WEBVTT 00:00:00.360 --> 00:00:04.900 Well, if you're here this morning wondering what in the world we're going to talk about, I mean, this is Easter, man. 00:00:05.320 --> 00:00:10.780 The greatest event in human history is what we're going to talk about, the resurrection of Christ. 00:00:11.920 --> 00:00:13.560 This is a holy day for us. 00:00:14.900 --> 00:00:15.760 Who placed their faith. 00:00:17.000 --> 00:00:17.520 And the Lord. 00:00:19.020 --> 00:00:23.370 Last year, we discussed the validity of Jesus and His resurrection. 00:00:24.220 --> 00:00:31.260 And one of the things I love talking about the validity, validity, and foundation of our faith as believers in Christ is that when you 00:00:31.260 --> 00:00:35.640 put your trust in Jesus, God doesn't ask you to check your minding at the door. 00:00:37.320 --> 00:00:43.660 We think about faith, sometimes we have the tendency as people to think faith more works like Just a Shot in the dark. 00:00:43.720 --> 00:00:46.240 You just kind of pick one that you think looks good and you go with it. 00:00:47.080 --> 00:00:52.560 But when God created us as human beings, having made us in his image, he made us with body, soul, and spirit. 00:00:53.420 --> 00:00:57.940 The Bible tells us he calls us to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind. 00:00:57.980 --> 00:01:01.310 And so when you put your faith in Christ, yes, there is joy to be experienced. 00:01:01.460 --> 00:01:04.390 But God doesn't ask you to check your mind at the door. 00:01:05.560 --> 00:01:12.960 In fact, the Apostle Paul in first Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 17 said, If Christ has not been raised, your 00:01:12.960 --> 00:01:14.220 faith is worthless. 00:01:14.260 --> 00:01:16.120 And he goes on to say, we're the most pitied of all people. 00:01:17.640 --> 00:01:21.800 But within the context of this very chapter, the Apostle Paul says, Jesus was resurrected. 00:01:22.020 --> 00:01:22.940 He overcame the grave. 00:01:23.120 --> 00:01:24.100 He appeared to people. 00:01:24.100 --> 00:01:26.280 He even appeared to 500 people at one time. 00:01:26.280 --> 00:01:31.140 And when the Apostle Paul was writing this, those people that had seen the resurrected Christ were still alive. 00:01:32.860 --> 00:01:40.140 And that means, according to what Paul is saying, if they wanted to validate his resurrection, they could go out and physically meet people 00:01:40.140 --> 00:01:41.770 who had seen the resurrected Lord. 00:01:44.560 --> 00:01:45.540 The disciples. 00:01:46.780 --> 00:01:49.260 Went on to give their lives for this profession. 00:01:51.040 --> 00:01:52.620 See Christianity, the foundation of Christianity. 00:01:52.620 --> 00:01:58.360 Isn't this ideology or this concept that we want to think about, but it's a person that we believe in. 00:01:58.360 --> 00:02:01.620 Our faith is in a person, the God man. 00:02:03.200 --> 00:02:10.820 And when you read the gospel accounts, you find the disciples, the early disciples that follow Jesus, the ones that he called the apostles, that when Jesus was crucified, 00:02:11.100 --> 00:02:14.640 they tucked tail and they ran to save their own hide. 00:02:16.320 --> 00:02:18.900 But something happened within a span of 40 days within their lives. 00:02:20.640 --> 00:02:21.140 No longer that. 00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:21.800 Were they afraid? 00:02:23.700 --> 00:02:30.920 In fact, in the book of acts in chapter four, when the disciples are taken before the Jewish leaders, they're there scourged for their testimony 00:02:30.920 --> 00:02:31.860 in Christ. 00:02:31.920 --> 00:02:34.900 And they say, what shall we rather obey men than God? 00:02:36.680 --> 00:02:37.000 What happened? 00:02:39.460 --> 00:02:41.400 Bible tells us the resurrection of Jesus happened. 00:02:43.680 --> 00:02:45.440 These apostles went on to give their lives. 00:02:47.340 --> 00:02:51.580 And their lives were based on the resurrection of Jesus. 00:02:54.480 --> 00:02:56.620 They laid it all down for Christ. 00:02:58.180 --> 00:02:58.640 This morning. 00:02:58.660 --> 00:03:00.730 I'm going to stop on the validity of the resurrection. 00:03:01.220 --> 00:03:05.200 But I just want you to know if you're here this morning, maybe even someone drug you. 00:03:05.220 --> 00:03:05.830 I don't know, it's Easter. 00:03:06.380 --> 00:03:08.330 We have lots of people that come to church on Easter. 00:03:08.520 --> 00:03:14.810 And so if you're wondering about this, Jesus, is it something that you can really put your faith in, or is it just another teaching that's out there? 