WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:20.160 All right, it's great to see you. If you're visiting today, my name is Niels, also one of the leaders here. I'll be preaching in a moment. Yeah, we're going to turn to God's word. Hope you have a Bible because that's what we're going to look at today. In a moment, Kristen will come and read parts of today's passage. But before we do that, why don't we pray for God to speak to us. 00:00:20.160 --> 00:00:49.620 As we heard in last week's passage, Simon Peter answered Jesus, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that you're the Holy One of God. Lord, we thank you for the words of eternal life that we have here in this book, the words of Jesus, your son. We pray that we would believe that he is the Holy One of God and receive eternal life. Please speak to each of our hearts today in Jesus' name. 00:00:49.619 --> 00:00:50.379 Amen. 00:00:50.379 --> 00:00:50.519 Great. 00:00:50.519 --> 00:01:17.120 Good morning. Today's reading, scripture reading is from John chapter 7, verse 1 to 18. And then we move on to verse 37 to 39. And then chapter 8, verse 12 to 18. Starting in chapter 7, verse 1, we read, 00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:21.120 And then you read, 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:21.120 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:26.960 He would not go about in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill him. 00:01:27.920 --> 00:01:31.680 Now the Jews' feast of booths was at hand. 00:01:32.400 --> 00:01:37.219 So his brothers said to him, leave here and go to Judea, 00:01:37.740 --> 00:01:40.900 that your disciples also may see the works you're doing. 00:01:41.840 --> 00:01:45.460 For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. 00:01:46.159 --> 00:01:49.200 If you do these things, show yourself to the world. 00:01:49.200 --> 00:01:52.480 For not even his brothers believed in him. 00:01:53.320 --> 00:01:58.780 Jesus said to them, my time has not yet come, but your time is always here. 00:01:59.520 --> 00:02:06.960 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it, that its works are evil. 00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:09.580 You go up to the feast. 00:02:09.980 --> 00:02:14.400 I'm not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come. 00:02:15.219 --> 00:02:17.719 After this, he remained in Galilee. 00:02:17.719 --> 00:02:25.199 But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly, but in private. 00:02:26.139 --> 00:02:30.180 The Jews were looking for him at the feast and saying, where is he? 00:02:30.180 --> 00:02:35.680 And there was much muttering about him among the people. 00:02:36.280 --> 00:02:42.439 While some said, he's a good man, others said, no, he's leading the people astray. 00:02:43.280 --> 00:02:46.719 Yet for fear of the Jews, no one spoke openly of him. 00:02:47.840 --> 00:02:52.540 About the middle of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching. 00:02:52.539 --> 00:03:00.019 The Jews, therefore, marveled, saying, how is it that this man has learning when he has never studied? 00:03:00.020 --> 00:03:06.740 So Jesus answered them, my teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. 00:03:07.240 --> 00:03:15.420 If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. 00:03:16.100 --> 00:03:20.300 The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory. 00:03:20.300 --> 00:03:27.180 But the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. 00:03:28.340 --> 00:03:30.560 In verse 37 we read, 00:03:31.560 --> 00:03:38.439 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, 00:03:39.160 --> 00:03:42.740 If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 00:03:42.740 --> 00:03:49.920 Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. 00:03:50.800 --> 00:03:56.360 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive. 00:03:56.740 --> 00:04:01.939 For as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. 00:04:03.180 --> 00:04:06.980 In chapter 8, verse 12, we read, 00:04:06.979 --> 00:04:12.840 Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, 00:04:13.399 --> 00:04:15.019 I am the light of the world. 00:04:15.519 --> 00:04:20.639 Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. 00:04:21.219 --> 00:04:22.899 So the Pharisees said to him, 00:04:23.219 --> 00:04:25.319 You are bearing witness about yourself. 00:04:25.599 --> 00:04:27.240 Your testimony is not true. 00:04:28.019 --> 00:04:28.959 Jesus answered, 00:04:28.959 --> 00:04:33.680 Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, 00:04:34.079 --> 00:04:36.680 for I know where I came from and where I'm going. 00:04:36.980 --> 00:04:40.100 But you do not know where I come from or where I'm going. 00:04:40.600 --> 00:04:42.860 You judge according to the flesh. 00:04:43.259 --> 00:04:44.540 I judge no one. 00:04:45.140 --> 00:04:48.460 Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, 00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:53.200 for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. 00:04:53.840 --> 00:04:58.200 In your law it is written that the testimony of two men is true. 00:04:58.720 --> 00:05:01.800 I am the one who bears witness about myself, 00:05:02.020 --> 00:05:05.560 and the Father who sent me bears witness about me. 00:05:05.560 --> 00:05:06.959 This is the word of God. 00:05:06.959 --> 00:05:07.579 Great. 00:05:12.219 --> 00:05:13.159 Thank you, Kristen. 00:05:15.899 --> 00:05:17.759 So we didn't read the whole passage. 00:05:17.959 --> 00:05:20.479 I'll come and explain why in a moment. 00:05:21.759 --> 00:05:24.219 Let me get the papers ready. 00:05:28.579 --> 00:05:29.259 Here we go. 00:05:29.259 --> 00:05:32.759 Well, now, if you were here last week, 00:05:33.000 --> 00:05:35.319 you may remember what we talked about, right? 00:05:35.399 --> 00:05:40.180 One thing we wondered is it would be great if we'd see more people, 00:05:40.339 --> 00:05:42.879 you know, come to put their trust in Jesus. 00:05:43.159 --> 00:05:44.439 That's what we want as a church. 00:05:44.579 --> 00:05:46.099 We think Jesus is amazing news. 00:05:46.759 --> 00:05:49.399 We'd love to see more people believe, 00:05:49.759 --> 00:05:53.120 but, you know, it's not happening as much as we'd like it to be. 00:05:53.120 --> 00:05:55.860 Maybe that's something that you struggle with. 00:05:56.019 --> 00:05:59.060 Maybe you wonder, well, isn't this true? 00:05:59.660 --> 00:06:00.680 How can this be true? 00:06:00.780 --> 00:06:02.420 So few people believe it, right? 00:06:02.459 --> 00:06:06.319 Surely if this is amazing from God, we'd see great revivals. 00:06:06.639 --> 00:06:08.740 And we thought about last week what would help. 00:06:08.879 --> 00:06:10.560 Like, would people want to see more miracles? 00:06:10.939 --> 00:06:11.660 Maybe that will help. 00:06:12.199 --> 00:06:14.160 Maybe they would have to meet Jesus personally. 