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Thank you Caleb. Thank you, Tiffany. Kids, if you're ready tonight, we're going to dismiss you those it would like to go downstairs for kids club. Will you feel free to make your way down I Believe Miss Donna is down there waiting and if you'd like to stay up here and worship with your family's you're certainly welcome to do that two adults just stay out of the way or you'll get ran down. I promise you they're ready. They are ready and I wish sometimes we had as much excitement as those little kids. Did Al Merrick sided to worship Jesus and I hope you are too cuz we're going to as best as the Holy Spirit enables us try to look at a message tonight at I pray and have been praying will touch your heart and encourage you if you're a Christian and conviction if you're not and so the title of my message tonight is the mystery of godliness. We're going to be in 1st Timothy. We spent a lot of time there in the last few months cuz that's where the series has been that God has been leading us through and so it it just kind of felt it this week that text really kind of went along with the time of season that were in so 1st Timothy 3 verses 14 through 16 is where will be the mystery of godliness is the title and I want to ask you a question while you're finding your place tonight in God's word. If you don't have a Bible will try to get the words behind me on the screen when I want to ask you a question to think about as we begin why is church why is gathering together as we do here? Why is that important? Why is it important for believers to be a part of a body that meets together for worship and goes out to evangelize and serve and proclaim the gospel. And when I asked you that question, I don't want you to really give an answer as to why you individually believe that churches important cuz if we ask it that way or preferences are going to take over our Traditions are going to take over our wants are likes all of us would give different answers if we say, why do you come to church we may have a few It would be similar but a lot of us would have different answers because it didn't becomes what I'm looking for in a church. If if I've got kids I want to get kids program if I can't use I want to eat for if I'm a senior. I want senior activities. So it's all subjective if we ask it that way, but I want us to think about why is church important biblically. What is the Bible say is the importance of church and why do we gather and do what we do? That's really the right answer as as we look at that. So if you would if you're able staying with me tonight, we're going to read just a few verses 14 through 16 from 1st, Timothy, and I'm going to ask brother Jack Delaney. If you would take us to the Lord in prayer after we finish these verses please show the Bible says, excuse me. I hope to come this is Paul writing to Timothy. I hope to come to you soon, but I'm writing these things so that if I delay, so here's why my pause been writing these this whole letter If I delay in coming to you that you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God. What is that which is the Church of the Living God pillar and buitres of the truth verse 16 grade indeed. We confess is the mystery of godliness. He was manifested in the flesh Vindicated or justified by the spirit seen by Angels proclaimed among the Nations believed on in the world and taken up in glory Let the church say Amen brother Jeff if you would

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Hey, man, thank you. Jeff. You made me see the church. I appreciate you standing. The reason I asked you the question why is church important to you? And I wanted you to not answer that individually is because for all of us If we're honest we're prone sometimes to be a bit selfish and I would say if we're honest at the world we live in today is very selfish so much. So that sometimes at least for me a person can be disheartening to see how selfish people have become the Bible says that you know, the last days evil men and seducers will wax worse and worse and he'll be a lack of natural affection and men will be lovers of self. Right and that's really what you see a lot of today. I mean people people just don't really care about anyone other than them and in that mentality can creep into the church and then sometimes it can creep in all of us if we're not careful, but the Bible if we allow that to be the God and answer those kinds of questions, why is church important it no longer? Put us on the pedestal. So to speak it elevates the Lord to be in the one that's to be worshipped in rather than us. And so, you know that me first mentality goes away when we allow the scripture to dictate to us why church is important and how we ought to behave that's what Paul said he was writing to write writing for to tell us how to behave in the household of God, which is the church. There's a little acrostic an acrostic is just a group of letters that kind of spell out something and we sing a lot about this at Christmas time Joy write the word Joy. Well, if you want to have joy Jesus first others second yourself last and right and that may sound cliche but it's really true. That's how we're called to live. Our lives as Believers. Jesus said in Mark chapter 10 verses 42 through 45. This is Jesus if anybody had a right to put himself first, it was him, but the scrip Say just the opposite right? He humbled himself and he became obedient to death even in death on the cross. All right in Philippians been a mark 10 4245. Jesus called them the disciples together. And here's what he says. He said, you know that the rulers in this world Lord over there people. So they they they, you know, kind of dictates of people to people how they out the live does