00:03:15.180 --> 00:03:22.500 We have books available for all of us called The Case for Easter to help us understand that when it comes to following Christ, following Christ is about checking 00:03:22.520 --> 00:03:23.960 your mind at the door. 00:03:23.960 --> 00:03:30.240 But God, God asks us to worship him with all our hearts, with all our soul, with all our mind, with all our strength. 00:03:30.320 --> 00:03:31.820 He gave us a mind for a reason. 00:03:33.620 --> 00:03:35.260 Our faith can rest in him. 00:03:37.260 --> 00:03:37.600 This morning. 00:03:37.640 --> 00:03:42.940 What I want to talk to us about is the proclamation that was given of Jesus when he when he began his early ministry. 00:03:44.720 --> 00:03:52.020 If I were to ask you this morning, if you were to broadcast the coming of Jesus to the world, if you were to declare the world something about Christ, what 00:03:52.020 --> 00:03:53.620 phrase would you say? 00:03:55.620 --> 00:03:57.020 How would you introduce him? 00:03:58.880 --> 00:04:01.680 In John chapter one and verse 29. 00:04:03.180 --> 00:04:05.450 John the Baptist does just that. 00:04:06.880 --> 00:04:09.160 On the Jordan River, he introduces Jesus. 00:04:11.200 --> 00:04:18.200 And he gives this proclamation in John said, Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins 00:04:18.200 --> 00:04:18.980 of the world. 00:04:20.399 --> 00:04:26.680 Not only the identity of who Jesus is and what he represents, but the necessity of why Jesus came to this earth. 00:04:28.440 --> 00:04:33.080 The Lamb of God, and the purpose is to take away the sins of the world. 00:04:34.900 --> 00:04:36.180 John's acknowledging within a statement. 00:04:37.780 --> 00:04:39.860 We live in a torn world. 00:04:40.720 --> 00:04:44.320 John acknowledges that really, the world is fatally torn. 00:04:46.280 --> 00:04:50.000 We need the effects of sin removed. 00:04:51.940 --> 00:04:57.100 Sin affects our lives both spiritually, relationally, physically. 00:04:57.100 --> 00:04:59.340 Our world is broken and torn. 00:05:00.500 --> 00:05:07.760 You see the evidence of a broken world relationally in Isaiah 59 and verse two, it says, in regards to God, sin has hidden his 00:05:07.760 --> 00:05:08.640 face from you. 00:05:10.780 --> 00:05:14.630 We experienced that same tension and sin in our relationships with each other. 00:05:16.040 --> 00:05:18.360 Physically, mentally, emotionally. 00:05:18.360 --> 00:05:22.520 Romans 822 tells us all of creation groans. 00:05:23.800 --> 00:05:25.840 In Second Corinthians four four. 00:05:26.080 --> 00:05:27.580 That our minds are darkened. 00:05:29.640 --> 00:05:36.820 That spiritually we are created for the glory of God in first Corinthians 1031 but Ephesians two one says this we are dead in 00:05:36.820 --> 00:05:39.160 our trespasses and our sins. 00:05:41.140 --> 00:05:42.460 The Bible talks about death. 00:05:44.400 --> 00:05:46.180 It literally means separation. 00:05:48.020 --> 00:05:49.240 Not a ceasing of existence. 00:05:50.820 --> 00:05:53.400 But a separation from what you were designed to be. 00:05:55.500 --> 00:05:57.400 We as people experience death. 00:05:57.900 --> 00:06:02.140 When our bodies go into their grave, the spirit is separated from the body. 00:06:03.760 --> 00:06:09.520 The Bible also talks about the second death in revelation 21 and verse six that coming before the Lord. 00:06:09.520 --> 00:06:12.700 There is a spiritual separation from him. 00:06:14.380 --> 00:06:15.840 Death is all about separation. 00:06:16.180 --> 00:06:23.400 And Romans 512 it says this just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and so sin spread to all 00:06:23.400 --> 00:06:24.020 men. 00:06:26.660 --> 00:06:30.140 Romans 623 the wages of that sin is death. 00:06:32.480 --> 00:06:39.560 Some of us here, we see that we're torn by sin because of something we have done, and others of us see that the world is torn by sin 00:06:39.560 --> 00:06:41.760 because of something that's been done to us. 00:06:43.540 --> 00:06:50.600 As a matter of fact, if you were to turn on the TV before you came to church this morning just to catch some morning news, you would have seen something broadcast at 00:06:50.600 --> 00:06:53.680 about 148 people slaughtered in Kenya. 00:06:55.960 --> 00:06:59.450 All because they said there were believers in Christ. 00:07:01.680 --> 00:07:03.200 Our world is torn. 00:07:05.580 --> 00:07:09.950 I think for us as human beings, there is no better place than we discover that than in death itself. 00:07:12.520 --> 00:07:13.500 Losing a loved one. 00:07:15.460 --> 00:07:18.870 Grieving at a depth that we can't even express emotionally. 00:07:19.080 --> 00:07:23.200 Something deep within our souls just says this isn't right. 