Isaiah 55:1-3

[0:00] Amen, amen, thank you. The key is if you clap at the end, that will be the question. Okay, thank you. Awesome. I might be all over the place.

[0:12] Thank you, Mike. Mike got going. I thought, man, just go, Mike. He's going to preach. I'll sit down. This is good. I'll get coffee. Jerry's like, no, you still got to preach.

[0:23] But it is great to be here. Yeah, and great to have my wife, Gail, here. So we've been married almost 36 years. Definitely my better half. It dated since high school, right, since 10th grade. And we're really blessed.

[0:36] We actually don't. We're careful how we share our testimony because it's like crazy stories, which is just so God. But sometimes people don't have those crazy stories, and they look at you like, really? But just an example, we grew up in the same town, and Gail actually moved from Michigan to New Canaan where I grew up and moved in, what, ninth grade.

[0:55] And ended up living in a house across town. Which she said that was like the good side of the tracks of New Canaan. And I'm like, I don't know if there's a good side. Anyway, so that's what a realtor told her.

[1:07] And so she lived on the right side of town, but the same builder built her house who built our house. And our moms actually had the same wallpaper, which was really kind of weird.

[1:17] Like when you walked in the house. So I went to pick her up like on the first date. I'm like, look at this wallpaper. It was a different color, right? Yours was green, ours was blue. But it was the same wallpaper. Well, can you imagine her dad? I'm like a sophomore in high school.

[1:29] I'm like, we have the same wallpaper. He goes, I've heard some lines before, but that's really pushing it, you know. And then when he came over years later after we got engaged, he's like, you do have the same wallpaper, you know. So anyway, so it was really neat.

[1:40] But the best part is we actually came to know the Lord on the same day. So senior in high school, we went on a retreat, and we came to know Christ that day. So it's been, that was 1983, our senior in high school.

[1:53] So since then, we've been running the race together, growing together. And even when Gail went off to college in Texas, I went to school in Rhode Island. Her prayer, because she's always been much more spiritual than I am, and more of a prayer warrior, but her prayer was that we would grow at the same pace, you know.

[2:10] And she said that. She goes, my prayer is we grow at the same pace. So I'm like, okay, that's good. You know, I'm a brand new believer, played some sports. I go to college to play, you know, basically play sports.

[2:22] And so, but the beauty of it was the same night, back then they didn't have cell phones, right? Some of you, well, you guys are all really young. And I have to say, like, the number of kids is phenomenal.

[2:35] And I traveled with Pastor Randy, which actually, next time he comes, maybe you already call him this, but he's Papa Randy. So in Africa, they call him Papa Randy. And there's a real reason for that, because they view him, right, as you do, as their spiritual father.

[2:53] And it's really cool. And so when I go with him there, it's pretty funny, because Randy's got, you know, the white hair. I've got no hair. And they're like, you know, so, yeah.

[3:05] Anyways, but when I'm in Africa, what's awesome, if you've ever traveled there, is when they have their babies, they have this, like, shawl, and they wrap it around them. And so they'll just throw the kid, boom, throw him in the back, boom, and then, and they're off.

[3:19] And so when we're in worship service, it reminded me, actually, when I was just in Sierra Leone a few months ago, because the kids are right there and just worshiping together. And that's a beautiful thing. And so it's just great to see the kids and the joy.

[3:32] And, you know, when we worship, right, it's so, what I love about traveling, I try to keep up with Randy, forget it. I mean, Randy, he's like 10 years older than me. The best part, Brittany knows, right, we go to an airport, I start stretching before I get off the plane, all right, because if you ever see Randy, he can't sit still.

[3:51] His foot's tapping, and he's on the plane, and, you know, we've been traveling, like, from Nigeria, so we've been on the plane, say, for 15 hours. Well, about two hours we still have remaining in the trip, he's getting all ready to go.

[4:03] Like, he wants to be ready. He wants to be the first one off the plane. And I'm like, Randy, we've got two more hours. You know, he goes, I've got to be ready. Okay. So then I go, I've got to get ready, you know. So we're getting ready, because we're usually, like, sitting in different places.

[4:16] And then when we get off, you better be ready, right? So you've got to be stretched. Because Randy, even though he's shorter than me, I can, my, I've figured it out, my stride is double his, but his speed of his stride is, like, double mine.

[4:31] He's, right? And so luggage, and anyway, so we have a great time. I love traveling with Randy. And anyway, so my thought was, and again, I apologize, but I get excited.

[4:42] I'm excited to be here, to be honest with you. I'm excited to see Nate and Jen. And I was, I had a flashback. Nate came in, and I had a flashback. Remember, Nate? We were at Camp Spofford a few years ago, just a few.

