WEBVTT

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 If you have your Bibles this morning, I want to turn to John chapter 20.

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 John chapter 20, we're going to go several places in Scripture this morning, but we're going to start there.

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 And I just want to begin by saying how humbled and honored I am to be your pastor.

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 It is a joy to stand in this place and look forward to see what God's going to do in us and through us

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 for his honor and for his glory.

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 I want to begin our time together by telling you what drives my passion in ministry.

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 The gospel is the foundation.

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 The grace and mercy of God makes up the hope in which I preach and the glory of God is the goal.

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 However, if you really want to know what stirs me,

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 what I see again and again in Scripture,

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 what raises to the top in the midst of my study and what I find is a pattern

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 again and again in my life, what motivates me to pastor with all that I've got,

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 it's the matters that I want to share with you during the month of May.

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 For four weeks in the month of May, with the exception of Mother's Day,

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 a day to honor godly ladies,

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 I want to be sharing a series entitled First Things First.

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 It's a sermon series about priorities.

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 And today, I want to speak particularly about salvation certainties.

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 That is certainties about salvation that will help you become certain about your salvation.

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 It is an important matter.

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 I know from my own experience, I was saved and baptized at a very early age,

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 and I had a zeal for the Lord at an early age.

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 I wanted to do what I could do for the Lord,

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 and I wanted to honor Him and to make His will certain and clear in my life.

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 And salvation came early.

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 And at 16, I decided that I wanted godly men to pray about what I felt was a pulling toward a call.

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 I got deacons in the church.

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 Those men that I revered, some of them I didn't well know,

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 but I revered them because of the position that they held in the church,

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 because other people saw them as a witness.

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 And I went to them and asked them to pray for me at the age of 16.

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 Will you pray that God will show you if I'm to be in ministry?

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 And when He tells you, won't you let me know?

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 That's what I said as a 16-year-old.

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 Two years later, I had a burning bush type experience of all things in the shower

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 when God revealed to me, in fact,

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 that desire that I had within my heart to do ministry had been placed by Him,

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 and it was time to pursue that.

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 I went back to those men to share that God had given me clarity,

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 and they said, we knew the day you asked us.

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 To the man, they said, we knew the day you asked us that God had called you to ministry.

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 I have known since that day without a doubt that this is what God wants me to do.

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 However, shortly after that call, I began to have doubts about my salvation.

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 Not doubts about the call, but doubts about my salvation,

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 because I was so young when I made the decision.

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 I couldn't remember all the details.

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 I remember being baptized.

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 I remember how it was a glorious spiritual feeling

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 and how I wanted to do it again.

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 Not just for the fun of the water, but for the real experience.

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 And so as a 19, 20-year-old, I began to struggle with all those things,

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 and I began to pray.

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 I began to seek scripture and just think through some things as I prayed through that.

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 And God brought me back to what's often entitled the Roman Road.

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 It was what I used to lead people to Christ before that time in my life.

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 I was reminded of how Romans 3, 23 says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

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 I knew I had sinned, and I knew that I had acknowledged that before the Lord.

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 Romans 6, 23 says the wages of sin is death.

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 The cost, the penalty of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

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 I knew that that was the gift, and I knew that I had asked God if I could receive that gift from Him.

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 I knew that what Romans 5, 8 says is that God loves us, and He demonstrates His love for us,

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 that while we were yet sinners, even though He knew everything we had done wrong, He still died for us.

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 And I knew of all the plans I've ever heard of how someone can come to know the Lord,

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 that Romans 10, 9 stands out among all of them, as you read a little while ago,

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 that it's really a two-step process, regardless of what Vacation Bible School tells you.

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 That if you confess with your mouth, and that is not a quiet confession to the pastor in his study,

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 it is an open confession before the Lord, the context of which Paul spoke of was one where they risked their lives

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 to speak of Christ instead of Caesar.

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 That if you confess boldly and abundantly with your mouth that Jesus is Lord,

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 and believe in your heart that God raised you from Him,

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 not a historical belief that Jesus was a real guy,

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 but instead a heart commitment belief, that you surrender your life to follow His will and His way,

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 and to live your life for His cause, that if you do that, you will be saved

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 with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth confession is made.

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 I had done that, and I knew that, and I believed it unashamedly.

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 I had shared my faith.

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 Refrigerators years ago used to come in a big box, a refrigerator box.

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 Greatest gift a kid could ever get was a refrigerator box, man.

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 It was awesome. Too bad they only wrap them today.

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 We got that refrigerator box, cut a hole in the side of it, threw a bean bag in there, man,

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 and I had a clubhouse.

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 We had the basketball goal in the neighborhood, and so people would come play ball in the neighborhood,

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 and I'd get one of those fellows to come to the refrigerator box clubhouse,

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 and we'd hang out there.

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 It might have to be pretty tight quarters, but we'd hang out there,

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 and I'd ask him in some form or fashion as an 8, 9, 10-year-old,

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 Have you ever asked Jesus into your heart?

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 I knew early on in my life I'd had a passion for that,

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 and God revealed that to me and showed that to me again and firmed that up within me.