the officials flaunt their authority over them, but among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else glad stuff. That's kind of language right in America. We abolish slavery the last thing we want to be called as a slave but we are slaves to Christ and in turn were slaves to one another not in the sense that we think of slavery in the American European sense of slavery. That's really a bondservant which means you know that we have given up we have given up all rights and weren't taken from us. We gave them up to serve Christ and his church until he goes on to finish that verse and says, even the son of man. So Jesus is Steven me came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. That's the whole point of why we do what we do because Jesus lay down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for one another if we have that true love for people. There's there's a little saying that been around for years. I'm not sure where it originated but it it says if everyone was just like me what kind of church would this church be and I always think about that from time to time because it really can cause you to examine yourself if everyone was just like me what kind of church would this church be? Will there be any Outreach if everyone was just like me? Will there be any evangelizing going on outside of the walls if everyone was just like me? Would there be any giving Will there be any service with there being a disciple making will there be any prayer warriors? If everyone was just like me what kind of church would this church be? Someone gave us another person gave a challenger a pledge about how to live life as a Christian and how they are to live in church. And a person wrote this he said this is my church and it's composed of people just like me. The church will be friendly if I am friendly it will do a great work. If I work it will make generous gifts to many causes. If I am generous it will bring others into its fellowship. If I bring them it's seats will be filled if I fill them it will be at church of loyalty in love of faith and service if I who make it what it is and filled with these therefore with God's help. I dedicate myself to the task of being all these things that I want my church to be That's a very high aim, but when I think we all should take up the challenge to be if we want to see the church grow. If we want to see the church service. We want to see the church generous it starts with us. If you got lost loved ones that need to hear the gospel get them here bribe them anything short of kidnapping situation get them here, you know, and if they refuse to come then take it to them, right but one way or another get the gospel to them church because we're not guaranteed tomorrow and we spend so much time taking advantage of time. That's borrowed. It's not ours God gives us a gift of time and it's the greatest gift in the world and we abuse at more than anything, you know, and if you're here tonight in your lost, I'm not trying to scare you but time is not promised to you you need to think about tonight where you'll spend eternity all of us should ask that question. Where am I headed? for an eternity and do I know for sure where I'm going. I think so. I hope so maybe so I need to know so and you can know so by knowing the one that promises eternal life and that's Jesus. So the Apostle Paul is writing this letter to a young Pastor named Timothy pastors of church in Ephesus, and he's telling them how they ought to live and Obey and act in the household of God. Again, he tells us in verse for 15 right now. I'm sorry the household of God is the church in verses for 5 and 12 of chapter 3. He uses that same kind of wording and in the end those verses for 5 and 12. He speaks of that household as being a family so, you know church can be informal sometimes sometimes churches don't do a good job of getting people together of being an outgoing kind of church to have small groups or some kind of activities were people get to know sometimes a church get so big that you just get lost in the shuffle but really a church is a family it's a family and families have their moments right where they disagree and don't get along but families love each other enough to work for it. At least we should write and and and the church out to be a place where people don't just hear about our faith. They see it lived out. You know, if we if we only talked about faith and never live it out faith without works is dead, right? That's what James says and so we have to think about that but we are a family God's Our Father were his children and as Believers were Brothers and Sisters in Christ. And that's a that's a wonderful thing and we always strive to live that kind of Life out. There's an old Irish folk folk rock folk rhyme and it's kind of funny in a way, but it's it's not funny cuz it's kind of sad to but it says to live above with the Saints. We love all that will be such Glory but to live below with the Saints we know. Well, that's a different story. Sometime we think about how wonderful having it going to be we're all going to sing a new song and we're going to be one mind and one Accord every tribe nation and tongue is going to gather together before you try to get that to happen down here in the church and it's not so easy, you know, but the problem is the church down here will be the church up there. The redeemed here will be there redeem their I understand that we live in the flashing were falling and sin is a problem and a struggle but that's no excuse to not try to be the church. Now that the church will be in heaven, right? We got the Holy Spirit now we have to wait on that. We've got the forgiveness of sin promise to us. We've got the power of sin broken in US Jesus said that will do Greater