00:06:14.280 --> 00:06:14.840 That would help. 00:06:14.839 --> 00:06:17.579 Well, if you were here last week, 00:06:17.679 --> 00:06:20.379 we could see from John's gospel that that was not the case, right? 00:06:20.419 --> 00:06:23.139 Because there were a big crowd of people, thousands, 00:06:23.439 --> 00:06:25.419 and Jesus did an amazing miracle. 00:06:26.159 --> 00:06:29.419 And they met him, they listened to him, and they walked away. 00:06:30.299 --> 00:06:31.419 And why did they walk away? 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:34.819 Well, because his message is really hard, right? 00:06:34.859 --> 00:06:36.620 What he talks about is difficult. 00:06:37.639 --> 00:06:39.839 But then there's a very obvious solution, right? 00:06:39.859 --> 00:06:41.339 Why don't we just change the message? 00:06:42.120 --> 00:06:44.279 Why don't we tone it down a bit, right? 00:06:45.019 --> 00:06:45.979 Wouldn't that help? 00:06:46.799 --> 00:06:48.339 Because I can see that, right? 00:06:48.399 --> 00:06:52.399 We sometimes run a course here for people to help explore Christianity, 00:06:52.899 --> 00:06:56.139 and we get a handful of people, right? 00:06:56.159 --> 00:06:57.659 And after three weeks, they stop coming, 00:06:57.779 --> 00:06:59.199 because they don't like to hear about sin. 00:06:59.919 --> 00:07:01.000 And then there's this other church. 00:07:01.119 --> 00:07:05.079 They run this other course, and they've got, like, 150 people coming. 00:07:05.619 --> 00:07:08.199 And, you know, afterwards, they all start coming to the church. 00:07:08.319 --> 00:07:09.639 Wouldn't that be wonderful, right? 00:07:09.699 --> 00:07:11.119 That's what we want as well, right? 00:07:11.119 --> 00:07:13.979 More people just to be together, right? 00:07:13.980 --> 00:07:15.560 Maybe more giving, more serving. 00:07:15.700 --> 00:07:16.620 I don't know, right? 00:07:16.840 --> 00:07:17.780 Various things. 00:07:18.120 --> 00:07:19.200 Why don't we do that? 00:07:19.520 --> 00:07:22.740 Maybe, you know, if you're here and you're visiting today, 00:07:22.939 --> 00:07:24.280 you're slightly apprehensive, 00:07:24.280 --> 00:07:27.240 because you don't always like the message of Christianity, right? 00:07:27.280 --> 00:07:29.720 You don't like to be told that Jesus is the only way. 00:07:30.259 --> 00:07:31.759 Maybe you want to bring a friend to church, 00:07:31.879 --> 00:07:35.060 but it's so offensive for them to hear. 00:07:35.600 --> 00:07:36.759 They're from another religion, 00:07:36.759 --> 00:07:40.259 and so I don't want them to always hear that Jesus is the only way, 00:07:40.259 --> 00:07:41.159 and that kind of thing. 00:07:41.939 --> 00:07:43.099 Can we just leave it out? 00:07:43.879 --> 00:07:48.719 Well, I think today is going to be a very helpful message as we think about that. 00:07:49.360 --> 00:07:53.019 Now, just a few words on this section of John's Gospel. 00:07:53.019 --> 00:07:59.019 I'm going to spend basically two weeks speaking about chapters seven and eight together. 00:08:00.579 --> 00:08:01.779 Why do I do that? 00:08:01.899 --> 00:08:04.120 Well, because I think it's one long section, 00:08:04.279 --> 00:08:08.539 and, you know, if it belongs together, it's good to cover it in one go. 00:08:09.819 --> 00:08:10.740 I don't know if you've probably... 00:08:10.740 --> 00:08:13.740 We didn't read the whole thing, because that would be 15 minutes. 00:08:14.379 --> 00:08:18.159 There is this section in the middle about a woman caught in adultery. 00:08:18.160 --> 00:08:20.500 That seems to have been inserted later. 00:08:20.660 --> 00:08:24.360 You can ask me why, but if you go back to 8 verse 12, 00:08:25.080 --> 00:08:29.660 you will notice, you know, again, Jesus spoke to them saying, 00:08:29.920 --> 00:08:30.920 I'm the light of the world. 00:08:31.080 --> 00:08:33.040 It's in the middle of a conversation, right? 00:08:33.080 --> 00:08:36.340 So clearly, you know, it's one big section. 00:08:36.460 --> 00:08:38.660 And so that's what I want to do, but there's a lot in there. 00:08:39.019 --> 00:08:41.560 So I'm going to basically look at it from two angles. 00:08:41.560 --> 00:08:42.940 Today, we're going to look at Jesus. 00:08:42.940 --> 00:08:48.120 Next time, we're going to look at the Jews, the Jewish leaders, 00:08:48.720 --> 00:08:53.140 because all these chapters are a big confrontation between those two. 00:08:54.220 --> 00:08:55.820 So, yeah, that's just so you know. 00:08:55.920 --> 00:08:57.940 It means that we need to flick around a bit, right? 00:08:57.980 --> 00:09:01.200 We're going to, you know, 8 verse 12, and then 7 verse 28, 00:09:01.340 --> 00:09:02.460 and those kind of things. 00:09:02.520 --> 00:09:04.120 So I hope you've got a Bible in front of you. 00:09:05.320 --> 00:09:09.160 But we're going to, yeah, look at it, basically look at Jesus. 00:09:09.159 --> 00:09:14.039 And I think for this chapter, we need a bit of context. 00:09:15.179 --> 00:09:18.860 John wrote primarily to, I guess, people from a Jewish background, 00:09:19.360 --> 00:09:21.799 or, you know, people who knew a lot about it, 00:09:21.799 --> 00:09:26.279 because he assumes a lot of, you know, Jewish background that maybe we don't have. 00:09:26.500 --> 00:09:29.980 And so when does this take place, these two chapters? 00:09:30.659 --> 00:09:34.519 Well, the context is the Feast of Booths. 00:09:35.079 --> 00:09:37.000 And that's what it says in 7 verse 2. 00:09:37.000 --> 00:09:39.500 Now the Feast of Booths was at hand. 00:09:39.840 --> 00:09:44.320 Booths, the Feast of Tabernacles is what is sometimes called the Feast of Tents. 00:09:45.299 --> 00:09:45.519 Right? 00:09:45.559 --> 00:09:47.980 Because Jesus has some famous sayings, right? 00:09:48.039 --> 00:09:51.500 I am the light of the world, rivers of living water. 00:09:51.759 --> 00:09:55.659 We put them on a calendar on our wall, but actually they come in a certain context. 00:09:56.320 --> 00:09:56.480 Right? 00:09:56.659 --> 00:09:59.100 What is the, why a Feast of Tents? 00:09:59.179 --> 00:10:03.860 It's one of the three big festivals of the Jews where they all had to come to Jerusalem. 00:10:03.860 --> 00:10:09.620 And they had to build tents and kind of live in them for a week to remember something. 00:10:09.879 --> 00:10:12.220 And apparently this is a photo of something modern. 00:10:12.399 --> 00:10:15.879 People still building kind of huts to live in for this festival. 00:10:16.060 --> 00:10:16.820 People still do that. 00:10:18.300 --> 00:10:18.740 Why? 00:10:19.220 --> 00:10:23.139 Well, the past few weeks we've been talking about the Exodus, 00:10:23.360 --> 00:10:25.419 the great rescue in the Old Testament, 00:10:25.419 --> 00:10:30.279 when God brought his people out of Egypt and they had to go through the desert. 00:10:30.279 --> 00:10:31.120 How could they live? 00:10:31.179 --> 00:10:32.000 Well, they lived in tents. 00:10:32.620 --> 00:10:35.799 And so in this festival, they remembered how God rescued them. 00:10:35.959 --> 00:10:39.220 And they all lived in tents to just remember, oh yeah, God was so good. 00:10:39.319 --> 00:10:41.159 He got us through the desert, right? 