WEBVTT

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 Well, you who have endured me for many years know that there's always an interesting outcome

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! It is usually that I come with an extra full heart.

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!

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 For example, I would like to pray and then have you look at the passage and open the

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 passage and study it together with the help of the Holy Spirit.

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 Let's pray.

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 Our Father God, we are so thankful this morning that you are God and Savior.

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 And that we are together this morning to exalt the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the

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 Savior of the world and someday will be revealed as the supreme ruler and the one who has authority

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 over all things.

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 We thank you for the ministry of the indwelling Spirit and for the blessing that he is to us as believers this morning as we open this word that you have given to us, sufficient for all that we need.

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 And that we may rely upon him to quicken our hearts that seeing in these pages the glory of the Lord Jesus are changed from glory to glory through the Spirit.

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 And we thank you in advance for what you will do among us.

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 And we pray it in Jesus' name.

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 Amen.

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 At the very beginning of our message this morning, let me tell you that there is going to be a portion of the passage that I will not get to.

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 And so I want you to anticipate next week.

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 I want you to look just for a moment.

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 Go to John chapter 16, verse 24.

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 One of the things that goes with Bible preaching is taking time to explain the passage that's always true,

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 but also on occasion taking time to explain the passage in the context and frame of the culture that we live in.

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 And so I want to tell you ahead of time, next week, I'm going to take one of the favorite passages of prosperity televangelists,

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 and I'm going to give you a clear understanding of what the scriptures have to say about what it means to pray in Jesus' name.

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 We're going to look at that next week.

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 So here we are in John chapter 16, and we are now in verse 16.

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 A little while, and you will see me no longer, and again a little while, and you will see me.

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 So some of his disciples said to one another, what is this that he says to us, a little while, and you will not see me,

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 and again a little while, and you will see me, and because I'm going to the Father.

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 So they were saying, what does he mean, a little while?

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 We do not know what he's talking about.

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 Jesus knew what they wanted to ask him.

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 So he said to them, is this what you are asking yourselves, what I mean?

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 By saying a little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me?

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 Truly, truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice.

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 You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy.

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 I want you to stop just a minute against the background of that passage, and I want you to think with me just for a moment.

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 I want you to look at me.

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 I do.

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 Please.

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 I want you to look at me.

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 What do you really need, honestly?

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 What would you really, really like to have?

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 What would help you?

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 Would it help if you felt better about yourself?

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 I mean, that's not atypical.

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 People talk about it all the time.

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 I don't feel good about myself, and you know, it's okay.

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 Would you like to feel better about yourself?

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 Or how about this?

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 Are you looking at me?

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 Because I'm talking to you.

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 How about this?

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 I would like more people to like me.

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 I really would.

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 I'd like more people to like me.

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 Or, here we go.

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 I would like better grades.

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 I was fishing on a boat Monday, and the guy who was the guide or helper, you know, he shared with me that he'd actually taken senior class four times, and I thought, ha, I'm ahead of you.

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 I only took junior year once.

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 And I was like, would you like to get better grades?

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 I remember those days.

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 Well, here's another one.

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 How would you like to have more money?

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 I mean, honestly.

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 Be real.

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 I mean, would you like to have more money?

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 Or, I would just like to be free from my anxiety and my depression.

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 Here's Jesus.

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 By the way, do we believe in Jesus as our Savior, as our personal Lord and Savior, and the one who is the greatest blessing of all of our lives?

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 Do we really believe in him?

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 Amen.

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 Sometimes what we say we believe in and how we act don't connect.

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 And I want to challenge you this morning to think clearly about the connection between who Jesus is and all of the things that we try to place in his place in our lives.

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 Our lesson this morning actually has its roots back in John chapter 13, verse 1.

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 And so I want you to turn back there just for a moment.

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 Keep your finger there in 16 because we are coming back to it.

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 But in John chapter 13, verse 1, it says,

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 John chapter 13 is the introduction, verse 1, is the introduction to a four-chapter exposition that is referred to by some scholars as the upper room discourse.

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 In other words, it was a series of lessons and statements that Jesus made during the Last Supper for his disciples in the backdrop or against the backdrop of the fact he knew he was going to be crucified and he let them know he was leaving.

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 And you can understand their anxiety at that fact.

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 They had put all that they had into following Jesus.

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 And not only that, but they had developed a clear sense of the animosity and the hatred of the Jewish leaders towards Jesus.

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 And they knew that there was an intention to destroy him and to kill him.

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 And they wondered, well, what's going to happen to us?

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 And here they were in the middle of that.

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 And Jesus, in his love for them, wants to do the most important thing for them he can.

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 He was going to die for them.

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 But here, in the face of the anxiety, in the face of their fear, in the face of their concern, Jesus wanted to comfort his disciples.

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 And so, as we work our way through the passage, this is what I want you to understand in this four-chapter passage.

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 The comfort that Jesus gave to his disciples and the comfort that he gives to us is all about the person and work of our triune God.

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 You got that fixed in your mind?

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 If you want to press the sermon together in one little thing, the solution to all of your challenges lies in the person of God.

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 That's important.

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 Because we're all the time engaged in the effort of stuffing a lot of other things into that place.

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 And then kind of wondering, why am I not satisfied?

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 Why am I still anxious?

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 Why am I filled with discouragement and depression?

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 And hardship is overwhelming me.

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 I love the songs we sang this morning.

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 By the way, I don't want Emma to sing while I'm preaching, but I thought those words fit.

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 You know, it's like, wow, they connect.

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 And so here we are looking at Jesus ministering to his disciples, and he wants them to understand that the characteristic,

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 the substance of what was going to help them through the hours to follow and the remainder of the lives

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 in which all of the ones in the upper room, except for John, were going to die as martyrs.

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 You think your life's hard?

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 I want you to mark John chapter 14, verse 1, just kind of as a starting point of this a little bit in terms of the issue of the triune God.

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 And here's Jesus saying, John 14, 1,

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 Let not your hearts be troubled.

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 Point.

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 Just kind of stick it in your mind.

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 We choose to let our hearts be troubled.

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 Would you write that down?

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 We choose to let our hearts be troubled.

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 It's a conscious choice.

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 Here is Jesus telling us, don't do it.

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 Let not your hearts be troubled.

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 Why?

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 You believe in God.

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 Believe also in me.

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 We see that John 14, 15 continue this theme of giving us great encouragement.

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 But let us come towards the end of this lesson that Jesus is giving to his disciples about why they should be confident and joyful

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 and at peace in the midst of the adversity.

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 And listen to what he says here in John 16, verse 20.

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 Kind of mark the recurrence of the words related to the issue of joy.

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 John 16, verse 20 says,

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 Your sorrow will be turned to joy.

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 I will see you again, in verse 22.

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 And your hearts will rejoice.

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 And no one will take your joy from you.

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 And then in verse 24.

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 Ask and you will receive that your joy may be full.

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 Jesus spent four chapters.

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 Or John spent four chapters diving in to the issue of what Jesus taught his disciples.

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 And it is there for us and our value.

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 And so let me ask you a question as we kind of get into this.

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 And think about this.

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 Would you say, now look at me.

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 Would you say that your life is one that is marked by joy?

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 Joy?

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 Fair question?

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 Is your life one that is marked by joy?

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 I was reading an article about an employer that has put together 20 questions that he uses to find out whether an individual,

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 a candidate, is going to succeed in his company.

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 One of the first ones is this.

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 And he said that he can usually tell whether a person is going to succeed from two questions in particular.

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 The first one is this.

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 What is a privilege?

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 What is a privilege?

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 Second one is this.

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 Is it important to be on time?

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 Well, we won't go there because I'm not going to be on time this morning.

