WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.240 I would like you to turn your Bibles this morning to John chapter 4. 00:00:05.240 --> 00:00:09.740 ! And as we get started, thank you John. 00:00:09.740 --> 00:00:17.660 I want to remind you that while I preach, you have a very important responsibility, and 00:00:17.660 --> 00:00:18.519 that is of praying. 00:00:19.899 --> 00:00:25.399 I mean, the Scriptures make it undeniably clear, and I am ample testimony to the reality of 00:00:25.399 --> 00:00:27.679 the truth that we have this treasure in earthen vessels. 00:00:28.500 --> 00:00:29.060 There it is. 00:00:29.899 --> 00:00:35.520 And as a result of that, I am heavily dependent, as any man who preaches the Word of God is, 00:00:35.899 --> 00:00:38.960 upon the enabling of the Spirit of God and the prayers of God's people. 00:00:40.340 --> 00:00:41.880 I want you to pray for me this morning. 00:00:42.980 --> 00:00:46.940 I want you also to pray for a friend of mine whose wife is dying of cancer who's a pastor. 00:00:48.660 --> 00:00:54.400 He's preaching this morning, and as I texted him this morning and let him know that I pray 00:00:54.400 --> 00:00:56.960 for him, there are a number of pastors that I pray for every Sunday. 00:00:58.900 --> 00:01:00.280 I don't know how that would be. 00:01:01.939 --> 00:01:05.420 I don't know how I'd do it, apart from your prayer. 00:01:05.420 --> 00:01:14.519 I know of another pastor that is preaching this morning in a congregation that is torn 00:01:14.519 --> 00:01:19.780 up because their senior pastor fell into sin. 00:01:19.780 --> 00:01:26.120 And the associate pastor has received the responsibility of preaching for the next six weeks. 00:01:27.579 --> 00:01:30.560 Can you imagine what that would be like to come to a wounded people? 00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:35.019 I pray for him. 00:01:37.019 --> 00:01:43.960 I have another pastor friend whose life has been challenged by family matters and not of 00:01:43.960 --> 00:01:44.600 his own making. 00:01:44.599 --> 00:01:48.500 So needless to say, I pray for him as well, right? 00:01:50.640 --> 00:01:53.359 I can't do all that and preach. 00:01:53.359 --> 00:01:56.560 So I need you to help me. 00:02:05.560 --> 00:02:12.860 A random fact, I found out that in space, you can't cry because your tears can't flow without 00:02:12.860 --> 00:02:13.240 gravity. 00:02:16.300 --> 00:02:20.500 The only downside is in the absence of oxygen, I wouldn't have much to say for very long. 00:02:20.500 --> 00:02:24.759 So we'll have to live with who I am until I get to heaven. 00:02:24.919 --> 00:02:27.080 But let's go to the book. 00:02:28.939 --> 00:02:30.219 That's why we're here, isn't it? 00:02:31.900 --> 00:02:33.120 John chapter 4. 00:02:33.740 --> 00:02:35.979 I'll tell you, I love the book of John. 00:02:36.520 --> 00:02:38.120 I don't know about you, but I love it. 00:02:39.599 --> 00:02:42.860 I remember reading it at one point in my studies. 00:02:43.659 --> 00:02:49.699 And about a year before I began actually preaching on John, I spent the entire year 00:02:49.699 --> 00:02:54.979 morning by morning spending about an hour reading through the scriptures and reading through 00:02:54.979 --> 00:02:55.500 the book of John. 00:02:55.560 --> 00:02:56.639 That's all I did for one year. 00:02:58.419 --> 00:03:05.299 And studying on the side so that when I came to the book of John, at least I had some grit 00:03:05.299 --> 00:03:07.120 in the system to work with. 00:03:08.120 --> 00:03:15.500 And I remember one of the commentators said that John is a profoundly edifying book for the 00:03:15.500 --> 00:03:15.819 believer. 00:03:15.979 --> 00:03:21.560 In fact, you just can't read through the book of John and not end up thinking, as I do, 00:03:21.719 --> 00:03:24.360 it's like, man, this is the best passage. 00:03:24.520 --> 00:03:25.780 It's like every Sunday. 00:03:26.259 --> 00:03:27.340 Yeah, it is. 00:03:27.439 --> 00:03:28.360 It's great. 00:03:28.780 --> 00:03:29.520 It's a good one. 00:03:30.759 --> 00:03:34.280 And it's a profoundly evangelistic book. 00:03:35.560 --> 00:03:41.520 You can't be in the book of John without sensing the heart of the Lord Jesus for lost 00:03:41.520 --> 00:03:41.939 mankind. 00:03:42.620 --> 00:03:47.040 And man, when we get fired up with who he is, we end up caring about the things that 00:03:47.040 --> 00:03:47.840 he cared about. 00:03:48.000 --> 00:03:48.939 Makes sense, doesn't it? 00:03:51.860 --> 00:03:59.520 And so, as we get caught up with the person and the work of Christ, it means ending up 00:03:59.520 --> 00:04:01.719 having a desire for the things that he cares about. 00:04:03.640 --> 00:04:06.700 There's a passage in Galatians chapter 4, verse 19. 00:04:06.820 --> 00:04:07.320 Just curious. 00:04:07.520 --> 00:04:08.219 A little quiz here. 00:04:08.219 --> 00:04:12.240 How many of you, without looking at it, know Galatians chapter 4, verse 19? 00:04:12.620 --> 00:04:18.500 Anybody here have even the faintest idea of what Galatians chapter 4, verse 19 says? 00:04:19.920 --> 00:04:24.680 My little children in whom I labor and prevail, in other words, I'm going through birth pains 00:04:24.680 --> 00:04:27.920 again, until Christ be formed in you. 00:04:28.959 --> 00:04:30.120 That's a shepherd's heart. 00:04:30.199 --> 00:04:31.519 That's what a pastor cares about. 00:04:31.800 --> 00:04:35.379 The thing that a pastor cares about is, number one, people coming to Jesus. 00:04:35.459 --> 00:04:36.620 That makes sense, doesn't it? 00:04:36.620 --> 00:04:40.560 And number two, that people grow to be like Jesus. 00:04:41.480 --> 00:04:47.720 And Paul says, man, I am going through those birth pains again until I want to see you grow 00:04:47.720 --> 00:04:48.720 to be like Christ. 00:04:48.720 --> 00:05:01.660 And so, as I preach through the book of John, one of the desires of my heart is this, is that 00:05:01.660 --> 00:05:08.260 the things you think about will begin to kind of migrate from where they are a little bit 00:05:08.260 --> 00:05:12.180 to being kind of obsessed and kind of caught up with Jesus. 00:05:12.180 --> 00:05:12.300 Jesus. 00:05:13.560 --> 00:05:16.639 I am a Facebook lurker. 00:05:16.740 --> 00:05:18.439 How many of you know what a Facebook lurker is? 00:05:19.379 --> 00:05:21.780 I pay a lot of attention to your posts. 00:05:24.100 --> 00:05:26.079 And it's all right to share recipes with me. 00:05:26.139 --> 00:05:26.840 I don't mind that. 00:05:28.060 --> 00:05:31.980 And I like to know about when your babies are born and, you know, all those good things. 00:05:32.079 --> 00:05:32.780 They're all good. 00:05:34.860 --> 00:05:37.620 Vacation pictures are instructive. 