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 Thank God that Romans 10, 13 tells us that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

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 So having gone through that, I don't ever want anybody else to have to deal with that.

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 We don't serve a raise your hand when nobody's looking kind of God.

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 That's not what Jesus said.

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 Jesus said, come follow me, and I think he turned around and started walking.

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 They had to drop their nets and leave their businesses,

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 leave what they were going to inherit in order to follow him and trust him with how it was all going to shake out.

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 I don't believe it's something where we simply repeat a prayer after somebody.

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 Just say the words.

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 Just repeat after me.

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 Baptists have made it so easy to get saved that you don't even have to think about it anymore.

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 Just say it.

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 No wonder people are confused.

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 I'm telling you, it's a burden to me.

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 I'm going to be a burden to me.

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 I'm going to be a burden to you.

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 I'm going to be a burden to you.

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 I'm going to be a burden to you.

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 I'm going to be a burden to you.

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 I'm going to be a burden to you.

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 That if you're 99.9% sure you're saved, you're 100% lost.

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 If you've ever had a doubt, you're lost.

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 There's a Greek word for that, and it's baloney.

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 It's not true.

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 It's not true.

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 James tells us that there'll be doubts along the way,

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 and they ought to be red flags for us, and we ought to check them out.

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 We ought to deal with it.

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 But when there is a doubt, we ought to sure up our faith

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 because the Lord wants you saved, and he wants you absolutely sure of it.

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 Lostness will haunt you for all of eternity.

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 Doubting your salvation will haunt you for all of your life

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 if you don't get a handle on it.

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 I want you to, it's not just my burden.

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 I want you to listen to what John's burden was.

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 He closes out his gospel in John chapter 20, verse 30 through 31 by saying this.

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 Now, Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples,

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 which are not written in this book, but these are written.

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 In other words, the things that are written in the gospel of John,

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 these things are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,

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 and that by believing you may have life in his name.

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 That's his passion.

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 That's his burden.

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 And if you look at the New Testament, you'll find one big John and three little Johns,

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 and in 1 John, where he wrote that, he ended that book by saying in chapter 5, verse 13,

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 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God

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 that you may know that you have eternal life.

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 So I want to give you this morning some salvation certainties to help you become more certain of your salvation.

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 To know that beyond a shadow of a doubt.

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 You say, well, preacher, I already know that.

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 Well, inform your face then, okay?

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 Not other people know about it, you know?

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 Let's be sure enough to share this thing.

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 How can you know?

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 Well, we have to agree on something first.

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 Because if we can't agree on this, I can't help you a whole lot with it.

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 We have to agree in our hearts that the Word of God is the truth.

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 That the Word of God is the decider.

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 It's not our memory.

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 Thank God, because our salvation is more sure than our memory.

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 It's not our mindset.

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 Even in the moments when I do not have the mind of Christ, I have Christ.

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 It's not in our feelings.

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 I want you to hear me, church.

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 Your salvation is not based upon your feelings.

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 I've had people come to me and say, I don't feel like I'm saved.

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 Okay?

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 There's a lot of certainties in life that I may not feel like.

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 If I'm driving down the road and there's blue lights that pop up behind me,

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 I don't feel like I was going very fast.

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 But when I get the ticket, I find out different.

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 Because it's not based on my feelings.

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 And you may say, well, I don't feel like I spent a whole lot on a credit card.

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 But inevitably, every month, American Express lets me know, you've spent plenty.

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 It'll let you know.

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 Just to be clear, just because a male may not feel like a male,

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 that does not make him a female.

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 And you do not vacillate between the two.

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 Your gender is not based upon your feelings.

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 I don't say that with hatred and bitterness.

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 I say it with biblical clarity.

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 God made you as he made you.

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 And those things don't change.

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 It's not based on your feelings.

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 Neither is your salvation.

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 Now, there tends to be two different extremes with this.

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 One of them is that someone's always uncertain.

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 Like a fish out of water, flipping back and forth.

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 Real salvation is not that fickle.

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 It's not that unsettled.

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 I remember years ago when I was a very young pastor in my first church.

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 There was a man, I was blessed to live in a parsonage in the parking lot of the church.

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 What a blessing.

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 I could unlock for anybody that came by.

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 They even offered to string the phone line over the parking lot

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 so that I could answer the phone for the church 24-7.

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 What a blessing.

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 I told him I'd sacrifice and pay my own phone bill.

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 I had a man knock on my door one Saturday afternoon

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 and said, preacher, I must be lost.

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 You can't think the way I think and feel the way I feel and be saved.

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 I must be lost.

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 I said, well, praise the Lord.

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 Let's talk about this.

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 So we talked about it.

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 I led him to Christ.

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 I baptized him.

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 I baptized him.

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 Had a little bitty pool.

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 Had stairs going down on both sides.

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 The bottom of that pool wasn't no bigger than the top of this platform.

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 And these stairs went to a wall.

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 There was nothing there.

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 But it was just, I guess it was on sale.

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 So they brought the fellow down.

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 He stood before me.

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 And when I baptized him, he kind of curled up on me.