00:07:26.120 --> 00:07:27.160 And the truth is, it isn't. 00:07:29.440 --> 00:07:32.880 Because when God created us, he created us for life. 00:07:34.600 --> 00:07:41.800 And this lamb who comes to take away the sins of the world, is coming to reconcile the curse of sin, which 00:07:41.800 --> 00:07:47.360 is death, that we again could have life in him as he gives his life for us. 00:07:49.960 --> 00:07:55.160 You start off this morning talking about sin and it's important to discuss. 00:07:55.200 --> 00:08:02.430 But maybe you're like me and you think, I don't want to I don't want to focus on what I was, but I want to look to the future and what I can become. 00:08:02.720 --> 00:08:03.900 I don't want to offer problems. 00:08:04.260 --> 00:08:05.750 I want to look to solutions. 00:08:06.200 --> 00:08:08.520 I don't like losing, I like victory. 00:08:10.200 --> 00:08:12.420 And that's exactly what John says this morning. 00:08:14.620 --> 00:08:21.530 The world is torn, the world is lost, the world has sin, and all of us face the suffering. 00:08:21.780 --> 00:08:24.320 And deep in our souls we know it's not right. 00:08:26.180 --> 00:08:27.500 And the solution? 00:08:29.580 --> 00:08:31.740 The problem with relationship. 00:08:34.000 --> 00:08:35.950 The spiritual problem we face. 00:08:37.280 --> 00:08:39.510 Physical problems we face. 00:08:39.679 --> 00:08:47.040 The mental and emotional hardships that we face comes in the declaration in which John gives to us. 00:08:48.400 --> 00:08:48.800 The lamb. 00:08:49.820 --> 00:08:52.150 Who takes away the sin of the world. 00:08:54.680 --> 00:08:55.280 Genesis chapter three. 00:08:56.820 --> 00:08:57.700 The first sin is done. 00:08:59.980 --> 00:09:04.080 Adam and Eve elevate themselves to a position in which they think they could become God. 00:09:04.380 --> 00:09:05.440 And so the curse falls. 00:09:05.740 --> 00:09:08.870 Sin falls under the world, and now all of creation groans. 00:09:09.020 --> 00:09:14.500 But in Genesis chapter three, the Bible tells us that God in Adam and Eve sin pursues them. 00:09:16.260 --> 00:09:18.660 And in verse 15 he gives this promise. 00:09:20.540 --> 00:09:21.530 That from the seed of a woman. 00:09:22.840 --> 00:09:23.320 Not from the man. 00:09:24.800 --> 00:09:25.890 To the birth of a virgin. 00:09:27.480 --> 00:09:27.900 One will come. 00:09:29.460 --> 00:09:32.160 And he will crush the kingdom of Satan. 00:09:32.820 --> 00:09:35.620 While Satan gives him a heel wound. 00:09:37.700 --> 00:09:38.940 The proclamation. 00:09:39.860 --> 00:09:43.400 Of redemption from the torn world in sin. 00:09:45.180 --> 00:09:45.980 The book of Exodus. 00:09:46.320 --> 00:09:53.600 The Bible tells us the very next book after Genesis, that the people of Israel find themselves in slavery, crying out to 00:09:53.600 --> 00:09:54.020 God. 00:09:54.120 --> 00:10:01.160 They know they're under the weight of sin, the curse of the sinful world, and they're calling out to God to be 00:10:01.160 --> 00:10:01.380 rescued. 00:10:02.840 --> 00:10:09.420 And God calls a man named Moses, and he tells him to go before Pharaoh and tell to the Pharaoh, let his people go. 00:10:09.440 --> 00:10:13.160 I'm sure when you get out of here today, you can listen to Charlton Heston say it. 00:10:16.380 --> 00:10:17.740 And Pharaoh continued to reject. 00:10:19.940 --> 00:10:20.580 And finally. 00:10:22.360 --> 00:10:27.540 God brings the last curse, the last plague on the nation of Egypt. 00:10:29.220 --> 00:10:36.440 And he tells the people of Israel, Israel, the death angel is coming, and the death angel will require 00:10:36.440 --> 00:10:39.440 the life of the firstborn of every family in the land. 00:10:41.120 --> 00:10:42.840 But to escape this death. 00:10:42.880 --> 00:10:43.760 Angel. 00:10:44.740 --> 00:10:46.270 I want you to sacrifice a lamb. 00:10:48.520 --> 00:10:53.440 God Records in the Book of Exodus in chapter 12, verses 1 to 13. 00:10:53.520 --> 00:10:55.050 The outline of this lamb. 00:10:56.920 --> 00:11:01.340 He was to be perfect, spotless, without blemish. 00:11:02.400 --> 00:11:03.420 He was to be a male. 00:11:04.820 --> 00:11:05.890 He was to be sacrificed. 00:11:06.840 --> 00:11:12.540 And the blood of this innocent lamb would rescue you from the death angel that was coming. 00:11:12.540 --> 00:11:18.200 If you by faith would slaughter this lamb and apply its blood over your doorpost. 00:11:18.260 --> 00:11:23.780 When this death angel would come, he would pass over your home. 00:11:24.860 --> 00:11:25.990 Apply the blood. 00:11:27.580 --> 00:11:35.740 For almost 1500 years, the nation of Israel continued to celebrate this Passover faithfully before the Lord. 00:11:36.340 --> 00:11:40.880 Every year it would go before the temple and this Passover celebration. 