Christ Our Assurance Sunday March 22, 2020

All right. Good morning, everybody. Well, we're at that point in the service. I'm going to try to record this. This is the evening. I said good morning, but I meant good evening. I'm used to saying good morning whenever I sit down and do something like this, but I want everyone to understand that. This is a trial. This is I'm just trying to give this a shot. It's not I most definitely would love to see everybody, you know. Enjoy the service if it's veggies going to be sure it's going to be like it's not going to be anything heavy. But we're trying to do things different with the cold virus and people of people are afraid and then you know that people don't want to die, but we got to understand that. You know, what we're what we're here for as Christians is to be that Beacon a light that people need to see they need to see this Beacon Lighting us and they need to know that hey, you know what I want what they got their they're not afraid of this that they're living there later in life. There are celebrating their lord. They're doing the things that are so we need in this world today people are afraid of their Shadows. Now, I understand the cold virus and then we're supposed to be due diligently people and we're supposed to be cautious and all these things. I'm not saying go out there and and and kissed somebody with Kobe virus and try to get it. That's not what I'm saying. But I am saying that if if we're going to be with that. model of Christian that were supposed to be if we're going to have that mind of Christ if we're going to do those things, you know then Living in fear is not what we're supposed to be. We're supposed to be assured of our Salvation. We're supposed to live a life of Asher and work. That's because we have Christ in Christ in me the hope of glory listen Paul on it though. The doctrine behind it is the doctrine of of hey, man, you know, let's let's not worry about these things but looks like she live our lives in Celebration. We're saved. We're going to Heaven by the blood of Christ. I get to go to heaven I get to be that all just It's glorious. I get to be with my Lord and Savior I get to be with the one who died for me. Alright, so like I said, we're not supposed to welcome. That's why we're not supposed to know that we're supposed to grasp it as something that is not final. It's the beginning is the beginning of life that this life here on Earth is not life that we were intended to live. The life in heaven is the life that we were intended to live and we're some reason I cannot get this little thing off the bottom here. They're okay. I like it's going. I was watching the scroll across the bottom. I was peddling around before we got stuck in my bad. I like I said, I'm learning this I'm learning what this is all about soaps and I realize you can't see my face. That's a good thing. I'm not comfortable with that, but don't get me wrong. I don't think I'm a good person or anyting my wife thinks. I'm handsome and and but Let's get back to the scripture here. We're talking about Paul. 2nd Timothy Chapter 4 verses 6 through 8 name is Tom is coming near I like that offering it baby. Get ready to be poured out, you know, and he's he gives such a beautiful picture. I mean such a beautiful picture of how we should do this and if we're honest if we're totally honest with ourselves, you know, cuz I've preached this before you are who you are what you do when you're alone tells you everything you need to know about you. All right. If if you're honest with yourself, there's not a whole lot of us out there. They're like all that come on death. I ain't afraid of you. I'm Not Afraid longevity has its benefits Channel live in a long healthy happy life is great. God doesn't want us to be miserable and then that in an ash and sat pause everywhere we go. He wants us to be joyful hymn rejoice in him and and enjoy life and nothing not saying that we're supposed to you know, enjoy the fruits of the Earth We're supposed to enjoy the fruits of the spirit. You know, I'm supposed to be those people that shine that in this day and time that that's hard. I feel like it's something maybe we've kind of I don't know. I don't want to word this wrong and upset anybody but If if I'm going to live in the sure life, then I'm supposed to be at the front of this. I'm supposed to be that person out there man. I'm praying for you brother. I am not afraid I'm not afraid to die, but I'm not afraid of that Paul here if it will just start by reading it and and I will just kind of just dive into a little bit. Okay, this is just something so great. Let's go to the 2nd Timothy Chapter 4 verses 6 through 8. Prime now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand start stop right there for just a minute and listen to what he's saying for. I am now ready to be offered. He's ready. He knows his time is ending, but he's ready. And the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith hits for there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge. So give me at that day and not to me only but I do all them also that love his appearing man. I want you to grab ahold of that. I want you to just think about that whole section right there. And Paul Paul gives us three Vivid looks very quiet and Vivid looks at exactly how we should view are passing or are the things of this Earth and as how how we're not supposed to get so muddled now than them. We're not supposed to let them use networks in the media influence us were supposed to let God's word influence us we're supposed to let the scriptures influence.