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 He just kind of curled up.

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 I didn't train him like I do now.

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 And he curled up on me.

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 And the top of his head was sticking out of the water

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 because he had done hit the steps.

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 What do you do?

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 I mean, I didn't know what to do.

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 They didn't teach me that in seminary.

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 And so I thought, well, if I splash some water on his head,

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 that'll make me a Methodist.

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 So if you see a guy in glory that's missing half his head,

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 not that you have to be baptized to get there,

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 but I know his name.

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 But anyway.

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 The next week, he came back to my house.

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 He said, preacher, I must be lost.

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 I said, what?

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 He said, to feel the way I feel must be lost.

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 Come to find out he was on medication.

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 He didn't like to take the medication

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 because of the side effects to it.

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 But when he didn't, wasn't on the medication,

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 he felt lostness.

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 I'm not poking fun at him.

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 I'm just telling you,

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 your salvation is not based on your feelings.

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 And if you think everything's okay, it may not be.

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 And if you think nothing's okay, it may be.

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 It seems to vacillate between either always uncertain,

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 struggling like that,

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 maybe due to other causes,

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 or either a false assurance.

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 Church, I want you to hear me this morning.

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 Salvation does not come from your family tradition.

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 I know your granddaddy loved the Lord

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 and your mama loved the Lord.

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 That's not where you get your salvation from.

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 Salvation does not come from your political persuasion.

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 I assume you have one,

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 but it will not get you to glory.

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 Your salvation does not come through your moral conduct.

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 Although if you're saved,

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 you ought to act like you're saved.

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 It does not come through your church membership.

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 Although you shouldn't be a member of a church

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 unless you're saved.

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 Salvation only is found in Christ.

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 And many times,

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 your feelings have little to do with reality.

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 So if you're not willing to put God's word

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 before your feelings,

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 I can't help you a whole lot.

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 But when you know scripture's truth

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 and you believe it,

00:16:20.779 --> 00:16:22.699
 you can rest in what he teaches.

00:16:22.819 --> 00:16:24.799
 Well, let me share with you some certainties.

00:16:25.179 --> 00:16:25.959
 Salvation is certainties.

00:16:26.319 --> 00:16:27.019
 First is this.

00:16:27.579 --> 00:16:29.279
 Salvation starts with Christ.

00:16:30.159 --> 00:16:30.959
 Starts with Christ.

00:16:31.539 --> 00:16:32.939
 John 14, 6 says,

00:16:33.399 --> 00:16:34.220
 Jesus said,

00:16:34.299 --> 00:16:35.500
 I am the way, the truth, and life.

00:16:35.500 --> 00:16:38.820
 No one comes into the Father except through me.

00:16:38.879 --> 00:16:39.679
 It's the only way.

00:16:41.059 --> 00:16:44.240
 Now, have you received life from Christ?

00:16:44.580 --> 00:16:47.639
 First John 5, 14 and 15 says this.

00:16:48.019 --> 00:16:50.240
 And this is the confidence that we have toward him.

00:16:50.580 --> 00:16:52.340
 That if we ask anything according to the will,

00:16:52.399 --> 00:16:53.259
 he hears us.

00:16:53.519 --> 00:16:55.779
 And if we know that he hears us

00:16:55.779 --> 00:16:56.879
 in whatever we ask,

00:16:57.039 --> 00:17:00.399
 we know that we have the request that we ask of him.

00:17:00.519 --> 00:17:00.919
 You know what?

00:17:01.059 --> 00:17:02.480
 That includes salvation.

00:17:03.820 --> 00:17:04.680
 Because listen,

00:17:04.680 --> 00:17:06.539
 if you feel drawn to salvation,

00:17:06.799 --> 00:17:08.500
 you didn't come up with that on your own.

00:17:08.900 --> 00:17:10.019
 God gave you that,

00:17:10.160 --> 00:17:11.460
 drew you into that.

00:17:12.299 --> 00:17:13.519
 And then Romans 10, 9,

00:17:13.640 --> 00:17:14.100
 again,

00:17:14.519 --> 00:17:15.980
 is if we confess with your mouth,

00:17:16.100 --> 00:17:16.640
 Jesus is Lord,

00:17:16.720 --> 00:17:17.920
 believe in your heart that God raised him,

00:17:18.000 --> 00:17:20.259
 you will be saved.

00:17:20.320 --> 00:17:22.420
 People love to talk about the reality of heaven.

00:17:24.140 --> 00:17:25.860
 We don't like to talk about the reality of hell.

00:17:26.940 --> 00:17:28.000
 But the reality is,

00:17:28.080 --> 00:17:30.460
 we base what we understand of heaven on scripture.

00:17:30.680 --> 00:17:32.500
 We ought to base what we understand on hell

00:17:32.500 --> 00:17:33.640
 upon scripture as well.

00:17:33.640 --> 00:17:37.320
 If you leave this life without surrendering your life to Christ,

00:17:37.460 --> 00:17:41.920
 you will forever be separated from God.

