WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.960 I'm curious, how many of you like creme brulee? 00:00:03.919 --> 00:00:04.080 ! 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:35.700 That has been glazed with a little propane torch, right? 00:00:37.240 --> 00:00:41.719 And then when you're getting at least a Cap City, and that happens to be a very nice restaurant, 00:00:42.500 --> 00:00:47.620 which my wife likes a lot, you have real whipped cream. 00:00:47.659 --> 00:00:50.240 I'm not talking about that squirty stuff that comes in a bottle. 00:00:50.640 --> 00:00:54.859 You can put that in your mouth and go, you know, and not let anybody else know that you did that. 00:00:54.920 --> 00:00:56.179 But anyway, you know how it is. 00:00:56.179 --> 00:01:01.539 Don't come to my house for Thanksgiving dinner, right? 00:01:04.700 --> 00:01:11.539 You know, real cream, and then on top of that are strawberries and, you know, raspberries and other things like that. 00:01:11.599 --> 00:01:16.980 The reason I bring this up is not because I want you to be kind of sitting here obsessing about food. 00:01:18.500 --> 00:01:24.760 But as I was listening this morning to our singing together, and I am blessed by the way you sing. 00:01:26.180 --> 00:01:31.040 I have to tell you that listening to the woodwinds just knocked me out. 00:01:32.140 --> 00:01:33.340 Jeff, thank you. 00:01:34.140 --> 00:01:36.240 Kristen, and where is Angela? 00:01:36.560 --> 00:01:37.280 Angela, where are you? 00:01:37.340 --> 00:01:39.040 Okay, you sit towards the front. 00:01:39.160 --> 00:01:40.000 Yeah, that's like a throw me off. 00:01:40.100 --> 00:01:41.060 Okay, but I've got to tell you. 00:01:41.220 --> 00:01:42.140 How many of you like that? 00:01:42.219 --> 00:01:44.400 I mean, we're just having a great time. 00:01:45.140 --> 00:01:48.300 And, oh, man, the woodwinds are in there. 00:01:48.360 --> 00:01:50.420 Just the right moment is like, yes! 00:01:50.420 --> 00:01:57.420 That's like the sugar that got glazed over top of the creme brulee. 00:01:58.260 --> 00:01:59.060 Real good. 00:01:59.379 --> 00:02:00.159 Thank you, guys. 00:02:00.460 --> 00:02:01.040 What a blessing. 00:02:05.740 --> 00:02:07.299 My heart is full this morning. 00:02:07.299 --> 00:02:11.439 I suppose you would expect that if you pray for me, right? 00:02:13.719 --> 00:02:22.379 Because when a man is instructed by God to preach the word faithfully, and he studies, and he prays, and you pray for him, 00:02:23.259 --> 00:02:27.579 what should happen is that he has a full heart to communicate to you the glory of Christ. 00:02:27.580 --> 00:02:37.900 And so this morning, as you turn in your Bible, we're going to go to two different places in order to get to the main place. 00:02:39.260 --> 00:02:43.920 And I do that because I want to set something clearly in your mind. 00:02:45.260 --> 00:02:48.600 Go to Matthew chapter 7, if you would, first. 00:02:48.599 --> 00:02:59.639 Matthew chapter 7 is one of the more, well, this little piece that I'm going to refer to is one of the more sober texts. 00:03:01.180 --> 00:03:04.819 Matthew chapter 7, verse 21, and I don't know if you have it underlined in your Bible. 00:03:04.979 --> 00:03:07.099 If you don't, I would encourage you to do it. 00:03:08.680 --> 00:03:12.639 Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven. 00:03:16.439 --> 00:03:18.099 We're all Lord, Lord people here. 00:03:18.159 --> 00:03:18.479 Do you follow? 00:03:18.599 --> 00:03:19.620 More or less. 00:03:20.620 --> 00:03:26.419 For the most part, you who have come today have decided that you're not going to rake leaves. 00:03:26.680 --> 00:03:28.019 You're not going to sleep in. 00:03:28.280 --> 00:03:34.519 You're not going to watch something that you kind of recorded on DVR and decided, you know, like the football game or whatever. 00:03:34.699 --> 00:03:36.340 You're here to worship. 00:03:38.859 --> 00:03:46.620 But I want you to understand that Scripture gives us some sober thoughts in relationship to it. 00:03:46.620 --> 00:03:53.020 And the truth of the matter is, is I pray for you as a congregation and I think about your faces and your lives. 00:03:53.020 --> 00:03:57.700 And I know, Tim Kenoyer doesn't know the hearts of men. 00:03:58.820 --> 00:03:59.620 I don't. 00:04:00.580 --> 00:04:01.620 Only God does. 00:04:01.620 --> 00:04:14.319 But one of the desires I have is that there would never be anybody who sits under the teaching of the Word of God here that does not come to grips regularly with the authenticity of their faith. 00:04:14.319 --> 00:04:19.740 Do I really have what I think I have? 00:04:19.740 --> 00:04:34.439 So that in that last hour, in that moment when you step from this place into eternity, that you are not stunned to discover that where you thought you were going is not where you're going. 00:04:34.439 --> 00:04:42.319 And I bring that by way of background because now we go to the passage we're going to study together. 00:04:42.600 --> 00:04:44.180 We're in John chapter 3. 00:04:45.800 --> 00:04:47.600 And we're in verse 23. 00:04:49.680 --> 00:04:57.800 Now when he was in Jerusalem in the Passover feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs he was doing. 00:04:57.800 --> 00:05:04.340 Stop just for a moment. 00:05:04.759 --> 00:05:09.400 A little bit of Bible lesson that will help you in the remainder of your life. 00:05:12.879 --> 00:05:21.420 The books in the Bible are written in general with a certain thematic flow to them. 00:05:21.500 --> 00:05:22.900 There is a recurring melody. 00:05:24.420 --> 00:05:27.439 It's the line that kind of holds things together. 00:05:27.800 --> 00:05:37.439 And in the book of John in particular, the recurring melody is given to us, strangely enough, at the end of the book. 00:05:37.600 --> 00:05:38.639 Does anybody know what it is? 00:05:38.720 --> 00:05:40.800 John chapter 20 verse... 