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 But I'll just kind of let you know ahead of time.

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 My question to you is, would you say that your life is one that's marked by joy?

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 Now, by the way, don't ask yourself that question.

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 Go to your wife and say, hey, honey.

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 How am I doing that joy thing?

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 You might practice in the bathroom before you talk to her.

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 But, you know, it's okay.

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 Okay, here we go.

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 I want you to look at the passage.

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 And as you pick up there in John chapter 16, verse 16, I push this together going from verse 16 down through about 20.

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 And I want you to recognize that Jesus demonstrates a perfect care for his disciples.

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 A little while and you will see me no longer.

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 And again a little while and you will see me.

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 As you begin reading this passage, you may think to yourself,

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 Now, why didn't he make it simpler and clearer?

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 Here he is making a statement during the Last Supper.

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 And the statement is less than absolutely simplistic in its presentation.

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 I remember reading an outstanding book on preaching that said there are three points to it.

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 One is this, is be simple, be clear, and be passionate.

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 My wife says there's a fourth one.

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 That has to be short.

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 And I've never figured that one out.

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 Well, that's two signals in one day about how long I'm going to be and I will be on time.

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 Maybe not.

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 Okay, here we go.

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 Here's the point.

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 Jesus is teaching here and he could have made things easier to understand.

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 I mean, how many of you read that?

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 I got that.

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 That's easy.

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 No?

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 It's a little tough.

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 What's he mean?

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 And we find the disciples were asking the question of themselves and one another.

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 Verse 17.

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 So some of his disciples said to one another,

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 What is this that he says?

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 Understand that.

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 You're hoping someone in the crowd got it.

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 And none of them did.

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 And so Jesus knew what they wanted to ask him.

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 So he said to them,

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 Is this what you are asking yourselves?

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 What I mean by saying a little while and you will not see me.

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 And again, a little while and you will see me.

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 Well, you would think that after Jesus asked the question,

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 he would then make it profoundly simple.

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 Let me give an illustration of that.

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 Remember when he was teaching the crowd about the parable of the sower and the seed, right?

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 And after that parable had been taught,

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 and I have no doubt,

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 it doesn't tell us in the text,

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 but I can just imagine the wise disciples,

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 as they were listening to the teaching of Jesus with their hands folded over the chest,

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 like they're nodding their heads.

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 I mean, you know, I got that.

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 And so when they got privately away from the crowd,

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 what did they do?

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 Does anybody remember?

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 Jesus, John is having trouble with this.

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 I understood it,

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 but I thought you might want to explain it for him, right?

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 They just said,

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 Can you help us with this?

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 And you'd think that Jesus would have made their concern

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 something that was understandable by his explanation.

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 But listen to what he says.

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 Truly, truly, I say to you,

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 you will leap and weep and lament,

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 but the world will rejoice.

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 You will be sorrowful,

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 but your sorrow will be turned to joy.

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 Imagine you at that time listening to those words.

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 Would you have said,

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 Ding, I get it.

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 That was easy.

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 Thank you.

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 No.

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 You look at that and say,

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 Well, that didn't help me.

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 I don't understand that.

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 So here is Jesus giving his final lesson before the cross,

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 and he's still speaking in this poetic and cryptic terminology.

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 It's no wonder that the disciples didn't get it.

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 And I want you to know that he could have made it plainer.

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 So let's ask ourselves a question.

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 This is one of the things that as you learn to study the Bible,

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 and here's a little point,

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 one of the purposes of a preacher is to teach God's people how to do it for themselves.

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 Agreed?

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 So one of the questions you ask yourself is,

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 Why is that there?

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 Why did Jesus not make it clearer?

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 He could have done that, right?

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 Why did he make it a little difficult?

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 Well, the text doesn't give us clear indication,

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 but when we gather the larger matter of what the Scriptures tell us,

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 we learn several things that I think are worth our attention.

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 For one, Jesus wants us to learn to think more carefully,

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 and sometimes when he doesn't make it just crystal clear at the moment,

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 you are forced to dive into the passage and think about it more carefully.

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 Why?

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 Why is it there?

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 What's this for me?

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 And Jesus often used parables and imagery in teaching

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 to lead his disciples to think more deeply and more carefully.

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 I think another reason that we could come to grips with is this,

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 is that untested faith is not strong faith.

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 Believing Jesus and getting out of the boat may seem significant,

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 but it really pales in comparison to the lesson that Peter learned afterwards.

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 Do you follow that?

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 When he took his eyes off of Jesus, what happened?

00:18:22.400 --> 00:18:24.660
 He was overwhelmed by the circumstances,

00:18:25.000 --> 00:18:28.839
 and he lost control of the moment in his own heart,

00:18:28.940 --> 00:18:30.000
 and down he went.

00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:32.680
 How many of you have taken your eyes off of Jesus this last week?

00:18:33.400 --> 00:18:34.460
 Did it get messy?

00:18:35.299 --> 00:18:36.180
 Yes, always.

00:18:37.420 --> 00:18:41.759
 And so I want you to understand that sometimes God lets us go through things

00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:44.039
 to test our faith and teach us to rely on him.

00:18:45.640 --> 00:18:50.700
 Furthermore, hard things help us to learn to lean on the Holy Spirit.

00:18:50.700 --> 00:18:57.480
 It is things that are hard to understand that force us to learn to listen more

00:18:57.480 --> 00:19:00.480
 and lean hard on the enabling of the Holy Spirit.

00:19:00.580 --> 00:19:04.299
 One of the things that, as I think back over 35 years of preaching,

00:19:04.500 --> 00:19:09.059
 has changed over the years in my approach to study

00:19:09.059 --> 00:19:12.960
 is that there was a time where a predominant amount of attention

00:19:12.960 --> 00:19:16.460
 was given to the language and the construction of the text,

00:19:16.620 --> 00:19:17.860
 and that is important.

00:19:17.859 --> 00:19:21.539
 You can never step away from the flow of the text,

00:19:21.740 --> 00:19:24.679
 but one of the things I've learned is that prayer,

00:19:25.799 --> 00:19:29.699
 prayer, and cross-referencing as the Spirit of God

00:19:29.699 --> 00:19:34.759
 and the cross-references in the passage help you kind of connect things together

00:19:34.759 --> 00:19:35.219
 and fit it.

00:19:35.459 --> 00:19:36.359
 It takes time.

00:19:37.759 --> 00:19:38.519
 It takes time.

00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:41.679
 I think there's another thing that you have to recognize.

00:19:41.839 --> 00:19:46.299
 Sometimes God recognizes that we need to learn to wait.

00:19:46.299 --> 00:19:48.539
 I think, just keep your finger there in John

00:19:48.539 --> 00:19:51.559
 and go back with me to Luke 18, verse 34.

00:19:52.740 --> 00:19:54.440
 Luke 18, verse 34.

00:19:54.559 --> 00:19:57.259
 Wouldn't you like to know just exactly what's going to happen for you tomorrow?

00:19:57.819 --> 00:19:58.399
 I do.

00:19:59.500 --> 00:20:00.299
 God's in control.

00:20:00.839 --> 00:20:01.460
 End of discussion.

00:20:02.539 --> 00:20:04.159
 Luke 18, verse 34.

00:20:04.339 --> 00:20:05.059
 Let me read it to you.

00:20:05.099 --> 00:20:05.619
 Here it is.

00:20:05.960 --> 00:20:07.419
 But they understood none of these things.

00:20:07.519 --> 00:20:09.740
 Jesus is talking about his crucifixion, etc.

00:20:10.079 --> 00:20:12.299
 And says, but they understood none of these things.

00:20:12.599 --> 00:20:14.099
 This saying was hidden.

