WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.240 Good job, Brian. 00:00:08.779 --> 00:00:16.160 I've missed you very, very badly over these last 17 months that Daniel has been your pastor. 00:00:16.240 --> 00:00:20.000 I'm so thankful he came, and I understand what a great job he's doing. 00:00:20.600 --> 00:00:24.219 But I've missed you, missed seeing you, and missed being able to come here and preach, 00:00:24.660 --> 00:00:27.280 and more than anything, just to be here for worship. 00:00:27.280 --> 00:00:31.400 Well, I don't know if you know what a blessing you have in your music. 00:00:31.900 --> 00:00:33.200 It just blesses my heart. 00:00:33.300 --> 00:00:36.020 I'm saying that from the depths of my heart, sincerely. 00:00:36.480 --> 00:00:40.799 I don't know anywhere I'd rather worship than right here at First Baptist Pickens. 00:00:40.840 --> 00:00:42.439 You do a great, great job, Brian. 00:00:42.500 --> 00:00:44.340 Thank you so very, very much. 00:00:44.400 --> 00:00:50.200 And the songs you select, and the way the congregation sings out, what a blessing you are. 00:00:50.799 --> 00:00:53.120 Well, I'll bring you up to speed real quickly. 00:00:53.620 --> 00:00:54.859 We haven't been doing anything. 00:00:57.280 --> 00:01:04.680 We both had knee replacements this last year, so if we struggle to get around a little bit, you'll understand that. 00:01:04.760 --> 00:01:06.040 But we've been having a good time. 00:01:06.180 --> 00:01:07.280 The Lord has blessed. 00:01:07.820 --> 00:01:12.740 And, well, I could really identify with that song that you sang, because God has certainly been good. 00:01:12.799 --> 00:01:14.060 Hadn't he been good in your life? 00:01:14.920 --> 00:01:16.079 I'm glad to hear that. 00:01:16.120 --> 00:01:17.599 I know he has in mine. 00:01:17.599 --> 00:01:23.140 Well, the passage I want to preach this morning is found in John chapter 15. 00:01:23.959 --> 00:01:25.259 And let me just be straight with you. 00:01:25.339 --> 00:01:29.339 I never preached from John 15 until about two or three months ago. 00:01:30.219 --> 00:01:36.439 The church where I served before, the pastor called one day in April, and he said, I'm going to be away three Sundays in July. 00:01:36.560 --> 00:01:37.819 Would you come and supply for me? 00:01:37.840 --> 00:01:38.919 And I said, I'd be glad to. 00:01:39.359 --> 00:01:41.139 He said, I've been doing this thing through Genesis. 00:01:41.140 --> 00:01:46.560 And so I'd prefer if you'd preach from the New Testament, and I'd like if you'd do a series. 00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:50.760 So this morning we're going to be here about two hours, because I've got three messages in that series. 00:01:52.140 --> 00:01:54.560 No, I'm just going to preach the first of those three messages. 00:01:54.719 --> 00:01:56.879 But God directed my heart because of something that happened. 00:01:57.159 --> 00:01:59.439 I don't have time this morning to tell you that. 00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:07.299 But because of something that happened one morning, I thought I should preach from John chapter 15 and verse 9. 00:02:07.299 --> 00:02:13.859 And I even wrote those messages back in April, May sometime, sent them to the secretaries at Rush Creek and said, here they are. 00:02:13.919 --> 00:02:15.819 And you can put them on the screens and get all that stuff ready. 00:02:16.400 --> 00:02:18.439 And then God changed my mind. 00:02:18.500 --> 00:02:19.159 And I thought, you know what? 00:02:19.180 --> 00:02:22.359 I ought to go back and preach the first eight verses and then verse 9. 00:02:22.639 --> 00:02:25.800 And then the third Sunday, two or three verses following that. 00:02:26.180 --> 00:02:28.159 So this morning, I'm not going to give you all three in one. 00:02:28.240 --> 00:02:29.620 I'm just going to do that first sermon. 00:02:30.019 --> 00:02:33.159 But it's found in John 15, verses 1 to 8. 00:02:33.159 --> 00:02:39.620 I taught John 15 in Bible studies any number of times, but I never preached John 15. 00:02:40.000 --> 00:02:49.479 And when I went back and read it, I recognized immediately how important it was if you were to understand what he's really trying to say to us in John 15. 00:02:49.579 --> 00:02:53.240 Now, if you just picked up the Bible and read John 15, it would bless your heart. 00:02:53.359 --> 00:02:54.699 And you'd get the big idea. 00:02:54.699 --> 00:03:06.439 But it means so much more, in my opinion, when you go back and you understand the context in which you find this passage and understand why then Jesus gave them this passage. 00:03:06.699 --> 00:03:07.599 So let's just do that. 00:03:07.679 --> 00:03:12.539 You're going to have to fasten your seatbelt, talk real fast, and try to get through this so we can get to these eight verses. 00:03:12.939 --> 00:03:16.099 But let me just tell you, we're going to go all the way back to chapter 1. 00:03:16.199 --> 00:03:16.859 No, I'm just teasing. 00:03:17.099 --> 00:03:18.699 We're going to go back, though, pretty far. 00:03:18.939 --> 00:03:20.859 We're going to go back to chapter 11. 00:03:21.379 --> 00:03:23.280 And I'm going to hurry through this, but here's the deal. 00:03:23.280 --> 00:03:31.460 In chapter 11, probably most of you already know this, the big story there is Lazarus is raised from the dead. 00:03:32.319 --> 00:03:33.819 Can you imagine that? 00:03:34.500 --> 00:03:37.800 He's been in the grave four days. 00:03:39.259 --> 00:03:41.379 And now he's raised to life again. 00:03:41.740 --> 00:03:46.439 Jesus raised others, but typically it was moments after they died. 00:03:47.280 --> 00:03:49.819 But Lazarus is graveyard dead. 00:03:50.920 --> 00:03:52.080 They've had his funeral. 00:03:52.080 --> 00:03:57.140 His sisters have more a little put out with Jesus that he hasn't shown up earlier. 