00:05:44.400 --> 00:05:47.580 Hey, you should know this by now. 00:05:49.699 --> 00:05:51.019 Turn in your Bibles to John. 00:05:51.139 --> 00:05:55.540 Hey, listen, if I'm not getting you to get this one, we're having trouble today. 00:05:55.540 --> 00:05:57.600 Hey, I want you to know. 00:05:57.780 --> 00:05:59.060 Why did John write the book? 00:05:59.160 --> 00:05:59.740 I don't know. 00:06:00.780 --> 00:06:02.720 I don't think pastors ever said that before. 00:06:03.760 --> 00:06:06.520 You know, or if he did, it wasn't important to remember. 00:06:06.660 --> 00:06:07.140 You know, whatever. 00:06:07.300 --> 00:06:07.840 Here we go. 00:06:07.980 --> 00:06:08.900 John chapter 20. 00:06:09.120 --> 00:06:10.120 Why did he write the book? 00:06:10.540 --> 00:06:18.040 These things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Son of God. 00:06:18.040 --> 00:06:22.040 And believing that you might have everlasting life. 00:06:22.560 --> 00:06:25.580 Why did John write his book? 00:06:26.400 --> 00:06:35.800 It's so that you can know Jesus is the Son of God and you can believe in him so that you can have everlasting life. 00:06:35.800 --> 00:06:48.660 I, as we were having our team lead us in our opening song, and some of the things we're scrolling behind here, 00:06:48.980 --> 00:06:55.019 I noticed the man that is in prison, been there since 10, 2010 in Iran. 00:06:55.019 --> 00:06:59.359 John, and he has been physically abused. 00:06:59.599 --> 00:07:00.659 He's been mentally abused. 00:07:00.919 --> 00:07:02.699 He's suffered for the testimony of Christ. 00:07:03.139 --> 00:07:05.299 And he said that his spirit, remember what it said there? 00:07:05.379 --> 00:07:09.519 That his spirit is not flagged under that adversity because he knows this. 00:07:10.060 --> 00:07:12.000 I know Christ. 00:07:12.079 --> 00:07:14.639 He says, I am in my beloved and my beloved's in me. 00:07:14.759 --> 00:07:16.639 I know my relationship with Christ. 00:07:16.879 --> 00:07:18.599 They can't take that from me. 00:07:18.600 --> 00:07:28.020 And so as we look this morning, we're looking at a passage in which the apostle, remember that theme, 00:07:28.480 --> 00:07:35.220 all that I'm writing, John says, is so that you can know Jesus is the Son of God 00:07:35.220 --> 00:07:39.400 and that knowing him, you can have everlasting life. 00:07:40.120 --> 00:07:41.220 That's what he's interested in. 00:07:41.220 --> 00:07:47.800 That being the case, we come to verse 23, and it says, 00:07:48.060 --> 00:07:54.140 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover feast, many believed in his name. 00:07:55.460 --> 00:07:59.220 Wow, that's good news, you'd think. 00:08:00.480 --> 00:08:05.260 What we are going to study this morning is really what is saving faith? 00:08:06.080 --> 00:08:07.200 What is saving faith? 00:08:07.199 --> 00:08:15.439 Over the years of pastoral ministry, growing up in a Christian home, I've seen many who have been baptized. 00:08:16.240 --> 00:08:22.560 I've seen many come forward at various times in services and make professions of faith, 00:08:22.719 --> 00:08:29.419 and then you look later on and you see that their life and walk doesn't come anywhere near 00:08:29.419 --> 00:08:36.899 what the gospel indicates are the markers of genuine conversion. 00:08:37.200 --> 00:08:46.440 And so as we look at this passage this morning, what we are going to see, first of all, is a belief that doesn't save. 00:08:47.379 --> 00:08:48.680 And I want you to look at that, if you will. 00:08:49.379 --> 00:08:52.080 As we take up the text, there in verse 23, it says, 00:08:52.200 --> 00:08:54.879 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover feast, many believed in his name. 00:08:55.220 --> 00:08:55.560 When? 00:08:56.240 --> 00:08:56.640 When? 00:08:56.640 --> 00:08:56.680 When? 00:08:56.679 --> 00:08:56.759 When? 00:08:57.959 --> 00:09:00.359 They saw the signs that he was doing. 00:09:00.359 --> 00:09:07.519 And so as we look at this, we notice that the early signs that Jesus performed were pretty convincing. 00:09:07.519 --> 00:09:13.240 Remember that John only records a small percentage. 00:09:13.539 --> 00:09:16.340 I was in my own personal devotions. 00:09:16.500 --> 00:09:18.259 I'm in the process of reading through John. 00:09:19.000 --> 00:09:20.639 Strange thing that I would be doing, right? 00:09:20.740 --> 00:09:23.960 I did that two years ago before I actually began studying for John. 00:09:24.139 --> 00:09:29.819 But having finished the reading plan that I had, I thought, well, hey, I happen to like the book of John, so let's do that. 00:09:29.820 --> 00:09:34.460 And about every five days, I go back, six days, go back through it again. 00:09:34.860 --> 00:09:42.600 And I hit that issue of belief and recognized in the, I think it's in chapter 8 or something, it says, and this is the second sign. 00:09:43.240 --> 00:09:48.100 Well, there are a lot more signs than two, but John only picks out a couple of them. 00:09:48.100 --> 00:10:00.180 And in the passage that we're looking at, it is quite evident that a lot of people saw Jesus doing signs that were undeniably miraculous. 00:10:01.899 --> 00:10:04.680 There was no way of discrediting them. 00:10:04.679 --> 00:10:18.079 And as you look at the following verses, however, you will find that despite the fact that they believed in him, and that's what it says in verse 23, they believed in his name even. 00:10:19.539 --> 00:10:25.219 It's evident from the passage that Jesus did not trust himself to them. 00:10:25.739 --> 00:10:33.179 And we have to understand that these were people who, while they had a form of belief, really did not have saving faith. 