Hi, I'm Pastor Floyd Bresee and 00:00:31.50\00:00:35.81 I've been thinking it seems to me 00:00:35.82\00:00:38.45 there would be a lot more Christians 00:00:38.46\00:00:40.34 if Christians were a lot more Christ like. 00:00:40.35\00:00:43.07 Let's pray about it, Heavenly Father 00:00:44.57\00:00:47.88 please teach us something today 00:00:47.89\00:00:52.07 that will help us become more Christ like 00:00:52.08\00:00:56.17 Christians, we prayer in Jesus name, amen. 00:00:56.18\00:01:01.30 We're going to talk today about something 00:01:01.31\00:01:05.31 that seems rather unlikely and that is 00:01:05.32\00:01:08.35 being lost in church. 00:01:08.36\00:01:11.28 Is it possible to be in church and lost, 00:01:11.29\00:01:14.62 is it possible to be active in church 00:01:14.63\00:01:17.10 and still be lost, lost in church. 00:01:17.11\00:01:19.90 Let's leave our open please to the 00:01:19.91\00:01:22.42 gospel of John and the 3rd chapter, 00:01:22.43\00:01:25.71 I'll be using the New International version. 00:01:25.72\00:01:28.17 The streets of Jerusalem are nearly clear, 00:01:28.18\00:01:33.22 darkness has come and its dangerous 00:01:33.23\00:01:37.64 to be out especially for a meticulously 00:01:37.65\00:01:41.51 groomed distinguished older man 00:01:41.52\00:01:44.19 who turns to hurry down a narrow street alone. 00:01:44.20\00:01:48.90 Nicodemus is on his way to meet Jesus. 00:01:48.91\00:01:53.94 Now Nicodemus seem to be an exemplary 00:01:53.95\00:01:59.61 church member. It was not just that 00:01:59.62\00:02:02.94 he had money though he did not 00:02:02.95\00:02:04.93 just position and power, 00:02:04.94\00:02:07.21 prestige he had all of these but he was 00:02:07.22\00:02:09.52 a highly moral man. He was a Pharisee, 00:02:09.53\00:02:13.16 he was the kind of church member 00:02:13.17\00:02:16.43 who would never missed church service, 00:02:16.44\00:02:19.05 maybe no one watching today is trying as hard 00:02:19.06\00:02:23.29 to be as good as was Nicodemus. 00:02:23.30\00:02:26.25 But Nicodemus was lost in church, 00:02:26.26\00:02:32.01 and he didn't know it. 00:02:32.02\00:02:33.73 Jesus said so in John the 3rd chapter 00:02:33.74\00:02:37.45 and the 7th verse. 00:02:37.46\00:02:39.73 You should not be surprised at my saying, 00:02:39.74\00:02:44.34 You must be born again. 00:02:44.35\00:02:49.35 Nicodemus was shocked, 00:02:49.36\00:02:53.15 it was absurd you must be born again. 00:02:53.16\00:02:57.50 Now sometimes we think that this was because 00:02:57.51\00:02:59.90 of the idea of born again was new idea to 00:02:59.91\00:03:03.58 Nicodemus that's not so. 00:03:03.59\00:03:05.16 He was very familiar with the term, 00:03:05.17\00:03:07.39 when a gentile wanted to follow the Jewish God 00:03:07.40\00:03:12.63 the person was spoken of us being born again, 00:03:12.64\00:03:16.96 had to adopted into the Jewish family. 00:03:16.97\00:03:19.97 Born again but he Nicodemus he was already 00:03:19.98\00:03:26.42 in the true church, he was born a Jew 00:03:26.43\00:03:29.31 he had no need to be born again. 00:03:29.32\00:03:32.65 It's possible to feel like Nicodemus, 00:03:32.66\00:03:35.88 surely I've been following God, 00:03:35.89\00:03:38.19 I'm in God's true church perhaps, 00:03:38.20\00:03:40.84 do I need to be born again today. 