:04.48\00:13:06.58
the good news of salvation,
00:13:06.61\00:13:10.35
and the message to
give to the whole world.
00:13:10.39\00:13:13.46
I wonder if we've
caught that enthusiasm today,
00:13:13.49\00:13:16.36
or maybe something
else has got our attention,
00:13:16.39\00:13:19.13
and we're really
enthused about this.
00:13:19.16\00:13:21.13
If there's anything
that you're enthused
00:13:21.16\00:13:22.76
more than Jesus Christ,
00:13:22.80\00:13:24.90
maybe we should
let that thing go.
00:13:24.93\00:13:28.00
This will be the object of
following Jesus all the way,
00:13:28.04\00:13:30.64
can there be something that,
00:13:30.67\00:13:32.01
you know, gives
us more excitement
00:13:32.04\00:13:33.38
and more thrill and
we want to be there,
00:13:33.41\00:13:36.34
we want to be maybe at church
or studying the Word of God.
00:13:36.38\00:13:40.38
See, to follow Jesus,
00:13:40.42\00:13:41.75
I really believe it means just
to recognize Him for who He is.
00:13:41.78\00:13:46.42
Recognize Him for who He is.
00:13:46.45\00:13:49.02
He is the Messiah, is He not?
00:13:49.06\00:13:51.13
He's the Lord, He
should be Lord of our life.
00:13:51.16\00:13:54.20
He's the Son of God.
00:13:54.23\00:13:56.63
Paul declared it
this way in Romans 10:9.
00:13:56.67\00:14:00.50
He said these simple
words, but notice, he says,
00:14:00.54\00:14:02.77
"If you declare with your mouth
00:14:02.80\00:14:06.04
Jesus is Lord and
you believe with," what,
00:14:06.07\00:14:10.38
"with your heart that
God raised Him from the dead,
00:14:10.41\00:14:13.48
you shall be saved."
00:14:13.52\00:14:15.88
I mean, that's
quite a promise there.
00:14:15.92\00:14:18.15
But sometime people
take it a little bit too far
00:14:18.19\00:14:20.36
and they take it out of context.
00:14:20.39\00:14:21.86
But notice how Jesus said it.
00:14:21.89\00:14:24.06
If you're going to declare...
00:14:24.09\00:14:25.43
Should we as Christian declare
that Jesus, right, is Lord?
00:14:25.46\00:14:29.20
Should we declare
that we believe in Jesus?
00:14:29.23\00:14:31.50
Absolutely, we should.
00:14:31.53\00:14:33.60
And that we
believe in our heart.
00:14:33.64\00:14:35.30
I believe that He
rose from the dead.
00:14:35.34\00:14:37.27
I wasn't there
and I didn't see it,
00:14:37.31\00:14:39.04
but I believe it.
00:14:39.07\00:14:40.81
That's the
Christian hope, is it not?
00:14:40.84\00:14:43.04
Don't lose that.
00:14:43.08\00:14:44.98
The Bible makes it
clear that we will follow Him
00:14:45.01\00:14:48.12
or we need to be following Him.
00:14:48.15\00:14:50.75
John 8:31-32.
00:14:50.79\00:14:53.36
Write those
passages down if you can.
00:14:53.39\00:14:55.49
John 8:31-32.
00:14:55.52\00:14:58.59
Notice what Jesus says.
00:14:58.63\00:15:01.30
It says, "And then
Jesus said to those Jews
00:15:01.33\00:15:04.23
which believed on
Him," now notice this,
00:15:04.27\00:15:07.67
"if you continue in my
word, then you are," what?
00:15:07.70\00:15:12.34
"Then you are my
disciples indeed."
00:15:12.37\00:15:15.24
Verse 32,
00:15:15.28\00:15:16.61
"And you shall know the truth,
00:15:16.64\00:15:18.35
and the truth
shall make you free."
00:15:18.38\00:15:21.85
We often talk about that.
00:15:21.88\00:15:23.72
Those passages, I'm telling you,
00:15:23.75\00:15:25.09
are wonderful
and they are powerful
00:15:25.12\00:15:27.56
in learning how to
follow Jesus all the way.
00:15:27.59\00:15:31.63
See, we maybe can't
today follow Jesus physically
00:15:31.66\00:15:36.33
as when He walked on this earth.
00:15:36.36\00:15:38.63
But, you know, the
Bible makes it clear
00:15:38.67\00:15:40.40
that we can follow
Him because it said,
00:15:40.44\00:15:42.50
"Jesus said to them,
'If you continue in," what?
00:15:42.54\00:15:46.14
"In My word.'"
00:15:46.17\00:15:47.51
So as long as we're continuing
00:15:47.54\00:15:48.88
in the Word of God,
00:15:48.91\00:15:50.25
there's hope for us.
00:15:50.28\00:15:51.61
If we discontinue in the Word,
00:15:51.65\00:15:53.92
we might have
some problems there,
00:15:53.95\00:15:55.28
would we not?
00:15:55.32\00:15:56.65
We have to continue,
00:15:56.69\00:15:58.02
then you're going
to be His disciples.
00:15:58.05\00:15:59.52
And then He said, "If
you continue in My Word,
00:15:59.55\00:16:01.49
then you shall know," what?
00:16:01.52\00:16:03.76
"Of the truth and
the truth shall," what?
00:16:03.79\00:16:05.83
"Really set you free from sin,"
00:16:05.86\00:16:07.50
that we've
talked about so often.
00:16:07.53\00:16:10.23
I mean, these are really
powerful if we look at them
00:16:10.27\00:16:13.13
because we want to
be set free from sin.
00:16:13.17\00:16:16.17
We want to be able to follow Him
00:16:16.20\00:16:18.47
all the way in our life.
00:16:18.51\00:16:20.88
We don't want to be a
make-believe religion, do we?
00:16:20.91\00:16:23.65
We don't want to just
pretend when we come to church.
00:16:23.68\00:16:26.38
I'm sure that's
not what we want to do.
00:16:26.41\00:16:27.78
We want our experience
with Christ to be what?
00:16:27.82\00:16:30.79
Real.
00:16:30.82\00:16:32.59
That we really want to come.
00:16:32.62\00:16:34.49
We're not coming to
church because for the pastor,
00:16:34.52\00:16:37.13
we shouldn't be
coming to the church
00:16:37.16\00:16:38.49
because of
somebody in the church,
00:16:38.53\00:16:40.73
even though it's
nice to have that contact.
00:16:40.76\00:16:43.06
We come for what?
00:16:43.10\00:16:44.73
Children say,
"Well, we like to come
00:16:44.77\00:16:46.10
because there's a lot of
kids here and we come to play."
00:16:46.13\00:16:48.24
You play with
him five days a week
00:16:48.27\00:16:50.21
while you were at school.
00:16:50.24\00:16:51.77
When we come here,
we need to be taught,
00:16:51.81\00:16:53.78
even as youth, we come
to fellowship with God.
00:16:53.81\00:16:56.61
Isn't that right?
00:16:56.64\00:16:57.98
With angels of heaven.
00:16:58.01\00:17:00.25
It's not to do the
things that we ordinarily do
00:17:00.28\00:17:02.75
during the work
week, as it were.
00:17:02.78\00:17:05.92
He said, "If you
continue in My Word,
00:17:05.95\00:17:07.66
then you're going to be free,"
free from sin, praise God.
00:17:07.69\00:17:11.19
But you know what?
00:17:11.23\00:17:12.56
On the other hand then
Jesus makes it just as clear
00:17:12.59\00:17:15.36
for those who
are trying to follow.
00:17:15.40\00:17:17.23
How do I follow Jesus?
00:17:17.27\00:17:18.63
Can I follow Him all the way?
00:17:18.67\00:17:20.40
He makes it very clear
in the Bible in John 8:47.
00:17:20.44\00:17:25.47
In John 8:47,
00:17:25.51\00:17:28.54
Jesus makes it real clear
00:17:28.58\00:17:30.15
about those who do
not continue in the Word.
00:17:30.18\00:17:35.25
You know, I like both,
00:17:35.28\00:17:36.62
I'd like to
know both, don't you?
00:17:36.65\00:17:38.22
He tells me, "If you continue,
this is what's going to happen.
00:17:38.25\00:17:40.86
If you don't continue,
here's what's going to happen."
00:17:40.89\00:17:43.86
Notice the Word of God,
"He that is of God," notice,
00:17:43.89\00:17:47.96
"heareth," what?
00:17:48.00\00:17:49.80
"Heareth God's words."
00:17:49.83\00:17:51.43
So a person, you say, "Well,
00:17:51.47\00:17:52.80
I don't know if
I'm in God or not,
00:17:52.83\00:17:54.17
I don't know if I'm
the person who is in God."
00:17:54.20\00:17:56.17
Those who are wanting
00:17:56.20\00:17:57.54
to follow God
heareth God's word,
00:17:57.57\00:18:01.38
very good.
00:18:01.41\00:18:02.74
And then Jesus
turned around, He says,
00:18:02.78\00:18:04.71
"Ye therefore hear them
not because you're not of God."
00:18:04.75\00:18:09.48
So it makes a lot of sense.
00:18:09.52\00:18:11.05
If you hear the Word of God,
00:18:11.09\00:18:12.72
you're listening
to the Word of God,
00:18:12.75\00:18:14.72
you're enjoying the Word of God,
00:18:14.76\00:18:16.29
you're excited
about the Word of God.
00:18:16.32\00:18:18.76
You can't wait to
get to open the pages
00:18:18.79\00:18:21.20
in the morning
when you're studying
00:18:21.23\00:18:22.70
or at church.
00:18:22.73\00:18:24.97
Then you say, "Well, that..."