00:05:37.620 --> 00:05:40.160 But you know what? 00:05:40.240 --> 00:05:45.780 Honestly, the thing that I would love to see grow to be a characteristic of our fellowship 00:05:45.780 --> 00:05:48.060 is that the thing we talk about the most is Jesus. 00:05:49.280 --> 00:05:50.160 Do you follow that? 00:05:51.879 --> 00:05:53.879 You won't talk about who you don't know. 00:05:53.879 --> 00:06:06.079 And my shepherd's ambition is that our study in the Scriptures will give you a growing affection 00:06:06.079 --> 00:06:08.480 for the lover of your soul. 00:06:11.459 --> 00:06:12.819 Now, here's why I love him. 00:06:14.719 --> 00:06:20.819 John chapter 4, verse 15. 00:06:20.819 --> 00:06:28.339 The woman said to him, Sir, give me this water so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here, draw water, and draw water. 00:06:28.659 --> 00:06:31.319 Jesus said to her, Go, call your husband and come here. 00:06:32.099 --> 00:06:35.240 The woman answered him and said, I have no husband. 00:06:37.379 --> 00:06:42.800 And Jesus said to her, You are right in saying you have no husband, for you have had five husbands, 00:06:43.000 --> 00:06:45.399 and the one you now have is not your husband. 00:06:46.240 --> 00:06:47.240 What you've said is true. 00:06:47.240 --> 00:06:53.579 The woman said to him, Oh, sir, I perceive that you're a prophet. 00:06:55.199 --> 00:07:01.160 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship. 00:07:02.500 --> 00:07:13.660 Jesus said to her, Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 00:07:17.240 --> 00:07:22.000 There are a couple things that I want you to see in the passage here this morning that we are going to study together, 00:07:22.060 --> 00:07:23.379 beginning there in verse 19. 00:07:23.699 --> 00:07:27.160 And I read the earlier portion just to kind of frame it for you a little bit. 00:07:28.300 --> 00:07:35.240 But I want you to understand that this passage gives us a picture of the heart of Christ that earlier in chapter 4, 00:07:35.400 --> 00:07:38.600 we read where it says that he must needs go through Samaria. 00:07:38.600 --> 00:07:49.860 His affection and his interest in lost mankind led him to this well where he ended up having a conversation with a Samaritan woman who had come at noon. 00:07:51.060 --> 00:07:54.060 Very unusual time to go draw water in the heat of the day. 00:07:54.060 --> 00:08:02.780 We understand as the text outfolds or folds out before us that here was a woman who was not well liked by her community, 00:08:03.120 --> 00:08:10.579 whose lifestyle was one of sinful, self-serving sexuality. 00:08:11.399 --> 00:08:17.379 And here is Jesus who relies upon that little question, Hey, go call your husband, or a little statement. 00:08:17.840 --> 00:08:19.340 And she says, I have no husband. 00:08:19.459 --> 00:08:20.680 And Jesus says, You're right. 00:08:20.680 --> 00:08:24.740 You know, basically you've been involved in serial adultery. 00:08:25.639 --> 00:08:29.439 Living with a man, marrying him, leaving, marrying, leaving, marrying. 00:08:29.699 --> 00:08:31.540 And now you're just kind of shacking up. 00:08:32.360 --> 00:08:35.120 And the result of that was that she was convicted. 00:08:35.360 --> 00:08:36.860 She felt uncomfortable. 00:08:38.240 --> 00:08:42.860 Now when we're uncomfortable in the face of sin, guess what happens a lot of times? 00:08:43.879 --> 00:08:47.820 Probably nine out of ten times we've had to just dodge away from the discomfort. 00:08:47.820 --> 00:08:50.780 I remember having a person come to our church. 00:08:50.879 --> 00:08:52.440 I'd had conversation with this individual. 00:08:53.360 --> 00:08:55.300 In fact, they called me out of the clear blue. 00:08:55.440 --> 00:08:55.920 Clear blue. 00:08:56.060 --> 00:08:59.920 Picked up the phone and called Maranatha Baptist Church and got me as a pastor. 00:09:00.080 --> 00:09:00.920 And they wanted to talk to me. 00:09:00.940 --> 00:09:02.500 And they said, I'd like to be baptized. 00:09:02.840 --> 00:09:04.560 That was the starting statement. 00:09:05.500 --> 00:09:07.600 And I said, Man, I'm glad you asked. 00:09:07.700 --> 00:09:09.920 I love to be part of baptizing people. 00:09:10.200 --> 00:09:12.420 I said, Well, the obvious question is, Do you know Jesus? 00:09:12.419 --> 00:09:17.159 Well, I'm hoping that getting baptized helps me know Jesus. 00:09:17.339 --> 00:09:18.219 I said, Hold it, hold it, hold it. 00:09:18.219 --> 00:09:18.919 Let me explain something. 00:09:19.379 --> 00:09:21.439 Baptism is a little bit like a wedding ring. 00:09:21.500 --> 00:09:22.419 I'm getting mine off here. 00:09:22.579 --> 00:09:24.419 This wedding ring does not make me married. 00:09:26.199 --> 00:09:28.199 But it lets everybody know I'm married. 00:09:29.439 --> 00:09:33.559 Baptism is a public declaration of a work that God's already done in a person's heart. 00:09:33.679 --> 00:09:34.139 Make sense? 00:09:36.120 --> 00:09:39.099 And this person, conversation played out. 00:09:39.100 --> 00:09:42.240 They showed up to church the next two or three weeks. 00:09:42.700 --> 00:09:43.920 I ended up in their home. 00:09:44.080 --> 00:09:47.779 Had another opportunity to share the sweetness of the gospel with the individual. 00:09:48.220 --> 00:09:52.379 And in our course of conversation, they said something to me that was very, very instructive. 00:09:52.460 --> 00:09:52.920 They said, You know what? 00:09:52.940 --> 00:09:54.300 I've been coming to church week after week. 00:09:54.420 --> 00:09:56.120 And every week I feel worse. 00:09:59.659 --> 00:10:01.860 I said, I'm not trying to do that. 00:10:03.200 --> 00:10:06.360 It's not like, you know, when I wake up Sunday morning and I do wake up. 00:10:06.360 --> 00:10:08.500 And I pray Saturday night. 00:10:08.600 --> 00:10:11.500 I pray Sunday morning for the opportunity of preaching the gospel this morning. 00:10:12.159 --> 00:10:14.680 And I don't lie there in bed and think, Oh, today. 00:10:15.580 --> 00:10:17.680 I really want to make people feel bad. 00:10:23.399 --> 00:10:24.460 But here's the truth. 00:10:25.960 --> 00:10:31.860 You know, a doctor that loves you says to you, You have a nasty skin cancer there on the side of your face. 00:10:31.899 --> 00:10:33.700 You may not have seen it, but there it is. 00:10:33.700 --> 00:10:36.180 And I've got good news for you. 00:10:36.220 --> 00:10:38.300 I can cut it out and save your life. 00:10:39.080 --> 00:10:40.740 Well, you say to the doctor, Thank you. 00:10:40.800 --> 00:10:41.100 Thank you. 00:10:41.160 --> 00:10:41.460 Thank you. 00:10:41.500 --> 00:10:41.800 Go ahead. 