00:10:33.179 --> 00:10:48.579 And so, if we were to carry the group here in John chapter 2 back over into the Matthew passage that we looked at, we'd have to say that many of them on that day will hear Jesus say, I never knew you. 00:10:49.399 --> 00:10:53.500 Well, yeah, but we said, Lord, Lord, remember when you turned the water into wine? 00:10:53.639 --> 00:10:54.539 We were impressed. 00:10:54.620 --> 00:10:56.819 Or when you did this, we were impressed. 00:10:59.019 --> 00:11:02.979 Well, let's pay attention, however, to what is actually being said because it's important. 00:11:03.179 --> 00:11:07.959 And so, I normally don't get into the Greek on this thing, but I think it helps us. 00:11:08.799 --> 00:11:20.539 The Greek word for belief or trust is used both in verse 23, pistou, you don't need to know all the details of it, but it says, many believed, they pistou, they believed in his name. 00:11:21.679 --> 00:11:29.240 But then in verse 24, it says, but Jesus on his part did not believe in them, in essence. 00:11:29.240 --> 00:11:34.860 And here are people who believed in Jesus, but Jesus didn't believe in them. 00:11:35.480 --> 00:11:39.980 These are people who trusted in Jesus, but Jesus didn't trust in them. 00:11:40.980 --> 00:11:44.899 And so, you stop and ask yourself the question, what really is going on? 00:11:44.899 --> 00:11:56.779 And what we understand in this passage is that John wants us to understand that not every confession, not every belief that individuals may have is genuine. 00:11:57.439 --> 00:11:58.959 It's not saving faith. 00:11:58.960 --> 00:12:13.879 And we come to that point of recognizing what we see there in verse 24, but Jesus on his part did not entrust, did not entrust himself to them. 00:12:14.740 --> 00:12:22.600 It is letting us know that these are people who, even though they profess to believe in Jesus, they really were not converted. 00:12:22.600 --> 00:12:23.740 They were not saved. 00:12:25.259 --> 00:12:34.800 And it's interesting to actually find there are a number of different passages in Scripture where this issue of believing in Jesus and not really having genuine faith play out. 00:12:34.899 --> 00:12:36.920 I want you to look at a couple illustrations of that. 00:12:37.240 --> 00:12:44.259 One, I'm going to take one of the longest passages in John, and I'm going to go push it together in one little bit. 00:12:44.460 --> 00:12:45.220 So bear with me. 00:12:45.519 --> 00:12:49.680 By the way, how many of you know that John chapter 6 is one of those mega chapters? 00:12:49.679 --> 00:12:55.500 John chapter 6 has lots of verses if you're trying to read through a chapter at a time or whatever. 00:12:56.219 --> 00:13:02.799 John 6 begins, and let's kind of skip ahead just to set the context just for a moment. 00:13:02.899 --> 00:13:12.000 You'll remember that what happened in John 6 is that Jesus did a miracle, and he took five barley loaves. 00:13:12.079 --> 00:13:15.279 I actually did some research to find out what barley bread is like. 00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:21.539 Just curiosity, probably going to bake it at home before we get to John 6 just to be able to say, I know what it's like, you know. 00:13:21.879 --> 00:13:28.079 But barley loaves and a couple fish, and out of the result of that, he fed a bundle of people. 00:13:29.319 --> 00:13:33.199 And as a result of that, look at what it says in verse 14. 00:13:33.200 --> 00:13:40.200 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, this is indeed the prophet who has come into the world. 00:13:42.100 --> 00:13:46.140 You know, Thanksgiving dinner is coming. 00:13:46.680 --> 00:13:49.320 It's in the distant future, but it is coming. 00:13:49.600 --> 00:13:56.640 And we all know that in order to have a happy Thanksgiving dinner, it's going to take a lot of people working a lot of time to pull it off. 00:13:56.740 --> 00:13:56.940 Correct? 00:13:56.940 --> 00:14:06.860 Here were people out in the middle of nowhere, and they all ate their fill, and they were quite impressed with what had happened. 00:14:08.200 --> 00:14:16.900 However, what we see as we work our way through there is that their belief in Jesus did not really produce a belief that was saving. 00:14:17.960 --> 00:14:21.060 They believed, perhaps, even that he was the Messiah. 00:14:21.059 --> 00:14:35.399 But their interest in him as their Messiah was not someone coming to save them from their sins, but someone to save them from their political mess that they were in. 00:14:35.539 --> 00:14:42.279 I kind of chuckle at Christians today that believe that messianic opportunity lies with one party or another. 00:14:43.039 --> 00:14:43.559 You know what? 00:14:43.579 --> 00:14:44.179 It doesn't. 00:14:44.179 --> 00:14:53.339 And the greatest interest that the Lord has in our well-being is not the politics of the moment, but our eternal destiny. 00:14:54.339 --> 00:15:03.239 And Jesus, as he was dealing with these people and their interest in basic, hey, we want to make you king so you can do all these good things for us, 00:15:03.659 --> 00:15:07.299 he said, well, let me, why don't you give me a couple minutes here to preach? 00:15:08.059 --> 00:15:11.019 And he preached a sermon that was an absolute zinger. 00:15:11.019 --> 00:15:20.179 And when it was done, it says that they all came to the point of saying, well, this is too much for us, it's too hard for us. 00:15:20.340 --> 00:15:21.759 And off they went. 00:15:22.939 --> 00:15:28.360 In fact, there were only the disciples, his apostles left, and he turns to them and says, are you going to? 00:15:30.059 --> 00:15:32.860 And Peter said, hey, where are we going? 00:15:33.120 --> 00:15:34.639 You're the only one who has the words. 00:15:34.639 --> 00:15:46.639 I bring John chapter 6 to you because as you look at this, here's a classic illustration of people who believed the miracles but didn't believe in Jesus. 