00:03:58.160 --> 00:04:01.960 And so when Jesus gets to town, he raises him from the dead. 00:04:02.320 --> 00:04:04.360 Can I just say revival breaks out? 00:04:05.100 --> 00:04:10.720 John 11 says that because of that miracle, he's been dead four days and now he's alive again. 00:04:11.140 --> 00:04:16.960 A whole lot of folk came to know Christ as Savior and Lord and started following him. 00:04:16.959 --> 00:04:20.039 It also marks this one important thing. 00:04:20.039 --> 00:04:21.500 And we'll press to chapter 12. 00:04:22.120 --> 00:04:22.839 And that is this. 00:04:23.620 --> 00:04:29.399 The Pharisees, the religious bunch at that time, had already been wanting to put Jesus to death. 00:04:29.859 --> 00:04:36.639 But now they begin to plot and scheme and actively find a way to bring that to fruition. 00:04:36.639 --> 00:04:40.680 When you come to chapter 12, here's the big picture. 00:04:41.199 --> 00:04:50.060 In chapter 12, this revival has spread so much and word is just resounding everywhere about Lazarus being raised from the dead. 00:04:50.500 --> 00:04:56.360 They now not only want to put Jesus to death, they want to put Lazarus to death. 00:04:56.360 --> 00:05:00.960 So they can say, well, you know, he may have raised him, but he's dead again. 00:05:01.480 --> 00:05:04.960 Or perhaps just to deny that he was ever raised at all. 00:05:05.300 --> 00:05:07.560 So they're seeking to put Lazarus to death. 00:05:07.819 --> 00:05:15.139 You come to chapter 13 and now it's 24 hours before Jesus is going to die. 00:05:16.060 --> 00:05:19.759 And so they gather and they're having the Passover meal. 00:05:19.759 --> 00:05:20.600 It's a Thursday. 00:05:20.600 --> 00:05:29.220 And Jesus breaks the bread after that Passover meal and says, this is my body which is given for you. 00:05:29.980 --> 00:05:35.760 And then he takes the cup and says, this is my blood which is given for the remission of your sins. 00:05:36.439 --> 00:05:42.600 And he's actively been talking to them now for several days about the fact he's going to die. 00:05:43.600 --> 00:05:47.460 And that now he's telling them he's going to be crucified. 00:05:47.459 --> 00:05:52.019 And you can imagine the heart and the minds and the hearts of those disciples. 00:05:52.339 --> 00:05:58.399 Well, to top it all off, he takes an apron and puts it around his waist. 00:05:58.959 --> 00:06:04.919 And he goes from one disciple to the next to the next until he is at last washed all of their feet. 00:06:05.000 --> 00:06:05.819 Remember that story? 00:06:07.399 --> 00:06:08.599 Remember what Peter does? 00:06:08.699 --> 00:06:10.139 It was so Peter S. 00:06:10.819 --> 00:06:14.339 When he comes to Peter, he's going to wash his feet. 00:06:14.699 --> 00:06:15.639 And remember what Peter did? 00:06:15.639 --> 00:06:17.639 No, no, no. 00:06:18.099 --> 00:06:19.259 Not going to wash my feet. 00:06:19.360 --> 00:06:21.300 Lord, you wash all these other guys if they'll let you. 00:06:21.379 --> 00:06:25.339 But not my feet because that's beneath you to wash my feet. 00:06:25.639 --> 00:06:26.779 Remember what Jesus says? 00:06:27.219 --> 00:06:30.759 Peter, if I don't wash your feet, you can't be a part of me. 00:06:31.319 --> 00:06:32.319 Remember what he does then? 00:06:32.439 --> 00:06:33.579 Again, so much like Peter. 00:06:33.759 --> 00:06:35.240 He says, then wash all of me. 00:06:35.319 --> 00:06:36.539 Wash me from head to foot. 00:06:36.680 --> 00:06:38.919 Jesus says, no, not necessary to do that. 00:06:39.000 --> 00:06:43.279 Only necessary to wash your feet because you are already clean. 00:06:43.279 --> 00:06:44.319 Now, file that away. 00:06:44.739 --> 00:06:45.959 Put that in your back of your mind. 00:06:46.039 --> 00:06:46.839 Just remember that. 00:06:47.579 --> 00:06:49.439 That's John 13, verse 10. 00:06:49.939 --> 00:06:53.000 You come to the end of the meal and they're ready to go out. 00:06:53.599 --> 00:06:58.519 And Jesus looks in their faces and you can just imagine what they're thinking. 00:06:58.659 --> 00:06:59.679 Have you ever thought about that? 00:07:00.059 --> 00:07:02.259 You've traveled with this man for three and a half years. 00:07:02.339 --> 00:07:05.779 You assume he'll do every kind of miracle, including raising the dead. 00:07:05.779 --> 00:07:09.599 And now he's telling you he's going to die. 00:07:10.639 --> 00:07:14.099 And that he's going to die a horrific death on the cross. 00:07:14.879 --> 00:07:17.439 And they're saying, no, Peter's arguing with him. 00:07:17.500 --> 00:07:18.319 That's not going to happen. 00:07:18.419 --> 00:07:19.799 We're not going to let that happen. 00:07:20.079 --> 00:07:21.619 Lord, you can't let that happen. 00:07:21.799 --> 00:07:23.579 God won't allow that to happen. 00:07:24.219 --> 00:07:25.719 Jesus said, no, you're wrong. 00:07:25.799 --> 00:07:27.019 That's the purpose of my coming. 00:07:27.119 --> 00:07:27.979 I'm going to die. 00:07:29.179 --> 00:07:31.939 And Jesus turns to them and this is what he says. 00:07:32.239 --> 00:07:33.579 You believe in God, don't you? 00:07:33.579 --> 00:07:35.899 Then believe also in me. 00:07:36.519 --> 00:07:38.979 In my Father's house are many rooms. 00:07:39.859 --> 00:07:41.800 And if it were not so, I would have told you. 00:07:42.439 --> 00:07:44.319 I go to prepare a place for you. 00:07:44.359 --> 00:07:47.979 And if I go, you can count on this, I will come again. 00:07:48.500 --> 00:07:53.599 And receive you unto myself that where I am, there you may be also. 00:07:55.360 --> 00:07:58.019 Thomas turns to him and says, Lord, you haven't told us where you're going. 00:07:58.159 --> 00:07:59.919 How can we know the way to get there? 00:08:00.240 --> 00:08:02.180 And Jesus says, Thomas, let me tell you something. 