00:18:25.00\00:18:27.34
I'm hearing, they're
hearing the Word of God.
00:18:27.37\00:18:29.50
"Faith cometh by hearing
00:18:29.54\00:18:30.87
and hearing by the Word of God."
00:18:30.91\00:18:32.44
But there are those who hear
but yet they really don't hear.
00:18:32.47\00:18:36.64
Are there people like
that in the world today?
00:18:36.68\00:18:39.15
Oh, they hear it
and they say I know,
00:18:39.18\00:18:41.82
but they don't want to do
00:18:41.85\00:18:43.49
or to become a
part of God's family.
00:18:43.52\00:18:46.62
You know this...
00:18:46.65\00:18:48.12
Most of you know
Charles Spurgeon.
00:18:48.16\00:18:50.49
He was one of
the great preachers.
00:18:50.53\00:18:51.99
I guess he's on the
early days, we call it here.
00:18:52.03\00:18:55.86
When he got ready to die,
it was very, very interesting.
00:18:55.90\00:18:59.07
He lay on his
deathbed and he had a few words
00:18:59.10\00:19:01.00
he wanted to say,
00:19:01.04\00:19:02.37
and he has begun to
testify to a friend.
00:19:02.40\00:19:04.51
Now here's a
man on his deathbed,
00:19:04.54\00:19:06.54
knowing soon to
die, and he makes it.
00:19:06.57\00:19:09.51
You know, to me,
it's a profound statement.
00:19:09.54\00:19:12.28
He said, "My
theology," notice that,
00:19:12.31\00:19:14.42
"My theology now is
found in four words.
00:19:14.45\00:19:18.22
My theology is
found in four words,
00:19:18.25\00:19:21.26
Jesus died for me."
00:19:21.29\00:19:24.49
Well, that's kind
of exciting, isn't it?
00:19:24.53\00:19:27.06
That should be real exciting.
00:19:27.10\00:19:28.43
You should look
today, Jesus died for me.
00:19:28.46\00:19:30.80
Interesting.
00:19:30.83\00:19:32.17
He had a lot of words to say
and many thousands of sermons
00:19:32.20\00:19:34.90
that were preached,
00:19:34.94\00:19:36.27
many thousands gave
their life to Jesus Christ.
00:19:36.30\00:19:39.11
But notice, now on his deathbed,
00:19:39.14\00:19:40.51
he just simply
says, "I'm changing...
00:19:40.54\00:19:42.14
not really changing my theology,
00:19:42.18\00:19:43.51
but it's a little bit different.
00:19:43.55\00:19:44.88
Jesus died for me," huh.
00:19:44.91\00:19:48.38
Now he said, "Now remember,"
00:19:48.42\00:19:49.82
he told the man
he was talking to,
00:19:49.85\00:19:51.19
"remember now, I didn't
say if God would heal me,
00:19:51.22\00:19:54.56
and that if He
should raise me up off
00:19:54.59\00:19:55.92
of this bed of affliction,
00:19:55.96\00:19:58.26
that I wouldn't
preach some other things."
00:19:58.29\00:20:00.76
But he said, "Taking
consideration but it's more,
00:20:00.80\00:20:04.80
Jesus died for me
00:20:04.83\00:20:06.50
is more than enough
for me to die upon."
00:20:06.53\00:20:11.01
Isn't that interesting?
00:20:11.04\00:20:13.81
It's an
interesting thought for sure
00:20:13.84\00:20:15.48
that we need to
keep in our hearts
00:20:15.51\00:20:16.95
and certainly in our minds.
00:20:16.98\00:20:19.58
This needs to be made, I think,
00:20:19.61\00:20:21.08
plain as we study
the Word of God here
00:20:21.12\00:20:24.82
and ask a question.
00:20:24.85\00:20:26.19
I want to ask a question to you
00:20:26.22\00:20:27.56
and see what you
think about this question.
00:20:27.59\00:20:29.69
You know, really, are we really
following Christ all the way?
00:20:29.72\00:20:33.66
If it is, we'll come
back to the question,
00:20:33.70\00:20:35.13
how far was Jesus
willing to go for us?
00:20:35.16\00:20:39.73
How far was He
willing to go for us?
00:20:39.77\00:20:42.57
Would He just go a
certain distance and then say,
00:20:42.60\00:20:45.21
"Well, that's far enough
00:20:45.24\00:20:46.57
because they're not
worth any more than this."
00:20:46.61\00:20:49.44
How far was Jesus
willing to go for us?
00:20:49.48\00:20:52.08
Philippians 2, Philippians 2:5,
00:20:52.11\00:20:56.55
notice this through 8.
00:20:56.58\00:20:59.75
You know this passage,
00:20:59.79\00:21:01.12
at least some of them very well.
00:21:01.16\00:21:02.86
But notice, how far
was Jesus willing to go?
00:21:02.89\00:21:05.93
See, this is part of...
00:21:05.96\00:21:07.66
He's willing to
go this far for me.
00:21:07.70\00:21:09.73
How far am I
willing to go for Him?
00:21:09.76\00:21:12.30
How far am I
willing to follow Him?
00:21:12.33\00:21:13.80
How far did Jesus go for me?
00:21:13.84\00:21:15.94
Bible said in Philippians 2:5-8.
00:21:15.97\00:21:18.54
First of all, "Let this, what?
00:21:18.57\00:21:20.94
"Let this mind be in you,
00:21:20.98\00:21:22.68
which was also in Christ Jesus."
00:21:22.71\00:21:26.15
Very good. Notice that.
00:21:26.18\00:21:27.92
Verse 6, "Who,
being in the form of God,
00:21:27.95\00:21:32.32
thought it not
robbery to be equal with God."
00:21:32.35\00:21:35.72
Verse 7,
00:21:35.76\00:21:37.09
"But made of
Himself no reputation."
00:21:37.13\00:21:40.43
I like that, notice.
00:21:40.46\00:21:42.03
"He took upon
Himself the form of," what,
00:21:42.06\00:21:45.07
"a servant and was
made in the likeness of men.
00:21:45.10\00:21:48.67
Verse 8.
00:21:48.70\00:21:50.04
We'll go back and
talk about it in a moment,
00:21:50.07\00:21:51.41
verse 8.
00:21:51.44\00:21:52.77
"And being found in
the fashion as a man,
00:21:52.81\00:21:55.58
He humbled Himself,
became obedient unto death,
00:21:55.61\00:22:01.25
even the death of the cross."
00:22:01.28\00:22:03.85
How far was Jesus willing
to go for you and for me?
00:22:03.89\00:22:08.12
If you're questioning today,
00:22:08.16\00:22:09.49
how far do I go to
get a hold of Christ,
00:22:09.52\00:22:12.69
to find Him?
00:22:12.73\00:22:14.06
We must go all the way with Him
00:22:14.10\00:22:15.43
because Christ went
all the way, didn't He?
00:22:15.46\00:22:17.20
He gave His life, He
went all the way to Calvary.
00:22:17.23\00:22:19.93
But notice, the
Bible said right here
00:22:19.97\00:22:21.77
that He was equal with God.
00:22:21.80\00:22:25.41
Man,
00:22:25.44\00:22:26.78
think about the
one who came down here
00:22:26.81\00:22:28.44
and lived and died, was
equal as it were with God,
00:22:28.48\00:22:32.11
but He didn't make of
Himself any reputation.
00:22:32.15\00:22:34.68
He took the form of a servant,
00:22:34.72\00:22:36.18
and what you and I
need to be thankful
00:22:36.22\00:22:37.82
thinking about this.
00:22:37.85\00:22:40.06
Not always put
in a high position,
00:22:40.09\00:22:41.42
but He took the
form of a servant.
00:22:41.46\00:22:43.59
"He was made in the likeness,"
00:22:43.63\00:22:45.19
notice this,
"the likeness of men."
00:22:45.23\00:22:47.16
This means, in the
likeness of sinful flesh.
00:22:47.20\00:22:50.20
Is somebody still with me?
00:22:50.23\00:22:52.13
That's hard for some people
to get through their head.
00:22:52.17\00:22:53.70
"In the likeness
of sinful flesh."
00:22:53.74\00:22:55.40
Of course, He did no sin,
but in the likeness of what?
00:22:55.44\00:22:59.07
In sinful man, to be My example.
00:22:59.11\00:23:02.74
It's all right, it's all good.
00:23:02.78\00:23:04.11
Notice that, how do I
know in the sinful flesh?
00:23:04.15\00:23:06.45
Because Romans 8:30
said, He came in sinful flesh.
00:23:06.48\00:23:12.19
It didn't mean He
was sinful at all,
00:23:12.22\00:23:13.62
but He came
with the possibility.
00:23:13.66\00:23:15.32
And every time I
say that on the air,
00:23:15.36\00:23:16.76
somebody writes letters
and they get little upset.
00:23:16.79\00:23:19.59
They get little upset.
00:23:19.63\00:23:20.96
Now He had to have an edge.
00:23:21.00\00:23:22.33
He had to have
something that's better because,
00:23:22.36\00:23:23.97
you know, it just is impossible
00:23:24.00\00:23:25.33
to go through
life and not sin...
00:23:25.37\00:23:27.17
They don't know Jesus, do they?
00:23:27.20\00:23:29.40
They don't know the commitment
that He had for you and me.
00:23:29.44\00:23:32.34
If He had messed it up,
00:23:32.37\00:23:34.48
the whole world
would have been lost.
00:23:34.51\00:23:36.34
Every human being
would have been lost.
00:23:36.38\00:23:38.61
So He went all the way for us.
00:23:38.65\00:23:40.62
Think about it,
it says sinful flesh.
00:23:40.65\00:23:43.59
Angels desire to
know how Jesus could live
00:23:43.62\00:23:49.56
and how Jesus could work
in a sinful, fallen world.
