Gospel Stories: Prophecy and Discipleship | Chris Dewar | January 13, 2019
Ladies and Gentlemen We are continuing in on gospel stories today. This is a series when we are working through and discussing ways in which the gospel has affected our lives and it's it's both touches on Jesus and his story but also the way in which his stories have hit us, right? And so last week just a quick overview. We had a couple of real big things that we should actually remember and one of these is the fact that sometimes we make our gospel much too small right? Sometimes we distill it down to one individual time. And forget the fact that is actually very very big right another. Obviously. The gospel is far bigger than you could possibly imagine in the fact the gospel affects everything every facet of your life is affected by Jesus and what he did and every facet of creation as well. Everything is affected by him. Those were last week's takeaways and ruin the kick through Into this week right now before we get started. There's this concept that pops up a bunch of times and Hebrew poetry and and actually books like the book of Acts as well. That is a way for you to give emphasis to a story and this is called a chiasm right and what that is taken off the Greek letter for Chi which is like an Axe and the concept is it's a thing that starts at one point move to a different point moves into a midpoint in the midpoints the most important part and it works its way back out and goes to the second point that was above in the final point out again, like it's like a big ol error right? Because that's what I want to try and do while preaching today. But that means I'm actually telling about three interlocking stories and my apologies if I get myself discombobulated, we'll see how this goes the right we're going to start with the non-important stop because you move into the important thing in the middle of the important things going to be Jesus. That's where we're going to land the keys Jeremy the most important thing we can talk about we're going to start with my storm going to start in September of 2002. This is me following graduating high school. I graduated in 02. I was working at a Pizza Hut right? I made pizzas really. Well just got to be honest. I'm humble and all but I was a really good person to making pizzas. I spend a lot of time there has been a lot of time doing stuff there to spend a lot of time getting to the people who were there and I did not spend as much time, you know talking to Jesus as I had before in my life at this point. This is two years past when I talked about last week whenever I become a follower of Jesus whenever I was 16, this is whatever I'm 18. I'm a man now. That's what I thought. I was a person who is in control of my own destiny. I could take care of do anything I want and I was realizing this point the man I felt weighed down by the gospel in by Jesus. I felt like it was keep me from doing things. I wanted to do in my life right there were so many things I could do it. I'm heading off to college that would be fun and awesome. And I would enjoy them but for some reason she has said it wasn't good to do those things, you know, whatever. Don't be stupid basically, but I wanted to be stupid. And I was sitting in church one day. And there was a sermon going on there were people doing words was actually before a certain people doing worship. There is a team of leading worship at the front of the church that I go into at the time and there was a a whole big to-do about what was going on that day, but I was sitting in the back of the church in the back right hand side by myself. I was away from everyone else because you know, I'm super good at Community. I was hiding and I was sitting down there and I was just thinking to myself. You know, what this is dumb. I don't want to waste my time whenever I could be doing stuff. I enjoy I think I'm done with this. I'm done being a Christian. It's not worth it. It's not fun. I think I'm ready to leave. That's why I sat at that point. Fast forward about rewind rewind abouts about Flip 3 4 months remind about four months fun story. I was actually one of the people who is leading the youth group at the time. I was a youth leader in the youth group because I become a follower of Jesus and I've gotten to know more of who he was and I had started to ask some really good questions and I started to show some possibilities of being a person who has leadership capabilities, right? It's a one point of sitting down this leadership team with a guy named Shane Bonet. If you were here last week Shaymin is one of the two guys who actually sat down and explain to me what it means to be a man follows Jesus. He's also the guy who put me on my butt when I was pretending like I knew how to do martial arts that whole story right? You want to hear that one. Feel free to tune in to our website and really listen to last week's sermon. It's on there and there's a transcript available which is fun. I don't know why cuz you're a sick kick neither. It was a button I can press on my sermon software they made one. So why. Shana was meeting with the youth group and he was meeting with all the youth leaders and he asked us a really simple question. This was story too by the way dark eyes and sore in 2.2 now, right? So he asks this question in the whole Bible if you are anybody, who do you think most resembles you? That's a question you asked. Oh my God, how many Bible people I was in the Bible that much yet. So like I don't know David. He's a person whose name I've heard. I'm like David. He's like no you're not. I like touche sir. I'm assuming you know better than I write it. So everyone else goes through their list of who they think they are and I get back to me and I'm like, hold on a second all second. Who do you think I am which is funny. I didn't read all the questions. Jesus asked somebody at one point, but I asked it to him, right and he looked at me and he said you are Nicodemus. Who else familiar with Nicodemus, right? Yeah, everyone yeah. super common name I'm not allowed to name any of my kids at. I like it. What? Thank you.