Works than even the works that he did while he was here on Earth. So it's not a question of being powerless. It's not a question of not having the word of God. It's not a question of not having the spirit. It's not we are obedient and faithful in the things that he's given us. Right and it's too easy to excuse ourselves when we fall short. We're all working progress, right but progress should never stop some of us got the foundation laid and we thought that was good enough. We believed in Jesus and now we're just living life how we want to live. That's not what sanctification is about. It's a constant growing in the lord. It's a constant repenting of sin. It's a constant striving to be more like Jesus and for a lot of folks they just they get their ticket punched or at least I think they do and that's all they have to worry about. You know, I'm going to live up live. I'm going to enjoy myself and I'll be in glory one day. I hope so, but you need to examine yourself to see if you're in the face. Is there any fruit is there any conviction is there any desire to live like Jesus if those things are absent, there's cause for alarm there's cause for alarm and so he tells us that we are the household of God and we shouldn't just future CH is a business organization. Certainly, there's some business principles that maybe you can bring into play when you manage to church, but we are family and at the end of the day programs and Ministries won't make a church successful faithfulness to the word of God loving one another no matter what we do if there's no love in it doesn't mean anything right? We're just a clanging cymbal making a bunch of noise, but doesn't mean anything right and so as we operate as a church, Obedience and faithfulness to the word of God glorifying Christ and what we do loving one another and serving one another. Those are the things that will make a healthy charge, right and the programs in the Ministries and all those other things will come as a result of that. The church will grow Jesus will add to the church both will get saved. You know, one of the one of those the sad things to me is there so many churches in Hamilton there so many churches everywhere and all we've done is made it a game of swapping members, right every few years. This person decides. Well, I don't like First Baptist. I'm going to Second Baptist. I don't like the Church of God. I'm going to the Church of Christ. I like the church the garage. I'm going to the Church of Jesus Christ of God First Baptist, you know, what all these names and her everywhere and all were doing a swap and members around and I've just been really convicted about that in the last twelve the last year but run the last few months specifically there's 80 thousand people in Butler County. We don't need to be can be Competing for each other church members that are unhappy, you know, we need to go out and worried about the out of the 80,000. How many don't go to church? I don't know 60000 65000 there's enough lost people to go around for every church. We don't have to just swap members. And so, you know, we have to be Kingdom Minded I thinking and in so understand who we all were the household of God in any calls this the Church of the Living God the Church of the Living God listen to what he says in second Corinthians. 6:16. Paul says, they're what agreement has the temple of God. What's the temple of God? We are we are. What agreement has the temple of God with Idols for we are the Temple of the Living God as God has said I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them and I will be their God and they will be my people. I don't know if some of you had a chance to travel a lot either throughout America or throughout the world, but especially in Europe and in some of these countries outside of America, there are some ornate and Majestic temples shrines Cathedrals that man has spent years and years to build and if we could put it in monetary terms of today Millions upon millions of dollars. To build these temples to worship dead Idols. They can't do anything for you David wrote in Psalm 115. Let me read a couple of lines from Psalm 115 cuz this is exactly Why there's only one true and living God and his name is Jesus and any other God can help you listen to what David said was. I'm 115. He says not to us O Lord not to us but to your name give glory for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness. Why should the nation's say? Where is their God our God is in the heavens and he does all that he pleases that's sovereignty God doesn't have to wait to get your permission to do anything. He doesn't have to wait to act God acts according to his good pleasure in his time. And in his plan and purpose right? He goes on to say their Idols are silver and gold the work of human hands. They have mouths, but they do not speak eyes, but they do not see they have ears but they do not hear noses, but they do not smell they have hands, but they do not feel feet, but they do not walk and they do not make a sound in their throat and How to make them become like them so to all who trust in them. What is he saying he's saying that you can fashion a God you can make yourself a God but in the big picture when he turn it matters, none of that can help you when you stand before the one true God knows idles won't speak for you. You won't be able to defend yourself. You won't be able to say a word when you stand before a holy God and if you trust a Jesus you won't need to cuz he would plead his blood in your place. He was taking the punishment that you and I deserve but if you're trusting in anything other than Jesus you're trusting an idol that can save you. And if you wait too late, you're going to be judged and he's going to mention that in just a few minutes