00:15:47.379 --> 00:15:52.220 Probably another one that is even better is over in John chapter 7. 00:15:52.480 --> 00:15:54.740 Only three verses you can get this one, three, four, five. 00:15:55.100 --> 00:15:56.679 Here we go, John chapter 7. 00:15:57.399 --> 00:15:59.259 These are his famous brothers. 00:15:59.379 --> 00:16:01.539 How many of you knew that Jesus actually had real brothers? 00:16:01.539 --> 00:16:04.599 R-E-A-L, real brothers. 00:16:06.179 --> 00:16:07.379 Does the Bible lie? 00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:08.500 No, the Bible doesn't lie. 00:16:08.579 --> 00:16:09.199 They're half brothers. 00:16:09.319 --> 00:16:09.879 But here we go. 00:16:10.240 --> 00:16:12.099 Let's look at John chapter 7, verse 3. 00:16:12.259 --> 00:16:14.639 So his brothers said to him, hey. 00:16:16.039 --> 00:16:17.259 There's no hey in the scriptures. 00:16:17.620 --> 00:16:22.839 Leave here and go to Judea that your disciples may also see the works you are doing. 00:16:22.840 --> 00:16:28.120 For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. 00:16:28.280 --> 00:16:30.740 If you do these things, show yourself to the world. 00:16:30.899 --> 00:16:31.940 Now look at verse 5. 00:16:32.360 --> 00:16:35.500 For not even his brothers believed in him. 00:16:36.740 --> 00:16:38.000 What did they believe in? 00:16:39.740 --> 00:16:41.259 They believed he could do miracles. 00:16:41.259 --> 00:16:50.819 But they didn't believe that Jesus was the answer for the deepest problem they had, which was their sinful, wicked hearts. 00:16:53.580 --> 00:16:58.059 So I want to remind you in the Bible that not every confession of faith is genuine. 00:16:59.200 --> 00:17:03.620 There's another one that in witnessing I have opportunity to use periodically. 00:17:04.279 --> 00:17:07.680 And you don't need to turn to it, but it might be one of those that you tuck away and remember. 00:17:07.680 --> 00:17:11.180 Because you'll have opportunity when you're talking with people about Christ. 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:13.620 James chapter 2, verse 19. 00:17:15.120 --> 00:17:18.039 You say that you believe that there is one God. 00:17:18.779 --> 00:17:20.400 How many of you can finish it off for me? 00:17:21.240 --> 00:17:22.440 You do well. 00:17:23.759 --> 00:17:24.620 Big deal. 00:17:25.539 --> 00:17:28.299 Even the demons believe and tremble. 00:17:29.240 --> 00:17:36.360 You see, just coming to grips with the fact that God exists is not sufficient. 00:17:37.680 --> 00:17:40.220 To bring eternal life or to gain eternal life. 00:17:41.700 --> 00:17:50.880 And so what we do need to know from this passage, going back to John chapter 2, is something about genuine faith. 00:17:52.140 --> 00:18:01.220 In order to get there, let me begin, first of all, by pointing out that genuine faith is more than an acceptance of fact. 00:18:02.519 --> 00:18:06.060 Genuine faith is more than acceptance of fact. 00:18:06.059 --> 00:18:14.899 I have no argument with those who engage in, hang on just a second, apologetics. 00:18:16.419 --> 00:18:26.539 Apologetics is the science of kind of putting together arguments for creation and putting together arguments for the sinfulness of man's hearts and different things like that. 00:18:26.539 --> 00:18:28.500 But at the end of the day, here's what I know. 00:18:29.920 --> 00:18:33.799 That in the final analysis, people are not brought to the cross by apologetics. 00:18:34.980 --> 00:18:38.519 Because it's not just the facts that bring people to faith. 00:18:39.460 --> 00:18:41.099 The demons had the facts. 00:18:41.859 --> 00:18:49.639 In the tribulation, and I want you to understand this, in the tribulation, God is going to tag people with more facts than they can take. 00:18:49.640 --> 00:19:05.900 And over and over again, the outcome of being hit by the facts of God's holiness and his judgment is going to be nothing other than brute rebellion against the truth. 00:19:06.860 --> 00:19:08.700 You've heard the little saying, haven't you? 00:19:08.700 --> 00:19:15.799 A man persuaded against his will is of the same opinion still. 00:19:16.519 --> 00:19:21.180 Someone who has their mind made up is not going to have it changed by facts. 00:19:23.400 --> 00:19:27.140 Secondly, I want you to understand that true faith is more than being moved emotionally. 00:19:28.640 --> 00:19:32.500 In case anybody here has a question about it, I want to confess that I'm an emotional person. 00:19:32.500 --> 00:19:35.500 It's just the way I was hardwired. 00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:40.519 But one of the things I've learned a long time ago is that emotion doesn't really make the bus move. 00:19:41.579 --> 00:19:44.880 I mean, you know, crying in the bus seat doesn't make it go. 00:19:45.799 --> 00:19:52.779 And, you know, you can have emotion, you can be moved emotionally, and whatever, but it's not the same as the converting power of the Spirit of God. 00:19:53.980 --> 00:19:56.500 That's one of the reasons why... 00:19:56.500 --> 00:19:58.160 Should I go there? Yes, I will. 00:19:58.160 --> 00:20:03.900 Why, I'm not one of those individuals who thinks we have to pay 19 verses of just as I am, 00:20:04.340 --> 00:20:07.240 because if God's working in your heart, he doesn't need one verse. 00:20:08.500 --> 00:20:12.120 And if he isn't working in your heart, then 19 verses really don't get it done. 00:20:13.640 --> 00:20:18.160 If the Spirit of God is convicting you, he will draw you to himself, 00:20:18.540 --> 00:20:25.660 and you will be deeply persuaded of the sinfulness of your soul and your absolute inability to save yourself. 00:20:25.660 --> 00:20:30.140 Now, having said that, am I against emotion when we sing? 00:20:31.460 --> 00:20:32.600 Not in your life. 00:20:34.279 --> 00:20:36.560 I think emotion is a good thing. 