Happy Sabbath. Happy Sabbath.
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It's good to be
alive, amen. Amen.
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So much better
than the alternative.
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Amen. Amen.
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I am happy to be
alive this morning
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and more than that I am
happy to be alive in Jesus.
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And it is a good
thing to look out
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and see all of
your smiling faces.
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Are you "gladventists",
this morning?
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Amen. Amen.
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I am looking forward to
our presentation this morning.
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I thought it will be well for
us to just spend a few moments
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in review that is
sort of recapitulating
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what we have
learned up to this point.
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In our first presentation we
learned that life is a wager,
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that life is a bet.
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And that you can
evaluate any wager,
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any bet by that
three-tiered formula.
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What is the size of
the price to be gain?
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What is the size
of the risk involved
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and what are your
chances of actually gaining
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the promised price?
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We talked about a
man name Blaise Pascal
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and Pascal said
that only the fool
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would chose to
live the godless life
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because the size of the price
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that is eternal life
is an actual infinite
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and of course as a mathematician
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he was very interested in that.
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The size of the risk
involved is non existent
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because in order to demonstrate
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that there is a risk in
the Christian experience,
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you would have to show
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that the quantity or quality
of the life of the Christian
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is somehow inferior
to the non-believer.
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But I am here to
tell you this morning
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with all of the enthusiasm
and vigor that I can muster
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that my life has
been exponentially better,
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more satisfying, more
substantive and meaningful
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since my conversion to
Christ than it was before.
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Can someone say, amen? Amen.
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And so the size of
the price is infinite,
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the size of the
risk is non existent.
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In fact there's
actually a benefit to be gained
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by entering into
this gospel wager
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and then of course the best
news of all, the third point,
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what are the chances of actually
gaining the promise price.
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And what are the chances? 100%.
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Jesus Himself said,
"For God so love the world
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that He gave His
only begotten Son that--"
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what's the next word?
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"Whosoever believeth
in Him should not perish."
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In other words
everyone qualifies
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if you can but believe.
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And so in our
opening presentation
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we saw that this thing called
Christianity is very credible
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but even more than
credibility it is livable.
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There are many things that have
the appearance of credibility
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but are not livable.
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The great central
truth of the Christian faith
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is not just that it's
intellectually credible
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and that it's
existentially credible
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but that you can
actually live it.
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It make sense, it allows you
to look at the world around you
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and compartmentalize
all of the various streams
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of information
that are coming in.
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I freak-- I frankly
do not know how people
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who are not Christians
can maintain their sanity
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in this world that is
falling apart at the scenes.
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And so in our
opening presentation
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we saw that
Christianity is credible
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and that there is no risk,
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no actual risk involved
in taking Jesus at His word.
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Our second presentation, we
looked at the issue of worth.
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The issue of
what, everyone? Worth.
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And you remember that
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really the central
feature of the idea of worth
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is that worth is subjective.
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It is what,
everyone? Subjective.
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Another way of saying that is,
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the one who is willing to
pay the price for a given object
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is the one who
determines what that is worth.
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A $5,000 sports coat,
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you remember the
analogy is not worth it to me.
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There are many
things that are worth
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various monetary expenditures
but that would not be worth.
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In another words,
what I get in exchange
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is not sufficient enough for me
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to justify
spending that kind of money.
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So what are you worth?
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Well, the answer is
that there was a man
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who was walking through a field,
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Jesus said, the kingdom
of heaven is like the man
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walking through a field
and he finds there a treasure.
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What does he find
everyone? He finds a treasure.
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And when he finds that treasure,
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he's so thrilled
with that treasure,
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so overjoyed with that treasure,
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that he
liquidates all of his assets,
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so he can attain that field
that contains that treasure.
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And we say what does this mean?
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Well, what it means is
that when we find Jesus,
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we give it all up for Jesus.
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When we find the gospel, we
give it all up for the gospel
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and that is in fact
what the parable is teaching
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but it's not all that
the parable is teaching.
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Can someone say, amen? Amen.
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More importantly is not
the treasure that we find
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but the
treasure that Jesus found
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when He found you in
that out of the way field.
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Jesus looks down there
and He sees a treasure,
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He stubs His toes so
to speak on something,
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He knows it's not a
rock, He knows it's not a root
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and He looks down
and He investigates
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to see what that treasure
is and the treasure is you.
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Now He knows that it
will cost Him how much?
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How much will it cost Him?
It will cost Him everything.
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But he purchased it anyway
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which means that
God has established
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your worth and your value.
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Now here's something
very exciting about that.
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Your worth and your value
are established independent
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of how you feel about yourself.
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Did you pick up
on that, yes or no?
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Your worth and your value
are established independent
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of how you feel about yourself.
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You might say, I don't
feel like I am worth xyz,
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fill in the blank but
how you feel about it,
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frankly doesn't matter at all.
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The fact of the matter is
that God paid an infinite price,
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in fact the
ultimate price for you
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and the price paid for you
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determines your
worth in the eyes of God.
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Amen. Amen.
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Now the great thing about
all of this I suppose is that
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when God paid an
infinitely high price for us
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because He is omniscient,
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that is to say
He knows everything,
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He knew what He was getting.
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God did not purchase you
and then looked under the hood
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so to speak and
say, "Uh, I didn't--
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this is not at all what
I thought I was getting."
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He knew. He knew
exactly what you were.
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He knew your failures and
your foibles, your faults,
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your inconsistencies,
your hypocrisies.
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He knew it all and He still paid
an infinitely high price for you
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while you were a sinner.
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Someone say, amen. Amen.
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Now that was our
second presentation.
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You are worth, that is the great
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central truth of
the Christian faith
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that God
condescendingly become a man
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but not just to become
a man but to die as a man
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so that He could redeem
His purchased possession
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and save eternally those
who would exercise faith.
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And that was last
night's presentation.
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What was the title of
last night's presentation,
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very complicated?
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Do. That's right, do.
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And we learned
last night that our do
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if not placed in
its proper context
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becomes what? Dodo.
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The central feature
of the Christian faith
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is not
primarily or predominantly
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about what I do but about
what Jesus did and is doing.
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And we divided, some would say,
00:08:05.83\00:08:08.61
you know, over generalize
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but for the
purposes of our illustration
00:08:09.80\00:08:11.03
last night it worked.
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We divided all
non Christian faiths
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from Christianity and we
asked the central question.
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What is the
single scarlet thread
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that separates this from those
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and the answer is over
here in the final analysis,
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it is something that I do
that recommends me to God.
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It is something that I do
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that causes God to
look upon me with favor,
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so the locus of salvation
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for you theologians
would be centered in me.
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I initiate God's
happiness with me
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but over here the
locus of salvation is in God.
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God is the initiator and we
respond to God's gracious act.
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Amen. Powerful.
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Desire of the Ages, page 25,
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one of my all time
favorite quotations
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from the
writings of Ellen white.
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Christ was treated as we deserve
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that we might be
treated as He deserved.
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He was condemned for our sins
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in which He had no share
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that we might be
justified by His righteousness
00:09:07.53\00:09:10.39
in which we had no share.
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He suffered the
death which was ours
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that we might receive
the life which is His,
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with His stripes we are healed.
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That was last
night's presentation,
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so that basically
brings us up to speed.
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What we want to
address this morning
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is this important
question of how do I do it.
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I believe
presentation number one,
00:09:31.94\00:09:33.95
the Christianity is credible
and there's no risk involved.
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I believe
presentation number two
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that God has placed an
infinite value on my life
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knowing all of my foibles,
fault and inconsistencies.
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I believe
presentation number three
00:09:41.83\00:09:43.75
and that is that the central
truth of the Christian faith
00:09:43.78\00:09:45.87
is what Jesus has done
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and not primarily
about what I have done.
00:09:47.30\00:09:48.85
But in the final
analysis if it doesn't work,
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it might look good on paper
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but if we can't make
it work in our lives,
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we are not going to be able
to institute these great truths
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that we intellectually believe.
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Are we all on the
same page, yes or no?
00:10:00.38\00:10:02.24
So how do we make it work?
00:10:02.27\00:10:03.39
How do I stay fresh with Jesus?
00:10:03.42\00:10:07.37
In fact I had one of the young
people approach me last night
00:10:07.40\00:10:09.56
and he said you
know, Pastor Asscherick,
00:10:09.59\00:10:10.93
I believe what you've said
00:10:10.96\00:10:11.99
and I resonate
with what you have said
00:10:12.02\00:10:13.61
but what I want to know
is how do I keep it real,
00:10:13.64\00:10:16.07
how do I keep it fresh,
not just once every week,
00:10:16.10\00:10:18.72
not just once every two months,
00:10:18.75\00:10:20.26
not just once
every three months.
00:10:20.29\00:10:22.13
I am tired of these
roller coaster rides
00:10:22.16\00:10:24.31
up and down, and up and down.
00:10:24.34\00:10:25.54
I am on fire and
then I am in the lows
00:10:25.57\00:10:27.10
and I am on fire and
then I am in the low.
00:10:27.13\00:10:28.35
How do I keep it real?
Do you want to know that?
00:10:28.38\00:10:33.17
Well, I think I figured it out.
And I've got very good news.
00:10:33.20\00:10:37.58
It's not rocket science.
00:10:37.61\00:10:40.61
Open your Bibles
with me to John 15.
00:10:40.64\00:10:43.60
Our presentation this morning
is almost as easy to remember
00:10:43.63\00:10:47.91
as last night's
presentation, almost.
00:10:47.94\00:10:51.32
Our presentation this morning
is entitled, again one word
00:10:51.35\00:10:54.93
but this time
more letters, "Abide."
00:10:54.96\00:10:59.04
What is it everyone?
00:10:59.07\00:11:00.73
Abide. John 15.
00:11:00.76\00:11:03.52
Let's go there
together, John 15.
00:11:03.55\00:11:07.01
Our presentation
is entitled simply
00:11:07.04\00:11:09.82
yet profoundly, Abide.
00:11:09.85\00:11:13.80
What we are going to do is
00:11:13.83\00:11:14.86
really study through the
first eight verses of John 15
00:11:14.89\00:11:18.85
and we are going to pay
particular attention to verse 3
00:11:18.88\00:11:21.07
but let's just read
through the first eight verses
00:11:21.10\00:11:23.88
to sort of get an airplane
overview of the passage.
00:11:23.91\00:11:26.96
Now this is for many
of us a familiar passage.
00:11:26.99\00:11:29.73
And it's always a
dangerous thing for a preacher
00:11:29.76\00:11:32.30
to preach on a familiar passage
00:11:32.33\00:11:34.59
because people think
they know the passage.
00:11:34.62\00:11:36.98
But be very careful
that you don't ever become
00:11:37.01\00:11:39.19
so familiar with the Bible
00:11:39.22\00:11:40.74
that you think you know
everything about a given passage
00:11:40.77\00:11:43.09
even very familiar
passages like John 3:16.
00:11:43.12\00:11:46.48
There are gems of
truth to be uncovered inside
00:11:46.51\00:11:49.36
of even the most
familiar versus in scripture.
00:11:49.39\00:11:51.15
Can you say, amen? Amen.
00:11:51.18\00:11:52.69
So please do your best to
sort of disabuse your mind
00:11:52.72\00:11:55.48
of what you think you know
about this morning's passage
00:11:55.51\00:11:58.24
and let's take a fresh look
00:11:58.27\00:11:59.76
at this verse of
scripture, these verses.
00:11:59.79\00:12:02.23
John 15, beginning in verse 1,
00:12:02.26\00:12:05.19
Jesus says, "I am the true vine,
00:12:05.22\00:12:08.40
and My Father
is the vinedresser.