00:03:40.85\00:03:44.37 You and I too could be lost in church 00:03:44.38\00:03:48.77 and not knowing. If like Nicodemus 00:03:48.78\00:03:52.34 we feel that being a good person 00:03:52.35\00:03:55.20 or keeping the Commandments or 00:03:55.21\00:03:57.03 going to church are going to get 00:03:57.04\00:03:59.46 us to heaven. That's we really 00:03:59.47\00:04:02.53 don't have any need to be born again today, 00:04:02.54\00:04:07.70 if that's your feeling you are 00:04:07.71\00:04:09.72 disagreeing with Jesus, 00:04:09.73\00:04:11.25 because he is speaking to us today 00:04:11.26\00:04:14.67 not only to Nicodemus when he says 00:04:14.68\00:04:17.73 you must be born again, 00:04:17.74\00:04:20.72 you respectable church member 00:04:20.73\00:04:24.50 must be born again and again and again. 00:04:24.51\00:04:29.98 You may have heard the parable 00:04:29.99\00:04:33.74 of the little wolf. According to the 00:04:33.75\00:04:36.59 parable the little wolf lived up on a promontory 00:04:36.60\00:04:41.36 just above the meadow where the sheep 00:04:41.37\00:04:44.61 graced and much of the time the little 00:04:44.62\00:04:48.93 wolf didn't have enough to eat, 00:04:48.94\00:04:51.02 and he would get hungry and he would see 00:04:51.03\00:04:54.91 the little lambs down there where all of the 00:04:54.92\00:04:57.46 grass they could possibly devour, 00:04:57.47\00:05:00.01 and sometimes he got lonely because 00:05:00.02\00:05:03.01 his parents would be off hunting. 00:05:03.02\00:05:05.31 But he saw that the little lambs 00:05:05.32\00:05:08.48 always had each other, 00:05:08.49\00:05:09.83 they always had a lot of company 00:05:09.84\00:05:11.70 and they enjoyed playing together 00:05:11.71\00:05:15.41 and he decided what he really wanted 00:05:15.42\00:05:17.79 to be was a little lamb. 00:05:17.80\00:05:20.29 So one day he screwed up his courage 00:05:20.30\00:05:23.70 and he went down into the meadow 00:05:23.71\00:05:26.40 and he walked up behind the shepherd 00:05:26.41\00:05:31.09 and in a platy voice he said sir sir 00:05:31.10\00:05:35.62 and the shepherd looked around 00:05:35.63\00:05:38.41 and he saw a little wolf and he was about 00:05:38.42\00:05:40.61 to club him, the little wolf said no, no, no, 00:05:40.62\00:05:45.63 no I mean you no harm, 00:05:45.64\00:05:47.31 I want to be a lamb could I be a lamb. 00:05:47.32\00:05:52.26 The shepherd said oh no, never would, 00:05:52.27\00:05:57.58 they would never accept you and beside you 00:05:57.59\00:05:59.59 would be eating the sheep. 00:05:59.60\00:06:01.24 No said the little wolf I'll not hurt anyone, 00:06:01.25\00:06:05.24 I just get so hungry and I get so lonely 00:06:05.25\00:06:07.45 could I be a lamb, and so the shepherd 00:06:07.46\00:06:12.00 feeling sorry for the little wolf as the 00:06:12.01\00:06:14.27 parable goes he scratched his head 00:06:14.28\00:06:16.04 and he went over and he took the skin 00:06:16.05\00:06:17.88 from a lamb that had recently died 00:06:17.89\00:06:20.41 and he put it around the wolf 00:06:20.42\00:06:22.38 and showing off the other lambs accepted 00:06:22.39\00:06:26.06 him and he ran with them 00:06:26.07\00:06:27.44 and he played king of the hill with them 00:06:27.45\00:06:29.20 and he ate grass with them but he never 00:06:29.21\00:06:33.25 did learn to enjoy grass. 00:06:33.26\00:06:36.06 One day he came back to the shepherd 00:06:36.07\00:06:42.81 and he said sir I smell an odor in the air, 00:06:42.82\00:06:52.52 his parents had killed an old cow 00:06:52.53\00:06:55.74 and he had a tremendous taste for old cow, 00:06:55.75\00:07:00.82 he was sick of grass. 