00:11:41.020 --> 00:11:43.840 Families would bring the animals and they would make the sacrifice. 00:11:44.580 --> 00:11:50.020 And literally a blood, a river of blood would just flow from the temple. 00:11:51.720 --> 00:11:53.720 For 1500 years. 00:11:53.720 --> 00:11:59.580 The celebration continued until the last 400 years of the coming of Jesus when God goes silent. 00:12:00.980 --> 00:12:01.580 Before the nation. 00:12:03.440 --> 00:12:08.660 Josephus, a Jewish historian over those 400 years, records that Israel no longer has a prophet. 00:12:10.440 --> 00:12:14.260 The nation of Israel continued to celebrate this Passover. 00:12:14.400 --> 00:12:16.640 But God for 400 years is silent. 00:12:19.200 --> 00:12:20.850 Until the Gospels begin. 00:12:22.380 --> 00:12:29.380 In Luke chapter one and verse five, the Bible records for us the parents of John the Baptist, who proclaimed, Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the 00:12:29.380 --> 00:12:30.190 sins of the world. 00:12:31.400 --> 00:12:38.520 It says, after 400 years of silence in Luke chapter one and verse five, there was a priest named Zacharias, and he had a wife from the daughter of Aaron, 00:12:38.600 --> 00:12:39.820 and her name was Elizabeth. 00:12:41.460 --> 00:12:44.880 It goes on to tell us that they would have a son, and his name was John. 00:12:44.900 --> 00:12:50.340 And John would give the declaration of the coming of Jesus just months before Jesus's arrival on the scene. 00:12:51.880 --> 00:12:52.420 The beauty. 00:12:53.720 --> 00:12:55.320 Of the people that God has chosen. 00:12:56.680 --> 00:12:58.680 And to show the glory of his sovereign hand. 00:12:58.680 --> 00:13:04.140 In these moments when God chooses these two people, I don't think he just randomly selected someone. 00:13:06.300 --> 00:13:10.680 Because the name Zacharias in Hebrew literally means God remembers. 00:13:12.480 --> 00:13:15.290 And the name Elizabeth means his promise. 00:13:17.100 --> 00:13:20.450 And God starts the New Testament declaring to us as people. 00:13:21.300 --> 00:13:25.260 God remembers his promise. 00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:33.240 From Genesis chapter three to the living of the Lamb and Exodus chapter 12, and 00:13:33.240 --> 00:13:34.980 the shedding of its blood. 00:13:35.520 --> 00:13:42.780 God remembers the promise of redemption that would ultimately come through a virgin who would give birth to crush 00:13:42.780 --> 00:13:44.460 the kingdom of Satan. 00:13:48.080 --> 00:13:49.760 Why slaughter an innocent lamb? 00:13:52.500 --> 00:13:56.160 I think God used the life of an innocent lamb as an illustration for us. 00:13:58.620 --> 00:14:03.670 Well, sometimes as people we forget there is a cost to sin and we undermined. 00:14:05.080 --> 00:14:05.580 Its power. 00:14:07.080 --> 00:14:11.940 The lamb is a sobering reminder that death reminded them that sin has a cost. 00:14:11.940 --> 00:14:18.690 Sometimes, as people, we don't realize how desperate we need God to give us life. 00:14:20.180 --> 00:14:27.280 We get so focused on what we call life on earth, not realizing we're created for eternal life, and we forget that we will 00:14:27.280 --> 00:14:29.340 ultimately face death. 00:14:30.880 --> 00:14:35.640 But death of an innocent lamb kept their eyes towards redemption. 00:14:37.330 --> 00:14:39.370 So when the people of Israel would go to the temple. 00:14:40.940 --> 00:14:42.900 I didn't go to the temple because they were worthy. 00:14:45.240 --> 00:14:49.460 They didn't go to the temple because they impressed people by their spirituality. 00:14:51.780 --> 00:14:53.700 They went to the temple because of sin. 00:14:56.400 --> 00:15:02.760 It was a reminder of the redemption that they required and seeing the loss of an innocent lamb. 00:15:04.840 --> 00:15:12.040 Reminded them of the wage of their sin and how much they needed redemption, that God had rescued 00:15:12.040 --> 00:15:16.360 them from the land of Egypt, a slaves and the curse of sin. 00:15:16.880 --> 00:15:23.000 And God would ultimately rescue them from the curse of sin that rests on the entire world. 00:15:25.500 --> 00:15:31.060 When John gives this declaration, Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. 00:15:31.100 --> 00:15:38.620 The beauty of the story it tells us in the Gospels is when Jesus comes up next to John to validate the testimony of John and 00:15:38.620 --> 00:15:43.220 to validate the authority of Christ, that the father also speaks from heaven. 