[4:54] And Nate was in high school, and we were wrestling together. Up on, remember the balcony, right? Anthony, and it was a great, it was a good wrestling match. Man, they tired me out. We had a good time.

[5:05] So, and Jerry and Tam are just dear friends, and Brittany and Mike. And so, so, you know, here's what happened. Mike called me up. He said, Pat, we're in trouble.

[5:16] He said, I've called 12 other guys. No one's free on July 4th weekend. I said, Mike, that's too bad. I'll pray for you. And he said, yeah.

[5:28] And I got one more to go. But if he can't make it, could you come? And I said, sure, Mike, I'd love to come. Thank you for that invite. No, I'm just kidding. But anyways, but so, you know, Randy, Papa Randy, and Randy's been my mentor, as Mike said, for actually it's been 23 years.

[5:43] Gail and I moved to Trumbull in 2000. And I'll share a little bit about that, and then we're going to talk about Isaiah 55. And really, my goal today, my prayer today, is that you hear the Lord speak to your heart.

[5:56] See, the Lord wants to tell you something, each of you. And what's so great traveling over in Africa or wherever we may go, is it's the same word of God.

[6:09] It's the same father. We all have the same father, right? We just all have different mothers. And when you're in, last time, my last place was Sierra Leone. But before that, I was in Chad.

[6:20] And I'm in Chad. It's 105 degrees. We're in this, like, little shanty that kind of turned into a church. And we're talking. And the Word of God is lifted up.

[6:31] And the time of worship, people, hands up, they're worshiping. And you know what? They're doing that today. Just like Living Hope's doing it.

[6:43] Just like Randy's going to be in my mug over there as Lighthouse Church, which friends of ours are starting in Westport. And Pastor Randy was nice enough to switch with me because I usually go the first Sunday of the month. He'll be there this afternoon after being at Living Word today, this morning.

[6:56] And so, but the point is, everywhere around the world, people are lifting up holy hands. And they're only holy, right? Because of the blood of Jesus. We're not holy because we are good people.

[7:08] We're holy because of what God's done for us. I love what Mike shared. I love him being honest about, you know, getting upset with his kids or dealing with pride. I want to look at Gail over here because we were just talking the way up.

[7:20] That's what life's about. See, becoming a believer is not about coming to Christ and then you're just all perfect. Oh, no, that happens in heaven, right?

[7:31] The sanctification part's the hard part. Justification happened in a moment. 10th grade or 12th grade, Jesus, man, my eyes were open.

[7:41] I'm like, wow, I don't have to earn this? I grew up, you know, in a church where I was taught you have to be good. It's like a curve, you know?

[7:52] And so, anyways, what I love about worship on Sundays is our eyes are off ourselves and they're on God, amen? So be it wherever we are in the world.

[8:04] The reason we sing to God, the reason is we go, oh, Lord, thank you. Because what it might say, the purpose of all of our lives is his glory. That's what we teach.

[8:14] That's what Randy teaches all over the world. It's all about God's glory. The problem is we want the glory, amen? Pride, right? It gets us. So we'll have some fun today and share a little of the word, but my prayer is that you hear the Lord speaking to you.

[8:33] You know, the Apostle Paul said he boasted in his weakness. What? What are you, are you kidding me? I don't want to boast in my weakness. But why?

[8:44] So that God gets the glory. Right? It's not about, oh, how good. No, it's got nothing to do with that. I want to read to you two Psalms real briefly.

[8:56] And the reason why I want to read them to you is because, and I don't know, maybe some of you do this, but here's a good little takeaway from today. But there's a book out, you can order it, and it's called Words of Wisdom.

[9:08] And it's put together by the Billy Graham Association. And some of you maybe have it. I got this when Franklin Graham was down in Bridgeport years ago. And I started doing this probably about 10 years ago.

[9:18] Because I heard that Billy Graham every morning would read five Psalms a day and one proverb. Does anyone know why he would read five Psalms a day?

[9:30] Any guess? What's that? Yeah, more than the Proverbs. Right. So if you read one Proverb a day, right, how many Proverbs are there?

[9:41] 31. So every month, you'd read the book of Proverbs. If you read five Psalms a day, you will read the book of Psalms in a month. So, I'm not that smart, so I had to buy the book that actually, I said, marked it out by page.

[9:58] Okay? So I can just go, today is the second. And then I just start reading verses. You know, you're all smart and you can figure out your Bibles, right? But anyways, if you'd like to, you can get this. But here's what hit me is Psalm 8, verse 1.

[10:12] And see, what I do is, this is the first thing, I've learned that my phone, I've learned, it helps not to look at my phone for the first hour of the day.