00:07:00.83\00:07:03.71 Would it be alright if I could just be 00:07:03.72\00:07:06.00 excused for just one evening, 00:07:06.01\00:07:08.77 the kind shepherd lifted the little wolf up 00:07:08.78\00:07:14.57 and tenderly he said I know you've not really 00:07:14.58\00:07:18.84 enjoyed eating grass, and I know that you're 00:07:18.85\00:07:21.61 nipping at the other lambs 00:07:21.62\00:07:22.77 heels a little bit. I guess the only way 00:07:22.78\00:07:26.96 to enjoy being a lamb is to be born a lamb. 00:07:26.97\00:07:31.98 You may be a Christian but if you are not 00:07:31.99\00:07:34.74 enjoying your Christian experience may be 00:07:34.75\00:07:38.34 it's because you are not a born again Christian. 00:07:38.35\00:07:40.71 The only way to enjoy being a Christian 00:07:40.72\00:07:43.14 is to be born again Christian. 00:07:43.15\00:07:46.68 You may have tried Christian growth 00:07:46.69\00:07:49.38 through self improvement or 00:07:49.39\00:07:52.75 through self discipline. 00:07:52.76\00:07:54.90 You may have tried changing yourself; 00:07:54.91\00:07:57.37 Jesus said the way to enjoy being a Christian 00:07:57.38\00:08:01.21 is to be a born again Christian. 00:08:01.22\00:08:05.76 Whether for the first or the thousandths time 00:08:05.77\00:08:09.72 it's my privilege to invite you today 00:08:09.73\00:08:12.33 to be born again, to enjoy the born 00:08:12.34\00:08:17.54 again experience today. 00:08:17.55\00:08:19.76 I'm not belittling your Christian experience, 00:08:19.77\00:08:22.84 but please don't make Nicodemus mistake. 00:08:22.85\00:08:27.56 He came just to hear something interesting, 00:08:27.57\00:08:31.66 Jesus wanted him to experience 00:08:31.67\00:08:35.59 something saving, and that could happen to us. 00:08:35.60\00:08:40.25 I pray that you'll not be here today just to hear 00:08:40.26\00:08:45.72 something interesting, but to experience 00:08:45.73\00:08:49.00 something saving. New birth kind of an 00:08:49.01\00:08:53.72 odd expression may hear lot of a time 00:08:53.73\00:08:55.48 what is it. Jesus gives us here 00:08:55.49\00:08:58.84 in John the 3rd chapter, 00:08:58.85\00:09:00.76 and he is talking to Nicodemus 00:09:00.77\00:09:03.34 five intriguing illustrations from John 00:09:03.35\00:09:06.67 the 3rd chapter to help us understand 00:09:06.68\00:09:08.61 what the new birth is, 00:09:08.62\00:09:11.42 and how to experience it. 00:09:11.43\00:09:14.00 The five illustrations, birth, wind, light, 00:09:14.01\00:09:20.34 water, and of all things snake. 00:09:20.35\00:09:25.71 Now let's start with a birth, 00:09:25.72\00:09:28.90 birth emphasis the importance 00:09:28.91\00:09:34.16 of being born again, only a new birth can 00:09:34.17\00:09:39.15 remove your death sentence. 00:09:39.16\00:09:41.39 Nicodemus came flattering Jesus 00:09:41.40\00:09:44.97 but Jesus cut right to the quick, 00:09:44.98\00:09:47.31 in verses 2 and 3, 00:09:47.32\00:09:49.93 He came to Jesus at night and said, Rabbi, 00:09:49.94\00:09:53.11 we know you are a teacher 00:09:53.12\00:09:54.62 who has come from God. 00:09:54.63\00:09:55.69 For no one could perform the miraculous signs 00:09:55.70\00:09:58.60 you are doing if God were not with him. 00:09:58.61\00:10:00.60 "In reply Jesus declared, 00:10:00.61\00:10:03.60 "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom 00:10:03.61\00:10:08.08 of God unless he is born again." 00:10:08.09\00:10:13.56 No one can see the kingdom of God except 00:10:13.57\00:10:17.74 he is born again, you and I were born 00:10:17.75\00:10:21.26 under a death sentence. 00:10:21.27\00:10:23.01 Assistant Pastor at my church back home 00:10:23.02\00:10:28.40 he and his wife just young folks 00:10:28.41\00:10:32.69 had waited and planned until finally 00:10:32.70\00:10:35.75 it was time to start their family. 