00:10:41.920 --> 00:10:42.560 Chop it off. 00:10:43.200 --> 00:10:46.640 And this guy was saying, You're really making me feel very bad every Sunday. 00:10:47.980 --> 00:10:50.540 Well, Jesus said, Go call your husband. 00:10:51.640 --> 00:10:52.740 Oh, and didn't feel very well. 00:10:53.060 --> 00:10:54.560 And so here's what you can learn. 00:10:54.700 --> 00:10:55.180 You can learn. 00:10:55.540 --> 00:10:56.580 Expect diversions. 00:10:57.700 --> 00:10:58.800 Expect diversions. 00:10:58.799 --> 00:11:08.599 As soon as Jesus had finished reflecting on this Samaritan woman's sin, she did her very best to change the conversation. 00:11:08.719 --> 00:11:12.599 Now, if you look back and we find her conversation in three pieces. 00:11:12.600 --> 00:11:23.100 First, be careful with this, but I think there is a kind of a flirtatious tone when the Samaritan woman thinks Jesus is kind of hitting on her. 00:11:24.500 --> 00:11:32.500 And then when Jesus says, Go call your husband, her conversation suddenly goes right down to just, I have no husband. 00:11:32.500 --> 00:11:42.460 Now, after Jesus says the next part, she says, Oh, sir, I perceive that you're a prophet. 00:11:43.159 --> 00:11:49.580 Now, the implication is you know things that the normal people don't know. 00:11:49.919 --> 00:11:56.879 I mean, here you're a Jew just hoofing it on your way up to Galilee, and you stop at this well, and we have this first-time encounter. 00:11:56.879 --> 00:12:02.120 And out of that, you're the one who says to me, Go call your husband. 00:12:02.240 --> 00:12:07.340 And then you say, You had five, and you're living in sin with somebody else right now. 00:12:08.960 --> 00:12:18.139 And you see, here was this woman who had grown quite accustomed to her sin and her manipulative lifestyle. 00:12:18.139 --> 00:12:29.220 And when her sin was brought into the white hot light of the holiness of God by Jesus' question or statement, she was very unsettled. 00:12:29.299 --> 00:12:30.319 And she was the common path. 00:12:30.379 --> 00:12:31.039 What did she do? 00:12:31.460 --> 00:12:35.860 She then asked a theological question to this Jewish prophet. 00:12:35.960 --> 00:12:37.840 That's who she thought she was dealing with. 00:12:38.159 --> 00:12:42.139 And it really had to do with this business of where people worshipped. 00:12:42.139 --> 00:12:42.699 Worshipped. 00:12:44.759 --> 00:12:52.199 Should we worship with our hands folded and kind of very staid? 00:12:52.480 --> 00:12:54.460 Have you ever been around people that worship like that? 00:12:56.019 --> 00:12:59.980 I mean, you know, they're just, you know, it's like they're almost room temperature. 00:13:02.159 --> 00:13:04.480 And they're just really kind of holding it all in. 00:13:04.960 --> 00:13:05.460 You know, it's like. 00:13:05.460 --> 00:13:13.280 Now, the same people when they're at a basketball game and their kids are playing, you have to have them tamped down a little bit, right? 00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:15.600 But that's because they're not worshipping there. 00:13:16.639 --> 00:13:22.580 Anyway, here's this girl, and she's uncomfortable with Jesus getting into her life. 00:13:23.860 --> 00:13:27.480 And so she says here, look at the passage, verse 20. 00:13:27.480 --> 00:13:33.700 Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship. 00:13:35.460 --> 00:13:45.580 She imagined that this Jewish prophet would go after that little theological question like a dog after a bone. 00:13:47.480 --> 00:13:51.340 In Deuteronomy chapter 12, and we don't need to go there, just kind of track with me. 00:13:52.740 --> 00:14:01.639 God had made it clear that Old Testament worship was to take place in a particular place, in a particular way that he had appointed. 00:14:01.639 --> 00:14:06.879 You go to Jerusalem, and there you offer sacrifice. 00:14:08.220 --> 00:14:18.500 And the Jews understood from clear indication of many Old Testament prophecies and statements about the significance of the Levitical system of sacrifice, etc., 00:14:18.500 --> 00:14:21.299 that Jerusalem was the place to worship. 00:14:21.480 --> 00:14:27.019 And so here was this Samaritan woman saying, hey, let me see if I can get you sidetracked here, Jesus, 00:14:27.019 --> 00:14:29.919 from you're making me feel uncomfortable about my nasty heart. 00:14:30.460 --> 00:14:32.519 But let me see if I can take you aside on this one. 00:14:33.199 --> 00:14:34.319 Where should we worship? 00:14:34.519 --> 00:14:42.679 You know, my family, we'd be doing this thing in Mount Gerizim, and you Jews, you're all about Jerusalem, but where's the real place? 00:14:42.679 --> 00:14:54.879 See, after released from Babylonian captivity, many Jews had returned, or not many, but a remnant had returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. 00:14:55.019 --> 00:15:04.079 And when they came back, the Samaritans in the area, there were Jews who had stayed behind and had intermarried with pagans 00:15:04.079 --> 00:15:09.659 and had kind of gone off on their own and not really walking with God or His law. 00:15:09.659 --> 00:15:13.799 When the Jews came back to build the temple, they came back and said, hey, let us help you. 00:15:13.819 --> 00:15:15.579 And they said, no, you have nothing to do with this. 00:15:16.679 --> 00:15:22.279 And they were really irritated, and they marched off to a mountain over in Samaria, Mount Gerizim, 00:15:22.399 --> 00:15:26.740 and they built their own temple, and they did their own thing, and they worshiped their own style. 00:15:27.759 --> 00:15:31.000 Have you ever heard the idea that we all get to heaven just doing our own good? 00:15:31.059 --> 00:15:32.620 I mean, you're doing the best you can. 00:15:33.959 --> 00:15:34.319 No. 00:15:36.319 --> 00:15:37.879 Jesus made it very, very clear. 00:15:37.879 --> 00:15:39.559 I am the way, the truth, and the light. 00:15:39.700 --> 00:15:40.720 Can anybody help me with the rest? 00:15:41.259 --> 00:15:41.519 What? 00:15:42.679 --> 00:15:44.659 Nobody gets to the Father but through me. 00:15:44.720 --> 00:15:45.740 There's only one way. 00:15:46.779 --> 00:15:51.039 Now, either Jesus was a pathological liar, and He was not telling the truth when He said that, 00:15:51.120 --> 00:15:52.939 or there is only one way to God. 00:15:53.919 --> 00:15:59.340 And so we hear this girl trying to sidetrack Jesus a little bit, and He doesn't go for it. 00:16:00.340 --> 00:16:01.919 So I want you to understand something. 00:16:01.919 --> 00:16:11.019 When we are engaged in ministry, and we're really bringing the sweetness of the gospel to people's hearts, 00:16:11.240 --> 00:16:13.579 the first part of the gospel is bad news. 00:16:13.659 --> 00:16:16.079 I'm a sinner, and I can't save myself. 