Nikki it's a girl's name works out. All right.
I make a Davis. Thank you. Make a damous.
If you don't know Nicodemus shows up. In the Book of John and he shows up for the first time in chapter 3 and this is his story. This is part 3, by the way, this is the important part.
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him Rabbi. We know that you are a teacher come from God for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him. Jesus answered him truly truly. I say to you unless one is born again. He cannot see the kingdom of God Nicodemus said to him. How can a man be born when he is old. Can you enter a second time and was mother born Jesus answered truly truly. I say to you unless one is born of water and spirit. He cannot enter the kingdom of God that which is born of the flesh is flesh that which is born of the spirit of spirit. Do not Marvel that I say to you. You must be born again the wind blows where it wishes and you hear it sound but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the spirit Nicodemus said to him, how can these things be? Jesus answered him and said are you the teacher of Israel and that you don't understand these things truly truly. I say to you we speak of what we know and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I told you Earthly things and you do not believe how can you believe if I tell you Heavenly things no one has ascended into heaven except he who has descended from Heaven the son of man and as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness. So must the son of man be lifted up that whoever believes in him may have eternal life for God so loved the world he gave his only son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life for God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but that noted that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned but whoever does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only son of God and this is the Judgment the light has come into the world and people love the darkness Rising the light because their Works were evil for everyone who does wicked things hate to lighten does not come into the light. Let his Works be exposed but whoever does what is true comes to the light so that it may be clearly seen in his Works have been carried out in God that is Nicodemus is first introduction to the story this giant conversation. He has with Jesus and Nicodemus is fun because he's the teacher of the law. He's a Pharisee and he actually further on with you. These probably member of the Sanhedrin of the main teachings of the the chair of the of Israel at the time and he is a guy who sees Jesus and what he's doing and he sees Jesus and recognize his authority and he sees that there's something about him that he has to be from God because of the miraculous things he's done in his life the fact that she is can do things like heal people. Pretty big deal. We can cast out demons. We can raise people from the dead but he can do miraculous things. He sees this and he says this is obviously not of this world. This is of God, right? It's obvious and he shows up and says teacher we know that you are from God because you can do these marvelous and wonderful things, right? We know any just like shows up in the middle of the night witch how many you go to talk about things that you're not ashamed to say in the middle of the night right when I show someone just like show up at their door and nighttime it. Okay, just I like the Dodgers. Whatever, right? That's a thing right? I know Sports so you don't just walk up and say the in the Book of John light and darkness are huge themes in this book. And so whenever things are in the light there good things happen the dark as soon as things people are ashamed of the fact Nicodemus shows up in the dark shows that he's probably not quite all together yet money ever stands in Belize, right? So he says we know that you are God and if statement in Jesus replies back, listening wind
Nokia said you was God is with them what we do. All right, and she answers him. So he says this random things and she just gives an answer to his stay without hearing from God and Jesus answered to sign from God truly. I say to you unless you want is born again. He cannot enter the kingdom of God. Sounds super layered with Nicodemus just said right totally related. Wait. No, it's not. Someone shows up and says I'm saying that you have authority and I understand it and that person says by the way be born a second time. What? Which is Nicodemus is response. What how can a man be born again? Doesn't make sense. Can you go a second time into his mother's warm and blue Movie Born Again? Like birth is something that happens once you got one shot at it and then warn right? Ngss a truly I say to you unless one is born of water and spirit to enter the kingdom of God, unless you're born of water which is of your mother a flash. Or born of spirit and born of spirit born from above. Can I play the kingdom of God that was just born a flashes flash. That was just one Spirit of spirit. So just consider this conversation is occurring right? So Nicodemus is having this conversation with Jesus Jesus just drop some truth bombs on him and Nicodemus basically says what I don't understand, what is this mean? I don't get it and Nicodemus is probably flustered and it's interesting because you don't actually hear about Nicodemus leaving directly following this story this conversation with Jesus. It goes really must be in the light and then all the sudden is just a new story time just straight over we don't have to hear about what happened to Nicodemus and Nicodemus have been like I understand completely. I'm following forever. That's probably something John would have tossed in there. Right? What probably happened was following that conversation. He was flustered. He didn't understand he walked away perplexed. He was angry, right? He didn't get it. We have lots of questions.