00:08:02.180 --> 00:08:04.180 I am the way and the truth and the life. 00:08:04.259 --> 00:08:07.759 And no one comes to the Father but by me. 00:08:08.459 --> 00:08:11.500 And then before you finish chapter 14, you know what he says? 00:08:12.240 --> 00:08:14.259 He says, don't worry, guys. 00:08:14.960 --> 00:08:16.120 I'm going to go. 00:08:16.300 --> 00:08:19.680 And every time he says that, boy, it must be like somebody stabbed him with a knife. 00:08:20.439 --> 00:08:21.399 I'm going to go. 00:08:21.480 --> 00:08:22.500 But understand this. 00:08:23.040 --> 00:08:24.460 I'll not leave you alone. 00:08:25.300 --> 00:08:26.280 Remember what he says? 00:08:26.279 --> 00:08:28.779 I'm going to send a comforter. 00:08:29.919 --> 00:08:31.299 Do you remember further what he says? 00:08:31.399 --> 00:08:32.279 This is the real zinger. 00:08:33.199 --> 00:08:33.500 You ready? 00:08:34.720 --> 00:08:37.360 It'll be better that I go that he may come. 00:08:38.639 --> 00:08:41.079 Now, have you ever put yourself in one of those disciples' shoes? 00:08:41.399 --> 00:08:42.980 You've been with Jesus three and a half years. 00:08:43.059 --> 00:08:44.000 You've seen all these miracles. 00:08:44.519 --> 00:08:46.279 He's told you everything to do. 00:08:46.620 --> 00:08:50.019 He's led you and guided you and corrected you and made you a better person. 00:08:50.379 --> 00:08:53.059 And now he says, it'll be better if I go away. 00:08:53.319 --> 00:08:54.379 What would you be saying? 00:08:54.379 --> 00:08:54.779 No. 00:08:57.240 --> 00:08:57.600 No. 00:08:57.740 --> 00:08:58.659 It's not going to be better. 00:08:59.120 --> 00:09:00.759 It's going to be a lot harder. 00:09:01.899 --> 00:09:03.620 We're not going to be able to make it. 00:09:03.759 --> 00:09:10.620 In fact, if they take what he says literally and believe it, that he is going to die, you know what else they're asking? 00:09:11.740 --> 00:09:13.120 What about us? 00:09:14.840 --> 00:09:16.539 What's going to happen to us? 00:09:16.620 --> 00:09:18.259 How will we make it once you're gone? 00:09:18.500 --> 00:09:21.080 Are they going to want to put us to death too? 00:09:21.080 --> 00:09:30.720 And that's when Jesus then gives us what we find in John chapter 15 and verse 1. 00:09:31.100 --> 00:09:32.500 Look with me to those verses. 00:09:32.680 --> 00:09:34.139 John 15 verse 1. 00:09:34.139 --> 00:09:50.879 I am the true vine and my father is the vineyard keeper. 00:09:50.879 --> 00:09:53.639 Now Jesus is a man. 00:09:53.720 --> 00:09:54.480 He's not a vine. 00:09:55.539 --> 00:09:58.320 So he's speaking metaphorically, obviously. 00:09:59.399 --> 00:10:03.360 But he's likening himself to a grapevine. 00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:07.000 We don't know a lot about grapevines, but can I tell you something? 00:10:07.439 --> 00:10:08.519 They knew all about them. 00:10:09.679 --> 00:10:15.580 Even from the Old Testament period, they had often thought of themselves as the choice vine of God. 00:10:15.580 --> 00:10:19.800 So when he says, I am the vine, they get it. 00:10:20.780 --> 00:10:25.040 And then he says, my father is the vineyard keeper. 00:10:26.180 --> 00:10:30.820 He is the one who owns it and takes care of it and harvests the grapes. 00:10:32.080 --> 00:10:33.400 He's the vineyard keeper. 00:10:34.920 --> 00:10:36.040 Look at verse 2. 00:10:36.039 --> 00:10:46.399 Every branch in me that does not produce fruit, he, the vineyard keeper, God, removes. 00:10:46.959 --> 00:10:47.879 Circle that word. 00:10:48.799 --> 00:10:57.299 And he prunes, circle that word, every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. 00:10:59.319 --> 00:11:02.039 Now he uses two similar words. 00:11:02.159 --> 00:11:04.099 We would use them almost interchangeably. 00:11:04.100 --> 00:11:05.899 How many of you know about pruning? 00:11:06.019 --> 00:11:07.259 I'm guessing everybody here, right? 00:11:07.680 --> 00:11:09.220 When you prune something, what do you do? 00:11:10.680 --> 00:11:11.420 Snip, snip, snip. 00:11:11.560 --> 00:11:12.600 You cut it, right? 00:11:13.100 --> 00:11:15.320 So in fact, you're removing it. 00:11:16.600 --> 00:11:22.920 But he's using these two words with different intent, even though they're very, very similar words. 00:11:23.580 --> 00:11:27.759 He says, I am the vine and you are the branches. 00:11:28.820 --> 00:11:32.519 And some of these branches are not producing at all. 00:11:32.519 --> 00:11:37.179 And so God is going to remove them. 00:11:38.439 --> 00:11:41.100 There he's talking about lopping them off and them not coming back. 00:11:42.299 --> 00:11:50.539 And then he says, and those that are producing fruit, he's going to prune them. 00:11:51.539 --> 00:11:52.299 So guess what? 00:11:53.179 --> 00:11:54.299 That's all the branches. 00:11:54.299 --> 00:11:59.939 Some are going to be removed permanently because they're not useful. 00:12:00.379 --> 00:12:02.859 But all of them are going to be cut. 00:12:02.979 --> 00:12:04.519 They're going to be trimmed back. 00:12:05.379 --> 00:12:10.639 And those of you that know anything about vines know that when you do that, whether it's a grape vine or a tomato vine, 00:12:11.639 --> 00:12:15.199 you know that when you do that, it's going to produce more, right? 00:12:15.259 --> 00:12:16.539 It's going to make it healthier. 00:12:16.539 --> 00:12:20.579 And that's what Jesus is saying here in verse 2. 00:12:20.679 --> 00:12:22.519 It's not a punitive action, the pruning. 00:12:23.319 --> 00:12:24.459 It's a helpful action. 00:12:24.559 --> 00:12:25.799 It's making it more productive. 00:12:26.279 --> 00:12:26.860 Verse 3. 00:12:28.259 --> 00:12:31.980 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 00:12:33.919 --> 00:12:34.959 Now what do you make of that? 00:12:36.240 --> 00:12:37.319 Can I just tell you something? 