WEBVTT 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:03.180 I want to invite you to John chapter five if you've got a Bible with you. 00:00:03.180 --> 00:00:08.560 John chapter five is where we're going to be together and we're going to have an interesting discussion in John five. 00:00:08.560 --> 00:00:16.090 I struggled with the best way to title this section because of what's happening with Jesus in this story as it unfolds 00:00:16.320 --> 00:00:19.010 but I'm just going to call this is called A Healthy Conflict. 00:00:19.440 --> 00:00:22.900 We're going to talk about healthy conflict today which is a little bit of a conundrum. 00:00:22.980 --> 00:00:24.070 It's like a false dichotomy. 00:00:24.580 --> 00:00:26.520 You're going to have conflict but you're going to talk about being healthy. 00:00:26.700 --> 00:00:29.470 Please introduce me what type of conflict is a healthy conflict. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:38.000 Well, obviously we don't want to just have conflict for the sake of conflict but there's a way to engage conflict that can be more 00:00:38.000 --> 00:00:40.220 faith promoting and encouraging then others. 00:00:40.220 --> 00:00:41.820 We're going to treat this like surgery. 00:00:42.340 --> 00:00:49.780 It's like no one's going to sign up for surgery but the reason you go into surgery is because you see the result is better having 00:00:49.780 --> 00:00:50.860 gone through it. 00:00:51.160 --> 00:00:58.300 So, when you talk about conflict there's certain types of conflict that Jesus engages in scripture that the 00:00:58.300 --> 00:01:00.630 purpose of it is isn't just to produce conflict. 00:01:00.880 --> 00:01:04.720 I mean Jesus came as the king of shalom, as the king of peace. 00:01:04.980 --> 00:01:11.060 He came to bring peace on earth or peace to this world but in order to get there was a conflict that arose. 00:01:11.100 --> 00:01:14.180 Because Romans 5:10 tells us that we are enemies of God. 00:01:14.600 --> 00:01:19.820 We're enemies of God and we live contrary to this king and his kingdom so we've got to get in line with Him. 00:01:19.860 --> 00:01:27.180 That's why Jesus' message from the beginning was repent and believe because there is this need of turning in our heart to this king in 00:01:27.180 --> 00:01:29.780 order to walk in this faith and trust in Him. 00:01:29.880 --> 00:01:31.620 So, we're at war with God. 00:01:31.620 --> 00:01:36.380 There's this conflict even within us before we surrender and submit to Him. 00:01:36.380 --> 00:01:43.480 But having gone through that turning in our heart, having been confronted with the truth of Christ and then giving our lives over to it the Bible 00:01:43.480 --> 00:01:50.480 says within our souls we find peace in our relationship with God and there will be ultimate peace restored in this earth through this 00:01:50.480 --> 00:01:52.520 king who reconciles all things in Him. 00:01:53.500 --> 00:01:58.020 And so, when you think about conflict, Jesus comes and he engages, He fights darkness. 00:01:58.060 --> 00:02:00.180 That's what the whole point of John is light and darkness. 00:02:00.460 --> 00:02:05.150 He comes and wars against darkness and brings His light and light overcomes darkness. 00:02:05.500 --> 00:02:09.580 And in that conflict Jesus wins and we have a place to trust him. 00:02:09.660 --> 00:02:15.920 So, there's a way of looking at conflict that is like a scalpel in the hands of a surgeon. 00:02:17.300 --> 00:02:24.480 It reminds me of a story where in this town there were these two men that were arguing and they decided to 00:02:24.480 --> 00:02:30.140 seek after the town's wise men for advice to end this conflict between the two of them. 00:02:30.140 --> 00:02:37.460 And so, they go to the wise men and the first one presents his case and the wise man looks at him and says, "You're absolutely right." 00:02:38.300 --> 00:02:45.480 And the second guy comes in and he presents his case and the wise man looks at him and says, "You're absolutely right." And when the wise man 00:02:45.480 --> 00:02:52.180 gets home his wife just gives him an earful she says, "These two guys presented to you things that were completely opposed to one another. 00:02:52.500 --> 00:02:53.800 They can't both be right. 00:02:54.120 --> 00:02:55.000 What were you thinking? 00:02:55.000 --> 00:03:02.040 How could you even say that?" He looks at his wife and he says, "You're absolutely right." There's 00:03:02.040 --> 00:03:03.320 some wisdom in that isn't there. 00:03:03.360 --> 00:03:03.970 But you know what? 00:03:04.040 --> 00:03:08.800 When I think about conflict we're not just talking about just trying to sweep things under the rug. 00:03:09.600 --> 00:03:16.780 When Jesus calls us into this world we're people that bring reconciliation, we're people that bring 00:03:16.780 --> 00:03:17.120 truth. 00:03:17.120 --> 00:03:19.420 The Bible calls us in Matthew 5 you're peacemakers. 00:03:22.000 --> 00:03:29.020 Peacemaker is such an important word to think about because it's not saying you're just simply a peace keeper which a peace keeper is the kind of 00:03:29.020 --> 00:03:32.560 person that likes to sweep problems under the rug and ignore them, "Let's just keep the peace. 00:03:32.620 --> 00:03:35.830 Let's just keep the peace." But that's not what Jesus calls you, he calls you a peacemaker. 00:03:37.180 --> 00:03:44.900 And sometimes that puts us in position to engage conflict in this world and how you engage is 00:03:44.900 --> 00:03:45.280 important. 00:03:46.840 --> 00:03:48.340 It's not always about what you say. 00:03:49.360 --> 00:03:55.080 What you say you certainly want it to be honest, truthful, but it's also about the way you say it. 00:03:56.920 --> 00:04:05.640 In John chapter five is one of those stories that Jesus is about to engage in conflict and 00:04:05.640 --> 00:04:07.180 He sets it up in a masterful way. 00:04:09.020 --> 00:04:14.320 In fact, last week we started this story already in the first 24 verses of Matthew chapter five. 00:04:14.360 --> 00:04:21.399 Remember this is where Jesus heals the man right next to the pools in the temple 00:04:22.760 --> 00:04:24.300 by the sheep's gate. 00:04:24.380 --> 00:04:31.420 And when Jesus heals this man what we learn about the healing is that 00:04:32.080 --> 00:04:34.360 his entire purpose isn't simply just to heal this guy. 00:04:34.560 --> 00:04:36.180 This guy had been there for 38 years. 00:04:38.420 --> 00:04:45.420 And the belief during this man's day was that they had this belief that the angels would come down and stir the waters and the first 00:04:45.420 --> 00:04:48.520 one that could touch the waters after the angel stirred it could be healed. 