later Sorry, I got to my for clicking again. Take a second.
I'm in the wrong a thing up here. If we be able to just press the button and go to the right place for almost there. Almost there other goes. further on in the book further on the Book of John about four chapters later. Jesus is doing and saying stuff that is awesome. And he's making things happen again, and he's performing miracles in front of crowds. Are you saying hard things in front of crowds difficult things that are hard to hear and understand and believe and the crowds are getting mad at Jesus in the specially the teachers of the law getting super mad at Jesus write the officers that came with the chief priests in the Pharisees and said to Jesus who said to them at the officers and came to the chief priests in the Pharisees who said to the officers who were supposed to arrest you at the time. Why did you not bring him in the officers answered? No one ever spoke like this guy says stuff we can understand to believe there's something different about him write the Pharisees answered if you've been deceived have any of the authorities of the Pharisees believe in him, but this is a crowd that does not know the law and it's a curse right but this crowd that does not know the laws of curse.
They replied are you from Galilee to search and see the no Prophet arises from Gallery by skip the part. Where did I hear before? And he was one of the Pharisees said to them is our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does. And then they say Nicodemus you from Cali to search that there's no profits From Galilee write the teachers of the law are mad to trying to arrest Jesus that one guy actually get him executed said he would stop riling up the crowds and this guy who was perplexed and walked away without actually believing who Jesus was or understand what he was saying defensive. And Depends Jesus and says wait a minute. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Should we judge him without actually first putting on trial? That's not appropriate.
Don't do that right soon Nicodemus why from a guy who was just straight-up, who are you? What's happening to? Hey guys, let's not be too hasty or mad about this. But let's not do things with a rash to further on the end of the book following Jesus death and burial death and his death on the cross, right? He has been executed for Insurrection against Rome. He has been put on trial he has been killed and then this man and Joseph of Arimathea after Saint Joseph of Arimathea, he was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews asked the pilot that you might take away the body of Jesus and parking permission. This man came up to Pilot the Roman authorities of time and ask for something as relatively unhurt. He asked for the body of The Condemned criminal. Jesus said he could treat it respectfully, which is not a crucifixion usually did you do with your crucified your left their dad and displayed until you literally right off of a cross? As an example to not do the things that person did write it went heavily against you is called your fist to occur desecration of bodies was not a thing that was done by their culture. So Joseph came and asked for Jesus body secretly. Took his body away. Nicodemus also who came to Jesus by Night earlier came bring a mixture of myrrh and aloes 75 lb of weight. Marin Oliver super expensive super expensive roughly worth their weight in gold. I'm assuming right around there. I don't know exchange rates very well on Marigold. But it was very expensive stuff. And he actually came and he paid respected you as soon as body as well. Right? And he did so in the face of the Jewish authorities who would have wanted him to be left there as an example. He defied the authorities. Because he respected Jesus that much.