Call all the Trevor happened is playing at was going to play out God's already done it he's been there and he knows your end. He knows so isn't he knows your end? I think it's prudent that you know your end as well. Alright, coz I Luv it the way starts off. When I am now ready to be offered that that that gives us up the representation of what they would understanding that day of one and offering was an offering would have been a sacrifices for your seeing or sacrifice for something you had done. Maybe you know that the lamb or the other day for that was a bull or or whichever one talks pulse and I'm ready for that. I'm ready to be offered. He's not comparing himself to Christ here. He he's comparing himself to the lowly animal that it was going to die, but not for the remission of your sins, but plig knowledgement of your since he's comparing himself to that. No way. Is he comparing himself to Christ? So don't don't get what I'm saying confused. He is now ready to be offered. And the time of my departure is at hand. He's getting on the boat that the the ships about to sail his Planes about to take off all those beautiful images that you can get in your head. You remember when the baby you were going on a trip somewhere and you're getting on that plane or you were getting I went on the cruise one time and getting on that ship. I remember I was standing there and I standing on the outside there at the railing and I was watching that ship just just just take off and I was thinking man. This is going to be great. This is just going to be a beautiful time and I was not disappointed. I enjoyed the cruise, but that that picture when he says the time of my departure is at hand. I'm fixing to go I'm going somewhere. It isn't Gloria strip. I'm ready for this trip. I welcome this trip. So he's looking at the grave right here now to the first image you want to get his him looking down. He's looking at the grave and he saying I'm not scared of you. I'm not I don't welcome you and I'm not going to jump in the Holy cover myself up with the dirt, but I'm not scared of the of the Hitchman. I'm not scared to die. I'm a little rat mcraven said I'm coming. I'll be there in a my dead bodies going to be in there and I'm going to be in heaven and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight. I think about that fought a good fight scary is now he's turning he's kind of looking back. He's telling about his ministry in the things. He's done since the moment. He's met Christ. He has fought the good fight. He's finished his course light like a racer that doesn't the Olympians in the Romans and those people at the Gentiles of that time would understand this and that they would understand that an athlete have finished this course when you have ran the race, he got it all done here and talk. Does you some of that illustration earlier or he ran the race yet? I have finished my heart know when she's finished. There's nothing else for him to do. There's nothing else for him to do. He can't can't take another step forward because there is no more track. He's when he's finished his course and now he's kept the faith. He he's looking back and he said, okay, I've looked at the grave now. I'm looking back and it's just it's just it's the image you can get in your head is in today's world, you know, when that wide receiver that running back of that quarterbacks running down the sideline and they get to the end zone in the end get to the end of that. They just kind of stopped running. They're done. They don't need to go any further that they scored they got the touchdown. I know that's a bad bad comparison, but think about it for a minute we can relate to that a little bit better. We're not as big in the track and field as we are today when I'm old boy runs his race and he's running that hundred yard dash and he gets to the end. He's finished. He's finished his race. He doesn't need to keep going. Paul doesn't need to keep going. He's done what he's supposed to do on this Earth. And I have kept the faith looking back even more said through it all I can look back on it and I can say that I kept the faith. I've been faithful to Christ since since the moment he hit me at Damascus and the moment that light up here and he spoke to me and he told me the things he told me that I have kept the faith. I've seen the light I know who the Lord is. I know who my savior is. I Don't Fear the grave. I can look back and know that I've done well in the name of the Lord and then look beautiful part of this the beautiful part of this. This is the one of the most disturbing things we should know if you want to be sure and anything if you want to think about this for me, if you want to be assured I said sure if you want to be assured anyting think about this henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day. I think about that. I want you to think about that and I want you to really digest that. Jesus is going to hand him a crown of righteousness. He's going to a place that that Victor lean on it. It's it's like they're the image they would have gave in here. We can you remember the the Greek word but it is an image of the you see the Greeks wearing that the crown with the leaves on it. They were victorious the crown of Victory the crown of righteousness. That's what's going