00:10:35.76\00:10:38.20 And Greg was so proud of it, 00:10:38.21\00:10:42.28 first thing he knew when he had to announce 00:10:42.29\00:10:44.41 it in church much to sand is to grain 00:10:44.42\00:10:46.93 and as the pregnancy developed, 00:10:46.94\00:10:50.43 they took a picture and they found it 00:10:50.44\00:10:52.99 was a boy and they named their coming son Aden. 00:10:53.00\00:10:57.59 And then another picture showed a terrible, 00:10:57.60\00:11:03.12 a serious problem, 00:11:03.13\00:11:05.16 the baby's heart was deformed. 00:11:05.17\00:11:09.66 He would not be able to live if carried 00:11:09.67\00:11:14.23 all the way through the pregnancy death 00:11:14.24\00:11:17.59 would come and there was nothing 00:11:17.60\00:11:19.06 science could do. 00:11:19.07\00:11:20.65 I held little Aden in my arms 00:11:20.66\00:11:28.00 and I expected him to be perhaps pale 00:11:28.01\00:11:33.68 and sickly but he was a beautiful baby, 00:11:33.69\00:11:37.07 beautiful on the outside but death 00:11:37.08\00:11:42.67 was waiting on the inside. 00:11:42.68\00:11:44.76 We may make our self look good 00:11:44.77\00:11:47.31 on the outside, but what about 00:11:47.32\00:11:50.37 what's on the inside. What is a new birth, 00:11:50.38\00:11:54.54 its an analogy for what we call conversion 00:11:54.55\00:11:57.33 and Jesus said that no one can see the 00:11:57.34\00:12:00.33 kingdom of God unless he is born from above, 00:12:00.34\00:12:04.75 born again. Now the second of Jesus 00:12:04.76\00:12:09.63 illustrations wind, we have learned 00:12:09.64\00:12:15.69 that its tremendously important 00:12:15.70\00:12:18.31 to be born again. Now how do you 00:12:18.32\00:12:21.08 know when you been born again, 00:12:21.09\00:12:23.43 can I've real proof in my life that 00:12:23.44\00:12:27.52 I've been born again. Notice if you'll verse 8, 00:12:27.53\00:12:32.48 Jesus said: The wind blows 00:12:32.49\00:12:37.28 wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, 00:12:37.29\00:12:41.40 but you cannot tell where it comes from 00:12:41.41\00:12:44.42 or where it is going. So it is with everyone 00:12:44.43\00:12:49.69 born of the Spirit." The wind provides the power, 00:12:49.70\00:12:58.24 the branch provides the moment. 00:12:58.25\00:13:02.01 You can't tell where the wind comes or where 00:13:02.02\00:13:05.44 its going to Jesus said but you can tell when 00:13:05.45\00:13:08.55 the branch moves. And the wind represents 00:13:08.56\00:13:12.68 the Holy Spirit according to Jesus, 00:13:12.69\00:13:14.87 and when the Holy Spirit is working, 00:13:14.88\00:13:18.41 there is going to be movement on the part 00:13:18.42\00:13:22.72 of our lives and if you are not moving 00:13:22.73\00:13:27.47 more Christ like day by day, 00:13:27.48\00:13:30.81 then it means that the Holy Spirit 00:13:30.82\00:13:32.84 is not working, the new birth experience 00:13:32.85\00:13:34.81 is not working in you because 00:13:34.82\00:13:36.95 just as the wind moves the branch, 00:13:36.96\00:13:40.39 so the Holy Spirit moves the life. 00:13:40.40\00:13:43.41 Are you moving, 00:13:43.42\00:13:46.83 God loves you just the way you are, 00:13:46.84\00:13:50.98 but he loves you much, 00:13:50.99\00:13:53.70 too much to leave you that way. 00:13:53.71\00:13:55.70 God accepts His grace which gives you, 00:13:55.71\00:13:58.96 but grace not only accepts grace changes. 00:13:58.97\00:14:04.28 And so, how do you know whether or not 00:14:04.29\00:14:07.11 you have received the new birth, 00:14:07.12\00:14:09.34 there will be changes going on in your life. 00:14:09.35\00:14:12.97 Now, three of these metaphors from 00:14:12.98\00:14:16.84 John the third chapter, 00:14:16.85\00:14:18.87 if we arrange them in a logical order 00:14:18.88\00:14:22.71 will show us the three steps to experiencing 00:14:22.72\00:14:28.10 the new birth. How can I have 00:14:28.11\00:14:31.69 the new birth experience? Step one, 00:14:31.70\00:14:35.24 Jesus uses light. 