00:10:41.179 --> 00:10:42.339 He got us to the promised land. 00:10:42.899 --> 00:10:45.100 So yeah, that's why we have these tents. 00:10:47.019 --> 00:10:48.220 They remember the journey. 00:10:48.740 --> 00:10:54.439 They didn't just, so yeah, there were hundreds of thousands of Israelites all together in Jerusalem. 00:10:54.440 --> 00:10:57.000 They didn't just remember the tents. 00:10:57.420 --> 00:10:59.360 They remembered God's provision of them. 00:10:59.980 --> 00:11:03.220 And two big things were water and light. 00:11:04.540 --> 00:11:08.560 Water because God provided water for them from the rock, right? 00:11:08.600 --> 00:11:10.020 If you're in the desert, you need water. 00:11:11.160 --> 00:11:12.620 You know, there was no water. 00:11:13.100 --> 00:11:18.060 But God miraculously out of a rock provided like enough water for 2 million people. 00:11:18.160 --> 00:11:18.900 That's amazing, right? 00:11:19.200 --> 00:11:20.620 God's provision of water. 00:11:20.620 --> 00:11:29.799 And of course, the light, like on the next slide, there was this pillar of fire that guided them, right? 00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:30.419 You're in the desert. 00:11:30.539 --> 00:11:31.560 You don't know where to go. 00:11:31.919 --> 00:11:35.320 But God was with them in this kind of this pillar of fire. 00:11:35.399 --> 00:11:38.720 So they just had to follow, you know, follow the clouds, follow the lights. 00:11:38.779 --> 00:11:40.379 And they would get to the promised land. 00:11:41.200 --> 00:11:44.200 God's amazing provision for them, right? 00:11:44.680 --> 00:11:46.379 And they would celebrate that. 00:11:46.379 --> 00:11:57.600 So apparently, you know, in the temple, they would have these, they would erect four like huge lights, like big lamps that would burn all night to remember the lights. 00:11:58.080 --> 00:12:02.840 On the last day, they would have a huge vat of water from the pool of Siloam. 00:12:03.100 --> 00:12:08.259 And they would kind of carry that through the city and pour water from it, right? 00:12:08.279 --> 00:12:09.840 To remember the water. 00:12:09.840 --> 00:12:13.200 Well, imagine that festival. 00:12:14.019 --> 00:12:16.920 And now see what Jesus is doing, right? 00:12:17.019 --> 00:12:19.280 Because 7 verse 37. 00:12:20.620 --> 00:12:29.220 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, if anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 00:12:29.680 --> 00:12:35.440 Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. 00:12:36.400 --> 00:12:36.660 Right? 00:12:36.879 --> 00:12:38.379 That's why he's talking about water. 00:12:38.379 --> 00:12:39.220 Come to me. 00:12:39.340 --> 00:12:40.600 I can give you living water. 00:12:40.960 --> 00:12:42.620 And then he goes up to the temple. 00:12:42.939 --> 00:12:43.960 8 verse 12. 00:12:44.720 --> 00:12:45.100 Right? 00:12:45.379 --> 00:12:47.340 I am the light of the world. 00:12:47.720 --> 00:12:51.240 Whoever believes in me will not walk in darkness, but have eternal life. 00:12:51.539 --> 00:12:51.639 Right? 00:12:51.659 --> 00:12:54.059 Suddenly, these statements come alive. 00:12:54.460 --> 00:12:56.559 He's talking to these people who are celebrating. 00:12:56.700 --> 00:12:59.139 They're remembering God's water, God's light. 00:12:59.220 --> 00:13:01.100 And he says, well, that's me, right? 00:13:01.120 --> 00:13:01.919 I am the light. 00:13:02.059 --> 00:13:03.340 And I can give you water. 00:13:04.360 --> 00:13:05.000 I don't know. 00:13:05.620 --> 00:13:06.620 Jesus is pretty. 00:13:06.620 --> 00:13:08.940 I don't know how this feels to you. 00:13:09.679 --> 00:13:11.340 Jesus is a pretty controversial guy. 00:13:11.440 --> 00:13:11.580 Right? 00:13:11.659 --> 00:13:14.919 Standing up at these festivals and kind of, hey, it's all about me. 00:13:15.539 --> 00:13:17.560 I guess we don't see this festival anymore. 00:13:17.759 --> 00:13:18.759 I mean, I don't know. 00:13:18.799 --> 00:13:19.820 How could you compare it? 00:13:19.820 --> 00:13:22.060 Imagine our Muslim friends. 00:13:22.180 --> 00:13:22.960 They have this pilgrimage. 00:13:23.700 --> 00:13:23.860 Right? 00:13:23.940 --> 00:13:27.240 They go to Mecca. 00:13:27.600 --> 00:13:28.660 There's this big stone. 00:13:28.860 --> 00:13:31.500 And all of them go around the stone and those kind of things. 00:13:31.620 --> 00:13:34.320 And then someone stands up and says, hey, come to me. 00:13:34.420 --> 00:13:35.379 You know, that's just a rock. 00:13:35.480 --> 00:13:36.540 But I'm from Allah. 00:13:36.680 --> 00:13:38.300 And I can give you his blessing. 00:13:38.440 --> 00:13:39.040 Come to me. 00:13:39.180 --> 00:13:41.120 You know, how would that come across? 00:13:42.000 --> 00:13:43.260 Jesus is, wow. 00:13:44.039 --> 00:13:44.220 Right? 00:13:44.319 --> 00:13:47.759 He, I mean, he does it to be a good communicator. 00:13:48.539 --> 00:13:49.980 But he's pretty full of himself. 00:13:50.139 --> 00:13:51.500 I don't know if you noticed that. 00:13:51.580 --> 00:13:51.720 Right? 00:13:52.019 --> 00:13:54.200 He has a pretty high view of himself. 00:13:54.200 --> 00:13:59.720 If you kind of stand up and say, hey, all of what you're doing, I'm the true thing. 00:14:00.500 --> 00:14:01.539 But that's what he's saying. 00:14:01.600 --> 00:14:01.799 Right? 00:14:02.200 --> 00:14:03.059 What is he saying? 00:14:03.159 --> 00:14:04.559 I'm the true rescuer. 00:14:04.559 --> 00:14:05.860 You're a rescuer. 00:14:06.559 --> 00:14:07.100 I am. 00:14:07.539 --> 00:14:08.460 I'm from God. 00:14:08.600 --> 00:14:09.200 I'm the true. 00:14:09.799 --> 00:14:10.939 Last week, the bread. 00:14:11.200 --> 00:14:12.240 That was not the real bread. 00:14:12.240 --> 00:14:13.480 I'm the bread of life. 00:14:14.180 --> 00:14:14.340 Right? 00:14:14.460 --> 00:14:15.899 I can give you living water. 00:14:16.379 --> 00:14:18.500 I am, you know, the light. 00:14:19.240 --> 00:14:20.879 Later, I am the good shepherd. 00:14:21.440 --> 00:14:21.700 Right? 00:14:22.000 --> 00:14:24.159 We have these famous sayings of Jesus. 00:14:24.320 --> 00:14:26.620 But all of them are the same. 00:14:26.680 --> 00:14:26.759 Right? 00:14:26.779 --> 00:14:29.419 All of them is, you know, what you've been waiting for. 00:14:29.620 --> 00:14:31.139 That thing from the Old Testament. 00:14:31.259 --> 00:14:32.039 It's all me. 00:14:32.419 --> 00:14:32.560 Right? 00:14:32.560 --> 00:14:33.500 I'm the fulfillment. 00:14:33.500 --> 00:14:35.500 I'm the true rescuer. 00:14:35.720 --> 00:14:37.220 That is what we see. 00:14:37.419 --> 00:14:37.480 Right? 00:14:38.419 --> 00:14:41.620 And then suddenly, these things, I hope that makes it come alive. 00:14:41.620 --> 00:14:42.879 This is what Jesus is saying. 00:14:44.080 --> 00:14:45.220 And these people knew. 00:14:46.799 --> 00:14:49.080 And so you'd say, I guess you'd expect a big response. 00:14:49.919 --> 00:14:52.440 But at the same time, they help us understand it. 00:14:52.500 --> 00:14:52.600 Right? 