00:12:37.760 --> 00:12:39.560 It's funny when we read the scripture, isn't it? 00:12:39.800 --> 00:12:41.400 Have you ever been reading something and you get it? 00:12:41.500 --> 00:12:42.340 Okay, I read this first. 00:12:42.440 --> 00:12:42.740 I get it. 00:12:42.760 --> 00:12:43.379 I read the next one. 00:12:43.440 --> 00:12:43.840 I get it. 00:12:43.860 --> 00:12:44.460 I read the next one. 00:12:44.480 --> 00:12:45.020 I don't get it. 00:12:45.040 --> 00:12:46.700 Well, I'll just skip it and go on the next one. 00:12:47.700 --> 00:12:48.780 You ever done that? 00:12:49.580 --> 00:12:51.020 Well, I guess I know what he's talking about. 00:12:51.100 --> 00:12:56.900 But when I was studying this back in April, I'm clicking along and I read verse 1. 00:12:56.960 --> 00:12:57.600 I get that. 00:12:57.700 --> 00:12:58.280 I read verse 2. 00:12:58.340 --> 00:12:58.879 I get that. 00:12:58.960 --> 00:12:59.540 I read verse 3. 00:12:59.540 --> 00:13:00.340 I'm like, what? 00:13:02.220 --> 00:13:03.920 Who's anything about being clean? 00:13:03.919 --> 00:13:10.120 You're talking about the vine and the branches and producing fruit and those that don't, 00:13:10.799 --> 00:13:12.639 he's going to lop off and remove. 00:13:13.159 --> 00:13:15.939 And those that do, he's going to prune back so they'll produce more. 00:13:16.559 --> 00:13:18.479 But what is this about being clean? 00:13:20.559 --> 00:13:24.039 Remember, I told you to file something away earlier when we were doing that background. 00:13:25.240 --> 00:13:29.319 And we said in John chapter 13 and verse 10, remember what Peter said? 00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:31.379 Lord, wash all of me. 00:13:31.419 --> 00:13:33.079 And Jesus says, no need to do that, Peter. 00:13:33.080 --> 00:13:35.740 You're already clean. 00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:39.700 And then, I didn't tell you this earlier, but I'm going to tell you now. 00:13:40.040 --> 00:13:41.020 I left it out on purpose. 00:13:41.860 --> 00:13:46.860 John parenthetically in John 10, 13, he inserts this. 00:13:48.120 --> 00:13:50.320 He says, but not all of you. 00:13:51.180 --> 00:13:53.660 And he references Judas Iscariot. 00:13:53.659 --> 00:13:56.879 So, you know what he's talking about here? 00:13:58.199 --> 00:14:01.980 Those that he lops off are people who are pretenders. 00:14:02.719 --> 00:14:04.860 They are people who are professors. 00:14:05.860 --> 00:14:08.299 But they are not genuine believers. 00:14:08.299 --> 00:14:17.919 And these other disciples, excluding Judas Iscariot, they are sincere in their walk with God. 00:14:18.079 --> 00:14:21.459 And they are clean because they are right with the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:14:21.759 --> 00:14:24.959 And that's why they're able to produce fruit. 00:14:24.960 --> 00:14:28.000 Even though he's going to prune them back. 00:14:29.280 --> 00:14:30.820 Look, if you will, to verse 4. 00:14:32.220 --> 00:14:34.300 And verse 4 is the key to this passage. 00:14:35.420 --> 00:14:37.580 Remain in me and I in you. 00:14:38.420 --> 00:14:43.340 Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine. 00:14:43.340 --> 00:14:48.600 So, neither can you unless you remain in me. 00:14:49.899 --> 00:14:50.980 And look up and listen. 00:14:51.100 --> 00:14:52.639 If you don't hear anything else, get this point. 00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:56.440 This is the whole reason Jesus gives them this. 00:14:57.139 --> 00:15:02.180 Because he knows they're wondering, what are we going to do when you're gone? 00:15:03.480 --> 00:15:04.639 How are we going to make it? 00:15:04.960 --> 00:15:08.440 This spiritual revolution we've started, how is it going to go on? 00:15:09.900 --> 00:15:11.960 He says, you only got one shot in the world. 00:15:11.960 --> 00:15:14.920 And that is to recognize that I am the vine. 00:15:15.019 --> 00:15:16.180 I'm your source of life. 00:15:16.920 --> 00:15:19.200 And my father is the one who owns it all. 00:15:19.340 --> 00:15:20.820 And he's the one who manages it. 00:15:21.639 --> 00:15:23.320 And you are branches. 00:15:24.700 --> 00:15:26.460 You're an extension of myself. 00:15:27.780 --> 00:15:32.940 And as long as you stay connected and rooted and grounded in me, 00:15:34.060 --> 00:15:35.680 you're going to be just fine. 00:15:36.800 --> 00:15:38.240 You're going to not just survive. 00:15:38.360 --> 00:15:39.200 You're going to thrive. 00:15:39.200 --> 00:15:41.860 You're going to produce more and more and more fruit. 00:15:41.960 --> 00:15:44.360 Even like we've already begun to produce. 00:15:45.800 --> 00:15:50.820 But know this, apart from me, you can do absolutely nothing. 00:15:52.480 --> 00:15:55.840 I started, I didn't tell my wife this because I knew I'd get a whooping. 00:15:57.500 --> 00:16:02.100 But I started to pull up one of her tomato plants and actually bring it this morning and put it on this date. 00:16:02.100 --> 00:16:07.800 It's got about eight or so little tomatoes on it. 00:16:08.460 --> 00:16:09.519 They don't get bigger or anything. 00:16:09.639 --> 00:16:12.340 Like Miss Angela, she used to give us those big tomatoes, you know. 00:16:13.460 --> 00:16:16.960 But it's got about eight little teeny tiny tomatoes on it. 00:16:18.519 --> 00:16:24.159 Have you ever lopped off one of those and said, I'll see if it's going to grow bigger without being connected to the vine? 00:16:25.480 --> 00:16:26.360 It isn't going to happen. 00:16:26.360 --> 00:16:28.340 You go back and what's going to happen? 00:16:28.440 --> 00:16:30.240 It's going to be dead in just a day or two, right? 00:16:30.560 --> 00:16:31.399 It's already dead. 00:16:31.460 --> 00:16:32.720 It's dead the minute you cut it off. 00:16:33.139 --> 00:16:37.100 But it's going to take time for the evidence to show that it has died. 00:16:38.820 --> 00:16:42.259 And the only hope you've got is being connected to Christ. 