00:15:44.560 --> 00:15:49.920 And in Mark chapter one and verse 11 it says this you are my beloved son, and you I am well pleased. 00:15:49.960 --> 00:15:52.120 The father is saying this over Christ. 00:15:54.400 --> 00:15:57.140 To our English trained ears. 00:15:58.500 --> 00:16:01.220 To read a passage like this, we would look at that and say, that's great. 00:16:01.280 --> 00:16:02.800 The father thinks Jesus is great. 00:16:02.900 --> 00:16:03.440 You know, it's good. 00:16:03.560 --> 00:16:05.580 I mean, that's a good start. 00:16:07.400 --> 00:16:15.000 But what the father is doing here in the mind of a Jewish context, is declaring the authority of who Jesus is, 00:16:15.060 --> 00:16:20.980 because when the father is making his stamp of approval on Christ, he's quoting from the Old Testament. 00:16:23.560 --> 00:16:26.940 He's quoting from Psalm chapter two and verse seven when he says, you are my beloved son. 00:16:28.800 --> 00:16:33.980 He's quoting from Isaiah chapter 42 and verse one when he says, in you I am well pleased. 00:16:35.640 --> 00:16:40.020 In the nation of Israel, they knew what those chapters of the Bible stood for. 00:16:42.160 --> 00:16:43.620 In Psalm chapter two. 00:16:43.620 --> 00:16:50.840 It is the messianic psalm when a king was anointed to take his new position as king over Israel, they would sing 00:16:50.840 --> 00:16:54.910 Psalm two in celebration of God providing for them a king. 00:16:57.480 --> 00:17:01.320 Isaiah 42 to chapter 4053. 00:17:02.540 --> 00:17:04.540 That's the chapter of The Suffering Servant. 00:17:06.930 --> 00:17:13.250 Describes for us at the end of chapter 53, the grief in which Jesus would bear on our behalf. 00:17:13.480 --> 00:17:20.300 It says he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, but he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities. 00:17:20.640 --> 00:17:23.460 And the punishment that brought us peace was on him. 00:17:25.160 --> 00:17:29.000 And by his wounds we are healed. 00:17:30.860 --> 00:17:34.260 The father is saying. 00:17:34.480 --> 00:17:36.220 The King. 00:17:36.580 --> 00:17:37.840 The Anointed One. 00:17:38.740 --> 00:17:39.720 The promised lamb. 00:17:40.840 --> 00:17:41.580 Has come. 00:17:42.680 --> 00:17:43.400 To serve. 00:17:44.540 --> 00:17:45.300 By death. 00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:46.980 For you. 00:17:48.960 --> 00:17:56.620 He became sin who knew no sin that we might become the righteousness of God in 00:17:56.620 --> 00:17:57.080 him. 00:17:58.940 --> 00:18:00.210 And the beauty of Jesus. 00:18:02.540 --> 00:18:04.260 He never held a political office. 00:18:05.660 --> 00:18:06.740 He never wrote a book. 00:18:08.500 --> 00:18:09.880 He only had 12 followers. 00:18:11.300 --> 00:18:15.840 That followed him closely and intimately, and at the end of his life they ran away. 00:18:18.300 --> 00:18:24.880 The great speeches and messages that Jesus preached that we read about in the Bible were oftentimes out in the desert. 00:18:26.840 --> 00:18:27.600 Away from the cities. 00:18:30.260 --> 00:18:33.620 And yet he transformed the world. 00:18:34.020 --> 00:18:35.080 How? 00:18:36.860 --> 00:18:42.200 Resurrection from the grave on your behalf and mine. 00:18:42.540 --> 00:18:46.540 Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. 00:18:46.600 --> 00:18:53.820 And first Peter chapter one and verse 18, it says this, for you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 00:18:53.820 --> 00:19:00.980 that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb 00:19:00.980 --> 00:19:03.500 without blemish or defect. 00:19:03.740 --> 00:19:05.890 He is the lamb. 00:19:07.380 --> 00:19:14.380 John's desire for us this morning, John chapter one and verse 29, the reason the lamb came to take 00:19:14.380 --> 00:19:18.960 away the sins of the world is so that you could behold him. 00:19:21.020 --> 00:19:23.320 To not let a moment like this pass you by. 00:19:25.420 --> 00:19:27.180 If there were another way. 00:19:28.340 --> 00:19:29.660 If there were a better way. 00:19:30.660 --> 00:19:31.860 If there were a different way. 00:19:33.360 --> 00:19:34.600 Jesus would have never come. 00:19:34.600 --> 00:19:38.020 But there is the significance of what Christ has done. 00:19:39.900 --> 00:19:47.400 Ravi Zacharias, in his book Recapturing the Wonder, writes a story about his children, and he writes this book and 00:19:47.400 --> 00:19:54.900 this in this way that he has learned more about his relationship to the Lord, watching his children than the theologians 00:19:55.120 --> 00:19:56.700 he has perused through in his life. 00:19:58.020 --> 00:20:01.340 And he said, the reason was this he uses this illustration in the life of his children. 