00:20:36.640 --> 00:20:39.640 When I tell my wife I love her, there's some emotion in that. 00:20:40.480 --> 00:20:43.940 And when I sing to Jesus, there's emotion in that. 00:20:44.279 --> 00:20:46.300 And I get excited when I think about Christ. 00:20:46.299 --> 00:20:49.139 As I was driving here this morning, I was thinking about, 00:20:50.059 --> 00:20:53.079 wow, I'm going to be with people that I enjoy being with, 00:20:53.180 --> 00:20:57.240 and I'm going to sing about Jesus, and we're going to make the place rock. 00:20:57.460 --> 00:20:59.740 You know, it's like, that's what I was thinking. 00:20:59.799 --> 00:21:00.379 That's the truth. 00:21:04.859 --> 00:21:05.799 But you know what? 00:21:06.119 --> 00:21:09.440 Apart from the enabling of the Spirit of God, that's all phony baloney. 00:21:10.059 --> 00:21:11.700 We have to have the Spirit help us. 00:21:11.700 --> 00:21:13.819 That's why I was praying this morning over and over again, 00:21:13.880 --> 00:21:19.039 Holy Spirit, work in Tim Kenoyer's life that I may worship you in spirit and in truth. 00:21:19.140 --> 00:21:21.360 Well, true faith is not just mere emotion. 00:21:23.640 --> 00:21:29.000 True faith is even more than being carried away by some supernatural event. 00:21:31.580 --> 00:21:35.240 The miracles that Jesus did were truly signs of his deity. 00:21:35.240 --> 00:21:43.839 And yet, the vast majority of people that were actually on site and saw the miracles 00:21:43.839 --> 00:21:47.380 and enjoyed the miracles really didn't have their lives changed. 00:21:47.460 --> 00:21:48.519 Let me give you a couple of illustrations. 00:21:50.039 --> 00:21:53.059 I mean, the crowd that ate the barley and the fish, 00:21:53.700 --> 00:21:56.220 I really don't know about what it was like, 00:21:56.319 --> 00:22:01.380 but I can tell you this, if Jesus made it, it was five stars. 00:22:01.380 --> 00:22:06.620 In fact, I bet you there were people in the crowd saying, 00:22:07.100 --> 00:22:09.660 Man, that is the best barley and fish I've ever had. 00:22:10.620 --> 00:22:12.880 I thought my wife was a reasonably good cook, 00:22:13.020 --> 00:22:16.440 but whoever Jesus has in the kitchen is better than she is. 00:22:17.360 --> 00:22:19.700 You know, it was knockout dead gorgeous. 00:22:19.860 --> 00:22:20.900 It was good food. 00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:25.420 And they believed in him, but not for faith. 00:22:27.520 --> 00:22:30.080 People who saw Lazarus come staggering out of the grave, 00:22:30.160 --> 00:22:31.280 he'd been in there for four days. 00:22:31.279 --> 00:22:34.119 You understand, F-O-U-R, four days. 00:22:34.920 --> 00:22:37.920 Remember when they said, roll the stone away, what the sisters said? 00:22:40.359 --> 00:22:41.720 By now he's stinking. 00:22:43.440 --> 00:22:46.139 You know, and roll it away. 00:22:46.559 --> 00:22:47.059 Get it out of there. 00:22:47.460 --> 00:22:49.379 And out he comes with the grave. 00:22:49.539 --> 00:22:52.339 I mean, that was a scene for Trunk or Treat, you know. 00:22:53.139 --> 00:22:55.619 Lazarus, you know, coming out of the grave. 00:22:55.740 --> 00:22:58.160 You know, it's like, I mean, to tell you, it was impressive. 00:22:58.160 --> 00:23:00.160 And here's the deal. 00:23:01.800 --> 00:23:09.300 So many people believed that the Jews decided they needed to do something about Lazarus on top of Jesus. 00:23:09.299 --> 00:23:12.700 Did they believe? 00:23:12.940 --> 00:23:14.220 Evidently not. 00:23:16.139 --> 00:23:31.500 As I recited before, during the tribulation, there will be one miraculous event after another that people will fully know was the work of God. 00:23:31.500 --> 00:23:38.839 I mean, I have heard some people make kind of lame-brained statements like, you know what? 00:23:38.839 --> 00:23:46.240 If we could just ever get into Turkey and find where the ark really is, then people would believe. 00:23:46.539 --> 00:23:46.919 No. 00:23:48.579 --> 00:23:51.339 Or if, you know, people go off. 00:23:52.039 --> 00:23:53.599 People don't need more information. 00:23:54.619 --> 00:23:56.319 They need to work with the Spirit of God. 00:23:56.379 --> 00:23:57.319 So let's come back to this. 00:23:57.779 --> 00:24:01.179 Saving faith happens because of the grace of God. 00:24:02.059 --> 00:24:04.240 How is it that you come to faith? 00:24:04.240 --> 00:24:08.120 Well, it's not because you're smarter than your brother or your sister or somebody else. 00:24:08.259 --> 00:24:15.339 It is because the Spirit of God has worked to bring you to that place where you understand the absolute darkness of your soul. 00:24:15.700 --> 00:24:21.339 And you are convicted that apart from his grace and salvation, you have no hope. 00:24:22.099 --> 00:24:29.120 And like an absolute impoverished, wounded individual, you cry out and say, Jesus, I need you. 00:24:29.920 --> 00:24:30.839 And he saves you. 00:24:30.839 --> 00:24:35.799 And Ephesians 2, verse 8 and 9 hammers the point. 00:24:35.879 --> 00:24:38.119 It says, for by grace you're saved. 00:24:38.179 --> 00:24:39.199 I mean, that's how we get saved. 00:24:40.119 --> 00:24:47.419 And saving faith rests its all on Christ alone for forgiveness, for sin, and for salvation. 00:24:47.720 --> 00:24:53.819 And as you look at this passage, you find people who, hey, they were believing in the things that Jesus did, 00:24:53.899 --> 00:24:56.519 but they weren't believing in the thing Jesus came to do. 00:24:56.519 --> 00:25:10.539 And so the question for you sitting here this morning, remember, John is all about, hey, I want you to be fully persuaded that Jesus is the Son of God so that you can have saving faith. 