00:17:42.860 --> 00:17:43.500
 However,

00:17:44.600 --> 00:17:47.340
 when one sincerely surrenders his or her life,

00:17:47.440 --> 00:17:48.940
 a change happens.

00:17:49.920 --> 00:17:51.640
 And it's not just eternal destination.

00:17:52.080 --> 00:17:54.580
 It is spiritual transformation.

00:17:54.579 --> 00:17:57.079
 I want you to listen to how John describes it.

00:17:57.139 --> 00:17:57.919
 In 1 John,

00:17:58.240 --> 00:17:59.079
 chapter 4,

00:17:59.639 --> 00:18:00.899
 verse 15 through 17.

00:18:02.399 --> 00:18:02.699
 He said,

00:18:02.799 --> 00:18:05.439
 whoever confesses that Jesus is the son of God,

00:18:05.559 --> 00:18:07.159
 God abides in him and he in God.

00:18:07.699 --> 00:18:11.419
 So that we've come to know and to believe the love that God has for us.

00:18:11.500 --> 00:18:12.179
 God is love.

00:18:12.819 --> 00:18:13.960
 And whoever abides in love,

00:18:14.059 --> 00:18:14.779
 abides in God.

00:18:14.819 --> 00:18:15.859
 And God abides in him.

00:18:16.000 --> 00:18:17.259
 By this in love,

00:18:17.379 --> 00:18:18.519
 perfected with us,

00:18:18.519 --> 00:18:22.460
 so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment.

00:18:22.460 --> 00:18:24.639
 Because as he is,

00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:26.779
 so also we are in the world.

00:18:27.740 --> 00:18:31.839
 Our confidence is not in what we've done.

00:18:31.839 --> 00:18:36.119
 It's in what Christ has done in us.

00:18:36.839 --> 00:18:39.819
 And our salvation starts with Christ.

00:18:40.139 --> 00:18:41.279
 Second truth is this.

00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:45.199
 Salvation rests in Christ.

00:18:47.319 --> 00:18:49.159
 It's not based upon our action.

00:18:50.019 --> 00:18:51.980
 It's not based upon our thoughts.

00:18:53.480 --> 00:18:54.039
 However,

00:18:54.939 --> 00:18:57.220
 our action and our thoughts

00:18:57.220 --> 00:18:59.279
 ought to be based on our salvation.

00:19:00.099 --> 00:19:01.480
 If we're in Christ,

00:19:01.839 --> 00:19:03.439
 we must be different.

00:19:04.659 --> 00:19:06.039
 First John chapter three,

00:19:06.119 --> 00:19:07.359
 verse 16 and 19 says,

00:19:07.439 --> 00:19:07.759
 by this,

00:19:07.879 --> 00:19:09.339
 we know love that we,

00:19:09.859 --> 00:19:11.759
 that he laid down his life for us.

00:19:12.179 --> 00:19:14.679
 And that we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:17.980
 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need,

00:19:18.019 --> 00:19:19.439
 yet closes his heart against him,

00:19:19.579 --> 00:19:21.459
 how does God's love abide in him?

00:19:22.359 --> 00:19:22.980
 Little children,

00:19:22.980 --> 00:19:26.220
 let us not love in word or talk,

00:19:26.439 --> 00:19:28.339
 but in deed and truth.

00:19:29.599 --> 00:19:30.159
 By this,

00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:31.240
 we shall know

00:19:31.240 --> 00:19:33.559
 that we are of the truth

00:19:33.559 --> 00:19:36.339
 and reassure our heart

00:19:36.339 --> 00:19:38.200
 before him.

00:19:38.200 --> 00:19:40.380
 I just want to remind you this morning.

00:19:40.519 --> 00:19:41.400
 I didn't write that.

00:19:42.600 --> 00:19:43.860
 Don't get mad at me.

00:19:44.380 --> 00:19:45.400
 John says,

00:19:45.600 --> 00:19:47.240
 there has to be a change of heart.

00:19:47.299 --> 00:19:48.279
 It's a heart matter.

00:19:49.720 --> 00:19:51.440
 Christ brings change.

00:19:51.539 --> 00:19:52.559
 We sing it all the time.

00:19:52.799 --> 00:19:55.279
 What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought

00:19:55.279 --> 00:19:57.360
 since Jesus came into my heart.

00:19:57.359 --> 00:20:00.240
 I have light in my soul for which long I have sought.

00:20:00.240 --> 00:20:02.579
 Since Jesus came into my heart,

00:20:02.659 --> 00:20:04.979
 we have to have him to be saved.

00:20:05.039 --> 00:20:06.399
 Our salvation rests in him.

00:20:06.719 --> 00:20:07.740
 And if we are saved,

00:20:07.979 --> 00:20:09.439
 there ought to be evidence.

00:20:10.599 --> 00:20:12.779
 A life of a Christian reflects Christ.

00:20:13.000 --> 00:20:14.079
 Not perfectly,

00:20:14.559 --> 00:20:15.459
 but fruitfully.

00:20:15.460 --> 00:20:17.579
 I like the way Donald Whitney put it.