on. Paul's hat. That's what that's the beauty of this is our Assurance lies in the fact that we know waiting for us in heaven is a crown of righteousness with the righteous judge will give me at that day. Listen to which the Lord the righteous judge. Sorry. I left out which floor what's the Lord the righteous judge. Jesus is going to give it to you. Should he tells you you're just a minute, but I do me that day and not to me only but I do all them also that love his appearing what guys Jesus is coming back. What kind of bat wheel of his other than that? I don't think it just means this is future coming. We love the fact that he was here on Earth. We love the fact that God came down to be human. He came down God gave up his throne and habits to be human to become Jesus Christ for me and you I love his appearing. I'm going to love his future of hearing what's coming in the future? Believe you me guys. He's coming and there's a lot of In Time pastors right now and they're wanting to our people I don't listen to Thursday pastor, but there's a lot of getting time people out there right now and they're looking at all these things and they're saying well, but we got the droughts and we got the fire. We got the locusts then we got the plagues and we got the viruses and we got all these things going on guys. Can I can I let you in on a little secret We've been living in the end times since the moment Christ ascended to Heaven that then we're in the end time he's coming back and that's going to end it all from the moment. He ascended to Heaven from now. These are in times These are times when it's it's not going it's not going any further. We're going to love his appearing then but I'm not what I think you talkin about. Here is his we love the fact that he appeared here on the earth to save us from our sins do what he did for us what we could not do there's no one righteous. No, not one Paul tells us in Roman. Come on get behind that. I think it was relations. My mind's going through too many scriptures about a hundred of them floating through my head right now and I have to kind of her tail that whenever I'm preaching on something like this because there's so many scriptures on insurance. How many things that we can take away is that hey, you know what? We need to be sure at end of the Bible gives it to a seat. I use the Bible and I like this reference. You know, I know we got the laws and we got to the Palms and we got all these things in the in the in the Old Testament, but look at the Bible this way and this is all about Jesus. It's ever been about him from the beginning to the end. But from the Old Testament scuse me the Old Testament poisonous to Jesus. It's all point to Jesus is like every one of them has a sign Jesus is coming. Jesus is coming. Jesus is coming. Jesus is coming every single one of them is coming Jesus the Messiah he's coming as people they were just using you the Messiah was coming and then we get to the gospels Matthew Mark Luke John and part of Acts were the big sign in those needs to be Jesus is here. The Messiah has come Jesus is here. How great is it? Jesus is walking her God became human to walk the face of the Earth so he can face the things I have to face so that I am without excuse our hats that has another beautiful scripture just went through my head. But but I'm without excuse Jesus is here Matthew Mark Luke, John and Paul to act Jesus is here. Jesus is here. Jesus is here. Then you get the rest of Acts. Where do you get the growing of the church at and then all the Epistles and Revelations 2 is coming as well as it's telling about his coming over one of those needs to say cuz Jesus is here at the very end of all the gospels that can say Jesus is gone. Jesus is ascended Jesus Is God, although they should say at the very bottom a little sometimes but he's coming back. He's coming back and coming back to take once his and then the Epistles need to need to allport. They're all pointing to the Future that he's coming. Jesus is coming. They give us a representation of how we're supposed to live under this New Covenant of Grace that we live under Jesus gave us all the instructions the apostles gave us all the instructions. We need to leave sure a knowing that Jesus is coming back living sure knowing that this Earthly body is a wretched thing and it one day it's going to be passed on and it is no longer going to exist. I'm going to get a new body a Heavenly Body how great is that? I don't have to I don't have to be sure that I'll have to worry about the thing. I don't have to worry if if if I if I die of a heart attack or don't get me wrong. I eat good if you're supposed to eat good take care of your body. Your body is a temple believe you me don't you don't want to face God and he asked you what you do with what I gave you I gave you a pretty nice body and you didn't do what you were supposed to do with it. Well, I don't think that would send you to hell but that's my own personal belief and I'm not going scripture that I need to shut. Get on with my sermon. If if we rest assured knowing Christ died for us on the cross knowing what the Bible tells us knowing these things that are just that there's no excuse me, when I when I read this and I and I see this and I and I understand henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the