00:20:01.580 --> 00:20:04.720 He says he has this two year old son, his four year old child, an eight year old. 00:20:05.040 --> 00:20:12.040 And he sits down and he tells him a story and he says, this young man stood up and he went to the door, and he opened the door 00:20:12.040 --> 00:20:14.060 and out jumped a dragon. 00:20:15.520 --> 00:20:15.950 And he said. 00:20:16.080 --> 00:20:23.100 The eight year old was mesmerized by the story and the fact that a dragon jumped out from behind the door, and the four 00:20:23.100 --> 00:20:28.900 year old was amazed that she could get up and she could walk to the door and to think about what could possibly be behind it. 00:20:28.920 --> 00:20:32.060 But the two year old was just happy that they could get up and walk. 00:20:35.060 --> 00:20:36.220 All of them were amazed. 00:20:38.240 --> 00:20:40.890 But all of them were amazed for different reasons. 00:20:43.220 --> 00:20:45.280 I share that you as a church this morning. 00:20:47.780 --> 00:20:55.220 Frost is to pause in our hearts and recognize and worship and praise the simplicity and beauty of who Christ is. 00:20:56.140 --> 00:20:56.760 Because here's the truth. 00:20:58.820 --> 00:20:59.480 The older you get. 00:21:00.700 --> 00:21:01.680 And the more you live life. 00:21:03.660 --> 00:21:06.500 Lesser impressed with the day to think things that you've experienced. 00:21:09.560 --> 00:21:10.760 But I can promise you this. 00:21:10.780 --> 00:21:11.840 You knew this morning. 00:21:11.860 --> 00:21:14.360 It's Easter and we're talking about the resurrection of Christ. 00:21:14.460 --> 00:21:17.920 And there is nothing more outstanding. 00:21:18.040 --> 00:21:21.420 There is no love that could have been lavished on you more greatly. 00:21:21.800 --> 00:21:21.940 There is. 00:21:22.240 --> 00:21:28.580 There is no prize that could have been paid to measure the worth that God has placed on you than what Jesus has done this morning. 00:21:28.940 --> 00:21:35.330 And it's important for us as a two year old child, amazed by the fact that they can even get up and walk for us. 00:21:35.340 --> 00:21:42.820 And no matter where we are in our relationship with God, beginning or have known Jesus for years, the simplicity of this message 00:21:42.820 --> 00:21:49.860 and the beauty of what it means for us as people in order to honor and worship the King who has given everything 00:21:49.860 --> 00:21:50.780 for us. 00:21:55.040 --> 00:22:02.180 If you came with the curse of the world on you this morning and someone were to say, like a doctor, were to take you in his office and say, your kidneys 00:22:02.180 --> 00:22:09.320 aren't working or your liver's done or whatever it is, and you're thinking now your 00:22:09.320 --> 00:22:11.380 time on earth is limited. 00:22:11.420 --> 00:22:15.100 And someone walked into this room and just said, I'm going to give you mine. 00:22:17.640 --> 00:22:19.350 That you can have life. 00:22:20.840 --> 00:22:25.860 And you think of the value that you would see of this person in making such a tremendous sacrifice. 00:22:25.860 --> 00:22:30.900 And maybe, maybe you're like me at a gift like that, you would just pause and think, man, I'm not even worthy of that. 00:22:30.940 --> 00:22:32.900 You're offering your life for me. 00:22:32.900 --> 00:22:33.900 Why would you even do that? 00:22:37.410 --> 00:22:38.360 And this life. 00:22:40.480 --> 00:22:43.460 It's temporary. 00:22:44.800 --> 00:22:48.960 Think of how much more important eternity is. 00:22:51.940 --> 00:22:55.760 And Jesus worthy, perfect. 00:22:55.760 --> 00:22:56.680 Spotless. 00:22:57.120 --> 00:22:58.180 Innocent lamb. 00:23:00.100 --> 00:23:01.880 King who is servant. 00:23:03.840 --> 00:23:06.740 Offering his life for you. 00:23:09.280 --> 00:23:09.620 God. 00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:10.080 We're not. 00:23:10.380 --> 00:23:13.330 We're not worthy of a life like that. 00:23:14.700 --> 00:23:15.950 But he gave it anyway. 00:23:16.180 --> 00:23:23.600 And so our response to a king who would do such a thing and lavishing a love that we could never, never hope to have measured 00:23:23.600 --> 00:23:27.420 in any other format other than the beauty of Christ and what he's done. 00:23:27.780 --> 00:23:32.910 Just to look at that and from our heart, just praise the King who was worthy. 00:23:35.440 --> 00:23:37.510 John says to behold him. 00:23:39.440 --> 00:23:45.160 There's a story that's told within Scripture in Second Kings chapter five, and it's weird. 00:23:46.740 --> 00:23:48.200 Bible tells weird stories, doesn't it? 00:23:48.620 --> 00:23:53.870 Second, Kings five is one of those weird stories that tells about the life of a man named Naaman. 