00:20:17.620 --> 00:20:18.180
 He said this,

00:20:18.539 --> 00:20:20.180
 make sure that your impressions

00:20:20.180 --> 00:20:21.500
 of being a Christian

00:20:21.500 --> 00:20:22.559
 are confirmed

00:20:22.559 --> 00:20:24.240
 by expressions

00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:26.000
 of being a Christian.

00:20:27.140 --> 00:20:27.660
 In other words,

00:20:27.700 --> 00:20:28.340
 as I said earlier,

00:20:28.420 --> 00:20:29.660
 if Christ has changed you,

00:20:30.140 --> 00:20:31.079
 change your heart,

00:20:31.500 --> 00:20:32.500
 inform your faith.

00:20:33.279 --> 00:20:34.360
 Let others know it

00:20:34.360 --> 00:20:36.259
 and how you respond to them.

00:20:36.420 --> 00:20:38.140
 Christ ought to be the most,

00:20:38.319 --> 00:20:40.100
 Christians ought to be the most joyful people

00:20:40.099 --> 00:20:40.659
 on the earth

00:20:40.659 --> 00:20:42.779
 because their salvation

00:20:42.779 --> 00:20:45.379
 rests in Christ.

00:20:46.339 --> 00:20:47.519
 But not only that,

00:20:48.740 --> 00:20:49.759
 our salvation,

00:20:50.699 --> 00:20:51.659
 thank God,

00:20:52.219 --> 00:20:53.299
 remains in Christ.

00:20:53.980 --> 00:20:55.379
 It remains in Christ.

00:20:55.719 --> 00:20:56.899
 It begins with Christ.

00:20:57.619 --> 00:20:59.000
 It's because of Christ.

00:20:59.480 --> 00:21:00.919
 It remains in Christ.

00:21:01.199 --> 00:21:02.359
 It has not changed.

00:21:03.319 --> 00:21:04.740
 You may have changed,

00:21:05.219 --> 00:21:07.099
 but his hold on your life

00:21:07.099 --> 00:21:08.179
 has not changed.

00:21:09.559 --> 00:21:10.039
 As Christians,

00:21:10.099 --> 00:21:13.419
 Christians who are certain

00:21:13.419 --> 00:21:14.159
 in their security

00:21:14.159 --> 00:21:14.639
 may wonder,

00:21:14.759 --> 00:21:15.000
 preacher,

00:21:16.240 --> 00:21:17.500
 why are you so burdened about this?

00:21:18.839 --> 00:21:19.339
 Of all things,

00:21:19.379 --> 00:21:19.980
 you could have talked about

00:21:19.980 --> 00:21:20.679
 the first Sunday you was here.

00:21:20.799 --> 00:21:21.819
 Why this?

00:21:23.699 --> 00:21:24.879
 Listen to the words of Jesus.

00:21:26.459 --> 00:21:27.740
 In John chapter 10,

00:21:27.819 --> 00:21:29.000
 verse 27 through 30,

00:21:30.459 --> 00:21:31.439
 Jesus says this,

00:21:31.959 --> 00:21:33.339
 my sheep hear my voice

00:21:33.339 --> 00:21:35.379
 and I know them

00:21:35.379 --> 00:21:37.279
 and they follow me.

00:21:38.119 --> 00:21:39.699
 I give them eternal life

00:21:39.700 --> 00:21:41.600
 and they will never perish

00:21:41.600 --> 00:21:44.259
 and no one will snatch them

00:21:44.259 --> 00:21:45.000
 out of my hand.

00:21:45.799 --> 00:21:47.240
 My father who has given them

00:21:47.240 --> 00:21:48.500
 to me is greater than all

00:21:48.500 --> 00:21:49.660
 and no one is able

00:21:49.660 --> 00:21:50.880
 to snatch them out

00:21:50.880 --> 00:21:51.799
 of the father's hand.

00:21:52.519 --> 00:21:53.720
 I and the father

00:21:53.720 --> 00:21:55.620
 are one.

00:21:56.860 --> 00:21:57.080
 Friend,

00:21:57.140 --> 00:21:57.759
 listen to me today.

00:21:57.759 --> 00:21:58.839
 if you're saved,

00:21:59.879 --> 00:22:01.039
 Jesus wants you

00:22:01.039 --> 00:22:02.039
 to know it.

00:22:03.039 --> 00:22:04.039
 He wants you

00:22:04.039 --> 00:22:04.559
 to be

00:22:04.559 --> 00:22:06.019
 certain of it

00:22:06.019 --> 00:22:07.539
 and your salvation

00:22:07.539 --> 00:22:08.420
 is as steady

00:22:08.420 --> 00:22:09.700
 as the hand of God.

00:22:10.539 --> 00:22:11.420
 Apostle Paul put it this way

00:22:11.420 --> 00:22:12.400
 in 2 Timothy 1,

00:22:12.460 --> 00:22:12.900
 verse 12,

00:22:13.480 --> 00:22:14.579
 I'm not ashamed

00:22:14.579 --> 00:22:15.240
 for I know

00:22:15.240 --> 00:22:16.019
 whom I believe

00:22:16.019 --> 00:22:17.599
 and am convinced

00:22:17.599 --> 00:22:18.220
 that he's able

00:22:18.220 --> 00:22:18.759
 to guard

00:22:18.759 --> 00:22:19.819
 until that day

00:22:19.819 --> 00:22:20.839
 which has been

00:22:20.839 --> 00:22:21.400
 entrusted

00:22:21.400 --> 00:22:22.680
 to me.