00:16:43.039 --> 00:16:45.259 Now what do I mean by being connected? 00:16:45.259 --> 00:16:49.720 I mean being embedded in him. 00:16:50.879 --> 00:16:57.120 Remember a few years ago when America was involved in the Gulf Wars, we were first in Iraq and later in Afghanistan. 00:16:57.720 --> 00:16:59.360 The media coined a phrase. 00:16:59.519 --> 00:17:03.620 And isn't it interesting how one person can begin to use a word and then everybody's using it? 00:17:04.480 --> 00:17:09.920 One of the TV sources said, we're embedding reporters with the troops on the front. 00:17:09.920 --> 00:17:16.580 And the idea was, man, how can you get a better picture of what's happening in the war to report to the American people 00:17:16.580 --> 00:17:19.920 than to have guys who are actually living with the troops? 00:17:20.460 --> 00:17:21.640 They didn't carry weapons. 00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:22.640 They didn't fight the war. 00:17:23.000 --> 00:17:24.820 But listen, they were in harm's way. 00:17:25.900 --> 00:17:31.539 I mean, they heard bombs exploding, experienced bullets whistling over their head. 00:17:31.880 --> 00:17:32.940 They wore armor. 00:17:33.380 --> 00:17:36.480 They slept in the same bunkers in the tents with our GIs. 00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:39.680 They were embedded with those troops. 00:17:40.900 --> 00:17:45.539 And that's what Jesus means when he says, abide in me, remain in me, stay in me. 00:17:45.620 --> 00:17:48.259 The different translations use those words. 00:17:48.539 --> 00:17:50.779 It means to be embedded in Christ. 00:17:51.400 --> 00:17:55.660 It's not that Christ is an aspect of our life, a part of our life. 00:17:55.779 --> 00:17:59.039 Listen, he is the essence of our life. 00:18:00.380 --> 00:18:01.160 Do you get that? 00:18:01.320 --> 00:18:02.140 You see the difference? 00:18:02.140 --> 00:18:11.080 I see a lot of people who, they come to Christ, they make a decision, they're baptized, and they hang on to the church until they die. 00:18:12.520 --> 00:18:15.280 But you never see any real growth in their life. 00:18:15.820 --> 00:18:17.580 They don't ever seem to produce fruit. 00:18:17.660 --> 00:18:19.140 And we'll talk about that in a few minutes. 00:18:19.140 --> 00:18:24.020 But they just kind of hang on to the vine, so to speak. 00:18:26.340 --> 00:18:30.480 And Jesus says, if you want to produce fruit, you must be embedded in me. 00:18:30.480 --> 00:18:39.860 Can I tell you a little story that will maybe make this clear to you what I mean by this thing of embedding, abiding? 00:18:41.079 --> 00:18:42.440 You're going to think I've lost my mind. 00:18:42.519 --> 00:18:44.200 I've lost my place in my notes, but I haven't. 00:18:44.200 --> 00:18:46.860 How many of you have ever nearly drowned? 00:18:47.120 --> 00:18:49.120 Anybody in this room ever nearly drowned? 00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:50.600 Right? 00:18:50.740 --> 00:18:51.819 One back here, I see another. 00:18:55.059 --> 00:18:57.160 I'm being sincere with you when I tell you this. 00:18:58.299 --> 00:19:00.299 I nearly drowned about seven years ago. 00:19:01.299 --> 00:19:02.600 I had a little lake house. 00:19:03.279 --> 00:19:08.400 My wife, my daughter, my son, their families, we were all down at the lake Saturday afternoon. 00:19:09.100 --> 00:19:13.460 We're playing out off the end of the dock about six, eight foot of water, not deep at all. 00:19:13.460 --> 00:19:15.440 Don't have on a life jacket or anything. 00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:17.059 And we're just playing around there. 00:19:17.100 --> 00:19:19.180 And somebody throws something down in the lake. 00:19:19.340 --> 00:19:20.840 And the water's real murky. 00:19:20.900 --> 00:19:23.059 And I go down to get it, retrieve it. 00:19:23.940 --> 00:19:28.180 And when I'm down there on the bottom looking for it, I suddenly realize I can't find it. 00:19:28.819 --> 00:19:30.079 And I'm running out of air. 00:19:30.180 --> 00:19:34.579 And it's so dark and murky, I can't figure out what's up and what's down. 00:19:35.920 --> 00:19:38.960 And I'm just thrashing around, moving, trying to get to the top. 00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:45.920 And then I realize after about 45 seconds more, I can't make it back up. 00:19:47.000 --> 00:19:52.460 And I'm holding my breath and holding my breath and holding my breath until finally I suck in water. 00:19:53.640 --> 00:19:55.640 And I just immediately think I'm dead. 00:19:55.740 --> 00:19:57.059 I'm going to drown right here. 00:19:57.759 --> 00:20:00.000 And I'm thinking about my family even. 00:20:01.200 --> 00:20:02.940 How horrible it's going to be for them. 00:20:03.059 --> 00:20:05.200 Somebody's going to have to find me and get me out there. 00:20:05.200 --> 00:20:09.420 And I just kind of float to the bottom. 00:20:09.539 --> 00:20:12.080 And when I get to the bottom, my feet touch. 00:20:12.120 --> 00:20:15.860 And I push off just enough that my son then sees my hand. 00:20:15.960 --> 00:20:17.900 And he grabs me and pulls me to safety. 00:20:19.460 --> 00:20:25.900 I'm telling you, I didn't talk about that until six years and nine months later. 00:20:27.220 --> 00:20:30.360 In fact, it was three months ago at Brushy Creek when I preached this very sermon. 00:20:30.460 --> 00:20:31.640 First time I ever told anybody. 00:20:31.640 --> 00:20:37.560 And the reason is because it was like reliving that to think about talking about it. 00:20:38.640 --> 00:20:40.340 I didn't talk to my wife about it. 00:20:40.380 --> 00:20:42.120 I didn't talk to my children about it. 00:20:42.140 --> 00:20:43.900 But I was just petrified. 