WEBVTT

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 Good morning, church. The scripture for today comes from John chapter 10, verses 22 to 42.

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! Please follow along in your own Bibles. If you don't have a Bible, do grab one around the stage or at the back near the door.

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 If you're using our church's Bible, the passage is on page 843.

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 Starting at verse 22, we read,

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 At that time, the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem.

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 It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the colonnade of Solomon.

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 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him,

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 How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.

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 Jesus answered them,

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 I told you, and you do not believe.

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 The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me,

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 but you do not believe because you're not among my sheep.

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 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

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 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish,

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 and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

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 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all,

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 and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.

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 I and the Father are one.

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 The Jews picked up stones again to stone him.

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 Jesus answered them,

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 I have shown you many good works from the Father.

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 For which of them are you going to stone me?

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 The Jews answered him,

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 It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you,

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 but for blasphemy,

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 because you, being a man, make yourself God.

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 Jesus answered them,

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 Is it not written in your law,

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 I said you are gods?

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 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came,

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 and scripture cannot be broken,

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 do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world,

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 you are blaspheming because I said,

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 I am the Son of God?

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 If I'm not doing the works of my Father,

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 then do not believe me.

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 But if I do them,

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 even though you do not believe me,

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 believe the works,

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 that you may know and understand

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 that the Father is in me,

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 and I am in the Father.

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 Again, they sought to arrest him,

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 but he escaped from their hands.

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 He went away again across the Jordan

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 to the place where John had been baptizing at first,

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 and there he remained.

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 And many came to him,

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 and they said,

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 John did no sign,

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 but everything that John said about this man was true.

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 And many believed him in there.

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 This is the word of God.

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 Great.

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 Thank you, Annabelle.

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 Let's pray together as we come to this passage.

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 Lord Jesus Christ,

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 this passage is going to tell us a lot about you.

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 God,

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 things that probably many of us have heard many times before.

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 We need your spirit to write these things on our hearts,

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 God.

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 We need you to open the eyes of our hearts

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 to see these things that Christians have understood

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 for thousands of years

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 all across in every corner of the world.

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 God,

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 you have revealed yourself,

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 and we ask you,

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 reveal yourself to us once again.

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 God,

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 for those of us maybe that are not followers of you,

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 we've never surrendered to you,

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 reveal yourself to us.

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 Show yourself to us.

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 Help us to see you,

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 that we may believe in you,

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 and understand who you are.

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 God,

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 for those of us that are followers of you,

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 help us to see you again freshly.

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 Help us to worship you,

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 and to adore you.

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 Lord,

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 we pray these things in your great and wonderful name.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 I don't know if you've ever received a final notice letter,

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 final demand letter.

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 I confess,

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 I receive these from time to time.

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 And the reason is,

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 I generally am someone that,

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 whenever I get a bill,

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 I want to pay it straight away.

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 I hate having unpaid bills.

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 But now and then,

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 there's something that I want to question,

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 or query,

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 or think,

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 hang on,

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 that's higher than I expected,

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 and I kind of put it aside

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 to go and question it,

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 or query it,

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 or look into it a bit more,

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 and then I forget about it,

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 and then I get another letter,

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 and I think,

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 oh yeah,

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 I must follow up,

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 and then I forget about it.

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 And then I get a letter like this,

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 right?

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 Saying,

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 final notice,

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 final demand.

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 I don't know if that happens to anybody else.

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 Maybe I'm the only one.

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 Sometimes,

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 when we've been spoken to many times,

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 we need somebody to kind of

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 get in our face a little bit,

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 and wake us up,

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 and say,

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 okay,

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 I've been talking,

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 now you need to respond.

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 I can't go on talking forever.

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 What are you going to do?

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 Are you going to respond,

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 or are you going to ignore my words,

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 right?

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 That happens in life,

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 but it also happens with Jesus.

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 Jesus Christ is so gracious,

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 so kind,

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 so wonderful,

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 but he also wants us to respond to his words.

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 And so sometimes he says,

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 I've been speaking for many,

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 many months now.

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 I've been speaking for a long time.

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 I want you to respond.

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 How are you going to respond?