[10:24] Because what happens with our phones? Now, I know maybe it's your alarm and I know a lot of us, our devotions are on it and your word's on it, but you know what the problem is? Even in church, and I use it for church too because I can see better with my eyes, but the problem is I go to look at, you know, I have Bible Gateway and I pull it up and as I'm pulling it up, I see a text message, right?

[10:44] And then I see a notification and I see an email, right? And all of a sudden, I'm like responding to a meeting I have in two weeks at work. You know, it's like crazy stuff. So what I do is I keep the phone over there and then what I do is I have a notebook and my notebook, and I'm just being real honest with you today.

[11:06] Is that okay? You're like, well, what, are you going to be dishonest? So it's because I have a notebook and in my notebook, what I do is I have a journal. So as I start my day, because here's the thing, guys, even though Gail and I have been saved for 40 years, I feel like I'm a babe in Christ.

[11:23] Jesus says rejoice because your names are written in the book of life, not because of all the things you may be doing for the kingdom, not the things you're doing on your job, not the things you're doing for wherever.

[11:35] Rejoice today if you have put your faith and trust in Christ knowing you had nothing to do with it. Isn't that crazy? And we're going to talk about that in Isaiah 55. There's nothing we can do.

[11:46] And you know, I was listening to Tim Kelly the other day and he had a great sermon and when he was a pastor in Virginia and unfortunately he passed away a number of weeks ago but man, this is amazing about technology, right?

[11:57] Go back and listen and I've just gotten this urge I want to hear all his sermons again and he talked about in the south. See, in the south, I have my best friend T. Ray Arkansas, T. Ray Arkansas, T. Ray Grandstaff lives in Arkansas and T. Ray and I went to college together.

[12:12] We started Athletes in Action together up at Brown. That's why I love talking to Matt at UConn because he knows John and I know John and so we started Athletes in Action my sophomore year in college.

[12:23] I was a babe Christian and getting back to our story when we started off, Gail's prayer, we would grow at the same pace and no cell phones right back then so we called, remember MCI, if you waited until 11 o'clock at night, you could call and you got 60% off and Gail, we called each other and she said, you wouldn't believe it.

[12:45] I said, no, you wouldn't believe it. I go, you go first and she said, I went to a Campus Crusade crew meeting at SMU. I'm like, what? I said, I went to a Campus Crusade crew meeting at Brown.

[12:59] We went the same night. See, her prayer was coming true. Grow at the same level right and because especially as couples we need to grow together right with the Lord as Gail and I get closer to the Lord we get closer to each other.

[13:15] So each morning what I do is I pull out my first, my Psalms and my book of Proverbs here and I just, you know, this is going to sound really sophisticated but I put the date and you know when I write, I know, you ready?

[13:32] Good morning, Jesus. Now I know that's deep but what it does is because Jesus had been waiting for me to meet with me just like He's waiting for you.

[13:45] The problem that I do sometimes though is when I look at my phone I jump into the day too quick and all of a sudden you go from zero to 60 right away and you're going that way the whole time until you get in bed and I think that has an impact on why so many people including Christians have a lot of anxiety today.

[14:04] It's, what if I miss out? What if I, even right now you're going, I'm really tempted to check my, because what if I, you know, I'm needed or whatever it might be and I put the phone over there and in my notebook I have a sheet and I have a whole bunch of sheets and I have, basically I have sheets where I have prayer sheets because again, not real smart but I write down people I want to pray for but I have another sheet next to it that has my to-do list and you say, why aren't you going to get into the sermon?

[14:32] I will, this is all bonus, I'm not going to charge you for this but this is free but if you get this, let me tell you something, it could change the way you walk with Jesus. Not because of anything I say, just because of what Jesus says and Jesus says, Mark 1.35, what did Jesus do?

[14:47] He got up early in the morning and he went and spent time with the Father. He got up early and spent time with the Father. Now you say, do I have to get up early? No, not if you're not a morning person but when do you actually put the phone aside?

[15:00] When do you get silent and just spend time with him and let him speak to you? So just for fun, I want you to close your eyes and we're going to take 30 seconds and we're going to be silent and I want to see how uncomfortable you are.

[15:15] Ready? Go. Close your eyes. I want you to listen for the silence.

[15:41] Silence. Silence. I want you to listen silence. Now I want to ask you to ask Jesus a question.

[15:55] Jesus, what do you want to say to me right now? Thank you, Lord.

[16:18] In Jesus' name, amen. Now I know some of you, because you have a lot of kids here, are going, I wish I could have a moment of silence.

[16:28] So I get that. But let me ask you a question. Did anyone sense the Lord saying something to you that you wouldn't mind sharing? Did anyone hear?