00:23:49.59\00:23:52.59
They were amazed
00:23:52.63\00:23:54.33
that He was
willing to come down here,
00:23:54.36\00:23:55.70
where they not?
00:23:55.73\00:23:57.07
You think about
it. Wouldn't they be?
00:23:57.10\00:23:58.43
If your leader would say,
"I'm going to go down there.
00:23:58.47\00:24:00.60
And I'm going to
be like one of them."
00:24:00.64\00:24:01.97
They'd say, "Why?
00:24:02.00\00:24:04.57
Why?
00:24:04.61\00:24:06.11
How can you go down
there and live with this mess?
00:24:06.14\00:24:08.64
How can you go down and
live with these sinners,
00:24:08.68\00:24:11.35
this fallen world?
00:24:11.38\00:24:14.75
How could you be
around such people like that?
00:24:14.78\00:24:17.15
How could you mingle?"
00:24:17.19\00:24:18.99
Well, sometimes,
00:24:19.02\00:24:20.36
we as Christians might
think that we have someone else,
00:24:20.39\00:24:22.16
we need to be very careful.
00:24:22.19\00:24:24.03
Well, we can't mingle
with him while we can't do.
00:24:24.06\00:24:26.56
Well, we need to be around,
00:24:26.59\00:24:27.96
we need to try to
give them something,
00:24:28.00\00:24:29.33
give them Jesus.
00:24:29.36\00:24:31.27
Notice, Christ hated sin.
00:24:31.30\00:24:34.04
Is that a good word to use?
00:24:34.07\00:24:35.40
He actually hated sin.
00:24:35.44\00:24:38.14
But He was tender
and He was compassionate,
00:24:38.17\00:24:42.24
notice, with people, what?
00:24:42.28\00:24:44.05
Toward people who committed sin.
00:24:44.08\00:24:46.82
Isn't that wonderful to know?
00:24:46.85\00:24:48.25
He hated sin with
the righteous hatred,
00:24:48.28\00:24:50.92
and He hated it.
00:24:50.95\00:24:52.29
But He went ahead
00:24:52.32\00:24:53.66
and had
compassion on people like me.
00:24:53.69\00:24:55.02
The Bible says,
00:24:55.06\00:24:56.39
"All have sinned and come
short of the glory of God."
00:24:56.42\00:24:59.79
So I think,
00:24:59.83\00:25:01.16
in this following
Christ all the way,
00:25:01.20\00:25:02.86
we need to realize
that Jesus was a real man.
00:25:02.90\00:25:06.63
Did we get that?
00:25:06.67\00:25:08.00
Jesus was a what?
00:25:08.04\00:25:09.50
He was a real man.
00:25:09.54\00:25:11.04
He was not a make-believe man.
00:25:11.07\00:25:13.91
He didn't have something
00:25:13.94\00:25:15.28
that we can't
have by faith today.
00:25:15.31\00:25:18.98
But still, He was a real man,
00:25:19.01\00:25:20.62
but He was still
God in the flesh.
00:25:20.65\00:25:23.55
Man, that's heavy duty
when you think about it,
00:25:23.59\00:25:25.59
a little bit beyond our minds.
00:25:25.62\00:25:28.06
But God makes it
clear enough in His Word
00:25:28.09\00:25:29.72
that we can understand
what He's talking about,
00:25:29.76\00:25:32.46
God in the flesh.
00:25:32.49\00:25:33.83
We just read that
He was equal with God,
00:25:33.86\00:25:36.03
"He thought it not
robbery to be equal with God."
00:25:36.06\00:25:39.87
And because He
was equal with God
00:25:39.90\00:25:41.54
and because He was without sin,
00:25:41.57\00:25:43.27
He could therefore
become My sin offering.
00:25:43.30\00:25:46.41
How wonderful that is. What?
00:25:46.44\00:25:48.44
Sin offering for
my transgressions.
00:25:48.48\00:25:52.85
Praise the Lord for that.
00:25:52.88\00:25:54.38
Now this needs to be
00:25:54.42\00:25:55.75
a little bit
plain before we go on,
00:25:55.78\00:25:57.12
so no one says,
00:25:57.15\00:25:58.79
"Well, I didn't
quite understand that."
00:25:58.82\00:26:01.46
Two points, quickly.
00:26:01.49\00:26:03.29
The nature Jesus took
when He came down here.
00:26:03.32\00:26:08.10
Number two, the liabilities
He took while on earth.
00:26:08.13\00:26:12.80
This is where it
upsets some people
00:26:12.83\00:26:14.97
and they can't quite
get it clear from scripture.
00:26:15.00\00:26:17.34
You have your Bibles,
00:26:17.37\00:26:18.71
I want you to turn with me
00:26:18.74\00:26:20.08
to the Book of
Hebrews if you will.
00:26:20.11\00:26:21.71
Hebrews Chapter
2, I believe it is,
00:26:21.74\00:26:23.95
Hebrews Chapter 2.
00:26:23.98\00:26:27.12
We'll let the
Bible tell us exactly
00:26:27.15\00:26:30.15
because this is where we
need to go with, is that right?
00:26:30.19\00:26:32.89
The Word of God.
00:26:32.92\00:26:34.26
Going find it
here, Hebrews Chapter 2.
00:26:34.29\00:26:36.52
I'm going to be
reading verses 16 and 17.
00:26:36.56\00:26:40.16
Hebrews 2:16-17.
00:26:40.20\00:26:43.67
Here's what the Bible says.
00:26:43.70\00:26:45.03
It says, "For verily,
00:26:45.07\00:26:46.40
He took not on Him
the nature of," what?
00:26:46.43\00:26:50.84
"Of angels,
00:26:50.87\00:26:53.14
but He took on Him
the seed of Abraham."
00:26:53.17\00:26:57.68
Fully human, he's talking
about seed of Abraham here.
00:26:57.71\00:26:59.78
Notice the 17,
00:26:59.81\00:27:01.15
"Wherefore in all things
that behoved Him to be made,"
00:27:01.18\00:27:04.49
what?"
00:27:04.52\00:27:05.85
Like unto his brethren,
00:27:05.89\00:27:07.79
and that He might be a merciful,
00:27:07.82\00:27:09.62
faithful high priest in
things pertaining to God,
00:27:09.66\00:27:14.40
and to make a reconciliation
for the sins of the people."
00:27:14.43\00:27:17.90
Those verses right there
are very powerful verses.
00:27:17.93\00:27:21.10
It really explains
about our Lord and our Savior.
00:27:21.14\00:27:24.94
He could have taken
the nature of angels,
00:27:24.97\00:27:27.04
He didn't do it.
00:27:27.08\00:27:29.04
He could have come down here.
00:27:29.08\00:27:30.41
He could have
lived in a mansion.
00:27:30.45\00:27:32.68
He could have been
someone of high authority.
00:27:32.71\00:27:34.22
He didn't, He took
the form of a servant,
00:27:34.25\00:27:36.42
and He did it for you and me
00:27:36.45\00:27:37.85
so that we
couldn't complain and say,
00:27:37.89\00:27:39.22
"Well, He doesn't know
what it means to be poor.
00:27:39.25\00:27:41.69
He doesn't know
what it means to go
00:27:41.72\00:27:43.43
through what I've
had to go through."
00:27:43.46\00:27:45.19
He went through it all.
00:27:45.23\00:27:47.26
He never had a
place to lay His head.
00:27:47.30\00:27:50.10
He took the...
00:27:50.13\00:27:51.47
Bible says, "He took on
Him the seed of Abraham."
00:27:51.50\00:27:56.04
Bottom line,
00:27:56.07\00:27:57.57
when Christ came to this world,
00:27:57.61\00:27:59.67
when Christ came to this earth,
00:27:59.71\00:28:01.48
the Bible is very clear,
00:28:01.51\00:28:03.38
He took man's
fallen sinful nature.
00:28:03.41\00:28:09.12
Did you get it?
00:28:09.15\00:28:10.49
He took man's
fallen sinful nature.
00:28:10.52\00:28:14.86
But wasn't the Bible
said, He was tempted in, what?
00:28:14.89\00:28:17.93
In all points Hebrews 4:15.
00:28:17.96\00:28:20.16
He was tempted in all points
like as we yet without, what?
00:28:20.20\00:28:23.73
Without sin.
00:28:23.77\00:28:26.97
He put himself in man's place,
He put himself in your place.
00:28:27.00\00:28:32.34
Wow!
00:28:32.37\00:28:35.48
That's pretty heavy to think on.
00:28:35.51\00:28:38.31
Now remember, Christ
did not become a sinner.
00:28:38.35\00:28:42.25
That's not what
I'm saying at all.
00:28:42.28\00:28:43.62
He did not become a sinner.
00:28:43.65\00:28:46.69
But he assumed human nature
00:28:46.72\00:28:50.19
bearing the infirmities of
the generosity of the race.
00:28:50.23\00:28:56.23
He took the nature of man.
00:28:56.26\00:28:58.53
What a mystery?
00:28:58.57\00:29:00.57
Capable of
yielding to temptation,
00:29:00.60\00:29:03.91
that may be a little heavy
duty when you think about it
00:29:03.94\00:29:06.24
and maybe some have
never thought along this line.
00:29:06.27\00:29:08.81
But remember, He was
capable of doing what?
00:29:08.84\00:29:11.71
Of yielding to temptation.
00:29:11.75\00:29:13.72
People say,
that's an impossibility,
00:29:13.75\00:29:15.08
He never because
He knew everything
00:29:15.12\00:29:16.82
that was going to go on.