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 Now,

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 we're in John's gospel,

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 and this is the final sermon

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 that we're going to be looking at

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 in John's gospel this year.

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 We'll pick up again in John chapter 11

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 next April.

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 And the reason for that

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 is because we've come to the end

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 of a section in John's gospel.

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 The biblical writers,

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 when they wrote the books of the Bible,

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 they wrote them in such a way

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 in sections and blocks

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 that we could easily remember

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 or understand what they were saying.

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 And one of the reasons for that

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 is because in the ancient world,

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 most people couldn't read.

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 Almost nobody had a Bible.

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 Even if you could read,

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 it was way too expensive

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 to have your own copy of a Bible.

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 No one would afford a Bible.

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 And so the way to remember

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 what are these writers saying

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 was to write it in a memorable way.

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 And one of the ways they did that

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 was they write in blocks or sections.

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 And you'd know what that section about.

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 Today,

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 the end of John chapter 10

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 is the end of a section,

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 a block that John has been writing.

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 And we know that for two reasons.

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 One,

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 John chapter 11

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 starts with a death and resurrection.

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 And the next section,

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 John chapter 22,

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 ends with a death and resurrection.

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 So that's the next section

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 in John's gospel,

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 right?

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 11 to 21.

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 But also in chapter 5 to 10

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 is kind of one section,

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 one block.

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 And today we come to the end of that.

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 And we see that

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 because chapter 5 and 10

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 both begin and end

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 with a man being healed

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 on the Sabbath day

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 and then following

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 by teaching of Jesus

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 about Jesus

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 and his relationship

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 with the Father.

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 So if you remember

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 many weeks ago,

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 Oscar preached

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 in John chapter 5

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 way back in September.

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 There's a man

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 who's paralyzed

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 and he's by the pool

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 of Bethsaida,

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 I think it was.

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 And Jesus heals him

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 on the Sabbath day

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 and the religious leaders

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 freak out

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 because you're not allowed

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 to do any work

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 on the Sabbath day

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 and apparently healing

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 somebody's work

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 and he gets in trouble

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 and Jesus follows

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 that miracle

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 with the teaching

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 about his relationship

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 with the Father.

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 And you remember

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 a few weeks ago,

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 John chapter 9,

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 there's a healing.

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 Jesus heals a man

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 born blind

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 by the pool of Siloam

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 on the Sabbath day

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 and the religious leaders

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 freak out

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 because it's the Sabbath

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 and you're not allowed

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 to work on the Sabbath.

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 And he follows that

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 with a teaching

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 about I'm the Good Shepherd

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 and then a teaching

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 about his relationship

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 with the Father.

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 That's where we're at today.

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 So chapter 5

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 and 9 and 10

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 kind of parallel each other

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 and in between these two,

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 if you've been here

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 the last couple of weeks,

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 chapter 6, 7, and 8,

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 Jesus makes all these claims

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 about himself, right?

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 He says,

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 I am the bread of life.

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 I am the living water.

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 I am the light of the world.

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 I am the truth.

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 I am the Good Shepherd.

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 But Jesus makes all these

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 radical claims

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 about himself.

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 And as we come today,

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 what we see

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 is that these claims

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 are kind of bookended

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 with these teachings.

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 And John today

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 is coming to the end

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 of the section.

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 He's bringing this

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 to a conclusion.

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 And he's saying this.

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 You've heard all these claims

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 about Jesus.

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 You've heard what he has

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 to say about himself.

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 What do you make about it?

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 What do you make about it?

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 What are you going to do?

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 John's been showing us

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 about how the people

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 in Jesus' day respond to him.

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 And he's writing this

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 as history,

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 but he's also got one eye

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 on us.

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 And he's saying,

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 what about you?

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 How are you going to respond?

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 This is how they responded.

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 How are you going to respond?

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 So does that make sense?

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 So this is a section.

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 He's been telling us

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 all the claims

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 that Jesus has been making.

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 And now he's asking us,

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 what are you going to do

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 about it?

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 And he's been saying,

00:08:41.120 --> 00:08:41.299
 I've been,

00:08:41.600 --> 00:08:42.879
 Jesus has been talking a lot.

00:08:42.939 --> 00:08:43.459
 He's been saying

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 a lot of words.