00:25:10.539 --> 00:25:16.940 And it is a legitimate exercise to sit here and say, do I have it? 00:25:17.899 --> 00:25:19.119 Do I have it? 00:25:19.119 --> 00:25:26.000 There are some of you sitting here, when you really stop and think about it, apart from maybe an emotional moment when you made a decision, 00:25:26.319 --> 00:25:30.059 you have seen no evidence of the transforming power of the gospel. 00:25:31.199 --> 00:25:35.019 Your life is still enslaved to bitterness. 00:25:35.019 --> 00:25:46.400 And underneath there is that spirit of discontent and dissatisfaction and a foreboding uncertainty of what your future is. 00:25:47.799 --> 00:25:56.180 I can tell you, as you look at this passage, one of the things that should happen is you should sit there and say, well, I don't know if I have the real thing. 00:25:56.180 --> 00:26:01.200 And if you're sitting there and you don't know that you have the real thing, guess what? 00:26:01.960 --> 00:26:08.680 The best time to zero in on whether you have the real thing or not is before you die. 00:26:15.160 --> 00:26:20.460 John chapter 2, verse 24. 00:26:21.259 --> 00:26:22.820 We come to the second piece. 00:26:22.819 --> 00:26:29.779 Remember, John is all about, hey, I'm telling you these things so that you know Jesus is the Son of God. 00:26:29.859 --> 00:26:30.679 That's why it's here. 00:26:32.099 --> 00:26:34.259 And now we have another sign of Christ's deity. 00:26:36.500 --> 00:26:40.799 Now, there are many of our men who are married to incredibly sharp wives. 00:26:44.019 --> 00:26:44.960 Who said that? 00:26:45.720 --> 00:26:46.200 Tom? 00:26:46.339 --> 00:26:46.779 I agree. 00:26:46.779 --> 00:26:51.359 I read something on Facebook that was really kind of humorous. 00:26:51.619 --> 00:26:52.379 We'll go there. 00:26:52.819 --> 00:27:02.119 Scott, something who is a missionary in Brazil, said that behind every successful man, 00:27:02.559 --> 00:27:07.019 you've heard the statement is an exceptional wife or an intelligent wife or something like that. 00:27:07.339 --> 00:27:11.039 In Brazil, the saying is behind every successful man is a surprised wife. 00:27:11.399 --> 00:27:12.679 I thought that was inappropriate. 00:27:13.339 --> 00:27:17.000 But I thought I'd mention it so you could remember that I said something like that before. 00:27:17.319 --> 00:27:17.859 Here we go. 00:27:19.700 --> 00:27:20.619 Don't go south. 00:27:20.899 --> 00:27:21.419 Stay with me. 00:27:21.420 --> 00:27:28.300 We do think that we married incredibly brilliant women. 00:27:28.860 --> 00:27:30.300 That's an intelligent thing to think. 00:27:31.160 --> 00:27:33.019 You did pick her with God's help. 00:27:33.019 --> 00:27:38.279 And parents can seem to be so profoundly perceptive. 00:27:40.559 --> 00:27:47.900 My children sometimes wondered how I knew some of the things that they were doing. 00:27:49.019 --> 00:27:54.940 And my secret comment was, duh, I gave you the genetic code. 00:27:54.940 --> 00:27:59.880 The bad things you're thinking about already did. 00:28:00.320 --> 00:28:01.000 I know. 00:28:02.100 --> 00:28:07.080 But then when I really didn't know, then there was that scary prayer that I would always tell my children I would pray. 00:28:07.160 --> 00:28:07.620 And it was this. 00:28:07.680 --> 00:28:11.680 It said, I don't know what you're doing, but I'm going to pray and ask God to bring it to my attention. 00:28:12.640 --> 00:28:13.559 It was like, huh? 00:28:13.559 --> 00:28:14.360 Don't do that. 00:28:14.600 --> 00:28:15.440 I'll tell you. 00:28:15.440 --> 00:28:15.840 Okay. 00:28:19.360 --> 00:28:20.160 Here's the deal. 00:28:21.420 --> 00:28:23.980 When your wife says, I know what you're thinking, she doesn't. 00:28:23.980 --> 00:28:30.440 She might be making an intelligent guess based on history, but she really doesn't know what you're thinking. 00:28:30.819 --> 00:28:34.839 And the way I can tell you she doesn't know is the Bible says so. 00:28:36.799 --> 00:28:40.160 1 Corinthians 2, verse 11, kind of give you a free rendition of it. 00:28:40.200 --> 00:28:40.860 Here's what it says. 00:28:40.920 --> 00:28:44.000 It says, a man doesn't know what a man's thinking unless a man tells him. 00:28:45.099 --> 00:28:46.180 Kind of press that together. 00:28:46.180 --> 00:28:49.400 You don't know what I'm thinking until I tell you. 00:28:50.039 --> 00:28:53.039 And I don't know what you're thinking until you tell me. 00:28:53.680 --> 00:29:01.360 That's one of the reasons why in counseling, biblical counselors spend the predominant amount of time listening to people talk. 00:29:01.440 --> 00:29:01.940 Do you know why? 00:29:03.740 --> 00:29:06.460 They're gathering information on what the person thinks. 00:29:07.740 --> 00:29:08.900 And I love doing that. 00:29:08.960 --> 00:29:11.539 I kind of sit there and let people just kind of spill it all over the floor. 00:29:11.640 --> 00:29:13.380 It's like, go ahead, drop pickup sticks. 00:29:13.620 --> 00:29:14.580 That's my job. 00:29:14.660 --> 00:29:15.380 Get them all over there. 00:29:15.380 --> 00:29:19.300 And then what I do is, didn't you say this? 00:29:21.000 --> 00:29:21.880 I guess I did. 00:29:22.220 --> 00:29:23.960 And didn't you say that? 00:29:24.060 --> 00:29:25.700 Yeah, I guess I did. 00:29:26.420 --> 00:29:30.100 Well, you know, if I put those things together, it sounds like you have a pretty bitter spirit. 00:29:30.100 --> 00:29:31.060 I do not have a bitter spirit. 00:29:31.400 --> 00:29:31.860 No, no, no. 00:29:31.900 --> 00:29:34.620 I'm just saying, this is what you said, right? 00:29:36.640 --> 00:29:39.820 Self-indictment is just a real trump card. 00:29:40.220 --> 00:29:41.000 Okay, so here we go. 00:29:41.560 --> 00:29:44.260 1 Corinthians 2 says, you don't know what another person's thinking. 00:29:44.259 --> 00:29:47.059 And in the Bible, it kind of hammers on this point. 