right the Lord the righteous judge. He's the only way she'll give me at that day the moment of my death. I'm going to get a crown man how beautiful is that? He tells us it's even us to and then we can go into 1st John 5:11 through 13 in this is one of my favorites for Assurance it is it is so powerful so strong but John's been getting this is the end of his epistle first epistle and he's telling these people all these things that are we just going to take verse 11 11 through 13. And this is the record that God has given to us. I'm sorry at this is Record, I mean learn how to read and this is the record that God has given to us eternal life. Think about that. God is giving you a turtle live rest in that and this life is in his son. Wow. Wow. Wow, it's in your son is not in me. It's nothing I can do. It's all in Jesus. Think about that wrap your mind. Let you know that God let my little bitty be picking mind wrap around the fact that everything is in Jesus. My life of my eternal life is in Jesus how great and beautiful is that alright and then we go a little bit further versus well, he that has the son has life and he that hath not the Son of God hath not like listen to that. I want you to listen to that because a lot of people are kind of forgetting this kind of thing here. He that has the son has life and he that hath not the Son of God hath not like there's no Little brown in there you need a guide him or you don't you're either in or you're out you're hot and you're cold. There's no middle. You can't it's not in there. There's none of this Purgatory. Then what are they would call it Purgatory that it's not their you're either going to heaven or you're going to hell. It's one of the other there's no in-between. You're either going to be at glorifying God in heaven or you're going to be wishing you to dunnet your little bit of time here on Earth for eternity in Hell. See that's what we got. Such a minuscule time here on Earth. So minuscule compared to Eternity. You're not even on the tip of the PIN. Eternity is forever. You can't wrap your mind around that that's God gave us these fines and we can kind of get a visualization of Eternity, but we can't even begin to think about what that's going to be like it's plain and it's simple he that has the son has life. If you got this phone you got like and he that hath not the Son of God hath not like man. How do we get this confused? How do we get this to where we sell? Well, you know brother, you know, it's okay if you if you don't believe this or not the Bible what the Bible tells us about this or what to buy the sun says that I believe it. Is it's only way we can go. Number 13 these things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the son of God John Cena have written these things to you. So you're assured. So you have assurance that what you're doing is right that you may know you have eternal life, you know, if you read these things and you'll do these things, you'll know you have eternal life and that you may believe on the name of the son of God. Wow, there's no there's no middle ground there. He's not giving us out. It's not all inclusive not everybody's going to heaven. That's the sad part. I love it when people want to answer the question. Well, you know if he's a loving God your why would a loving God send people to hell I really is that what you got? So what you're trying to humanize God to your standard don't do that God's got he's a righteous judge. We just saw that back in in 2nd Timothy 4 68

Catch your judgment upon God these things have I written unto you that you believe on the name of the second. I'm giving you the information you need to have. This is what you just telling you that you may know that you have eternal if you'll if you'll listen if you'll understand if you'll read this book if you get into this book on a daily basis and just do you You can understand it will have eternal life and if she may believe on the name of the Sun. I've got sorry. I'm trying I got a little that little thing that went off. I tried to eliminate that from doing that anymore. We're going to get through with you that you believe on the name of the son of God that you may know that you have eternal life and be assured know what you're talkin about know what Jesus says I've challenged people and I challenged people I challenged people all the time do not leave your Eternal live up to the person reading this book to you read it yourself get into this book understand what it's telling you understand what God would reveal to you in it. I understand that every time you picked this book up and read it you're going to clean something different out of it is going maybe not. I'm 3 180 but you're going to get different out of it and it's going to feel you and you're going to grow and as you grow in Grace will grow in more understanding and you'll grow in love and you'll grow in those things that Christ. You Tobe. And I will wrap this up with John 6:47 it if you would turn the John chapter 6 verse 47. Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth on me have ever lasting life. That's Jesus's own words right there. If you believe on Jesus if you believe in me. You'll have everlasting life Everlasting. You're not going to die. No cold virus. You going to get you?