00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:55.179 Well, what does Jesus mean when he talks about water and light? 00:14:55.759 --> 00:14:57.639 Well, look at that context. 00:14:57.740 --> 00:14:57.899 Right? 00:14:58.519 --> 00:15:00.259 We're not going to talk much about the water. 00:15:00.440 --> 00:15:03.080 Because actually, John did that in chapter 4. 00:15:03.419 --> 00:15:05.620 But let's explore this idea of light. 00:15:05.700 --> 00:15:07.080 What does Jesus mean with light? 00:15:08.080 --> 00:15:11.100 Well, I think it means this. 00:15:11.220 --> 00:15:15.020 That Jesus is the truth that brings us to eternal life. 00:15:15.900 --> 00:15:18.460 Jesus is the truth that brings us to eternal life. 00:15:18.820 --> 00:15:19.200 Right? 00:15:19.280 --> 00:15:21.620 Because what is the idea of light? 00:15:21.720 --> 00:15:23.220 Well, go back to the Exodus. 00:15:23.440 --> 00:15:23.560 Right? 00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:29.320 Go back to that cloud of, you know, that pillar of fire going through the desert. 00:15:30.120 --> 00:15:30.840 You're in the desert. 00:15:31.020 --> 00:15:32.040 You need to know the way. 00:15:32.140 --> 00:15:33.600 You need to get to the promised land. 00:15:33.660 --> 00:15:34.520 How do you do that? 00:15:34.519 --> 00:15:36.759 Well, you get to the fire. 00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:38.240 And you stay with the fire. 00:15:38.379 --> 00:15:38.500 Right? 00:15:38.559 --> 00:15:39.539 You stay with the light. 00:15:39.860 --> 00:15:41.460 And you follow the light. 00:15:41.539 --> 00:15:42.519 And that's how you get there. 00:15:42.679 --> 00:15:42.819 Right? 00:15:42.860 --> 00:15:46.100 That's why he says, if anyone, well, 8 verse 12. 00:15:46.600 --> 00:15:49.059 Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness. 00:15:49.439 --> 00:15:51.259 But will have the light of life. 00:15:52.600 --> 00:15:52.799 Right? 00:15:52.960 --> 00:15:54.799 God is there to show you the way. 00:15:54.960 --> 00:15:56.240 So you follow him. 00:15:56.600 --> 00:15:56.740 Right? 00:15:57.159 --> 00:15:57.980 That's the idea. 00:15:59.399 --> 00:16:00.600 God's presence is what you need. 00:16:00.679 --> 00:16:02.340 I mean, light is a wonderful thing. 00:16:02.340 --> 00:16:03.440 I mean, darkness. 00:16:03.620 --> 00:16:07.340 Darkness is about ignorance and evil and death and sin. 00:16:08.060 --> 00:16:09.920 Light is, well, God is light. 00:16:10.040 --> 00:16:10.180 Right? 00:16:10.460 --> 00:16:15.940 It's purity and life and beauty and truth and all those things. 00:16:16.519 --> 00:16:19.300 And in these chapters particularly, yeah, truth is often emphasized. 00:16:19.580 --> 00:16:19.740 Right? 00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:20.740 That's why he's the light. 00:16:21.580 --> 00:16:25.540 Like later in 8, didn't read it, 8 verse 32. 00:16:25.899 --> 00:16:26.080 Right? 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:29.100 If you're abide in my word, you're truly my disciples. 00:16:29.600 --> 00:16:31.060 And you will know the truth. 00:16:31.300 --> 00:16:32.460 And the truth will set you free. 00:16:33.720 --> 00:16:37.160 And the thing here is that eternal life is not just a one-off thing. 00:16:37.740 --> 00:16:38.940 We often think of that, right? 00:16:39.320 --> 00:16:40.639 You know, you believe in Jesus. 00:16:40.840 --> 00:16:41.060 Boom. 00:16:41.200 --> 00:16:42.160 You have eternal life. 00:16:42.860 --> 00:16:43.940 In some ways that's true. 00:16:43.980 --> 00:16:44.139 Right? 00:16:44.180 --> 00:16:45.420 Because Jesus has done everything. 00:16:45.560 --> 00:16:48.660 But in another way, you need to follow the light. 00:16:48.800 --> 00:16:49.700 You're not there yet. 00:16:49.820 --> 00:16:50.379 You need to. 00:16:50.580 --> 00:16:50.820 Okay. 00:16:50.820 --> 00:16:52.400 You're with the fire, with the light. 00:16:52.480 --> 00:16:53.879 But you now need to follow the light. 00:16:53.980 --> 00:16:56.200 And you need to follow it all the way to the promised land. 00:16:56.860 --> 00:16:57.940 And you shouldn't wander off. 00:16:58.080 --> 00:16:58.200 Right? 00:16:58.640 --> 00:16:59.480 That's the idea. 00:16:59.960 --> 00:17:00.680 You need to. 00:17:00.760 --> 00:17:01.960 You have this relationship now. 00:17:02.020 --> 00:17:03.720 But you need to get there. 00:17:03.800 --> 00:17:05.220 Because it's eternal life. 00:17:05.279 --> 00:17:06.580 It's for after you die. 00:17:07.240 --> 00:17:08.120 That's the idea. 00:17:09.120 --> 00:17:09.320 Right? 00:17:09.400 --> 00:17:10.880 Because, yeah, you're not. 00:17:12.100 --> 00:17:15.519 I hope that's not a surprise to any of us that we're going to die one day. 00:17:16.360 --> 00:17:18.980 Well, until then, yeah, you need to keep going. 00:17:18.980 --> 00:17:23.099 And, okay, what will happen? 00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:24.200 Right? 00:17:24.339 --> 00:17:28.500 Jesus, yeah, he says, you need me. 00:17:29.120 --> 00:17:30.740 I am the light. 00:17:30.799 --> 00:17:32.200 I'm the light that gets you there. 00:17:33.640 --> 00:17:38.019 Because, I mean, do we really know what happens after death if it wasn't for Jesus? 00:17:39.299 --> 00:17:39.500 Right? 00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:41.579 Many people are confused. 00:17:41.720 --> 00:17:42.539 What happens? 00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:43.779 Will we rot? 00:17:43.960 --> 00:17:44.759 Will we stop existing? 00:17:45.360 --> 00:17:46.559 Is there a kind of life? 00:17:47.140 --> 00:17:48.140 How do you get that life? 00:17:48.140 --> 00:17:49.380 What do you need to do for it? 00:17:50.259 --> 00:17:52.020 All these questions are what people are asking. 00:17:52.120 --> 00:17:52.259 Right? 00:17:52.320 --> 00:17:53.640 It's important for us. 00:17:53.740 --> 00:17:55.460 It's important for everyone in the world. 00:17:56.940 --> 00:17:58.880 Well, we don't know by ourselves. 00:17:59.180 --> 00:18:00.080 We don't know the future. 00:18:00.200 --> 00:18:01.540 We are really in the dark. 00:18:02.400 --> 00:18:03.940 We need someone to tell us. 00:18:04.020 --> 00:18:05.660 We need someone to guide us. 00:18:06.640 --> 00:18:08.500 And Jesus says, well, that's me. 00:18:09.180 --> 00:18:09.580 Right? 00:18:09.820 --> 00:18:10.920 I can tell you that. 00:18:10.980 --> 00:18:11.200 Why? 00:18:11.200 --> 00:18:13.319 Well, because I'm from there. 00:18:13.880 --> 00:18:14.240 Right? 00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:18.620 There's all these verses about how, yeah, where he is and where he's from. 00:18:18.840 --> 00:18:18.920 Right? 00:18:19.799 --> 00:18:22.059 7 verse 28, for example. 00:18:22.259 --> 00:18:22.440 Right? 00:18:23.100 --> 00:18:23.980 What does he say? 00:18:24.360 --> 00:18:25.779 He who sent me is true. 00:18:26.120 --> 00:18:27.400 And him you do not know. 00:18:27.500 --> 00:18:28.299 But I know him. 00:18:28.600 --> 00:18:29.539 For I come from him. 00:18:29.559 --> 00:18:30.259 And he sends me. 00:18:30.319 --> 00:18:30.480 Right? 