00:04:48.560 --> 00:04:55.860 And this man for 38 years had longed for this healing but he couldn't get down to the water in time to beat the crowd to touch the water after the angel stirred it to find 00:04:55.860 --> 00:04:56.640 himself healed. 00:04:56.900 --> 00:05:02.720 And so, when Jesus comes to him, Jesus comes to this man and He says, "Do you want to be made well?" We saw this together. 00:05:03.200 --> 00:05:09.300 And Jesus heals this man and we find when this man's healed Jesus does this on the sabbath. 00:05:10.260 --> 00:05:14.680 And the purpose of Jesus' healing in this story isn't the healing in and of itself. 00:05:16.160 --> 00:05:23.340 I think it's valuable for us to learn because sometimes we have a way to treat God that's like He becomes our servant where 00:05:23.340 --> 00:05:28.970 our desire is for Jesus just to fix things for us so we can get back to doing what it is that we want to do. 00:05:29.080 --> 00:05:37.240 But Jesus is teaching something far more important than that because what's interesting in this story is we find that when Jesus goes to the sheep gate in 00:05:37.240 --> 00:05:43.250 order to heal this man, Jesus' intention is one of compassion. 00:05:44.260 --> 00:05:46.380 I mean why else would He go to the sheep gate? 00:05:48.340 --> 00:05:54.280 Now this sheep gate was a place that, it wasn't the most attractive area of the temple. 00:05:54.300 --> 00:05:59.920 In fact, it was probably the least attractive area in the temple and this is where all the animals went. 00:06:00.220 --> 00:06:02.710 And where animals go there's always a mess to clean up. 00:06:03.360 --> 00:06:06.880 And not only that, this was a place where people gathered who were suffering tremendously. 00:06:08.660 --> 00:06:12.100 And they gathered around this pool in hopes of finding healing. 00:06:14.000 --> 00:06:21.040 And when Jesus goes to the temple that's where he chooses to go and he meets with these 00:06:21.240 --> 00:06:21.850 people that are struggling. 00:06:22.300 --> 00:06:26.680 And out of this story, it doesn't tell us that Jesus heals everybody, it tells us that Jesus heals one person. 00:06:28.600 --> 00:06:29.640 Now why does Jesus do that? 00:06:32.260 --> 00:06:40.960 Well, Jesus is driving this circumstance to a place of something more deeply connected 00:06:40.980 --> 00:06:44.860 to our human need than just simply physical healing. 00:06:45.200 --> 00:06:46.880 I think that's important. 00:06:46.880 --> 00:06:52.900 If you've struggled in your life and the Lord decides to miraculously heal that, wonderful, praise God for that. 00:06:53.360 --> 00:06:55.820 But what's more important to know is that's not an end in itself. 00:06:57.780 --> 00:06:58.480 There's something deeper. 00:06:59.280 --> 00:07:02.360 And if you just end there you're robbing yourself of something greater. 00:07:03.640 --> 00:07:09.160 We simply look at the meal and we appreciate the meal rather than the provider of every meal. 00:07:09.160 --> 00:07:13.460 That's what Jesus is showing us here is look he can heal and that's great, that is great. 00:07:15.520 --> 00:07:21.300 But it's not the healing itself that's the point, it's from where the healing derived. 00:07:21.420 --> 00:07:27.980 That's what we need confronted in and that's where Jesus drives the story in John chapter five. 00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:37.100 He knows that in the heart of Israel they are rejecting Him and he wants to confront them in that position that's 00:07:37.360 --> 00:07:41.880 opposed to Him as Lord and Savior in their lives. 00:07:43.240 --> 00:07:46.950 And so, in order to do that what Jesus does here is incredibly brilliant. 00:07:47.460 --> 00:07:49.350 I mean it's genius, it's masterful. 00:07:50.240 --> 00:07:57.400 He knows He needs to engage the souls of individuals that are contrary to His kingdom right now 00:07:57.400 --> 00:08:04.520 and in order to do that what He does is He goes to one of the most desperate places around the temple and He heals 00:08:04.520 --> 00:08:11.820 someone on the Sabbath and then he calls this person to pick up his mat and 00:08:11.820 --> 00:08:19.680 walk through the temple because He knows this individual is going to come across others 00:08:19.680 --> 00:08:21.520 that are living contrary to Jesus. 00:08:21.640 --> 00:08:29.260 And He's going to use this miraculous circumstance to identify for people where 00:08:29.260 --> 00:08:32.179 they are opposed to Him. 00:08:32.299 --> 00:08:39.900 But in doing this what we learn about Jesus is that His motivation behind addressing 00:08:39.900 --> 00:08:44.770 the conflict isn't about proving He's right and we're wrong which He always is. 00:08:45.040 --> 00:08:50.420 If you're in battle with Jesus just confess you're wrong and He's right. 00:08:50.540 --> 00:08:52.630 That's the best way to do that. 00:08:52.860 --> 00:09:00.340 But His point is the pursuit of the heart and what He wants us to understand as He addresses where our souls 00:09:00.340 --> 00:09:03.510 war against Him is He is a king full of compassion. 00:09:04.720 --> 00:09:08.180 And that makes it hard to fight against someone when they approach you that way doesn't it? 00:09:09.020 --> 00:09:16.100 When you know that you've got attention and relationship with someone else but man they are for you and they love you 00:09:16.100 --> 00:09:20.960 and they've done wonderful things before your eyes and you know that they really care about you. 00:09:20.960 --> 00:09:23.700 I mean why else would Jesus become flesh? 00:09:23.760 --> 00:09:30.880 The king of kings becoming the servant of servants it makes no sense apart a heart of compassion for the need in my own life. 00:09:33.220 --> 00:09:40.460 And that's what Jesus does with this miracle, He knows what He has to approach in the hearts of 00:09:40.620 --> 00:09:42.880 the Israelites who are turned against Him. 00:09:43.620 --> 00:09:49.480 So he leads with a heart of compassion and he heals someone on the Sabbath. 00:09:51.160 --> 00:09:58.220 And we already talked about this, we know the Sabbath laws are you can't work on the Sabbath and the Jews according to the Mishna 00:09:58.220 --> 00:10:05.720 on the Sabbath their rules say that no one can work on the Sabbath except for God because if God ever stops working then everything falls apart. 00:10:06.080 --> 00:10:13.280 And Jesus when He's confronted by these religious leaders and these religious leaders it tells us starting in verse 12 of chapter five, it 00:10:13.280 --> 00:10:20.440 tells us that they know that this individual had been by this portico for several years, that he was one that wasn't 00:10:20.440 --> 00:10:23.580 able to find healing and he hasn't been well. 00:10:23.580 --> 00:10:24.430 He had been suffering there. 