None of that stuff is going to get you cuz you can't die. You got to turn on but I believe in Jesus barely Berry truly truly when he says barely barely get this get this thought in your mind verily verily mean I am telling you the truth. That Jesus would never lie in the first place, but barely barely really pay attention to what I'm saying, truly truly. I'm telling you I'm telling you you need to listen. I say unto you he that believeth on me has everlasting life man. How great is that? How great is that that did the simplest of simple things just to believe. Why do we complicated? Why do we fight it? Why do we Spirit when it hits our heart and just want to push forward how beautiful and it did it's just that simple just believing in him. You'll have everlasting life man. I want to close by just going back and resting and understanding that Jesus is our insurance. Everything about him is our insurance. There. It is 8 you're running around right now buy toilet paper and hand sanitizer and all these things. Don't get me wrong with everybody needs toilet paper. But if you got a shopping cart full of toilet paper and a shopping cart full of hand sanitizer and you're buying up every mass that you can get your hands on. I don't think you're understanding what this insurance means. I don't think you I don't think we understand that. I'm not trying to point fingers at anybody and I'm really not if that is you. Please take some time to take some time to read the scriptures take some time to understand what Jesus and take some time to love your neighbor as yourself take some time to love Jesus more than anything on the face of planets and knowing that if I die of natural causes Does not Expediting the process if I die I get to be with the one I love the most of the one that loves me the most you see if you were to take your life and let you know what I've been married to this woman or I've been married to this man for for however long and hard or I love this gal or I love this guy and I love them so much if they'd I just want to be right behind them out of you notes. Me and Tanya we say that about each other all the time off you down one. That's that's very great me right next to you the next day because I'm just going to die without you. We know that that's not true. Neither one of us would expedite that process, but the thought process there is kind of right when it comes to Jesus. When I die I get to be with the one that loves me the most of that I should love the most. I love him the most I love him more than anything anybody anywhere. He tells us, you know, when we need to love him above and beyond our own family need to hide our mothers up. Our fathers are brothers or sisters anyone that would separate us in Christ. We need to hate that's not calling us to hate our family that saying if they would want to separate us if they would it. That's what I thought. That's a whole nother Thurmond and we're not going to get into that but I think about that think about it. Here you are we got it. We got it going on. Jesus loves me and I love her at all that cuz I hate telling us right here, you know, he's telling us from now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the face fate henceforth. There is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord which the Lord the righteous judge to give me at that day and not to me only but I do Call them also that love his appearing.

Amy

praise the Lord as you go about your week. Try to think about others esteem others higher than yourselves. I understand that your assurances in Christ. It's not in man. There's not one man on the face of the planet that can do for you. What price can do price can offer you Eternal salvation? If you never accepted Christ as your savior, if you never gotten down on your knees and pray trust me, you don't have to do it in the church and matter fact some Nepali some of the greatest hits on the face of the planet of the one some of those out there doing some of the hardest word or a some of the hardest things and preaching the gospel truth. Probably didn't walk up to an altar the moment the real salvation him the moment they were driving in your car the song came on and it just tears just started pouring down their eyes and it pulled over and I told God, you know what God I can't do this anymore. I can't do it my way. It's all you it's got to be you if it's not you that I don't want it. You might even chose to go sit on top of a rooftop and and then just in frustration Ray Strong's up to the Lord said Lord, I need you cuz I can't do this anymore. I Stay. All that everything I've ever tried everything that I try to do on my own power is gone and it's worthless. It's all dust its dung all those things. So you don't need a preacher to tell you when the Lord hit you, you know, you know, when the Holy Spirit is you, you know, when that Spirit gets inside of you and you know, you can't deny it. All you got to do is get down on your knees. Say that prayer a prayer of forgiveness asking God forgives asking him into your heart.

And then focus on him see what he would have to do in your life. And of course, it's it. It's it's it's that simple to believe but to learn and to grow those are the things were supposed to do as Christians believe in believe in simple. I love you. Give me this word of God and not put in front of me and I read it and I believe it. Yeah, I believe that I believe that if you want to grow if you want those things that's where that the sermons come into effect. That's where reading your scripture comes into effect. That's where understanding and asking God for knowledge comes into your salvation. That's a personal relationship between you and Jesus. It happened the moment of impact at the moment of impact you were you were given a crown of righteousness up in heaven the moment that hit your heart and you gave your life to God man, so I encourage you to stick with us as I grow in this learning how to do the kind of sermons and growing and learning how to do these kind of things. I would pray that you would take this walk with me. If you got any comments or anything, please feel free to leave them. I'm not I'm not perfect at this by any stretch of the imagination. I'm I'm learning and I'm trying to get all the electronics down at the same time. I'm still learning about scripture. I'm kind of a young Pastor when it comes to pastors. I have been doing that this fall. I read this book every day and I'll get into it and I will I fall more and more in love with Jesus. I fall more and more love with my God. So if you want to take this walk with me and you want to keep going to listen to us when I try to do live streams next Sunday try to get it all squared away and get it done. If there's any way I can pray for you leave a message for me. Call me Facebook. We got Grace Baptist Facebook page lights. We also got tape life. Of course. This is a fake laugh still here. We got fake life Grace Baptist, please. Come on join us. Join, the Starman we welcome all we love all you know, hope Pastor Ricky at the one of the greatest fans out there and he stood still. Is he still alive and he's got one of the greatest things out there love God love people serve both men and when that's what we're going to do. All right. We love you, and we thank you.