00:22:22.680 --> 00:22:24.759
 If you're not saved,

00:22:25.640 --> 00:22:26.680
 I want you to know

00:22:26.680 --> 00:22:27.299
 Jesus came

00:22:27.299 --> 00:22:27.960
 and died for you

00:22:27.960 --> 00:22:28.560
 to be saved

00:22:28.560 --> 00:22:29.600
 and he invites you

00:22:29.600 --> 00:22:30.539
 to come to him

00:22:30.539 --> 00:22:31.340
 today.

00:22:32.519 --> 00:22:33.420
 I want you to listen

00:22:33.420 --> 00:22:33.900
 to the plea

00:22:33.900 --> 00:22:34.460
 of the greatest

00:22:34.460 --> 00:22:35.240
 Baptist preacher

00:22:35.240 --> 00:22:35.960
 since the penning

00:22:35.960 --> 00:22:36.500
 of the word,

00:22:37.660 --> 00:22:38.299
 Charles Spurgeon.

00:22:39.980 --> 00:22:40.900
 Charles said this,

00:22:41.580 --> 00:22:42.779
 I can understand

00:22:42.779 --> 00:22:43.840
 a man doubting

00:22:43.840 --> 00:22:44.580
 whether he's truly

00:22:44.580 --> 00:22:45.500
 converted or not

00:22:45.500 --> 00:22:47.039
 but I cannot

00:22:47.039 --> 00:22:47.700
 countenance

00:22:47.700 --> 00:22:48.420
 his apathy

00:22:48.420 --> 00:22:49.620
 in resting quietly

00:22:49.620 --> 00:22:50.560
 till he has solved

00:22:50.560 --> 00:22:51.039
 the riddle.

00:22:51.039 --> 00:22:53.099
 How can you give

00:22:53.099 --> 00:22:54.299
 sleep to your eyelids

00:22:54.299 --> 00:22:55.519
 till you've known it?

00:22:57.220 --> 00:22:58.039
 Not know

00:22:58.039 --> 00:22:58.539
 whether you're

00:22:58.539 --> 00:22:59.559
 in Christ or not?

00:23:00.659 --> 00:23:01.200
 Perhaps

00:23:01.200 --> 00:23:02.500
 unreconciled?

00:23:03.740 --> 00:23:04.220
 Perhaps

00:23:04.220 --> 00:23:05.299
 condemned already?

00:23:06.740 --> 00:23:07.180
 Perhaps

00:23:07.180 --> 00:23:08.299
 on the brink

00:23:08.299 --> 00:23:08.920
 of hell?

00:23:10.399 --> 00:23:10.960
 Perhaps

00:23:10.960 --> 00:23:11.659
 with nothing

00:23:11.659 --> 00:23:12.420
 more to keep

00:23:12.420 --> 00:23:13.180
 you out of hell

00:23:13.180 --> 00:23:13.859
 than the breath

00:23:13.859 --> 00:23:15.059
 that is in your nostrils

00:23:15.059 --> 00:23:16.279
 or the

00:23:16.279 --> 00:23:17.579
 circulating

00:23:17.579 --> 00:23:18.980
 drop of blood

00:23:18.980 --> 00:23:19.839
 which

00:23:19.839 --> 00:23:20.980
 any one

00:23:20.980 --> 00:23:22.000
 of 10,000

00:23:22.000 --> 00:23:22.519
 haps

00:23:22.519 --> 00:23:23.319
 or mishaps

00:23:23.319 --> 00:23:24.199
 may stop

00:23:24.199 --> 00:23:25.419
 and then

00:23:25.419 --> 00:23:26.000
 your career

00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:26.720
 closed.

00:23:27.919 --> 00:23:28.720
 Your life

00:23:28.720 --> 00:23:29.519
 story ended.

00:23:31.339 --> 00:23:32.299
 I entreat

00:23:32.299 --> 00:23:32.619
 thee.

00:23:33.599 --> 00:23:34.500
 I beseech

00:23:34.500 --> 00:23:34.879
 thee.

00:23:35.579 --> 00:23:36.099
 Shake off

00:23:36.099 --> 00:23:37.099
 this sluggardness.

00:23:38.259 --> 00:23:39.199
 Ask the Lord

00:23:39.199 --> 00:23:39.879
 to say

00:23:39.879 --> 00:23:40.839
 unto thy soul

00:23:40.839 --> 00:23:41.119
 tonight

00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:41.839
 I am thy

00:23:41.839 --> 00:23:42.480
 salvation.