00:20:14.099 --> 00:20:18.039
 Question, who did the hiding in this case?

00:20:19.839 --> 00:20:20.500
 God did.

00:20:22.199 --> 00:20:26.199
 Elsewhere, Jesus says, he's praying, he says,

00:20:26.319 --> 00:20:28.799
 I thank you, Father, that you have hidden these things,

00:20:28.899 --> 00:20:30.939
 but you have revealed them to the disciples.

00:20:32.259 --> 00:20:35.219
 You remember on the passage, the road to Emmaus?

00:20:35.559 --> 00:20:37.339
 Here is Jesus walking with them.

00:20:37.379 --> 00:20:38.619
 I'm Jesus in the flesh.

00:20:38.939 --> 00:20:39.779
 And it says what?

00:20:39.939 --> 00:20:41.099
 Their eyes were holden.

00:20:41.099 --> 00:20:43.980
 I love that little phrase in the King James,

00:20:44.079 --> 00:20:45.240
 and their eyes were holden.

00:20:46.259 --> 00:20:47.339
 You know, they couldn't see.

00:20:47.500 --> 00:20:48.179
 They didn't get it.

00:20:50.719 --> 00:20:54.839
 And so here we find Jesus ministering to his disciples.

00:20:54.839 --> 00:20:59.619
 And in the midst of the flow of the lesson,

00:21:01.240 --> 00:21:06.599
 he still is speaking in this veiled terminology

00:21:06.599 --> 00:21:08.980
 that ultimately will benefit them

00:21:08.980 --> 00:21:13.959
 and help them understand what to really trust in eventually.

00:21:13.960 --> 00:21:21.380
 So I want you to recognize that if you are here this morning,

00:21:21.480 --> 00:21:25.079
 like the disciples in the face of adversity,

00:21:25.480 --> 00:21:27.940
 and your life is marked by challenges,

00:21:28.440 --> 00:21:31.279
 and you find yourself inclined towards worry,

00:21:32.559 --> 00:21:33.360
 did I miss anybody?

00:21:34.579 --> 00:21:34.900
 Okay.

00:21:34.900 --> 00:21:40.560
 If you really long for his peace,

00:21:41.060 --> 00:21:44.320
 you must really long for his word.

00:21:45.259 --> 00:21:46.400
 Fix that in your minds.

00:21:47.320 --> 00:21:49.540
 If you really long for his peace,

00:21:49.700 --> 00:21:52.080
 you must long for his word.

00:21:53.360 --> 00:21:55.240
 Let me say that again because I think it's important.

00:21:56.360 --> 00:21:58.380
 If you long for his peace,

00:21:58.920 --> 00:22:01.580
 you must long for his word.

00:22:01.579 --> 00:22:05.419
 Now, lest we think writing Bible verses on our hand

00:22:05.419 --> 00:22:07.039
 is really the key,

00:22:08.559 --> 00:22:11.740
 the purpose of the word that we have in our hand

00:22:11.740 --> 00:22:13.559
 is to draw our attention to the person,

00:22:14.859 --> 00:22:18.419
 not just ink, but the person.

00:22:20.119 --> 00:22:21.799
 And so if you long for peace,

00:22:21.859 --> 00:22:23.759
 you must long for the word.

00:22:24.960 --> 00:22:27.359
 Well, let me come to the second part here,

00:22:27.439 --> 00:22:29.519
 and that is our Savior's greatest help.

00:22:29.519 --> 00:22:31.660
 Here he is speaking to his disciples.

00:22:31.819 --> 00:22:33.940
 They're going to watch him be crucified very shortly,

00:22:34.240 --> 00:22:37.500
 and they are filled with a certain level of anxiety

00:22:37.500 --> 00:22:38.900
 that I got to tell you,

00:22:39.019 --> 00:22:40.599
 as tough as your life is today,

00:22:40.779 --> 00:22:42.460
 you're probably not in the spot

00:22:42.460 --> 00:22:44.059
 that the disciples were that night.

00:22:44.460 --> 00:22:45.420
 Would you agree with that?

00:22:48.099 --> 00:22:49.960
 I don't think there's anyone here

00:22:49.960 --> 00:22:51.379
 that is uncertain,

00:22:51.579 --> 00:22:53.440
 or at least has reason to believe

00:22:53.440 --> 00:22:55.960
 that they're probably going to be persecuted

00:22:55.960 --> 00:22:57.940
 and killed tomorrow.

00:23:04.220 --> 00:23:06.220
 I want you to take up verse 20 with me now

00:23:06.220 --> 00:23:07.500
 and look at what Jesus says.

00:23:07.559 --> 00:23:08.940
 It starts out pretty distressing.

00:23:10.120 --> 00:23:11.240
 He's trying to help them, right?

00:23:12.680 --> 00:23:13.940
 Truly, truly, I say to you,

00:23:13.940 --> 00:23:14.840
 you will weep and lament,

00:23:14.960 --> 00:23:16.000
 but the world will rejoice.

00:23:16.120 --> 00:23:17.039
 Well, that's good news.

00:23:20.420 --> 00:23:21.200
 Oh, there we go.

00:23:21.200 --> 00:23:24.580
 But your sorrow will be turned to joy.

00:23:24.720 --> 00:23:25.299
 Yeah, when?

00:23:28.559 --> 00:23:29.640
 I got to tell you,

00:23:30.220 --> 00:23:32.740
 to imagine walking with Christ

00:23:32.740 --> 00:23:37.080
 and not recognize that you're going to have

00:23:37.080 --> 00:23:38.440
 adversity and difficulty,

00:23:38.920 --> 00:23:41.240
 or to listen to someone who proposes

00:23:41.240 --> 00:23:44.160
 that all of the difficulties of life

00:23:44.160 --> 00:23:46.120
 are just a lack of faith on our part,

00:23:46.119 --> 00:23:47.739
 and if you just believed harder

00:23:47.739 --> 00:23:49.539
 and put more money in the offering plate,

00:23:49.659 --> 00:23:50.559
 it would go better.

00:23:50.759 --> 00:23:52.039
 That's a liar from hell.

00:23:53.139 --> 00:23:54.000
 Got to tell you.

00:23:57.359 --> 00:23:58.139
 Here is Jesus.

00:23:58.279 --> 00:23:58.719
 He said, hey,

00:23:59.519 --> 00:24:01.399
 you are going to be sorry.

00:24:02.079 --> 00:24:03.179
 It is going to be hard,

00:24:03.579 --> 00:24:05.579
 but eventually your sorrow will be turned to joy.

00:24:06.059 --> 00:24:07.379
 And then he uses a beautiful picture.

00:24:07.479 --> 00:24:09.799
 When a woman is giving birth,

00:24:10.259 --> 00:24:11.339
 I've never been through that.

00:24:11.379 --> 00:24:12.139
 I got to tell you that,

00:24:12.140 --> 00:24:13.180
 but I've observed,

00:24:15.020 --> 00:24:17.740
 and I probably better let that one

00:24:17.740 --> 00:24:18.920
 stay right where it is.

00:24:22.320 --> 00:24:24.180
 Let's get down to the theological stuff here.

00:24:28.360 --> 00:24:29.140
 Verse 22,

00:24:29.300 --> 00:24:30.600
 So also you have sorrow now,

00:24:30.680 --> 00:24:31.680
 but I will see you again,

00:24:31.720 --> 00:24:32.700
 and your hearts will rejoice,

00:24:32.820 --> 00:24:34.500
 and no one will take your joy from you.