00:12:08.43\00:12:11.23
Every branch in Me that does
not bear fruit He takes away
00:12:11.26\00:12:15.22
and every branch that
bears fruit He prunes,
00:12:15.25\00:12:17.79
that it may
bear--" what? "More fruit."
00:12:17.82\00:12:21.08
Verse 3, "You are already clean
00:12:21.11\00:12:22.87
because of the word
which I have spoken to you.
00:12:22.90\00:12:24.54
Abide in Me, and I in you.
00:12:24.57\00:12:26.64
As the branch cannot
bear fruit of itself,
00:12:26.67\00:12:28.57
unless it abides in the vine,
00:12:28.60\00:12:29.99
neither can you,
unless you abide in Me.
00:12:30.02\00:12:33.08
I am the vine,
you are the branches.
00:12:33.11\00:12:35.89
He who abides in
Me, and I in him,
00:12:35.92\00:12:37.60
bears much fruit for without Me
you can do--" what? "Nothing."
00:12:37.63\00:12:41.47
Verse 6, "If anyone
does not abide in Me,
00:12:41.50\00:12:43.83
he is cast out as a
branch and is withered
00:12:43.86\00:12:46.02
and they gather them and
throw them into the fire,
00:12:46.05\00:12:47.94
and they are burned.
00:12:47.97\00:12:49.38
If you abide in Me,
and My words abide in you,
00:12:49.41\00:12:52.20
you will ask what you desire,
and it shall be done for you.
00:12:52.23\00:12:55.29
By this is My
Father is glorified,
00:12:55.32\00:12:57.16
that you bear much fruit
so you will be My disciples."
00:12:57.19\00:13:02.02
Now if you are going to
take this passage of scripture
00:13:02.05\00:13:05.70
and you are going to
distill it down to a single word
00:13:05.73\00:13:08.38
to it's most
fundamental element,
00:13:08.41\00:13:10.14
what would that
word be? Peace of cake.
00:13:10.17\00:13:12.44
What would it be everyone?
Would be the word, abide.
00:13:12.47\00:13:14.76
Jesus uses that
some eight or nine,
00:13:14.79\00:13:16.53
perhaps even 10
times in this passage.
00:13:16.56\00:13:18.44
He says, "Abide, abide,
abide, abide, abide, abide.'
00:13:18.47\00:13:23.56
Now, is anyone here
this morning reading from
00:13:23.59\00:13:25.75
the New International
Version of the Bible?
00:13:25.78\00:13:27.93
Okay. Anyone?
Raise your hands. Okay.
00:13:27.96\00:13:30.64
What does is
your Bible say there?
00:13:30.67\00:13:32.44
It doesn't use the
word abide, does it?
00:13:32.47\00:13:33.92
What does it
say? It says remain.
00:13:33.95\00:13:37.80
You look that word abide up
00:13:37.83\00:13:39.85
and what the word abide means
00:13:39.88\00:13:41.42
is to remain or
better yet, to stay put.
00:13:41.45\00:13:45.96
It means what
everyone? Stay put. Stay there.
00:13:45.99\00:13:51.64
The essence of the
word abide is don't move,
00:13:51.67\00:13:55.49
stay where you are, remain
where you are. Abide in me.
00:13:55.52\00:14:00.43
Jesus says that some
eight or nine or ten times.
00:14:00.46\00:14:02.98
Stay there, stay
there, stay there, stay there.
00:14:03.01\00:14:07.54
Remain where you are, remain
where you are, do not move.
00:14:07.57\00:14:12.24
Now there's an important
00:14:12.27\00:14:15.93
grammatical and
theological point
00:14:15.96\00:14:18.36
to understand
about the word abide
00:14:18.39\00:14:20.53
and it's very simple,
very easily understood.
00:14:20.56\00:14:24.29
You cannot abide
where you're not.
00:14:24.32\00:14:30.97
Amen. Amen.
00:14:31.00\00:14:33.08
Okay, this group is
having little trouble with that.
00:14:33.11\00:14:36.34
Let's try that again.
00:14:36.37\00:14:37.40
Okay, you cannot
abide where you aren't.
00:14:37.43\00:14:40.53
You understand that? Yeah.
00:14:40.56\00:14:42.11
Okay, they got
it. Praise the Lord.
00:14:42.14\00:14:43.59
How are my A
students doing? Okay.
00:14:43.62\00:14:47.34
Okay? Okay.
00:14:47.37\00:14:50.25
Well, these are the
sheep on the right hand
00:14:50.28\00:14:53.96
and these are the
goats on the left.
00:14:53.99\00:14:57.06
Of course from your
perspective you are the sheep
00:14:57.09\00:15:00.38
and they are the goats.
00:15:00.41\00:15:02.14
But we are all
sinners saved by grace.
00:15:02.17\00:15:03.42
Someone say, amen. Amen.
00:15:03.45\00:15:05.09
The A students as
well as the non-A students.
00:15:05.12\00:15:10.55
So the idea of the word
abide is to remain, to stay put.
00:15:10.58\00:15:14.99
So we would say
linguistically soundly,
00:15:15.02\00:15:18.09
grammatically
soundly that you cannot,
00:15:18.12\00:15:20.27
listen very carefully here,
the words are purposely chosen.
00:15:20.30\00:15:22.87
You cannot continue to abide
00:15:22.90\00:15:26.00
where you do not
presently reside.
00:15:26.03\00:15:30.48
Amen. Amen.
00:15:30.51\00:15:32.03
That would be an
exercise in futility,
00:15:32.06\00:15:33.89
its not grammatically
sound, it's not logically sound
00:15:33.92\00:15:35.98
and it's not
theologically sound.
00:15:36.01\00:15:37.71
You cannot continue to stay
00:15:37.74\00:15:39.63
where you are if you
are not there. Right?
00:15:39.66\00:15:45.06
I get lost very easily, right.
00:15:45.09\00:15:48.25
My wife, she has
fantastic navigatorial skills.
00:15:48.28\00:15:52.89
I need to appreciate
that, navigational skills.
00:15:52.92\00:15:55.88
And she's one of these people
00:15:55.91\00:15:57.04
that can go
through a city one time
00:15:57.07\00:15:58.93
and she just has
some sort of awareness
00:15:58.96\00:16:01.02
of where things are.
00:16:01.05\00:16:02.08
First time in the city and she
can find me a Thai restaurant.
00:16:02.11\00:16:05.98
I don't know how she does that.
00:16:06.01\00:16:07.04
She is like...
00:16:07.07\00:16:10.26
She can just get there, okay.
00:16:10.29\00:16:11.78
So she just has tremendous
sense of awareness, right.
00:16:11.81\00:16:15.57
Now you get her in the
woods and she's lost, right.
00:16:15.60\00:16:18.41
She's instantaneously lost.
00:16:18.44\00:16:19.70
Just turning in
circles, you know.
00:16:19.73\00:16:21.74
I don't know what it is.
00:16:21.77\00:16:23.71
But me, I am directionally
challenge, very much so
00:16:23.74\00:16:26.55
and I sometimes drive by the
turn to my own house. No joke.
00:16:26.58\00:16:31.53
Frequently, in
fact just a few days ago
00:16:31.56\00:16:33.56
I was driving from the airport
00:16:33.59\00:16:35.86
and I realize
that I was in familiar,
00:16:35.89\00:16:39.30
I was in territory
rather that looked unfamiliar.
00:16:39.33\00:16:42.33
And I thought well this
doesn't quite look right.
00:16:42.36\00:16:44.55
And I started
looking at the exit signs,
00:16:44.58\00:16:46.39
I have driven 40 miles
past my exit. True story.
00:16:46.42\00:16:53.23
And I was like,
how did I just do that?
00:16:53.26\00:16:56.36
Where was my brain?
00:16:56.39\00:16:58.17
I am very confused about this.
00:16:58.20\00:17:01.75
So I am one of
those people, all right.
00:17:01.78\00:17:03.16
So I go to the big
malls and you know,
00:17:03.19\00:17:06.15
I want to find a place you know,
00:17:06.18\00:17:07.73
I don't know whatever it is,
00:17:07.76\00:17:08.80
a specific place perhaps to eat
00:17:08.83\00:17:10.28
or to buy some
clothes or something
00:17:10.31\00:17:11.53
and they have those, you know,
00:17:11.56\00:17:12.59
those boards with
those big schematic drawings,
00:17:12.62\00:17:14.87
you know, top down
architecture looking drawings
00:17:14.90\00:17:17.01
and there's the red dot
there that says, "You are here."
00:17:17.04\00:17:20.75
You know what I
am talking about.
00:17:20.78\00:17:22.97
You know what I
always think when I see that,
00:17:23.00\00:17:24.06
I think to myself,
I've always been here.
00:17:24.09\00:17:27.19
And this is not new information
00:17:27.22\00:17:28.59
and there's never
been a time in my life
00:17:28.62\00:17:29.76
where I wasn't here.
00:17:29.79\00:17:31.80
So you are here and
you got a kind of you know,
00:17:31.83\00:17:34.31
figure out, okay.
00:17:34.34\00:17:35.73
You sort of put it all together.
00:17:35.76\00:17:38.13
The idea of the word abide
is that you are in a place,
00:17:38.16\00:17:43.67
now stay there.
00:17:43.70\00:17:46.51
You cannot
continue to abide in a place
00:17:46.54\00:17:50.26
that you do not
presently, what? Reside.
00:17:50.29\00:17:52.83
So if I say to
you, this afternoon,
00:17:52.86\00:17:56.48
following this
morning presentation
00:17:56.51\00:17:58.74
I would like to
invite you for a few moments
00:17:58.77\00:18:00.73
to abide here in this gymnasium.
00:18:00.76\00:18:04.86
Is that an option that will
be available to you, yes or no?
00:18:04.89\00:18:06.98
Yes. Absolutely.
00:18:07.01\00:18:08.04
Because you are already here,
00:18:08.07\00:18:09.31
so you can
continue to abide here
00:18:09.34\00:18:11.24
because you are here.
00:18:11.27\00:18:12.61
If however I said,
00:18:12.64\00:18:13.73
immediately following
this morning's presentation,
00:18:13.76\00:18:15.73
I would like to invite you
00:18:15.76\00:18:17.06
to abide with me
in Orlando, Florida.
00:18:17.09\00:18:21.90
Could you abide this afternoon
00:18:21.93\00:18:23.94
immediately
after this presentation
00:18:23.97\00:18:25.41
in Atlanta, Florida, yes or no?
00:18:25.44\00:18:26.67
Correct, Orlando, Florida,
00:18:26.70\00:18:27.79
Atlanta,
Georgia, Orlando, Florida,
00:18:27.82\00:18:30.01
see, you know, I am
directionally challenged.
00:18:30.04\00:18:34.67
Would that be an
option, yes or no?
00:18:34.70\00:18:36.40
No. No.
00:18:36.43\00:18:37.50
you couldn't abide there
because you are not there.
00:18:37.53\00:18:40.70
So Jesus says some
ten times in His passage,
00:18:40.73\00:18:43.15
abide, abide, abide,
abide, abide, abide, abide.
00:18:43.18\00:18:46.55
Stay put, stay there.
00:18:46.58\00:18:49.97
Now let's go
back to the passage.
00:18:50.00\00:18:51.88
And what we are going to
do is we are going to read now
00:18:51.91\00:18:53.78
just through the first
three verses of this scripture.
00:18:53.81\00:18:57.27
Okay, just verses
one, two and three.
