WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:25.120 I would like you to turn in your Bibles this morning to John chapter 8, and we will take 00:00:25.120 --> 00:00:25.120 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:31.000 you. 00:00:31.000 --> 00:00:33.299 So they said to him, Who are you? 00:00:35.980 --> 00:00:39.700 Jesus said to them, Just what I have been telling you from the beginning. 00:00:40.700 --> 00:00:47.039 I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to 00:00:47.039 --> 00:00:49.200 the world what I have heard from him. 00:00:50.359 --> 00:00:53.939 They did not understand that he had been talking to them about the Father. 00:00:53.939 --> 00:01:00.420 So Jesus said to them, When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that 00:01:00.420 --> 00:01:07.759 I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. 00:01:08.920 --> 00:01:11.159 And he who sent me is with me. 00:01:11.979 --> 00:01:19.019 He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him. 00:01:19.019 --> 00:01:31.119 Now, I'm going to preach, you are going to pray, and you are going to listen with the 00:01:31.119 --> 00:01:32.399 enabling of the Spirit of God. 00:01:32.459 --> 00:01:33.140 Does that make sense? 00:01:35.399 --> 00:01:42.819 It says in 2 Thessalonians that part of the responsibility of God's people in the presence 00:01:42.819 --> 00:01:48.839 of the teaching ministry of the Word of God is to pray for the earthy vessel that God uses. 00:01:50.839 --> 00:01:55.239 And some of you have known me long enough to know that that is desperately necessary, 00:01:56.159 --> 00:01:59.619 and I trust that you do it often and always. 00:01:59.780 --> 00:02:02.199 There's nothing wrong with praying midstream. 00:02:03.199 --> 00:02:06.899 You know, just stop every now and then and throw up one of those dark prayers and say, 00:02:07.019 --> 00:02:07.799 God help him. 00:02:07.799 --> 00:02:15.979 We look forward to God working in our fellowship in the teaching ministry of the Word of God. 00:02:16.979 --> 00:02:25.599 And also, I encourage you that as I preach, that what you are doing is not only paying attention 00:02:25.599 --> 00:02:31.519 to the text that we are looking at, but you're allowing your understanding of the Scriptures 00:02:31.519 --> 00:02:35.819 to kind of cross-reference what we're talking about, and you're thinking along and saying, 00:02:35.819 --> 00:02:40.039 well, does that make sense, and where else in the Bible does that appear? 00:02:41.699 --> 00:02:48.919 We know that in Acts chapter 17, the believers in Berea were commended, because what they did 00:02:48.919 --> 00:02:54.379 as Paul was preaching the Word, they were kind of following along and tracking and being certain 00:02:54.379 --> 00:02:57.000 that what he said matched up with the Bible. 00:02:57.000 --> 00:03:04.539 And I would appeal that that is what you always do, no matter what the tone or the individual 00:03:04.539 --> 00:03:09.419 that stands in this place to minister the Word of God. 00:03:09.500 --> 00:03:15.259 The thing that is essential is that he speaks with the clarity of what the Scriptures have 00:03:15.259 --> 00:03:20.479 to say, and you keep it in prayer and bathe it with attention to what the Word of God has 00:03:20.479 --> 00:03:21.460 there in front of you. 00:03:21.460 --> 00:03:26.400 Well, we look at this passage, and I'll launch right into the text, and understand that in 00:03:26.400 --> 00:03:32.319 verse 25, we find that in the background of what Jesus had been saying about, I am the light, 00:03:32.460 --> 00:03:37.860 I am the bread of life, I am the one who has come into the world to be the Savior of the 00:03:37.860 --> 00:03:44.080 world, no question about what he had to say, the Jews, they did not like what they were hearing. 00:03:44.680 --> 00:03:49.540 And so they came out with this kind of sarcastic little question that is asked there in verse 00:03:49.539 --> 00:03:51.099 25, so who are you? 00:03:51.719 --> 00:03:56.060 I mean, I can just hear it right now, kind of, it wasn't like that, really, who are you? 00:03:56.120 --> 00:03:58.379 It's like, yeah, who do you think you are? 00:03:59.180 --> 00:04:06.680 It kind of reminds me, actually, of an experience that I had as a father in our home. 00:04:08.120 --> 00:04:13.000 My children would be playing in the basement, and my boys tended to be a little over the top, 00:04:13.000 --> 00:04:18.660 you know, like nothing but male testosterone in the early developmental stage in the basement, 00:04:19.000 --> 00:04:24.100 and I would hear things crashing and banging, and so I would send my daughter, you know, they 00:04:24.100 --> 00:04:27.779 kind of stayed out of the fray, and they'd be upstairs, and I'd say, would you go down 00:04:27.779 --> 00:04:30.459 and tell Joseph and Sam to stop whatever they're doing? 00:04:31.459 --> 00:04:36.980 And, oh, nothing like the privilege of going down and bringing the authority of the law into 00:04:36.980 --> 00:04:43.360 the basement, you know, the dark underpinnings of the house, and they'd stomp down, Dad said stop, 00:04:43.480 --> 00:04:47.939 you know, they didn't start by saying Dad said stop, they'd just go down, stop what you're doing! 