00:20:44.040 --> 00:20:46.480 I mean, there was a horror within me, a terror within me. 00:20:46.740 --> 00:20:47.860 I can't explain. 00:20:49.280 --> 00:20:55.140 And since that time, I've seen folks with inhalers who have asthma, bronchial conditions. 00:20:55.140 --> 00:20:59.700 And I've noticed with them, boy, when they get to where they can't breathe, 00:21:00.500 --> 00:21:05.140 and they can't locate that inhaler, or it's not as full as it needs to be, 00:21:05.880 --> 00:21:08.020 there's a panic that sets in with them. 00:21:08.100 --> 00:21:09.020 Have you ever noticed that? 00:21:10.100 --> 00:21:11.720 Horrible thing to suffocate. 00:21:12.360 --> 00:21:13.400 Horrible thing to drown. 00:21:16.240 --> 00:21:20.440 I think that's what the psalmist is talking about, that kind of spirit. 00:21:20.440 --> 00:21:25.420 In Psalm 42, 1, you know that passage? 00:21:26.160 --> 00:21:27.380 Here's what it says. 00:21:28.240 --> 00:21:35.500 As the deer pants for the water brook, even so my soul longs for you. 00:21:37.299 --> 00:21:42.240 A man who's about to drown, a person who's about to asphyxiate, can I tell you something? 00:21:42.940 --> 00:21:46.559 They would give their last dime for one breath of air. 00:21:46.559 --> 00:21:50.460 And that's what it is to abide in Christ. 00:21:50.879 --> 00:21:52.899 It's not that he's an aspect of your life. 00:21:52.940 --> 00:21:53.919 He's a part of your life. 00:21:54.220 --> 00:21:55.700 He's an addendum to your life. 00:21:56.679 --> 00:22:02.200 It's that you wouldn't know what to do without him. 00:22:04.259 --> 00:22:07.700 It's that without Jesus, you wouldn't know how to get through this day. 00:22:10.019 --> 00:22:11.359 He's not just a part of your life. 00:22:11.539 --> 00:22:12.480 He is your life. 00:22:12.559 --> 00:22:14.639 He's the essence of your life. 00:22:14.640 --> 00:22:17.320 And that's what Jesus said. 00:22:17.400 --> 00:22:22.440 If you want to produce fruit, then I've got to be the essence of your life. 00:22:22.600 --> 00:22:26.080 You've got to embed your life in me. 00:22:29.940 --> 00:22:31.080 Look at verse 5. 00:22:32.320 --> 00:22:33.860 I am the vine, you are the branches. 00:22:34.620 --> 00:22:40.980 The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit because you can do nothing without me. 00:22:40.980 --> 00:22:45.980 I know some of you are thinking, preacher, you just preached that verse. 00:22:47.339 --> 00:22:49.019 No, I was on verse 4. 00:22:49.279 --> 00:22:50.319 This is verse 5. 00:22:50.579 --> 00:22:55.039 In verse 5, though it's repetitive, it's a different verse. 00:22:55.980 --> 00:22:58.299 They say essentially the same thing. 00:22:58.660 --> 00:23:00.059 But have you noticed something now? 00:23:00.940 --> 00:23:05.440 In verse 5, if you haven't been counting, and you probably haven't, there's no reason for you to. 00:23:05.440 --> 00:23:09.279 But from verse 1 to 5, if you go back and count, you know what you'll find? 00:23:10.200 --> 00:23:14.500 Five times he has talked about producing fruit. 00:23:14.740 --> 00:23:17.299 Three times negatively not producing fruit. 00:23:17.559 --> 00:23:19.960 And two times producing fruit. 00:23:21.480 --> 00:23:23.860 So you know what that begs the question? 00:23:25.740 --> 00:23:27.120 What is this fruit? 00:23:27.119 --> 00:23:32.199 What is this fruit that he's wanting us to produce? 00:23:32.319 --> 00:23:34.679 That he's going to prune us so we'll produce more? 00:23:35.099 --> 00:23:36.139 What is the fruit? 00:23:37.439 --> 00:23:40.259 Now look up and listen and make sure you get this. 00:23:42.079 --> 00:23:48.319 When I was a boy, I'd hear preachers and people in the church say this kind of statement. 00:23:49.319 --> 00:23:52.859 I can't be a judge, but I am called to be a fruit inspector. 00:23:54.859 --> 00:23:56.079 You remember hearing that? 00:23:56.079 --> 00:23:56.159 Yeah. 00:23:57.119 --> 00:23:58.339 You used to hear it all the time. 00:23:58.379 --> 00:23:59.379 You don't hear it much anymore. 00:24:00.479 --> 00:24:01.699 But you used to hear it all the time. 00:24:01.959 --> 00:24:03.359 And what they meant by that was this. 00:24:03.500 --> 00:24:11.519 I am looking at somebody's life and it either favorably shows me fruit or disfavorably shows me there is no fruit. 00:24:12.699 --> 00:24:18.619 But when they started talking about those things to look for to see if somebody was genuinely a Christian and they were growing in Christ, 00:24:19.079 --> 00:24:20.759 here's the kind of things they talked about. 00:24:22.099 --> 00:24:23.159 They read their Bible. 00:24:24.619 --> 00:24:25.459 They pray. 00:24:25.460 --> 00:24:27.840 They attend church. 00:24:27.840 --> 00:24:28.380 They attend church. 00:24:28.940 --> 00:24:31.620 They used to say back then, every time the doors are open. 00:24:33.000 --> 00:24:35.059 They give their money. 00:24:36.340 --> 00:24:39.900 They participate in the activities of the church. 00:24:39.900 --> 00:24:44.860 And maybe even they lead the loss to Christ. 00:24:44.860 --> 00:24:46.120 They witness for Christ. 00:24:46.120 --> 00:24:48.560 Maybe they lead some people to Jesus. 00:24:49.680 --> 00:24:50.920 And that was the real fruit. 00:24:51.460 --> 00:24:53.920 If you have led somebody to faith in Christ. 00:24:55.000 --> 00:24:56.259 Can I tell you what I believe? 00:24:56.259 --> 00:25:01.379 I don't think any of that's the fruit that Jesus is talking about right here. 00:25:01.380 --> 00:25:05.320 In fact, I'm going to go out on a limb and some of you will think I'm a heretic. 00:25:05.440 --> 00:25:08.340 But let me just tell you, I know it's not. 00:25:09.300 --> 00:25:16.120 And the reason I know it's not, and this is going to shock you, is because a lost person can do any of those things I just mentioned. 