00:08:44.319 --> 00:08:44.939
 In some ways,

00:08:44.939 --> 00:08:46.360
 this is a kind of final notice.

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 This is,

00:08:46.879 --> 00:08:47.840
 I want you to hear

00:08:47.840 --> 00:08:48.960
 my words.

00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:50.220
 In some ways,

00:08:50.460 --> 00:08:51.040
 John's gospel,

00:08:51.220 --> 00:08:52.540
 we've come to the halfway point,

00:08:53.019 --> 00:08:53.180
 right?

00:08:53.340 --> 00:08:54.120
 21 chapters,

00:08:54.200 --> 00:08:55.139
 we're at the end of chapter 10.

00:08:55.540 --> 00:08:55.740
 You know,

00:08:55.759 --> 00:08:56.660
 if you go to the theater

00:08:56.660 --> 00:08:58.120
 and there's an intermission

00:08:58.120 --> 00:08:59.960
 and just before the intermission,

00:09:00.379 --> 00:09:01.600
 someone will leave you

00:09:01.600 --> 00:09:02.379
 with something hanging,

00:09:02.480 --> 00:09:03.680
 a question to ponder

00:09:03.680 --> 00:09:05.560
 or a twist in the story

00:09:05.560 --> 00:09:06.980
 or something that you go out

00:09:06.980 --> 00:09:08.240
 at the halfway point thinking,

00:09:08.800 --> 00:09:09.040
 hmm,

00:09:09.080 --> 00:09:09.800
 I wonder how that's

00:09:09.800 --> 00:09:10.440
 going to be resolved.

00:09:11.200 --> 00:09:12.600
 John is at the halfway point

00:09:12.600 --> 00:09:13.139
 and he's saying,

00:09:13.300 --> 00:09:14.800
 you've seen a lot about Jesus.

00:09:15.240 --> 00:09:16.300
 How are you going to respond?

00:09:16.299 --> 00:09:16.740
 Now,

00:09:16.819 --> 00:09:17.879
 the rest is going to be resolved

00:09:17.879 --> 00:09:19.639
 as we look at the rest of it.

00:09:20.299 --> 00:09:20.699
 But,

00:09:20.859 --> 00:09:22.799
 the main idea of this passage

00:09:22.799 --> 00:09:23.459
 in some ways

00:09:23.459 --> 00:09:24.740
 mirrors the main idea

00:09:24.740 --> 00:09:25.519
 of John's gospel.

00:09:26.240 --> 00:09:26.719
 And if you know

00:09:26.719 --> 00:09:27.240
 John's gospel,

00:09:27.359 --> 00:09:28.179
 right at the end,

00:09:28.219 --> 00:09:29.439
 he tells us why he wrote it.

00:09:29.479 --> 00:09:29.699
 He said,

00:09:29.759 --> 00:09:30.500
 I wrote these things

00:09:30.500 --> 00:09:31.500
 that you may believe

00:09:31.500 --> 00:09:32.899
 that Jesus is the Christ,

00:09:33.000 --> 00:09:33.740
 the Son of God,

00:09:34.079 --> 00:09:35.039
 and by believing,

00:09:35.279 --> 00:09:36.979
 experience life in His name.

00:09:37.399 --> 00:09:37.639
 Okay?

00:09:38.159 --> 00:09:39.219
 And so that's the big idea.

00:09:39.399 --> 00:09:40.059
 John says,

00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:41.199
 will you believe,

00:09:41.279 --> 00:09:41.959
 will you receive

00:09:41.959 --> 00:09:43.179
 that Jesus is the Christ,

00:09:43.259 --> 00:09:43.959
 the Son of God?

00:09:44.439 --> 00:09:46.279
 For only by believing in Him,

00:09:46.419 --> 00:09:47.159
 will you experience

00:09:47.159 --> 00:09:47.899
 life in His name?

00:09:47.959 --> 00:09:48.120
 Okay,

00:09:48.159 --> 00:09:49.279
 so today we've got two things.

00:09:49.579 --> 00:09:50.579
 There you guys see it on the screen.