but Psalm 115 brings that out for us and finally calls us. He calls us a pillar. The church is a pillar and a foundation of the truth. You see that the end of verse 15 of our text a pillar and foundation of the truth, you know, a building can't stand without a sperm foundation and the roof won't stay up if there's not pillars or something to support the weight, right? And so when he talks about that the church is that Foundation it is the pillar it is those supporting wall of what the truth of the truth. We proclaim the truth and we live out the true. Jesus said the night before he was about to be betrayed when he prayed in John 17 17. He said sanctify them set them apart in the truth. Your word is truth. The word of God is the truth because why? God spoke it. The word of God is given by him. It's inspired by him. It's breathed out literally by him when we open this book as I stand Here week after week and preached. I'm speaking on behalf of God. I'm a study and prepare but the words I'm giving you are the words of God so often we think I wish I could just have a conversation with my friend. You can bow your head and close your eyes and lift up your voice to God in prayer and read his word and you're having a conversation just as much as you and I can. He's alive and we treat him like he's this dead Idol that can't hear can't see can't touch can't feel he says he's more alive than us and we can know him and talk to him and he lives in us before the King James Bible came around. There was another popular Bible called the Geneva Bible and in the preface to that Geneva Bible translators wrote this work these words. The Bible is the light to our paths. It's the key of the Kingdom of Heaven. It's comforting our Affliction or shield and sword against Satan the school of all wisdom the glassware and we behold God space the testimony of his favor and the only food and nourishment of our souls. Perfect could have said it any better. Could you the word of God is our foundation and pillar for the truth? One of my favorite old phones. It was an anonymous poem. I don't know who wrote it. But I I have this in my other Bible that I use and I printed it out and taped it inside of a bottle and I read it quite often because this word has gotten me through some of my darkest times. It's encouraged me. It's strengthen to me. It's helps me it's minister to me. It's the words in this book that caused me to repent of my sins and turn to Christ and he can do that for you to because it's not just a book. The word of God is quick or Alive. The word of God is quick and Powerful sharper than any two-edged sword and it gives life faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God and Friends. It may sound simplistic. But if you want to know God and you want to have a relationship with him and you want them then after that know how to live and surf. The only way to do that is to be in this book, right? I mean 11 old preacher said no, he's an older preacher now, but he said, you know instead of being in Facebook. You want to have your face in the book if we spend as much time in this book as we did on social media, we would have a much closer relationship with God, right? So this whole poem that. I love so much. It says though. The cover is worn in the pages are torn and no places bear traces of Tears yet more precious than gold is this book warning old that can shatter and Scatter my fears. This old book is my guy. That's a friend by my side. It will lighten and brighten my way and he's promised. I find Susan gladdens my mind as I read it and heat it each day to this book. I will clean up it's worth. I will sing the great losses and Crosses be mine for I cannot despair those surrounded by care while possessing this blessing divine. What a powerful few words to describe this book. Do you love it? Do you live by it? Do you know the author? Jesus declares himself to be the author and finisher or Perfecter of our faith. And you can only know him through the word of God. Have you found him? He wants you to know in tonight. So we come to verse 16 which is where I get the title of the message. The mystery of godliness. Paul says great indeed we confess is the mystery of godliness the word mystery in the Bible told you this many times. It's simply mean something that will has not previously been revealed or it's something that has to be revealed by God. It's not something that we discover on our own. It's something that God reveals in due time and according is playing this mystery of godliness is what Paul is going to describe in the first is that follow This is actually a early church hymn. They was sang this in the church in the first century church. I'm so we think about you know our hands that we sing. This was an example of a song that the church would have sang as they went through and worship God and so let's kind of look at it in that light. If this was a verse of song that we would sing. The first stanza that we would see is that Christ is revealed to the world. You're taking notes. You can write that down Christ is revealed says that he was manifested or literally he was revealed in the flesh and he was Vindicated by the spirit. That's really the book ends of his Earthly Ministry. He was manifested by the spirit. That's speaking of his birth. That's what we're celebrating this time of year. The word became flesh. God became a man fully God and fully man in one person that little baby in the manger in Bethlehem would grow to be Jesus of Nazareth who would live his life perfectly and obedience to the word of God and willingly going and laying down his life, which is what he speaking of when he talks about being Vindicated or justified by the spirit. He lived his entire life just as the prophecy said he would in full obedience