00:16:17.079 --> 00:16:18.079 And I'm in trouble. 00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:27.420 And when that reality touches the heart of people, it's understandable that they're uncomfortable. 00:16:27.580 --> 00:16:30.720 And what she thought she'd do is kind of divert attention. 00:16:31.180 --> 00:16:37.500 So sin makes sinners uncomfortable and prompts attempts to change the focus. 00:16:37.820 --> 00:16:39.020 Can I tell you good news? 00:16:39.019 --> 00:16:45.500 Sometimes when you're engaged in ministry with people, and the conversation gets to the point where they're uncomfortable 00:16:45.500 --> 00:16:51.279 and want to change the focus, sometimes it's just a good little signal that the Holy Spirit is at work 00:16:51.279 --> 00:16:53.699 doing a convicting work that you can't do. 00:16:54.079 --> 00:16:55.699 Can I convict people of sin? 00:16:55.819 --> 00:16:56.919 The answer is no. 00:16:58.179 --> 00:17:00.559 All I can do is say, here's what God says. 00:17:01.480 --> 00:17:03.579 The Holy Spirit is the one who does the convicting. 00:17:03.579 --> 00:17:08.759 And don't be surprised if diversions happen in the process of ministry. 00:17:08.759 --> 00:17:09.680 Just bear with it. 00:17:10.440 --> 00:17:13.400 Let's look at a second lesson we want to learn from Jesus here. 00:17:14.059 --> 00:17:14.660 Be clear. 00:17:15.740 --> 00:17:19.680 The woman says to him, hey, our fathers worshiped on this mountain. 00:17:20.660 --> 00:17:22.019 Jews worship over there. 00:17:22.759 --> 00:17:24.019 So what's it going to be? 00:17:24.839 --> 00:17:28.859 I love the fact that Jesus is not PC. 00:17:28.859 --> 00:17:30.019 Now, you got my... 00:17:30.019 --> 00:17:37.740 Well, you know, just so long as you're doing your best, 00:17:38.759 --> 00:17:41.299 I remember a TV interview. 00:17:41.879 --> 00:17:42.759 I forget who it was. 00:17:42.819 --> 00:17:43.879 Larry King, I think it was. 00:17:44.500 --> 00:17:46.960 You know, he's of a different generation, I suppose. 00:17:47.039 --> 00:17:48.160 Now he's gone and gone. 00:17:48.299 --> 00:17:53.099 But, you know, I remember when Larry King interviewed Joel Olsteen. 00:17:55.000 --> 00:17:58.480 I mean, he's got 23,000 people that come and listen to him week by week. 00:17:58.619 --> 00:18:03.200 That must be an affirmation of the guy's success and of the significance of his ministry. 00:18:03.200 --> 00:18:10.319 Well, anyway, Larry King said to Joel, I think this case, he said, hey, so are Hindus going to heaven? 00:18:10.620 --> 00:18:13.200 You know, I mean, well, you know, Joel with his southern accent. 00:18:13.319 --> 00:18:15.200 Well, I don't know, you know. 00:18:16.360 --> 00:18:18.259 Yeah, they're doing their best. 00:18:18.380 --> 00:18:19.420 You know, here's the truth. 00:18:19.420 --> 00:18:26.500 This girl tried to get Jesus sidetracked and he wasn't PC. 00:18:26.640 --> 00:18:27.320 He didn't waffle. 00:18:27.759 --> 00:18:29.200 But he mixed grace with truth. 00:18:29.259 --> 00:18:30.720 And I want you to pay attention to this. 00:18:31.019 --> 00:18:33.140 Because I think the order is important. 00:18:34.460 --> 00:18:34.740 Okay? 00:18:36.200 --> 00:18:37.960 Look at his answer there. 00:18:37.960 --> 00:18:47.900 Jesus said to her, woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 00:18:49.360 --> 00:18:50.980 And what he was saying is this. 00:18:51.019 --> 00:18:53.319 When he says the hour, the hour, the hour. 00:18:53.380 --> 00:18:57.539 And if you were to kind of track through the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, 00:18:57.539 --> 00:19:08.859 you would find this issue of the hour referring over and over again to the fact that there was an appointed time when Jesus would become the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 00:19:09.039 --> 00:19:11.819 He would die on the cross in our place. 00:19:11.940 --> 00:19:13.119 And that was the hour. 00:19:14.539 --> 00:19:17.700 And he says, hey, I've got good news for you. 00:19:17.700 --> 00:19:27.480 The hour is coming when this business of worship will neither be on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 00:19:28.920 --> 00:19:41.340 And he was referencing the fact that the day was coming when at his death, the Old Testament system of sacrifice and the Old Testament instruction of sacrifice would be taken away. 00:19:41.340 --> 00:19:46.700 And Jesus Christ would be the once for all offered sacrifice for sin. 00:19:47.700 --> 00:19:54.779 I want you to turn in your Bible just for a moment to a very interesting little text in Luke 23, verse 45. 00:19:59.799 --> 00:20:02.900 Luke 23, verse 45. 00:20:08.680 --> 00:20:17.460 In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, we have the same account, interesting, that all the gospels spend most of their time talking about the crucifixion week 00:20:17.460 --> 00:20:26.840 and particularly the crucifixion of Christ because in the scope and plan of history, it is the defining moment of redemption. 00:20:26.840 --> 00:20:33.059 When God sent his son to be the sacrifice in my place, Jesus died my death. 00:20:33.360 --> 00:20:34.720 He died your death. 00:20:35.059 --> 00:20:38.660 And there is no better news in the world. 00:20:38.660 --> 00:20:44.820 And when Jesus died, here's what happened. 00:20:46.259 --> 00:20:49.259 The curtain of the temple was torn in two. 00:20:50.460 --> 00:20:54.080 Now I want you to understand what the temple curtain represented. 00:20:54.079 --> 00:21:07.559 It represented the division between the rest of the temple and the Holy of Holies where the high priest, only the high priest, went in once a year to offer sacrifice for the sins of the people. 00:21:07.559 --> 00:21:20.319 And he would go in to the Holy of Holies to represent the broken hearts and the sinfulness of all of the nation of Israel. 00:21:21.179 --> 00:21:26.019 He would go in having, first of all, offered sacrifice for his own sins. 00:21:26.019 --> 00:21:43.619 And if we were to step over into Hebrews, which we're not going to do this morning, we would find that in Hebrews, the author of Hebrews hammers home this point that Jesus offered once for all the sacrifice to pay for all of our sins. 00:21:43.879 --> 00:21:44.779 How in the world? 00:21:44.819 --> 00:21:45.740 Let's kind of play this out. 00:21:45.740 --> 00:21:54.200 If I back into your car and after we're done with all the social courtesies, oh, I'm sorry, it's not a problem, pastor. 00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:54.980 Don't worry about it. 00:21:55.160 --> 00:21:56.559 Then what we do is what next? 00:21:58.400 --> 00:21:59.620 We ask a polite question. 00:21:59.660 --> 00:22:00.279 Do you have insurance? 