00:24:34.500 --> 00:24:42.380
 What we find here in this text,

00:24:42.519 --> 00:24:45.019
 beginning there in verse 22

00:24:45.019 --> 00:24:46.980
 and carrying on down through verse 24,

00:24:47.180 --> 00:24:49.200
 is in a sense kind of a distillation

00:24:49.200 --> 00:24:53.660
 of what we found in chapter 14, 15 in particular,

00:24:54.019 --> 00:24:56.039
 in which I would put it this way,

00:24:56.380 --> 00:24:58.259
 the comfort and the encouragement

00:24:58.259 --> 00:25:01.759
 that John gleaned from the lesson

00:25:01.759 --> 00:25:03.480
 that Jesus taught his disciples

00:25:03.480 --> 00:25:05.960
 on the eve of his crucifixion

00:25:05.960 --> 00:25:07.680
 is this.

00:25:10.619 --> 00:25:12.220
 Jesus would rise again,

00:25:13.220 --> 00:25:14.859
 and Jesus will come again.

00:25:14.920 --> 00:25:15.940
 Look at what he says there.

00:25:16.019 --> 00:25:16.379
 He says,

00:25:17.140 --> 00:25:19.140
 I will see you again.

00:25:20.099 --> 00:25:21.319
 I will see you again.

00:25:22.839 --> 00:25:23.559
 Hey, listen.

00:25:23.559 --> 00:25:30.039
 The thing you need the most

00:25:30.039 --> 00:25:31.899
 is to see Jesus.

00:25:33.119 --> 00:25:35.220
 The thing that is most important to you

00:25:35.220 --> 00:25:37.359
 in the adversity and trials that you have

00:25:37.359 --> 00:25:39.359
 is your relationship with Christ.

00:25:40.039 --> 00:25:42.460
 He is the one who is your great comforter

00:25:42.460 --> 00:25:43.679
 and your consolation,

00:25:44.200 --> 00:25:46.480
 and your relationship with him

00:25:46.480 --> 00:25:48.279
 is at the very heart

00:25:48.279 --> 00:25:50.539
 of whether or not you are terrified

00:25:50.539 --> 00:25:52.799
 or anxious or uncertain or depressed.

00:25:52.799 --> 00:25:54.259
 I got to say that,

00:25:54.500 --> 00:25:55.579
 and there's some of you out here

00:25:55.579 --> 00:25:56.859
 that are thinking to yourself,

00:25:57.019 --> 00:25:59.139
 Pastor, that's just spiritual words.

00:25:59.220 --> 00:26:00.299
 It's not real life.

00:26:01.500 --> 00:26:02.299
 Do you hear me?

00:26:03.419 --> 00:26:05.119
 You tell me you believe in Jesus

00:26:05.119 --> 00:26:06.119
 for your salvation,

00:26:06.359 --> 00:26:08.119
 but you don't buy the rest of it.

00:26:12.720 --> 00:26:14.639
 My little dog, Phoebe,

00:26:15.299 --> 00:26:17.079
 is a classic illustration

00:26:17.079 --> 00:26:19.960
 of the value of relationships.

00:26:19.960 --> 00:26:22.519
 A couple years ago,

00:26:22.600 --> 00:26:23.440
 Judith and I took,

00:26:24.240 --> 00:26:25.380
 we took ourselves camping,

00:26:25.519 --> 00:26:26.299
 but Phoebe went along

00:26:26.299 --> 00:26:27.240
 because we didn't want to leave her

00:26:27.240 --> 00:26:28.180
 in the house by herself.

00:26:30.480 --> 00:26:32.980
 And camping down at Old Man's Cave

00:26:32.980 --> 00:26:34.640
 in the fall when everybody else has left,

00:26:35.019 --> 00:26:36.180
 we try to avoid the crowds,

00:26:36.340 --> 00:26:38.059
 you know, Memorial Day and Labor Day,

00:26:38.180 --> 00:26:39.220
 we're kind of on the other side

00:26:39.220 --> 00:26:39.799
 of those things.

00:26:40.180 --> 00:26:41.880
 And we were camping in November,

00:26:41.880 --> 00:26:44.800
 and around about 11 o'clock,

00:26:45.500 --> 00:26:47.880
 there was a chorus of coyotes

00:26:47.880 --> 00:26:49.280
 that just decided to light up

00:26:49.280 --> 00:26:50.460
 just down the hill from us.

00:26:51.220 --> 00:26:52.260
 And it's like, oh, no big deal.

00:26:52.360 --> 00:26:53.260
 And Judith said, what is that?

00:26:53.320 --> 00:26:54.340
 That's coyotes, you know.

00:26:54.620 --> 00:26:56.380
 My little dog was scared,

00:26:56.660 --> 00:26:59.960
 I mean, spitless, okay.

00:27:00.600 --> 00:27:02.340
 I mean, she's about 10 pounds.

00:27:02.440 --> 00:27:03.260
 She's just lunch.

00:27:03.340 --> 00:27:04.020
 That's what it is.

00:27:04.720 --> 00:27:06.660
 And she was quivering like,

00:27:06.779 --> 00:27:08.339
 I've never seen her that anxious

00:27:08.339 --> 00:27:09.759
 in all of her previous life.

00:27:09.859 --> 00:27:11.480
 And she was just about

00:27:11.480 --> 00:27:12.759
 to the point of apoplexy,

00:27:13.119 --> 00:27:14.200
 which is a medical condition.

00:27:14.299 --> 00:27:15.180
 She was having problems.

00:27:16.160 --> 00:27:17.079
 I got a hold of her,

00:27:17.720 --> 00:27:18.859
 tucked her into my sleeping bag,

00:27:18.900 --> 00:27:20.139
 and she crawled down to the very end.

00:27:22.920 --> 00:27:23.319
 Okay?

00:27:25.599 --> 00:27:26.660
 But I got to tell you,

00:27:26.740 --> 00:27:27.980
 she was better in the bag

00:27:27.980 --> 00:27:29.440
 than she was outside of the bag.

00:27:29.440 --> 00:27:35.440
 Now, I shouldn't tell you this,

00:27:35.500 --> 00:27:35.940
 but I will.

00:27:36.720 --> 00:27:38.019
 Being who I am

00:27:38.019 --> 00:27:39.600
 and entire sanctification

00:27:39.600 --> 00:27:40.600
 hasn't happened yet,

00:27:40.740 --> 00:27:41.759
 and I'm waiting for that.

00:27:44.500 --> 00:27:45.880
 Even a year after that,

00:27:47.120 --> 00:27:48.820
 and I won't do it here in the church,

00:27:48.920 --> 00:27:49.620
 but I can tell you,

00:27:50.019 --> 00:27:52.200
 if I would mimic a coyote,

00:27:53.120 --> 00:27:54.539
 that dog would just start shaking

00:27:54.539 --> 00:27:55.580
 like she was dying.

00:27:55.759 --> 00:27:56.320
 It's like, ah!

00:27:58.559 --> 00:27:59.279
 I've stopped.

00:27:59.279 --> 00:27:59.740
 I've stopped.

00:27:59.879 --> 00:28:00.059
 I've stopped.

00:28:00.740 --> 00:28:01.240
 Don't anybody,

00:28:01.879 --> 00:28:02.799
 don't send me an email.

00:28:04.339 --> 00:28:04.500
 Okay.

00:28:08.299 --> 00:28:09.279
 I've got to tell you,

00:28:13.839 --> 00:28:15.879
 Phoebe's favorite place

00:28:15.879 --> 00:28:18.899
 is wherever the two of us

00:28:18.899 --> 00:28:19.420
 are in a room.

00:28:24.579 --> 00:28:26.000
 I didn't tell you about Phoebe

00:28:26.000 --> 00:28:26.819
 for Phoebe's sake.