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:31.700 I know God. 00:18:31.799 --> 00:18:32.559 I come from him. 00:18:32.700 --> 00:18:34.840 And so my teaching is true. 00:18:35.380 --> 00:18:35.460 Right? 00:18:36.299 --> 00:18:37.420 8 verse 23. 00:18:37.640 --> 00:18:38.539 You are from below. 00:18:38.819 --> 00:18:39.740 I'm from above. 00:18:39.880 --> 00:18:40.600 You're of this world. 00:18:40.680 --> 00:18:41.380 I'm not of this world. 00:18:41.480 --> 00:18:41.620 Right? 00:18:41.620 --> 00:18:42.380 I'm from above. 00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:43.299 I can tell you. 00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:44.160 Right? 00:18:44.779 --> 00:18:45.880 The father sent me. 00:18:46.039 --> 00:18:48.519 Therefore, you know, he is from there. 00:18:48.579 --> 00:18:50.500 So he can get you there. 00:18:50.559 --> 00:18:51.259 He can tell you. 00:18:51.340 --> 00:18:51.480 Right? 00:18:51.500 --> 00:18:54.940 If you want to, imagine you want to go on holiday to South Africa. 00:18:55.380 --> 00:18:56.340 Who should you ask? 00:18:56.460 --> 00:18:57.120 Don't ask me. 00:18:57.620 --> 00:18:58.180 Ask Kevin. 00:18:58.519 --> 00:18:58.740 Right? 00:18:58.740 --> 00:18:59.140 Why? 00:18:59.319 --> 00:19:00.160 He is from there. 00:19:01.559 --> 00:19:01.700 Right? 00:19:02.740 --> 00:19:03.140 Yeah. 00:19:03.340 --> 00:19:04.160 He'll take you there. 00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:05.320 That's the thing. 00:19:05.380 --> 00:19:05.519 Right? 00:19:05.560 --> 00:19:07.160 Who can tell you the truth about God? 00:19:07.240 --> 00:19:08.420 Who can tell you about heaven? 00:19:08.519 --> 00:19:09.200 About eternity? 00:19:10.720 --> 00:19:12.779 Well, Jesus says, I can do that. 00:19:13.620 --> 00:19:13.820 Right? 00:19:14.259 --> 00:19:15.820 He, well, he can tell you the truth. 00:19:15.900 --> 00:19:16.519 More than that. 00:19:16.840 --> 00:19:18.220 He is the truth. 00:19:19.140 --> 00:19:19.380 Right? 00:19:19.420 --> 00:19:22.940 If you want to know about God, actually, he was here. 00:19:23.080 --> 00:19:24.800 He walked around in a human body. 00:19:25.259 --> 00:19:27.420 And you could see his character, his love. 00:19:27.420 --> 00:19:29.840 You could see him dying on the cross. 00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:32.900 I mean, he doesn't just tell you, go over there. 00:19:32.900 --> 00:19:36.160 No, he, he did everything to get you there. 00:19:36.200 --> 00:19:40.400 And he came down to be with us, to die for us, to then take us and take us home. 00:19:40.960 --> 00:19:42.100 If we stay with him. 00:19:42.380 --> 00:19:44.759 So he is the truth that brings us to eternal life. 00:19:45.140 --> 00:19:46.820 And he puts it very starkly. 00:19:46.860 --> 00:19:47.160 Right? 00:19:47.580 --> 00:19:49.019 Eight verse 24. 00:19:49.800 --> 00:19:50.040 Right? 00:19:50.120 --> 00:19:53.920 Unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins. 00:19:54.300 --> 00:19:56.900 You will die because of our, your wrongdoing. 00:19:57.420 --> 00:19:58.500 Because of your sin. 00:19:58.500 --> 00:20:00.240 It's so stark. 00:20:01.299 --> 00:20:03.980 And so, yeah, we need that just like last week. 00:20:05.299 --> 00:20:06.619 Now, how do we apply that? 00:20:06.680 --> 00:20:07.299 What does that mean? 00:20:07.380 --> 00:20:07.559 Okay. 00:20:07.599 --> 00:20:08.519 We believe this. 00:20:08.779 --> 00:20:10.660 What does Jesus want us to do? 00:20:11.559 --> 00:20:13.359 Remember, it's not just a one-off. 00:20:13.440 --> 00:20:19.039 It's a, it's a following thing, which I think means, well, we need to hold on to Jesus' words. 00:20:19.039 --> 00:20:22.299 We need to hold on to Jesus' words. 00:20:22.940 --> 00:20:25.480 Because that is what Jesus keeps on telling people to do. 00:20:25.599 --> 00:20:25.720 Right? 00:20:26.420 --> 00:20:28.500 Look at, you know, eight verse 31. 00:20:29.079 --> 00:20:32.460 If you abide in my words, you are truly my disciples. 00:20:32.920 --> 00:20:33.159 Right? 00:20:33.200 --> 00:20:35.879 If you remain in my words, if you, if you keep it. 00:20:36.940 --> 00:20:38.039 Verse 47. 00:20:38.240 --> 00:20:43.440 Whoever, whoever hears the words, you know, whoever is from God, hears the words of God. 00:20:43.440 --> 00:20:47.700 And not just hears once, but keeps on hearing, keeps on listening to the words of God. 00:20:48.620 --> 00:20:49.820 Eight verse 51. 00:20:50.539 --> 00:20:51.240 What does he say? 00:20:51.580 --> 00:20:54.799 If anyone keeps my words, he will never taste death. 00:20:54.880 --> 00:20:55.680 You get the point, right? 00:20:56.059 --> 00:20:57.160 Abide in my words. 00:20:57.279 --> 00:20:58.220 Keep my words. 00:20:58.600 --> 00:20:59.700 Hold on to my words. 00:21:00.980 --> 00:21:02.820 You see it in a negative example. 00:21:03.039 --> 00:21:06.620 So, again, we're not looking much at all the negative responses. 00:21:06.619 --> 00:21:13.199 But if you've read these chapters before, you know that, well, the Jewish people aren't listening to him. 00:21:13.259 --> 00:21:13.419 Right? 00:21:13.879 --> 00:21:16.359 He says something and they say, oh, you've got a demon. 00:21:17.099 --> 00:21:17.939 You're a Samaritan. 00:21:18.479 --> 00:21:18.699 Right? 00:21:18.799 --> 00:21:20.039 What you say isn't true. 00:21:20.279 --> 00:21:22.319 Or they want to pick up stones and kill him. 00:21:22.399 --> 00:21:23.219 But why? 00:21:23.359 --> 00:21:23.579 Why? 00:21:24.259 --> 00:21:25.919 It's all about, again, his words. 00:21:26.639 --> 00:21:26.859 Right? 00:21:26.899 --> 00:21:28.099 Did you hear it in the reading? 00:21:28.219 --> 00:21:29.039 Seven verse seven. 00:21:29.799 --> 00:21:35.939 The world can't hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its words are evil. 00:21:35.940 --> 00:21:37.720 They don't like his words. 00:21:38.860 --> 00:21:43.980 What does he say in 8 verse 37? 00:21:45.620 --> 00:21:46.460 What does he say? 00:21:46.580 --> 00:21:49.799 You seek to kill me because my words find no place in you. 00:21:50.980 --> 00:21:53.100 And then a few verses later, verse 43. 00:21:53.920 --> 00:21:55.720 Why do you not understand what I say? 00:21:55.799 --> 00:21:58.240 It's because you cannot bear to hear my words. 00:21:59.500 --> 00:21:59.779 Right? 00:21:59.940 --> 00:22:02.380 All through these chapters, Jesus' words. 00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:03.600 We need to hold on to it. 00:22:04.320 --> 00:22:05.519 We need to accept it. 00:22:05.519 --> 00:22:06.240 Hold on to it. 00:22:06.319 --> 00:22:06.799 Keep it. 00:22:07.500 --> 00:22:08.859 And not reject it. 00:22:09.000 --> 00:22:09.139 Right? 00:22:09.259 --> 00:22:10.379 That's the application. 00:22:10.599 --> 00:22:13.740 You know, if you believe Jesus, okay, he is God's true rescuer. 00:22:13.879 --> 00:22:16.279 He's the truth that brings us to eternal life. 00:22:16.379 --> 00:22:17.759 Well, we need to hold on to his words. 