00:09:50.879 --> 00:09:52.279
 The essence of Jesus' claim

00:09:52.279 --> 00:09:54.679
 and the response to Jesus' claim.

00:09:54.799 --> 00:09:54.919
 Okay,

00:09:55.019 --> 00:09:56.740
 two things for us to think about.

00:09:56.859 --> 00:09:57.000
 So,

00:09:57.379 --> 00:09:57.699
 firstly,

00:09:57.779 --> 00:09:58.779
 let's look at the essence

00:09:58.779 --> 00:09:59.859
 of Jesus' claim.

00:10:00.559 --> 00:10:00.819
 So,

00:10:00.899 --> 00:10:01.779
 Jesus has been using

00:10:01.779 --> 00:10:03.339
 all these figures of speech

00:10:03.339 --> 00:10:04.759
 in this Old Testament imagery,

00:10:04.859 --> 00:10:05.019
 right,

00:10:05.019 --> 00:10:05.879
 to speak about Himself

00:10:05.879 --> 00:10:07.519
 and to show who He is.

00:10:07.579 --> 00:10:07.819
 He says,

00:10:07.899 --> 00:10:08.899
 I'm the light of the world,

00:10:08.979 --> 00:10:10.079
 I'm the bread of life,

00:10:10.379 --> 00:10:11.059
 He's the door,

00:10:11.179 --> 00:10:11.839
 He's the truth,

00:10:11.919 --> 00:10:12.219
 etc.

00:10:12.620 --> 00:10:14.059
 And some people come to Him

00:10:14.059 --> 00:10:14.759
 and they say,

00:10:15.159 --> 00:10:16.439
 how long will He keep us

00:10:16.439 --> 00:10:17.119
 in suspense?

00:10:18.159 --> 00:10:19.319
 Another translation says,

00:10:19.399 --> 00:10:20.919
 how long will He keep annoying us?

00:10:21.199 --> 00:10:21.419
 Okay,

00:10:21.500 --> 00:10:22.759
 you could translate it that way.

00:10:22.859 --> 00:10:24.079
 How long will He keep annoying us?

00:10:24.579 --> 00:10:25.199
 Tell us,

00:10:25.259 --> 00:10:26.319
 if you are the Christ,

00:10:26.399 --> 00:10:27.239
 tell us plainly.

00:10:27.839 --> 00:10:28.359
 In other words,

00:10:28.399 --> 00:10:29.479
 all these figures of speech

00:10:29.479 --> 00:10:30.239
 you've been saying,

00:10:30.619 --> 00:10:31.359
 just tell us,

00:10:31.459 --> 00:10:33.279
 are you the long-awaited Messiah,

00:10:33.439 --> 00:10:34.759
 the one that we've been waiting for

00:10:34.759 --> 00:10:35.719
 for hundreds of years

00:10:35.719 --> 00:10:37.699
 to restore the fortunes of Israel

00:10:37.699 --> 00:10:39.439
 and make Israel great again?

00:10:40.280 --> 00:10:41.400
 And so Jesus says to them,

00:10:41.460 --> 00:10:42.160
 verse 25,

00:10:42.300 --> 00:10:43.360
 I have already told you.

00:10:44.040 --> 00:10:44.600
 I've told you.

00:10:44.620 --> 00:10:45.940
 That's what all my teaching's been about.

00:10:46.240 --> 00:10:47.520
 This is what I've been saying to you

00:10:47.520 --> 00:10:48.440
 all this time,

00:10:48.480 --> 00:10:48.760
 right?

00:10:49.460 --> 00:10:50.400
 I'm not just saying it,

00:10:50.420 --> 00:10:51.440
 but also demonstrating it.

00:10:51.920 --> 00:10:52.220
 He says,

00:10:52.280 --> 00:10:53.800
 the works that I do in my Father's name

00:10:53.800 --> 00:10:54.420
 bear witness,

00:10:54.660 --> 00:10:56.460
 but you do not believe me.

00:10:58.060 --> 00:10:58.740
 Jesus says,

00:10:58.780 --> 00:11:00.160
 I've been telling you who I am,

00:11:00.200 --> 00:11:01.740
 both my words and my deeds,

00:11:01.780 --> 00:11:01.960
 right?