00:28:26.819 --> 00:28:27.960
 I told you about Phoebe

00:28:27.960 --> 00:28:28.980
 to help you understand

00:28:28.980 --> 00:28:31.860
 that when we understand

00:28:31.860 --> 00:28:35.019
 there is nothing more precious

00:28:35.019 --> 00:28:36.039
 and more prized

00:28:36.039 --> 00:28:37.019
 and more significant

00:28:37.019 --> 00:28:38.480
 and more comforting,

00:28:38.759 --> 00:28:41.759
 more stabilizing in our life

00:28:41.759 --> 00:28:42.759
 than our relationship

00:28:42.759 --> 00:28:44.039
 with the triune God.

00:28:46.860 --> 00:28:49.420
 Everything else is secondary.

00:28:49.420 --> 00:28:54.140
 You can't medicate

00:28:54.140 --> 00:28:56.880
 and replace Jesus.

00:28:58.880 --> 00:29:00.200
 You can't entertain

00:29:00.200 --> 00:29:02.240
 and replace Jesus.

00:29:03.960 --> 00:29:06.920
 You can't miss the fact

00:29:06.920 --> 00:29:07.940
 that in the absence

00:29:07.940 --> 00:29:09.240
 of the comfort

00:29:09.240 --> 00:29:10.500
 of the person

00:29:10.500 --> 00:29:11.980
 of the Lord Jesus Christ

00:29:11.980 --> 00:29:13.140
 and our triune God,

00:29:13.140 --> 00:29:15.820
 there is no substitute.

00:29:15.819 --> 00:29:24.500
 the second thing

00:29:24.500 --> 00:29:25.339
 that I want us to see

00:29:25.339 --> 00:29:25.899
 in the passage

00:29:25.899 --> 00:29:26.839
 is the Holy Spirit

00:29:26.839 --> 00:29:27.659
 will be with us.

00:29:27.740 --> 00:29:28.939
 Now, this is a little tough,

00:29:29.139 --> 00:29:29.819
 but we'll get there.

00:29:30.139 --> 00:29:30.279
 Okay.

00:29:34.799 --> 00:29:35.559
 Verse 23,

00:29:35.659 --> 00:29:36.159
 in that day,

00:29:36.220 --> 00:29:37.480
 you will ask nothing of me.

00:29:37.599 --> 00:29:38.079
 Truly, truly,

00:29:38.079 --> 00:29:38.799
 I say to you,

00:29:38.879 --> 00:29:39.519
 whatever you ask

00:29:39.519 --> 00:29:41.179
 of the Father in my name,

00:29:41.259 --> 00:29:42.179
 he will give it to you.

00:29:42.180 --> 00:29:43.460
 Now, if you go back

00:29:43.460 --> 00:29:44.060
 in your thinking,

00:29:44.200 --> 00:29:44.920
 and I'm not going to

00:29:44.920 --> 00:29:46.019
 take the time this morning

00:29:46.019 --> 00:29:46.420
 to do it,

00:29:46.440 --> 00:29:47.860
 but in John chapter 14

00:29:47.860 --> 00:29:49.519
 and John chapter 15,

00:29:49.640 --> 00:29:50.240
 this phrase,

00:29:50.380 --> 00:29:51.100
 in that day,

00:29:52.180 --> 00:29:53.500
 is connected to the person

00:29:53.500 --> 00:29:54.420
 of the Holy Spirit.

00:29:55.600 --> 00:29:56.320
 I got to tell you,

00:29:58.039 --> 00:30:01.740
 we sometimes diminish

00:30:01.740 --> 00:30:02.860
 in our thinking

00:30:02.860 --> 00:30:04.980
 just how valuable

00:30:04.980 --> 00:30:06.120
 our relationship

00:30:06.120 --> 00:30:08.380
 with the Holy Spirit is.

00:30:08.380 --> 00:30:12.460
 when Jesus said it,

00:30:13.380 --> 00:30:14.360
 you can do nothing.

00:30:14.860 --> 00:30:15.280
 What?

00:30:16.480 --> 00:30:16.760
 What?

00:30:17.100 --> 00:30:18.140
 You can do nothing

00:30:18.140 --> 00:30:20.060
 without me, right?

00:30:21.980 --> 00:30:23.560
 And he says to the disciples,

00:30:23.740 --> 00:30:24.060
 he says,

00:30:24.140 --> 00:30:24.400
 listen,

00:30:24.740 --> 00:30:25.780
 it's to your benefit

00:30:25.780 --> 00:30:26.760
 that I go away

00:30:26.760 --> 00:30:28.140
 because if I don't go away,

00:30:28.220 --> 00:30:29.140
 you're not getting,

00:30:30.440 --> 00:30:31.560
 you won't have the comforter.

00:30:33.360 --> 00:30:34.280
 So what is it

00:30:34.280 --> 00:30:35.460
 that is of help to us?

00:30:35.540 --> 00:30:36.180
 It's number one,

00:30:36.240 --> 00:30:37.320
 that I have a relationship

00:30:37.320 --> 00:30:38.000
 with Christ

00:30:38.000 --> 00:30:39.839
 and I know he is risen

00:30:39.839 --> 00:30:41.440
 and I know he's coming again.

00:30:41.839 --> 00:30:42.180
 Secondly,

00:30:42.440 --> 00:30:43.779
 I know that the Holy Spirit

00:30:43.779 --> 00:30:44.339
 is with me

00:30:44.339 --> 00:30:45.339
 and I have great comfort

00:30:45.339 --> 00:30:46.279
 in that fact.

00:30:48.200 --> 00:30:48.640
 Third,

00:30:49.359 --> 00:30:50.740
 the Father will answer

00:30:50.740 --> 00:30:51.440
 our prayers

00:30:51.440 --> 00:30:52.539
 to know him more.

00:30:52.619 --> 00:30:54.859
 Look at John chapter 16,

00:30:54.960 --> 00:30:55.859
 verse 24.

00:30:57.160 --> 00:30:58.119
 Until now,

00:30:58.220 --> 00:30:58.920
 you have asked nothing

00:30:58.920 --> 00:30:59.460
 in my name.

00:30:59.599 --> 00:31:01.299
 Ask and you will receive

00:31:01.299 --> 00:31:02.380
 that your joy

00:31:02.380 --> 00:31:03.400
 may be full.

00:31:04.680 --> 00:31:04.960
 Hey,

00:31:04.960 --> 00:31:07.420
 what's it like

00:31:07.420 --> 00:31:08.799
 to not be a happy person?

00:31:09.299 --> 00:31:10.019
 Does anybody know?

00:31:11.299 --> 00:31:11.559
 Yeah,

00:31:11.799 --> 00:31:12.220
 I do.

00:31:13.100 --> 00:31:13.640
 I do.

00:31:16.140 --> 00:31:16.660
 In fact,

00:31:16.720 --> 00:31:17.559
 every one of you out here

00:31:17.559 --> 00:31:18.140
 know what it is

00:31:18.140 --> 00:31:19.220
 to not be a happy person.

00:31:20.100 --> 00:31:20.799
 You've had plenty

00:31:20.799 --> 00:31:21.360
 of practice.

00:31:21.359 --> 00:31:26.579
 I've got to tell you this.

00:31:26.699 --> 00:31:27.799
 Here is Jesus saying,

00:31:27.899 --> 00:31:28.099
 listen,

00:31:28.259 --> 00:31:29.019
 you ask

00:31:29.019 --> 00:31:30.559
 and he will answer.

00:31:30.759 --> 00:31:31.879
 So what do you want?

00:31:33.079 --> 00:31:33.939
 What do you want?

00:31:34.319 --> 00:31:35.459
 Ask and you will receive

00:31:35.459 --> 00:31:36.179
 that your joy

00:31:36.179 --> 00:31:36.740
 may be full.