00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:19.279 Hold on to what he says. 00:22:19.480 --> 00:22:21.619 It's pretty, yeah, it's pretty straightforward. 00:22:21.799 --> 00:22:21.960 Right? 00:22:22.019 --> 00:22:23.440 Especially if we don't like them, maybe. 00:22:23.779 --> 00:22:25.180 We need to keep believing them. 00:22:25.299 --> 00:22:26.500 Don't walk away from them. 00:22:26.639 --> 00:22:27.900 Don't change them. 00:22:27.900 --> 00:22:30.660 And what kind of words? 00:22:31.220 --> 00:22:34.180 Well, I guess what he means is the gospel. 00:22:35.120 --> 00:22:36.800 I mean, Jesus said lots of things. 00:22:36.920 --> 00:22:39.340 And it's easy to think, oh, yeah, things like love your neighbor. 00:22:40.460 --> 00:22:42.340 That's not really what Jesus focuses on. 00:22:42.420 --> 00:22:42.560 Right? 00:22:43.259 --> 00:22:44.859 He doesn't go and stand in the temple. 00:22:45.200 --> 00:22:45.940 Love your neighbor. 00:22:46.819 --> 00:22:47.599 Don't judge. 00:22:47.839 --> 00:22:49.440 Or you will be judged. 00:22:49.500 --> 00:22:49.599 Right? 00:22:49.619 --> 00:22:50.879 He doesn't say those things here. 00:22:51.119 --> 00:22:52.319 I mean, he says this in other things. 00:22:52.399 --> 00:22:52.559 Okay? 00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:53.759 This is how you live as a Christian. 00:22:53.759 --> 00:22:55.019 And those kind of things. 00:22:55.139 --> 00:22:58.059 But what he's saying here, it's not those things. 00:22:58.240 --> 00:23:00.700 I mean, because those things don't save you. 00:23:00.779 --> 00:23:00.879 Right? 00:23:01.920 --> 00:23:04.519 Jesus, it's so clear from these chapters. 00:23:04.660 --> 00:23:04.819 Right? 00:23:05.259 --> 00:23:07.379 Jesus is not just a moral teacher. 00:23:08.319 --> 00:23:12.379 Still, many people think, okay, Jesus, he was this nice moral teacher. 00:23:13.019 --> 00:23:16.720 But I hope when you see him in a temple talking, I'm from God. 00:23:16.879 --> 00:23:18.480 Believe in me or you will die. 00:23:19.200 --> 00:23:20.940 That is not a nice moral teacher. 00:23:21.559 --> 00:23:22.420 As C.S. Lewis said. 00:23:22.539 --> 00:23:22.599 Right? 00:23:22.639 --> 00:23:24.839 This guy is either crazy or he's a fraud. 00:23:25.420 --> 00:23:26.660 Or he's telling the truth. 00:23:26.700 --> 00:23:28.759 But he's not just a nice teacher. 00:23:29.660 --> 00:23:31.480 But, no, it's not about those things. 00:23:31.559 --> 00:23:32.400 Well, what is he saying? 00:23:32.400 --> 00:23:33.960 Well, he's saying the gospel. 00:23:34.079 --> 00:23:34.220 Right? 00:23:34.279 --> 00:23:36.079 He's talking about how wretched we are. 00:23:36.920 --> 00:23:38.500 You will die in your sins. 00:23:39.660 --> 00:23:41.079 8 verse 33. 00:23:43.779 --> 00:23:47.299 Whoever practices sin is a slave to sin. 00:23:47.920 --> 00:23:49.500 We are enslaved to sin. 00:23:49.619 --> 00:23:51.319 And slaves can't make themselves free. 00:23:51.920 --> 00:23:52.139 Right? 00:23:52.240 --> 00:23:54.599 You are not from God. 00:23:55.019 --> 00:23:57.460 Next week he's going to say they're children of the devil. 00:23:57.960 --> 00:24:00.059 I mean, it's pretty wretched. 00:24:00.660 --> 00:24:02.460 And he talks about how great he is. 00:24:02.519 --> 00:24:02.639 Right? 00:24:02.680 --> 00:24:03.779 How he is from God. 00:24:03.879 --> 00:24:06.900 And, you know, if you keep my words, you can have eternal life. 00:24:07.639 --> 00:24:08.599 Who dare say that? 00:24:08.759 --> 00:24:13.000 I mean, he is really, well, this is what he says of himself. 00:24:13.200 --> 00:24:13.339 Right? 00:24:13.339 --> 00:24:15.639 Later he calls himself I am. 00:24:15.779 --> 00:24:16.819 I'm the God. 00:24:16.939 --> 00:24:18.099 I'm the Old Testament God. 00:24:19.039 --> 00:24:20.299 You need to believe in me. 00:24:20.879 --> 00:24:21.559 But it's the gospel. 00:24:21.679 --> 00:24:21.839 Right? 00:24:21.879 --> 00:24:24.220 How we are sinners and we can't save ourselves. 00:24:25.179 --> 00:24:28.119 And, well, and he is great and he can save us. 00:24:28.279 --> 00:24:29.159 So we need him. 00:24:29.220 --> 00:24:29.980 That's the gospel. 00:24:30.779 --> 00:24:30.980 Right? 00:24:31.039 --> 00:24:32.399 Loving your neighbor is good. 00:24:32.399 --> 00:24:34.119 But it doesn't save you. 00:24:34.679 --> 00:24:36.619 Because we can't love our neighbor enough. 00:24:36.799 --> 00:24:36.919 Right? 00:24:36.979 --> 00:24:37.699 It's a good thing. 00:24:38.059 --> 00:24:40.279 If you're a slave, you need someone to free you. 00:24:41.119 --> 00:24:41.299 Right? 00:24:41.359 --> 00:24:45.119 If you're lost, you need someone to find you. 00:24:45.879 --> 00:24:47.299 And it's the hopelessness. 00:24:47.379 --> 00:24:47.979 It's the gospel. 00:24:48.259 --> 00:24:49.879 So that's what we need to do. 00:24:49.979 --> 00:24:52.359 To accept the gospel and to hold on to it. 00:24:52.699 --> 00:24:55.859 To not move away from the good news of Jesus. 00:24:56.539 --> 00:24:57.359 All these truths. 00:24:57.579 --> 00:24:59.500 Because it's the gospel that saves you. 00:25:00.119 --> 00:25:00.299 Right? 00:25:00.379 --> 00:25:03.379 The gospel is what gets us to Jesus. 00:25:03.579 --> 00:25:05.099 And Jesus is the one who saves us. 00:25:05.139 --> 00:25:06.279 So, yeah, that's why we need the gospel. 00:25:07.079 --> 00:25:08.319 I hope that makes sense. 00:25:08.399 --> 00:25:10.519 It's something we say often here as a church. 00:25:10.599 --> 00:25:10.740 Right? 00:25:10.959 --> 00:25:12.439 One of our values is the gospel. 00:25:12.679 --> 00:25:13.659 We are renewed by the gospel. 00:25:14.599 --> 00:25:14.859 Yeah. 00:25:15.439 --> 00:25:17.219 That's because that's what Jesus says. 00:25:18.299 --> 00:25:20.159 Now, let's talk a bit about that. 00:25:20.159 --> 00:25:22.119 What kind of implications would that have? 00:25:22.939 --> 00:25:25.899 First of all, maybe let's think about for those who don't yet believe. 00:25:25.900 --> 00:25:29.820 Let's think about, well, for being saved. 00:25:30.780 --> 00:25:31.040 Right? 00:25:31.080 --> 00:25:33.620 I guess how I started our message as a church. 00:25:33.720 --> 00:25:34.980 Should we change our message? 00:25:36.259 --> 00:25:36.460 Right? 00:25:36.500 --> 00:25:37.340 Maybe that's attractive. 00:25:37.660 --> 00:25:38.519 Max is more popular. 00:25:40.220 --> 00:25:42.640 But I hope you see that it's not really the good thing. 00:25:42.720 --> 00:25:42.840 Right? 00:25:43.440 --> 00:25:46.540 Would people be saved if we stopped talking about Jesus? 00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:49.120 People won't be offended. 00:25:49.240 --> 00:25:50.400 But they also won't be saved. 00:25:50.500 --> 00:25:50.620 Right? 00:25:50.980 --> 00:25:52.060 We can't do that. 00:25:52.340 --> 00:25:52.759 We have. 00:25:53.280 --> 00:25:54.560 People need to hear about Jesus. 00:25:54.559 --> 00:25:59.099 Again, if you're here and you're visiting, you would call yourself a Christian. 