00:11:01.980 --> 00:11:03.020
 I've been proclaiming the gospel

00:11:03.020 --> 00:11:04.420
 in word and in action.

00:11:05.100 --> 00:11:05.440
 And of course,

00:11:05.440 --> 00:11:06.920
 the greatest action is still to come.

00:11:07.120 --> 00:11:07.860
 The greatest deed

00:11:07.860 --> 00:11:09.260
 is going to be the empty clothes

00:11:09.259 --> 00:11:10.700
 on the empty grave

00:11:10.700 --> 00:11:11.819
 at the end of the gospel,

00:11:11.919 --> 00:11:12.799
 but that's still to come.

00:11:13.519 --> 00:11:14.200
 But these people,

00:11:14.299 --> 00:11:14.659
 he says,

00:11:14.740 --> 00:11:15.620
 I've been telling you,

00:11:15.779 --> 00:11:16.919
 but you do not believe.

00:11:17.639 --> 00:11:18.399
 You do not believe.

00:11:18.460 --> 00:11:19.879
 Why don't they believe?

00:11:20.580 --> 00:11:20.819
 Well,

00:11:20.899 --> 00:11:21.659
 a couple of reasons.

00:11:21.980 --> 00:11:23.259
 Look what he says in verse 26.

00:11:23.399 --> 00:11:23.600
 One,

00:11:23.679 --> 00:11:23.939
 he says,

00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:24.840
 you do not believe

00:11:24.840 --> 00:11:27.340
 because you are not amongst my sheep.

00:11:27.960 --> 00:11:29.220
 My sheep hear my voice.

00:11:29.319 --> 00:11:29.980
 I know them

00:11:29.980 --> 00:11:31.519
 and they follow me.

00:11:32.139 --> 00:11:32.639
 Jesus says,

00:11:32.700 --> 00:11:33.659
 you don't believe me

00:11:33.659 --> 00:11:35.379
 because you've been drowning out my voice.

00:11:35.379 --> 00:11:36.679
 I've been sending you letters.

00:11:36.799 --> 00:11:37.700
 I've been talking to you.

00:11:37.759 --> 00:11:39.159
 I've been trying to tell you.

00:11:39.159 --> 00:11:41.019
 I've been demonstrating word and deed,

00:11:41.139 --> 00:11:42.679
 but you're drowning out my voice.

00:11:42.740 --> 00:11:43.939
 You're refusing to listen.

00:11:44.199 --> 00:11:45.959
 You don't want to hear what I have to say.

00:11:47.039 --> 00:11:47.399
 Earlier,

00:11:47.480 --> 00:11:48.000
 when they say,

00:11:48.139 --> 00:11:49.259
 just tell us plainly,

00:11:49.299 --> 00:11:50.139
 are you the Christ?

00:11:50.259 --> 00:11:51.259
 Why do they ask that?

00:11:51.919 --> 00:11:53.299
 Is it because they want to bow down

00:11:53.299 --> 00:11:54.000
 and worship him?

00:11:54.600 --> 00:11:54.759
 No,

00:11:54.779 --> 00:11:55.299
 of course not.

00:11:55.360 --> 00:11:56.179
 They want to kill him.

00:11:56.620 --> 00:11:57.620
 They're looking for proof,

00:11:57.659 --> 00:11:59.480
 for evidence that he's blaspheming,

00:11:59.539 --> 00:12:01.019
 that he's saying this outrageous thing,

00:12:01.120 --> 00:12:01.379
 right?

00:12:03.079 --> 00:12:04.620
 They're not genuine questions

00:12:04.620 --> 00:12:05.500
 of genuine seekers.

00:12:05.819 --> 00:12:06.819
 They're evidence gathering

00:12:06.820 --> 00:12:07.600
 of prosecutors

00:12:07.600 --> 00:12:09.200
 and they're trying to find

00:12:09.200 --> 00:12:10.080
 their evidence

00:12:10.080 --> 00:12:11.200
 that they can arrest him

00:12:11.200 --> 00:12:11.940
 and kill him.

00:12:12.740 --> 00:12:13.800
 But here's the other reason

00:12:13.800 --> 00:12:15.080
 why they can't receive Jesus.