00:10:24.900 --> 00:10:27.280 And then, when they're confronted by him they're questioning. 00:10:27.700 --> 00:10:31.920 They're statement isn't praise God for your healing, their question is, "Who made you well on the Sabbath? 00:10:31.980 --> 00:10:32.400 How dare they? 00:10:36.500 --> 00:10:43.540 How dare they, someone would work on that day?" And Jesus tells us in verse 17 when He's finally confronted with these religious leaders over 00:10:43.540 --> 00:10:50.440 this circumstance of compassion that He held toward this individual that needed healed Jesus says, "I was working no doubt. 00:10:50.440 --> 00:10:55.500 I was working." And it tells us in verse 18 because of that the Jews wanted to kill him. 00:10:57.760 --> 00:11:05.940 These leaders wanted to kill Him because they knew what Jesus was saying by declaring He was working on the Sabbath He 00:11:05.940 --> 00:11:07.400 was making Himself equal with the father. 00:11:09.020 --> 00:11:11.460 Jesus was saying He was God. 00:11:15.300 --> 00:11:22.380 Because there's something beautiful about this story as Jesus is about to go on from here is that in our world 00:11:22.380 --> 00:11:25.840 we've got to understand that it walks contrary to the light. 00:11:28.900 --> 00:11:30.700 It walks contrary to that war with God. 00:11:30.780 --> 00:11:32.970 You were at war with God before you put your faith in Jesus. 00:11:34.860 --> 00:11:40.480 And it's not just about what you say but the way you say it. 00:11:42.960 --> 00:11:46.360 A heart of compassion is hard to fight against. 00:11:48.560 --> 00:11:53.120 No doubt people will fight against it because we like to make ourselves rulers of this world. 00:11:55.940 --> 00:12:02.660 But a heart of compassion becomes important in the way that you engage conflict just like a surgeon. 00:12:04.980 --> 00:12:05.820 You're heart is important. 00:12:07.580 --> 00:12:14.640 That's what Jesus is saying without saying anything to the people, "Your heart is important and you need 00:12:14.640 --> 00:12:15.200 the Lord. 00:12:16.800 --> 00:12:23.500 And so, in order for you to understand just how much you need God I'm going to lead with this miracle to drive to a greater purpose. 00:12:23.600 --> 00:12:30.780 "Because it's not about the miracle in and of itself, like when we read these stories in the gospel of John, the great things that Jesus did, the acts 00:12:30.880 --> 00:12:32.780 that Jesus did isn't the point. 00:12:34.280 --> 00:12:41.300 The point is to help our hearts recognize that we need this God too and we can have Him for all of eternity to experience the goodness 00:12:41.300 --> 00:12:45.420 of who He is, to lead with a heart of compassion. 00:12:47.360 --> 00:12:54.700 If your motivation is not love for others at best you will only 00:12:54.780 --> 00:12:56.680 ever treat people as a commodity in life. 00:12:58.920 --> 00:13:03.160 You will only ever see the purpose of people around you really to serve you. 00:13:05.820 --> 00:13:11.060 But Jesus' heart of compassion was for them. 00:13:11.060 --> 00:13:16.020 That's why Jesus says to this man, "Pick up your mat and walk. 00:13:17.740 --> 00:13:25.080 Pick up your mat and walk because I want to drive to a deeper issue that people need to face more than just this healing 00:13:25.080 --> 00:13:32.140 but what's warring within their soul." But so, obviously there's healthy conflict one the story lays out for us the first 24 00:13:32.140 --> 00:13:34.180 verses is full of compassion. 00:13:37.240 --> 00:13:44.380 And number two, healthy conflict it's truth telling, it's 00:13:44.440 --> 00:13:51.520 truth telling not for the purpose of just wielding a weapon to hurt people but to point the people to what really heals. 00:13:52.500 --> 00:13:56.340 Healthy conflict is truth telling. 00:13:57.220 --> 00:14:04.420 And you see this with Jesus not because Jesus is wanting to pick a fight with people but He wants people 00:14:04.500 --> 00:14:06.890 to know what ultimately sets them free. 00:14:08.500 --> 00:14:15.920 And what's interesting in verse 39 of John chapter five we just kicked off from that introduction there, John chapter five verse 39, 00:14:16.800 --> 00:14:19.420 Jesus comes to this very powerful statement. 00:14:19.640 --> 00:14:27.440 Out of all this section if I could just remember one verse, if I just told you one verse that really has just over the years has cut me to the heart it's 00:14:27.440 --> 00:14:34.480 this verse, verse 39, "You examine the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal 00:14:34.500 --> 00:14:42.780 life and it is those very scriptures that testify about me." 00:14:42.960 --> 00:14:48.350 In this moment Jesus is getting to the most religious of people. 00:14:48.540 --> 00:14:55.500 They could quote their Bible chapter and verse, or at least the Old Testament, you don't have the New Testament at this point, but they can quote their Bible chapter and verse. 00:14:55.500 --> 00:15:02.840 And yet if you pointed to all of Israel and you said, "Who knows your Bible?" They're going to go to these religious leaders, the ones of the law, the ones that are so adamant 00:15:02.940 --> 00:15:08.460 that what's been broken with the healing of this man is the Sabbath law, how dare that happen. 00:15:08.580 --> 00:15:11.280 They know the law or do they? 00:15:13.840 --> 00:15:21.040 This is what Jesus says about the importance of truth for us is they see understanding scripture as 00:15:21.040 --> 00:15:29.920 just knowing the scripture as an end unto itself, "I am a spiritual person because I know Bible answers." And 00:15:29.920 --> 00:15:37.600 Jesus is saying, "If your intentions of engaging the scriptures is just to show that you're smart with the scriptures you've 00:15:37.760 --> 00:15:39.070 completely missed it. 00:15:40.780 --> 00:15:47.780 You've completely missed it because the point of scripture isn't about you and your brilliance." Jesus said, "The point of scripture is 00:15:47.780 --> 00:15:48.210 about me. 00:15:50.100 --> 00:15:57.200 It's about knowing me." And so, Jesus wants to give them a particular lens through which to 00:15:57.200 --> 00:16:00.440 begin to view the word of God that they claim to cherish. 00:16:00.460 --> 00:16:04.380 Jesus said the same thing in Luke 24:27 after His resurrection. 00:16:04.920 --> 00:16:11.940 He met the strangers on the road to Emmaus and He says then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets He explained to 00:16:11.940 --> 00:16:16.880 them the things written about Himself in all of the scriptures. 