00:22:01.740 --> 00:22:03.180 Do you know why we ask that question? 00:22:04.180 --> 00:22:06.839 Because we would like a remedy for our injured car. 00:22:08.220 --> 00:22:09.299 We want restitution. 00:22:09.380 --> 00:22:09.859 Isn't that right? 00:22:10.500 --> 00:22:11.120 Don't worry about it. 00:22:11.120 --> 00:22:11.900 I'll take care of that myself. 00:22:12.500 --> 00:22:12.960 It's all right. 00:22:12.960 --> 00:22:17.240 You know, $1,800 for the bumper, you know, tire change. 00:22:17.420 --> 00:22:20.079 There's all kinds of things going on with even the minors little scratch. 00:22:20.240 --> 00:22:25.700 And so every time I back into your car, you're probably going to ask me the same question. 00:22:26.400 --> 00:22:30.720 Now, about three or four times in, you can be sure that the insurance company won't give me a good answer to give you. 00:22:31.960 --> 00:22:33.279 Go find someone else. 00:22:33.980 --> 00:22:35.360 But here's the point. 00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:39.519 Every sin deserves some kind of payment. 00:22:39.519 --> 00:22:46.119 And Jesus, being infinitely God, paid for all of the sins of all of the world. 00:22:46.519 --> 00:22:51.460 And when he died on the cross, he satisfied the judgment of God against all sin. 00:22:52.200 --> 00:22:53.299 All sin. 00:22:54.440 --> 00:23:00.839 And the curtain was torn from top to bottom announcing the debt is paid. 00:23:01.660 --> 00:23:02.680 Pretty good news, isn't it? 00:23:02.680 --> 00:23:09.100 Why do I have confidence that when I die, I'm going to heaven? 00:23:10.200 --> 00:23:13.799 It's not because I've been a pretty good person. 00:23:15.440 --> 00:23:19.259 It's because Jesus died in my place. 00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:30.180 And I have confidence that his death accomplished the work of redemption and satisfied the judgment of a holy God. 00:23:30.480 --> 00:23:32.200 And I know that because he rose from the dead. 00:23:32.200 --> 00:23:32.720 Amen. 00:23:33.180 --> 00:23:33.380 See? 00:23:33.779 --> 00:23:34.600 It's victory. 00:23:35.799 --> 00:23:39.580 And so Jesus here, he says, hey, listen, it's not about a place. 00:23:40.360 --> 00:23:42.220 Because the day is coming. 00:23:43.279 --> 00:23:45.120 And look at what it says there in verse 20. 00:23:47.100 --> 00:23:47.539 21. 00:23:48.319 --> 00:23:53.360 The hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 00:23:53.600 --> 00:23:54.980 Now, that you is plural. 00:23:55.220 --> 00:23:56.700 A little tricky business here with Greek. 00:23:56.700 --> 00:24:01.920 But it's announcing that it's not just this woman, but it's all of her tribe. 00:24:02.400 --> 00:24:03.299 She was a what? 00:24:04.680 --> 00:24:05.200 Samaritan. 00:24:05.620 --> 00:24:07.880 And Jesus was saying, good news. 00:24:09.120 --> 00:24:11.740 It's not just the Jews who are going to be saved. 00:24:11.840 --> 00:24:14.180 It's the Samaritans who also believe in Jesus. 00:24:14.180 --> 00:24:25.140 And I want you to understand that what is being said here is that the privilege of relationship would be for all believers of all races because of Jesus. 00:24:25.140 --> 00:24:40.420 Why is it that I can share freely the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ with every person in the world and have confidence that they can receive the gift of salvation? 00:24:40.420 --> 00:24:43.420 It's because Jesus died for all mankind. 00:24:45.640 --> 00:24:50.900 I want you to notice, secondly, however, that Jesus didn't soft sell the truth by dodging the woman's question. 00:24:52.240 --> 00:24:53.360 Look at verse 22. 00:24:53.740 --> 00:24:55.600 You worship what you do not know. 00:24:56.340 --> 00:24:58.580 Now, is that a very political way to answer the question? 00:24:59.900 --> 00:25:02.700 I mean, how many of you have ever listened to a politician? 00:25:03.240 --> 00:25:05.400 I mean, turn on the news. 00:25:05.400 --> 00:25:15.920 It's almost more than I can bear because it's an exercise in how best can I not tell the truth about my emails or whatever else is happening in the moment. 00:25:16.040 --> 00:25:19.519 You know, it's like, well, you know, and off we go. 00:25:19.660 --> 00:25:20.640 And so here's Jesus. 00:25:20.759 --> 00:25:21.900 He cuts right to the chase. 00:25:22.360 --> 00:25:23.720 You worship what you do not know. 00:25:23.759 --> 00:25:24.480 What's that sound like? 00:25:26.540 --> 00:25:28.080 What you're doing is not good. 00:25:29.620 --> 00:25:31.740 You're not just ill-informed. 00:25:33.140 --> 00:25:34.980 You don't know who you're worshiping. 00:25:36.120 --> 00:25:39.800 I mean, if you had asked a Samaritan priest, do you know who you're worshiping? 00:25:40.100 --> 00:25:45.920 When they were, you know, whatever they were doing, they were bowing and they were clapping and they were waving incense or whatever else. 00:25:46.420 --> 00:25:47.540 Do you know who you're worshiping? 00:25:47.640 --> 00:25:48.980 No, not really. 00:25:49.200 --> 00:25:50.560 No, they would have said, of course I do. 00:25:52.360 --> 00:25:54.480 Jesus says, you don't know what you're doing. 00:25:55.820 --> 00:25:58.420 And he was very pointed in making it clear. 00:25:58.420 --> 00:25:59.300 Look at this passage. 00:25:59.800 --> 00:26:02.240 We worship what we know for salvation is from the Jews. 00:26:02.400 --> 00:26:04.560 In the Old Testament, listen to me and understand this. 00:26:04.559 --> 00:26:13.980 In the Old Testament, the only way a person could come to faith that was of eternal significance was to believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and to become a Jew. 00:26:13.980 --> 00:26:31.200 One of the arguments of the early church in Acts chapter 15, there were a lot of Jews who, after Jesus died and went back to heaven and the apostles began their ministry, 00:26:31.200 --> 00:26:38.640 They were pretty upset when the apostle, Paul, began ministering to Gentiles. 00:26:38.819 --> 00:26:41.180 These are people that were uncircumcised, right? 00:26:42.080 --> 00:26:44.559 These are people who didn't have the right haircut, right? 00:26:45.340 --> 00:26:50.400 These are people who didn't wear the right clothes and they ate the wrong kind of food. 00:26:50.559 --> 00:26:52.440 You know, it's like really off the charts. 00:26:52.440 --> 00:26:59.000 And the Holy Spirit made it clear that you didn't have to become a Jew to be a believer. 00:27:00.340 --> 00:27:09.740 Prior to the coming of Christ, the only way a person got to heaven was by following in faith the commands of God in the Old Testament. 00:27:11.240 --> 00:27:16.200 And so what you find here is Jesus made it very clear that he is the only way to heaven. 