00:23:54.980 --> 00:24:00.840 And the weird thing about this story is he's not even Jewish, which the Old Testament predominantly deals with Jewish faith. 00:24:01.920 --> 00:24:06.880 And Naaman is not even discussed beyond Second Kings chapter five. 00:24:08.100 --> 00:24:10.500 It's just this story stuck in Scripture. 00:24:13.280 --> 00:24:16.300 Until Luke chapter four and verse 27. 00:24:17.500 --> 00:24:20.210 When Jesus references this story. 00:24:21.520 --> 00:24:22.620 Beginning of the story goes like this. 00:24:22.640 --> 00:24:29.820 Now naming captain of the army of the King of Aram was a great man with his master and highly respected, because by him the Lord had given victory to 00:24:29.820 --> 00:24:30.200 Aram. 00:24:31.040 --> 00:24:32.930 The man was also a valiant warrior. 00:24:35.300 --> 00:24:36.260 But he was a leper. 00:24:39.960 --> 00:24:41.360 Story name and works like this. 00:24:41.520 --> 00:24:42.760 It's the same for all of us. 00:24:43.140 --> 00:24:43.620 We all have weaknesses. 00:24:45.060 --> 00:24:47.700 We all have something in our life that reminds us of the curse, right? 00:24:50.040 --> 00:24:52.220 Naamans in this story is leprosy. 00:24:52.820 --> 00:24:56.160 You see, as you read the story on that, he struggles with this leprosy. 00:24:56.160 --> 00:24:57.600 He wants to remove it from his life. 00:24:57.600 --> 00:24:58.780 He has no power to do it. 00:24:59.120 --> 00:25:01.800 He finally finds the solution in the Lord. 00:25:01.940 --> 00:25:04.820 But what Naaman does is what all of us do. 00:25:06.850 --> 00:25:07.850 Don't look at my weaknesses. 00:25:09.900 --> 00:25:13.010 Matter of fact, let's sweep that aside and let me show you my strengths. 00:25:14.780 --> 00:25:20.160 So when I walk out of my house on Sunday morning to come to church or whatever it is, I want to put my best foot forward. 00:25:20.280 --> 00:25:26.510 But reality, when I step off this platform and I go home, you guys have no idea how I treat my family. 00:25:29.020 --> 00:25:29.940 What I say to my kids. 00:25:32.480 --> 00:25:33.250 How I love my wife. 00:25:35.980 --> 00:25:37.140 So I could be just like Naaman. 00:25:40.080 --> 00:25:41.380 I put my best foot forward. 00:25:43.880 --> 00:25:46.220 Impress you with whatever gift I might have. 00:25:46.360 --> 00:25:50.460 But in reality, there's something in the dark that I just keep to myself. 00:25:53.220 --> 00:25:56.160 It's a two truths I know about naming this morning that all of us have. 00:25:58.040 --> 00:26:00.560 It comes in the last phrase, but he has. 00:26:00.680 --> 00:26:01.300 He was a leper. 00:26:03.420 --> 00:26:04.320 Two truths is this? 00:26:07.380 --> 00:26:08.260 We all have a but. 00:26:10.280 --> 00:26:11.360 And we all know how to cover it. 00:26:14.200 --> 00:26:14.560 There you go. 00:26:16.060 --> 00:26:16.720 You know it's true. 00:26:20.100 --> 00:26:21.160 Let's not focus on the bad. 00:26:23.280 --> 00:26:24.160 Let's not focus on the sin. 00:26:24.480 --> 00:26:27.060 In fact, if we could just ignore it and pretend like everything's okay. 00:26:33.280 --> 00:26:33.960 Maybe even. 00:26:34.320 --> 00:26:37.050 And the point when it comes to God, we think about covering it religiously. 00:26:39.600 --> 00:26:44.780 But the Bible says this to us in Isaiah chapter 64 and verse six. 00:26:46.640 --> 00:26:50.620 For all of us have become like one who is unclean. 00:26:52.980 --> 00:26:56.960 This word unclean is literally the word that they would use for leprosy. 00:26:59.280 --> 00:27:01.820 All of us have a but. 00:27:04.180 --> 00:27:08.140 And all of us feel like we could just put our best foot forward. 00:27:08.160 --> 00:27:09.520 But the truth is. 00:27:12.120 --> 00:27:13.420 Jesus sees your heart. 00:27:17.120 --> 00:27:19.060 Jesus knows why he came. 00:27:21.920 --> 00:27:24.470 Jesus didn't offer his life because he thought it was a good suggestion. 00:27:28.020 --> 00:27:31.800 Jesus offered his life so that you could have life because he understood. 00:27:31.800 --> 00:27:36.050 There's things in this world that we recognize where we are fallen. 00:27:39.260 --> 00:27:46.620 That we aren't perfect, that we fall in sin, that we struggle, that we have shortcomings, that when it comes to God, if his standard is perfection, 00:27:46.620 --> 00:27:50.390 there is no no way I could ever hope to meet that. 00:27:52.100 --> 00:27:52.690 All of us. 00:27:53.780 --> 00:27:55.430 I've become like one who is unclean. 