00:16:18.620 --> 00:16:23.490 So we think about engaging conflict a couple of things that we need here is one a heart of compassion. 00:16:24.760 --> 00:16:31.920 It's not about you winning the argument, it's about recognizing the need of the soul of another individual and that care for that soul to drive them 00:16:31.920 --> 00:16:34.760 towards number two an understanding of truth. 00:16:36.840 --> 00:16:44.120 It's hard to fight against somebody when you know they care for you, when you're loved deeply by that individual that's brought 00:16:44.120 --> 00:16:51.320 you to a place that you're walking contrary to but at the same time being willing to 00:16:51.320 --> 00:16:54.820 tell the truth for the sake of the soul of another. 00:16:55.600 --> 00:17:02.840 And this is what Jesus does in verse 31, look at this He says, "If I alone testify about myself my 00:17:02.840 --> 00:17:03.980 testimony is not true. 00:17:05.420 --> 00:17:12.619 There is another who testifies about me and I know that the testimony which He gives about me is true." Here's 00:17:12.619 --> 00:17:16.150 what Jesus is saying, He says, "You want to know the truth. 00:17:17.720 --> 00:17:25.420 You claim to know the truth but let me help you walk in the truth because right now you're contrary to the truth and you don't understand how this truth all points to me." 00:17:25.700 --> 00:17:32.820 And the way that Jesus sets this platform He says, "In Jewish law something is established especially when there's 00:17:32.820 --> 00:17:39.960 opposition or conflict by the witness of two or three people." Deuteronomy 17 has that written, Deuteronomy 19 has that written, that 00:17:39.960 --> 00:17:46.960 when there were Jewish people in conflict and they went to court to present or went before a wise man to present this case that 00:17:46.960 --> 00:17:50.350 it was on the basis of truth or witnesses that someone can be held guilty. 00:17:50.540 --> 00:17:57.720 So, two or three witnesses is important to Jewish society and so Jesus is saying, "Look, I want you to be able to walk in truth and 00:17:57.720 --> 00:18:00.740 I'm going to do it through your means, your law. 00:18:01.380 --> 00:18:06.620 I want to establish for you how you know I am how I say I am. 00:18:06.760 --> 00:18:14.040 How do you know that scripture really points to me?" And Jesus gives us here just a couple of 00:18:14.040 --> 00:18:19.620 three examples that we can look at, verse 33 to 35 example one, verse 36 example two. 00:18:20.560 --> 00:18:25.100 And then verse 37 till the end of the chapter example three or really it's 3.5. 00:18:25.220 --> 00:18:27.070 I'm going to give you 3.5 examples here. 00:18:28.160 --> 00:18:31.340 But Jesus ties the last two together in a beautiful way. 00:18:32.140 --> 00:18:39.340 And so, when you think about even in your own life, when we think about trusting 00:18:39.340 --> 00:18:47.180 in Jesus, following after Jesus, I think it's important for our soul to recognize we 00:18:47.180 --> 00:18:51.600 aren't always in a line with Him and it's not because we're right. 00:18:52.980 --> 00:19:00.020 I mean every culture in this world, every culture that's ever existed has something that they feel is really 00:19:00.020 --> 00:19:04.980 important in that culture that walks contrary to God and we can always give into the compromise in that. 00:19:04.980 --> 00:19:08.900 Or even some of us here this morning maybe we've never even trusted in Christ at all. 00:19:08.920 --> 00:19:16.180 Maybe some of us are walking with Jesus but we understand there's always this conflict going on and maybe there's some of us that just we're still looking 00:19:16.180 --> 00:19:23.280 for that reason to jump on board with Jesus but Jesus here is going to lay out those reasons of just validating the significance of who He 00:19:23.280 --> 00:19:23.660 is. 00:19:23.660 --> 00:19:31.020 And so, in verse 43 He gives us that first place of importance built on His heart of compassion here He says, "You have sent 00:19:31.020 --> 00:19:38.280 messengers to John and he has testified to the truth but the testimony I 00:19:38.280 --> 00:19:42.400 receive is not from man but I say these things so that you may be saved. 00:19:43.280 --> 00:19:52.380 He was the lamp that was burning and shining and you were willing to rejoice for awhile in his light." So, 00:19:52.440 --> 00:19:56.420 with John He just wants us to recognize it was this burning, shining light. 00:19:56.420 --> 00:20:00.650 The first evidence that Jesus gives of the significance of who He is John. 00:20:01.260 --> 00:20:06.460 And this would have been important to Jews prophetically and then even practically I think important for all of us. 00:20:07.180 --> 00:20:14.180 Prophetically if you read the Old Testament, the last chapter of the Old Testament, the book of Malachi chapter four the last couple of verses in the book of 00:20:14.180 --> 00:20:20.800 Malachi it promises before the Messiah comes, the anointed one, that there would be a forerunner like Elijah. 00:20:21.980 --> 00:20:29.020 And John the Baptist has become that for Jesus and so Jesus is identifying one that John is this fulfillment of scripture so 00:20:29.020 --> 00:20:30.780 that people could identify the Messiah. 00:20:30.800 --> 00:20:33.420 In John it talked about Jesus being that Messiah. 00:20:33.520 --> 00:20:40.700 So prophetically when you think about what it communicates maybe on a larger scale for us, when you think about all of the Old Testament 00:20:40.700 --> 00:20:47.760 there's this prophetic demonstration of Jesus being proclaimed and Jesus coming and fulfilling Him validating that He is everything 00:20:47.760 --> 00:20:55.000 the Old Testament said He was and John being that pinnacle piece that introduced Jesus to the world, very important. 00:20:55.680 --> 00:21:00.110 But when I also think about following Jesus pragmatically I just want to know does it work. 00:21:01.480 --> 00:21:04.880 That's great it might be true but is it really life-changing? 00:21:05.160 --> 00:21:06.070 Is it really going to matter? 00:21:06.180 --> 00:21:10.550 I mean why can't we all just pick something that we just like, why does it have to be Jesus? 00:21:11.140 --> 00:21:15.200 But here's the thing he says about John is John's contagious. 00:21:17.380 --> 00:21:23.640 You ever get around people that are just passionate about something that makes a difference in life and it's like, "Man I want to be around this person more often. 00:21:24.120 --> 00:21:25.380 They're a great human being. 