00:04:48.600 --> 00:04:50.780 And my sons, you know how they would do it? 00:04:50.819 --> 00:04:52.540 He'd say, yeah, who are you? 00:04:53.100 --> 00:04:57.900 And then they'd kind of, they'd go with the real deal, it's like, Dad said, okay? 00:04:59.040 --> 00:05:04.819 And so here are the Jews, Jesus has made the issues of their hearts pretty clear, 00:05:04.819 --> 00:05:11.879 they don't like it, and they react, and they say, yeah, and who are you? 00:05:13.219 --> 00:05:18.060 Well, Jesus gets right to the point, he's not a politician, don't ever mistake that. 00:05:19.040 --> 00:05:22.000 And what he says is, just what I've been telling you from the beginning. 00:05:23.579 --> 00:05:26.539 There was no need to fact check what Jesus had to say. 00:05:26.600 --> 00:05:27.939 How many of you understand fact checking? 00:05:28.019 --> 00:05:28.879 It's a big thing today. 00:05:29.500 --> 00:05:33.199 No matter what politician steps out to the front and says whatever they say, 00:05:33.199 --> 00:05:38.959 you can always find somebody is doing fact checking to kind of double check that what they said today 00:05:38.959 --> 00:05:43.019 is comparable to what they said two years ago and what they said five years. 00:05:43.079 --> 00:05:45.899 You know, it's fact checking, it's popular and it's probably necessary. 00:05:47.279 --> 00:05:52.279 You didn't have a problem with fact checking Jesus when he said something, it was the truth. 00:05:53.019 --> 00:05:56.120 And you could check it against other things that he'd said. 00:05:56.120 --> 00:06:03.459 And so I want you to understand that Jesus was consistent in letting his listeners know, know what? 00:06:03.840 --> 00:06:05.480 The condition of their soul. 00:06:06.720 --> 00:06:07.759 Now follow with me. 00:06:08.879 --> 00:06:12.459 You see, he had been consistent in announcing his mission. 00:06:13.519 --> 00:06:17.459 He had been consistent in declaring that he was the savior of the world. 00:06:18.160 --> 00:06:22.540 He had been consistent in letting them know that he was God's son. 00:06:22.540 --> 00:06:28.980 And he had been consistent in letting them understand the darkness of their heart. 00:06:29.900 --> 00:06:37.280 And so as he had warned the Jews in the chapters immediately preceding to chapter 8 in this portion, 00:06:37.920 --> 00:06:42.020 you need to understand that it wasn't like the first time they heard him say, 00:06:42.400 --> 00:06:44.320 you got a problem and it's with your heart. 00:06:45.580 --> 00:06:48.759 Look back just for a moment to John chapter 7 verse 7. 00:06:48.759 --> 00:06:55.759 Now go look at all the passages, but just mark what it says there in John chapter 7 verse 7. 00:06:56.199 --> 00:07:02.519 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it, 00:07:03.019 --> 00:07:06.219 its deeds or its works are evil. 00:07:07.300 --> 00:07:14.079 You see, when Jesus spoke to the people who came into his presence and around him, 00:07:14.079 --> 00:07:17.879 there was no waffling, there was no evasion. 00:07:18.399 --> 00:07:25.879 He made them understand clearly that the fundamental problem in their life was not other people. 00:07:27.419 --> 00:07:29.339 How many of you have ever thought that in your marriage? 00:07:29.740 --> 00:07:33.579 Don't want to admit it here in church, but how many of you have ever thought that in your job? 00:07:34.219 --> 00:07:38.199 Or how many of you have ever thought that in the different relationships and issues that you're involved in? 00:07:38.459 --> 00:07:42.599 You just think to yourself, well if I was in a different place or I was around different people, 00:07:42.600 --> 00:07:43.580 or you know what? 00:07:44.120 --> 00:07:46.860 The greatest problem Tim Knoyer has is with Tim Knoyer. 00:07:47.640 --> 00:07:53.160 And I am very thankful for the clarity with which Christ communicates that to all of us, 00:07:53.200 --> 00:07:56.879 that he helps us understand, hey, you have a problem and it's you. 00:07:57.980 --> 00:08:02.400 And Jesus made that undeniably clear and it didn't go over very well. 00:08:03.840 --> 00:08:07.760 Well as we look at him saying what he does there in verse 26, 00:08:07.759 --> 00:08:12.300 he says, hey, I have much to say about you and much to judge. 00:08:13.899 --> 00:08:17.620 I want you to understand that one of the things that we should take away from this 00:08:17.620 --> 00:08:21.300 is that Jesus was completely truthful about man's condition. 00:08:22.219 --> 00:08:24.800 He was completely truthful about man's condition. 00:08:25.800 --> 00:08:27.899 And in the moment that we are studying, 00:08:28.159 --> 00:08:33.200 we find that what he was clear about was the issue of sin in people's lives. 00:08:33.200 --> 00:08:40.240 Now I want you to understand that the hope of salvation fundamentally begins by bringing us 00:08:40.240 --> 00:08:43.780 face to face with the reality of our sinful condition 00:08:43.780 --> 00:08:47.640 and helping us understand that we can't solve the problem by ourselves. 00:08:49.180 --> 00:08:50.680 Jesus never compromised. 00:08:51.000 --> 00:08:52.740 Whether he was speaking to Nicodemus, 00:08:53.160 --> 00:08:55.640 or whether he was speaking to the woman at the well, 00:08:55.879 --> 00:08:57.520 or he was speaking to the Pharisees, 00:08:57.519 --> 00:09:01.539 what he let people know is that the need of their heart 00:09:01.539 --> 00:09:04.559 was centered in their sinfulness 00:09:04.559 --> 00:09:08.059 and their desperate need to come to grips with the reality of that. 00:09:08.980 --> 00:09:12.720 Listen to what he said over in Mark chapter 2 verse 17. 