completely submissive to the father. Ultimately laying down his life and what separates Christianity and Jesus Christ from any other supposed God. And any other religion is that God became a man and died for us and he didn't stay dead. Every other religion says you have got to strive to get the God. You've got to work harder. You've got to do all these acts of penance. You got to pray to the east three times a day. Are you going to make a pilgrimage to Mecca? You got to do Penance? You got to say our fathers and hail Mary you got to get baptized. Every religion has all these Works to try to elevate man to God Christianity said that God came down to us. He came for us. The Bible says Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost and that's why it's so important understand the difference whether it's Muhammad or Buddha or Confucius or any other God you can go to the grave and they're there but in the Tomb in Jerusalem, the stone is rolled away and it's empty church because our God's not there. He is. The one true Living God he is alive and he offers life to those it will call on his name. That's the biggest difference the Virgin birth and the bodily resurrection of Jesus in Romans 1:4. It says he was shown to be the Son of God. Why how was he Vindicated? I was he justified by the spirit when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ Our Lord. Nothing more needs to be said they're not only was he revealed the next portion of this song was the witnesses of Jesus. He was proclaimed or he was seen by Nations Rose theme By Angels and proclaimed among the Nations. I love that that he was seen by Angels. They testify didn't they when we think about the songs that were sung that night glory to God in the highest peace on Earth and Goodwill to man who was singing those heavenly songs the Angels were And so the message that is proclaimed By Angels is given to the church and we Proclaim his good news to the nation's everybody. In any place in the world needs to hear the same God it may be spoken in a different language and may be delivered in a different methodology. But the message does not change that we are sinners in need of a savior and there's only one name given under Heaven among men that we must be saved by next Jesus and that's really why I again the church here tonight. Carrizo is named what it is because my overwhelming burden is to be a preacher that proclaims the word of God to his congregation and help make you disciples who really lie about the Great Commission doesn't he say Proclaim among the Nations. What's that word proclaim? Caruso that's why we're here. That's the Greek word K Russo. We are given a charge by God to proclaim the Gospel Matthew 28 19 and 20 Go-Go. Go how often do we go? We may not go in the far away lands, but do we go to our neighbor? Do we go to our family? Do we go into our workplace and do what go therefore and Make Disciples of all Nations baptizing them in the name of the father and the Son and the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all I've commanded you and here's the good part. I Am With You Always even unto the end of the age. He doesn't send you out alone. He lives within you he empowers you equipped you. Are we willing to trust him and go in? The last part of that song is the reception of Christ. He's believed on in the world. He was taken up in glory. Unfortunately, not everyone in the world believes on him. Not everyone is saved they can be. But the rejection of Christ leaves them outside of salvation. But some folks do believe John 1:12 says to all who receive him as we preach Jesus to you. It's an offer. It's an invitation. The gift is Christ. The question is will you receive that gift John 1:12 says as many who have received him who believed in his name he gave them the right to become the children of God, you see that and offer is presented by faith. We receive it and the result is we become part of the family of God. You can come to church all your life and not really be a part of the church you can walk and I'll and sign a membership card or Charter document and join a local church in the physical sense and the outside of the family of God the universal church. Do you know that there will be a lot of people that sat Infuse all their life that will die and go to hell Do you know that they'll be men that stood behind pulpits that will die and go to hell, you know, they'll be deacons and Sunday school teachers and trustees that we have been in church all their life it will die and go to hell because it has nothing to do with where your name is. As far as Earthly membership in matters completely if your name is in the Lamb's Book of Life, that's what matters and it's written in that book by faith alone. You repent of your sins and you trust Jesus and you are saved and put it in his family then then you find a local church to serve in then you begin to do works not because you're trying to get favor with God because he's been so good to you. You want to live that life. There's a change in you if any man is in Christ. He is a new creature. It doesn't speak at all in the scriptures about anyone ever getting saved and saying the same there's a radical change that takes place and keeps on taking place all of your life from your salvation through your sanctification and ultimately to your glorification. You will see a progress in the process of becoming more like Jesus. They believed in the world and they saw Jesus taken up in the glory in the book of Acts. We see Jesus ascending and the disciples standing with your eyes big in her mouth. Probably open gaping watching and the Angels Sing men of Galilee. Why do you stand here staring up in heaven this same Jesus who you watch this end up in heaven is going to come back in like manner.