00:31:36.919 --> 00:31:38.139
 The idea of your joy

00:31:38.139 --> 00:31:38.639
 being full

00:31:38.639 --> 00:31:39.319
 means this,

00:31:39.579 --> 00:31:40.299
 that you have

00:31:40.299 --> 00:31:41.279
 all

00:31:41.279 --> 00:31:42.319
 and more

00:31:42.319 --> 00:31:43.279
 than you ever

00:31:43.279 --> 00:31:44.099
 imagined

00:31:44.099 --> 00:31:44.839
 was needed.

00:31:48.199 --> 00:31:48.679
 Ask

00:31:48.680 --> 00:31:50.680
 that your joy

00:31:50.680 --> 00:31:51.180
 may be full.

00:31:51.240 --> 00:31:51.840
 What do I need?

00:31:52.880 --> 00:31:54.100
 I only need one thing.

00:31:55.820 --> 00:31:57.180
 I need to know

00:31:57.180 --> 00:31:58.759
 the Lord Jesus Christ

00:31:58.759 --> 00:31:59.980
 and the power

00:31:59.980 --> 00:32:00.740
 of his resurrection

00:32:00.740 --> 00:32:02.240
 and the fellowship

00:32:02.240 --> 00:32:02.900
 of his suffering.

00:32:04.060 --> 00:32:05.039
 There's nothing else.

00:32:05.140 --> 00:32:06.120
 Remember what Paul said?

00:32:06.519 --> 00:32:06.880
 He said

00:32:06.880 --> 00:32:08.460
 that I might know him,

00:32:08.759 --> 00:32:09.160
 that I might,

00:32:09.400 --> 00:32:10.120
 what do I want?

00:32:10.180 --> 00:32:11.220
 I want to know him.

00:32:15.279 --> 00:32:16.380
 And so this morning

00:32:16.380 --> 00:32:16.920
 as you

00:32:16.920 --> 00:32:18.680
 look at this text

00:32:18.680 --> 00:32:19.660
 and I step away

00:32:19.660 --> 00:32:20.259
 from it here,

00:32:21.740 --> 00:32:23.039
 I got to tell you

00:32:23.039 --> 00:32:24.340
 that the world

00:32:24.340 --> 00:32:25.240
 is full

00:32:25.240 --> 00:32:26.600
 of false promises

00:32:26.600 --> 00:32:27.740
 and false profits

00:32:27.740 --> 00:32:28.200
 of things

00:32:28.200 --> 00:32:28.519
 that are going

00:32:28.519 --> 00:32:29.340
 to satisfy you.

00:32:30.620 --> 00:32:31.100
 And there's some

00:32:31.100 --> 00:32:31.680
 of you this morning

00:32:31.680 --> 00:32:32.720
 that are chasing those

00:32:32.720 --> 00:32:33.920
 and you're wondering

00:32:33.920 --> 00:32:35.440
 why your life

00:32:35.440 --> 00:32:36.580
 is just so

00:32:36.580 --> 00:32:38.000
 turmoil filled.

00:32:40.880 --> 00:32:42.380
 God will not

00:32:42.380 --> 00:32:42.920
 let

00:32:42.920 --> 00:32:44.180
 a substitute

00:32:44.180 --> 00:32:44.920
 survive

00:32:44.920 --> 00:32:45.519
 survive

00:32:45.519 --> 00:32:47.940
 do you know

00:32:47.940 --> 00:32:48.259
 why?

00:32:48.819 --> 00:32:49.700
 Because he doesn't

00:32:49.700 --> 00:32:50.279
 like idols

00:32:50.279 --> 00:32:52.900
 and you're wondering

00:32:52.900 --> 00:32:54.019
 why you're frustrated

00:32:54.019 --> 00:32:55.240
 with the pursuit

00:32:55.240 --> 00:32:56.000
 you have

00:32:56.000 --> 00:32:56.779
 that doesn't have

00:32:56.779 --> 00:32:57.859
 Jesus at the center.

00:32:58.359 --> 00:32:59.500
 He's not in favor

00:32:59.500 --> 00:33:00.000
 of it.

00:33:02.900 --> 00:33:03.420
 And so let me

00:33:03.420 --> 00:33:04.039
 press it together

00:33:04.039 --> 00:33:04.559
 this way.

00:33:04.700 --> 00:33:05.700
 The Bible is clear

00:33:05.700 --> 00:33:06.379
 that the person

00:33:06.379 --> 00:33:06.980
 of Christ

00:33:06.980 --> 00:33:08.119
 is more precious

00:33:08.119 --> 00:33:09.019
 and satisfying

00:33:09.019 --> 00:33:10.160
 than the presence

00:33:10.160 --> 00:33:11.000
 of Christ.

00:33:11.000 --> 00:33:11.160
 Christ.

00:33:12.160 --> 00:33:12.980
 The person

00:33:12.980 --> 00:33:14.140
 of Christ

00:33:14.140 --> 00:33:15.660
 is more

00:33:15.660 --> 00:33:16.440
 satisfying

00:33:16.440 --> 00:33:18.160
 than the gifts.

00:33:18.380 --> 00:33:18.839
 Try that

00:33:18.839 --> 00:33:19.339
 because I saw

00:33:19.339 --> 00:33:19.720
 some of you

00:33:19.720 --> 00:33:20.420
 wrinkle your brow

00:33:20.420 --> 00:33:20.839
 and you're wondering

00:33:20.839 --> 00:33:21.880
 person,

00:33:22.079 --> 00:33:22.539
 presence,

00:33:22.680 --> 00:33:23.000
 presence,

00:33:23.119 --> 00:33:23.599
 he's present.

00:33:23.720 --> 00:33:24.180
 No, I'm talking

00:33:24.180 --> 00:33:24.640
 about gifts.

00:33:25.299 --> 00:33:25.440
 Okay.

00:33:25.980 --> 00:33:26.220
 Okay.

00:33:26.640 --> 00:33:27.880
 The person of Christ

00:33:27.880 --> 00:33:28.680
 is more precious

00:33:28.680 --> 00:33:29.619
 and satisfying

00:33:29.619 --> 00:33:30.559
 than the gifts.

00:33:31.519 --> 00:33:31.880
 Second,

00:33:31.880 --> 00:33:33.620
 the Bible

00:33:33.620 --> 00:33:34.420
 is also clear

00:33:34.420 --> 00:33:35.000
 that the word

00:33:35.000 --> 00:33:35.440
 of Christ

00:33:35.440 --> 00:33:36.480
 is more satisfying

00:33:36.480 --> 00:33:38.100
 and more settling

00:33:38.100 --> 00:33:39.340
 than anything

00:33:39.340 --> 00:33:40.040
 the world

00:33:40.040 --> 00:33:41.500
 can ever offer.

00:33:43.440 --> 00:33:44.540
 Great peace

00:33:44.540 --> 00:33:45.880
 have they

00:33:45.880 --> 00:33:46.980
 who love thy law

00:33:46.980 --> 00:33:47.980
 and nothing

00:33:47.980 --> 00:33:49.780
 shall offend them.

00:33:51.680 --> 00:33:52.660
 I got to tell you

00:33:52.660 --> 00:33:53.260
 as I was listening

00:33:53.260 --> 00:33:53.820
 to our singing

00:33:53.820 --> 00:33:54.400
 this morning

00:33:54.400 --> 00:33:55.520
 and one of the things

00:33:55.520 --> 00:33:56.780
 that I am so richly

00:33:56.780 --> 00:33:57.520
 blessed by,

00:33:58.860 --> 00:33:59.160
 oh,

00:33:59.280 --> 00:34:00.120
 I forgot to tell you

00:34:00.119 --> 00:34:02.099
 a little sidebar.