00:29:47.180 --> 00:29:51.180 Only God really knows what's going on inside of a person. 00:29:51.180 --> 00:29:58.140 Keep your finger there in John chapter 2 and go back to Jeremiah chapter 17. 00:29:58.799 --> 00:30:02.400 Jeremiah really tags us about three or four times, and I just chose one of them. 00:30:02.400 --> 00:30:05.780 A good passage, but one that is repeated. 00:30:05.780 --> 00:30:08.280 Jeremiah chapter 17, verse 10. 00:30:09.320 --> 00:30:11.840 I, the Lord, search the heart and test the mind. 00:30:15.000 --> 00:30:17.920 When your wife says, I know what you're thinking, she doesn't. 00:30:19.040 --> 00:30:21.860 When God says, I know what you're thinking, he does. 00:30:21.859 --> 00:30:28.959 In fact, to take it a little further on the basis of Psalm 139, he knows what I'm thinking before I think it. 00:30:31.919 --> 00:30:32.819 No surprises. 00:30:32.819 --> 00:30:45.839 I want you to understand that as you look here at John chapter 2, we're dealing with the fact that here's Jesus who, it says, 00:30:46.299 --> 00:30:53.019 Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about men, 00:30:53.139 --> 00:30:56.240 for he himself knew what was in man. 00:30:56.240 --> 00:31:04.000 And that's an indication of the fact that Jesus is indeed the second person of the Trinity. 00:31:04.720 --> 00:31:05.539 He's God. 00:31:06.420 --> 00:31:07.779 He knows what you're thinking. 00:31:08.839 --> 00:31:11.819 And he knows exactly what's in your heart. 00:31:12.000 --> 00:31:15.140 He knows and he pays attention to it. 00:31:15.440 --> 00:31:16.960 Now, is there benefit in that? 00:31:17.980 --> 00:31:18.680 Oh, yes. 00:31:18.680 --> 00:31:28.019 In fact, you would do well to remind yourself often that Jesus knows what you're thinking. 00:31:29.660 --> 00:31:36.560 Because what happens a lot of times in all of our minds, mine included, is that we have a thought, 00:31:37.200 --> 00:31:40.560 and then we kind of think that since it's private, we'll mull on it. 00:31:40.620 --> 00:31:42.019 How many of you know what it means to mull? 00:31:42.660 --> 00:31:44.380 I mean, it's kind of roll it over and over again. 00:31:45.080 --> 00:31:46.920 For me, it's when I get into attitudes. 00:31:46.920 --> 00:31:48.420 How many of you know what attitudes are? 00:31:48.620 --> 00:31:54.380 Attitudes, you know, it's like getting kind of a negative spirit towards something. 00:31:55.580 --> 00:31:59.980 I shared with people on Wednesday night that I got a speeding ticket last week. 00:32:01.680 --> 00:32:02.779 I deserved it. 00:32:03.460 --> 00:32:07.620 But I will tell you that about three or four times in the days that followed, 00:32:07.759 --> 00:32:11.860 especially when I found out that I have to pay $150, and that comes out of my hunting fund. 00:32:11.859 --> 00:32:18.839 I was saying, yeah, drop your jaw and join me in my, ah! 00:32:20.500 --> 00:32:23.799 I found myself struggling with an attitude, and I thought, you know what, Jesus? 00:32:24.279 --> 00:32:25.559 And I had to talk about that. 00:32:25.659 --> 00:32:33.519 You know, I was like, Lord, I can either choose right now to indulge myself in wickedness, 00:32:33.519 --> 00:32:38.519 or I can confess that you are the Lord of this universe and in control of things, 00:32:38.579 --> 00:32:39.740 and I would have been paying better attention. 00:32:40.779 --> 00:32:41.920 I should follow the law. 00:32:43.740 --> 00:32:45.940 So anyway, Jesus knows. 00:32:46.400 --> 00:32:50.779 And all you have to do is think about the different passages where Jesus did this. 00:32:50.980 --> 00:32:53.839 Two that I'll just kind of draw your attention to your attention. 00:32:53.839 --> 00:32:57.359 One is when the paralytic was lowered through the roof. 00:32:57.439 --> 00:32:58.279 Remember that miracle? 00:32:59.019 --> 00:33:03.179 His friends really wanted the paralytic to be healed, and so they tore the roof apart. 00:33:03.519 --> 00:33:05.740 They let the guy down right in front of Jesus. 00:33:06.119 --> 00:33:08.259 And what's the first thing that Jesus says? 00:33:10.220 --> 00:33:10.459 Huh? 00:33:10.559 --> 00:33:11.480 What was the first thing? 00:33:13.279 --> 00:33:19.359 He said, now listen, they had brought him for a little bit of leg healing, you know. 00:33:20.039 --> 00:33:22.599 And Jesus says, hey, your sins are forgiven. 00:33:22.599 --> 00:33:28.459 And there are all those Pharisees thinking, who can forgive sin but God alone? 00:33:28.879 --> 00:33:32.179 And Jesus says, hey, that's a good question. 00:33:32.519 --> 00:33:34.000 So let me show you something. 00:33:34.379 --> 00:33:36.939 Hey, get up and take your bed and walk. 00:33:38.099 --> 00:33:39.819 Now, which was easier to do? 00:33:41.179 --> 00:33:41.519 Neither. 00:33:42.619 --> 00:33:43.879 Were they equally as hard? 00:33:44.619 --> 00:33:45.099 Yes. 00:33:46.319 --> 00:33:46.980 Jesus knew. 00:33:47.259 --> 00:33:49.719 That had to be profoundly unnerving. 00:33:49.720 --> 00:33:58.140 To be a Pharisee, having an attitude towards Jesus when you're in a crowd and remembering the last three times he dinged you for what you were thinking secretly. 00:33:59.279 --> 00:33:59.900 Should I think? 00:34:00.019 --> 00:34:00.700 He'll read my mind. 00:34:00.819 --> 00:34:01.299 No, don't go. 00:34:01.420 --> 00:34:01.700 Don't. 00:34:04.380 --> 00:34:06.160 Oh, well, I'm going to anyway. 00:34:07.299 --> 00:34:10.039 Case in point, Luke chapter 6. 00:34:10.039 --> 00:34:13.480 There was a man who's paralyzed, you know, paralytic. 00:34:13.679 --> 00:34:16.079 And he's in front of Jesus on the Sabbath. 00:34:16.300 --> 00:34:18.360 And all the Pharisees, you know what they're watching? 00:34:18.699 --> 00:34:20.279 I wonder if he's going to heal on the Sabbath. 