00:23:43.259 --> 00:23:44.059
 He is able

00:23:44.059 --> 00:23:45.059
 and he is

00:23:45.059 --> 00:23:45.379
 willing

00:23:45.380 --> 00:23:46.420
 and he will

00:23:46.420 --> 00:23:46.760
 do it

00:23:46.760 --> 00:23:47.360
 for you

00:23:47.360 --> 00:23:48.140
 when you

00:23:48.140 --> 00:23:48.900
 eagerly

00:23:48.900 --> 00:23:49.700
 seek it

00:23:49.700 --> 00:23:50.940
 for him.

00:23:52.940 --> 00:23:53.840
 First things

00:23:53.840 --> 00:23:54.240
 first.

00:23:55.320 --> 00:23:55.680
 Listen

00:23:55.680 --> 00:23:58.560
 if we don't

00:23:58.560 --> 00:23:59.020
 get this

00:23:59.020 --> 00:23:59.540
 right

00:23:59.540 --> 00:24:01.760
 we're in

00:24:01.760 --> 00:24:02.040
 trouble.

00:24:05.120 --> 00:24:06.020
 You got to

00:24:06.020 --> 00:24:06.560
 get this

00:24:06.560 --> 00:24:07.280
 right.

00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:10.379
 have you

00:24:10.379 --> 00:24:11.180
 ever asked

00:24:11.180 --> 00:24:11.579
 the Lord

00:24:11.579 --> 00:24:12.000
 Jesus

00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:14.299
 to forgive

00:24:14.299 --> 00:24:14.759
 you of your

00:24:14.759 --> 00:24:15.099
 sin

00:24:15.099 --> 00:24:16.839
 to come

00:24:16.839 --> 00:24:17.240
 into your

00:24:17.240 --> 00:24:17.720
 life

00:24:17.720 --> 00:24:18.899
 and to

00:24:18.899 --> 00:24:19.480
 save you?

00:24:21.319 --> 00:24:21.920
 Have you

00:24:21.920 --> 00:24:22.339
 ever come to

00:24:22.339 --> 00:24:22.539
 the point

00:24:22.539 --> 00:24:22.740
 in your

00:24:22.740 --> 00:24:23.099
 life

00:24:23.099 --> 00:24:24.879
 where you

00:24:24.879 --> 00:24:25.339
 know for

00:24:25.339 --> 00:24:25.960
 certain that

00:24:25.960 --> 00:24:26.319
 you have

00:24:26.319 --> 00:24:27.019
 eternal life

00:24:27.019 --> 00:24:28.420
 and you'll

00:24:28.420 --> 00:24:28.940
 go to heaven

00:24:28.940 --> 00:24:30.279
 when you

00:24:30.279 --> 00:24:30.639
 die?

00:24:31.680 --> 00:24:32.500
 If not

00:24:32.500 --> 00:24:33.000
 you need

00:24:33.000 --> 00:24:33.259
 to.

00:24:34.559 --> 00:24:35.440
 If you're

00:24:35.440 --> 00:24:36.099
 not sure

00:24:36.099 --> 00:24:36.839
 let's get

00:24:36.839 --> 00:24:37.259
 sure

00:24:37.259 --> 00:24:38.859
 and if

00:24:38.859 --> 00:24:39.299
 you are

00:24:39.299 --> 00:24:39.819
 sure

00:24:39.819 --> 00:24:42.059
 but you

00:24:42.059 --> 00:24:42.459
 say

00:24:42.459 --> 00:24:43.919
 but

00:24:43.919 --> 00:24:47.299
 take God

00:24:47.299 --> 00:24:47.559
 at his

00:24:47.559 --> 00:24:47.899
 word.

00:24:49.599 --> 00:24:50.339
 Take him

00:24:50.339 --> 00:24:50.619
 at his

00:24:50.619 --> 00:24:50.899
 word.

00:24:51.519 --> 00:24:52.319
 He's good

00:24:52.319 --> 00:24:52.819
 for it.

00:24:53.419 --> 00:24:54.119
 I promise.

00:24:55.319 --> 00:24:55.779
 With every

00:24:55.779 --> 00:24:56.219
 head bowed

00:24:56.219 --> 00:24:56.399
 and every

00:24:56.399 --> 00:24:56.959
 eye closed

00:24:56.959 --> 00:24:58.419
 I ask

00:24:58.419 --> 00:24:58.819
 today

00:24:58.819 --> 00:25:01.939
 if you've

00:25:01.939 --> 00:25:02.459
 never

00:25:02.459 --> 00:25:03.959
 surrendered

00:25:03.959 --> 00:25:04.619
 your life

00:25:04.619 --> 00:25:05.079
 to the

00:25:05.079 --> 00:25:05.539
 Lord Jesus

00:25:05.539 --> 00:25:06.099
 Christ

00:25:06.099 --> 00:25:07.180
 today's

00:25:07.180 --> 00:25:07.379
 a day

00:25:07.379 --> 00:25:07.879
 of salvation

00:25:07.879 --> 00:25:08.480
 thank God.