00:14:35.25\00:14:38.92 Light helps us see things. 00:14:38.93\00:14:42.15 Light represents being able to see our sins. 00:14:42.16\00:14:46.39 The new birth happens when we stop 00:14:46.40\00:14:48.54 hiding from our sins. 00:14:48.55\00:14:50.39 Verses 19 and 20: This is the verdict: 00:14:50.40\00:14:55.94 Light has come into the world, 00:14:55.95\00:14:58.36 but man loved darkness instead of light 00:14:58.37\00:15:01.23 because their deeds were evil. 00:15:01.24\00:15:03.10 Everyone who does evil hates the light, 00:15:03.11\00:15:06.37 and will not come into the light for fear 00:15:06.38\00:15:09.47 that his deeds will be exposed. 00:15:09.48\00:15:13.38 Christ is hated because sin is love. 00:15:13.39\00:15:18.80 You know, how she come home in the dark 00:15:18.81\00:15:23.23 at night and, and it looks clean. 00:15:23.24\00:15:26.02 Next morning you get up and sun is shining 00:15:26.03\00:15:29.17 through the window and lighting on the table, 00:15:29.18\00:15:32.18 and all of a sudden you will see dust, 00:15:32.19\00:15:35.82 it's dirty. Now, the housekeeper has a 00:15:35.83\00:15:39.30 choice, you can either go over 00:15:39.31\00:15:41.29 and pull the chain, 00:15:41.30\00:15:42.43 so you can't see the dust 00:15:42.44\00:15:44.36 or you can get the dust rag. 00:15:44.37\00:15:45.95 Don't you see light is the means 00:15:45.96\00:15:52.74 by which we see? The first step in the 00:15:52.75\00:15:58.12 new birth experience is to see your sins, 00:15:58.13\00:16:02.31 not hide them see them. How often we say, 00:16:02.32\00:16:07.71 I can't see what's wrong with that. 00:16:07.72\00:16:10.83 I, I can't see where I need to change; 00:16:10.84\00:16:13.86 I can't see that I'm any worst than he is. 00:16:13.87\00:16:17.36 Christ you see is the light that 00:16:17.37\00:16:21.08 shows me I'm a sinner, not that I once was, 00:16:21.09\00:16:25.06 this is a danger of active church people, 00:16:25.07\00:16:28.06 not that I once was, 00:16:28.07\00:16:29.41 not that I have been, but that I am now. 00:16:29.42\00:16:31.96 And the first step to the new birth experience 00:16:31.97\00:16:36.12 I'm a sinner. Guilt, the new birth is 00:16:36.13\00:16:43.34 preceded by guilt. Well, that's a terrible 00:16:43.35\00:16:47.17 thing to say, we don't like that word. 00:16:47.18\00:16:49.48 Guilt is an awful place to end 00:16:49.49\00:16:52.74 that Christian should not ever live 00:16:52.75\00:16:55.37 with perpetual guilt, but the new 00:16:55.38\00:16:58.19 birth experience is preceded by guilt. 00:16:58.20\00:17:01.59 It's not the place to end your Christian 00:17:01.60\00:17:08.78 experience, don't live with perpetual guilt, 00:17:08.79\00:17:12.42 but guilt is the only place to begin. 00:17:12.43\00:17:16.60 So, first step new birth experience I'm a sinner, 00:17:16.61\00:17:22.06 second step, I'm sorry. 00:17:22.07\00:17:25.40 And now, Jesus uses the analogy of water 00:17:25.41\00:17:29.73 that is a cleansing. The new birth happens 00:17:29.74\00:17:34.44 when we repent of our sins 00:17:34.45\00:17:36.39 and He washes us clean, 00:17:36.40\00:17:38.35 He forgives us of our sins. 00:17:38.36\00:17:41.19 Notice verse 5: Jesus answered, 00:17:41.20\00:17:44.55 "I tell you the truth, 00:17:44.56\00:17:45.81 no one can enter the kingdom of God 00:17:45.82\00:17:49.19 unless he is born of water and the Spirit." 