00:09:12.840 --> 00:09:14.279 Why don't you turn there just for a moment. 00:09:14.980 --> 00:09:17.059 Mark chapter 2 verse 17. 00:09:18.840 --> 00:09:24.379 Classic illustration of the clarity with which Jesus spoke about the issues of the heart. 00:09:24.379 --> 00:09:26.340 Mark chapter 2 verse 17. 00:09:26.580 --> 00:09:29.299 We find here that there were some people 00:09:29.299 --> 00:09:33.799 who were really kind of irritated a great deal that Jesus was around sinners. 00:09:36.159 --> 00:09:38.820 By the way, where is it that you will not be around sinners? 00:09:38.939 --> 00:09:39.899 Does anybody have an idea? 00:09:41.580 --> 00:09:43.279 Everybody raise their finger and go like this. 00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:45.639 When we're up there, we will not be around sinners. 00:09:46.120 --> 00:09:47.820 Until we get there, guess what? 00:09:48.259 --> 00:09:49.360 We're going to be around sinners. 00:09:50.620 --> 00:09:51.659 And so here is Jesus. 00:09:51.659 --> 00:09:55.740 He was ministering to sinners and the Pharisees were kind of being very critical about, 00:09:55.860 --> 00:09:57.860 oh yeah, yeah, you're around sinners all the time. 00:09:58.059 --> 00:09:59.339 He said, well, you know what? 00:10:00.360 --> 00:10:01.319 Look at 17. 00:10:02.319 --> 00:10:03.819 When Jesus heard it, he said to them, 00:10:03.939 --> 00:10:06.059 those who are well have no need of the physician, 00:10:06.379 --> 00:10:07.559 but those who are sick, 00:10:07.639 --> 00:10:09.620 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners. 00:10:10.199 --> 00:10:10.600 Question. 00:10:12.519 --> 00:10:15.659 Have you ever wondered about whether or not Jesus was just moderately sarcastic? 00:10:17.559 --> 00:10:17.839 Okay. 00:10:18.079 --> 00:10:20.100 Now, everybody look up so you don't miss this one. 00:10:20.100 --> 00:10:25.000 That doesn't give you a lot of license to be sarcastic all the time. 00:10:25.320 --> 00:10:28.519 I've heard people say, my love language is sarcasm. 00:10:28.700 --> 00:10:31.000 That is not a fruit of the Spirit. 00:10:31.519 --> 00:10:32.060 You got it? 00:10:33.580 --> 00:10:35.720 Let Jesus pull that one off. 00:10:35.940 --> 00:10:39.360 Try not to imitate that part most of the time. 00:10:40.200 --> 00:10:42.399 There is a time for being sarcastic, 00:10:42.500 --> 00:10:44.080 and here was the classic illustration. 00:10:44.080 --> 00:10:50.500 He was using it as a smack across the face of ungodly people who didn't get the memo. 00:10:51.879 --> 00:10:53.440 Were the Pharisees sinners? 00:10:53.600 --> 00:10:54.280 What's the answer? 00:10:54.980 --> 00:10:55.440 You bet. 00:10:56.240 --> 00:10:59.300 And he was in a sarcastic way saying, you know what? 00:10:59.340 --> 00:11:02.020 You guys are so full of yourself that you don't think you have a problem. 00:11:02.560 --> 00:11:04.720 I came to help people that are sick. 00:11:04.720 --> 00:11:09.800 By the way, is there anybody here that came to faith without, first of all, 00:11:09.860 --> 00:11:12.000 realizing the desperate condition of their soul? 00:11:12.160 --> 00:11:13.080 It doesn't happen. 00:11:14.379 --> 00:11:20.000 And so when you are there lying awake at night and kind of struggling with the burden of the mess of your life, 00:11:20.180 --> 00:11:24.680 it may be the Spirit of God that is prompting you to say, you can't fix this mess. 00:11:24.679 --> 00:11:29.199 But Jesus died on the cross to take away the pain and the heartache of sin, 00:11:29.439 --> 00:11:31.539 and to help you with that, he came to save you. 00:11:32.620 --> 00:11:36.839 So I want you to understand that Jesus was completely truthful about man's condition. 00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:42.219 Another thing that he made clear was that his judgment came from God. 00:11:43.199 --> 00:11:46.439 You look there in the passage, go back to John chapter 8, 00:11:46.719 --> 00:11:49.439 and mark what we find next in verse 26. 00:11:50.299 --> 00:11:52.919 I have much to say about you and much to judge. 00:11:52.919 --> 00:11:55.039 Oh, yeah? Well, who made you to judge? 00:11:55.279 --> 00:12:00.240 I mean, I love that tone of voice that these people had as they were kind of irritated with Jesus. 00:12:01.259 --> 00:12:03.620 Yeah, who told you to judge me? 00:12:03.799 --> 00:12:05.839 You know, I mean, Jesus said, hey, get this. 00:12:06.839 --> 00:12:08.219 My Father told me to do it. 00:12:08.419 --> 00:12:13.659 And by the way, my judgment is entirely accurate in that it comes from the Father. 00:12:14.979 --> 00:12:15.759 Look at this. 00:12:16.399 --> 00:12:21.599 But he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him. 00:12:22.919 --> 00:12:27.759 Understand that the world hates to have its sin exposed and judged. 00:12:28.659 --> 00:12:32.839 And I can tell you as we move forward into the years to come, 00:12:32.979 --> 00:12:36.479 listen carefully because I think it's appropriate for you to understand this fact, 00:12:37.199 --> 00:12:41.279 those who are faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ don't have to go out of their way 00:12:41.279 --> 00:12:44.079 to be highly offensive to an unbelieving world. 