00:25:11.599 --> 00:25:12.039
 Everyone

00:25:12.039 --> 00:25:12.579
 who calls

00:25:12.579 --> 00:25:12.920
 upon the

00:25:12.920 --> 00:25:13.200
 name of

00:25:13.200 --> 00:25:13.399
 the Lord

00:25:13.399 --> 00:25:13.799
 shall be

00:25:13.799 --> 00:25:14.159
 saved.

00:25:16.000 --> 00:25:16.559
 If you

00:25:16.559 --> 00:25:16.980
 have done

00:25:16.980 --> 00:25:17.379
 that but

00:25:17.379 --> 00:25:17.579
 you've

00:25:17.579 --> 00:25:17.899
 struggled

00:25:17.899 --> 00:25:18.299
 in your

00:25:18.299 --> 00:25:18.700
 faith

00:25:18.700 --> 00:25:21.019
 you've

00:25:21.019 --> 00:25:21.279
 struggled

00:25:21.279 --> 00:25:21.599
 in your

00:25:21.599 --> 00:25:21.799
 faith

00:25:21.799 --> 00:25:22.279
 I encourage

00:25:22.279 --> 00:25:22.480
 you to

00:25:22.480 --> 00:25:22.839
 take God

00:25:22.839 --> 00:25:23.059
 at his

00:25:23.059 --> 00:25:23.379
 word

00:25:23.379 --> 00:25:24.240
 rest in

00:25:24.240 --> 00:25:24.500
 that.

00:25:25.099 --> 00:25:25.420
 If you

00:25:25.420 --> 00:25:25.839
 can't find

00:25:25.839 --> 00:25:26.220
 rest in

00:25:26.220 --> 00:25:26.579
 that let's

00:25:26.579 --> 00:25:26.960
 nail that

00:25:26.960 --> 00:25:27.240
 down.

00:25:27.339 --> 00:25:27.519
 Let's

00:25:27.519 --> 00:25:27.859
 nail it

00:25:27.859 --> 00:25:28.180
 down.

00:25:28.740 --> 00:25:29.299
 No way

00:25:29.299 --> 00:25:29.519
 you're

00:25:29.519 --> 00:25:29.740
 going to

00:25:29.740 --> 00:25:30.159
 share your

00:25:30.159 --> 00:25:30.619
 faith with

00:25:30.619 --> 00:25:31.119
 folks if

00:25:31.119 --> 00:25:31.420
 you're not

00:25:31.420 --> 00:25:31.859
 sure about

00:25:31.859 --> 00:25:32.319
 your own.

00:25:33.339 --> 00:25:33.639
 Let's

00:25:33.639 --> 00:25:33.940
 nail that

00:25:33.940 --> 00:25:34.399
 down today.

00:25:34.400 --> 00:25:34.720
 I don't

00:25:34.720 --> 00:25:34.900
 know how

00:25:34.900 --> 00:25:35.180
 God's

00:25:35.180 --> 00:25:35.560
 speaking to

00:25:35.560 --> 00:25:36.019
 you today

00:25:36.019 --> 00:25:37.300
 but I

00:25:37.300 --> 00:25:37.660
 know you'll

00:25:37.660 --> 00:25:38.240
 never be

00:25:38.240 --> 00:25:39.140
 satisfied unless

00:25:39.140 --> 00:25:39.700
 you're obedient

00:25:39.700 --> 00:25:40.160
 to follow

00:25:40.160 --> 00:25:40.500
 him.

00:25:41.860 --> 00:25:42.519
 Several were

00:25:42.519 --> 00:25:43.259
 baptized last

00:25:43.259 --> 00:25:43.660
 week thank

00:25:43.660 --> 00:25:44.000
 God.

00:25:44.900 --> 00:25:45.200
 Have you

00:25:45.200 --> 00:25:47.000
 ever publicly

00:25:47.000 --> 00:25:47.759
 admitted

00:25:47.759 --> 00:25:50.599
 that you're

00:25:50.599 --> 00:25:51.059
 Christian

00:25:51.059 --> 00:25:51.599
 through

00:25:51.599 --> 00:25:52.059
 baptism?

00:25:53.400 --> 00:25:54.079
 If you've

00:25:54.079 --> 00:25:54.519
 never done

00:25:54.519 --> 00:25:55.220
 that you've

00:25:55.220 --> 00:25:55.640
 missed the

00:25:55.640 --> 00:25:56.259
 first step

00:25:56.259 --> 00:25:57.259
 of salvation

00:25:57.259 --> 00:25:58.279
 and I

00:25:58.279 --> 00:25:58.740
 encourage you

00:25:58.740 --> 00:25:58.879
 to be

00:25:58.879 --> 00:25:59.640
 obedient today

00:25:59.640 --> 00:26:00.660
 and follow

00:26:00.660 --> 00:26:00.940
 the Lord.

00:26:01.019 --> 00:26:01.660
 I'd love to

00:26:01.660 --> 00:26:02.700
 guide you in

00:26:02.700 --> 00:26:03.279
 any of those

00:26:03.279 --> 00:26:03.980
 matters or pray

00:26:03.980 --> 00:26:04.480
 about a matter

00:26:04.480 --> 00:26:05.180
 that's burdensome

00:26:05.180 --> 00:26:05.579
 to you.