00:25:59.279 --> 00:25:59.359 Yeah. 00:25:59.359 --> 00:26:03.519 We keep going on about Jesus because that's what we need to hear. 00:26:03.579 --> 00:26:04.619 And it's a tough message. 00:26:04.619 --> 00:26:04.879 Right? 00:26:04.919 --> 00:26:07.159 How we're slaves to wrongdoing. 00:26:07.379 --> 00:26:09.200 And, you know, we're going to die. 00:26:09.279 --> 00:26:10.859 And only Jesus can help you. 00:26:10.940 --> 00:26:11.819 I know it's offensive. 00:26:12.359 --> 00:26:13.720 But it's what you need. 00:26:13.799 --> 00:26:15.799 And Jesus says it because he loves you. 00:26:16.220 --> 00:26:18.339 And we say it because we love you. 00:26:18.819 --> 00:26:19.039 Right? 00:26:19.119 --> 00:26:20.899 Warning someone is loving. 00:26:21.859 --> 00:26:23.019 I hope we see that. 00:26:23.019 --> 00:26:24.720 I hope you feel a warning someone is loving. 00:26:25.900 --> 00:26:29.200 I mean, a silly typhoon illustration. 00:26:29.839 --> 00:26:29.960 Right? 00:26:30.000 --> 00:26:31.779 Imagine we have lunch on Friday. 00:26:32.420 --> 00:26:34.420 And you ask me, okay, what are you going to do this weekend? 00:26:34.799 --> 00:26:36.079 I'm going to go windsurfing. 00:26:36.879 --> 00:26:38.160 This is not me, by the way. 00:26:38.579 --> 00:26:39.139 This is... 00:26:39.139 --> 00:26:40.259 Right? 00:26:40.339 --> 00:26:40.819 But, yeah. 00:26:40.819 --> 00:26:42.319 I'm going to go all the way around. 00:26:42.419 --> 00:26:47.179 I'm going to start in the wetland park around all the islands, all the way to Wongsek Pier. 00:26:47.279 --> 00:26:47.439 Right? 00:26:47.500 --> 00:26:48.599 That's what I'm going to do. 00:26:49.899 --> 00:26:51.619 And you've seen the weather forecast. 00:26:51.779 --> 00:26:53.179 And you know there's a typhoon coming. 00:26:54.139 --> 00:26:55.139 Are you going to warn me? 00:26:55.140 --> 00:26:59.960 I think the loving thing we need to say, well, you'd better counsel that and stay inside. 00:27:00.060 --> 00:27:00.920 There's a typhoon coming. 00:27:01.020 --> 00:27:01.140 Right? 00:27:01.380 --> 00:27:02.600 That would be a loving thing. 00:27:03.600 --> 00:27:04.820 And I think you... 00:27:04.820 --> 00:27:07.800 I hope you wouldn't say that, well, I don't want to be patronizing. 00:27:08.259 --> 00:27:08.560 You know? 00:27:08.840 --> 00:27:10.080 I don't want to ruin his day. 00:27:10.079 --> 00:27:12.500 So let me just keep quiet. 00:27:13.839 --> 00:27:14.279 No. 00:27:14.500 --> 00:27:15.500 Warnings are loving. 00:27:16.319 --> 00:27:18.599 And Jesus puts it very starkly. 00:27:18.699 --> 00:27:25.019 If you don't believe in me, you will die under judgment for your sin, for your wrongdoing. 00:27:25.619 --> 00:27:27.339 It's a loving warning. 00:27:27.699 --> 00:27:29.240 I hope you see that. 00:27:29.480 --> 00:27:32.039 So, yes, as a church, we shouldn't change this message. 00:27:32.119 --> 00:27:32.279 Right? 00:27:32.299 --> 00:27:33.419 We need to hold on to it. 00:27:33.899 --> 00:27:35.599 And in some places, that's really difficult. 00:27:36.220 --> 00:27:38.799 Here in Hong Kong, we're pretty free to say what we want. 00:27:38.799 --> 00:27:47.700 But in other places, yeah, if you keep saying how Jesus is the only way and other religions don't get you there, that brings trouble with the police. 00:27:49.039 --> 00:27:51.740 And yet, we can't move on from this. 00:27:51.879 --> 00:27:51.919 Right? 00:27:52.000 --> 00:27:53.299 We need to hold on to this truth. 00:27:56.079 --> 00:28:03.200 But the thing is, it's holding on to Jesus' words, not just as a truth, but also let's think about the long term. 00:28:03.259 --> 00:28:05.419 Because most of us here, we would call ourselves Christians. 00:28:05.680 --> 00:28:07.039 Yeah, I believe that. 00:28:07.119 --> 00:28:07.279 Right? 00:28:07.279 --> 00:28:08.440 I put my trust in Jesus. 00:28:08.799 --> 00:28:09.799 Some time ago. 00:28:11.799 --> 00:28:15.579 I think this chapter is asking us, well, are you abiding in it? 00:28:16.419 --> 00:28:18.000 Are you, do you still believe it? 00:28:19.940 --> 00:28:21.899 Because we shouldn't move on from it. 00:28:22.859 --> 00:28:24.480 But I guess that's easy to do. 00:28:24.559 --> 00:28:24.759 Right? 00:28:24.859 --> 00:28:26.639 I mean, let's have a look in the mirror. 00:28:27.159 --> 00:28:27.379 Right? 00:28:28.000 --> 00:28:30.500 Do we still believe we are slaves to sin? 00:28:30.500 --> 00:28:33.000 I think it's very easy to forget. 00:28:34.279 --> 00:28:39.200 I mean, when I became a Christian 24 years ago, I just graduated university. 00:28:39.200 --> 00:28:41.299 I really knew I was a sinner. 00:28:41.299 --> 00:28:42.100 Absolutely. 00:28:42.100 --> 00:28:42.519 Right? 00:28:42.519 --> 00:28:44.640 I got drunk three times a week. 00:28:45.380 --> 00:28:45.539 Right? 00:28:45.580 --> 00:28:46.440 That, you know, yeah. 00:28:46.539 --> 00:28:47.519 It's not a good thing. 00:28:47.580 --> 00:28:47.759 Right? 00:28:47.819 --> 00:28:49.580 I studied electrical engineering. 00:28:49.900 --> 00:28:51.120 Just men, no women. 00:28:51.119 --> 00:28:53.639 So you can imagine the kind of joking we did. 00:28:54.039 --> 00:28:56.439 You can imagine the kind of attitudes we had. 00:28:57.179 --> 00:29:00.199 You can imagine what I watched on the internet and those kind of things. 00:29:00.900 --> 00:29:02.559 I really knew I was a sinner. 00:29:02.759 --> 00:29:07.799 And so, yeah, being a, if the gospel tells me I'm a sinner, I would believe that. 00:29:08.840 --> 00:29:11.420 But now, in some ways, my life is so much better. 00:29:11.420 --> 00:29:11.640 Right? 00:29:11.960 --> 00:29:16.059 I now have nice friends who are Christians and they don't get drunk and they don't make rude jokes. 00:29:16.140 --> 00:29:18.240 And so, you know, I fit in. 00:29:18.759 --> 00:29:19.559 I'm married. 00:29:19.720 --> 00:29:20.559 A lot less temptation. 00:29:20.840 --> 00:29:21.039 You know? 00:29:22.259 --> 00:29:25.900 And it's very easy to think I'm actually a pretty good person. 00:29:25.980 --> 00:29:26.140 Right? 00:29:26.680 --> 00:29:27.900 We have a confession of sin. 00:29:27.900 --> 00:29:31.060 And, yeah, yeah, I know I'm a sinner. 00:29:31.200 --> 00:29:31.940 That's what I believe. 00:29:32.060 --> 00:29:35.040 And yet, do I really, do I really believe it? 00:29:35.900 --> 00:29:39.280 Or is this also something, yeah, yeah, other people, they are sinners. 00:29:39.380 --> 00:29:40.000 They need Jesus. 00:29:40.120 --> 00:29:45.340 But by myself, actually, you know, it's very easy to move away from that. 00:29:45.440 --> 00:29:46.560 I think that's dangerous, right? 00:29:46.960 --> 00:29:48.600 You've been a Christian for a long time. 00:29:49.080 --> 00:29:50.820 Many things in your life are kind of sorted out. 00:29:50.880 --> 00:29:53.220 It's easy to think, I'm actually, I'm not that sinful. 00:29:53.340 --> 00:29:53.980 I'm not that bad. 00:29:55.400 --> 00:29:55.600 Right? 00:29:55.599 --> 00:30:00.259 Of course, the Bible would tell you, look at your heart. 