00:12:44.080 --> 00:12:50.860 But at the end of the day, when you let them know that sin is sin, you're not going to be what? 00:12:51.720 --> 00:12:52.280 Popular. 00:12:54.040 --> 00:12:55.780 We specialize today. 00:12:56.759 --> 00:13:05.000 The world has specialized in calling everything that happens by another name other than just plain old ordinary sin. 00:13:05.000 --> 00:13:12.759 And the problem, listen to me carefully, the problem with not being accurate in your diagnosis of the problem of the heart 00:13:12.759 --> 00:13:15.919 is you end up being inaccurate with your prescription. 00:13:18.100 --> 00:13:26.399 You want your doctor to get it right because you don't want to walk out of the office having a couple aspirin 00:13:26.399 --> 00:13:28.779 because you really have cancer or whatever. 00:13:28.899 --> 00:13:30.639 You want something dealt with. 00:13:30.639 --> 00:13:35.179 And Jesus was straight up with the problem of men's hearts. 00:13:36.580 --> 00:13:40.340 And I like the fact that here he was, the Son of God, 00:13:41.379 --> 00:13:47.240 making it undeniably clear that what he was engaged in was speaking clearly and plainly 00:13:47.240 --> 00:13:49.600 what the Father had sent him to do. 00:13:50.620 --> 00:13:52.980 Now, keep your finger there in John chapter 5. 00:13:53.080 --> 00:13:53.720 Let's go back. 00:13:53.919 --> 00:13:54.299 I'm sorry. 00:13:54.379 --> 00:13:55.220 Keep your finger in 8. 00:13:55.279 --> 00:13:56.879 Go back to 5 just for a moment. 00:13:56.879 --> 00:13:59.399 I really am struck. 00:14:00.779 --> 00:14:02.419 By the way, question, quiz. 00:14:03.539 --> 00:14:04.960 Who was Jesus? 00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:07.100 Who was Jesus? 00:14:07.799 --> 00:14:09.980 He was the second person of the Godhead. 00:14:10.059 --> 00:14:10.820 Do you understand that? 00:14:11.919 --> 00:14:17.720 He was the second person of the Godhead, entirely divine, with all power, glory. 00:14:18.379 --> 00:14:21.100 We're going to spend all of eternity worshiping him. 00:14:21.240 --> 00:14:26.120 I have to stop and go off page here just for a second, put my watch right there so I don't remember the time. 00:14:26.120 --> 00:14:27.039 But listen to me. 00:14:27.100 --> 00:14:29.299 I love listening to you sing. 00:14:29.440 --> 00:14:30.060 Do you follow that? 00:14:30.419 --> 00:14:34.259 And every now and then, I don't know if you pay attention, but I'll turn around and look over the congregation. 00:14:34.720 --> 00:14:37.700 And one of the things I'm just looking at is seeing whether you're into it. 00:14:38.879 --> 00:14:40.480 You know, hey, look up. 00:14:42.139 --> 00:14:45.700 Someday there will be no absentee singers. 00:14:48.940 --> 00:14:49.879 What's he mean by that? 00:14:49.879 --> 00:14:55.980 Well, in Revelation chapter 5, it says that when we are before the throne, we're going to be blowing it out. 00:14:56.939 --> 00:14:58.419 I mean, do you follow what I mean by blowing it out? 00:14:58.939 --> 00:15:00.919 There are none of you going to be sitting there cross-armed. 00:15:00.919 --> 00:15:06.539 I mean with a perpetual frumpy frown. 00:15:07.459 --> 00:15:08.159 Send me an email. 00:15:08.899 --> 00:15:12.219 You know, get with it. 00:15:12.220 --> 00:15:16.139 All we're doing here is warm-up for the main event. 00:15:16.220 --> 00:15:17.200 How many of you understand that? 00:15:17.800 --> 00:15:18.000 Okay? 00:15:19.340 --> 00:15:22.160 So, nothing wrong with saying to the Holy Spirit, hey, help me. 00:15:22.360 --> 00:15:25.860 Help me to kind of get stepped away from the baggage of my life. 00:15:26.040 --> 00:15:29.779 And remember that all of eternity is going to be about you. 00:15:29.840 --> 00:15:31.980 And I just get to kind of practice today. 00:15:31.980 --> 00:15:32.060 Okay? 00:15:33.440 --> 00:15:33.920 Okay? 00:15:35.700 --> 00:15:37.800 I come back around full circle. 00:15:37.940 --> 00:15:46.039 I understand that it amazes me that Jesus, all about doing exactly what his Father called him to do. 00:15:46.840 --> 00:15:47.300 Exactly. 00:15:48.600 --> 00:15:51.240 Over in John chapter 5, verse 30, listen to what he says. 00:15:52.139 --> 00:15:54.940 I can do nothing on my own. 00:15:55.639 --> 00:15:58.639 As I hear, I judge. 00:15:58.740 --> 00:16:00.560 Yeah, and who said that I'm a sinner? 00:16:00.559 --> 00:16:01.719 The Father. 00:16:02.839 --> 00:16:03.139 Okay? 00:16:04.639 --> 00:16:05.979 As I hear, I judge. 00:16:06.019 --> 00:16:12.059 And my judgment is just because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. 00:16:14.319 --> 00:16:15.599 I want to ask you a question. 00:16:15.719 --> 00:16:17.639 I had to ask myself that question this week. 00:16:19.879 --> 00:16:24.059 Do I speak his words and do I do his will? 00:16:25.179 --> 00:16:28.939 Do I speak his words and do I do his will? 00:16:28.940 --> 00:16:39.840 Well, going back to John chapter 8, we find next that the response that the Jews had in the face of Jesus speaking so clearly to them in verse 27, 00:16:40.160 --> 00:16:41.640 they did not understand. 