That's Nicodemus a story. That's all we know about it. He went from someone who was there and didn't believe in questions, but he was in the background of Jesus's life the whole time and then he defended them a little bit whenever you saw me and Jesse tree and then he was one of the few people to treat him with respect at the end, right? The further along back to May 2002 again back whenever I was talking that youth group and speaking to that gentleman. And you said your Nicodemus. I'm like, what do you mean by that? And he said this Nicodemus question and asked what do you mean he was willing to stand in Jesus's face and safe. What do you mean by that doesn't make sense? You don't see very many people actually doing that to Jesus like his disciples to do it secretly but he's one was just like what I don't get it. And you didn't get it and I spend some time watching observe me learn some more may begin to treat that person a little bit more respect and at the end he seem to actually be when to identify themselves so much with this person is going to put his life on the line to show respect to his dead body, right? That's what he said. I like I question everything and those of you who know me imagine my contentiousness whenever I'm a high schooler let alone my contentiousness. Not right. This is me whenever I've kind of mail it out a little bit. I questioned everything. He's liking you would question everything you don't get it and you would question and question question question until you get it. That point you're willing to defend it. And you're willing to put down everything depended right? That's why you said I was like interesting I didn't see myself like that.
I didn't know why I was like that I didn't get who I was or what I was doing, right. Go back a little bit further.
Oh, I'm sorry. It's just one thing really kick out real quick as well or main points are going to actually remember because it's already talked about in just a second. This is this right the gospel the good news. The work. Jesus does does not end at your salvation.
The gospel does not end with salvation. The good news is not just about salvation. The good news is about so much more.
I needed that one.
I'm confused. Yes, sir.
livestock
We got married and we're done. No other point of that story.
condemnation for that Also, yeah. Yeah, and that's completely the point, right? So Nicodemus a story. He actually says there's a one-point Trulia Trulia says I tell you truly happy I said you unless one is born of water and spirit account into the kingdom of God that which is born of flesh is flesh that which is born of spirit is Spirit. He's talking about the Holy Spirit for one of the first times in the gospel, but he's stepping into something. It's very very important cuz check this out John 15 and John 3. John 16 go says, this is not moving forward move forward for me.
There's a but the helper on the helper comes home. I will send you from the Father the spirit of Truth who proceeds from the father. He will bear witness about me and you will also bear witness because you have been with me from the beginning. I have said these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of their synagogues and do the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he's offering service to God and they will do these things because if not known the father nor but I've said these things to you that when the hour comes me remember that I told them to you I did not say these things to you from the beginning because I was with you but now I'm going to him and sent me and none of none of you are asking. Where are you going up? Because you said these things to you because I said the things to Sorrows filled your heart nevertheless. I tell you the truth. It is your to your advantage that I go away for if I do not go away the help or will not come to you. But if I go I will send him to you and when he comes he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment concerning send because I did not believe in me concerning righteousness because I go to the father and you will see me no law. Americans in judgment because the ruler of this world is judged. I saw many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. We're going to pause there for a second. See Jesus actually says this I'm going someplace in your sorrowful that I'm going just before this year's had told the disciples for the first time he's going to die. He will be crucified.
And they're like no this can't happen. How can it be don't we like you stick around? Right and Jesus literally says it is good for you if I go because if I go, I will send the helper to you.
I'll send someone who will help you, which is the holy spirit, which is another part of the Gospel is a faucet of God's good news to us. We are not alone in our stories. The Holy Spirit has been given to us. He has filled us he covers Us and he fills us that we might know who got is that we might bear witness in our own life to who he is and I might bear witness to him to the world outside, right? We have the Holy Spirit.
Cut down to a different part of my story where a winding a little bit further little bit for this is December of 2001. In December of 2001 I went to Niagara Falls December 27th of 2001. You guys the weather is kind of crappy outside right little bit crazy while wearing shorts is like no, it's fine. The weather in Little Rock. I want to show you a quick picture what the weather was like on December 27th 2001 in Buffalo, New York.