[16:43] What's that? Be a better listener. Okay. Amen. Who else? Huh? Do not be afraid.

[16:54] Awesome. Love that. Hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Amen.

[17:04] Amen. Awesome. And I know we only did that for a minute, but wasn't it like that nice? Take a deep breath.

[17:19] It's okay. You know what I heard when we were quiet? I heard the Lord saying, tell them how much I like them. Many of us know that God loves us.

[17:34] But I wonder if some of us here are not sure if God actually really likes us. We know Jesus died for us. But to think he's actually praying for us, rooting for us.

[17:50] Remember Stephen, right? Jesus stood up. I think Jesus stands up for each of us. And you know, we do some prison ministry.

[18:03] And I was telling these guys the other day, I said, you know guys, if you know Jesus, you might not be free in the sense of you're in prison right now, but you're more free than people who are outside who are free if they don't know Jesus.

[18:19] And I said, you can actually, you know how Paul says in Thessalonians, rejoice always. Why? Because we look to see what God's doing. And I said, you know, right now you can rejoice because God's got you here and this is your mission field.

[18:32] I love what Mike was sharing about what is the church all about. It's to make him known, right? To tell others. The great commission. So Jesus wants us to know, he said, even when you mess up, and I told these guys in prison, I said, the only difference between you and me is that you got caught.

[18:54] We've all done stuff, right? We all mess up. And not just what we do, but what we think. So God's saying, even when you mess up, I'm standing for you.

[19:06] I'm interceding for you. And I'm applauding you. He's saying, you are my son and you are my daughter and I love you.

[19:16] One of the best things I love doing when I'm in Africa or wherever, or at the prison, or at the nursing home. You know why I love nursing home ministry?

[19:27] Because it's real. It's like, that's why Solomon said, better to go to the house of mourning than the place of joy. Right?

[19:39] Don't get up. I like joyful things too. Don't get me wrong. But there's something about being in a nursing home and looking at a 90 some year old in the eye and say, do you know how much Jesus loves you? And I take her hand and I said, look, look, you have fingerprints.

[19:55] And I do this in Africa with little kids. I said, let me see your fingerprints. And I said, do you know no one has your fingerprints? There's 8 billion people alive today and no one has your fingerprints.

[20:08] And they look up at you like, whoa. And I said, do you know what? No one has your eyes. In the whole world. No one has your voice. So then we have fun with it.

[20:21] We said, what else? And then we said, well, your teeth, right? Do you know what I know? We just learned the other week. I go, wow. Do you know no one has your heartbeat?

[20:33] Isn't that crazy? Out of 8 billion people alive. And you go and talk to a high school kid who's thinking about taking his or her life because there's just nothing to live for.

[20:44] And you go, really? Who are she, who are she listening to? The enemy, right? So in the morning, as I start to journal and I thank God, I have my to-do list.

[20:54] Why? Because things will come up and what you got to do. But then I do, as I go to, this day was, right? You're saying, this is just the intro. But I go to Psalm 8 because that's the first Psalm.

[21:06] You know what it says? Oh Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth. And what did Mike say? Your glory, right, is higher than the heavens.

[21:20] Now I don't know about you, but you know what that does for me? It takes my eyes off of all the things I was just thinking about, right? Finances, health, house, lawn, laundry, job, whatever it might be.

[21:34] And it seems like it's just getting crazier and crazier right? And if you keep looking around you, you're like, oh, and that's what people are doing. So they get up, they get on Facebook or social media and they go, oh, and then they type in.

[21:47] And the enemy's going, yep, keep going, keep going, I love it. Yeah, yeah. Oh, there's a Christian who believes that. Yeah, you're wrong. Yeah, because we'll say things on social media or typing that we would never say in person.

[22:00] So you know what I found to do? I don't go on it. Right? And I say, okay, so, now, unless you're like my wife who has amazing ministry and faith because she prays for people.

[22:12] And so that's really cool. But again, she's more spiritually advanced than I am. Okay, I can't do it because I get kind of worked. I get fired up. Gail can take and say, you know what, I'm praying for them. I'm like, that is awesome.

[22:23] So know yourself. Right? But that in the morning, think about it. And then the other one I just wanted to read real quick was Psalm 9. I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart.

[22:36] I will tell of all the marvelous things that you have done. I will be filled with joy because of you. That's a key phrase.

[22:50] Most of us, especially in America, are looking at all the things that God's given us. And we are to be thankful for that like Paul says in Timothy. Right? But joy is actually because of Him.

[23:03] So no matter what you're going through right now, what we're going through, I can still have joy. Right? A number of years ago, two or three years ago, I ended up having some kind of mini stroke thing.