00:21:25.660 --> 00:21:26.520 They're always positive. 00:21:26.560 --> 00:21:32.680 They've got this vision, it's transferring life, it's making a difference, these guys are great." It's fun to be around people like that. 00:21:33.940 --> 00:21:36.160 It's motivating to be around people like that. 00:21:37.240 --> 00:21:44.440 And I think this is a similar illustration with the life of John and the proclamation of truth and he aligns 00:21:44.440 --> 00:21:48.900 with what scripture says prophetically to identify the importance of Jesus in my life. 00:21:49.060 --> 00:21:51.040 But just think about the passion of John. 00:21:51.380 --> 00:21:58.100 I wish sometimes as Christians we would focus on this just a little bit more, just the thoughts of John's life, and try to mimic our lives in a similar way. 00:21:58.100 --> 00:22:02.560 Because sometimes man as believers are some of the most Debbie downer people in life. 00:22:02.580 --> 00:22:09.660 You think Jesus has come into this world to radically transform you and everyday you wake up you get to serve this king that makes a difference for all of 00:22:09.660 --> 00:22:10.140 eternity. 00:22:10.320 --> 00:22:13.980 But sometimes you meet Christians and you think the battle has been lost. 00:22:14.180 --> 00:22:21.220 But when you're around John, full of compassion this light burning and he's just serving for the 00:22:21.220 --> 00:22:28.520 Lord with this fire just wanting people to know the Lord, it's incredible. 00:22:28.660 --> 00:22:34.300 One of my favorite stories about John, Matthew chapter 11, it happens in Matthew and Luke this story. 00:22:34.300 --> 00:22:41.680 But Matthew chapter 11 John is in jail and he sends 00:22:41.680 --> 00:22:44.810 his disciples to Jesus to ask a question. 00:22:46.550 --> 00:22:53.560 For my first few years following Jesus I didn't understand why John would ask this question because Jesus says in the same 00:22:53.560 --> 00:23:00.770 chapter verse 10, 11 and 12 that John was the greatest person to ever live, that's how Jesus labels John. 00:23:01.320 --> 00:23:08.360 But John sends his disciples to ask Jesus, "Are you the Messiah or should we wait for another?" And 00:23:08.360 --> 00:23:15.760 that's a pretty incredible question when you think about who John is that he came as this Elijah to introduce the Messiah 00:23:15.760 --> 00:23:24.040 and he already proclaimed Jesus that way and now he find himself sitting in jail and now he finds himself sitting in jail and now he's asking Jesus that question, "Are you the Messiah or should we wait for another?" And 00:23:24.040 --> 00:23:27.740 Jesus responds to John in an interesting way. 00:23:28.300 --> 00:23:35.900 He tells the disciples, "Go and tell John," and He quotes Isaiah chapter 61 and Isaiah chapter 35 He says, "Go and tell John that 00:23:36.620 --> 00:23:43.360 the lame walk and the blind see." And then you don't really hear anything else about the discussion. 00:23:44.080 --> 00:23:45.300 That's all that you're told. 00:23:45.400 --> 00:23:47.620 It's like how is that good for John? 00:23:47.700 --> 00:23:54.700 John's in jail and then Jesus just quotes a couple of verses and that's all you get and then Jesus is like, "John's the 00:23:54.700 --> 00:23:58.880 greatest guy that ever lived guys." What is this story? 00:23:59.140 --> 00:24:06.180 And the frustration of that, I finally dug a little deeper and just figured out what Jesus was saying there and this 00:24:06.180 --> 00:24:07.120 is what Jesus is saying. 00:24:09.020 --> 00:24:16.380 John has this picture in his mind that when Jesus comes he's going to set up His kingdom and everyone's going to rule and reign with Him. 00:24:16.500 --> 00:24:22.520 And Jesus did, He set up a spiritual kingdom and He is going to come and set up His kingdom physically but He's set up His kingdom spiritually for us. 00:24:23.140 --> 00:24:28.040 But John is expecting the kingdom to be set up physically and he's looking around in jail and he's thinking, "If that's Jesus why am I here? 00:24:29.320 --> 00:24:36.320 If He's the king He should just come break me out of this place and we're just going to rule and reign together." And it didn't happen 00:24:36.320 --> 00:24:39.460 and when it started to not happen John got a little worried. 00:24:39.560 --> 00:24:43.200 He's like, "I hear the sharpening the knife that's going to touching my neck here soon. 00:24:43.810 --> 00:24:51.640 What's going to happen with me?" And he asked that question and when Jesus gives him that response he realizes that 00:24:51.640 --> 00:24:55.900 the kingdom's here, the kingdom's here. 00:24:59.320 --> 00:25:05.720 Yes John is in a difficult circumstance but his life is still being lived for the king and his glory. 00:25:06.980 --> 00:25:07.760 The kingdom's here. 00:25:07.780 --> 00:25:14.610 It's like Jesus was saying to John, "John, I'm not coming for you but everything's under control. 00:25:15.980 --> 00:25:23.360 Everything's under control, the king is here." John lived his life full 00:25:23.360 --> 00:25:25.020 of passion for the Lord. 00:25:26.980 --> 00:25:34.720 And guys I would encourage you the same when you think about living and walking in the truth not to just be a person full of compassion and 00:25:34.800 --> 00:25:41.920 definitely be that and a person that's telling the truth but to let that passion come through you in your life. 00:25:42.320 --> 00:25:48.680 One cool movie, and I don't know if I should promote movies but have you ever seen the movie Gladiator? 00:25:50.220 --> 00:25:56.610 If you know the story about Maximus, Maximus was a general for Marcus Aurelius. 00:25:56.880 --> 00:26:01.940 He was one of the greatest generals and Marcus Aurelius in the movie tells Maximus, "I'm going to make you the leader in Rome. 00:26:01.980 --> 00:26:09.720 You're going to be the next Caesar to lead the emperor of the kingdom here, at least the earthly kingdom of Rome that dominates the world." 00:26:09.720 --> 00:26:17.000 And Marcus Aurelius' son finds out and he kills his father at his older age and Maximus ends up becoming 00:26:17.000 --> 00:26:24.560 a slave and it turns him into a gladiator and Commodus goes and kills Maximus' family and 00:26:24.560 --> 00:26:26.020 Maximus is distraught. 00:26:26.060 --> 00:26:30.860 He has no identity anymore, you see him lose really himself. 00:26:30.880 --> 00:26:31.600 He doesn't even want to live. 00:26:31.740 --> 00:26:40.060 But then he discovers that if he keeps going through these gladiator games and he wins that 00:26:40.060 --> 00:26:47.160 he gets to come before the emperor and he gets to declare his loyalty to who the true emperor was, 00:26:47.360 --> 00:26:54.360 Marcus Aurelius, and identify what's happened to his family and really get his victory over 00:26:54.360 --> 00:26:56.200 the circumstance. 