00:27:16.200 --> 00:27:20.600 When he says, look at verse 22, it says, 00:27:21.279 --> 00:27:32.059 In the old time, salvation is of the Jews, but the hour is coming and is now here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, 00:27:32.140 --> 00:27:35.759 for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 00:27:37.039 --> 00:27:41.340 And so what we need to understand as we look at this passage is here is Jesus. 00:27:41.339 --> 00:27:46.179 Jesus, the woman asks him a question to kind of dodge conviction and he deals right up front with it. 00:27:46.980 --> 00:27:48.299 I want you to know good news. 00:27:48.959 --> 00:27:53.119 The day is coming when you don't have to be a Jew to have faith. 00:27:54.199 --> 00:27:56.720 But he says, at this time, it's still a matter. 00:27:57.119 --> 00:28:08.740 Hey, the matter of the Old Testament law and its expectations of sacrifice in hopes of what Jesus would some days do is a responsibility that the Old Testament saint had. 00:28:08.740 --> 00:28:17.240 So let's look at the last statement that we find there in John in relationship to the matter of salvation. 00:28:18.839 --> 00:28:20.559 You look there in verse 23, it says, 00:28:20.680 --> 00:28:23.420 The hour is coming and now is here. 00:28:24.519 --> 00:28:25.339 It's now. 00:28:26.700 --> 00:28:33.920 When true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 00:28:33.920 --> 00:28:41.860 So let me help you understand that what Jesus did, he dealt with the diversion, he answered her theological question, 00:28:42.039 --> 00:28:44.300 and now what he did is lift up God's grace. 00:28:44.460 --> 00:28:47.140 He lets her see the hope of salvation. 00:28:47.960 --> 00:28:52.500 So look with me and notice several things in verses 23 and 24. 00:28:52.620 --> 00:28:54.300 Number one, now's the right time. 00:28:55.340 --> 00:28:56.240 Now's the right time. 00:28:56.240 --> 00:29:22.500 Now's the time. 00:29:23.500 --> 00:29:24.700 Now's the time. 00:29:24.700 --> 00:29:29.440 And I want you to understand it's still the right time. 00:29:30.480 --> 00:29:37.500 I have no doubt that there are some of you sitting here today that need Jesus every bit as much as the woman at the well did. 00:29:38.680 --> 00:29:41.900 In fact, that's one of the things that fires me up about preaching about Jesus. 00:29:42.000 --> 00:29:42.480 Do you know that? 00:29:44.140 --> 00:29:47.980 I know that we live in a messy and broken world all over. 00:29:47.980 --> 00:29:59.259 And the truth of the matter is that on occasion, there's some that God brings into this fellowship and gets to hear us just sing our hearts out. 00:29:59.319 --> 00:29:59.819 Isn't that nice? 00:30:00.180 --> 00:30:00.920 Sing our hearts out. 00:30:01.380 --> 00:30:04.120 And then gets to follow us as we open up the book. 00:30:04.119 --> 00:30:10.459 And always when we're talking about the story of Jesus, we can't help but get around to the fact that Jesus came to save sinners. 00:30:10.859 --> 00:30:12.179 And there's some of you sitting here. 00:30:13.099 --> 00:30:26.779 By the way, the main reason, well, not the main reason, but one of the reasons, one of the things that I hope happens as a result of preaching the gospel is that most of you don't sweat a lot about getting people to come here to hear the gospel. 00:30:26.779 --> 00:30:28.119 Can I say that slowly? 00:30:28.279 --> 00:30:29.599 I know this is a little edgy. 00:30:30.440 --> 00:30:34.720 But I am not so interested in you dragging people here to hear the gospel. 00:30:35.500 --> 00:30:36.619 Can I say that again? 00:30:37.779 --> 00:30:42.000 I am not so interested in you dragging people here to hear the gospel. 00:30:43.980 --> 00:30:46.579 I'm interested in you being the gospel out there. 00:30:47.799 --> 00:30:50.660 And all God's people said, amen. 00:30:51.799 --> 00:30:54.700 So when you walk out of here, what are you going out there to be? 00:30:54.700 --> 00:30:57.080 Everybody smile. 00:30:57.819 --> 00:30:58.519 Everybody wake up. 00:30:59.519 --> 00:31:00.799 Everybody think I'm talking to you. 00:31:01.500 --> 00:31:02.200 I am. 00:31:03.319 --> 00:31:06.500 You're going out there to be Jesus' representative, right? 00:31:07.519 --> 00:31:08.920 That's what I breathe for. 00:31:10.759 --> 00:31:11.279 Okay. 00:31:11.740 --> 00:31:13.400 Now, the right time. 00:31:14.559 --> 00:31:16.759 Secondly, the Father is seeking worshipers. 00:31:16.840 --> 00:31:19.860 Now, I love the fact that Jesus came looking for us. 00:31:19.859 --> 00:31:30.000 The truth of the matter is, is the Bible makes it undeniably clear that every one of us, we're walking in the darkness of our own hearts, 00:31:31.099 --> 00:31:34.899 willingly engaged in our own sin, doing our thing. 00:31:35.599 --> 00:31:42.500 And by the way, when you're just doing sin without any check in the hard work of the ministry of the Spirit of God, 00:31:42.599 --> 00:31:44.659 do you know how dark and deep things can get? 00:31:44.660 --> 00:31:45.779 It can get messy, can't it? 00:31:48.200 --> 00:31:51.120 And here is Jesus seeking out this woman. 00:31:51.240 --> 00:31:53.300 It says, he must needs go through Samaria. 00:31:53.600 --> 00:31:56.519 And he met this woman at the well, and he reached out to her. 00:31:56.540 --> 00:31:59.680 And what he said to her is, listen, the Father is seeking. 00:32:01.560 --> 00:32:05.420 I am a person who believes in the sovereignty of God, drawing people to salvation. 00:32:05.420 --> 00:32:10.680 But at the same time, I also believe that Tim Knoyer, with his mouth, ought to be saying, 00:32:11.019 --> 00:32:12.380 Jesus is looking for you. 00:32:13.960 --> 00:32:18.100 And my job, I don't know who's going to be saved, but I do know what my job is. 00:32:18.300 --> 00:32:20.920 It is letting people know Jesus loves them. 00:32:25.019 --> 00:32:26.980 Listen to what it says there in the last part. 00:32:28.039 --> 00:32:29.060 God is Spirit. 00:32:29.560 --> 00:32:30.660 I want you to put your finger on that. 00:32:30.720 --> 00:32:31.000 Go ahead. 00:32:31.800 --> 00:32:34.820 Put your finger on that statement. 00:32:34.819 --> 00:32:36.379 God is Spirit. 00:32:36.599 --> 00:32:37.159 What does that mean? 00:32:38.500 --> 00:32:41.259 It means he's bigger than you. 00:32:42.539 --> 00:32:43.619 He's not localized. 00:32:43.879 --> 00:32:45.419 It's like God's out in our parking lot. 00:32:48.240 --> 00:32:48.919 There he is. 00:32:50.059 --> 00:32:50.799 You want God? 00:32:52.019 --> 00:32:52.720 He's moving. 00:32:52.879 --> 00:32:53.399 You better go. 00:32:54.079 --> 00:32:55.079 God is Spirit. 00:32:55.559 --> 00:32:56.859 I mean, God's big. 00:32:58.559 --> 00:33:00.039 He's bigger than you can imagine. 