[23:15] It was really weird. And so, and of course, I did all the things wrong, but bottom line is everything worked out fine. But I remember laying in the hospital. It's COVID. Gail couldn't come in. But you know what? I still had joy.

[23:28] Because I knew God was with me. And I knew He wanted me there at that time. Okay, now who can we reach out to? Right? Like Mike was saying about our neighbors. So I will be filled with joy because of you.

[23:41] Love the giver, not the gifts. I will sing praises to your name, O Most High. So when I read five Psalms, and then I read the proverb, and I'm journaling, and then I get into time of the Word, I'm refreshed.

[23:56] I'm filled. And that's what I want to talk about briefly here. You say briefly? Are you kidding me? But no. But let me mention this real quick. 2 Timothy chapter 2, because I need to brag on my Papa Randy for a second.

[24:10] And this is, again, another great takeaway. When Gail and I moved from Rhode Island to Connecticut, my brother and I started a coffee business. If you want to build your faith, start a business.

[24:22] Anyone who started a business, that is a great way to build faith. Especially when you sell your house and use that to start a business and you convince your wife with three young kids and she's nursing the third one and I moved to Connecticut and I say, honey, it's going to be okay.

[24:36] Trust me. Trust God. And I realize women tend to like security a little bit more than us guys. Sometimes us guys like adventure. But fortunately for me, my wife is also adventurous. And she said, I believe in you.

[24:48] More importantly, I believe in Jesus. And I know he's got us, so let's do it. Okay. So we sell the house and move down there and we had no income for two years. But we start building the business.

[24:59] But we've got to find a good church. And so when we found Calvary Church in Trumbull and at that time, Pastor Randy was the pastor of mission and prayer. He was at CHS as a chaplain. Brittany, I think it was what?

[25:09] Junior, senior, high school. Yeah, high school. It's sitting like that. Right? She's still 23, really young. So beautiful thing is, anyways, when I met him, you know how I first met him? He was running.

[25:20] Perfect. It was perfect. And he was running, coming through the parking lot. They live right in the church. And then I heard him speak one time and I remember saying to Gail, I need to get to know that guy. Because I learned early on playing sports that I had some really good coaches, but my father always taught me, he says, find wherever you're doing, be it business, find someone where you want to be and just latch on to them because you all need, you need a mentor.

[25:45] And you know what I find a lot of times today, people do not do that. I'll talk to young guys and they're like, oh yeah, I want to start off $160,000. I want this, that. I have one guy come to our church and he goes, yeah, how do I get on the, how do I become an elder?

[25:59] I say, I'll show you. You know? And Jerry will, you know, laugh at this. But like, you know, next day is, hey, come, come, I'll show you. All right. I got a lot of gifts. I want it. Okay, great.

[26:09] Here, here's a toilet brush. This is how you become an elder. What? What do you mean? It's called serving. It's called being willing to clean toilets instead of chairs.

[26:20] Right? Brittany knows well when we started Living Hope Church, it was every week. Right? Oh, help out. And Ryan and Jeff and oh, you know, oh, Marshall, unbelievable. Set up the chairs, do the music, do this, do the bulletins.

[26:32] You know, there's a lot that goes into it. So when you start a business, it grows your faith. But when I met Randy, I saw someone who had a passion for Jesus like no other. And he was on mission.

[26:44] And I said, I want to follow that guy. And so we start meeting weekly. You know, I've been meeting with him weekly for 23 years. 2 Timothy 2, right?

[26:55] It says, you then, this is Paul talking to Timothy who he led to Christ, who he poured on to. He says, you then, my son, be strong in the grace that's in Christ Jesus. And the things that you heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach to others.

[27:14] So what you all are doing here is awesome. You know why? Because you're doing life together. You're trusting Jesus. You're in the Word. You're boasting in your weakness. Hey guys, I struggle in this area, but I need help in this area.

[27:25] Let me help. Great. That's what we all are talking on the way up. The problem with so many, especially men, is we want to put on this game face. Hey, everybody's good. Coming to church. How you doing, man? I'm doing awesome.

[27:36] Crushing it. God's good all the time. Yeah. A fist bump. You just had a huge argument with your wife in the car. You had a meltdown with your kids at home.

[27:48] You know, you chewed out your boss, but everything is good. You know what I'm saying? And that's what happens because the enemy said, don't tell, don't show your colors. And then all of a sudden we start playing that game.

[28:00] And it's like, oh. What Randy helped me do is say, it's okay to struggle. Right? We just don't stay there. Jesus is like, right? I love the woman we're talking about, John, right? And he said, hey, you know what?