00:17:49.20\00:17:52.95 Unless He is born of water 00:17:52.96\00:17:56.77 as well as the Spirit. 00:17:56.78\00:17:59.28 Jesus is teaching Nicodemus, 00:17:59.29\00:18:01.96 no one can be saved without a new birth 00:18:01.97\00:18:04.75 and there is no new birth without 00:18:04.76\00:18:07.81 our repentance and Jesus forgiveness 00:18:07.82\00:18:11.19 and cleansing. What is repentance? 00:18:11.20\00:18:16.86 Repentance is simply turning 00:18:16.87\00:18:19.92 around on the road of life 00:18:19.93\00:18:21.53 from being self-centered to Christ centered. 00:18:21.54\00:18:26.27 And the old preacher was exceptionally 00:18:26.28\00:18:31.09 successful in leading his congregation 00:18:34.37\00:18:35.34 to repentance. And someone ask him 00:18:35.35\00:18:37.24 how he did it? Oh! He said, 00:18:37.25\00:18:40.09 it's simple, he said, 00:18:40.10\00:18:41.86 I just marched across the platform, 00:18:41.87\00:18:45.15 I'm going to hell, I'm going to hell, 00:18:45.16\00:18:47.23 I'm going to hell, I'm going to hell, 00:18:47.24\00:18:49.15 I'm going to heaven, I'm going to heaven, 00:18:49.16\00:18:50.97 I'm going to heaven that is repentance. 00:18:50.98\00:18:54.11 It's turning around on the road of life. 00:18:54.12\00:18:58.50 You miss you will fall, 00:18:58.51\00:18:59.54 but you will fall with your face 00:18:59.55\00:19:02.37 toward heaven. So, step one, 00:19:02.38\00:19:05.22 the light says, I'm a sinner. 00:19:05.23\00:19:07.50 Step two, the water says, I'm sorry, 00:19:07.51\00:19:11.00 please cleanse me from my sins. 00:19:11.01\00:19:14.60 Now, step three, and this, 00:19:14.61\00:19:18.11 this is the one that we find 00:19:18.12\00:19:21.09 a little difficult to understand because 00:19:21.10\00:19:24.40 illustration number three is the snake. 00:19:24.41\00:19:27.42 And what the snake is teaching 00:19:27.43\00:19:30.08 according to Jesus illustration 00:19:30.09\00:19:32.18 is that we could should look up 00:19:32.19\00:19:34.27 and focus our eyes on Jesus. 00:19:34.28\00:19:38.40 So, step three, the snake says, 00:19:38.41\00:19:43.66 focus on Jesus. The new birth 00:19:43.67\00:19:46.96 happens when we focus on Jesus, 00:19:46.97\00:19:50.65 verses 14 to 16 of John 3: Just as Moses 00:19:50.66\00:20:00.25 lifted up the snake in the desert, 00:20:00.26\00:20:03.05 so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 00:20:03.06\00:20:05.81 that everyone who believes in him may 00:20:05.82\00:20:09.14 have eternal life. For God so loved 00:20:09.15\00:20:12.56 the world that he gave his one and only Son, 00:20:12.57\00:20:15.64 that whoever believes in him shall not 00:20:15.65\00:20:19.56 perish but have eternal life. 00:20:19.57\00:20:23.34 God's love is a whosoever love, 00:20:23.35\00:20:28.18 whosoever love believeth in him the King James 00:20:28.19\00:20:31.25 Version says. There is nothing 00:20:31.26\00:20:34.39 you can do to make God love you more. 00:20:34.40\00:20:37.52 There is nothing you can do to may 00:20:37.53\00:20:41.20 God love you less. God loves you because 00:20:41.21\00:20:45.99 of what He is, and not because of 00:20:46.00\00:20:49.46 what you are. And it boggles 00:20:49.47\00:20:52.46 our minds to say it, 00:20:52.47\00:20:53.79 but God if His love is a limitless love, 00:20:53.80\00:20:57.18 loved Adolf Hitler and Saddam Hussein 00:20:57.19\00:21:00.89 just as much as he loved Mother Teresa. 