00:18:57.30\00:18:59.49
And notice with me what
word is conspicuously absent.
00:18:59.52\00:19:05.91
John 15, beginning in verse 1,
00:19:05.94\00:19:08.95
"I am the true vine, My
Father is the vinedresser.
00:19:08.98\00:19:11.24
Every branch in Me that does
not bear fruit He takes away
00:19:11.27\00:19:14.08
and every branch that
bears fruit He prunes it,
00:19:14.11\00:19:16.25
that it may bear more fruit.
00:19:16.28\00:19:18.36
You are already
clean because of the word
00:19:18.39\00:19:20.77
which I have spoken to you."
00:19:20.80\00:19:24.50
What word is noticeably absent?
00:19:24.53\00:19:26.45
Abide. Yeah, the word, abide.
00:19:26.48\00:19:27.51
But what's the
first word of verse 4?
00:19:27.54\00:19:29.96
Abide. Abide. Okay.
00:19:29.99\00:19:31.53
So, Jesus has to first tell them
00:19:31.56\00:19:34.38
where they are before He
can tell them to stay there.
00:19:34.41\00:19:38.53
Does that make sense, yes or no?
00:19:38.56\00:19:40.14
In other words, Jesus has
to first give them confidence
00:19:40.17\00:19:43.17
in their present
tense position in Christ
00:19:43.20\00:19:46.18
before He can exhort
them to stay in that place.
00:19:46.21\00:19:50.71
The key to understanding
this whole passage is verse 3.
00:19:50.74\00:19:55.72
Jesus says, you
are already clean
00:19:55.75\00:20:00.17
because of the word
which I have spoken to you.
00:20:00.20\00:20:03.91
Jesus is speaking
here to His disciples.
00:20:03.94\00:20:07.54
Now in the English language
we can use the word "You"
00:20:07.57\00:20:12.15
to refer to either a singularity
or a plurality. Okay.
00:20:12.18\00:20:15.79
So I can be
speaking to one person,
00:20:15.82\00:20:17.70
say his name is
Mathew and I can say,
00:20:17.73\00:20:19.29
you know, Mathew, I like to
go out to lunch with you. Okay.
00:20:19.32\00:20:23.31
Does that make sense
grammatically, yes or no? Sure.
00:20:23.34\00:20:26.60
But I can also be
speaking to a larger group,
00:20:26.63\00:20:28.62
say four, five,
six or more people
00:20:28.65\00:20:30.36
and I can say to them, hey,
00:20:30.39\00:20:31.73
why don't you
come over to my house.
00:20:31.76\00:20:34.56
Would they
understand that it's mean
00:20:34.59\00:20:35.90
all of them can
come over to my house?
00:20:35.93\00:20:37.54
Sure they would.
00:20:37.57\00:20:38.60
So in English
language, we have the "You"
00:20:38.63\00:20:40.72
that is both singular and
plural depending on context.
00:20:40.75\00:20:44.24
In the Greek you have a
specific "You" for the singular
00:20:44.27\00:20:47.64
and another
"You" for the plural.
00:20:47.67\00:20:49.68
When Jesus says here,
you are all already clean,
00:20:49.71\00:20:53.94
this is in the-- guess
what? Plural or singular?
00:20:53.97\00:20:56.46
Plural. It's in the plural.
00:20:56.49\00:20:57.63
So Jesus is
speaking to His disciples
00:20:57.66\00:20:59.23
and we would
substitute the word,
00:20:59.26\00:21:01.14
we would insert the word,
00:21:01.17\00:21:02.20
you are all already
clean through the word
00:21:02.23\00:21:06.51
that I have spoken to you.
00:21:06.54\00:21:09.55
Now I want you
to notice with me,
00:21:09.58\00:21:10.92
not just the
plurality of the verse
00:21:10.95\00:21:12.68
but notice that Jesus
uses the word "already."
00:21:12.71\00:21:17.21
What does the
word "already" mean?
00:21:17.24\00:21:20.19
What is that word mean?
00:21:20.22\00:21:22.70
Is that something
that's going to happen,
00:21:22.73\00:21:24.20
is happening or has happened?
00:21:24.23\00:21:26.29
Something that has
happened, that's exactly right.
00:21:26.32\00:21:27.76
So if my wife says to
me, "Sweetie, please pick up
00:21:27.79\00:21:29.83
such and such from
the grocery store."
00:21:29.86\00:21:31.84
If I say, "Sweetie, I've already
been to the grocery store
00:21:31.87\00:21:34.30
and I've got those groceries."
00:21:34.33\00:21:35.62
She knows, I've
been there in the past
00:21:35.65\00:21:37.51
and mission is
accomplished already.
00:21:37.54\00:21:40.62
Jesus says, you are
already, past tense.
00:21:40.65\00:21:44.81
And what's the next word?
What is the word everyone?
00:21:44.84\00:21:48.64
Clean as oppose to dirty.
Clean as oppose to impure.
00:21:48.67\00:21:55.79
You are all already clean,
00:21:55.82\00:21:59.07
and then He says
something very interesting,
00:21:59.10\00:22:01.34
because of the word
that I've spoken to you.
00:22:01.37\00:22:06.57
What word is that?
00:22:06.60\00:22:09.42
I wonder, I wonder
what He's talking about.
00:22:09.45\00:22:11.93
Here Jesus
speaking to His disciples,
00:22:11.96\00:22:14.21
He says, you are
all already clean
00:22:14.24\00:22:16.54
because of the word
that I've spoken to you.
00:22:16.57\00:22:18.05
Well, what word is
He talking about here?
00:22:18.08\00:22:21.66
Well, commentators are
not agreed on this, okay.
00:22:21.69\00:22:26.08
There are
variety of options here
00:22:26.11\00:22:27.98
but I like to share
with you this morning
00:22:28.01\00:22:29.21
what I am absolutely
confident He is referring to.
00:22:29.24\00:22:31.94
It's something that occurred
just probably two hours before.
00:22:31.97\00:22:36.04
Just two hours before He had
used this identical language.
00:22:36.07\00:22:39.97
Now, I say two hours,
it could have been four,
00:22:40.00\00:22:41.53
it could have been one
but just the few hours before
00:22:41.56\00:22:44.22
Jesus had used
this identical language
00:22:44.25\00:22:46.58
of being clean, completely clean
00:22:46.61\00:22:48.63
because of
something He had done.
00:22:48.66\00:22:50.74
Go with me to John 13.
00:22:50.77\00:22:52.40
Keep your finger in John 15,
go back two chapters to John 13.
00:22:52.43\00:22:58.50
Now, I know in your Bible
00:22:58.53\00:23:00.26
that looks like a
great big distance, right.
00:23:00.29\00:23:01.90
John 15, all the way through 14
00:23:01.93\00:23:03.97
and back to 13 but
John 13 is the last supper.
00:23:04.00\00:23:08.47
It's the what
everyone? Last supper.
00:23:08.50\00:23:10.00
So the amount of time
that transpires between John 13
00:23:10.03\00:23:12.94
where Jesus is in the upper room
00:23:12.97\00:23:14.00
and He washes
the disciple's feet
00:23:14.03\00:23:15.35
and the time He
tell His disciples
00:23:15.38\00:23:16.91
abide in Me and I in you.
00:23:16.94\00:23:18.21
The amount of time
that transpired there
00:23:18.24\00:23:19.86
could have been
as little as an hour.
00:23:19.89\00:23:21.88
Okay, it could have
been as much as you know,
00:23:21.91\00:23:23.24
maybe four or five hours
00:23:23.27\00:23:24.30
but we are talking
about a small amount of time.
00:23:24.33\00:23:27.14
So when Jesus says,
you are all already clean
00:23:27.17\00:23:30.14
through the word
that I've spoken to you,
00:23:30.17\00:23:32.15
it would have made sense to them
00:23:32.18\00:23:33.31
because He had just
used that very same language
00:23:33.34\00:23:36.29
an hour or two before.
00:23:36.32\00:23:38.76
John 13, beginning in verse 1.
00:23:38.79\00:23:40.45
Here we go, "Now before
the feast of the Passover,
00:23:40.48\00:23:43.89
when Jesus knew
that His hour had come
00:23:43.92\00:23:45.38
that He should depart
from this world to the Father,
00:23:45.41\00:23:47.05
having loved His own
who were in the world,
00:23:47.08\00:23:48.56
He loved them to the end.
00:23:48.59\00:23:50.23
And supper being ended,
the devil having already
00:23:50.26\00:23:52.13
put it into the
heart of Judas Iscariot,
00:23:52.16\00:23:53.63
Simon's son, to betray Him,
00:23:53.66\00:23:55.53
Jesus, knowing that
the Father had given
00:23:55.56\00:23:56.86
all things into His hands,
00:23:56.89\00:23:57.92
and that He had come from God
00:23:57.95\00:23:59.39
and was going to
God, rose from supper
00:23:59.42\00:24:00.99
and laid aside His garments,
00:24:01.02\00:24:02.05
and took a towel
and girded Himself.
00:24:02.08\00:24:05.22
After that, He
poured water into a basin
00:24:05.25\00:24:06.95
and began to wash
the disciples' feet,
00:24:06.98\00:24:08.61
and to wipe them with the
towel with which He was girded."
00:24:08.64\00:24:14.59
It's impossible for us,
00:24:14.62\00:24:16.32
literally impossible for
us to understand the magnitude
00:24:16.35\00:24:20.12
and frankly the magnanimity
of what is happening here.
00:24:20.15\00:24:23.61
The infinite,
illimitable God of the universe
00:24:23.64\00:24:27.12
is stooping down
to wash the dirty,
00:24:27.15\00:24:29.55
dusty, urine laden, manure
laden feet of His disciples.
00:24:29.58\00:24:36.12
In Jesus' time if
you went to visit someone
00:24:36.15\00:24:39.74
and you enter their house,
00:24:39.77\00:24:41.02
it was not uncommon for
them to have a wash basin
00:24:41.05\00:24:43.68
either just outside or
just inside of the door
00:24:43.71\00:24:45.95
in a same way that you
might have a welcome mat
00:24:45.98\00:24:47.53
just outside or
just inside of the door.
00:24:47.56\00:24:49.80
And so if you came
to this person's house,
00:24:49.83\00:24:52.43
you should wash your feet
00:24:52.46\00:24:53.88
before entering
that was just kind.
00:24:53.91\00:24:56.00
It was just a common courtesy.
00:24:56.03\00:24:57.82
If however this person's house
00:24:57.85\00:24:59.22
that you went to visit was
a person of affluence or means
00:24:59.25\00:25:01.40
and they have servants,
00:25:01.43\00:25:02.66
then frequently the servants
would come and wash your feet.
00:25:02.69\00:25:06.31
Now if there
were say six servants
00:25:06.34\00:25:09.63
and five of them were Jewish
and one of them was a Gentile,
00:25:09.66\00:25:13.34
the responsibility
of washing the feet
00:25:13.37\00:25:15.84
always revolved
upon the Gentile.
00:25:15.87\00:25:18.15
It was considered the
lowliest of the lowly duties.
00:25:18.18\00:25:21.35
And so the idea of washing
feet was not something that was,
00:25:21.38\00:25:26.10
you know, it had a
very negative connotation
00:25:26.13\00:25:28.75
in the days of Jesus.
00:25:28.78\00:25:29.81
And so the
discussion arises there
00:25:29.84\00:25:31.39
as they are preparing
for the Passover meal,
00:25:31.42\00:25:33.15
the last supper, the
feet need to be washed.
00:25:33.18\00:25:34.62
The discussion
arises, who is going to do it?