00:29:16.85\00:29:19.35
Let me make this little comment,
00:29:19.39\00:29:20.72
may sound a little
silly, maybe to some,
00:29:20.76\00:29:23.09
and even the wording
but notice when it says,
00:29:23.12\00:29:25.19
He was tempted in
all points like with us.
00:29:25.23\00:29:28.93
And it also says us,
00:29:28.96\00:29:30.30
capable of yielding
to sin when He came there
00:29:30.33\00:29:33.44
because He took
the nature of man.
00:29:33.47\00:29:36.57
Think about temptation
with me for just a moment.
00:29:36.60\00:29:39.47
Temptation without the
possibility of yielding
00:29:39.51\00:29:44.81
to that temptation
cannot be a temptation.
00:29:44.85\00:29:50.49
That's pretty
clear and it really,
00:29:50.52\00:29:51.95
did you get it?
00:29:51.99\00:29:53.32
Temptation without the
possibility of yielding
00:29:53.36\00:29:57.33
to that temptation
cannot be a temptation.
00:29:57.36\00:30:02.26
That's pretty simple.
00:30:02.30\00:30:03.63
But it's like, oh!
00:30:03.67\00:30:05.03
It cannot be one if you can't,
00:30:05.07\00:30:06.53
not the possibility
of your link to that.
00:30:06.57\00:30:09.67
Unless He was fully human,
00:30:09.70\00:30:12.77
He could not have
been my substitute.
00:30:12.81\00:30:16.14
These are things that
sometime we need to think about.
00:30:16.18\00:30:20.32
Who kept all the commandments?
00:30:20.35\00:30:21.68
Let me ask you a question,
00:30:21.72\00:30:23.05
who kept all of
the commandments?
00:30:23.08\00:30:25.82
There's only one,
Jesus Christ, isn't He?
00:30:25.85\00:30:27.52
Jesus Christ
kept the commandments.
00:30:27.56\00:30:30.99
Who can keep the
commandments at work today?
00:30:31.03\00:30:34.20
Can He do it today?
00:30:34.23\00:30:35.80
Absolutely, did He do it?
00:30:35.83\00:30:37.17
Absolutely, He did it.
00:30:37.20\00:30:38.90
Could He do it
again even in His sinful?
00:30:38.93\00:30:41.64
We call it sinful flesh.
00:30:41.67\00:30:44.04
He did no sin but
sinful flesh, in other words,
00:30:44.07\00:30:46.31
a capability of, He could have.
00:30:46.34\00:30:48.88
Jesus isn't it.
It's all would you...
00:30:48.91\00:30:50.78
So that what does that
make it possible for us today?
00:30:50.81\00:30:53.88
To gain victory over sin
00:30:53.92\00:30:55.25
is being able to keep
God's Ten Commandments.
00:30:55.28\00:30:58.05
Jesus set the example.
00:30:58.09\00:30:59.62
Let's move on.
00:30:59.65\00:31:00.99
Following Christ all the way.
00:31:01.02\00:31:02.76
Give you something to
think about maybe study on
00:31:02.79\00:31:04.49
if you haven't
looked at it lately.
00:31:04.53\00:31:06.90
What's the first step
that we take to be saved?
00:31:06.93\00:31:11.67
What would be the first step
that we would take to be saved?
00:31:11.70\00:31:15.20
Acts Chapter 16.
00:31:15.24\00:31:16.94
Go to Acts chapter 16:30-31.
00:31:16.97\00:31:20.51
Now I like this,
you call that as a story
00:31:20.54\00:31:22.98
but still yet
it's a powerful story,
00:31:23.01\00:31:24.91
because it's talking
about Paul and Silas.
00:31:24.95\00:31:26.95
Where were they at?
00:31:26.98\00:31:28.35
Somebody say
prison, I'll get happy.
00:31:28.38\00:31:30.65
Okay, he was, they weren't.
00:31:30.69\00:31:32.59
Paul and Silas have
been put into prison.
00:31:32.62\00:31:34.96
Okay, but then a
big earthquake came,
00:31:34.99\00:31:36.56
you remember that?
00:31:36.59\00:31:37.93
Then it shook the pillars
00:31:37.96\00:31:39.29
in the right that
the doors were open
00:31:39.33\00:31:40.66
and all those
who were in captivity
00:31:40.70\00:31:42.76
could have been
released, couldn't they?
00:31:42.80\00:31:44.37
They could have been gone.
00:31:44.40\00:31:46.13
So this is quite
a testing time here.
00:31:46.17\00:31:49.00
The Bible say in Acts 16:30-31.
00:31:49.04\00:31:52.07
It says, notice this,
what happened to the jailer?
00:31:52.11\00:31:54.84
The jailer comes
running and its dark,
00:31:54.88\00:31:56.58
he doesn't know a thing,
00:31:56.61\00:31:57.95
all the prisoners are gone
and then what would you do?
00:31:57.98\00:32:00.92
The jailer then had
to take his own life.
00:32:00.95\00:32:03.89
If a prisoner
escaped, is that right?
00:32:03.92\00:32:06.02
Prisoner escape
then you put the guard,
00:32:06.05\00:32:08.46
the jailer had to kill himself.
00:32:08.49\00:32:10.13
He's getting
ready to kill himself.
00:32:10.16\00:32:12.89
And then a voice
comes out and Paul and Silas
00:32:12.93\00:32:15.03
and they're saying
don't do this thing,
00:32:15.06\00:32:16.56
we are all here.
00:32:16.60\00:32:18.97
They must have
quite an influence
00:32:19.00\00:32:21.80
upon the other prisoners
00:32:21.84\00:32:23.81
because why didn't
the other prisoners run
00:32:23.84\00:32:25.77
when they had the opportunity?
00:32:25.81\00:32:28.14
We are all here.
00:32:28.18\00:32:30.01
This calls
something to take place
00:32:30.05\00:32:32.21
in the jailer's mind,
00:32:32.25\00:32:34.05
which maybe we
can relate to here.
00:32:34.08\00:32:36.58
In Acts
16:30-31, He says, "Sirs,
00:32:36.62\00:32:39.95
what must I do to be saved?"
00:32:39.99\00:32:44.13
This is a question
if we're following Jesus
00:32:44.16\00:32:46.19
all the way,
00:32:46.23\00:32:47.56
some time in your life,
00:32:47.60\00:32:48.93
we're going to have
to come to the point is,
00:32:48.96\00:32:50.53
"What must I do to be saved?"
00:32:50.57\00:32:53.10
Can you really ask a
question that's more profound
00:32:53.13\00:32:57.31
or a question that's
more pertinent than today,
00:32:57.34\00:32:59.74
is what must I do to be saved?
00:32:59.77\00:33:02.38
Notice and they
simply said this,
00:33:02.41\00:33:04.95
"Believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ
00:33:04.98\00:33:08.52
and thou shall be saved."
00:33:08.55\00:33:09.95
And then they
added "and your house."
00:33:09.98\00:33:13.15
Oh, did you get it?
00:33:13.19\00:33:14.52
"And your house."
00:33:14.56\00:33:16.19
They said, "Believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ
00:33:16.22\00:33:18.69
and you shall be
saved and thy house."
00:33:18.73\00:33:23.16
So here was the time
something was going on.
00:33:23.20\00:33:25.83
I believe the Holy
Spirit was working,
00:33:25.87\00:33:27.94
working mightily
when this all took place.
00:33:27.97\00:33:32.37
The Holy Spirit
influenced this man,
00:33:32.41\00:33:34.38
the jailer because
the jailer was fearful.
00:33:34.41\00:33:39.35
He knew his life
was getting ready to end
00:33:39.38\00:33:41.38
at least he thought so.
00:33:41.42\00:33:43.52
He's getting ready
to take his own life.
00:33:43.55\00:33:45.85
I'm going to die He thought
00:33:45.89\00:33:47.99
because the
prisoners are all gone.
00:33:48.02\00:33:51.93
Something took place
00:33:51.96\00:33:53.29
as the Holy Spirit
began to talk to him.
00:33:53.33\00:33:56.73
Something opened up,
some kind of a spiritual need.
00:33:56.77\00:33:59.87
There was a desire to be saved.
00:33:59.90\00:34:03.94
I wonder if that's
ever happened to you,
00:34:03.97\00:34:06.21
I wonder if it's
ever happened to me.
00:34:06.24\00:34:09.14
Questions we need to ask,
00:34:09.18\00:34:10.51
maybe something
drastic happened in your life.
00:34:10.55\00:34:13.68
Maybe there was a sickness
00:34:13.72\00:34:17.09
that developed
00:34:17.12\00:34:18.45
that made you rethink your life.
00:34:18.49\00:34:20.99
Maybe there was a disease,
00:34:21.02\00:34:22.36
a deadly disease
that attacked you,
00:34:22.39\00:34:24.76
maybe it's money problems,
maybe it's how home problems,
00:34:24.79\00:34:28.53
maybe it's marriage problems,
00:34:28.56\00:34:30.47
maybe it's job problems
but there were so intense
00:34:30.50\00:34:34.77
that made you
stop and made you think
00:34:34.80\00:34:38.84
and you desired for a change.
00:34:38.87\00:34:41.74
This hit the jailer and
he said I need to change,
00:34:41.78\00:34:46.01
I need to change.
What must I do to be saved?
00:34:46.05\00:34:50.25
And notice,
00:34:50.29\00:34:52.45
this was one of the
question that was asked that,
00:34:52.49\00:34:54.42
that Paul and Silas,
00:34:54.46\00:34:55.79
they didn't have
to think about it.
00:34:55.82\00:34:57.76
They didn't have to go
into a whole lot of detail
00:34:57.79\00:35:00.33
is when he said what must I do?
00:35:00.36\00:35:01.93
You know, there's times
when people ask questions,
00:35:01.96\00:35:03.57
they need an
answer, did you get it?