00:21:00.90\00:21:03.96 You see, ours is a reciprocal love, 00:21:03.97\00:21:07.18 love me and I'll love you, be good to me, 00:21:07.19\00:21:10.90 I'll be good to you. And you've seen it 00:21:10.91\00:21:14.18 happened probably experienced it 00:21:14.19\00:21:16.37 whether you can admit it or not, 00:21:16.38\00:21:17.78 a boys wants a girl for his study, 00:21:17.79\00:21:20.03 but instead of going directly to her, 00:21:20.04\00:21:23.55 he goes to her friend and asks the friend, 00:21:23.56\00:21:29.66 does she like me? 00:21:29.67\00:21:31.62 And he is not going to give his love 00:21:31.63\00:21:36.29 until he is assured of getting love back, 00:21:36.30\00:21:39.70 that's human love, reciprocal love. 00:21:39.71\00:21:42.23 God's whosoever love is not dependent 00:21:42.24\00:21:45.98 upon us being lovely it's depending upon 00:21:45.99\00:21:49.83 His being love. The wonderful book 00:21:49.84\00:21:54.49 on the life of Christ called Desire of Ages 00:21:54.50\00:21:58.16 it says it this way: 00:21:58.17\00:21:59.94 His love is drawing us to Himself, 00:21:59.95\00:22:04.55 if we do not resist His drawing, 00:22:04.56\00:22:08.16 we shall be led to the foot of the Cross 00:22:08.17\00:22:11.89 in repentance, isn't that beautiful, 00:22:11.90\00:22:14.45 if we do not resist we will be led to the 00:22:14.46\00:22:18.91 foot of the Cross. 00:22:18.92\00:22:19.89 I have here a piece of wood, 00:22:19.90\00:22:23.04 and I have on the wood two nails 00:22:23.05\00:22:27.68 and I bring the magnet in and as 00:22:27.69\00:22:30.86 I bring it closer to those nails 00:22:30.87\00:22:33.00 one of the nails jumps over and is taken up 00:22:33.01\00:22:37.55 by the magnet, the other doesn't move. 00:22:37.56\00:22:41.57 How come one comes, the other doesn't, 00:22:41.58\00:22:46.43 because the other is fasten to the board. 00:22:46.44\00:22:50.95 And you see, if you're not moving 00:22:50.96\00:22:56.83 toward your Lord today, 00:22:56.84\00:22:58.08 you are fastened to something, 00:22:58.09\00:23:00.24 what is it? It maybe, maybe a habit, 00:23:00.25\00:23:02.32 it may, maybe some anger, 00:23:02.33\00:23:06.13 some awful disappointment 00:23:06.14\00:23:07.84 in your past. If you just stop 00:23:07.85\00:23:11.31 resisting His love is strong and it so 00:23:11.32\00:23:14.10 overwhelming, it's going to draw 00:23:14.11\00:23:16.09 you to Himself. God is loving, 00:23:16.10\00:23:20.18 not condemning. Notice verse 17: 00:23:20.19\00:23:25.21 For God did not send his Son into the world 00:23:25.22\00:23:28.83 to condemn the world, 00:23:28.84\00:23:30.30 but to save the world through him. 00:23:30.31\00:23:34.37 Our wrong attitude toward God 00:23:34.38\00:23:38.52 comes from a wrong picture of God. 00:23:38.53\00:23:42.52 And if you picture a condemning God, 00:23:42.53\00:23:46.06 get rid of Him, it's the devil 00:23:46.07\00:23:49.44 masquerading as God. 00:23:49.45\00:23:51.05 The real God is not condemning, 00:23:51.06\00:23:54.53 He is loving. Jesus' illustration 00:23:54.54\00:23:59.73 here about the snake, 00:23:59.74\00:24:01.25 it comes from numbers 21, 00:24:01.26\00:24:04.62 why a snake? Well, the snakes 00:24:04.63\00:24:10.25 had bitten the people and their bite 00:24:10.26\00:24:13.86 was deadly, it was the snake 00:24:13.87\00:24:15.60 that was killing them, 00:24:15.61\00:24:17.09 and the cure had to be related 00:24:17.10\00:24:19.95 to the cause. Now the pole on 00:24:19.96\00:24:22.80 which the snake was mounted 00:24:22.81\00:24:25.67 represented Calvary, this was Christ, 00:24:25.68\00:24:28.97 a snake Christ had to be related 00:24:28.98\00:24:34.84 to the cause of sin. 00:24:34.85\00:24:38.21 He had to become man, 00:24:38.22\00:24:39.79 this is the incarnation. 