00:33:02.259 --> 00:33:03.159 God is Spirit. 00:33:04.819 --> 00:33:15.439 God is awesome and glorious and supremely worthy of all of our adoration and affection. 00:33:15.559 --> 00:33:16.980 I want you to think about that just for a moment. 00:33:17.679 --> 00:33:22.819 God is supremely worthy of all of your affection and adoration. 00:33:24.119 --> 00:33:25.339 Here's how it is. 00:33:25.339 --> 00:33:30.500 1 Corinthians 10, verse 31 says this. 00:33:31.319 --> 00:33:32.879 Whether you eat or drink. 00:33:32.980 --> 00:33:37.859 How many of you understand that eating and drinking are pretty basic things? 00:33:38.679 --> 00:33:39.500 Do you follow that? 00:33:40.500 --> 00:33:45.179 There are some of you thinking right now, eating is important. 00:33:45.180 --> 00:33:54.720 I hope pastor will stop in the next four and a half minutes because my stomach is talking to me. 00:33:55.900 --> 00:33:56.700 Forget it. 00:33:56.700 --> 00:34:01.180 But Paul says this, whether you eat or drink. 00:34:01.340 --> 00:34:04.920 Getting down to the very basics, he says, do all to the glory of God. 00:34:05.220 --> 00:34:07.799 In other words, I breathe to make Jesus look good. 00:34:07.840 --> 00:34:08.579 Is that why you breathe? 00:34:08.579 --> 00:34:19.039 If you're a child of God, he saved you, not just to give you fire insurance, but to help you become a living, breathing representative of the Lord of glory. 00:34:19.039 --> 00:34:24.900 And there are people that you bump into every day that are desperate. 00:34:27.860 --> 00:34:30.119 Some of them know the mess they're in. 00:34:32.539 --> 00:34:34.920 All you have to do is say, how are you doing? 00:34:35.239 --> 00:34:36.699 And it just kind of, what happens? 00:34:38.380 --> 00:34:38.739 Oh. 00:34:38.739 --> 00:34:56.319 And so I want you to understand that the fact of the matter is, is that God is spirit and those who worship him, those who worship him, must worship in spirit and in truth. 00:34:56.479 --> 00:34:58.159 True worth ship. 00:34:58.699 --> 00:35:00.179 That's what the word worship means. 00:35:00.439 --> 00:35:05.079 Showing the worth of God must be in spirit and in truth. 00:35:05.079 --> 00:35:08.000 And I want to just press this together and make two statements about it. 00:35:08.000 --> 00:35:09.460 Well, three. 00:35:10.380 --> 00:35:12.880 Number one, true worship involves our spirit. 00:35:13.340 --> 00:35:17.579 And what it's saying is that it's not just, it's just talking about all that we are. 00:35:19.699 --> 00:35:23.219 How many of you, I'll just use this as an illustration. 00:35:23.480 --> 00:35:24.500 No, I won't use that as an illustration. 00:35:24.659 --> 00:35:25.500 I'll go over on this side. 00:35:25.699 --> 00:35:26.579 No, I won't go there either. 00:35:26.920 --> 00:35:27.360 Here we go. 00:35:28.300 --> 00:35:36.619 How many of you, when you're watching a very important football game, find yourself kind of leaning in? 00:35:36.619 --> 00:35:38.500 How many of you do that? 00:35:40.079 --> 00:35:56.239 Or, you know, we're caught up in the moment of the event and, you know, or the other day someone was playing the piano and they were just putting their heart into it and I hit a little spot and my body got kind of tense. 00:35:56.339 --> 00:35:57.339 How many of you, you know what I'm saying? 00:35:57.340 --> 00:36:01.600 And, you know, especially when you care about saying, you're there. 00:36:02.140 --> 00:36:02.300 You know. 00:36:03.720 --> 00:36:05.380 What it's saying is that I'm connected. 00:36:06.360 --> 00:36:14.400 And the point is, is that if you are worshiping God, all that you are is really engaged in that process. 00:36:16.460 --> 00:36:16.980 Agreed? 00:36:16.980 --> 00:36:21.119 Years ago, Howard Hughes died. 00:36:22.559 --> 00:36:23.940 He was an early billionaire. 00:36:25.199 --> 00:36:26.139 He was a mess. 00:36:27.420 --> 00:36:31.340 And when he died, he owned a lot of casinos in Las Vegas. 00:36:31.340 --> 00:36:44.900 And the business manager for Howard Hughes came to the casino owners and said, listen, in respect to Howard Hughes, I want a moment's silence on the pit, on the floors. 00:36:46.800 --> 00:36:49.380 And they grumbled, but they did it, you know. 00:36:50.079 --> 00:36:51.300 And here's how it happened. 00:36:51.300 --> 00:36:57.460 And as the pit boss was watching his watch, all right, everybody be quiet, no gambling. 00:36:59.200 --> 00:37:00.620 The hands went around. 00:37:02.100 --> 00:37:09.620 And when the big hand got over to the top, the pit boss leaned in and said, roll the dice. 00:37:09.940 --> 00:37:11.560 He's had his minute. 00:37:13.220 --> 00:37:14.120 That's not worship. 00:37:16.120 --> 00:37:17.039 That's not worship. 00:37:17.039 --> 00:37:27.340 If the only time you engage in the supremacy of God is when you arrive here and you let him have one hour, you're fooling yourself. 00:37:31.719 --> 00:37:38.679 True worship means that who he is consumes and controls who we are. 00:37:40.139 --> 00:37:40.279 Hmm? 00:37:43.279 --> 00:37:44.940 I worship all the time. 00:37:44.940 --> 00:37:49.159 Sadly, sometimes it's me. 00:37:51.800 --> 00:37:56.179 The other night, I'd come home from a very full day. 00:37:56.920 --> 00:37:58.559 Of course, that's an excuse for being godless. 00:37:58.659 --> 00:38:00.519 I mean, I understand that, just so you understand. 00:38:01.519 --> 00:38:07.380 I'd come home from a very full day, and my wife, you know, she wanted me to carry some things. 00:38:08.000 --> 00:38:11.039 At 66, I liked to carry things less than I did at 56. 00:38:11.039 --> 00:38:19.119 And I got a little surly, a little crabby. 00:38:20.900 --> 00:38:23.420 And my wife said to me, that's unbecoming of a saint. 00:38:23.599 --> 00:38:24.480 I was like, what? 00:38:24.980 --> 00:38:26.900 You're talking to the pastor of Maranatha Baptist Church? 00:38:26.960 --> 00:38:27.400 What are you doing? 00:38:29.139 --> 00:38:30.440 I mean, can you understand that? 00:38:30.539 --> 00:38:31.440 That's unbecoming. 00:38:31.440 --> 00:38:39.619 What she was reminding me of is that, hey, for a guy who talks about worshiping Jesus, suck it up and carry that chair. 00:38:41.220 --> 00:38:42.659 And do it with a smile. 00:38:43.440 --> 00:38:43.679 Right? 00:38:43.679 --> 00:38:51.399 True worship means that who he is consumes and controls who I am. 00:38:53.839 --> 00:38:55.919 Finally, true worship involves his truth. 00:38:56.739 --> 00:38:57.359 There it is. 00:38:58.899 --> 00:39:02.779 There in the passage, it says, those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth. 00:39:02.780 --> 00:39:14.420 Were it not for the revealed word of God, we would be doomed to worship the ill-formed imaginations of our wicked hearts. 