This is a photo from that day where we were at. This is where we drove through to get there. It was hilarious getting up the Niagara Falls on that day because in order to do so, we could not stop the van because lining the highway on both sides were cars to its stop during the blizzard and could not get started removing again, so we could not stop or else he would never start again. We're in a van one of those fun horrible Tippy church vans. The bunch of youth kids go to the Niagara Falls, right? And I remember distinctly a couple things about this. This conference is one of the things that actually changed my life not so much because of the stuff that was set it on during the conference in a good way because of some stuff I learned about Jesus and how he helps us as followers of him as we go along right, but I remember being in Niagara Falls wandering Up and Down the River Bank wearing basically the clothes Kris wearing now and just happy. I'm never happy in cold weather, but for some reason I was wondering outside in a short sleeve shirt and a pair of I got nothing better to sit in like camouflage white pants because I used to wear those and just wondering up and down the banks of the river and just happy and warm for some reason right but while I'm there as well this conference, you don't know how much it affected me who here knows how good I am just saving stuff and keeping it and a holding onto things. Well, right. I'm very organized. Right? No, I literally walk down stairs today and pulled up both my folder a packet formation and the old leadership manual from this conference. I still know where they're at. It affected me that heavily. That I actually remember where stuff is from it but not because the conference was super awesome conference was kind of man actually, but for one event that happened during it. We were at this conference and I was not yet fully understanding what it means to be an actual follower just wasn't a disciple really I was I didn't understand what I meant it and then make a conscious decision to be a disciple of Jesus was a follower of his but I wasn't actually saying no, I want to be like you right. So I'm there and we're in the middle of this conference room. And do you guys you know how I made a joke about emotional manipulation whenever what's his name ran up here. Ethiopia emotional manipulation is the thing that sometimes happens in large-scale events. We see it all the time, right? So imagine this you're in a room of about 2,000 High School aged kids. And they give everyone like this giant party type atmosphere where there's all these light shows and sounds going off and giant rock bands have constant. Everyone's dancing around the house and why not because kids are weird, right and we're all just getting super happy and excited and jubilant were bouncing and jumping and dancing and then they stopped the accounts of people stopped. They say, you know what we're going to actually stop for a minute. We're just going to pass. I'm going to sit in silence for a moment. Because we believe that God is doing something big here tonight, and we're just going to wait and see what he does. That's actually emotional manipulation getting someone very very very riled up and then stopping it, especially whenever people who don't quite understand how your body is work or how your emotions work right to do that is to purposefully manipulate people emotionally and it happened. They got 2,000 kids in a place got them all riled up and then turn down the lights and turned everything off and just laid on the stage and all the kids are in the islands like
What are we supposed to be doing right now?
And they said things like something amazing from God is going to happen right now and it's going to come from you. We're waiting to see what it is. That's emotional manipulation cuz everyone sitting and waiting and saying okay something supposed to happen. Am I supposed to do something? Are you supposed to something? It might be something I'm supposed to be. Maybe I'm supposed to say something. I'll say something from Jesus that no, it's not. But here's where the actual story steps in and how I started to hear what it means to have the spirit and understand the Holy Spirit little better, right? So when those lights drop for the first time Actually got this extremely extremely. Bad feeling in the pit of my stomach that something ungodly is going to happen that there's something I need to watch out for because something not good is going to happen and I'm like, this is weird. I've never felt anything like this before never understood how I felt like there's a deep conviction that something weird is bad is going to happen, but it's scary. I don't know why I feel anxious and nervous. I look over at my best friend who a little bit later you heal some about so my story about Youngstown this be another day, not today. Sorry. We're almost done with stories.
And Youngstown he was my best friend. We spent a bunch of time together by look over at him and he is just like white as a ghost. Like he's got the same feeling and he doesn't know why. Then we look down at Chene same youth guy who I was talking to a little bit later and I can look at it like when you stand up and turn around and walk this out and as we're walking up the aisle to walk out the entire room just like a rap song that people just like yelling and screaming and saying things and there's one person on the other side has basically acting like Jesus come to me. I'll give you rest and then like putting hands on people. There's one dude over on the other side who's just yelling other stuff for someone over here who's yelling about how whenever Joshua walked around the city of Jerusalem, all of the walls fell and we're going to be like that and just real quick story. Y'all didn't pick up on that. He said when Joshua walk around the walls of Jerusalem.