00:26:57.480 --> 00:26:59.120 But you know what's amazing about that movie? 00:26:59.220 --> 00:27:06.240 It's just the passion to see someone go from leading down to nothing and then all of the sudden he finds this identity again 00:27:06.260 --> 00:27:13.360 and he with just a passion pursues it and fights for it and defends it and it just draws you into the moment and he gets the 00:27:13.360 --> 00:27:16.860 victory that he's sought after in the end according to the movie anyway. 00:27:18.060 --> 00:27:25.060 But it's the same thing for us that you had a king and for 00:27:25.060 --> 00:27:32.100 a moment maybe even His followers thought He was defeated but He returns in victory and resurrects and 00:27:32.440 --> 00:27:34.020 promises you that same victory. 00:27:34.480 --> 00:27:41.780 And it's in this world of darkness that you get to be light and that passion of waking up everyday and living for that king and his glory 00:27:41.780 --> 00:27:49.200 in this world as you proclaim this truth with compassion towards people that need the same transformation that you've experienced. 00:27:49.200 --> 00:27:51.800 You have a platform to do that. 00:27:53.800 --> 00:27:58.180 And Jesus uses John in this story to illustrate it's importance for us. 00:28:00.120 --> 00:28:07.300 You think as you wage in this world and you fight the spiritual battle that God has called us 00:28:07.300 --> 00:28:14.600 to along the way what we learn, and people aren't perfect, in 00:28:14.660 --> 00:28:17.720 fact people can be a bit of a booger sometimes. 00:28:21.620 --> 00:28:28.640 People aren't perfect but the sweetness of Jesus never ends, it never 00:28:28.640 --> 00:28:28.940 ends. 00:28:28.940 --> 00:28:33.520 So, if we make Him our goal you'll never be disappointed. 00:28:36.020 --> 00:28:43.540 To live with passion for the king number two verse 36, "But the testimony I have is greater than 00:28:43.540 --> 00:28:50.600 the testimony of John for the works which the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I do testify about me that 00:28:50.600 --> 00:28:58.260 the Father has sent me." And Jesus' second point He's saying, "Look, Jewish leaders you need a basis 00:28:58.260 --> 00:29:05.780 for truth and I know this is confronting you in a way that you don't want to bow to because you're conflicted with the scriptures right now but let 00:29:05.780 --> 00:29:07.010 me just give you two reasons. 00:29:07.080 --> 00:29:09.190 One, John the Baptist was the forerunner. 00:29:09.260 --> 00:29:10.360 You know how your Old Testament ends. 00:29:11.100 --> 00:29:18.460 And number two me." Is what Jesus is saying here, "Number two if you want something to look at look at me." 00:29:18.500 --> 00:29:25.620 And Jesus only says this in one verse so I'm not going to go real deep into this because Jesus doesn't go real deep into 00:29:25.620 --> 00:29:31.150 this because all you have to do is just read the book of John and that's what we're doing together. 00:29:31.220 --> 00:29:35.260 We're seeing the significance of who Christ is in our lives and getting to know this Christ. 00:29:35.300 --> 00:29:38.020 That's why I said from the beginning, "Just pick up John and read it like a child. 00:29:38.080 --> 00:29:44.640 Pretend like you know nothing and get to know this Jesus." And this is what Jesus is saying, "Do you want to know the reason why you should embrace what I'm saying to you? 00:29:44.820 --> 00:29:45.600 Because of who I am. 00:29:45.620 --> 00:29:52.840 Just look at what's been done." And Jesus is showing these stories of compassion for us that we see this king and not only His identity but His care 00:29:52.840 --> 00:29:55.480 for our souls and we can give our lives to Him. 00:29:55.480 --> 00:30:02.020 And I just say this to us no matter where we've been in our lives, we don't so much care about where you've been as to where you're going. 00:30:02.040 --> 00:30:07.240 We love your story, we love what brought you here, that's important, but what's most important is where you're going in life. 00:30:07.580 --> 00:30:13.700 And sometimes when you walk this road in this world with everything screaming at you you're just trying to find a purpose and reason to live. 00:30:14.200 --> 00:30:21.460 That if you've even been lied to it's hard to trust again so you will say from that position, "Well how do I know if I follow what you're saying Nathaniel that 00:30:21.460 --> 00:30:27.580 everything's going to work out?" And I just say look sometimes we stress out when we've been lied to in life, like trust has been hurt. 00:30:27.900 --> 00:30:29.240 You don't want to trust anything else again. 00:30:29.240 --> 00:30:31.420 You want to know everything before you trust in anything. 00:30:33.220 --> 00:30:40.520 But when it comes to following Jesus or when it comes to being a Christian, let me say, the primary 00:30:40.520 --> 00:30:46.610 question you need to answer in your life, and let God take care of the rest, who is Jesus. 00:30:48.720 --> 00:30:49.520 Who is Jesus? 00:30:51.760 --> 00:30:52.520 Just answer that question. 00:30:54.680 --> 00:30:55.420 Who is Jesus? 00:30:57.460 --> 00:31:04.620 Religions in this world all have some sort of answer to that but Biblically as Christians we see Him as God 00:31:04.800 --> 00:31:11.860 come in the flesh whose purpose is for your soul He gave His life that you could be set free by his sacrifice for 00:31:11.860 --> 00:31:12.480 your sins. 00:31:14.980 --> 00:31:15.850 Who is this Jesus? 00:31:17.420 --> 00:31:24.520 And this is what Jesus is saying to us in this passage is just understanding who He is really it's what sets us free, the truth of who He 00:31:24.520 --> 00:31:24.780 is. 00:31:24.780 --> 00:31:28.620 And this, in verse 37 He gives us His final argument here. 00:31:28.640 --> 00:31:36.090 He says, "And the father who sent me, He has testified about me. 00:31:37.100 --> 00:31:40.740 You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form. 00:31:42.500 --> 00:31:49.360 Also, you do not have His word remaining in you because you do not believe Him whom He sent. 00:31:50.640 --> 00:31:55.260 You examine the scriptures because you think that in them you'll have eternal life. 00:31:56.240 --> 00:32:03.650 And it's those very scriptures that testify about me and yet you're unwilling to come to me so that you may 00:32:04.240 --> 00:32:11.100 have life." Here's what's interesting, Jesus really is making two arguments one argument here. 00:32:12.540 --> 00:32:17.110 He says, "The father has testified about me," which He did at Jesus' baptism. 