00:16:42.940 --> 00:16:49.360 That word understand that is used here is a word that is not talking about whether or not their ears heard. 00:16:49.360 --> 00:16:53.340 It's talking that they didn't connect the dots. 00:16:54.340 --> 00:17:00.759 They didn't really believe that Jesus was talking about their hearts and their own desperate condition, 00:17:01.159 --> 00:17:03.419 and they just didn't get it. 00:17:03.419 --> 00:17:11.379 And I want you to understand that as they were listening to Jesus, their ears were shut. 00:17:11.940 --> 00:17:17.659 And as they saw the things that Jesus was doing, their hearts and their eyes were closed. 00:17:17.660 --> 00:17:21.360 And it's kind of stunning to realize. 00:17:21.519 --> 00:17:24.759 I remember hearing someone say, actually, last week, you know what? 00:17:25.320 --> 00:17:29.720 I wish, I just wish that God would speak to me. 00:17:31.100 --> 00:17:35.380 And if I would just hear him tell me what to do, I would do it. 00:17:37.200 --> 00:17:39.759 And I thought to myself, no, you wouldn't. 00:17:40.880 --> 00:17:42.940 No, you wouldn't. 00:17:42.940 --> 00:17:44.840 And why do I say that? 00:17:45.059 --> 00:17:49.620 Remember the story of the rich man and Lazarus, and they both end up in eternity. 00:17:50.000 --> 00:17:51.340 The rich man is in hell. 00:17:52.019 --> 00:17:52.920 He's really suffering. 00:17:53.779 --> 00:17:57.400 And he says, you know, he says, would you dip your finger in the water? 00:17:57.539 --> 00:17:58.700 Let me touch the tongue. 00:17:59.180 --> 00:18:00.519 No, can't be doing that. 00:18:01.539 --> 00:18:02.299 Okay, okay. 00:18:02.559 --> 00:18:04.019 Well, would you send someone back? 00:18:04.100 --> 00:18:06.380 I have five brothers, and they're just not getting it. 00:18:06.380 --> 00:18:09.140 And if someone came back from the dead, they'd get it. 00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:11.480 And do you know what Jesus says? 00:18:11.480 --> 00:18:16.700 He says, if they won't listen to the law and the prophets, they're not going to get it, 00:18:16.860 --> 00:18:18.680 even if someone showed up from the dead. 00:18:19.539 --> 00:18:19.680 Huh? 00:18:21.799 --> 00:18:25.140 And here's Jesus speaking to them, and he says, you know, you've got a major problem. 00:18:25.240 --> 00:18:26.099 It's sin in your life. 00:18:26.259 --> 00:18:28.059 And who are you talking to me about? 00:18:28.339 --> 00:18:28.980 What's the deal? 00:18:29.420 --> 00:18:31.019 And so here's Jesus. 00:18:32.920 --> 00:18:37.420 And probably one of the practical things that you ought to be saying to yourself here this morning is this, 00:18:37.420 --> 00:18:42.039 Lord, never let me play with hardness of heart. 00:18:43.620 --> 00:18:45.620 How many of you understand that you can harden your heart? 00:18:47.039 --> 00:18:48.120 You can harden your heart. 00:18:49.840 --> 00:18:53.440 And for the unbeliever, you can harden your heart when you say no to the gospel. 00:18:53.820 --> 00:18:57.940 For the believer, you can harden your heart when you say no to the prompting of the Spirit of God 00:18:57.940 --> 00:19:00.200 or to the clear indication of the Word of God. 00:19:00.300 --> 00:19:02.259 I mean, God says do this, and you say no, thank you. 00:19:02.259 --> 00:19:05.799 Can I tell you something about my father, our father? 00:19:07.339 --> 00:19:08.440 He'll bring it up again. 00:19:09.339 --> 00:19:10.180 How many of you learned that? 00:19:11.240 --> 00:19:14.700 And if you are his child, he'll keep on bringing it up, 00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:18.339 and he'll just keep on dialing it up until it really gets pretty painful. 00:19:18.960 --> 00:19:21.599 That's one of the advantages of being 67, honestly. 00:19:22.519 --> 00:19:26.400 I have so much scar tissue that all he has to do is tap the outside of it, 00:19:26.420 --> 00:19:28.539 and I say, I get it, I get it, I've been there before. 00:19:29.039 --> 00:19:31.000 Don't go any further. 00:19:31.000 --> 00:19:31.720 I'll follow. 00:19:34.220 --> 00:19:39.160 Some of you here this morning that are refusing to listen, 00:19:39.900 --> 00:19:41.700 and I would plead with you, don't do that. 00:19:43.180 --> 00:19:49.079 Well, as you look at the passage, the next thing that stands out is in verse 28, 00:19:49.160 --> 00:19:50.059 and put your finger on it. 00:19:50.079 --> 00:19:54.000 So Jesus said to them, when you have lifted up the Son of Man, 00:19:54.900 --> 00:19:56.920 then you will know that I am he. 00:19:56.920 --> 00:20:01.680 And in broad kind of terms, let me step back from this and say, 00:20:02.400 --> 00:20:05.779 those who refuse to listen now will someday hear. 00:20:07.080 --> 00:20:10.840 Those who refuse to listen now will someday hear. 00:20:10.839 --> 00:20:16.899 And so what I want to do is kind of dive into this statement that Jesus makes in verse 28. 00:20:17.480 --> 00:20:20.279 When you have lifted up the Son of Man, 00:20:21.699 --> 00:20:25.720 actually 27 through 30 kind of deal with the issue of the cross. 00:20:26.379 --> 00:20:29.279 How many of you noticed the cross songs that we sang this morning? 00:20:29.819 --> 00:20:31.500 Everybody look at me so you follow this and listen. 00:20:31.500 --> 00:20:37.480 Listen, the things we sing about are not just kind of accidental choices. 