00:35:03.60\00:35:06.33
They need an answer,
maybe put, maybe not put off.
00:35:06.37\00:35:09.50
There's a certain
time in everyone's life
00:35:09.54\00:35:11.57
where there's...
00:35:11.61\00:35:12.94
At a certain point
00:35:12.97\00:35:14.31
to where the Holy
Spirit is working on you
00:35:14.34\00:35:15.68
and you're ready to
yield to the Spirit,
00:35:15.71\00:35:17.91
follow Christ all the way.
00:35:17.95\00:35:21.08
And here the jailer
was ready for a change
00:35:21.12\00:35:23.79
because he just
met as it were death.
00:35:23.82\00:35:27.42
He says, got to be,
00:35:27.46\00:35:28.79
there must be
more to this in life.
00:35:28.82\00:35:31.46
Soon as he said, "What
must I do to be saved?"
00:35:31.49\00:35:34.00
The answer came
quickly from Paul and Silas.
00:35:34.03\00:35:36.26
They just simply
said, notice this, do what?
00:35:36.30\00:35:38.67
Believe.
00:35:38.70\00:35:40.64
Now there was no time.
00:35:40.67\00:35:42.77
Let's discuss this for a
moment because some people have,
00:35:42.80\00:35:45.47
you know, misconception of
this when you say just believe
00:35:45.51\00:35:48.24
and that's it.
00:35:48.28\00:35:50.01
But they simply said,
00:35:50.05\00:35:51.38
they need a simple
answer they need to come,
00:35:51.41\00:35:53.62
one that the man
could understand.
00:35:53.65\00:35:56.18
And they simply said, believe.
00:35:56.22\00:35:58.82
See there was no time
to give Bible studies.
00:35:58.85\00:36:01.96
There was no time
00:36:01.99\00:36:03.86
for the church to
take a vote on it.
00:36:03.89\00:36:06.83
Somebody's not there.
00:36:06.86\00:36:08.43
Come on now.
00:36:08.46\00:36:09.80
Sure, sure,
naptime, take no vote.
00:36:09.83\00:36:11.60
It was no time to call
deacons and elders meeting.
00:36:11.63\00:36:14.20
There was no time to
call a church board meeting.
00:36:14.24\00:36:18.14
There was quick an
answer had to be given.
00:36:18.17\00:36:21.64
There was no time for
a theological discussion
00:36:21.68\00:36:25.25
about what it takes to
be saved in God's kingdom.
00:36:25.28\00:36:28.68
They came up with a
word which was beautiful,
00:36:28.72\00:36:30.59
believe.
00:36:30.62\00:36:31.95
And it was inspired by what?
00:36:31.99\00:36:33.36
By the Holy
Spirit of the Living God,
00:36:33.39\00:36:35.66
you need to what?
00:36:35.69\00:36:37.03
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
00:36:37.06\00:36:38.83
and you will be
saved and your household.
00:36:38.86\00:36:41.20
This should
encourage us at home.
00:36:41.23\00:36:42.80
This should encourage
00:36:42.83\00:36:44.17
those who've been in
the faith for a lot of years
00:36:44.20\00:36:47.34
that God simply tells us today
along with a new believers,
00:36:47.37\00:36:50.11
believe.
00:36:50.14\00:36:52.11
And then I've got some good news
00:36:52.14\00:36:53.48
for you believe and
you set the right example.
00:36:53.51\00:36:55.68
I'm gonna save your
household. Praise God.
00:36:55.71\00:36:58.58
I'm sure people
are praying for that.
00:36:58.61\00:37:03.08
The jailer needed an
answer and he needed it quickly
00:37:03.12\00:37:06.79
and the Holy
Spirit provided that.
00:37:06.82\00:37:09.59
I wonder if that
could... A question.
00:37:09.62\00:37:11.66
I wonder if
that could be somehow
00:37:11.69\00:37:13.90
compared to the
thief on the cross.
00:37:13.93\00:37:16.67
Are you still with me?
00:37:16.70\00:37:18.03
Luke Chapter 23,
00:37:18.07\00:37:19.40
read that when you
have the opportunity
00:37:19.43\00:37:20.77
to the situation.
00:37:20.80\00:37:22.14
There wasn't time to go
through all of the things
00:37:22.17\00:37:25.17
that needed to be
00:37:25.21\00:37:26.54
and Jesus gave them real simple,
00:37:26.57\00:37:27.91
just quick.
00:37:27.94\00:37:29.88
Paul and Silas
gives quick answer here.
00:37:29.91\00:37:33.15
The jailer needed,
00:37:33.18\00:37:34.52
I'm convinced of
this after reading it,
00:37:34.55\00:37:36.28
that the jailer
needed something easy.
00:37:36.32\00:37:38.79
See, there's some people
who can do a little more,
00:37:38.82\00:37:41.82
you know,
theological discussions
00:37:41.86\00:37:43.49
in more deep when
you have the opportunity,
00:37:43.53\00:37:44.86
and there are some
00:37:44.89\00:37:46.23
who really needed pretty simple.
00:37:46.26\00:37:47.70
They needed down,
I'm always one of them.
00:37:47.73\00:37:49.26
Give me a bottom line.
00:37:49.30\00:37:51.37
Give me a bottom line,
00:37:51.40\00:37:52.73
that's what it was
it boiled down to here.
00:37:52.77\00:37:55.54
And they gave him
easy to understand.
00:37:55.57\00:37:58.81
And I like to call
Paul and Silas missionaries.
00:37:58.84\00:38:02.14
They were doing missionary
work while they were in jail.
00:38:02.18\00:38:05.65
They were still winning
souls while they were in jail.
00:38:05.68\00:38:10.02
But notice, they didn't give him
00:38:10.05\00:38:12.12
the full
teaching on this subject
00:38:12.15\00:38:15.16
of what it means to be saved.
00:38:15.19\00:38:17.39
They didn't give it to him.
00:38:17.43\00:38:19.49
And so some people say
now, "Oh, yeah, well, you know,
00:38:19.53\00:38:22.06
this is pretty, you know,
00:38:22.10\00:38:24.77
we just believe."
00:38:24.80\00:38:28.14
Simply, this is what they
were trying to get to Him.
00:38:28.17\00:38:31.37
Notice this, they're trying to,
00:38:31.41\00:38:32.74
salvation depends
upon a personal belief
00:38:32.77\00:38:36.75
in Jesus Christ of
His life, His sacrifice,
00:38:36.78\00:38:41.72
His death, His
burial, His resurrection.
00:38:41.75\00:38:44.99
That put it pretty simple.
00:38:45.02\00:38:47.26
Do we believe that
Jesus came and lived and died?
00:38:47.29\00:38:50.79
Well, it's very important
00:38:50.83\00:38:52.16
if we were gonna
follow Him all the way,
00:38:52.19\00:38:53.73
wouldn't we?
00:38:53.76\00:38:55.10
The word belief
is very interesting.
00:38:55.13\00:38:56.77
We know it's an action word.
00:38:56.80\00:38:58.60
In Matthew 9:28, the Bible said.
00:38:58.63\00:39:01.27
Matthew 9:28.
00:39:01.30\00:39:04.71
Now this was
speaking of the blind man
00:39:04.74\00:39:06.21
and give it a couple
of illustrations here.
00:39:06.24\00:39:08.54
Just speaking of the blind man,
Jesus talked to him and said,
00:39:08.58\00:39:11.38
"Believe ye that I
am able to do this?"
00:39:11.41\00:39:15.28
Man, what a test.
00:39:15.32\00:39:17.95
It's the test of
faith, wasn't it not?
00:39:17.99\00:39:20.06
But remember what it came up to?
00:39:20.09\00:39:21.46
Do you believe?
00:39:21.49\00:39:22.82
Do you believe
that I can do this thing
00:39:22.86\00:39:24.89
with your eyes?
00:39:24.93\00:39:26.26
And, of course, the
Bible says they said oh,
00:39:26.29\00:39:27.63
yeah, yeah, we believe it.
00:39:27.66\00:39:30.57
And then certainly it was so,
00:39:30.60\00:39:32.10
so belief is so very,
very absolutely important.
00:39:32.13\00:39:35.60
And then John
brings it out in John 1:7.
00:39:35.64\00:39:38.97
John 1:7.
00:39:39.01\00:39:42.01
It said, "The same
came for a witness,
00:39:42.04\00:39:44.31
to bear witness of the Light,
00:39:44.35\00:39:46.98
that all men
through him might believe."
00:39:47.02\00:39:50.52
All people through
Jesus Christ might believe.
00:39:50.55\00:39:56.32
The faith in Christ
which saves the soul
00:39:56.36\00:40:01.10
is not what is represented
by many Christians today.
00:40:01.13\00:40:04.27
You know, why?
00:40:04.30\00:40:05.63
Because I hear
this, only believe.
00:40:05.67\00:40:09.24
Have you heard that?
00:40:09.27\00:40:10.61
We don't need to be obedient.
00:40:10.64\00:40:11.97
We don't need
to follow anything.
00:40:12.01\00:40:13.34
Here just nothing, yeah.
00:40:13.38\00:40:14.71
We just believe, only believe.
00:40:14.74\00:40:20.32
There are songs that
are written only believe,
00:40:20.35\00:40:22.28
only believe, all
things are possible,
00:40:22.32\00:40:23.75
if we just only believe.
00:40:23.79\00:40:25.19
But yes,
absolutely we need to believe
00:40:25.22\00:40:27.82
but just believe and that's it.
00:40:27.86\00:40:31.93
That you need not be obedient,
00:40:31.96\00:40:33.90
you need not worry about
keeping God's law obeying.