00:27:57.920 --> 00:28:03.560 And rather than cover yourself with things that won't impress God. 00:28:06.220 --> 00:28:10.220 You have the opportunity to cover yourself in the perfect lamb. 00:28:13.060 --> 00:28:16.240 But has the death angel passes by. 00:28:16.280 --> 00:28:23.700 The blood of Christ given for you could be applied to your heart because you were created for 00:28:23.700 --> 00:28:24.440 life. 00:28:27.080 --> 00:28:31.840 And Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. 00:28:34.320 --> 00:28:37.220 It's not a philosophy. 00:28:37.320 --> 00:28:41.320 It's the identity of a person and your position in him. 00:28:43.680 --> 00:28:50.800 The Bible tells us in second Corinthians 517, if you are in Christ, you are a new 00:28:50.800 --> 00:28:51.150 creation. 00:28:52.640 --> 00:28:54.040 Old things have passed away. 00:28:54.280 --> 00:28:56.460 Behold, all things have become new. 00:28:58.200 --> 00:29:00.260 If anyone is in Christ. 00:29:00.380 --> 00:29:07.580 The key to that word is if anyone, anyone is in Christ, that's anyone Jesus has come to 00:29:07.580 --> 00:29:08.820 die for. 00:29:11.480 --> 00:29:12.560 Here's the beauty of his death. 00:29:14.620 --> 00:29:14.990 When he died. 00:29:15.300 --> 00:29:16.270 For you and for me. 00:29:17.860 --> 00:29:19.690 He died for all of it. 00:29:20.180 --> 00:29:20.480 Past. 00:29:21.060 --> 00:29:21.360 Present. 00:29:22.040 --> 00:29:22.620 Future. 00:29:22.620 --> 00:29:23.860 Send. 00:29:24.160 --> 00:29:28.060 Christ covered it all. 00:29:28.560 --> 00:29:32.260 And so cloaking yourself and the beauty of the lamb. 00:29:33.620 --> 00:29:38.320 Gives life for us as people. 00:29:39.280 --> 00:29:45.230 John 316 is the most probably famous verse in all of the Bible, and it just simply says this for us as people. 00:29:46.740 --> 00:29:47.900 For God so loved the world. 00:29:47.900 --> 00:29:54.900 It is a love that cannot be matched that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him, which is a form of 00:29:54.900 --> 00:30:02.040 the word, trust in him and what he is proclaiming shall not perish, shall not experience death, 00:30:02.040 --> 00:30:05.640 shall not be separated, but have eternal life. 00:30:10.620 --> 00:30:16.310 Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. 00:30:17.900 --> 00:30:20.210 Knowing that all of us have become like one who is unclean. 00:30:22.520 --> 00:30:23.520 Because of Christ. 00:30:25.720 --> 00:30:31.790 Your history does not determine your identity, nor does it set your destiny. 00:30:32.240 --> 00:30:36.860 Rather, his story determines your identity and destiny. 00:30:37.060 --> 00:30:42.020 As he hung on the cross and said, paid in full. 00:30:44.320 --> 00:30:44.780 By faith. 00:30:46.240 --> 00:30:47.700 You belong to him. 00:30:50.140 --> 00:30:52.540 Precious is the lamb on this day. 00:30:52.980 --> 00:30:56.940 Who takes the weight of sin upon his shoulders. 00:30:58.980 --> 00:31:01.300 Jesus made it this simple for us. 00:31:02.280 --> 00:31:03.480 He paid the cost. 00:31:04.760 --> 00:31:05.960 He gives you choice. 00:31:09.240 --> 00:31:10.900 Whoever believes in him. 00:31:12.580 --> 00:31:13.280 Has eternal life. 00:31:16.140 --> 00:31:17.400 Stop covering your butt. 00:31:19.520 --> 00:31:20.580 That's why Jesus came. 00:31:22.540 --> 00:31:25.640 Stop covering it and be covered in him. 00:31:27.540 --> 00:31:28.560 This morning. 00:31:28.560 --> 00:31:32.080 If that is you, it happens this easy. 00:31:32.320 --> 00:31:35.700 You turn to Christ and say, Jesus, no more. 00:31:35.980 --> 00:31:39.660 No more of myself, no more covering myself with myself. 00:31:40.040 --> 00:31:45.020 God, I know it falls short, but Lord, I'm looking to what you have done on my behalf. 00:31:45.100 --> 00:31:51.140 King, my God who became flesh and died for me, that I could have life in him. 00:31:51.140 --> 00:31:54.890 Lord, I'm just trusting in that. 00:31:56.920 --> 00:32:00.440 And you if you've placed your faith in Christ. 00:32:02.600 --> 00:32:03.380 Here's my hope for you. 00:32:05.180 --> 00:32:05.860 Be two years old. 00:32:08.520 --> 00:32:09.440 Faith like a child. 00:32:09.440 --> 00:32:12.430 Just be two years old this morning. 00:32:13.740 --> 00:32:15.800 Look at the love that's been lavished. 00:32:17.700 --> 00:32:20.240 Look at the sacrifice that's been made. 00:32:20.560 --> 00:32:27.600 Let your spirit just well with joy at a king who offers you such an eternal hope in him. 00:32:29.620 --> 00:32:35.580 That when the rest of the world is dog eat dog some somebody gave his all for you. 00:32:35.740 --> 00:32:37.800 And it just so happened. 00:32:39.360 --> 00:32:41.190 To be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 00:32:42.580 --> 00:32:43.120 That you. 00:32:44.280 --> 00:32:46.120 Could have life in him.