00:20:37.700 --> 00:20:39.700 You know, John is sitting there in a dark room and thinking, 00:20:40.220 --> 00:20:42.099 hmm, what should we sing? 00:20:42.359 --> 00:20:45.339 What John does, just so you're kind of surprised, 00:20:46.660 --> 00:20:49.839 John pays attention to what I'm going to preach about. 00:20:50.799 --> 00:20:52.539 And he knows in advance. 00:20:52.900 --> 00:20:58.160 And he picks songs that are going to follow the biblical track of what we're going to study. 00:20:58.160 --> 00:20:59.560 So here we are. 00:20:59.680 --> 00:21:01.340 We're singing songs about the cross. 00:21:01.460 --> 00:21:02.640 Guess what's that a signal of? 00:21:03.200 --> 00:21:06.259 We're going to dive into the word and we're going to get into the cross. 00:21:06.580 --> 00:21:07.380 So here we are. 00:21:10.900 --> 00:21:12.140 Jesus makes the statement, 00:21:13.620 --> 00:21:15.620 when you have lifted up the Son of Man, 00:21:16.240 --> 00:21:18.240 then you will know that I am he. 00:21:19.440 --> 00:21:22.240 And you see that what Jesus was doing in that case 00:21:22.240 --> 00:21:28.140 was he was announcing the day was coming of his crucifixion. 00:21:28.820 --> 00:21:35.120 And for starters, I want you to realize that this is one of three statements in the book of John 00:21:35.120 --> 00:21:38.820 in which Jesus talks about being lifted up. 00:21:40.180 --> 00:21:43.700 And when we find a statement and kind of think, 00:21:43.740 --> 00:21:44.640 well, what is that? 00:21:44.920 --> 00:21:45.940 I'm being lifted up. 00:21:45.980 --> 00:21:46.759 What's the deal with that? 00:21:48.460 --> 00:21:55.000 It helps when you have a study Bible that lets you kind of track that down 00:21:55.000 --> 00:21:57.160 or when you ask, okay, where else does that appear? 00:21:57.160 --> 00:22:03.279 And so what we're going to do is that we need to understand that when Jesus spoke about being lifted up, 00:22:03.440 --> 00:22:05.460 he was speaking about the cross. 00:22:06.279 --> 00:22:07.320 We're going to find that. 00:22:08.100 --> 00:22:11.140 Let's look at the first case where this statement is made 00:22:11.140 --> 00:22:15.180 and turn back in your Bible just for a moment to John 3, verse 14. 00:22:16.220 --> 00:22:17.900 John 3, verse 14. 00:22:18.000 --> 00:22:21.759 Here is Nicodemus having a conversation with Jesus. 00:22:22.020 --> 00:22:24.860 And Jesus, by the way, Nicodemus was a ruler of the Jews. 00:22:25.000 --> 00:22:27.440 He knew the Old Testament backwards and forwards. 00:22:27.620 --> 00:22:30.320 In fact, he probably had it memorized, the whole thing. 00:22:30.319 --> 00:22:35.139 So here is Jesus. 00:22:37.539 --> 00:22:39.799 And he makes a very startling statement. 00:22:39.919 --> 00:22:40.179 He says, 00:22:40.439 --> 00:22:43.039 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, 00:22:44.299 --> 00:22:51.319 so must, must the Son of Man be lifted up. 00:22:51.319 --> 00:22:55.599 And so I want you to fix your eyes just for a moment on that one word, must. 00:22:56.779 --> 00:23:02.000 And what I want you to recognize is that when Jesus was speaking about his crucifixion, 00:23:02.379 --> 00:23:06.119 what he was saying is that it was necessary. 00:23:06.480 --> 00:23:08.619 The cross was absolutely necessary. 00:23:10.399 --> 00:23:11.579 Now, why is that so? 00:23:11.579 --> 00:23:15.619 Why is the cross absolutely necessary? 00:23:16.399 --> 00:23:19.439 Well, let me kind of make a world religion comparison. 00:23:19.599 --> 00:23:27.119 Do you realize that Muhammad, Muhammad is only revered as a prophet? 00:23:30.339 --> 00:23:40.099 And he came to give the Islamic faith information with which to work at being good. 00:23:40.099 --> 00:23:42.719 How many of you know that Buddha? 00:23:44.179 --> 00:23:44.619 Buddha? 00:23:46.980 --> 00:23:48.339 You know who Buddha is? 00:23:49.459 --> 00:23:49.899 Buddha. 00:23:51.459 --> 00:23:52.240 Okay, I'm sorry. 00:23:56.379 --> 00:23:56.819 Gar? 00:23:58.119 --> 00:24:02.899 Gar is going to have a talk with me after the service about smacking the microphone that costs $400. 00:24:03.419 --> 00:24:04.639 You know, like, that thing? 00:24:04.719 --> 00:24:05.459 Yes, I'm sorry. 00:24:06.819 --> 00:24:07.579 Forgive me, Gar. 00:24:08.459 --> 00:24:09.559 Okay, we can move ahead. 00:24:10.099 --> 00:24:10.579 Buddha. 00:24:11.459 --> 00:24:12.399 He was a teacher. 00:24:13.179 --> 00:24:14.000 Divine enlightenment. 00:24:14.759 --> 00:24:19.319 I'll teach you and give you all kinds of information and you can really get smart and be spiritual. 00:24:20.859 --> 00:24:22.759 And along comes all the Hindu gurus. 00:24:24.519 --> 00:24:25.740 And whoever else. 00:24:25.839 --> 00:24:29.359 I mean, it's all about information and education and doing better. 00:24:29.699 --> 00:24:31.439 The more you know, the better you are, right? 00:24:31.959 --> 00:24:33.039 What did Jesus come to do? 00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:36.059 He came to die for me. 00:24:36.059 --> 00:24:38.759 He came to save me. 00:24:39.759 --> 00:24:47.799 He came to sacrifice his own life for my life and to pay the penalty for my sins upon the cross. 