00:39:15.860 --> 00:39:17.019 Do you understand that? 00:39:19.040 --> 00:39:22.540 Isaiah chapter 50, verse 20, the psalmist says this. 00:39:22.640 --> 00:39:27.340 He says, you thought I was exactly like you. 00:39:27.340 --> 00:39:33.260 Do you know why we have such a hard time believing that God loves us despite who we are? 00:39:34.000 --> 00:39:34.280 Hello? 00:39:34.780 --> 00:39:37.980 It's because we struggle with doing that with everybody else. 00:39:39.740 --> 00:39:41.100 What have you done for me lately? 00:39:42.539 --> 00:39:44.840 God loves us unconditionally. 00:39:45.420 --> 00:39:49.780 And that just kind of blows our little pea brain mind because we're struggling with, 00:39:50.460 --> 00:39:53.019 God's got to be something like me. 00:39:53.720 --> 00:39:55.300 A jerk most of the time, you know? 00:39:55.300 --> 00:40:06.180 And so, if we are worshipers in truth, we worship the truth that he tells us about who he is. 00:40:07.640 --> 00:40:17.880 And so, any place that professes to worship God and doesn't rely heavily upon this book to inform what true worship is. 00:40:18.039 --> 00:40:19.140 Remember what I said earlier? 00:40:19.400 --> 00:40:22.660 That our singing is informed by the word of God. 00:40:22.800 --> 00:40:23.019 Right? 00:40:23.019 --> 00:40:23.059 Right? 00:40:24.300 --> 00:40:29.559 It's like musicians who say, standing around, you know, orchestra. 00:40:29.900 --> 00:40:30.420 Where's Jeff? 00:40:30.500 --> 00:40:31.099 Jeff, where are you? 00:40:31.440 --> 00:40:31.820 There you are. 00:40:31.940 --> 00:40:32.280 Jeff. 00:40:32.820 --> 00:40:36.960 You know, it's like orchestra members who stand around saying, I love Beethoven. 00:40:38.000 --> 00:40:44.179 Man, Beethoven is, he is a phenomenal, he's a, what a musician. 00:40:44.380 --> 00:40:45.860 And I love his music. 00:40:45.860 --> 00:40:49.440 And you have never played a note of Beethoven. 00:40:50.519 --> 00:40:51.960 You're just a hypocrite. 00:40:52.780 --> 00:40:53.740 You're a phony. 00:40:55.079 --> 00:40:58.260 If you love Beethoven, guess what? 00:40:58.559 --> 00:41:00.019 You play his music. 00:41:00.300 --> 00:41:00.820 Make sense? 00:41:00.820 --> 00:41:07.140 If you love Jesus, you play his music. 00:41:07.240 --> 00:41:07.700 Am I right? 00:41:08.300 --> 00:41:09.760 And by the way, listen to me. 00:41:10.000 --> 00:41:13.260 When you're playing the music that Jesus wrote, other people notice. 00:41:13.260 --> 00:41:17.320 Because they can't figure you out. 00:41:18.620 --> 00:41:23.140 I mean, everybody, everybody understands bad Mondays. 00:41:25.340 --> 00:41:29.560 Everybody understands the broken world we live in. 00:41:29.559 --> 00:41:43.880 And when you, because you've had your heart touched by the glory of the cross, you've had all your sins forgiven, you know for certain that when you slip from this place of heartache, you are going to see Jesus face to face. 00:41:44.380 --> 00:41:49.940 You live with the hope and the expectation of the promises of Christ. 00:41:51.099 --> 00:41:52.460 And other people know it. 00:41:54.599 --> 00:41:55.759 And so let me close. 00:41:56.719 --> 00:41:57.420 Let me close. 00:41:57.420 --> 00:42:27.400 Let me close. 00:42:27.639 --> 00:42:29.240 The answer is repentance. 00:42:30.900 --> 00:42:32.039 And trusting in Jesus. 00:42:33.240 --> 00:42:39.900 There are some of you here today that for the first time you hear the gospel that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. 00:42:40.300 --> 00:42:45.800 And where you sit, you are convicted of the darkness and the burden of your soul. 00:42:46.079 --> 00:42:48.500 And I want you to know Jesus died to pay that price. 00:42:48.700 --> 00:42:50.420 And he offers you everlasting life. 00:42:53.119 --> 00:42:53.780 Do you know what? 00:42:53.780 --> 00:43:06.320 Truth of the matter is, gospel preaching is intent on putting people on the spot of saying yes or no to God. 00:43:06.320 --> 00:43:08.420 Let's pray. 00:43:08.420 --> 00:43:08.440 Let's pray. 00:43:12.140 --> 00:43:20.280 Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord. 00:43:20.280 --> 00:43:23.500 Lift up the glory of Christ. 00:43:23.500 --> 00:43:30.920 That the redeemer of lost and fallen mankind would be exalted among our midst today. 00:43:30.920 --> 00:43:45.700 By decisions that we make that reflect the fact that we have heard the ministry of the Holy Spirit through the word of God through an earthen vessel. 00:43:45.699 --> 00:43:52.859 And Christ has been lifted up as the hope of a fallen world. 00:43:52.860 --> 00:43:55.480 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:43:56.820 --> 00:43:58.500 John is going to lead us in our singing. 00:43:59.400 --> 00:44:01.320 And as we are singing, let me encourage you. 00:44:01.380 --> 00:44:08.500 There are some of you here today that may be prompted by the Spirit of God to say, hey, this is where God wants me to connect. 00:44:08.740 --> 00:44:09.039 Stand. 00:44:11.079 --> 00:44:13.480 This is where God wants me to be part of the family of God. 00:44:13.539 --> 00:44:14.740 And you need to be part of a family. 00:44:14.820 --> 00:44:17.300 I can't tell you this is the place, but you've got to be somewhere. 00:44:17.300 --> 00:44:23.180 Remember, there are some of you here today that need Jesus as your Savior, and today is the day of salvation. 00:44:23.300 --> 00:44:25.039 Remember Jesus said, now is the hour? 00:44:25.140 --> 00:44:25.820 This is the time. 00:44:26.700 --> 00:44:28.340 You don't need any more persuading. 00:44:29.120 --> 00:44:33.760 Your life doesn't need to get any nastier for you to be convinced that you need someone else to help you. 00:44:35.800 --> 00:44:36.980 And here's the truth. 00:44:37.820 --> 00:44:38.940 Here's what the Bible says. 00:44:40.220 --> 00:44:42.700 Whosoever believeth in him shall not be ashamed. 00:44:42.780 --> 00:44:44.519 I can't think of a better verse in the Bible. 00:44:44.980 --> 00:44:46.780 Romans chapter 10, verse 11. 00:44:47.320 --> 00:44:49.940 Whosoever believes in him shall not be ashamed. 00:44:50.019 --> 00:44:56.860 You want to walk out that door having confidence that there's no reason for you to be ashamed the rest of your life. 00:44:57.019 --> 00:44:59.440 It won't happen if you don't trust in Jesus. 00:45:00.300 --> 00:45:01.060 Now, we're going to sing. 00:45:02.220 --> 00:45:05.920 And don't let your pride stand in the way of what you need from Jesus. 00:45:06.220 --> 00:45:06.880 Let's sing together. 00:45:07.100 --> 00:45:08.900 By the way, lift it up and blow it out, right? 00:45:08.900 --> 00:45:08.960 Let's sing together.