00:25:34.65\00:25:38.14
Nobody wants to do it.
00:25:38.17\00:25:39.83
I mean, it would
be the equivalent
00:25:39.86\00:25:41.97
in our day of
cleaning the toilets, right.
00:25:42.00\00:25:44.54
Get a bunch of the theology
students together and say,
00:25:44.57\00:25:46.28
you know what, we
got to clean the toilets,
00:25:46.31\00:25:47.68
who's going to do it?
00:25:47.71\00:25:48.74
And they will,
oh, me, me, can I.
00:25:48.77\00:25:50.36
I love the way they plunger,
00:25:50.39\00:25:51.42
I like that little
swish up on to the edge.
00:25:51.45\00:25:53.60
It's just not going to happen.
00:25:53.63\00:25:55.76
You know,
somebody say, "Oh you know,
00:25:55.79\00:25:56.82
I love to clean the latrines
but I got to write a sermon."
00:25:56.85\00:26:01.08
Somebody will say, "I
am working on my Greek."
00:26:01.11\00:26:02.52
You know, it's just everybody's
going to have a reason
00:26:02.55\00:26:04.10
why they can't clean it.
00:26:04.13\00:26:05.16
That's basically
what's happening here.
00:26:05.19\00:26:06.53
Nobody wants to
be the bottom guy.
00:26:06.56\00:26:10.59
And then Jesus does something
00:26:10.62\00:26:12.31
that was almost impossibly
difficult for the disciples
00:26:12.34\00:26:15.83
to understand
culturally and contextually.
00:26:15.86\00:26:18.26
Jesus gets up,
takes the wash basin,
00:26:18.29\00:26:21.11
fills it with water,
girds Himself with the towel
00:26:21.14\00:26:23.55
and starts going around,
again, to wash the dirty, dusty,
00:26:23.58\00:26:26.92
manure laden, remember, manure.
00:26:26.95\00:26:29.30
Today we have the
internal combustion engine,
00:26:29.33\00:26:31.41
we have cars and all of
that but not in those days.
00:26:31.44\00:26:33.42
If you got around you
had a camel or a donkey
00:26:33.45\00:26:36.12
and I've been to the
parades and I know what happens.
00:26:36.15\00:26:40.20
Are you hearing
what I am saying?
00:26:40.23\00:26:42.44
Last night we talked about
dung, do we need to say anymore?
00:26:42.47\00:26:44.76
You know what happens.
00:26:44.79\00:26:46.10
Will you walk on
those same streets, right?
00:26:46.13\00:26:49.61
And so here's
Jesus, the incarnate God,
00:26:49.64\00:26:54.88
that is the in fleshed God
condescending to kneel down
00:26:54.91\00:27:00.83
and wash all of these junk
00:27:00.86\00:27:04.18
off of the feet
of the disciples.
00:27:04.21\00:27:06.63
And the disciples are in
credulous, Peter the most.
00:27:06.66\00:27:10.90
You have got to be kidding me.
00:27:10.93\00:27:15.52
When they
joined the Messiah club
00:27:15.55\00:27:17.35
on the shore of the
Sea of Galilee there,
00:27:17.38\00:27:20.09
this is not what
they signed up for, right.
00:27:20.12\00:27:23.39
Follow me and I will-- and
they are thinking you know,
00:27:23.42\00:27:24.91
we are going to thrash
these obnoxious Romans,
00:27:24.94\00:27:27.38
I want to sit on the right,
maybe you can sit on the left.
00:27:27.41\00:27:30.08
When they joined
the Messiah club,
00:27:30.11\00:27:32.29
they didn't sign up for this.
00:27:32.32\00:27:35.39
And here goes Jesus calmly
00:27:35.42\00:27:38.03
and yet I would
add in a dignified way
00:27:38.06\00:27:41.15
washing the feet
of His disciples.
00:27:41.18\00:27:47.79
You could probably
make a case for the fact
00:27:47.82\00:27:49.92
that if there was a single scene
00:27:49.95\00:27:52.86
that you can just
take a snapshot picture of
00:27:52.89\00:27:55.81
and show to people of
other religious persuasions,
00:27:55.84\00:27:58.76
what is the
essence of Christianity.
00:27:58.79\00:28:00.68
You can make a
case for this scene.
00:28:00.71\00:28:03.71
The infinite,
eternal, illimitable,
00:28:03.74\00:28:05.81
omnipotent God of the universe
serving manure laden sinners.
00:28:05.84\00:28:12.71
So then, He comes to Peter
00:28:12.74\00:28:16.50
and Peter in prototypical
Petering fashion protests.
00:28:16.53\00:28:22.69
Verse 5, "And after He
had poured water into a basin
00:28:22.72\00:28:26.29
and began to wash
the disciples' feet,
00:28:26.32\00:28:27.45
and to wipe them with the
towel with which He was girded.
00:28:27.48\00:28:29.05
Then He came to Simon Peter.
00:28:29.08\00:28:30.32
And Peter said to Him,
"Lord, are You washing my feet?"
00:28:30.35\00:28:32.59
Let me translate, "Lord,
are You kidding me? Really.
00:28:32.62\00:28:39.94
What do You think
You are doing, Jesus?"
00:28:39.97\00:28:44.15
Jesus could have
easily responded,
00:28:44.18\00:28:45.42
"Well I am doing the very thing
that none of you wanted to do."
00:28:45.45\00:28:49.36
Verse 7, "Jesus said,
00:28:49.39\00:28:51.10
'What I am doing now
you do not understand,
00:28:51.13\00:28:53.23
but you will know after this.''
00:28:53.26\00:28:55.64
The washing of
the disciples feet
00:28:55.67\00:28:57.43
is a foreshadowing of the cross.
00:28:57.46\00:29:01.39
The cross event-- see,
Jesus alone can wash the dirt
00:29:01.42\00:29:05.67
and the dust from
in between our toes.
00:29:05.70\00:29:08.71
Jesus alone can
wash away the sin,
00:29:08.74\00:29:11.95
that hardened sin
that gets into the creases
00:29:11.98\00:29:14.52
and crevasses and
cracks of our life.
00:29:14.55\00:29:16.50
Can someone say, amen? Amen.
00:29:16.53\00:29:17.90
And so this is a symbol
here that it is Jesus alone
00:29:17.93\00:29:21.09
who can clean us
and who can wash us.
00:29:21.12\00:29:23.74
And Peter basically says
that, He says, "Okay, Peter,
00:29:23.77\00:29:25.67
I understand that
you don't have a clue
00:29:25.70\00:29:27.34
what I am doing right now.
00:29:27.37\00:29:28.40
But in just a little
while you will get it."
00:29:28.43\00:29:32.84
Well again, in
prototypical Petering fashion,
00:29:32.87\00:29:34.73
he absolutely protests.
00:29:34.76\00:29:35.84
In verse 8, "Peter said to Him,
00:29:35.87\00:29:37.55
'You will never wash my feet!"
00:29:37.58\00:29:42.60
Give me a break.
00:29:42.63\00:29:47.42
Jesus said,
"Alright, If I don't wash you,
00:29:47.45\00:29:51.82
then you have no part with Me."
00:29:51.85\00:29:54.77
And here we go pendulous Peter.
00:29:54.80\00:29:56.40
From this side, right,
all the way over to this side.
00:29:56.43\00:29:59.32
He says, okay, Lord,
sorry, I made a mistake there,
00:29:59.35\00:30:01.95
then why don't you wash my
head maybe a little shampoo
00:30:01.98\00:30:05.07
and my hands as
well, just give me a bath.
00:30:05.10\00:30:09.39
Swinging from this
extreme to that extreme.
00:30:09.42\00:30:11.86
Now watch Jesus' response here.
00:30:11.89\00:30:13.34
Remember the reason
that we came to John 13
00:30:13.37\00:30:15.63
is we're trying to
understand John 15:3
00:30:15.66\00:30:18.03
that's what we're
looking for John 15:3.
00:30:18.06\00:30:20.07
"You are already
clean through the word
00:30:20.10\00:30:22.68
that I've spoken to you.
00:30:22.71\00:30:23.74
We ask a question, what
word is he talking about?
00:30:23.77\00:30:25.59
Well, just a
couple of hours before,
00:30:25.62\00:30:26.72
He had used that
identical language.
00:30:26.75\00:30:29.60
The whole concept of
being washed or being cleaned
00:30:29.63\00:30:33.23
as a symbol of
the forthcoming cross.
00:30:33.26\00:30:35.67
Now look at this right
here, absolutely amazing,
00:30:35.70\00:30:38.07
verse 10, and Jesus said to him,
00:30:38.10\00:30:39.71
"He who is bathed
needs only to wash his feet
00:30:39.74\00:30:43.25
but is completely"
what's the word everyone?
00:30:43.28\00:30:46.61
Clean, now watch this,
"And you are all" what?
00:30:46.64\00:30:51.55
Cleaned.
00:30:51.58\00:30:53.18
And then He adds
but not all of you.
00:30:53.21\00:30:55.57
Now the but, not all of you
part is a reference to, who?
00:30:55.60\00:30:58.33
Judas plainly.
00:30:58.36\00:30:59.39
So do you see the similarity
in language in this passage
00:30:59.42\00:31:02.14
and our passage in
John 15, yes or no?
00:31:02.17\00:31:04.50
Jesus says here, listen,
you are all already clean.
00:31:04.53\00:31:08.21
In fact here He adds,
you are completely clean.
00:31:08.24\00:31:14.35
They were not clean by
virtue of their spotless lives.
00:31:14.38\00:31:18.63
They were not clean by virtue
of their rigorous adherence
00:31:18.66\00:31:21.74
to the Mosaic
Law or any other law.
00:31:21.77\00:31:24.01
They were clean because the
infinite God of the universe
00:31:24.04\00:31:27.12
had cleaned them up Himself.
00:31:27.15\00:31:30.61
And He says here, already
clean, in fact completely clean.
00:31:30.64\00:31:34.01
So it makes perfect sense
that just a couple hours later
00:31:34.04\00:31:36.19
when He says, "You
are all already cleaned
00:31:36.22\00:31:39.30
because of the
word I have spoken you."
00:31:39.33\00:31:40.96
Immediately they would
have thought of that experience
00:31:40.99\00:31:43.02
that just happened
a few moments before.
00:31:43.05\00:31:44.49
A few hours before perhaps
00:31:44.52\00:31:46.40
in the upper room when
Jesus said, wash their feet.
00:31:46.43\00:31:50.37
Are we all in the same
page, everyone, yes or no?
00:31:50.40\00:31:52.19
Yes.
00:31:52.22\00:31:53.25
Powerful.
00:31:53.28\00:31:54.31
Now, Jesus cleans the dirty,
dusty feet of the disciples
00:31:54.34\00:32:00.75
as a symbol, as a what everyone?
00:32:00.78\00:32:03.55
As a symbol of
His condescension,
00:32:03.58\00:32:05.47
in fact not just a
symbol of His condescension
00:32:05.50\00:32:07.17
but as a manifestation
of His condescension.
00:32:07.20\00:32:09.22
But as a symbol of the
forthcoming cleanliness
00:32:09.25\00:32:12.21
that they would
receive only from His blood
00:32:12.24\00:32:14.80
shed on the cross.
00:32:14.83\00:32:17.14
Now with that in
mind go back to John 15.
00:32:17.17\00:32:21.19
Let's go plug this in.
00:32:21.22\00:32:24.54
And as we're
prepared to plug this in,
00:32:24.57\00:32:26.45
some of you I'm afraid are
going to be mildly uncomfortable
00:32:26.48\00:32:31.10
with some of the conclusions
00:32:31.13\00:32:32.44
that we're going
to draw from this.