00:24:47.799 --> 00:24:48.799 And he came to do for me. 00:24:48.799 --> 00:24:52.119 He came to do for me what I could not do. 00:24:52.119 --> 00:25:05.139 And when he said, as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up. 00:25:05.140 --> 00:25:09.020 If you're sitting here and you're thinking to yourself, well, you know what? 00:25:09.140 --> 00:25:12.840 If I just kind of clean up my life a little bit, maybe I can get to heaven. 00:25:12.940 --> 00:25:15.160 The answer is not on your life. 00:25:16.980 --> 00:25:21.320 The cross was necessary because Jesus died for you. 00:25:21.319 --> 00:25:25.359 I want you to look at the second text, John 8, verse 28. 00:25:26.019 --> 00:25:30.759 And here is Jesus saying, when you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He. 00:25:32.419 --> 00:25:36.779 Now, I want you to take and follow me. 00:25:37.539 --> 00:25:39.539 Write down the cross was revealing. 00:25:39.759 --> 00:25:41.200 First, the cross was necessary. 00:25:41.700 --> 00:25:46.700 And I realized as I looked at my notes earlier this morning that I didn't underline and bold this, so it's my fault. 00:25:47.099 --> 00:25:48.079 But write this down. 00:25:48.079 --> 00:25:50.200 8, 28, the cross was revealing. 00:25:50.200 --> 00:25:54.960 We read in this passage in chapter 8, Jesus makes a statement. 00:25:55.600 --> 00:25:59.980 He says, hey, listen, when you lift me up, then you'll get it. 00:26:00.519 --> 00:26:06.740 And there is a sense in which there is a present sense to that statement, but also a futuristic sense to it. 00:26:07.480 --> 00:26:12.000 One is that when Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected, undeniably, 00:26:12.920 --> 00:26:19.819 those who had put Him to death were terrified in one sense because it made it evident that He was the Son of God. 00:26:20.200 --> 00:26:23.100 But there is something else that I want you to recognize. 00:26:23.500 --> 00:26:30.539 The cross made it profoundly revealing that the love of God and the judgment of God were satisfied in the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:26:31.700 --> 00:26:32.299 Unbelievable. 00:26:32.299 --> 00:26:43.819 God, loving us the way He loves us, was not willing to overlook sin, but was willing to sacrifice His own Son for our sin. 00:26:43.980 --> 00:26:48.980 And it revealed Him as the sacrifice sufficient for our own sin. 00:26:48.980 --> 00:26:53.500 Third, look at John chapter 12, verse 32. 00:26:54.200 --> 00:26:57.059 And this is a profoundly sobering statement. 00:26:59.440 --> 00:27:03.620 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself. 00:27:04.339 --> 00:27:04.759 Hold it. 00:27:04.759 --> 00:27:13.379 Does that mean that at His crucifixion, everybody will be magnetically drawn to believe in Christ? 00:27:13.460 --> 00:27:14.680 What is the answer to that? 00:27:15.019 --> 00:27:15.400 No. 00:27:15.839 --> 00:27:16.119 No. 00:27:16.220 --> 00:27:19.759 There's some of you actually sitting here this morning that don't believe in Christ. 00:27:20.980 --> 00:27:29.220 There's some of you sitting here this morning that will spend the rest of your life just rejecting the reality of the necessity of your salvation through Christ alone. 00:27:29.220 --> 00:27:34.339 And when Jesus made this statement, He wasn't just speaking about, well, everybody's going to get it. 00:27:36.920 --> 00:27:38.920 I want you to be clear with this. 00:27:39.039 --> 00:27:43.400 The cross will be universally understood someday, not for its blessing, but for its judgment. 00:27:44.880 --> 00:27:49.519 And a logical question that all of you are asking is, where in the world does that come from? 00:27:50.480 --> 00:27:53.500 Turn over in your Bible to Revelation chapter 1, verse 7. 00:27:55.680 --> 00:27:57.500 Revelation chapter 1, verse 7. 00:27:57.500 --> 00:28:07.579 When will all the world understand clearly that salvation is only in Christ and that there is no other way? 00:28:08.180 --> 00:28:15.460 And that Christ lifted up in His glory, revealed fully for what He is, the Savior of the world and the Lamb of God. 00:28:15.839 --> 00:28:16.920 Revelation 1, verse 7. 00:28:17.000 --> 00:28:21.900 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him. 00:28:21.900 --> 00:28:29.540 And all the tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him. 00:28:30.440 --> 00:28:31.540 Why will they wail? 00:28:33.560 --> 00:28:38.360 They will wail, listen to me, because I want you to understand this, because it's so sobering. 00:28:38.359 --> 00:28:46.199 They will wail because they will see clearly redemption and salvation in the person of Christ. 00:28:46.659 --> 00:28:54.599 And yet, in the face of that undeniable physical revelation of Christ, risen and glorified and coming again, 00:28:55.000 --> 00:28:59.519 they will still refuse Him as their Savior. 00:28:59.519 --> 00:29:07.680 And here is Jesus saying, when you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will understand. 00:29:09.279 --> 00:29:13.720 There's a reason why the cross is a symbol of our faith. 00:29:15.160 --> 00:29:16.400 There's a reason for that. 00:29:16.400 --> 00:29:24.220 The Romans meant it to be the most vile means of public shame and execution. 00:29:24.540 --> 00:29:32.800 It was reserved, essentially, for those that the Roman government wanted to make an example of and to say, 00:29:33.160 --> 00:29:36.000 whatever you do, don't do this. 00:29:36.000 --> 00:29:49.200 And Jesus, taking the wrath of God for my sins, died in my place. 