00:24:39.80\00:24:42.10 Christ had to be related to human kind 00:24:42.11\00:24:45.76 in order to save us. 00:24:45.77\00:24:47.55 Now, the snake didn't heal anybody, 00:24:47.56\00:24:50.27 it was looking up that heal, 00:24:50.28\00:24:54.37 look and live. Paul said; 00:24:54.38\00:24:57.87 let us fix our eyes on Jesus, 00:24:57.88\00:25:00.50 the author and perfecter of our faith. 00:25:00.51\00:25:05.66 And so focus in your life on Jesus daily, 00:25:05.67\00:25:11.99 don't focus on mistakes that you have made, 00:25:12.00\00:25:15.54 don't focus on wounds you receive, 00:25:15.55\00:25:18.29 the things that you want, 00:25:18.30\00:25:20.21 keep looking up, stay focused on Jesus, 00:25:20.22\00:25:23.14 the more we focus, the more we'll see. 00:25:23.15\00:25:26.15 Bev Doolittle made quite a name for herself by, 00:25:26.16\00:25:31.17 by painting things that people couldn't see 00:25:31.18\00:25:34.33 and one of her most famous paintings is, 00:25:34.34\00:25:37.62 winter scene with white snow 00:25:37.63\00:25:40.69 in a white burst forest. 00:25:40.70\00:25:42.84 And, and it doesn't seem there is anything 00:25:42.85\00:25:45.20 there really worth looking that, 00:25:45.21\00:25:46.57 but if you stay focus, 00:25:46.58\00:25:47.72 if you keep looking pretty soon, 00:25:47.73\00:25:49.51 you see some Indians in their, 00:25:49.52\00:25:51.82 in that forest, writing the black 00:25:51.83\00:25:54.30 and white pinto ponies 00:25:54.31\00:25:56.36 by focusing you begin to see more. 00:25:56.37\00:25:59.33 The secret to Christian growth is 00:25:59.34\00:26:02.10 to be born again and again and again 00:26:02.11\00:26:05.88 by focusing on Jesus again and again 00:26:05.89\00:26:09.76 and again. As we come 00:26:09.77\00:26:12.08 to the close of our time together, 00:26:12.09\00:26:14.12 I hope you're not watching just to hear, 00:26:14.13\00:26:16.44 there's something interesting, 00:26:16.45\00:26:18.54 but to experience something saving. 00:26:18.55\00:26:22.31 A boy with his father at the toy store 00:26:22.32\00:26:27.33 and he's been lost before, 00:26:27.34\00:26:32.23 he doesn't wanted to happen again and so, 00:26:32.24\00:26:36.92 he focuses on the father, 00:26:36.93\00:26:39.00 but the toys are so attracted, 00:26:39.01\00:26:41.25 they're so beautiful pretty soon his, 00:26:41.26\00:26:43.18 his attention wonders. 00:26:43.19\00:26:45.52 And his eyes go on these things 00:26:45.53\00:26:48.74 that surround him, he turns a corner 00:26:48.75\00:26:51.00 first thing you know his father has disappeared, 00:26:51.01\00:26:54.30 frightened, he turns around 00:26:54.31\00:26:56.99 and runs back only to find that the father 00:26:57.00\00:26:59.46 has been waiting all the time. 00:26:59.47\00:27:03.33 Turn to the Father, he is waiting; 00:27:03.34\00:27:06.37 he has been waiting all the time. 00:27:06.38\00:27:09.53 Loving Father, thank you for waiting for us, 00:27:09.54\00:27:13.58 when sometimes we've gotten our eyes off you 00:27:13.59\00:27:16.49 and focused on the things of this world. 00:27:16.50\00:27:20.35 I pray that we will live today, 00:27:20.36\00:27:23.54 knowing that by the grace of Christ 00:27:23.55\00:27:26.50 we have focused our minds, 00:27:26.51\00:27:28.56 our lives on Jesus and born again. 00:27:28.57\00:27:31.57 Thank you, Jesus we pray in your name, amen. 00:27:31.58\00:27:36.59 Thank so much for tuning into 00:27:36.60\00:27:40.96 Faith Chapel. It was good 00:27:40.97\00:27:43.37 having a chance to chat with you. 00:27:43.38\00:27:45.39 And as you go on back to life 00:27:45.40\00:27:48.05 I pray the riches blessing 00:27:48.06\00:27:50.73 on you and on yours. 00:27:50.74\00:27:54.82