00:34:21.239 --> 00:34:23.820 Well, I'm going to add that to the checklist of bad things he's done. 00:34:23.900 --> 00:34:26.980 And Jesus says, hey, I know what you're... 00:34:26.980 --> 00:34:27.840 I was trying to get... 00:34:27.840 --> 00:34:30.759 You know, you want to see if I'm going to heal this guy? 00:34:30.960 --> 00:34:31.279 Bing! 00:34:31.400 --> 00:34:32.100 There it is! 00:34:34.140 --> 00:34:48.220 Well, you know, when I think about this, the thing that just blows me away is that he knows each of our hearts and he still loves us. 00:34:51.860 --> 00:34:55.280 I don't know about you, but that just tears me up when I stop and think about it. 00:34:55.280 --> 00:35:02.700 One of the things that I look forward to in heaven, and I will enjoy seeing Jesus... 00:35:02.700 --> 00:35:10.500 My wife and I were talking the other day, and I said, you know, when I get to heaven, all these dumb questions that I thought I would ask, I probably won't. 00:35:12.480 --> 00:35:12.880 Why? 00:35:13.080 --> 00:35:17.880 Because I'm going to be so overwhelmed with the glory and supremacy of Christ. 00:35:17.880 --> 00:35:31.519 But I will tell you, one of the small things that I'm going to enjoy is that I will no longer have a battle with my own heart and my mind. 00:35:33.440 --> 00:35:40.119 And I'm amazed that Jesus knows that and still loves me. 00:35:40.119 --> 00:35:53.900 And so here we are this morning, face to face with the Son of God. 00:35:56.960 --> 00:36:05.960 And the fact that he knows what you're thinking should lead you to one of two places. 00:36:05.960 --> 00:36:21.260 Number one, it should lead you to a place of just overwhelming thanksgiving for his unconditional, unchanging, certain love. 00:36:23.940 --> 00:36:26.760 Do you remember the woman at the well who ran back into town? 00:36:27.119 --> 00:36:30.159 She'd been married five times, and she was shacking up with a guy. 00:36:30.159 --> 00:36:35.559 And she scampers into town, and she told them something that most of them already knew by gossip. 00:36:35.559 --> 00:36:38.799 She says to all of them, come meet the man. 00:36:38.860 --> 00:36:39.880 Is this not the Christ? 00:36:40.039 --> 00:36:42.599 He told me all that I ever did. 00:36:44.559 --> 00:36:45.820 And he still loves me. 00:36:47.059 --> 00:36:48.119 And he loves you. 00:36:49.719 --> 00:36:56.519 And so when I think about the reality of Christ's knowledge of our thoughts, 00:36:57.380 --> 00:37:00.360 it will do one of two things. 00:37:00.360 --> 00:37:06.760 It will draw you to love him more when you consider that he loves you despite that. 00:37:10.840 --> 00:37:19.760 Or it should leave you this morning with a terrifying prospect that the day is coming when you will stand before the judge of the whole earth, 00:37:19.760 --> 00:37:25.960 and he is going to judge you according to the thoughts of your heart and the things that you've done, 00:37:26.100 --> 00:37:29.720 and he won't miss a single line. 00:37:29.719 --> 00:37:37.500 And what's the purpose of preaching? 00:37:41.399 --> 00:37:54.539 It is to tell people of the glory of Christ and his readiness to forgive while there's time and hope, 00:37:54.539 --> 00:37:59.420 and to do so with affection and pleading, 00:38:00.000 --> 00:38:08.079 because I have no doubt there are some of you here that sit today whose hearts have been hardened by the deceitfulness of sin, 00:38:09.079 --> 00:38:11.579 and I don't know how long you're going to live. 00:38:11.579 --> 00:38:18.719 And I would plead with you as Paul writes in 2 Corinthians chapter 5. 00:38:18.819 --> 00:38:19.239 He says, 00:38:19.900 --> 00:38:22.319 I plead with you in Christ's stead. 00:38:22.440 --> 00:38:24.279 That means in his place. 00:38:25.039 --> 00:38:27.059 Be reconciled to God. 00:38:31.539 --> 00:38:32.819 Let's close in prayer. 00:38:32.820 --> 00:38:40.980 Holy Spirit, 00:38:40.980 --> 00:38:43.539 this morning we recognize the glory of Christ, 00:38:44.740 --> 00:38:47.900 who knows every thought that we think, 00:38:49.500 --> 00:38:55.900 and yet came to be the Savior of the world and to be the Lamb of God and to die for our sins 00:38:55.900 --> 00:39:00.820 and offer salvation to whosoever will call upon the name of the Lord. 00:39:02.820 --> 00:39:09.800 There are some here this morning that are believers who have carried a secret sin and a secret bitterness, 00:39:10.120 --> 00:39:14.220 and I pray, Lord, that your Spirit would convict them of that 00:39:14.220 --> 00:39:18.039 and bring them the point of genuine repentance, 00:39:19.180 --> 00:39:24.180 that they may walk in the joy of the Lord and in the victory of their salvation. 00:39:24.179 --> 00:39:28.579 I pray for those who are here today that do not know Christ, 00:39:28.699 --> 00:39:34.359 that this morning your Spirit would grab a hold of their dark and hopeless heart 00:39:34.359 --> 00:39:40.159 and draw them to realize that there is no hope apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:39:42.319 --> 00:39:44.339 And I ask this in Jesus' name. 00:39:44.899 --> 00:39:45.219 Amen. 00:39:45.219 --> 00:39:45.359 Amen. 00:39:45.359 --> 00:39:45.399 Amen. 00:39:45.399 --> 00:39:45.399 00:39:45.399 --> 00:39:45.399 00:39:45.399 --> 00:39:45.399 00:39:45.399 --> 00:39:45.399 00:39:45.399 --> 00:39:45.399 00:39:45.399 --> 00:39:45.399 00:39:45.399 --> 00:39:45.399 00:39:45.399 --> 00:39:45.399 00:39:45.399 --> 00:39:45.399 00:39:45.399 --> 00:39:45.399 00:39:45.399 --> 00:39:45.399 00:39:45.399 --> 00:39:45.399 00:39:45.399 --> 00:39:45.399 00:39:45.399 --> 00:39:45.399 00:39:45.399 --> 00:39:45.399 00:39:45.399 --> 00:39:45.399 00:39:45.399 --> 00:39:45.399 00:39:45.399 --> 00:39:45.399 00:39:45.399 --> 00:39:45.399 00:39:45.399 --> 00:39:45.399 00:39:45.399 --> 00:39:45.399 00:39:45.399 --> 00:39:45.399 00:39:45.399 --> 00:39:45.399 00:39:45.399 --> 00:39:47.399 Amen. 00:39:47.399 --> 00:39:47.399