00:40:33.93\00:40:39.13
As you study the Word of
God we might find in here
00:40:39.17\00:40:42.04
and I'm thank that you will,
00:40:42.07\00:40:43.77
that a belief that does not lead
00:40:43.81\00:40:45.71
to obedience is presumption.
00:40:45.74\00:40:49.84
A belief that
does not lead to what?
00:40:49.88\00:40:53.55
Obedience is presumption.
00:40:53.58\00:40:56.82
Presumption is sin.
00:40:56.85\00:40:58.85
Just believe,
that's all we have to do.
00:40:58.89\00:41:00.89
That's not what the
Bible teaches at all.
00:41:00.92\00:41:04.39
Would this passage,
I'm getting ready to read,
00:41:04.43\00:41:06.63
would it apply
00:41:06.66\00:41:08.00
of what we've been
talking about here?
00:41:08.03\00:41:10.97
I think it makes it clear.
00:41:11.00\00:41:13.27
Before I read that,
00:41:13.30\00:41:14.64
I want to bring another
thought about the jailer,
00:41:14.67\00:41:16.20
right quick.
00:41:16.24\00:41:17.57
The jailer and
all of his household.
00:41:17.61\00:41:21.11
Acts 16:32, makes
it clear notice this,
00:41:21.14\00:41:25.91
"That the jailer
and all of his house,
00:41:25.95\00:41:30.39
heard the word of God."
00:41:30.42\00:41:32.42
Did you get it?
00:41:32.45\00:41:33.79
We said, well just believe,
00:41:33.82\00:41:35.16
all you got to do is
believe in all your household.
00:41:35.19\00:41:36.62
But you notice before
the baptism took place,
00:41:36.66\00:41:39.79
the disciples they went
00:41:39.83\00:41:41.16
and they talk to
the whole household.
00:41:41.20\00:41:43.73
And they told
them about Jesus Christ
00:41:43.77\00:41:45.97
and what it would take
to be saved in the kingdom
00:41:46.00\00:41:47.67
and to follow Him all the way.
00:41:47.70\00:41:50.57
And many times that's left out.
00:41:50.61\00:41:53.21
We need not leave that out.
00:41:53.24\00:41:55.54
1 John 2:4 very
familiar, I'm sure.
00:41:55.58\00:41:58.71
See if this
Bible passage applies.
00:41:58.75\00:42:02.38
Only believe they say.
00:42:02.42\00:42:03.75
The Bible says here,
00:42:03.79\00:42:05.12
"He that saith, I knoweth him,
00:42:05.15\00:42:06.52
and keepeth not
his commandments,"
00:42:06.55\00:42:09.29
is what?
00:42:09.32\00:42:10.66
"Is a liar, and the
truth is not in him."
00:42:10.69\00:42:14.30
Man, that's pretty heavy duty.
00:42:14.33\00:42:16.40
Only believe, we just believe.
00:42:16.43\00:42:17.77
Well, believe without any
kind of obedience you see,
00:42:17.80\00:42:19.97
you're saying I
know him, but what?
00:42:20.00\00:42:22.64
You keep not His
commandment, you're a lair,
00:42:22.67\00:42:24.47
and the truth is not in you.
00:42:24.51\00:42:25.91
You wanna follow
Jesus all the way.
00:42:28.98\00:42:32.91
And so we had to
follow the way Jesus
00:42:32.95\00:42:34.65
has written it in His Word.
00:42:34.68\00:42:38.62
We must realize when
people use these expressions
00:42:38.65\00:42:42.62
as it were or
people use, you know,
00:42:42.66\00:42:44.13
they're talking about,
00:42:44.16\00:42:45.49
"Well, I was
impressed of something..."
00:42:45.53\00:42:49.33
"I felt this
way about something,
00:42:49.36\00:42:52.00
circumstances."
00:42:52.03\00:42:53.47
Any time they put
these kind of impressions
00:42:53.50\00:42:55.80
or feelings or circumstances
above the divine standard,
00:42:55.84\00:43:00.11
the Ten
Commandment law of God...
00:43:00.14\00:43:02.68
It's because, listen,
00:43:02.71\00:43:04.05
because they
have no lied in them.
00:43:04.08\00:43:06.01
Did you get it?
00:43:06.05\00:43:07.72
They may not
realize that themselves
00:43:07.75\00:43:09.88
or not trying to
judge each individual,
00:43:09.92\00:43:11.89
but anyone who denies
00:43:11.92\00:43:13.25
that we need to be
obedient to God's law.
00:43:13.29\00:43:15.12
Remember, you wanting to
follow Jesus all the way,
00:43:15.16\00:43:16.89
we need to look at this.
00:43:16.93\00:43:19.83
How can we
follow Jesus all the way
00:43:19.86\00:43:21.20
when we're not
willing to do what Jesus did?
00:43:21.23\00:43:23.10
That makes perfect sense to me
that there is no light in them
00:43:26.13\00:43:30.11
is what the Bible said
because Isaiah 8:20 says,
00:43:30.14\00:43:32.74
"To the law and," what?
00:43:32.77\00:43:34.21
The testimony if they speak
00:43:34.24\00:43:35.71
not according to this
is because there is," what?
00:43:35.74\00:43:38.61
"No light in them."
00:43:38.65\00:43:39.98
There is no light.
00:43:40.02\00:43:41.35
He didn't say partial light.
00:43:41.38\00:43:42.72
Didn't say 50% light.
00:43:42.75\00:43:44.09
You notice, we take that
sometime it's good enough,
00:43:44.12\00:43:46.15
75% truth is all good enough.
00:43:46.19\00:43:48.19
No, it's 100% or it's not.
00:43:48.22\00:43:51.46
There is no light in them.
00:43:51.49\00:43:54.50
Notice that, Ezekiel 33:32.
00:43:54.53\00:43:57.80
If you're jotting
it down, Ezekiel 33:32.
00:43:57.83\00:44:01.64
Now lot of
people don't care about,
00:44:01.67\00:44:03.10
you know, going
back and checking to see
00:44:03.14\00:44:04.47
where the things be so,
00:44:04.51\00:44:05.84
but we have
multitudes and many, many
00:44:05.87\00:44:07.91
who always write and say,
00:44:07.94\00:44:09.28
"I write down every passage,
00:44:09.31\00:44:10.65
I go back and I
check all these things out,
00:44:10.68\00:44:12.31
and I see whether
you're speaking truth or not."
00:44:12.35\00:44:14.65
Praise God for that.
00:44:14.68\00:44:16.02
You know, that's good.
00:44:16.05\00:44:17.39
And then they don't forget.
00:44:17.42\00:44:18.75
And then they wanna
share with someone else.
00:44:18.79\00:44:20.46
When you love Jesus
and fall in love with Him
00:44:20.49\00:44:22.42
and you follow Jesus,
00:44:22.46\00:44:23.79
you wanna share the
good news of the gospel,
00:44:23.83\00:44:25.79
don't you?
00:44:25.83\00:44:27.66
Ezekiel 33:32
says, notice it says...
00:44:27.70\00:44:30.47
Talking about a
group of people here
00:44:30.50\00:44:32.37
and there's multitudes,
00:44:32.40\00:44:33.74
thousands, hundreds,
millions like this today,
00:44:33.77\00:44:35.80
"For they hear thy
words, but they do them not."
00:44:35.84\00:44:40.81
Did you get it?
00:44:40.84\00:44:42.18
We hear the words,
hello, we hear the words of God,
00:44:42.21\00:44:47.32
but we don't do them.
00:44:47.35\00:44:50.02
Wow!
00:44:50.05\00:44:52.29
If we hear,
00:44:52.32\00:44:53.66
should we not
be willing to obey?
00:44:53.69\00:44:57.26
After all, those who are wanting
00:44:57.29\00:44:59.76
to follow Christ all the way,
00:44:59.79\00:45:01.66
obedience is the
test of discipleship.
00:45:01.70\00:45:06.17
Did you get it?
00:45:06.20\00:45:07.64
Obedience is the
test of discipleship.
00:45:07.67\00:45:13.11
And let me just give you
one more that you know well,
00:45:13.14\00:45:15.14
but when you say only believe,
00:45:15.18\00:45:17.11
all we got to say just believe
and we're gonna be saved.
00:45:17.15\00:45:19.15
What does the Bible say
about the demons of hell?
00:45:19.18\00:45:23.42
What does the
Bible say are good?
00:45:23.45\00:45:24.79
James 2:19, the Bible said,
00:45:24.82\00:45:27.19
"The devils also
believe, and they tremble."
00:45:27.22\00:45:33.46
I certainly need to
be careful about this.
00:45:33.50\00:45:35.16
But I'm thinking some
things I need to be careful.
00:45:35.20\00:45:38.87
But you think about the
Bible said the devils believe,
00:45:38.90\00:45:42.54
also believe, and they tremble.
00:45:42.57\00:45:44.64
Now there's that belief
that they have in Jesus Christ
00:45:44.67\00:45:47.14
going to save them?
00:45:47.18\00:45:48.51
Absolutely not.
00:45:48.54\00:45:49.91
No.
00:45:49.94\00:45:52.28
They just
believe that He exists.
00:45:52.31\00:45:53.65
You know what?
00:45:53.68\00:45:55.02
If anyone knows
Jesus Christ, they know Him
00:45:55.05\00:45:58.29
because they attacked Him.
00:45:58.32\00:46:00.46
They've attacked
Him ever since the fall.
00:46:00.49\00:46:03.53
For thousands of
years, they've attacked Him.
00:46:03.56\00:46:05.63
Every demon of
hell knows who Jesus is.