[28:11] Yeah, you messed up. I forgive you. But now sin no more, right? Don't do it. You don't have to do it again. Walk in freedom. Let's do it. I'll do it with you. I'll come alongside with you. Right?

[28:22] So this idea of mentoring others, young in the faith, 1 Corinthians 11, 1. He says, be imitators of me. This is Paul saying, be imitators of me as I am in Christ.

[28:36] Be imitators of me as of, actually, as I am of Christ. Paul said, follow me as I follow Christ. Amen? The reason why I can follow Randy, and he's a man, he has his issues, just as we all do.

[28:48] But I can follow him because I know his heart because he follows Christ. Do you see what I'm saying? And he and I talk about things we struggle with. And that's like, wow. Thank you, Lord.

[28:59] But what I want to share here before we wrap up is Isaiah 55. This hit me the other day. Because we're talking about freedom, right? We're talking about and what we see what's going on in our country.

[29:09] But if you look at Isaiah 55, 1 through 3, and I love this because it ties in so much with what you guys are talking about in John. Isaiah here, right? This is 750 years before Christ.

[29:21] But he says, come, this is the Lord speaking through the prophet Isaiah. Come, all you who are thirsty. Right? Come to the waters. And you who have no money come, buy and eat.

[29:37] Did you catch that? You who have no money come buy, with no money, and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.

[29:56] Why spend money on what is not bread and your labor on what does not satisfy. Listen. Listen to me and eat what is good and you will delight in the riches of fair.

[30:12] Give ear and come to me. Listen that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you.

[30:24] My faithful love promised to David. Oh my goodness. We could spend weeks on here. And I told Mike, we will definitely be out of here by 2.30. Nothing, no way later than that.

[30:34] Okay. But no, think about what Isaiah is saying here. What actually the Lord is saying through Isaiah. Come and receive but you can't pay for it. And I apologize but earlier I started talking about Tim Keller right when he was in Virginia.

[30:49] He said in the south and that's how I got there. I mentioned T. Ray and Arkansas and Brown. Okay, got it. Okay, a little ADD there but anyways what happened is he said in the south it's the cool thing to do to go to church.

[31:04] So they struggle I'm being stereotypical here but my buddy T. Ray definitely backed this up in Arkansas is because it's football Friday nights and church on Sunday and they struggle with that grace.

[31:18] It's too easy. Salvation is too simple. But Tim Keller says in New York in the northeast we like to we're like Athens we like to we like to you know philosophy and this and debate and that oh that's good that's good that's good but we come up with nothing but we feel good and we go home and do our own thing.

[31:36] Right? But we sound really smart. And because what he's saying here in Isaiah and this is where because listen to what Jesus says in John 4 and you guys I think have covered this but in verse 13 of John 4 Jesus says everyone who drinks this water right?

[31:53] He's talking about the well and the woman will be what? Thirsty again. Right? We drink we go back we have a drink we're thirsty again but whoever drinks the water I give them I being Jesus I being the Messiah I being God will never ever thirst indeed the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life Jesus came right?

[32:22] Lived the perfect life that we never could live so that his death could be accepted by the Father he died the death that we deserved amen? He said I'll pay the price for you I'll be the Lamb of God I will fulfill Isaiah 55 I'm going to give you actually drink that you can never pay for the problem though with us sometimes is pride I've got to earn it I've got I should be good enough John 6 verse 25 right?

[32:55] When he talks about their rabbi remember he had fed the 5,000 I mean if you were there and you got fed a good meal you got some steak and shrimp it just came out of nowhere you're like I want to know where this guy is I'm hanging with him you know what I'm saying?

[33:13] It's like you know if you're ever out somewhere and you're with a friend or someone hey I got it I'm picking up the tab you're like oh wow no no no we'll split it you know demo you no no I got it wow thank you next week you're out again friend says I got it you're like you know this is a good thing so the following week you're not out with that friend but you see him across the way what are you going to do hey hey we're over here if you want to pay for us right?

[33:46] so this is how they felt and they're saying when Jesus went across the lake they'd find him they're like hey rabbi how'd you get here? Jesus answered he goes guys I know I know what you're doing a little different language but he goes I know what you're doing you're looking for me because you know I can feed you a good meal right?

[34:07] he says you're looking for me not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill hmm wow do not work for food that spoils but for food that endures to eternal life which the son of man will give you whoa he's saying here work and you go oh yeah I knew it I knew I had to work for eternal life I knew and he's saying ah ah ah right?

[34:40] because he says here further on in verse 29 Jesus said the work that you are to do ready? here's you want to know how to get to heaven? here it is believe in the one that the father sent and for a lot of my friends who I grew up with in the church I grew up with that's that's too simple I've got to be able to earn it we tend to be like the older brother right?