Joshua didn't walk around the walls of Jerusalem the walls of Jericho fell whenever Joshua walked around them right? I'm assuming if the Holy Spirit actually prompting that kid to talk. You probably would have known what city Joshua walk around. He knew the story. He was happening that people got riled up emotionally. And we're basically spontaneously faking having experiences of the Holy Spirit.
We're walking out whenever this began to occur. We got back to our hotel rooms. We met in a little conference the area and we sat down and we talked about what just happened. And then we talked about the fact that both Dave and myself had this extremely bad feeling something that was supposed to happen. It was time for us to leave and we don't know what that's about actually explained. Well, that's discernment. It's actually one of the gifts of the holy spirit provides the Believers that you can know. Sometimes you'll be able to understand whether or not something is of God or not of God because the holy spirit will teach you and tell you and Proclaim these things to you and I got to learn that there's actually something that God does sometimes But he does actually care for us and he continues caring for Anthony provides us with things that we would not normally have ourselves so that we can have a good relationship with him. And we learned what the sermon was that day. And we learned that we have the Holy Spirit is his followers that the Holy Spirit loves us guides us directs us empowers us and labels us to be like Christ.
And that day is it is I remember making a decision. You so, you know what? I do believe in Jesus. I'm going to follow him. I'm going to get my life to him.
I Surrender everything is yours. That's whenever my actual discipleship as a follower of Christ kicked in right?
now as Jesus said it's good for us if the spirit comes and there's this.
Part of the Gospel is next. If you are a follower of Christ. God will Empower you and Abel you in a net change in your life. Change the Naples you to be more like him. You might as well just give and he's going to do it. It's what he does. Now it's not to say that you will always be perfect at this are great at it fast forward again. I'm sorry, December 2000 try to talk about that next fast forward all the way to the first or I was talking about September 2002 or whenever I was sitting in that church. This is like a year after this event occurred. I'm sitting here like you know what I'm ready to give up. This is dumb. I don't want to hear about it. I don't want to talk about it. No one talked to you about this. I'm done. There's no such thing as Jesus fine. Whatever God I'm going away. I don't care about I'm done. That's where I was sitting at that church in that moment. I was in the back and I was ready now to stand up and walk out and walk away and little ankle kicked into my brain and I'm like, you know what just in case Just in case.
my verify haggai I'm about to walk away forever.
About to step out of this room and walk away. And if I do you're never going to hear from me again.
I'm done.
So if you're actually there do something. Bye-bye. That was my just in case for air. By the way, don't don't pray like that. I gather it's not an appropriate way to actually talk to God and it doesn't usually work out very good in people's favorite right is not usually the best thing in the world. Remember how those people before had faked movements of the Holy Spirit may have started saying things that were weird like false not right, right. That's false prophecy, honestly. It happens.
But I'm sitting in the back of this church is about 250 people in it. I'm in the back row getting ready to walk out. I literally finish that prayer. So you better do something big or I'm leaving. And as I was praying that the worship band was upfront stop playing. just stop completely Which is weird, they never stop meant song. never seen it happen before everything happened since And he blocked up on stage name Doug Doug is a cool guy is super tall super thin glasses, like looks like what you would assume a nerd looks like just in general likes picture and there is about 40 and you a picture. Okay, and he walks up on stage and he walked up and he stopped the song. I looked up the why the song stop to you standing on stage and he apologized. I'm very very sorry. I know we don't do this. I'm horribly sorry. I know this is not something we normally do in here and it's weird but I was praying during worship and I heard something from the Lord that I have to say. It was really important for me to say it. So I got up here to say it. About a dog ended up becoming the pastor of that church. He wasn't at the time was just a random dude, but you end up becoming a pastor little bit later. You see why was praying if you don't do something right now. I'm going to walk away while I was pregnant dog was already walking up on stage. And as I went to stand up. Doug said Jesus is saying there's someone here was thinking about walking away from him forever. He don't want you to know not to do it.
Stop playing for you. Don't leave.
You're scared. You don't know what your life is. Like, you don't know what's going to look like to be a follower of his you've waited knee-deep into an ocean and you see a way of coming and you're freaking out.