00:25:16.119 --> 00:25:22.259 They can read their Bibles and they can go through the activity of praying and they can attend church. 00:25:22.839 --> 00:25:24.179 Be as faithful as a clock. 00:25:24.279 --> 00:25:25.659 They can hold an office in the church. 00:25:26.219 --> 00:25:27.179 They can even witness. 00:25:27.319 --> 00:25:28.019 And listen to this. 00:25:28.459 --> 00:25:31.979 They can even lead the lost to Christ. 00:25:31.980 --> 00:25:40.680 Through the years, I hope you recognize, there have been thousands of charlatans who preach for money. 00:25:40.819 --> 00:25:44.180 But the gospel they preach is the same gospel. 00:25:45.220 --> 00:25:50.640 And when people hear the gospel, many have responded, even the guys who are false preachers. 00:25:53.140 --> 00:25:57.680 And that's why Jesus says in Matthew chapter 5 and verse 21, 00:25:57.680 --> 00:26:06.640 In the last days, they'll come to me and they'll say to me, Lord, Lord, in thy name, listen to this, we have prophesied. 00:26:06.700 --> 00:26:07.259 You know what that is? 00:26:07.299 --> 00:26:08.200 That's to preach. 00:26:08.940 --> 00:26:12.180 And we have done miracles and we have cast out demons. 00:26:13.580 --> 00:26:16.620 I want to ask if anybody here has ever cast out a demon, but I haven't. 00:26:18.920 --> 00:26:20.820 I have never performed a miracle. 00:26:22.960 --> 00:26:26.680 These are people who are lost, Jesus is saying, and yet he says, 00:26:27.680 --> 00:26:29.200 That they don't know him. 00:26:29.860 --> 00:26:32.980 And they're doing great things seemingly. 00:26:34.539 --> 00:26:36.100 So what is this fruit? 00:26:37.060 --> 00:26:38.200 Here's what the fruit is. 00:26:39.560 --> 00:26:46.180 The fruit is that which only the Spirit of God can produce in us. 00:26:46.180 --> 00:26:51.759 It is not what I do for God, how I perform feats I accomplish. 00:26:51.759 --> 00:27:05.460 It is what God through the Holy Spirit does through me as I am embedded in him and trusting in him and walking in him and giving him control of my life. 00:27:06.319 --> 00:27:09.879 So some of you are probably thinking, well, you must be talking about the fruit of the Spirit. 00:27:09.880 --> 00:27:13.960 In Galatians 5 and verse 22, listen to this. 00:27:14.360 --> 00:27:15.560 What is this a picture of? 00:27:15.860 --> 00:27:19.700 After I get through giving you this picture, tell me what it's a picture of. 00:27:20.980 --> 00:27:29.260 Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. 00:27:29.259 --> 00:27:32.619 It's a picture of Jesus, isn't it? 00:27:33.180 --> 00:27:35.460 You read a few pages in the gospel and you come away. 00:27:35.599 --> 00:27:40.579 Man, what he's just described here are the qualities, the attributes of Jesus himself. 00:27:41.660 --> 00:27:42.579 Let me tell you something. 00:27:43.960 --> 00:27:45.160 Jesus is that. 00:27:46.299 --> 00:27:48.359 But it's not an all-inclusive list. 00:27:49.500 --> 00:27:52.339 He is that and more because Jesus is also forgiving. 00:27:52.480 --> 00:27:53.559 He doesn't mention forgiveness. 00:27:53.559 --> 00:27:56.139 And Jesus is just. 00:27:57.519 --> 00:27:59.159 And Jesus is righteous. 00:27:59.379 --> 00:28:00.599 And Jesus is holy. 00:28:01.019 --> 00:28:02.139 So you know what this fruit is? 00:28:02.379 --> 00:28:03.839 This fruit is this. 00:28:05.059 --> 00:28:13.799 It is that God produces in us an image of himself so that when people look at us, they see Jesus. 00:28:14.000 --> 00:28:15.079 They see God. 00:28:16.480 --> 00:28:17.579 What he's saying is this. 00:28:17.579 --> 00:28:25.899 If you will remain in me and abide in me and be embedded in me, you will begin to look like me. 00:28:27.259 --> 00:28:31.879 You'll begin to look like the Lord Jesus Christ himself. 00:28:33.059 --> 00:28:34.179 Look at verse 6. 00:28:34.799 --> 00:28:39.919 If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. 00:28:40.039 --> 00:28:40.679 Talking about Judas. 00:28:41.460 --> 00:28:45.559 They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 00:28:45.759 --> 00:28:46.339 Verse 7. 00:28:46.339 --> 00:28:52.980 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. 00:28:54.319 --> 00:28:57.619 Now so often when we read that verse, we think of prayer. 00:28:59.199 --> 00:29:02.939 And I think it includes that, but I think it means even more than that. 00:29:03.720 --> 00:29:04.679 You know what I think it means? 00:29:05.059 --> 00:29:06.500 Boy, this is exciting to think about. 00:29:06.500 --> 00:29:17.000 That if we would surrender our lives completely and fully to him and stop trusting in ourselves and trust in him and obey every word he tells us to obey. 00:29:17.559 --> 00:29:19.680 And boy, he told them to obey a lot of things, didn't he? 00:29:20.099 --> 00:29:23.200 He told them how to love and how to live and he modeled it for me. 00:29:23.319 --> 00:29:23.759 He demonstrated. 00:29:23.759 --> 00:29:28.839 If you will live in me and trust in me and do what I've told you to do. 00:29:30.079 --> 00:29:31.680 The sky is the limit. 00:29:31.819 --> 00:29:33.019 That's what that verse is saying. 00:29:34.319 --> 00:29:36.039 The sky is the... 00:29:36.039 --> 00:29:39.700 There will be nothing that God is not able to do with you. 00:29:39.779 --> 00:29:40.940 Because you're so great? 00:29:41.039 --> 00:29:41.259 No. 00:29:41.259 --> 00:29:44.680 Because God is so great. 00:29:48.680 --> 00:29:50.680 Look at verse 8 and I close. 00:29:51.480 --> 00:29:59.700 My Father is glorified by this, that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples. 00:30:04.039 --> 00:30:09.700 My Father is glorified by this, that you produce much fruit. 