00:32:32.47\00:32:34.13
But I assure you they
will be biblical conclusions.
00:32:34.16\00:32:38.12
Let us just
think here for a moment
00:32:38.15\00:32:39.75
about the
condition of the disciples
00:32:39.78\00:32:41.88
when Jesus tells them
00:32:41.91\00:32:42.97
that they are all
already completely clean,
00:32:43.00\00:32:46.74
as oppose to dirty and filthy.
00:32:46.77\00:32:49.49
The disciples are
perfect at this point.
00:32:49.52\00:32:54.33
Yes or no?
00:32:54.36\00:32:56.30
Far from it.
00:32:56.33\00:32:58.12
In fact, the reason that
Jesus had to wash their feet
00:32:58.15\00:33:01.51
is that they were busy arguing
00:33:01.54\00:33:02.78
about who is going
to be the greatest.
00:33:02.81\00:33:05.86
Still having issues with pride.
00:33:09.40\00:33:11.79
Still struggling with
sin in their life obviously.
00:33:11.82\00:33:17.04
Did the disciples at this
point understand the concept,
00:33:17.07\00:33:20.99
the theological
concept of the crucifixion?
00:33:21.02\00:33:24.82
Yes or No?
00:33:24.85\00:33:25.91
No, they are totally confused.
00:33:25.94\00:33:26.97
I mean that, that was
right out there in John 13
00:33:27.00\00:33:29.09
I mean, it's just plain as day.
00:33:29.12\00:33:30.27
Jesus says to him,
you do not understand.
00:33:30.30\00:33:32.71
Now but you're
going to understand,
00:33:32.74\00:33:34.23
so the disciples we could say
fairly were theologically inept.
00:33:34.26\00:33:39.20
If they don't
understand the crucifixion,
00:33:39.23\00:33:40.88
it's a guarantee I
mean, its prima facie proof
00:33:40.91\00:33:43.93
that they don't
understand the resurrection.
00:33:43.96\00:33:46.11
Right, if you don't
have the crucifixion part,
00:33:46.14\00:33:47.67
you definitely don't
have the resurrection part.
00:33:47.70\00:33:49.28
And so here we are
with these disciples
00:33:49.31\00:33:51.56
still filled with
the spirit of pride,
00:33:51.59\00:33:53.19
still struggling with
issues in their lives,
00:33:53.22\00:33:55.18
no question about that.
00:33:55.21\00:33:56.31
Who do not understand all
of the nuances of theology,
00:33:56.34\00:34:00.12
the crucifixion, the
resurrection and all.
00:34:00.15\00:34:02.11
No.
00:34:02.14\00:34:03.17
And Jesus has the
temerity to say to these guys,
00:34:03.20\00:34:06.76
you are all
already completely clean.
00:34:06.79\00:34:10.89
Forgive me for
being so bold here
00:34:14.26\00:34:16.18
but the only conclusion
00:34:16.21\00:34:18.41
that I feel that we can safely
come to is this conclusion
00:34:18.44\00:34:21.49
and its going to make
some of you uncomfortable
00:34:21.52\00:34:22.77
for which I don't apologize.
00:34:22.80\00:34:26.04
And that is that
cleanliness in Christ
00:34:26.07\00:34:28.44
must precede
Christian character perfection.
00:34:28.47\00:34:34.72
Did you get that?
00:34:34.75\00:34:35.78
Amen.
00:34:35.81\00:34:36.84
It was kind of a
scary amen there.
00:34:36.87\00:34:38.64
It's kind of a... amen.
00:34:38.67\00:34:40.93
And some people try to
say amen and nothing came out,
00:34:43.57\00:34:45.37
they are like...
00:34:45.40\00:34:48.16
what did he say,
let's say it again.
00:34:48.19\00:34:50.55
Apparently cleanliness in Christ
precedes being a perfect person.
00:34:50.58\00:34:55.93
Amen.
00:34:55.96\00:34:57.42
In fact, my thesis this morning
00:34:57.45\00:34:58.87
and how to make the Christian
faith works goes something like,
00:34:58.90\00:35:01.03
how to make the Christian faith
work, goes something like this.
00:35:01.06\00:35:03.34
You'll never even get to
Christian character perfection,
00:35:03.37\00:35:06.07
if you don't have confidence
00:35:06.10\00:35:07.47
about your
cleanliness in Christ today.
00:35:07.50\00:35:09.51
Amen.
00:35:09.54\00:35:11.89
Now we are back in John 15.
00:35:11.92\00:35:13.96
Let's look at
verses 1 to 3 again
00:35:13.99\00:35:15.60
and it's going to
make by the grace of God,
00:35:15.63\00:35:17.81
perfect sense I
mean, such logical sense,
00:35:17.84\00:35:21.96
I'm fiercely
logical, sometimes to a fault.
00:35:21.99\00:35:25.17
But here we're going to see
how it's just all fits together.
00:35:25.20\00:35:29.65
John 15, beginning in verse 1,
00:35:29.68\00:35:31.11
"I am the true vine, my
Father is the vinedresser.
00:35:31.14\00:35:36.01
Every branch in Me that does
bears no fruit, he takes away,
00:35:36.04\00:35:38.43
and every branch that
bears fruit he prunes,
00:35:38.46\00:35:39.91
that it may bear more fruit.
00:35:39.94\00:35:40.97
You are all already clean
00:35:41.00\00:35:42.95
through the word that
I have spoken to you."
00:35:42.98\00:35:45.24
And then the first word
of verse 4 is "stay there."
00:35:45.27\00:35:50.53
Stay where?
00:35:50.56\00:35:52.33
Stay clean in me.
00:35:52.36\00:35:55.76
Jesus could not
exhort them to stay in Christ
00:35:55.79\00:35:59.94
to abide in Christ
00:35:59.97\00:36:01.44
until He had first made
it crystal clear to them
00:36:01.47\00:36:03.47
that they were
in fact in Christ.
00:36:03.50\00:36:08.29
He can not exhort them to remain
00:36:08.32\00:36:10.82
where they don't know they are.
00:36:10.85\00:36:14.16
And so He says you
are all already cleaned
00:36:14.19\00:36:16.71
not because of
what you have done
00:36:16.74\00:36:18.12
but hallelujah
because of what I have done.
00:36:18.15\00:36:20.94
Now stay in that
faith relationship
00:36:20.97\00:36:23.54
trusting to what
I have done for you.
00:36:23.57\00:36:25.89
Amen.
00:36:25.92\00:36:27.28
And then the rest of the verses
00:36:27.31\00:36:28.43
make such good
sense, stay there.
00:36:28.46\00:36:31.67
Stay there. Stay there.
00:36:31.70\00:36:35.19
Remain there.
00:36:35.22\00:36:36.39
Stay right there, stay,
stay, stay, stay, stay, stay.
00:36:36.42\00:36:41.99
May of you have disobedient dogs
00:36:42.02\00:36:44.02
that you pretend are obedient.
00:36:44.05\00:36:48.05
I have seen this a hundreds
times if I have seen it once
00:36:48.08\00:36:51.32
and that is the person that,
00:36:51.35\00:36:54.23
you know, they
persuaded themselves
00:36:54.26\00:36:55.34
that their dog
is really obedient
00:36:55.37\00:36:56.73
and say, oh, yeah,
it's a good dog, great dog.
00:36:56.76\00:36:59.53
And so the dog, you know, all
of a sudden a squirrel comes.
00:36:59.56\00:37:05.07
Going out to the squirrel.
00:37:05.10\00:37:06.30
Rover, come here.
00:37:06.33\00:37:08.66
No but he obeys.
00:37:08.69\00:37:09.77
Rover, come here.
00:37:09.80\00:37:11.07
And he finally get Rover to
come over and you say, now stay.
00:37:11.10\00:37:13.81
And the dog just
shoots off around the block.
00:37:13.84\00:37:15.76
Get the dog back, now stay.
00:37:15.79\00:37:18.06
The dog go to some or
other place, now stay.
00:37:18.09\00:37:20.82
That is the imagery I
want you to have here.
00:37:20.85\00:37:23.40
The dog wants to run
away, the master is saying stay.
00:37:23.43\00:37:27.52
That's exactly
what Jesus is saying,
00:37:27.55\00:37:28.63
stay there, stay right there.
00:37:28.66\00:37:31.28
Stay put, don't move,
00:37:31.31\00:37:33.51
stay clean in me.
00:37:33.54\00:37:38.80
Beloved you cannot
continue to abide in Christ,
00:37:38.83\00:37:43.05
if you do not have the
present tense confidence
00:37:43.08\00:37:45.85
that you
presently reside in Christ.
00:37:45.88\00:37:49.56
Just try staying somewhere
that you don't know you are.
00:37:49.59\00:37:53.20
But this is the rub,
00:37:56.48\00:37:59.98
many people, many
sincere Christian people
00:38:00.01\00:38:07.46
are trying
desperately to remain in Christ,
00:38:07.49\00:38:12.52
to abide in Christ,
to be a good Christian,
00:38:12.55\00:38:15.76
to live the good Christian life
00:38:15.79\00:38:17.33
without the
present tense confidence
00:38:17.36\00:38:18.99
that they are in Christ.
00:38:19.02\00:38:22.41
How can you remain in Christ
00:38:22.44\00:38:24.36
if you don't believe
that you are in Christ?
00:38:24.39\00:38:28.18
That's Jesus' whole point.
00:38:28.21\00:38:30.12
He says, abide
in me, stay in me,
00:38:30.15\00:38:33.22
stay put, stay
right where you are.
00:38:33.25\00:38:37.72
What about the disciples,
were they perfect, yes or no?
00:38:37.75\00:38:40.58
No.
00:38:40.61\00:38:42.08
But you know, something
interesting about the disciples.
00:38:42.11\00:38:45.78
Disciples would go out
in the course of the day
00:38:45.81\00:38:47.14
and they make a mistake.
00:38:47.17\00:38:48.56
They were very good at
making mistakes, weren't they?
00:38:48.59\00:38:50.92
Yes or no?
00:38:50.95\00:38:52.11
Yeah, almost as
good as some of you.
00:38:52.14\00:38:54.57
They're very good at.
00:38:54.60\00:38:55.63
They make a mistake in the day,
00:38:55.66\00:38:56.74
they would say things like
00:38:56.77\00:38:57.80
oh, Jesus we went to this city
00:38:57.83\00:38:59.83
and they didn't want to receive
you and we got a great idea,
00:38:59.86\00:39:01.81
we want to burn the
place to the ground.
00:39:01.84\00:39:06.25
And Jesus would be like,
00:39:06.28\00:39:07.31
well, let's not think
so outside of the box.
00:39:07.34\00:39:14.32
Let's look at this from a
different perspective writing
00:39:14.35\00:39:16.39
and or another example
00:39:16.42\00:39:17.63
you know, the young people,
00:39:17.66\00:39:18.69
you know, the
children want to rush to Jesus
00:39:18.72\00:39:20.14
who was right
there, get away, get away,
00:39:20.17\00:39:21.63
the master
doesn't have time for this
00:39:21.66\00:39:23.37
and Jesus would
then turn on and say,
00:39:23.40\00:39:24.74
"Suffer the little
ones to come unto me."
00:39:24.77\00:39:26.17
And He would look at
His disciples and say,
00:39:26.20\00:39:27.32
"Except you become one as these,
you are not going to heaven."
00:39:27.35\00:39:32.17
Oops.