00:46:05.66\00:46:10.70
But the difference in
that they know who He is,
00:46:10.73\00:46:13.07
they respect Him in
the sense that they tremble
00:46:13.10\00:46:15.50
even mentioning His name.
00:46:15.54\00:46:16.97
And then as
today, we challenge God.
00:46:17.01\00:46:19.67
We read what God's
Word had to say and say,
00:46:19.71\00:46:21.31
"Well, we don't
have to do that anymore."
00:46:21.34\00:46:23.11
The demons of hell
know better than that
00:46:23.14\00:46:25.81
if you don't mind
me putting it bluntly.
00:46:25.85\00:46:29.58
Demons, they
believe, and they tremble.
00:46:29.62\00:46:33.09
I mean, how?
00:46:36.86\00:46:38.19
Think about how earnest
must we be in our desire
00:46:38.23\00:46:43.53
to become righteous?
00:46:43.57\00:46:46.43
Do we really want
to become righteous?
00:46:46.47\00:46:48.14
Do we really want
to become like Jesus?
00:46:48.17\00:46:50.21
Or do we want to just
go through the motions
00:46:50.24\00:46:52.24
and continue to
do what we're doing?
00:46:52.27\00:46:54.01
Or do we really
want to be righteous?
00:46:54.04\00:46:57.08
It's very clear.
00:46:57.11\00:46:58.45
If we really want
to be, we will follow
00:46:58.48\00:47:00.45
what Jesus was
giving us in Matthew 5:6
00:47:00.48\00:47:04.05
and that in the Beatitudes.
00:47:04.09\00:47:05.45
What does He say?
00:47:05.49\00:47:06.82
"Blessed are they that hunger
00:47:06.86\00:47:08.22
and thirst after righteousness,"
00:47:08.26\00:47:11.29
notice, "for
they shall be," what?
00:47:11.33\00:47:13.23
"They shall be filled."
00:47:13.26\00:47:16.06
Evidently, we
don't wanna be filled
00:47:16.10\00:47:17.80
if we're not seeking
and wanting righteousness.
00:47:17.83\00:47:20.04
Notice, if we're not
hungering and thirsting,
00:47:20.07\00:47:22.24
and digging and striving,
and praying and working,
00:47:22.27\00:47:25.74
denying self,
00:47:25.77\00:47:27.41
we really don't want
it because Jesus said,
00:47:27.44\00:47:30.05
"If you want it,
you shall be filled."
00:47:30.08\00:47:33.28
Wow, that's a
promise, is that not?
00:47:33.31\00:47:36.89
See, Jesus spoke
of this hungering
00:47:36.92\00:47:38.95
and thirsting of the soul.
00:47:38.99\00:47:41.19
Psalms 42:1, 2 says.
00:47:41.22\00:47:45.49
The illustration
here is as the heart,
00:47:45.53\00:47:48.00
I guess, that
maybe the deer or what,
00:47:48.03\00:47:50.07
"As the hart panteth
after the water brooks."
00:47:50.10\00:47:53.13
He said,
00:47:53.17\00:47:54.50
"So panteth my
soul after thee, O God."
00:47:54.54\00:47:58.27
My soul thirsteth for
God, for the living God,
00:47:58.31\00:48:02.41
when shall I come
and appear before God?"
00:48:02.44\00:48:06.35
What is it?
00:48:06.38\00:48:07.72
As someone who is
thirsty, someone who is hungry,
00:48:07.75\00:48:13.69
someone who
thinks they're gonna die
00:48:13.72\00:48:15.06
if they don't get any
food or anything anymore.
00:48:15.09\00:48:18.96
Jesus said, "This is why
you need to come after Me.
00:48:18.99\00:48:21.10
If you're striving,
you wanting righteousness,
00:48:21.13\00:48:23.37
you shall be filled."
00:48:23.40\00:48:24.93
A point to remember here.
00:48:24.97\00:48:27.80
If a person has...
00:48:27.84\00:48:29.17
And today, I'm trying
to encourage you here.
00:48:29.20\00:48:31.37
If you have a
longing in your heart,
00:48:31.41\00:48:33.58
you don't think
you've been getting anywhere,
00:48:33.61\00:48:34.94
you've been maybe trying,
00:48:34.98\00:48:36.31
you've been
putting forth effort,
00:48:36.34\00:48:37.68
but you don't seem
to be getting anywhere.
00:48:37.71\00:48:39.71
If you have that
longing in your heart today,
00:48:39.75\00:48:42.62
that I want to be righteous,
00:48:42.65\00:48:43.99
I want to be
doing the right things,
00:48:44.02\00:48:46.62
I wanna be like Jesus...
00:48:46.65\00:48:49.69
Remember that,
00:48:49.72\00:48:51.06
if you have that
going on in your life,
00:48:51.09\00:48:53.36
that's already evidence
that Christ is working in you
00:48:53.40\00:48:57.23
to will and to do
of His good pleasure.
00:48:57.27\00:48:59.13
How wonderful,
00:48:59.17\00:49:00.50
what good news is
that you have that desire,
00:49:00.54\00:49:02.44
it's because the Holy Spirit
has been putting that desire
00:49:02.47\00:49:05.04
inside of you?
00:49:05.07\00:49:08.88
I really believe it's
only those who are anxious,
00:49:08.91\00:49:13.62
anxious as a man
that's starving to death.
00:49:13.65\00:49:17.85
Lack of food, lack of
water, will find righteousness.
00:49:17.89\00:49:23.02
I don't know how long it's been,
00:49:23.06\00:49:24.39
maybe it's been a day or
two you went without food,
00:49:24.43\00:49:26.36
but, boy, you
knew you wanted food.
00:49:26.39\00:49:29.43
You couldn't think
of anything but food.
00:49:29.46\00:49:31.47
When you're thirsty,
00:49:31.50\00:49:32.83
you can't think of anything
00:49:32.87\00:49:34.20
but something to
drink, some water.
00:49:34.24\00:49:35.90
Jesus said,
00:49:35.94\00:49:37.27
"That's the only class
00:49:37.31\00:49:38.64
that's going to
really find righteousness."
00:49:38.67\00:49:41.88
But you have to
want that righteousness,
00:49:41.91\00:49:44.91
no earthly
anything can fill that void.
00:49:44.95\00:49:49.88
You may have looked,
00:49:49.92\00:49:51.82
but you've been
looking in the wrong places.
00:49:51.85\00:49:54.86
If you wanna
follow Christ all the way,
00:49:54.89\00:49:57.03
man, take some good
wisdom from Solomon.
00:49:57.06\00:49:59.59
Solomon said,
"I've tried it all."
00:49:59.63\00:50:00.96
Do you remember that?
00:50:01.00\00:50:02.33
And he come back
with these words,
00:50:02.36\00:50:03.70
"All is vanity."
00:50:03.73\00:50:05.33
"All is vanity and
vexation of the spirit."
00:50:05.37\00:50:08.77
Ecclesiastes 1:2 and 14.
00:50:08.80\00:50:15.11
Also in Ecclesiastes Chapter 3,
00:50:15.14\00:50:17.31
it talks about
vanity and vexation,
00:50:17.35\00:50:19.85
also in Ecclesiastes,
00:50:19.88\00:50:21.52
the 11 Chapter and
Ecclesiastes the 12 Chapter,
00:50:21.55\00:50:25.19
you talk about...
00:50:25.22\00:50:26.55
He says, again, he's
repeating over and over,
00:50:26.59\00:50:28.62
"I've tried it
all, all is vanity."
00:50:28.66\00:50:32.89
So now we're called to say
we need something different.
00:50:32.93\00:50:36.97
Romans 10:3 said,
00:50:37.00\00:50:38.47
"We need to submit to
the righteousness of God."
00:50:38.50\00:50:42.30
We submit to whom?
00:50:42.34\00:50:43.67
To the righteousness of God.
00:50:43.71\00:50:47.21
Philippians 3:9,
00:50:47.24\00:50:48.58
"And the righteousness
which is of God by faith."
00:50:48.61\00:50:54.45
It's a faith walk.
00:50:54.48\00:50:56.69
We're righteous because of what?
00:50:56.72\00:50:58.15
Of Jesus Christ by faith,
00:50:58.19\00:50:59.52
accepting His life in the
place of my miserable failures?
00:50:59.55\00:51:04.13
When will we find God?
00:51:04.16\00:51:05.86
Time's running out,
four minutes or so left.
00:51:05.89\00:51:07.73
But let me, when
will you find God?
00:51:07.76\00:51:10.20
If you're really looking
for Him, will you find Him?
00:51:10.23\00:51:14.60
Jeremiah 29,
praise God, 12 and 13.
00:51:14.64\00:51:18.44
Jeremiah 29:12, and 13.
00:51:18.47\00:51:22.21
You notice this, when
you're going to find Him,
00:51:22.24\00:51:23.85
the Bible said,
00:51:23.88\00:51:25.21
"Then shall ye call upon," what?
00:51:25.25\00:51:27.85
"Me." They're good.
00:51:27.88\00:51:30.02
He's gonna answer,
00:51:30.05\00:51:31.39
"And you shall go
and pray on to me,
00:51:31.42\00:51:33.82
and I will hearken unto you."
00:51:33.86\00:51:36.02
God's waiting for
you to come to Him.
00:51:36.06\00:51:37.79
He's there's working
on your heart right now.
00:51:37.83\00:51:39.36
You wanna
follow Him all the way.
00:51:39.39\00:51:40.80
But right now He's
wanting you to come to Him,
00:51:40.83\00:51:42.50
He's wanting you
to call out to Him.
00:51:42.53\00:51:43.87
He said,
00:51:43.90\00:51:45.23
"Go and we need to pray unto Me,
00:51:45.27\00:51:46.60
and I'm gonna listen to you.