[35:07] we act often times like the prodigal son but then we act like the older brother once we've been a believer for a while I love the story when Jesus says hey what about the guy's a land owner and he wants to you know have some work done in his vineyard he calls a guy in he says hey for eight hours I'll pay you a hundred bucks guy goes that's great I'm not working fantastic he works right?

[35:29] couple hours go by he hires someone else he hires someone else and the other day like one hour to go he hires someone and then there's like nothing left and he sees some guy he goes come on you work too the guy like sweeps a little bit at the end of the day he pays everyone a hundred bucks each how do you feel if you're the first one that was hired?

[35:48] I want to unionize this is ridiculous right? I want to protest I'm going to go on social media this isn't fair this is discrimination blah blah blah right?

[35:58] why? because that's not fair because I work longer and Jesus is like really? wait a minute I think you agreed I have it right in here you work eight hours I'm going to pay you a hundred dollars if I want to pay that person I can pay them what I want what's that up to you?

[36:13] but isn't that how we are? right? it's not fair and Jesus says grace is not fair so they asked him what sign then will you give that we may see and believe you?

[36:25] what will you do? our ancestors ate the manna right? God fed them they didn't pay for it and he said he gave them bread from heaven to eat and Jesus said verily try do not it is not Moses who gave them the bread but my father thus also me right?

[36:43] for the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world amen? Jesus declared I am the bread of life whoever comes to me will never ever ever ever go hungry he said I will satisfy your soul I will not only give you eternal life I will not only go to heaven and prepare a home for you but I will give you the Holy Spirit who will not only seal you for that wonderful day of redemption that Paul talks about Ephesians but he will actually fill you and comfort you and counsel you and enable you to actually become more like Jesus and this is what Gail and I were talking the way up because sanctification is the long haul right?

[37:31] that's the life process justification happened in a moment if you're here today and you said I really never no I don't think I've ever really surrendered my life to God you actually can do that today it's nothing we don't embarrass anyone but we give I always give everyone the opportunity to give someone gave me the opportunity to say oh yeah I don't deserve heaven I mean it's the ABC's right?

[37:53] you admit I know but then yeah I believe yeah Jesus oh yeah okay but I tell people it's not a blind faith you read the gospels right? read what Jesus did he rose from the dead Jesus said if I don't rise from the dead then just count me off I'm a wacko I love C.S. Lewis he's either a liar a lunatic or he is the son of God he said I am going to be what?

[38:17] killed and then I'm going to rise from the dead and they're like what? who says that? if we walked in the lobby here and you know you saw some guy say hey just so you know I'm going to die I'm going to be crucified and then I'm going to rise from the dead you'd be like okay let's make a phone call right?

[38:34] let's get this person some help right? that's what Jesus did even the disciples are like okay guys just stick with him alright? he feeds us well it'll be okay he's going to throw off the Romans I don't think that's going to really happen so we get in the garden right?

[38:49] they all take off so Jesus I am the bread of life whoever comes to me will not go hungry and then wrapping it up John 7 verse 37 let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink back to Isaiah right?

[39:08] whoever believes in me whoever trusts me whoever says Lord I know I don't deserve it but thank you you died in my place and you said if I believe and trust in you that I will not die but have eternal life oh seniors in high school it was like boom I'm like what?

[39:28] I don't have to earn it I don't have to wonder I can know that I have eternal life 1 John 5 13 you can know that you have eternal life right?

[39:43] by this okay he says here let anyone who is thirsty come and drink whoever believes in me as scripture said rivers of living water will flow from within them by this he meant the spirit whom those who believed who were later to receive up to that time the spirit had not been given since Jesus had not been glorified amen?

[40:05] alright real quick let me give you a quick side teaching we do this in Africa all the time when you come to Christ you know what happens? the spirit of God enters you John 20, 21 remember he breathed on the disciples right?

[40:16] amen? because the Holy Spirit you know what I found two key things Randy and I hit this all the time the word of God is questioned throughout the world because Satan wants us to not believe and trust in the word of God number two the Holy Spirit is questioned and so you have you have and that's where the enemy goes after so real quick this is what it means you are sealed with the Holy Spirit every single true believer has the Holy Spirit but we then need to be continually filled with the Spirit Ephesians 5, 18 why?

[40:42] because we need the power of the Holy Spirit I need the Holy Spirit today continually why? because Galatians 5 if I don't walk by the Spirit letting Him be in control what happens?

[40:53] I walk by the flesh my sinful nature and things like anger and lust all those things and it happens all the time why do we get so surprised when Christians act like non-Christians?