00:30:11.259 --> 00:30:12.200 You know what? 00:30:12.279 --> 00:30:16.819 I have a feeling that a lot of believers today in our churches, the notion they have of God. 00:30:18.200 --> 00:30:21.420 I don't want to offend anybody here, but I'm just trying to be straight with you. 00:30:22.680 --> 00:30:27.839 That God, and they wouldn't say this out loud, but it's what they think internally. 00:30:28.359 --> 00:30:31.039 It comes up even in their spirit when they pray. 00:30:31.039 --> 00:30:39.700 They have the notion that God exists for them to be their servant. 00:30:41.259 --> 00:30:42.920 That when I'm sick, he makes me well. 00:30:43.920 --> 00:30:45.920 When I'm without a job, he gives me a job. 00:30:47.180 --> 00:30:51.039 So long as I'll pay homage to him and come to church every now and then and do some good things. 00:30:51.619 --> 00:30:53.779 Try to live fairly clean and close to him. 00:30:55.220 --> 00:30:56.420 That he's supposed to protect me. 00:30:56.480 --> 00:30:58.200 And when he doesn't, they get mad about it. 00:30:58.200 --> 00:31:03.379 And you see, when you get mad at God because God doesn't perform the way you want him to. 00:31:03.900 --> 00:31:05.059 That's a clear indication. 00:31:05.160 --> 00:31:07.839 You think he exists for you and rather than you exist for him. 00:31:07.839 --> 00:31:10.819 Do you see that? 00:31:12.439 --> 00:31:14.559 And he says in verse 8, 00:31:14.619 --> 00:31:20.720 My father is glorified by this, that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples. 00:31:21.939 --> 00:31:24.299 So how is God glorified? 00:31:25.759 --> 00:31:27.879 By demonstrating all you can accomplish? 00:31:28.059 --> 00:31:28.299 No. 00:31:28.299 --> 00:31:33.879 By demonstrating what he can accomplish through you. 00:31:36.480 --> 00:31:38.099 I tell you this to my shame. 00:31:39.720 --> 00:31:44.539 And it really, it just breaks my heart to tell you this. 00:31:44.779 --> 00:31:48.399 But I wouldn't be honest with you if I didn't tell you. 00:31:49.500 --> 00:31:51.940 When I was a young guy, I surrendered to preach when I was 14. 00:31:52.980 --> 00:31:55.799 Got a lot of opportunities even in high school to go preach. 00:31:55.799 --> 00:31:58.299 And by the time I was in college, I was preaching every Sunday somewhere. 00:31:59.000 --> 00:32:00.680 Doing revivals and things like that. 00:32:01.519 --> 00:32:02.839 And I liked to preach. 00:32:04.599 --> 00:32:06.619 And have always liked communicating. 00:32:07.779 --> 00:32:09.799 And I studied those preachers. 00:32:09.859 --> 00:32:11.720 Some of the guys I thought were some of the really great ones. 00:32:11.919 --> 00:32:15.339 And I think, boy, man, if you could preach like that. 00:32:15.740 --> 00:32:17.680 You know what my dream was at one point? 00:32:18.519 --> 00:32:20.619 I loved Christ and wanted to honor him. 00:32:20.619 --> 00:32:27.139 But at one time, I can remember thinking, I hope one day I'll be one of the greatest preachers in this country. 00:32:28.359 --> 00:32:31.359 I just want to be one of the best preachers in the country. 00:32:31.399 --> 00:32:34.239 I'll work that to be one of the best preachers in the country. 00:32:36.019 --> 00:32:37.079 Can I tell you something? 00:32:38.599 --> 00:32:45.579 Now approaching 72, that doesn't mean a hill of beans to me. 00:32:45.579 --> 00:32:49.559 Not one thing to me. 00:32:51.659 --> 00:32:55.899 But I'll tell you what I would love before I die. 00:32:56.319 --> 00:33:01.099 I'd love it if somebody would just one day recognize whether he said it to me or not. 00:33:01.159 --> 00:33:02.059 I don't have to know it. 00:33:02.639 --> 00:33:05.339 But just that somebody would think, you know what? 00:33:06.599 --> 00:33:12.179 You're becoming a lot like the one you preached about all those years. 00:33:12.180 --> 00:33:20.840 Has anybody ever looked at you and they thought, this guy teaches me Sunday school every week, 00:33:20.920 --> 00:33:27.160 but he's looking more and more like the one he talks about on Sunday. 00:33:28.980 --> 00:33:33.080 He looks more and more like the one we sing about on Sunday. 00:33:33.079 --> 00:33:38.960 When I meet him and engage him and talk with him on the job, 00:33:39.779 --> 00:33:42.720 he's like that guy I read about in the script, that Jesus fella. 00:33:45.819 --> 00:33:52.039 Are you content just to live your life just hanging on and being there from time to time, 00:33:52.159 --> 00:33:53.679 hanging out with Jesus in the crowd? 00:33:55.259 --> 00:33:58.179 Or do you want to be an image bearer of God? 00:33:58.180 --> 00:34:01.000 Because I'm going to tell you something. 00:34:01.180 --> 00:34:02.860 To do that, you're going to have to make a decision. 00:34:03.240 --> 00:34:05.620 Do I really want to embed my life in him? 00:34:06.620 --> 00:34:09.000 Don't be serious about this walk with Christ. 00:34:10.559 --> 00:34:11.900 I hope that's what you want. 00:34:14.200 --> 00:34:16.000 We're going to have a hymn of invitation today. 00:34:16.159 --> 00:34:19.720 And if you'd like to make a decision like that, 00:34:20.480 --> 00:34:22.639 that I want to be an image bearer of Christ, 00:34:23.180 --> 00:34:25.039 I want to abide in him, really abide, 00:34:25.039 --> 00:34:28.340 I'm going to ask you to just get up out of your seat and come. 00:34:28.380 --> 00:34:29.440 You don't need to talk to me. 00:34:30.159 --> 00:34:31.239 You can if you'd like. 00:34:31.300 --> 00:34:32.400 I'll be glad to pray with you. 00:34:32.840 --> 00:34:35.179 What you're really to do is just talk with God and say, 00:34:35.239 --> 00:34:37.860 God, I've just been a hanger-owner. 00:34:39.920 --> 00:34:42.139 In the beginning of today, I want to listen to your voice. 00:34:42.239 --> 00:34:43.099 I want to obey your voice. 00:34:43.259 --> 00:34:46.139 I want to surrender my life to you completely and fully. 00:34:47.259 --> 00:34:48.739 Whatever the Lord would have you do, 00:34:48.820 --> 00:34:50.579 you come as we stand and as we sing.