00:29:49.519 --> 00:29:50.259 That's what He did. 00:29:51.019 --> 00:29:52.440 He died for my sins. 00:29:53.640 --> 00:29:59.859 And the cross is a reminder that someone else died for me. 00:29:59.859 --> 00:30:11.819 And throughout all of eternity, all eternity, everyone will break down into one of two groups. 00:30:11.959 --> 00:30:20.240 You will be a worshiper of the Son of God, who is the Lamb of God, who sacrificed His life for your sins. 00:30:21.459 --> 00:30:26.059 And I'm going to tell you, when we are in His presence, we are going to be whooping it up. 00:30:28.059 --> 00:30:28.859 You got it? 00:30:29.859 --> 00:30:31.559 No frumpy grumpy. 00:30:32.199 --> 00:30:33.119 Lots of fun. 00:30:34.979 --> 00:30:46.319 You will be in the presence of Christ, enjoying glory, or you will spend forever with resentment and rebellion and hardness and suffering. 00:30:47.599 --> 00:30:53.599 And the reality of the eternal condition of the person who is unrepentant and unbelieving 00:30:53.599 --> 00:31:05.339 is one of the things that brings passion to a preacher's voice and his heart when he pleads with people instead to decide and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:31:05.399 --> 00:31:06.159 Do you understand that? 00:31:06.159 --> 00:31:11.019 When I see people, I think to myself, where will they spend eternity? 00:31:11.019 --> 00:31:15.099 That's true. 00:31:22.720 --> 00:31:25.339 Jesus took the full measure of the wrath of God. 00:31:26.980 --> 00:31:28.420 He died for our sins. 00:31:29.720 --> 00:31:30.559 He rose again. 00:31:30.559 --> 00:31:34.899 And the purpose of preaching is to put you on the spot. 00:31:34.980 --> 00:31:36.099 You've heard me say this before. 00:31:36.539 --> 00:31:38.059 To put you on the spot of doing what? 00:31:38.259 --> 00:31:39.619 Saying yes or no to God. 00:31:42.220 --> 00:31:43.240 Yes or no to God. 00:31:45.899 --> 00:31:46.839 Let's close in prayer. 00:31:46.839 --> 00:32:07.559 Father God, this morning we are thankful for the clear declaration of the Scriptures that the cross is the only hope we have in salvation. 00:32:07.559 --> 00:32:18.179 Not in the physical instrument of judgment, but in the reminder that Jesus died in our place and for our sins. 00:32:20.299 --> 00:32:28.039 I'm thankful also that your spirit is at work in people's lives this morning, in the lives of those who don't know Christ, 00:32:28.200 --> 00:32:37.299 convicting them that they cannot be saved by their own efforts, but must depend upon what Jesus did for them and in their place. 00:32:37.559 --> 00:32:43.700 I'm thankful also for the Spirit of God that is working in the lives of believers that says, 00:32:44.460 --> 00:32:51.720 you, blood-bought person, are to spend every breath you have between now and glory, 00:32:52.399 --> 00:33:03.259 making Jesus, who is the Savior of the world, sweet and pleasing Him in a life that is marked by joy in the midst of the adversity of life, 00:33:04.279 --> 00:33:06.599 that Jesus is lifted up. 00:33:08.319 --> 00:33:10.139 We ask this in Jesus' name. 00:33:10.659 --> 00:33:10.940 Amen. 00:33:11.779 --> 00:33:15.559 We're going to sing a song in closing, and let's stand together as we do that. 00:33:16.220 --> 00:33:22.799 Without question, let me encourage you, if you are here today and the Spirit of God is addressing a matter that you need to care for publicly, 00:33:22.960 --> 00:33:25.759 encourage you to respond to the leading of the Spirit of God. 00:33:25.839 --> 00:33:27.240 He may be speaking to you this morning. 00:33:27.240 --> 00:33:28.900 I need Jesus as my Son. 00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:28.900 00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:28.900 00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:28.900 00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:28.900 00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:28.900 00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:28.900 00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:28.900 00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:28.900 00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:28.900 00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:28.900 00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:28.900 00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:28.900 00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:28.900 00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:28.900 00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:28.900 00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:28.900 00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:28.900 00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:28.900 00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:28.900 00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:28.900 00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:28.900 00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:28.900 00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:28.900 00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:28.900 00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:58.880 Thank you.