00:32:17.360 --> 00:32:19.180 Remember Matthew chapter three verse 17? 00:32:19.280 --> 00:32:24.300 The Father speaks from heaven He says, "My beloved Son in whom I'm well pleased." Definitely testifies over Jesus. 00:32:25.840 --> 00:32:32.880 But then He says this interesting thing, "You have neither heard His voice at anytime nor seen His form." I'm going to go out on a limb 00:32:32.880 --> 00:32:34.820 and say it's probably true for all of us. 00:32:35.300 --> 00:32:36.680 We weren't at Jesus' baptism. 00:32:38.780 --> 00:32:45.080 Hearing God's voice, Jesus is using this as an argument to believe who He is and how in the world am I going to do that? 00:32:45.220 --> 00:32:52.200 If Jesus I'm going to try to follow your three step argument here your third argument is hard because I don't wake up everyday with God the Father talking to me. 00:32:52.460 --> 00:32:53.880 What is that like? 00:32:54.420 --> 00:32:55.920 And then He does something interesting here. 00:32:56.280 --> 00:33:03.660 In verse 38 He says, "You don't have His word remaining in you." And then look what He does in verse 39, he 00:33:03.780 --> 00:33:10.000 connects the Father's word to scripture. 00:33:10.200 --> 00:33:17.320 And this is what He's saying here is, "You don't have God's word in you and you examine the scriptures." So, here's what Jesus is saying He's saying, "You want to know what God the 00:33:17.360 --> 00:33:18.160 father's voice is? 00:33:19.340 --> 00:33:20.180 Read the word. 00:33:22.450 --> 00:33:29.740 Read the word." That's such an important point for us especially in our culture. 00:33:29.920 --> 00:33:32.760 We devalue faith in our culture in a way. 00:33:32.940 --> 00:33:34.000 Let me explain why. 00:33:35.240 --> 00:33:41.250 We are so self-centered driven as people that we are arrogant enough to assume we're the origin of truth. 00:33:41.360 --> 00:33:47.560 That's our culture, the basis of reality is me and I define what truth is. 00:33:47.620 --> 00:33:50.440 Because we see ourselves as the center of the universe. 00:33:51.080 --> 00:33:58.180 But here's the problem with that, you didn't create truth, truth existed before you and when you die truth 00:33:58.180 --> 00:34:01.280 will continue to sustain when you're off this Earth. 00:34:01.630 --> 00:34:05.640 You're not the origin of truth and you're not the continuation of truth. 00:34:05.640 --> 00:34:07.920 Truth existed long before you ever did. 00:34:08.219 --> 00:34:10.000 There is an ultimate foundation of truth. 00:34:10.719 --> 00:34:14.800 So, you can certainly experience it but you're not the creator of it. 00:34:15.940 --> 00:34:23.159 And that's what makes the word of God so important because often in life you'll have people that argue for something from their own personal experience that 00:34:23.159 --> 00:34:24.780 can be in conflict with each other. 00:34:25.980 --> 00:34:28.219 So, how do you determine what's right and what's wrong? 00:34:29.380 --> 00:34:33.080 Well, you need a basis outside of yourself to define what reality is. 00:34:33.080 --> 00:34:34.719 Truth corresponds to reality, right? 00:34:35.739 --> 00:34:42.840 And so, we're talking about ultimate truth of God, God is the creator of all things then God would have given us a standard for ultimate truth and what Jesus is saying is, 00:34:42.860 --> 00:34:44.520 "If you want that standard look at the word. 00:34:45.760 --> 00:34:53.000 Look at the word." There are plenty of people that believe things wholeheartedly in life and they believe it with passion 00:34:53.000 --> 00:35:00.160 but they are wrong because it conflicts with the reality of what truth is even though they may see themselves 00:35:00.160 --> 00:35:01.380 as the center of truth. 00:35:03.060 --> 00:35:05.780 And that's true for you and that's true for me. 00:35:07.680 --> 00:35:14.780 In life I can walk contrary to God and I need God to speak to me 00:35:16.640 --> 00:35:22.590 and I need God to show me, reveal in my heart where I stray from him. 00:35:24.500 --> 00:35:25.980 And Jesus is saying, "You want to know where it is? 00:35:27.560 --> 00:35:30.640 It's letting the Father's voice reflect in your life. 00:35:30.800 --> 00:35:37.800 If you want to hear from the Father here's what you do, read the word." God wants to speak to you, God wants to speak 00:35:37.800 --> 00:35:44.840 to you and the way He chooses to do it is through His word and here's the beauty of that, it's because sometimes people claim that God speaks to them and when 00:35:44.840 --> 00:35:46.820 they say things you're like, "That's crazy. 00:35:48.020 --> 00:35:48.620 That's crazy. 00:35:48.660 --> 00:35:55.480 And you need help knowing that's not crazy or how to be not crazy." And the way that we do that is pointing them back to the word. 00:35:55.800 --> 00:36:02.800 We all get a basis for understanding when something is crazy or not crazy because we have God's word that directs you and 00:36:02.800 --> 00:36:08.880 that's what Jesus is saying in this passage, "You want to hear from God read His word. 00:36:09.740 --> 00:36:13.660 You want God to talk to you out loud, read His word out loud." That's what Jesus is saying. 00:36:13.660 --> 00:36:20.720 In Second Timothy 3:16 just reminds us, one of those famous passages of scripture it says this about God's 00:36:20.720 --> 00:36:27.720 word, "All scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the 00:36:27.720 --> 00:36:35.440 man of God or woman of God may be fully capable and equipped for every good work." This idea of inspired isn't 00:36:35.440 --> 00:36:37.160 like a song writer who is inspired. 00:36:37.200 --> 00:36:44.380 Sometimes you'll see people write poems and wonderful songs and you're like, "What was your inspiration?" They'll tell you this great story about their inspiration which is good. 00:36:44.900 --> 00:36:50.320 But when the Bible talks about inspiration it means more than that, it literally means God breathed. 00:36:52.220 --> 00:36:57.920 It's saying when you picked up the pages of scripture this isn't man's word about God, this is God's word to you. 00:36:58.520 --> 00:36:59.910 And God does it in a brilliant, beautiful way. 00:37:00.260 --> 00:37:07.400 He's not taking people over like robots but He actually work through their personalities to communicate to us the very words 00:37:07.400 --> 00:37:08.520 He desires for us to have. 00:37:09.900 --> 00:37:13.010 God wants to speak to you. 00:37:14.520 --> 00:37:14.620 Why? 00:37:14.720 --> 00:37:19.320 Because our hearts are conflicted and we need Jesus. 