00:39:32.20\00:39:34.07
So the disciples were
very good at making mistakes,
00:39:34.10\00:39:36.04
very, very good
at making mistakes
00:39:36.07\00:39:38.23
but you want to know something
interesting about the disciples.
00:39:38.26\00:39:40.20
Every night, do you
know where they were?
00:39:40.23\00:39:45.57
They were in camp with Jesus.
00:39:45.60\00:39:49.20
And every
morning, you know what,
00:39:49.23\00:39:51.04
they would wake
up in Jesus' camp.
00:39:51.07\00:39:54.71
And they would go out
00:39:54.74\00:39:55.77
and I tell you they
have the very best intentions
00:39:55.80\00:39:57.63
that day to not make
one of those mistakes,
00:39:57.66\00:39:59.41
do not say something foolhardy,
00:39:59.44\00:40:00.84
they have the
very best intentions
00:40:00.87\00:40:02.57
but in the unlikely or
if we prefer a likely event
00:40:02.60\00:40:05.65
that they made a mistake,
00:40:05.68\00:40:07.04
that they fall
or fell that they--
00:40:07.07\00:40:09.32
that they said something stupid
00:40:09.35\00:40:10.62
or that they
did the wrong thing.
00:40:10.65\00:40:13.01
I guarantee that
at the end of the day
00:40:13.04\00:40:14.84
you know, where they were?
00:40:14.87\00:40:16.85
They were back around
that campfire with Jesus.
00:40:16.88\00:40:20.82
The next morning they
started that day with Jesus.
00:40:20.85\00:40:24.12
And so you could have
pointed to the various failures,
00:40:24.15\00:40:27.12
the various inconsistencies
00:40:27.15\00:40:28.59
and the various
hypocrisies of their life
00:40:28.62\00:40:30.54
but Jesus wasn't looking at
the occasional deed or misdeed,
00:40:30.57\00:40:34.26
Jesus was looking at the
general tendency of the life
00:40:34.29\00:40:37.42
and the general tendency
of the life for 3 1/2 years
00:40:37.45\00:40:39.61
was to be in camp with Jesus.
00:40:39.64\00:40:43.56
So I am reading from
Steps to Christ, page 57.
00:40:43.59\00:40:45.39
"The character is revealed
00:40:45.42\00:40:46.63
not by occasional good
deeds and occasional misdeeds,
00:40:46.66\00:40:49.15
but by the tendency of
the habitual words and acts."
00:40:49.18\00:40:54.21
The disciples
imperfect though they were,
00:40:57.06\00:41:00.59
always ended the day with Jesus
00:41:00.62\00:41:03.67
and they started
the day with Jesus.
00:41:03.70\00:41:07.60
And God evaluated them
00:41:07.63\00:41:09.90
and told them
that they were clean
00:41:09.93\00:41:11.94
on the basis of the
general tendency of their life.
00:41:11.97\00:41:16.48
They stuck it out with Jesus.
00:41:16.51\00:41:21.02
The Bible says, a just man.
00:41:21.05\00:41:23.69
A what kind of man?
00:41:23.72\00:41:25.69
A just man falls seven times,
00:41:25.72\00:41:30.16
and rises up again.
00:41:30.19\00:41:33.15
The difference between the
just man and the unjust man
00:41:33.18\00:41:36.51
is not that the
just man never falls,
00:41:36.54\00:41:40.20
it's that when he
falls, he gets back up.
00:41:40.23\00:41:42.54
Amen.
00:41:42.57\00:41:44.91
The difference between
00:41:44.94\00:41:45.97
the just woman
and the unjust woman
00:41:46.00\00:41:47.62
is not that the just
woman never makes a mistake
00:41:47.65\00:41:49.77
or never gossips
or never gets upset.
00:41:49.80\00:41:52.18
No, no, no, the
difference is when you fall,
00:41:52.21\00:41:54.38
you choose to get back up.
00:41:54.41\00:41:55.83
The disciples made mistakes many
00:41:58.85\00:42:00.60
and you have made mistakes many
00:42:00.63\00:42:02.36
and the devil
tries to discourage you
00:42:02.39\00:42:04.46
with your mistakes
and with your failures
00:42:04.49\00:42:06.66
and with your faults
and with your foibles.
00:42:06.69\00:42:08.36
But the trick to the--
00:42:08.39\00:42:09.43
the whole trick to the Christian
experience is get back up.
00:42:09.46\00:42:13.11
Amen.
00:42:13.14\00:42:15.38
Stay with Him.
00:42:15.41\00:42:17.90
Get dust yourself off.
00:42:17.93\00:42:19.43
If you have to come to Jesus,
00:42:19.46\00:42:20.99
say Jesus, clean
my feet I need help
00:42:21.02\00:42:23.22
and he's gonna
clean those feet up
00:42:23.25\00:42:24.49
and He's gonna send you back
in to the game, go get him boy.
00:42:24.52\00:42:30.00
Just get back up.
00:42:30.03\00:42:33.07
When you fall if you stay down,
00:42:33.10\00:42:35.56
the devil has gained a victory.
00:42:35.59\00:42:38.12
If you get back
up and go to Jesus,
00:42:38.15\00:42:40.78
the devil can't touch you.
00:42:40.81\00:42:42.17
Jesus says, stay there.
00:42:46.14\00:42:48.18
Stay where?
00:42:48.21\00:42:49.24
Stay in a faith
relationship with me.
00:42:49.27\00:42:50.95
Paul was writing to
the church in Galatian
00:42:50.98\00:42:52.35
and he said, wait a
minute, wait a minute confusion,
00:42:52.38\00:42:54.94
you started this thing by faith,
00:42:54.97\00:42:56.91
are you now made perfect
by the works of the flesh,
00:42:56.94\00:42:59.42
by the works of
the law, no, no, no.
00:42:59.45\00:43:01.21
Listen, salvation is by faith
00:43:01.24\00:43:03.40
from beginning all the
way through to the end.
00:43:03.43\00:43:06.60
Amen.
00:43:06.63\00:43:08.30
You are justified by faith,
you are sanctified by faith
00:43:08.33\00:43:11.35
and you will be
glorified by faith.
00:43:11.38\00:43:15.87
There is no transition
point where it's by faith
00:43:15.90\00:43:18.15
and then it quickly transitions
in to works, no, no, no, no.
00:43:18.18\00:43:21.40
Its by faith, by faith, by faith
00:43:21.43\00:43:23.54
you believe what God has done,
00:43:23.57\00:43:25.56
is doing, you fall down,
00:43:25.59\00:43:27.34
you make a mistake get back up,
00:43:27.37\00:43:29.29
dust yourself off,
and by the grace of God
00:43:29.32\00:43:31.88
those periods of mistake will
become further and further apart
00:43:31.91\00:43:36.05
and your victories will
become more and more grand
00:43:36.08\00:43:38.59
and more numerous in consistent
00:43:38.62\00:43:40.23
and before you know,
what, you'll look in the mirror
00:43:40.26\00:43:42.31
and you won't even
recognize that person.
00:43:42.34\00:43:44.26
Amen.
00:43:44.29\00:43:47.15
Because God is working.
00:43:47.18\00:43:51.20
Abide in me, stay right there.
00:43:51.23\00:43:57.51
There's a question,
people say Pastor Asscherick,
00:43:57.54\00:44:00.53
do you believe
in victory over sin?
00:44:00.56\00:44:02.61
To ask that
question is to answer it.
00:44:06.48\00:44:10.84
If I don't believe
in victory over sin,
00:44:10.87\00:44:14.10
then I must believe
in sin over victory.
00:44:14.13\00:44:18.88
And if the devil
contempt me to sin
00:44:18.91\00:44:21.66
but Jesus can't
keep me from sinning,
00:44:21.69\00:44:23.59
then I'm
serving the wrong being.
00:44:23.62\00:44:28.16
If the devil is strong
enough and powerful enough
00:44:28.19\00:44:30.41
and clever enough to
tempt me and entice me into sin
00:44:30.44\00:44:33.34
but my God is not strong
enough to keep me from sinning,
00:44:33.37\00:44:36.71
then I am in trouble.
00:44:36.74\00:44:40.42
Of course I believe
in victory over sin.
00:44:40.45\00:44:42.32
How can you read both the
Old and the New Testaments
00:44:42.35\00:44:44.86
and not believe that
God's plan for His people
00:44:44.89\00:44:47.03
is not just deliverance
from the penalty of sin
00:44:47.06\00:44:49.78
but also deliverance
00:44:49.81\00:44:50.84
from the very power
of sin in their lives.
00:44:50.87\00:44:53.38
Amen.
00:44:53.41\00:44:56.19
I say with C.D. Brooks, I am
not the man that I want to be
00:44:56.22\00:44:59.37
but I can rejoice that neither
am I the man I used to be.
00:44:59.40\00:45:04.26
There is a transition.
00:45:04.29\00:45:07.47
God begins to work in
you His marvelous work, why?
00:45:07.50\00:45:11.72
Because you are super saint now,
00:45:11.75\00:45:13.00
because you are
on your own now, no.
00:45:13.03\00:45:14.61
Because you are
abiding in Christ by faith,
00:45:14.64\00:45:16.91
you're sticking
it out with Jesus.
00:45:16.94\00:45:18.57
You're reminding
yourself daily, hourly,
00:45:18.60\00:45:20.60
moment by moment if need
be that Jesus washes you,
00:45:20.63\00:45:23.68
Jesus cleanses you.
00:45:23.71\00:45:24.86
It's about what Jesus has
done and everything that you do
00:45:24.89\00:45:28.12
is in response to that
great initial act of God's love.
00:45:28.15\00:45:34.00
Your obedience does
not cause God to love you.
00:45:34.03\00:45:36.98
Your obedience is the sign
that you've accepted the love
00:45:37.01\00:45:39.76
that He has already
demonstrated by dying on a tree.
00:45:39.79\00:45:43.18
Do you believe that
Jesus could keep you
00:45:47.61\00:45:50.61
from sinning for one second?
00:45:50.64\00:45:54.36
Anyone believe that?
00:45:54.39\00:45:56.50
How about two seconds?
00:45:56.53\00:46:00.68
Okay, how about 60 seconds?
00:46:00.71\00:46:06.53
Anybody think that's possible?
00:46:06.56\00:46:08.21
Right.
00:46:08.24\00:46:09.27
I can hold my
breath for 60 seconds.
00:46:09.30\00:46:12.15
Right.
00:46:12.18\00:46:13.21
So technically I can
just say, okay, here we go.
00:46:13.24\00:46:15.87
No sin zone.
00:46:15.90\00:46:19.67
Now think about Jesus,
I'm gonna hold my breath,
00:46:19.70\00:46:21.89
I can't say anything, I can't
move too fast or too quickly.
00:46:21.92\00:46:24.85
So I believe there
for a full 60 seconds
00:46:24.88\00:46:27.62
Jesus could give me the
power to not sin for 60 seconds.
00:46:27.65\00:46:30.88
You believe that's possible?
00:46:30.91\00:46:32.53
Yeah, but you know
where this is going.
00:46:32.56\00:46:36.03
Ooh!
00:46:36.06\00:46:38.71
Oh, that's just
fiercely logical, isn't it?
00:46:38.74\00:46:40.57
So if He can keep me
from sinning for one second,
00:46:40.60\00:46:42.68
then by
definition for two seconds
00:46:42.71\00:46:45.10
because all that a
two is just two ones.
00:46:45.13\00:46:49.18
Right.