00:34:02.179 --> 00:34:02.799
 I'll come back to that.

00:34:02.939 --> 00:34:03.979
 But I want you to know

00:34:03.979 --> 00:34:05.819
 that Pastor Shearer

00:34:05.819 --> 00:34:06.279
 has decided

00:34:06.279 --> 00:34:07.119
 that the next book

00:34:07.119 --> 00:34:07.719
 we're going to preach

00:34:07.719 --> 00:34:08.619
 out of is Isaiah

00:34:08.619 --> 00:34:09.440
 and I got to tell you

00:34:09.440 --> 00:34:10.279
 I'm really pumped

00:34:10.279 --> 00:34:10.779
 about that.

00:34:10.880 --> 00:34:11.539
 I've already started

00:34:11.539 --> 00:34:12.619
 studying for it.

00:34:14.859 --> 00:34:15.980
 Isaiah's the fifth gospel

00:34:15.980 --> 00:34:17.019
 just in case you're wondering.

00:34:17.159 --> 00:34:17.819
 It's in the Old Testament

00:34:17.819 --> 00:34:19.179
 but it's the fifth gospel.

00:34:19.299 --> 00:34:19.920
 That's the way some people,

00:34:20.019 --> 00:34:21.359
 I'm fired up about that.

00:34:22.019 --> 00:34:22.579
 Now where was I?

00:34:22.799 --> 00:34:23.359
 Okay, here we go.

00:34:24.739 --> 00:34:25.960
 Get this point in your minds.

00:34:28.599 --> 00:34:29.719
 The word of Christ

00:34:29.719 --> 00:34:31.980
 the word of Christ

00:34:31.980 --> 00:34:34.619
 the word of Christ

00:34:34.619 --> 00:34:37.579
 is what we are comforted by,

00:34:37.739 --> 00:34:39.019
 what we're encouraged by,

00:34:39.339 --> 00:34:40.579
 what we're strengthened by,

00:34:40.959 --> 00:34:42.619
 what we're established by.

00:34:44.119 --> 00:34:45.980
 I can't help but think

00:34:45.980 --> 00:34:47.259
 about the church's

00:34:47.259 --> 00:34:48.359
 current love affair

00:34:48.359 --> 00:34:50.859
 with what the world

00:34:50.859 --> 00:34:51.539
 has to offer.

00:34:52.959 --> 00:34:54.419
 I see it all over the place.

00:34:54.420 --> 00:34:59.000
 Here's what Jeremiah

00:34:59.000 --> 00:35:00.599
 chapter 2 verse 13 says.

00:35:00.680 --> 00:35:01.440
 Let me read it to you.

00:35:03.000 --> 00:35:03.920
 For my people

00:35:03.920 --> 00:35:05.340
 have committed two evils.

00:35:06.240 --> 00:35:07.700
 Jeremiah chapter 2 verse 13.

00:35:08.980 --> 00:35:10.300
 They have forsaken me

00:35:10.300 --> 00:35:11.820
 the fountain of living waters

00:35:11.820 --> 00:35:13.240
 and hewed out cisterns

00:35:13.240 --> 00:35:14.440
 for themselves,

00:35:14.599 --> 00:35:15.500
 broken cisterns

00:35:15.500 --> 00:35:18.119
 that can hold no water.

00:35:20.740 --> 00:35:21.240
 Hey, hey,

00:35:21.579 --> 00:35:22.400
 remember what I asked?

00:35:22.400 --> 00:35:23.280
 Would you say

00:35:23.280 --> 00:35:24.000
 that people would say

00:35:24.000 --> 00:35:24.500
 that you're generally

00:35:24.500 --> 00:35:25.740
 a pretty happy person?

00:35:27.059 --> 00:35:27.260
 Huh?

00:35:27.820 --> 00:35:28.300
 Right?

00:35:30.180 --> 00:35:31.280
 There's only one reason

00:35:31.280 --> 00:35:31.900
 to be happy.

00:35:33.280 --> 00:35:34.280
 It's not because

00:35:34.280 --> 00:35:35.059
 of who I am

00:35:35.059 --> 00:35:35.800
 or who you are.

00:35:35.880 --> 00:35:36.720
 It's because of Jesus.

00:35:41.220 --> 00:35:42.440
 So when you go around

00:35:42.440 --> 00:35:42.980
 as a grumpy,

00:35:43.119 --> 00:35:43.760
 frumpy person,

00:35:43.860 --> 00:35:44.160
 it's like,

00:35:44.300 --> 00:35:44.420
 hey,

00:35:44.900 --> 00:35:45.980
 you're not seeing Jesus

00:35:45.980 --> 00:35:46.500
 very good.

00:35:46.500 --> 00:35:51.679
 I'm going to press it

00:35:51.679 --> 00:35:52.679
 all together this way

00:35:52.679 --> 00:35:54.280
 and close.

00:35:57.380 --> 00:35:57.820
 Jesus,

00:35:58.460 --> 00:36:00.980
 who is the way,

00:36:01.099 --> 00:36:01.500
 the truth,

00:36:01.539 --> 00:36:02.139
 and the life

00:36:02.139 --> 00:36:03.360
 cares deeply

00:36:03.360 --> 00:36:04.480
 about you today.

00:36:05.179 --> 00:36:05.980
 That's a fact.

00:36:09.039 --> 00:36:10.119
 If you are here

00:36:10.119 --> 00:36:10.739
 this morning

00:36:10.739 --> 00:36:13.659
 and he has blessed you

00:36:13.659 --> 00:36:14.599
 with salvation,

00:36:15.920 --> 00:36:17.279
 he does not want you

00:36:17.279 --> 00:36:18.699
 to live a cloudy

00:36:18.699 --> 00:36:20.460
 and joyless life.

00:36:21.399 --> 00:36:21.519
 Hey,

00:36:21.719 --> 00:36:22.420
 does that mean

00:36:22.420 --> 00:36:23.599
 you will not have

00:36:23.599 --> 00:36:25.259
 any troubles

00:36:25.259 --> 00:36:26.259
 and challenges?

00:36:26.539 --> 00:36:27.000
 You will.

00:36:27.819 --> 00:36:28.299
 You will.

00:36:29.519 --> 00:36:30.539
 John chapter 16,

00:36:30.599 --> 00:36:31.199
 later he says,

00:36:31.559 --> 00:36:32.399
 in this life

00:36:32.399 --> 00:36:33.460
 you will have,

00:36:34.899 --> 00:36:35.279
 you're going to have

00:36:35.279 --> 00:36:35.599
 hardship,

00:36:35.719 --> 00:36:36.000
 you're going to have

00:36:36.000 --> 00:36:36.519
 difficulty.

00:36:36.879 --> 00:36:37.599
 But the thing

00:36:37.599 --> 00:36:38.779
 that doesn't change

00:36:38.780 --> 00:36:40.200
 is that the believer

00:36:40.200 --> 00:36:41.680
 who knows Christ

00:36:41.680 --> 00:36:42.780
 has the comfort

00:36:42.780 --> 00:36:43.780
 and the encouragement

00:36:43.780 --> 00:36:45.040
 of a relationship

00:36:45.040 --> 00:36:46.180
 with the living God

00:36:46.180 --> 00:36:47.700
 and is blessed

00:36:47.700 --> 00:36:48.980
 in that relationship.

00:36:49.220 --> 00:36:50.140
 And so here you are,

00:36:50.440 --> 00:36:51.380
 the greatest remedy.

00:36:51.480 --> 00:36:52.260
 Now listen to me.