00:51:46.63\00:51:47.97
Notice, verse 13.
00:51:48.00\00:51:50.64
"And ye..."
00:51:50.67\00:51:52.01
We probably know this
verse more than the others.
00:51:52.04\00:51:53.64
"And you shall seek Me,
00:51:53.68\00:51:55.11
and find Me,
when ye shall," what?
00:51:55.14\00:51:57.61
"Search for Me
with all of your heart.
00:51:57.65\00:52:02.08
All means all, doesn't it?
00:52:02.12\00:52:04.19
When you're gonna find God?
00:52:04.22\00:52:05.75
When you're
really serious about it.
00:52:05.79\00:52:07.72
When you really dedicate
your life to Him and say,
00:52:07.76\00:52:09.52
"I want to be like Jesus."
00:52:09.56\00:52:11.79
That's when
you're gonna find Him.
00:52:11.83\00:52:13.16
And when you wanna find Him,
you're gonna call out to Him.
00:52:13.19\00:52:15.33
And He says,
"When you call to me,
00:52:15.36\00:52:16.70
I'm going to answer you."
00:52:16.73\00:52:19.50
"When you seek me," He
says, "You will find me."
00:52:19.53\00:52:21.67
It's not you seek Me,
00:52:21.70\00:52:23.04
and I'm not gonna be
anywhere to be found.
00:52:23.07\00:52:24.57
I'm going to be
found if you seek Me,
00:52:24.61\00:52:26.98
you call upon Me.
00:52:27.01\00:52:30.35
God can do nothing,
absolutely nothing for people,
00:52:30.38\00:52:35.18
notice, that
doesn't come to Him.
00:52:35.22\00:52:38.49
Behold, I stand at
the door and knock.
00:52:38.52\00:52:42.66
6 Testimonies 51 says
this when we find God.
00:52:42.69\00:52:47.06
It says, "When
they plead with Him
00:52:47.10\00:52:48.93
until they know that they
have forgiveness and peace,
00:52:48.96\00:52:52.53
then God will
manifest Himself through them."
00:52:52.57\00:52:57.61
How?
00:52:57.64\00:52:59.21
When we plead with God.
00:52:59.24\00:53:02.31
So if you're looking for Him,
you want to follow Him today,
00:53:02.34\00:53:04.35
in the time that we
begin to plead with God,
00:53:04.38\00:53:05.85
this is kind of life.
00:53:05.88\00:53:07.22
I want this is the
kind of change that I want.
00:53:07.25\00:53:09.78
I wanna follow
Jesus all the way,
00:53:09.82\00:53:11.15
that's only those who follow
Jesus will make it to heaven.
00:53:11.19\00:53:16.12
We want to be worth it
someday when we see Jesus.
00:53:16.16\00:53:20.73
You remember,
00:53:20.76\00:53:22.10
quickly what the
man did that had the...
00:53:22.13\00:53:24.50
He went out
looking for treasure,
00:53:24.53\00:53:27.00
parable in the Matthew 13.
00:53:27.04\00:53:30.07
The parable there
the man found a treasure.
00:53:30.11\00:53:32.51
And what did he do?
00:53:32.54\00:53:34.51
He went and sold
all that he had in order
00:53:34.54\00:53:36.64
to obtain the
field and the treasure.
00:53:36.68\00:53:38.31
You remember the
pearl of great price?
00:53:38.35\00:53:41.08
What did the man do?
00:53:41.12\00:53:42.45
He sold all he had, right?
00:53:42.48\00:53:43.82
He wanted that
pearl of great price.
00:53:43.85\00:53:45.59
Jesus is the
pearl of great price.
00:53:45.62\00:53:47.96
And it's going to take all.
00:53:47.99\00:53:50.13
It's going to take all.
00:53:50.16\00:53:52.76
That means giving up anything,
00:53:52.79\00:53:54.40
everything that might
separate you from Him.
00:53:54.43\00:53:57.57
One man said, one time he said,
"Christ is not valued at all,
00:53:57.60\00:54:02.84
unless He's valued above all."
00:54:02.87\00:54:06.57
Friend, what a
thought, how deep that is.
00:54:06.61\00:54:11.71
We had to be willing
to as it were, sell all,
00:54:11.75\00:54:14.58
to give up all in
order to find Jesus.
00:54:14.62\00:54:17.89
So today, if you wanna
follow Him all the way,
00:54:17.92\00:54:19.29
the first thing He said,
00:54:19.32\00:54:20.66
"Just call Me,
and I'm gonna answer."
00:54:20.69\00:54:23.12
He's gonna hear you,
00:54:23.16\00:54:24.56
He's going to
change, He's gonna call you,
00:54:24.59\00:54:26.46
give you power and strength
00:54:26.49\00:54:27.83
to get out of that
life that you were in,
00:54:27.86\00:54:29.20
He's gonna bring you and
set a new life before you.
00:54:29.23\00:54:33.10
"Call and I will answer."
00:54:33.13\00:54:35.40
Today's the day,
make that decision.
00:54:35.44\00:54:36.94
I want to follow Jesus.
00:54:36.97\00:54:38.37
He said, "I'm gonna hear you,
and I'm going to answer you.
00:54:38.41\00:54:41.31
I love you with
the everlasting love."
00:54:41.34\00:54:42.68
Let's pray about it.
00:54:42.71\00:54:44.05
Those who made that
decision right now, shall we?
00:54:44.08\00:54:45.41
As we close,
let's pray together.
00:54:45.45\00:54:48.62
Merciful Father in heaven,
00:54:48.65\00:54:49.98
we thank You for
Your precious Word.
00:54:50.02\00:54:51.35
Thank You for those
00:54:51.39\00:54:52.72
who made that
decision right now.
00:54:52.75\00:54:54.09
They want to
follow Jesus all the way.
00:54:54.12\00:54:56.12
And they're gonna be
willing to give up everything
00:54:56.16\00:54:58.23
that separates them from You.
00:54:58.26\00:55:00.40
So thank You, Lord,
for hearing and answering,
00:55:00.43\00:55:01.83
prayer in Jesus' name.
00:55:01.86\00:55:03.47
Amen.
00:55:03.50\00:55:06.43
It's been good to
spend this time with you.
00:55:06.47\00:55:08.34
As always, it's
such a blessing to study
00:55:08.37\00:55:10.27
the Word of God together.
00:55:10.31\00:55:11.64
Thank you again for
your cards and your letters
00:55:11.67\00:55:13.04
and your questions
that you your phone calls,
00:55:13.07\00:55:15.54
you know, praise God for that.
00:55:15.58\00:55:16.91
We look forward to
spending time with you
00:55:16.95\00:55:18.28
each and every week.
00:55:18.31\00:55:19.65
God bless you.
00:55:19.68\00:55:21.02
We'll see you next time.
00:55:21.05\00:55:22.48
Hello, friends,
and welcome back.
00:55:22.52\00:55:24.52
I pray that you were
blessed as much or more
00:55:24.55\00:55:28.02
from this study than I was.
00:55:28.06\00:55:29.92
The scripture stirred my heart
as I read and listen to them.
00:55:29.96\00:55:34.40
Following Christ all the way
has been our message for today.
00:55:34.43\00:55:38.73
And it needs to be
all of our heart's desire
00:55:38.77\00:55:42.17
each and every day of our lives.
00:55:42.20\00:55:44.91
You will never regret
giving your heart to Jesus
00:55:44.94\00:55:48.31
as you grow to understand
His will for your life.
00:55:48.34\00:55:52.11
He's ever so gently turning
our lives back around away
00:55:52.15\00:55:56.99
from worldly enticements
that separate us from Him
00:55:57.02\00:56:00.16
and towards a life
that is patterned after His.
00:56:00.19\00:56:03.93
He's preparing
us, listen to this,
00:56:03.96\00:56:06.29
He's preparing us
00:56:06.33\00:56:07.66
to be a citizen of
His kingdom for eternity.
00:56:07.70\00:56:11.73
We pray that that is your desire
00:56:11.77\00:56:13.84
to follow Christ all the way
where so ever He may lead you.
00:56:13.87\00:56:18.44
And don't forget,
00:56:18.47\00:56:20.18
we here at Behold
the Lamb Ministries,
00:56:20.21\00:56:22.14
we're here to help you
on your journey with Him.
00:56:22.18\00:56:25.25
We would be happy to
send this message to you
00:56:25.28\00:56:27.78
for a love gift of just $8
00:56:27.82\00:56:30.25
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00:56:30.29\00:56:32.69
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00:56:32.72\00:56:35.62
that is entitled,
00:56:35.66\00:56:36.99
Sharing God's
Love Makes You Happier,
00:56:37.03\00:56:39.26
What the Bible Says
for free with your order.
00:56:39.29\00:56:42.86
This series is near completion.
00:56:42.90\00:56:45.40
There is just one more
message coming your way
00:56:45.43\00:56:48.40
before we say goodbye.
00:56:48.44\00:56:50.64
I hate to say goodbye to these,
00:56:50.67\00:56:52.14
but we're gonna
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00:56:52.17\00:56:53.51
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00:56:53.54\00:56:56.85
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We look forward to your call.
00:57:09.29\00:57:11.06
We look forward to hearing
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00:57:11.09\00:57:14.40
You may call
Behold the Lamb Ministries
00:57:14.43\00:57:17.13
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00:57:17.17\00:57:21.77
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00:57:24.04\00:57:26.74
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00:57:26.78\00:57:31.45
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00:57:32.85\00:57:35.78
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00:57:38.82\00:57:42.36
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Until next time,
00:57:48.13\00:57:49.46
may our precious and loving Lord
00:57:49.50\00:57:51.40
continue to richly
bless you and yours.
00:57:51.43\00:57:54.77