Don't be scared. He has you.
now when I heard that My response was okay. Guess I'm not supposed to leave. This is not a normal occurrence. That sounds like one of those things could just be made up sure if you stayed up enough time someone in here is having trouble with Jesus or your marriage or something by Jonathan Edwards, right or Sylvia brownie ever going to go with brownie.
Are you the sort of like reading room and say something he is never done this before no one of the Church of done so before or since it was nothing that happened on a weekly basis. It was not something was a regular occurrence one time literally as I'm praying the prayer happened.
To the holy spirit is given not just for yourself with a spirit is given to those around you to edify and build up the church and help it grow by the Holy Spirit. He empowers you that you might have power other people. He gives you that you might give to other people and the Holy Spirit on that take gift to Doug the thug might gift me.
But I wouldn't walk away.
This is part of the Gospel guys. The good news is that God actually cares about us enough to sometimes directly influence the world. Now the time. I have prayed for many a thing beyond that and I have not received answers. I have asked for signs before and basically the responses I felt as the same thing as you said the people. Sinful stupid Nation. Ask for assignment will be given to them right? That's me.
For some reason he chose to bless me in this way. That's part of the Gospel. That God in his love for us. tears for us
ammo allow us to B has
he didn't have to answer. He didn't have to reach out. I don't in the grand scheme of things matter much in this world, right? He matters a ton. I don't matter that much. What he's doing matters a lot what I'm doing doesn't matter very much, but for some reason he still chose to care for me.
And that's the good news the god of the universe cares about you. He cares about your life he cares about where you've been where you are and where you're going. He cares about everything that matters to you and he even cares about things that don't matter to you in your life. Says it whenever you were born before you were born. He knew every single strand of hair on your head. There is nothing about you that he doesn't know completely understand perfectly. And he loves you. completely
Why does he love you, but he recognizes your weaknesses recognizes your faults and he is willing to overcome them and compensate them by his power. by his spirit
That's the good news. God gave himself for you That you might have life in him and that life is not life. It's condemned to be the life that you had before you knew him forever and ever but instead he will Empower you and enable you to have life abundantly. I can't say perfect. Happy life all the time guys. That was like what good is 2002 is what 16 years ago? Righttime old that means oh my goodness and just realizes that means that 16 years ago. That means 18 years ago. So I became a Christian I have now spent more than half. Her life is a Christian and now I feel old.
Wow.
But God enables you to become more and more like him. If you want to be you have one thing you have to do which is surrender yourself over to him. Itsy in 2001. I surrendered. Not perfectly. But I said find my life is yours. Do what you want with me. In 2002, I ignore that that was willing to surrender for a while. And then he still love me and I was willing to surrender again. I love to see the from that point of my story was perfect and everything was great and there's nothing else I went wrong, but I'd be lying. Next time you get Siri to get to hear about about 4 months later whenever I ignore. Again.
But here's my take away. The gospel is not home with your salvation. The good news does not end with the time. You became a follower of Jesus in the gospel. Is this Christ in his holy spirit will now app enable you and Empower you to be more and more like him. I'll do it through the way in which the spirit moves through you and I'll do it to the way in which the spirit moves through the church. He's going to do it. give in does that make sense? Take a moment. We're going to pray together. We're going to spend some time partaking in communion together. I'm going to Worship the Lord again together. Let's pray. Lord Jesus we thank you for today Father We Praise You For Being God who enables us to be like you we thank you for the fact that you sent your spirit to us that we might have life and you and that may be empowered in you Lord. We praise you for the fact that you sent him. Thank you, Father. May we listen to your spirit in our lives? May we accept whenever you Lord give us discernment maybe except whenever you allowed to be convicted of arson, maybe except whenever you teach us to be more like you in more God may we give up and we surrender?
Lord I'm excited to see the story that you're saying through everyone here. I'm excited to see the story that you are building in each of Our Lives. Thank you for the story that you've given us in the gospels that we may know you and understand who you are better. And more. Thank you.
for your death and Resurrection Maybe glorify you today with thank you sending me pray, Emma.