That is exciting. Even if you're a Baptist that is exciting. If if I was a little younger Mark, I might take a run on that verse because that is exciting to me. He's ascended because he's alive he would never send it if he's still dead like all the other false gods in the grave. But my Jesus is Alive and he ascended back to the father after being seen by over 500 folks having face-to-face conversations with people. He ascended and the promises that he's coming back. He's coming back in 1st Thessalonians, 4:16 and 7 the Lord himself. He's not sending a representative. He's not sending somebody else. He's not sending a third-party. He's coming himself. The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout go get my church son. It's time and he's going to come back with the voice of an archangel in the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ. Will rise first here is the thing. You can mark it down. You can write it down as sure as I'm standing here cancer will not have the last say for your loved one. That's in Christ's brother. Jeff Perry will be as new and as whole as she's ever been. It's going to be hard to say goodbye here. But boy, oh boy, you're going to see her again all of our family that we've lost that new Jesus there more hold a day late season of lost babies with miscarriages. You're going to see that child again. There is a live as they've ever been. I'm telling you Church. The good news is that death has been defeated and it cannot hold down the believer. It cannot keep the believer down. He said that the Lord is going to come back the dead in Christ will rise first and he's not done there. He's not done there because those who are alive and remain if he comes back before I finish this message, if you're a believer in Christ, Jesus, you're going to fly up out of here. You ain't got to worry about your car anymore. You don't have to make your next house payment. I got some gifts under my Christmas tree if your left behind you come over house and have them things. I don't need them anymore. You can have my wallet. I won't need that anymore because I'm not going to be here and I pray you're not going to be here. My desire is it when God comes back and he calls us that everybody that's a part of K. Russo church is going and I'll be Satisfied to say Lord. I did my part and preaching the gospel so that nobody under my care was left behind. I want to know that you're saved. I want to know that your family is saved and that's why it's important that you get people here. That's why it's important that you don't stop crying and you don't stop witness in and you don't stop believing because this is the real deal. This is the real deal. You know, there are people tonight that are sick and dying and that don't know for sure where they're going and I could be any one of us if we don't know Jesus. It's that critical. We're going to be caught up r-pods. Oh, that's where we get. The idea of the Rapture people say the Rapture is not in the Bible know the word ain't but the idea sure is there sure is he's coming back for his church. The dead in Christ will rise and then we who are alive and remain will be snatched up out of here to meet the Lord in the clouds and meet with him and will forever be with the Lord. That is the promise of the Bible. That is the promise of scripture. I'm not making you that promise cuz I couldn't feel that if you're trusting what I said, you could be skeptical but this is what God has said and I have met you Jesus has never yet been wrong. He's never yet failed in any promises. He's made. But here's the danger and I want to close with here's the thought not even the danger but just a thought there was a famous actor in a comedian that live way back in the I think he was popular Brown 1910-1920. So around time when Jim was middle-aged. See I got you. I told you I was going to get you at some point. His name was WC Fields. Some of you may have seen he was on Broadway and later got into film someone. He was near death in the 1940s and a friend visit him in the hospital. WC field was an atheist and he was a raging alcoholic all his life. He lost many movie opportunities because of his problem with alcohol this friend went to visit him in the hospital. And he was amazed when he got there to see feels line in his hospital bed flipping through the Bible. And his friend asked him. WC why are you reading the Bible? What are you looking for? He said I'm looking for loopholes. I'm looking for loopholes friend. Can I tell you tonight that there is no loophole in the word of God? There is no small print. There is no other way. There's no plan B. You'll never find a loophole in the word of God. You will find the straight and narrow path that point you to the Cross where Jesus Paid the price for you. That's what you'll find. That's all you need. You don't have to try to find a loophole because Jesus says who so ever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. He will not turn you away if you come but the Bible also says this the soul that sins shall surely die. The soul that sins shall surely die in the Bible says it all have sinned. So all will die and I just physically we know that everyone dies physically, but death is the separation at death physically the body and the Soul separate. We see the body in the casket, but the soul has gone on if it's a Believer to be with the Lord or Dwight the judgment. And separation that death causes will be final and eternal and there's no changing it once it's over. And so here's the thing. The book of Hebrews says it's appointed unto man once to die. All of us are going to die. Physically. It's appointed unto man once to die and after that the Judgment every one of us will stand before God and be judged. And here's what the scriptures say. Here's what Jesus says. I want to give you two more verses and one closed John 5:22. I'm sorry John 5:24 barely barely or truly truly. I say to you whoever hears my word. And believes him who sent me has eternal life. Whoever hears my word. You've heard his word tonight church. Not my word. Marks word. You've heard the word of God. Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. It's that easy you hear the word the spirit convicts you the spirit draws you you understand that you are in a bad place that the soul that sins will surely die that you'll stand before God in judgment. And without Christ you're lost. But here's my word and believes has sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but is passed from Death unto life. There's no judgment for the believer. Because Jesus Took the Judgment. We always quote John 3:16 for God so loved the world. He gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life and we stopped and it's a shame that we don't read the next verse because he goes on to say for God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world but through him the world might be saved and verse 18 is what I want you to hear tonight. He who believes in Him is not judged. See that he who believes in Him is not judged he who does not believe. Has been judged or condemned already because he is not believe the name of the only begotten Son of God. You see so often we think there's a set of scales and one day we're going to stand before God. Hopefully we've done more good than bad in the scales are going to go in our favor and we're going to go in God says no you're lost right now without Jesus and you're condemned already. If you don't do something about your condition you are going to die in your sins and be lost forever. But the problem is you can't do anything about it. But somebody else did God send his son cuz he loves you. He loves you for God so loved the world that's you were part of the world. Right? Some of you act like you're from different planet, but you're part of this world still write for God so loved the world. Alright by I do to read I act like I'm I act like I'm from another planet half the time to should have said amen right there for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever. I'm a whosoever aren't you done done give any qualifications are you can be black white red. It doesn't matter you be rich poor. You can be smart or dumb. It doesn't matter. The Lord will save you if you'll look damn and fight, but if you haven't done at tonight Church, you're lost and this may sound like a little bit of a different Christmas message, but the offer is the greatest gift won't be found under your Christmas tree. It was a man that hung on a tree in his name was Jesus.

He stretched out his arms and he hung there for six hours and he gave up his life three days later. He rose again and he's going to come back for his church. And I pray you're ready to go with you. If you're not tonight is your opportunity. They're going to come and see him an invitation. We're going to pray the altars open. I'd love to pray with you and talk to you about have a relationship with Christ tonight. So let's bow our heads in pressure father. We thank you tonight that you've done everything necessary for us to have a relationship with you. I'm so thankful that you found a sinner like me and all my mess and all my unworthiness and all and all the things that I was doing in the life. I was living for myself and yet you love me enough to search me out and you kept giving me another chance in another chance Lord, and I'm glad that when I heard your voice I ran to you and I had no clue what I was doing nothing just saying forgive me Father and that was enough and Lord you changed my life and her changing my life and I know many others in this room have that same testimony, but God, I know there's somebody here tonight to can't say that for certainly Today, I've never really experienced. I've heard about Jesus that song about Jesus that read about Jesus, but they've never met Jesus and I pray tonight that he's speaking right to them. And he said I love you my child and I've made a way for you to have eternal life, but you have got to come by faith and lay down your sins and trust me and stop trying to do it your way stop chasing the things of the world and worshipping Idols that can't save you and trust in Jesus tonight. The greatest gift that was ever given was that the word became flesh and dwelt Among Us. And the word is alive in the word is coming back. The Jesus have your way now in this service move and hearts and lives draw can Vic and courage. Let us leave here as Christians shouting the good news proclaiming it as the Angels did until you call us home that is trying to tell everybody about a Jesus that can save them and center tonight would you come because I promise you he will save you in Jesus name we pray. Amen.