00:46:49.21\00:46:50.24
And if He can keep me for two,
00:46:50.27\00:46:51.74
then He can keep me for three
00:46:51.77\00:46:52.80
and if He can keep me for
three, He can keep me for four,
00:46:52.83\00:46:54.31
four for five,
all the way, why not?
00:46:54.34\00:46:59.16
Why not?
00:46:59.19\00:47:00.72
Now here's the good news.
00:47:00.75\00:47:02.93
You are not thinking about that.
00:47:02.96\00:47:05.29
You are thinking about Jesus.
00:47:05.32\00:47:10.41
God is more powerful than Satan.
00:47:10.44\00:47:16.31
God wants to grow you
00:47:16.34\00:47:19.87
into a person that
you may scarcely recognize
00:47:19.90\00:47:23.14
when He's done.
00:47:23.17\00:47:25.84
It can be a little exhausting,
00:47:25.87\00:47:29.18
it can be
sometimes laboriously slow
00:47:29.21\00:47:33.57
but dare I say it,
00:47:33.60\00:47:35.82
that if you will end up in
camp with Jesus every night
00:47:35.85\00:47:41.49
and you will wake up
with Jesus in the morning.
00:47:41.52\00:47:45.96
If you will stay there
00:47:45.99\00:47:48.91
that God is gonna do
something in your life,
00:47:48.94\00:47:51.77
that even you
could scarcely believe.
00:47:51.80\00:47:55.60
Now in closing open
your Bibles to Mathew 5,
00:47:55.63\00:47:58.06
last passage of scripture.
00:47:58.09\00:48:01.31
In speaking of the
subject of Christian growth,
00:48:01.34\00:48:05.37
I personally know of no other
00:48:05.40\00:48:08.95
more simple encouraging
00:48:08.98\00:48:15.03
and profoundly beautiful
passage than the Beatitudes.
00:48:15.06\00:48:18.52
Now I want to show you
00:48:18.55\00:48:19.58
the Beatitudes
by the grace of God
00:48:19.61\00:48:21.00
in a way that may be
you've never seen before.
00:48:21.03\00:48:22.96
We're gonna do it quickly.
00:48:22.99\00:48:25.89
This is Jesus' first
public address, right?
00:48:25.92\00:48:29.60
He is baptized there in
the opening chapters of Mathew
00:48:29.63\00:48:32.95
and this is really the beginning
of Jesus' public ministry.
00:48:32.98\00:48:34.97
This is sort of His, the opening
state of the kingdom address.
00:48:35.00\00:48:41.13
Jesus begins and He
gives us these things
00:48:41.16\00:48:44.29
that we refer to
as the Beatitudes
00:48:44.32\00:48:45.73
but really the Beatitudes
are like a Christian ladder.
00:48:45.76\00:48:49.74
A Christian, what everyone?
00:48:49.77\00:48:50.80
Ladder.
00:48:50.83\00:48:51.86
Moving from A to B
00:48:51.89\00:48:54.83
then from B to C, from C to D
00:48:54.86\00:48:57.19
and right up the ladder,
he gives us a progression.
00:48:57.22\00:48:59.88
A what every one?
00:48:59.91\00:49:00.94
Progression. Progression.
00:49:00.97\00:49:02.00
See sometimes
we study the Bible,
00:49:02.03\00:49:03.33
if we don't study
the Bible carefully,
00:49:03.36\00:49:04.73
we think we're just getting
00:49:04.76\00:49:05.79
these little isolated
anecdotal proverbial statements,
00:49:05.82\00:49:08.52
well, that's nice.
00:49:08.55\00:49:09.72
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
00:49:09.75\00:49:11.22
for theirs is the kingdom
of heaven. That's so nice.
00:49:11.25\00:49:12.69
I think I am going
to cross-stitch that
00:49:12.72\00:49:14.59
and hang in my bathroom wall.
00:49:14.62\00:49:18.05
Hey, good, knock yourself out.
00:49:18.08\00:49:19.88
But there is
something more there.
00:49:19.91\00:49:23.24
The Beatitudes are not just
00:49:23.27\00:49:24.48
these little sound
bites of religious wisdom,
00:49:24.51\00:49:27.28
there is something there.
00:49:27.31\00:49:29.76
I want to show it to
you by the grace of God.
00:49:29.79\00:49:31.16
Here we go, right in
the beginning, Jesus says,
00:49:31.19\00:49:32.77
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
00:49:32.80\00:49:34.18
for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven."
00:49:34.21\00:49:36.82
Blessed are the poor in spirit.
00:49:36.85\00:49:38.17
Jesus says, "Blessed are those
00:49:38.20\00:49:39.74
who recognize
their spiritual poverty,
00:49:39.77\00:49:43.61
For theirs is the
kingdom of heaven."
00:49:43.64\00:49:45.80
Now we have three verb tenses
00:49:45.83\00:49:46.90
in the English language
past, present and future.
00:49:46.93\00:49:49.37
And Jesus here employs the
word is, which is present tense.
00:49:49.40\00:49:52.24
He says, "Blessed
are those who recognize,
00:49:52.27\00:49:54.15
happier are those who recognize
their spiritual poverty,
00:49:54.18\00:49:56.44
for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven."
00:49:56.47\00:49:59.87
You say, amen. Amen.
00:49:59.90\00:50:01.38
Present tense. So what
would be the next step?
00:50:01.41\00:50:03.01
After we come to the cross,
00:50:03.04\00:50:04.20
after we realize our
spiritual impoverishment.
00:50:04.23\00:50:06.42
After we realize that it is
God's work and not our work.
00:50:06.45\00:50:09.36
We realize that we are
sinners in need of a Savior.
00:50:09.39\00:50:11.39
We come to Jesus and we
realize at the foot of the cross
00:50:11.42\00:50:13.80
that we are
spiritually bankrupt.
00:50:13.83\00:50:18.72
There is no
salvageable material in you.
00:50:18.75\00:50:21.38
So just disabuse your
mind of that ridiculous notion.
00:50:21.41\00:50:24.25
There is no good thing in you.
00:50:24.28\00:50:26.26
When you come to
the foot of the cross,
00:50:26.29\00:50:27.73
God starts with from scratch.
00:50:27.76\00:50:31.78
David said, create in me a what?
00:50:31.81\00:50:34.18
Clean heart, O God.
00:50:34.21\00:50:35.24
And when God
creates, He creates us,
00:50:35.27\00:50:38.12
the theologians
would say Ex nihilo,
00:50:38.15\00:50:40.07
that is out of nothing.
00:50:40.10\00:50:42.16
He doesn't have some raw
material that you dig in there
00:50:42.19\00:50:44.30
and say Oh, yeah I think
00:50:44.33\00:50:45.36
we got a little we can
work with here and that.
00:50:45.39\00:50:47.26
No, He just throw, you go--
00:50:47.29\00:50:51.41
Right, we guys have to
get in and throw that out
00:50:51.44\00:50:52.94
that's we can't
keep any of that.
00:50:52.97\00:50:54.90
He's got to start
from scratch with you
00:50:54.93\00:50:56.48
and so He recognize
your spiritual poverty
00:50:56.51\00:50:58.44
and Jesus says, happy are those
00:50:58.47\00:50:59.72
who recognize
their spiritual poverty
00:50:59.75\00:51:01.31
because theirs is
the kingdom of heaven.
00:51:01.34\00:51:03.77
The thief on the cross.
00:51:03.80\00:51:06.95
He knows he is bankrupt.
00:51:06.98\00:51:10.68
I mean, if ever there
was a time to trust God
00:51:10.71\00:51:12.96
it's when you're
hanging from a tree.
00:51:12.99\00:51:16.99
That would be a good choice.
00:51:17.02\00:51:18.73
Hedge your bets, right?
00:51:18.76\00:51:21.30
So the thief on the cross,
00:51:21.33\00:51:22.36
he doesn't have
time to become a vegan.
00:51:22.39\00:51:25.24
He just has time to put
his trust in this man there
00:51:29.06\00:51:33.12
that's crucified
between him and the other.
00:51:33.15\00:51:36.37
He knows his
spiritual bankruptcy
00:51:36.40\00:51:38.23
and so he trusts Jesus.
00:51:38.26\00:51:40.78
And Jesus says, "Verily,
verily, I say unto you today.
00:51:40.81\00:51:44.39
You are gonna be
with me in paradise."
00:51:44.42\00:51:47.68
Second verse, "Blessed are those
00:51:47.71\00:51:49.46
who mourn for they
shall be comforted."
00:51:49.49\00:51:50.83
When you realize
your spiritual bankruptcy
00:51:50.86\00:51:52.69
you don't throw a party.
00:51:52.72\00:51:54.98
You mourn your
present spiritual condition.
00:51:55.01\00:51:56.90
Can some one say, amen.
00:51:56.93\00:51:57.96
Amen.
00:51:57.99\00:51:59.02
Follow the
sequence, it's very simple.
00:51:59.05\00:52:00.27
You recognize
your spiritual poverty
00:52:00.30\00:52:01.67
and then you mourn
that spiritual condition
00:52:01.70\00:52:03.28
but notice what Jesus says here,
00:52:03.31\00:52:04.34
"Blessed are those who mourn
for they shall be comforted."
00:52:04.37\00:52:07.89
Notice with me that
the verb tense has changed.
00:52:07.92\00:52:11.62
In the first Beatitude,
your's is the kingdom of heaven,
00:52:11.65\00:52:13.99
in the second
Beatitude, you shall be what?
00:52:14.02\00:52:17.23
Comforted.
00:52:17.26\00:52:18.29
What happens after that,
00:52:18.32\00:52:19.35
what happens after we
mourn our spiritual condition?
00:52:19.38\00:52:21.48
"Blessed are the--'' what?
00:52:21.51\00:52:23.34
"Meek, for they
shall inherit the earth."
00:52:23.37\00:52:25.14
When you realize that
you're spiritually bankrupt
00:52:25.17\00:52:26.92
and you're mourning
that spiritual condition.
00:52:26.95\00:52:28.52
This would cause you
not to be proud and hardy
00:52:28.55\00:52:30.86
and high-minded
but to be humble.
00:52:30.89\00:52:33.39
Realizing beloved
that the ground is level
00:52:33.42\00:52:35.66
at the foot of the cross
00:52:35.69\00:52:36.72
and you are no
better and praise the Lord,
00:52:36.75\00:52:38.68
no worst than any other sinner.
00:52:38.71\00:52:41.23
Can someone say, amen. Amen.
00:52:41.26\00:52:42.86
Oh, no matter
what the Pharisee say.
00:52:42.89\00:52:47.52
Jesus says,
"Blessed are the meek"
00:52:47.55\00:52:49.28
and so you see the progression
it's so chronological,
00:52:49.31\00:52:52.14
it's so powerful, you recognize
your spiritual poverty,
00:52:52.17\00:52:54.81
you mourn your
spiritual condition
00:52:54.84\00:52:56.64
and then this
causes you to be meek.
00:52:56.67\00:52:58.15
Blessed are the meek, for
they shall inherit the earth.
00:52:58.18\00:53:01.23
What's next?
00:53:01.26\00:53:02.29
Well, of course verse 6 is next.
00:53:02.32\00:53:04.52
Well, what do you
mean at that point?
00:53:04.55\00:53:06.18
Blessed are those who
hunger and thirst for food.
00:53:06.21\00:53:12.15
What you are
hungering and thirsting for
00:53:12.18\00:53:14.02
when you realize
your spiritual bankruptcy,
00:53:14.05\00:53:15.70
you're mourning
your spiritual condition
00:53:15.73\00:53:16.84
and this causes you to be meek.