00:37:20.800 --> 00:37:26.740 Verse 46 and 47, "For if you believed Moses you would believe me for he wrote about me. 00:37:27.000 --> 00:37:34.540 But if you do not believe his writings how will you believe my words?" Jesus is saying, "Look, compassion in 00:37:34.540 --> 00:37:37.310 conflict, it's important to have healthy conflict. 00:37:37.800 --> 00:37:45.520 You need compassion, you need truth, and really you need centered on me, my glory." Let 00:37:45.520 --> 00:37:50.780 me finish it thinking this way, as we think about being centered on Jesus. 00:37:53.160 --> 00:37:59.500 Suppose for a moment you lived in a world where everyone did what you wanted. 00:38:01.880 --> 00:38:09.000 You say, "Finally, if everyone would just do what I wanted the world would be perfect." Let's suppose you live in that world 00:38:09.000 --> 00:38:10.220 where everyone does what you wanted. 00:38:12.600 --> 00:38:19.760 For five minutes it would be cool but in order to do that what everyone's really going to have to be is a robot. 00:38:21.140 --> 00:38:28.140 That's the only way you're going to get a world where everyone serves you the way that you want them to serve you is you live in a robot world and for five minutes maybe you're more nerdy then me 00:38:28.140 --> 00:38:32.980 so maybe you'll like it for 10 minutes but after 10 minutes robot world would get old. 00:38:34.320 --> 00:38:41.060 And the reason robot world would get old is that you wouldn't really experience any depth in relationship. 00:38:43.320 --> 00:38:45.720 As people we're motivated by others. 00:38:47.000 --> 00:38:48.100 You want to belong. 00:38:49.080 --> 00:38:50.180 You want to share. 00:38:52.660 --> 00:38:54.240 You're even going to want to experience conflict. 00:38:56.280 --> 00:39:03.280 The rub of everyday life, now I know you don't want to seek after conflict, but the rub of everyday life, what it 00:39:03.280 --> 00:39:07.960 shows us is that the struggle of everyday life it shows us that relationships are real. 00:39:09.380 --> 00:39:16.460 And that's the difference between robot world and human interaction, robot world there's not really a return, a 00:39:16.460 --> 00:39:17.660 depth of intimacy. 00:39:18.160 --> 00:39:26.200 In the human world when we interact with each other we rub each other the wrong way sometimes but what it shows is the depth of relationship, real 00:39:26.200 --> 00:39:28.040 relationship is happening. 00:39:29.220 --> 00:39:36.220 If you're not going through some sort of experience of rubbing against someone else metaphorically, or maybe physically I 00:39:36.220 --> 00:39:40.770 don't know, but if you're not going through that in life what it shows is you really don't have any relationship. 00:39:43.090 --> 00:39:48.380 It's that rub that reminds us really of life that relationship is. 00:39:50.720 --> 00:39:52.320 And guys, the same is true with God. 00:39:54.420 --> 00:40:00.340 Some of us have a God that agrees with everything that we do. 00:40:02.540 --> 00:40:03.840 But I want you to know that's not God. 00:40:07.220 --> 00:40:10.960 If you have a God that agrees with everything you do that's not a real God, that's robot God. 00:40:13.180 --> 00:40:18.260 That's a God that you created to satisfy you as the center of the world. 00:40:20.980 --> 00:40:28.220 When you rub God in some way or you're rubbing against God in some way that you're recognizing 00:40:28.220 --> 00:40:33.780 that relationship is happening because they're challenge there. 00:40:35.820 --> 00:40:43.000 And when you think about the way God confronts us what's important is to see His attitude in this section 00:40:43.000 --> 00:40:50.060 of scripture that we need a God that challenges us, that broaches conflict with us 00:40:50.060 --> 00:40:55.560 and rubs us because it's showing us that you're walking through relationship with Him. 00:40:55.560 --> 00:41:00.420 Now truthfully, when there's conflict there's a problem and it's not Him. 00:41:00.420 --> 00:41:07.520 So, there's something about you and the tendency in our human nature is to want to run from that, stiff arm that, change who God 00:41:07.520 --> 00:41:10.600 is so we don't have to change who we are then we create robot God. 00:41:14.240 --> 00:41:18.530 Jesus is saying in this story, "I care about you too much to run from conflict. 00:41:21.460 --> 00:41:28.480 And I want you to see a God of compassion, a God who's for you and being so much for you He's 00:41:28.480 --> 00:41:36.600 willing to share truth with you so that in the end you can be centered on me." 00:41:36.800 --> 00:41:43.900 We can look at it through John's experience and see that Jesus is life and He is motivating 00:41:43.900 --> 00:41:45.800 and life giving and transforming. 00:41:46.440 --> 00:41:48.680 And John's life testified about that. 00:41:48.680 --> 00:41:55.780 And you look through the lens of Jesus and you see in the following verse, in verse 36 that He's 00:41:55.780 --> 00:41:56.260 good. 00:41:57.420 --> 00:42:03.040 All the scriptures say about Him, that's who He is and He is good and He frees me from sin. 00:42:03.580 --> 00:42:08.760 And then, we can look at the word of God and know this God too. 00:42:11.380 --> 00:42:18.440 Let me just give us a place in our lives, if you think about your spiritual journey right now you can't 00:42:18.560 --> 00:42:27.120 think of a place where you're in conflict with God, maybe it's worth asking, "Do 00:42:27.120 --> 00:42:28.910 I have a relationship with Him? 00:42:31.560 --> 00:42:33.820 And am I engaging Him where the struggle is? 00:42:35.520 --> 00:42:37.260 Am I allowing His voice to speak to me? 00:42:37.380 --> 00:42:46.940 Am I seeing Him as a king that cares more about me then I even care about myself?" Is His blessing, His love that deep and 00:42:46.940 --> 00:42:51.360 are you turning to Him allowing His life to fill you with that motivation that He sees in John? 00:42:51.620 --> 00:42:58.620 If you're here this morning and you're not a believer or a follower in Him let me just encourage you to taste the goodness 00:42:58.680 --> 00:43:06.100 of this king, to stop making robot God and embrace this 00:43:06.100 --> 00:43:13.120 God who meets you in those challenges and transforms your life to take your heart before this king and say, 00:43:13.240 --> 00:43:14.760 "Lord I am a sinner. 00:43:17.000 --> 00:43:23.550 I war against you but you're a savior and you rescue me. 00:43:24.740 --> 00:43:26.750 God I surrender my heart to you. 00:43:28.340 --> 00:43:28.580 Free me. 00:43:29.840 --> 00:43:31.660 God give me life in you forever. 00:43:32.760 --> 00:43:33.600 In Jesus name."