[41:04] we should not be surprised if non-Christians act we think they walk by the Spirit right? that's what Jesus is saying here okay two more verses then we're going to pray Zechariah 14 you wouldn't think I was going to say Zechariah right?

[41:19] you're going where is Zechariah? it's in the Old Testament I'll let you find it later on but it's in the latter part of the Old Testament but listen to this on that day there will be no light no cold or frost think about what Zechariah is saying here he's talking about the future it will be a unique day without daytime or nighttime a day known to the Lord when evening comes there will be light when evening comes yep there will be light it's not a typo on that day living water will flow out of Jerusalem there's a theme here throughout the Bible living water half to the eastern part half to the western part the Lord will be king over all the earth on that day there will be one Lord and his name will be only one name so what Zechariah is saying here is he's looking toward Revelation because Revelation 22.17 here it comes last verse the spirit and the bride say come and let the one who hears say come let the one who is thirsty come and let the one who wishes to take the free gift of the water of life so guess what could happen today you either could get hit by a car

[42:37] I don't wish that on you Jesus could come back or we go on our day right we don't know though when our last day is when I woke up at three o'clock in the morning and my balance was off and I was slurring my wife's like what is wrong with you but she had the good holy spirit sense to give me two baby aspirin because I did all things wrong went back to sleep did all that you know all that my point is that could have been my day see God's numbered your days he's numbered my day we don't know when right so I always tell people you don't know when it's numbered so make sure you're right with Jesus so when your number comes up because he's saying here the free gift of the water of life back to Isaiah come all who are thirsty right come to the waters come buy wine and milk let me finish with a story and we'll pray I heard this the other day Tim Tilema who I really like at Times Square Church shared this story he said there was a really wealthy gentleman back in the 60s and his son got drafted he was in the military and of course

[43:47] Vietnam was going on so they were very close and so his son goes off to Vietnam and unfortunately he's killed and of course the father just takes it really hard but anyways he goes on with his life and he's very wealthy and he owns this amazing collection of paintings like real famous and he had a will and he says auction off the paintings when I die so years later he passes away and they end up having this auction and so all these people are there and there's Picasso there's amazing paintings and so the guy gets up to auction them off and he said there's one stipulation we have to auction off this one painting before we do all the other famous paintings and they're like what painting is that and they're like it's a painting of his son and they're like a painting of his son we don't need a painting of his son we want the Picasso he goes well that's a stipulation so the bidding let's who would like to bid first because whoever once we do that then we'll move on to the others and they go okay okay who would like to put a bid on the the painting of the son no one raises their hand after a few minutes getting a little embarrassing there's a guy in the back and he raises his hand and it turns out to be a buddy of his son who was in Vietnam with him and he said

[45:09] I'll pay 20 bucks for the painting guy goes okay any other bids guy's like looking around all right 20 dollars going once going twice sold to the guy in the back now they're like all right good let's get on with it he said well actually guys I got to read one thing here there's a stipulation of the will and it says whoever gets the son gets all the other paintings and I thought about that when you get the son when you accept Christ you get it all not only do you get eternal life but you get the holy spirit you get the fruit of the spirit you get joy you get peace you get provision you have all the promises of God but they're in the son amen let's pray Lord thank you thank you for your presence

[46:13] Jesus thank you that you are the son of God who became man and Lord as that story indicates and reminds us that when we get the son we've got it all for Jesus you said I am the way the truth and the life and only through me can you come to the father Lord there is no other way Lord you through you all things were made and you love each and every person here you said I am the one who made you your fingerprints your eyes your voice your heartbeat your teeth all that are unique because you took the time to make us and you say if you come to me without money without effort simply surrender and say

[47:17] Lord you said if I trust you if I put my faith in you that you said I will have eternal life thank you and Lord I pray today if anyone here can honestly say to themselves I've never done that I've never actually prayed that thank you that today they can do that they can simply say in their heart Lord I thank you that you died for me and yes I trust you I accept you I want to be with you and I receive you as my Lord and Savior and so Lord thank you we can come and sit at the well we can receive your grace your forgiveness and we say Lord have your way for those of us who do know you may we surrender today again to you and say Holy Spirit have your way it's not about performing the pressure's off it's about abiding it's about letting the Spirit work in me and then through me

[48:27] I could reach out as Mike said to a neighbor or to a co-worker and I can just say hey how can I pray for you what's going on in your life we all have a struggle and then that opportunity to share about hey do you know God loves you do you know Jesus died for you could I share the truth could I pray for you can I just love on you so Lord thank you thank you for what you're doing here at Shoreline thank you for this light right here in New London Lord lights are shining all over the world right now the light of the gospel have your way we love you and we praise you in Jesus name amen amen Thank you.