00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:01.199 Look deep inside. 00:30:01.299 --> 00:30:01.959 It's very different. 00:30:02.119 --> 00:30:04.579 But so often we just look at the surface, right? 00:30:04.639 --> 00:30:08.199 And then it's so easy to move away from Jesus' teaching. 00:30:09.519 --> 00:30:09.819 Right? 00:30:09.879 --> 00:30:11.339 Or Jesus' greatness. 00:30:11.699 --> 00:30:14.480 Do I believe that he is great? 00:30:14.579 --> 00:30:16.439 That he is the only one who can save? 00:30:16.519 --> 00:30:18.339 That he is the greatest treasure? 00:30:18.980 --> 00:30:20.399 And as Christians, we know that, right? 00:30:20.399 --> 00:30:21.919 We know, yeah, Jesus is the greatest. 00:30:22.819 --> 00:30:25.319 And yet, I sometimes meet Christians and they seem a bit bored of Jesus. 00:30:26.039 --> 00:30:26.240 Right? 00:30:26.299 --> 00:30:27.019 Yeah, yeah, I know. 00:30:27.139 --> 00:30:28.139 He died to save us. 00:30:28.159 --> 00:30:28.719 Yeah, I know. 00:30:30.019 --> 00:30:31.559 And he's not that special anymore. 00:30:32.559 --> 00:30:32.740 Right? 00:30:32.859 --> 00:30:38.859 And there's more special things about the Christian faith now, about the environment or social justice or something. 00:30:39.000 --> 00:30:40.299 Jesus isn't that special anymore. 00:30:41.500 --> 00:30:42.679 I think that's dangerous, right? 00:30:42.680 --> 00:30:48.620 Because if you're moving away from, you're moving away from the only one who can save you because he's the only one who's from God. 00:30:49.340 --> 00:30:49.680 Right? 00:30:50.180 --> 00:30:51.539 I think that that's worth pondering. 00:30:51.660 --> 00:30:53.440 Are we holding on to Jesus' words? 00:30:54.080 --> 00:30:57.460 What we tell to others, do we believe it for ourselves? 00:30:57.460 --> 00:31:01.100 I think, yeah, it's a challenge for me. 00:31:01.460 --> 00:31:05.840 Do I still believe what I believed 10, 20, 30 years ago? 00:31:07.440 --> 00:31:12.860 No, maybe never lose Jesus' words in what we proclaim to others, in what we believe ourselves. 00:31:12.859 --> 00:31:17.159 I think this is a great hero. 00:31:17.779 --> 00:31:18.459 John Newton. 00:31:18.599 --> 00:31:20.240 I don't know if you know who John Newton is. 00:31:21.199 --> 00:31:22.799 He wrote to him Amazing Grace. 00:31:22.799 --> 00:31:26.799 I don't know if you knew what he did before he was a Christian. 00:31:26.899 --> 00:31:27.940 He was a slave trader. 00:31:28.759 --> 00:31:28.940 Right? 00:31:28.980 --> 00:31:32.279 So he would bring people from Africa to the U.S. and sell them and those kind of things. 00:31:33.359 --> 00:31:34.720 Well, he was a bad person. 00:31:34.779 --> 00:31:34.919 Right? 00:31:34.960 --> 00:31:35.460 He knew that. 00:31:36.019 --> 00:31:37.500 And then later he became a pastor. 00:31:37.659 --> 00:31:42.159 And it's very easy to think, wow, you know, now he's a good person, right, from slave trader to pastor. 00:31:42.940 --> 00:31:47.299 Well, this is what he said at the end of his life, age 82, I think. 00:31:47.720 --> 00:31:51.379 My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things. 00:31:51.380 --> 00:31:55.420 Yes, that I am a great sinner and that Christ is a great savior. 00:31:56.560 --> 00:31:56.760 Right? 00:31:57.080 --> 00:31:59.300 Isn't that what we need to know? 00:31:59.520 --> 00:32:01.140 Isn't that what we need to hold on to? 00:32:01.680 --> 00:32:02.940 Even when we're 80. 00:32:04.340 --> 00:32:06.900 Well, yeah, let's make sure we remember. 00:32:07.080 --> 00:32:08.900 Let's make sure we keep hold of that. 00:32:10.120 --> 00:32:11.820 And that's what we're going to do in a moment. 00:32:12.120 --> 00:32:18.180 And I think it's so great that today, well, we're going to in a moment have communion as we celebrate the Lord's Supper together. 00:32:19.020 --> 00:32:20.680 This amazing gift of Jesus. 00:32:21.380 --> 00:32:24.640 You know, okay, I want to remember the gospel. 00:32:24.820 --> 00:32:25.740 I want to hold on to it. 00:32:25.800 --> 00:32:26.380 What can I do? 00:32:26.760 --> 00:32:29.620 Well, Jesus says, do this in remembrance of me. 00:32:30.600 --> 00:32:30.740 Right? 00:32:31.280 --> 00:32:32.280 Well, what do we take? 00:32:32.360 --> 00:32:32.980 What do we have here? 00:32:33.020 --> 00:32:35.860 It's not just about the wafer and the thing and the juice. 00:32:36.720 --> 00:32:39.800 You know, Jesus says, this is my body broken for you. 00:32:39.799 --> 00:32:44.059 This is my blood shed for your forgiveness. 00:32:44.059 --> 00:32:48.799 It implies that we have done wrong and we need forgiveness. 00:32:48.799 --> 00:32:52.319 And Jesus' body had to be broken for us. 00:32:52.319 --> 00:32:54.799 His blood had to be shed for us. 00:32:55.579 --> 00:32:55.980 Right? 00:32:56.099 --> 00:32:57.099 It's the gospel. 00:32:58.319 --> 00:33:01.919 And, well, Jesus is basically preaching the gospel to us. 00:33:01.920 --> 00:33:05.200 I remember once visiting a church. 00:33:05.200 --> 00:33:10.059 I was visiting and I was struck that they never talked about the gospel. 00:33:10.220 --> 00:33:11.160 They never talked about sin. 00:33:12.000 --> 00:33:14.799 It was a sermon on knowing God loves you but never mentioned the cross. 00:33:14.799 --> 00:33:19.599 But then at the end of the service, we had communion. 00:33:20.200 --> 00:33:24.200 And they followed the liturgy, the official liturgy from the denomination. 00:33:25.039 --> 00:33:26.639 And it was full of the gospel. 00:33:27.139 --> 00:33:33.279 It was all about God's love and how Jesus died as a sacrifice and, you know, how much we need him. 00:33:33.599 --> 00:33:39.519 And it was wonderful when I left the service, moved and touched because we celebrated this together. 00:33:40.859 --> 00:33:41.099 Right? 00:33:41.119 --> 00:33:44.119 That's why we take it and we take this twice a month. 00:33:44.119 --> 00:33:49.639 And whether you've just been baptized or you've been a Christian for 60 years, take and eat and remember. 00:33:51.000 --> 00:33:52.019 Well, why don't I pray? 00:33:52.859 --> 00:33:55.879 And during that time, maybe the stewards can come up. 00:33:57.439 --> 00:33:58.119 Let's pray. 00:34:03.859 --> 00:34:07.099 Just give us a moment to reflect before I pray. 00:34:14.119 --> 00:34:34.339 Lord Jesus, we thank you for your words of eternal life. 00:34:34.340 --> 00:34:54.559 Lord, Lord, as we take now these elements, the Lord's Supper, Lord, remember, help us to remember these. 00:34:54.559 --> 00:34:56.279 Yeah, the gospel. 00:34:56.619 --> 00:34:57.340 Feed us. 00:34:57.739 --> 00:34:58.460 Strengthen us. 00:34:59.279 --> 00:35:05.119 Make us again see our great needs and your great provision of your death for our sins. 00:35:06.079 --> 00:35:08.599 Lord, would this be a special moment as we take this together? 00:35:09.500 --> 00:35:10.420 In your name we pray. 00:35:10.799 --> 00:35:11.079 Amen. 00:35:11.079 --> 00:35:12.739 Amen. 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.739 00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:42.719 Thank you.