00:53:16.87\00:53:18.06
What are you hungering for?
00:53:18.09\00:53:20.23
You need righteousness.
00:53:20.26\00:53:23.02
A righteousness that you do
not own that you do not possess,
00:53:23.05\00:53:25.97
your righteousness's
are like filthy rags.
00:53:26.00\00:53:27.74
You need an
external righteousness
00:53:27.77\00:53:29.49
that God gives to
you as a free gift
00:53:29.52\00:53:31.64
and so you hunger and
you thirst for righteousness
00:53:31.67\00:53:34.05
and Jesus says,
"They shall be filled."
00:53:34.08\00:53:37.52
Do you see the
progression everyone, yes or no?
00:53:37.55\00:53:40.73
Verse 7,
"Blessed are the merciful,
00:53:40.76\00:53:42.39
for they shall obtain mercy."
00:53:42.42\00:53:43.62
When you realize that
you are the recipient,
00:53:43.65\00:53:45.97
the undeserved
recipient of God's mercy,
00:53:46.00\00:53:48.34
then you would want
to bestow that mercy
00:53:48.37\00:53:50.31
upon those around you.
00:53:50.34\00:53:52.62
Amen.
00:53:52.65\00:53:54.50
Beloved, coming to
the foot of the cross
00:53:54.53\00:53:56.33
causes you to say,
I am the recipient,
00:53:56.36\00:53:57.93
the undeserved
recipient of God's mercy.
00:53:57.96\00:53:59.87
I now want to be an instrument
00:53:59.90\00:54:01.72
through which God can
shed His mercy upon others.
00:54:01.75\00:54:05.68
And God here begins to
work the transformation
00:54:05.71\00:54:07.74
and it sometimes
refer to as sanctification.
00:54:07.77\00:54:09.77
Sometimes we get all
caught up in this theological
00:54:09.80\00:54:12.31
Norman Geisler, justification,
00:54:12.34\00:54:13.60
sanctification,
blah, blah, blahfication.
00:54:13.63\00:54:16.30
Beloved, it's about
Jesus, stay with Jesus.
00:54:16.33\00:54:20.50
Now I am not in any way
down playing the importance
00:54:20.53\00:54:23.48
and the sophistication
of the study of the Bible
00:54:23.51\00:54:28.12
and of the significance and
the sophistication of theology.
00:54:28.15\00:54:30.65
What I am saying is, don't
loose Jesus in your theology.
00:54:30.68\00:54:36.25
The goal is to find Him there.
00:54:36.28\00:54:38.00
Amen.
00:54:38.03\00:54:40.77
Verse 8, "Blessed
are the pure in heart,
00:54:40.80\00:54:42.36
for they shall see God." Wow.
00:54:42.39\00:54:43.50
You know what happens
00:54:43.53\00:54:44.56
when you start
bestowing mercy upon others.
00:54:44.59\00:54:47.73
God starts to
work a change in you.
00:54:47.76\00:54:50.21
That change comes about
when you stop paying attention
00:54:50.24\00:54:53.05
primarily at your own
needs and your situation
00:54:53.08\00:54:55.22
and you start trying
to find opportunities
00:54:55.25\00:54:57.03
to lavish mercy upon others,
00:54:57.06\00:54:58.70
God begins to
work a change in you,
00:54:58.73\00:55:00.81
He begins to purify
the springs of your heart.
00:55:00.84\00:55:03.26
What are we seeing,
rejoice, ye, pure in heart.
00:55:03.29\00:55:06.99
Well, notice what he says.
00:55:07.02\00:55:08.25
Blessed are the pure in
heart, for they shall, what?
00:55:08.28\00:55:10.44
See God.
00:55:10.47\00:55:11.50
And so what's happening here is
00:55:11.53\00:55:12.56
you're climbing
the spiritual ladder,
00:55:12.59\00:55:13.85
you recognize
your spiritual poverty,
00:55:13.88\00:55:15.32
you mourn your
spiritual condition.
00:55:15.35\00:55:16.87
This causes you to be
meek to those around you.
00:55:16.90\00:55:18.80
You hunger and
thirst for righteousness.
00:55:18.83\00:55:21.01
You realize that you
are the undeserved recipient
00:55:21.04\00:55:22.59
of God's mercy and so
you are merciful to others
00:55:22.62\00:55:24.72
and then now where we are?
00:55:24.75\00:55:27.68
Where we are?
00:55:27.71\00:55:29.81
Yeah, our heart
is becoming pure.
00:55:29.84\00:55:33.45
We're to the final or to
the second to the last step,
00:55:33.48\00:55:35.66
you are the penultimate step.
00:55:35.69\00:55:37.05
Verse 9,
"Blessed are the-" what?
00:55:37.08\00:55:40.00
"Peacemakers, for they shall
be called the Son's of God."
00:55:40.03\00:55:42.40
Now, peacemakers, what
that means is blessed are those
00:55:42.43\00:55:45.34
who take upon themselves
the personal responsibility
00:55:45.37\00:55:48.25
of being ambassadors for Christ
00:55:48.28\00:55:50.09
and communicating to the
uninformed, uninitiated world
00:55:50.12\00:55:53.97
that God has made peace
with them through Jesus.
00:55:54.00\00:55:57.59
That's how you
became a peacemaker.
00:55:57.62\00:55:58.82
Jesus was the prince of peace
00:55:58.85\00:56:00.48
and He came to make
peace in that sense.
00:56:00.51\00:56:02.76
And so we too when
we give Bible studies,
00:56:02.79\00:56:04.86
when we preach
evangelistic service,
00:56:04.89\00:56:06.30
when we extend the arm
of Jesus to those around us,
00:56:06.33\00:56:09.68
we are becoming peacemakers,
we are becoming like Jesus.
00:56:09.71\00:56:12.73
Can you say, amen? Amen.
00:56:12.76\00:56:14.30
Powerful, you find that
there in 2 Corinthians 5
00:56:14.33\00:56:16.30
where the Apostle Paul
says, we beseech you therefore,
00:56:16.33\00:56:19.03
we beseech you
on behalf of Jesus,
00:56:19.06\00:56:21.91
be reconciled to God
00:56:21.94\00:56:23.20
and so we become peacemakers
00:56:23.23\00:56:24.93
when we don't just keep
our religion to ourselves.
00:56:24.96\00:56:28.19
If your neighbor doesn't
know you are a Christian,
00:56:33.13\00:56:37.37
maybe you're not.
00:56:37.40\00:56:38.43
If your co-workers don't
know that you are a Christian,
00:56:42.47\00:56:45.71
maybe you're not.
00:56:45.74\00:56:49.01
If your employees don't
know that you're a Christian,
00:56:49.04\00:56:53.66
maybe you're not.
00:56:53.69\00:56:55.44
And someone had said,
00:56:55.47\00:56:56.71
if you were accused of being
a Christian in a court of law
00:56:56.74\00:56:59.06
would there be enough
evidence to convict you?
00:56:59.09\00:57:03.87
True religion is not
kept to oneself, amen.
00:57:03.90\00:57:07.76
Every disciple is born
into the kingdom of God
00:57:07.79\00:57:09.94
as a missionary and
so we become peacekeepers
00:57:09.97\00:57:12.44
and notice it says,
you are peacemakers.
00:57:12.47\00:57:13.82
"Blessed are the peacemakers,
00:57:13.85\00:57:14.88
for they shall be
called the sons of God.''
00:57:14.91\00:57:15.94
Of course after Jesus
who was the son of God.
00:57:15.97\00:57:18.13
Now we are at the
top of the ladder,
00:57:18.16\00:57:19.52
everything is up to
this point, okay, get this.
00:57:19.55\00:57:21.41
We are talking
about Christian growth.
00:57:21.44\00:57:22.47
We are talking
about abiding in Christ.
00:57:22.50\00:57:23.79
So what's the first step
at the ladder, say with me.
00:57:23.82\00:57:25.70
You recognize
your spiritual, what?
00:57:25.73\00:57:27.23
Poverty.
00:57:27.26\00:57:28.29
And then you mourn
that spiritual condition.
00:57:28.32\00:57:30.28
This causes you to be meek
00:57:30.31\00:57:31.65
and then you're hunger
and thirst for righteousness.
00:57:31.68\00:57:33.36
You realize that you are
00:57:33.39\00:57:34.42
the undeserved
recipient of God's mercy.
00:57:34.45\00:57:36.18
And so you want to
bestow that mercy upon other.
00:57:36.21\00:57:38.13
So far so good everyone?
00:57:38.16\00:57:39.21
Okay.
00:57:39.24\00:57:40.27
And then you reach out to
others communicating that mercy,
00:57:40.30\00:57:42.44
you become a peacemaker all
the way up the ladder of faith
00:57:42.47\00:57:46.10
you're climbing up
the ladder of faith
00:57:46.13\00:57:48.74
until you reach the top,
00:57:48.77\00:57:50.29
the ultimate apex of
this ladder of faith.
00:57:50.32\00:57:53.42
The final Beatitude,
Jesus says, "Blessed are those
00:57:53.45\00:57:55.84
who are persecuted
for righteousness sake,
00:57:55.87\00:57:57.53
for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven."
00:57:57.56\00:58:03.77
It's the same thing.
00:58:03.80\00:58:05.93
The last promise is the
same as the first promise.
00:58:05.96\00:58:09.39
You know what Jesus is saying?
00:58:09.42\00:58:11.07
Wherever you are on the ladder,
00:58:11.10\00:58:14.72
your's is the kingdom of heaven.
00:58:14.75\00:58:15.96
Amen.
00:58:15.99\00:58:18.13
Wherever you are on that ladder,
00:58:18.16\00:58:20.00
your's is the kingdom of heaven.
00:58:20.03\00:58:21.91
Right here, right now,
yours is God's kingdom.
00:58:21.94\00:58:27.61
You might be the
thief on the cross
00:58:27.64\00:58:29.45
at the very
bottom, bottom, bottom,
00:58:29.48\00:58:30.92
but your's is the
kingdom of heaven.
00:58:30.95\00:58:33.13
You might be all
the way up at the top
00:58:33.16\00:58:35.33
being persecuted
for righteousness sake
00:58:35.36\00:58:37.43
because you are so filled
with the spirit of Christ,
00:58:37.46\00:58:39.23
and you get the same reward
00:58:39.26\00:58:41.25
but let me tell you something
00:58:41.28\00:58:42.31
that even my five
year old boy understands.
00:58:42.34\00:58:44.66
Ladders offer climbing.
00:58:44.69\00:58:49.61
It's not the divine lazy boy.
00:58:49.64\00:58:54.36
It's the divine ladder.
00:58:54.39\00:58:57.22
So if you are at the bottom,
00:58:57.25\00:59:00.53
you shouldn't be
content to stay there.
00:59:00.56\00:59:04.36
So you climb but you take
that step in the confidence
00:59:04.39\00:59:08.31
that yours is the
kingdom of heaven.
00:59:08.34\00:59:10.13
You cannot
continue to abide in Christ
00:59:10.16\00:59:14.15
if you don't have
a living confidence
00:59:14.18\00:59:15.52
that you
presently reside in Christ.
00:59:15.55\00:59:17.92
I think I
figured this thing out.
00:59:17.95\00:59:21.15
You stay with Jesus,
you stick it out with Jesus
00:59:21.18\00:59:27.26
and He will take
care of the hard part.
00:59:27.29\00:59:31.18
You hang in there with Jesus
00:59:31.21\00:59:35.49
and He will finish the work
00:59:35.52\00:59:40.85
that He has begun in you.
00:59:40.88\00:59:42.18