00:36:57.000 --> 00:36:58.380
 The greatest remedy

00:36:58.380 --> 00:37:01.040
 for worry,

00:37:02.040 --> 00:37:02.780
 for depression,

00:37:02.780 --> 00:37:05.580
 for anxiety

00:37:05.580 --> 00:37:07.780
 is nothing less

00:37:08.320 --> 00:37:09.600
 than a clear view

00:37:09.600 --> 00:37:11.180
 of our triune God.

00:37:16.180 --> 00:37:19.260
 That is a foundational

00:37:19.260 --> 00:37:21.940
 Bible truth.

00:37:23.019 --> 00:37:24.780
 And it is as significant

00:37:25.460 --> 00:37:27.060
 in the theology

00:37:27.060 --> 00:37:27.820
 of Scripture

00:37:27.820 --> 00:37:29.480
 as the fact

00:37:29.480 --> 00:37:30.600
 that salvation

00:37:30.600 --> 00:37:32.700
 is the work of Christ.

00:37:32.780 --> 00:37:34.019
 in our life.

00:37:37.220 --> 00:37:38.320
 If you are here today

00:37:38.320 --> 00:37:39.240
 and you know Christ,

00:37:40.120 --> 00:37:41.680
 you have all

00:37:41.680 --> 00:37:42.440
 that you need

00:37:42.440 --> 00:37:45.220
 to live a life

00:37:45.220 --> 00:37:47.519
 that is not clouded

00:37:47.519 --> 00:37:48.620
 and broken,

00:37:49.960 --> 00:37:50.880
 but one that

00:37:50.880 --> 00:37:51.960
 looks forward

00:37:51.960 --> 00:37:52.620
 to the day

00:37:52.620 --> 00:37:53.500
 that you are going

00:37:53.500 --> 00:37:54.060
 to see Him

00:37:54.060 --> 00:37:54.880
 face to face.

00:37:57.920 --> 00:37:58.980
 If you do not

00:37:58.980 --> 00:37:59.519
 know Christ

00:37:59.519 --> 00:38:00.120
 this morning,

00:38:01.000 --> 00:38:02.660
 I can understand.

00:38:02.780 --> 00:38:05.640
 And I'm very sympathetic

00:38:05.640 --> 00:38:09.100
 because here you abide

00:38:09.100 --> 00:38:10.220
 under the cloud

00:38:10.220 --> 00:38:11.000
 of sin

00:38:11.000 --> 00:38:11.680
 and guilt

00:38:11.680 --> 00:38:12.580
 and shame

00:38:12.580 --> 00:38:13.320
 and fear.

00:38:15.000 --> 00:38:16.019
 You're uncertain

00:38:16.019 --> 00:38:17.540
 of how the story ends.

00:38:18.720 --> 00:38:19.580
 You're striving

00:38:19.580 --> 00:38:20.440
 to place

00:38:20.440 --> 00:38:21.460
 into the

00:38:21.460 --> 00:38:23.420
 God-shaped hole

00:38:23.420 --> 00:38:24.200
 in your heart

00:38:24.200 --> 00:38:25.620
 all kinds of things

00:38:25.620 --> 00:38:26.780
 that will never satisfy.

00:38:26.780 --> 00:38:31.180
 And I want to tell you

00:38:31.180 --> 00:38:31.620
 this morning,

00:38:31.760 --> 00:38:32.880
 Jesus died for your sins

00:38:32.880 --> 00:38:33.560
 on the cross.

00:38:34.740 --> 00:38:35.820
 He stands ready

00:38:35.820 --> 00:38:36.580
 to forgive you

00:38:36.580 --> 00:38:38.980
 and to grant you

00:38:38.980 --> 00:38:39.940
 everlasting life.

00:38:40.019 --> 00:38:40.320
 And do you know

00:38:40.320 --> 00:38:40.800
 what He needs

00:38:40.800 --> 00:38:41.540
 to hear from you?

00:38:43.120 --> 00:38:44.400
 He needs to hear

00:38:44.400 --> 00:38:45.320
 a humble

00:38:45.320 --> 00:38:46.320
 and a broken spirit

00:38:46.320 --> 00:38:46.920
 that says,

00:38:46.920 --> 00:38:48.360
 I'm a mess.

00:38:49.360 --> 00:38:51.019
 I can't save myself.

00:38:52.079 --> 00:38:53.079
 And I believe

00:38:53.079 --> 00:38:54.200
 you died on the cross

00:38:54.200 --> 00:38:54.900
 to pay the penalty

00:38:54.900 --> 00:38:55.659
 for my sins

00:38:55.659 --> 00:38:57.099
 and you rose again.

00:38:58.059 --> 00:38:59.019
 And I take you

00:38:59.019 --> 00:38:59.680
 at your word.

00:38:59.679 --> 00:39:06.539
 Let's close in prayer.

00:39:11.179 --> 00:39:12.299
 Our Father God,

00:39:13.500 --> 00:39:17.859
 we are overwhelmed

00:39:17.859 --> 00:39:18.599
 when we stop

00:39:18.599 --> 00:39:19.319
 and think about

00:39:19.319 --> 00:39:21.059
 your unfailing love

00:39:21.059 --> 00:39:21.679
 for us.

00:39:23.500 --> 00:39:26.039
 That as the passage

00:39:26.039 --> 00:39:26.960
 in Romans says,

00:39:27.079 --> 00:39:28.179
 while we were yet sinners,

00:39:28.179 --> 00:39:30.039
 Christ died for us.

00:39:32.339 --> 00:39:33.339
 And we find

00:39:33.339 --> 00:39:34.339
 great satisfaction

00:39:34.339 --> 00:39:35.119
 in the blessing

00:39:35.119 --> 00:39:36.359
 of having relationship

00:39:36.359 --> 00:39:36.899
 with you.

00:39:38.739 --> 00:39:39.899
 I pray for those

00:39:39.899 --> 00:39:40.639
 that are here today

00:39:40.639 --> 00:39:41.440
 that do not know

00:39:41.440 --> 00:39:42.179
 the Lord Jesus

00:39:42.179 --> 00:39:42.980
 as their Savior.

00:39:43.199 --> 00:39:45.159
 Some who may be here

00:39:45.159 --> 00:39:46.359
 fully deceived

00:39:46.359 --> 00:39:47.919
 by the enemy,

00:39:48.460 --> 00:39:49.879
 thinking that

00:39:49.879 --> 00:39:51.239
 a childhood confession

00:39:51.239 --> 00:39:53.059
 or probably even

00:39:53.059 --> 00:39:54.059
 showing up

00:39:54.059 --> 00:39:55.619
 is sufficient.

00:39:55.619 --> 00:39:58.759
 but burdened

00:39:58.759 --> 00:39:59.539
 with the cloud

00:39:59.539 --> 00:40:00.179
 of doubt

00:40:00.179 --> 00:40:00.839
 and shame

00:40:00.839 --> 00:40:01.319
 and guilt

00:40:01.319 --> 00:40:02.480
 and having no remedy,

00:40:03.759 --> 00:40:04.920
 draw them to find

00:40:04.920 --> 00:40:05.779
 the Lord Jesus

00:40:05.779 --> 00:40:07.619
 their Savior.

00:40:08.480 --> 00:40:09.279
 We ask this

00:40:09.279 --> 00:40:10.139
 in Jesus' name.

00:40:10.440 --> 00:40:10.679
 Amen.

00:40:11.559 --> 00:40:12.480
 As we sing

00:40:12.480 --> 00:40:12.980
 in closing,

00:40:13.099 --> 00:40:13.779
 I would encourage you,

00:40:13.819 --> 00:40:14.480
 let's stand together.

00:40:14.480 --> 00:40:16.139
 through you.

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