00:12:15.780 --> 00:12:17.100
 Because they don't understand

00:12:17.100 --> 00:12:19.379
 what God's Messiah is all about.

00:12:20.620 --> 00:12:20.960
 They don't,

00:12:21.040 --> 00:12:21.360
 for them,

00:12:21.440 --> 00:12:22.879
 the Messiah is a military Messiah,

00:12:23.020 --> 00:12:23.860
 a political Messiah,

00:12:24.020 --> 00:12:24.920
 someone who's going to restore

00:12:24.920 --> 00:12:25.940
 the fortunes of Israel,

00:12:26.060 --> 00:12:27.920
 someone who's going to make Israel great again

00:12:27.920 --> 00:12:29.900
 and destroy all their political

00:12:29.900 --> 00:12:31.580
 and their military enemies.

00:12:31.580 --> 00:12:34.020
 John tells us in verse 22

00:12:34.020 --> 00:12:35.720
 that this happened at the time

00:12:35.720 --> 00:12:37.120
 of the Feast of the Dedication.

00:12:37.660 --> 00:12:38.220
 What that was,

00:12:38.240 --> 00:12:40.379
 was about 170 years before,

00:12:40.800 --> 00:12:43.360
 the Syrians overran Israel

00:12:43.360 --> 00:12:44.060
 and Jerusalem

00:12:44.060 --> 00:12:46.520
 and they plundered the temple,

00:12:46.639 --> 00:12:47.480
 they took all the money,

00:12:47.980 --> 00:12:49.680
 they destroyed the temple

00:12:49.680 --> 00:12:51.060
 and then the leader

00:12:51.060 --> 00:12:52.000
 of the Syrian army,

00:12:52.200 --> 00:12:54.020
 his name was Antiochus IV,

00:12:54.420 --> 00:12:55.580
 he takes a pig,

00:12:55.920 --> 00:12:56.700
 which if you're Jewish,

00:12:56.800 --> 00:12:57.840
 a pig is like the most

00:12:57.840 --> 00:12:58.560
 unclean,

00:12:58.759 --> 00:12:59.879
 dirty animal there is.

00:12:59.879 --> 00:13:02.039
 He takes a pig into the temple

00:13:02.039 --> 00:13:03.860
 and he sacrifices this pig

00:13:03.860 --> 00:13:05.080
 in the middle of the temple

00:13:05.080 --> 00:13:06.480
 to desecrate the temple

00:13:06.480 --> 00:13:07.980
 and kind of destroy it,

00:13:08.019 --> 00:13:08.220
 right?

00:13:09.000 --> 00:13:09.879
 And one leader

00:13:09.879 --> 00:13:11.100
 called Judas Maccabeus

00:13:11.100 --> 00:13:11.360
 says,

00:13:11.480 --> 00:13:12.320
 enough of this

00:13:12.320 --> 00:13:13.500
 and he gathers his army,

00:13:13.620 --> 00:13:14.159
 his friends

00:13:14.159 --> 00:13:15.039
 and they go

00:13:15.039 --> 00:13:16.240
 and they destroy the Syrians

00:13:16.240 --> 00:13:17.379
 and they drive them out

00:13:17.379 --> 00:13:18.019
 and they kill them

00:13:18.019 --> 00:13:19.620
 and they restore the temple

00:13:19.620 --> 00:13:20.539
 and they clean it

00:13:20.539 --> 00:13:22.360
 and they rededicate the temple

00:13:22.360 --> 00:13:23.419
 to the glory of God.

00:13:24.000 --> 00:13:24.899
 And so every year

00:13:24.899 --> 00:13:26.519
 in the middle of December

00:13:26.519 --> 00:13:27.259
 they would have this

00:13:27.259 --> 00:13:28.440
 Feast of Dedication

00:13:28.440 --> 00:13:29.580
 and that's what's going on here,

00:13:29.639 --> 00:13:29.799
 right?

00:13:29.879 --> 00:13:31.320
 But that's the kind of Messiah

00:13:31.320 --> 00:13:32.000
 that they want.

00:13:32.399 --> 00:13:32.639
 They say,

00:13:32.720 --> 00:13:32.840
 okay,

00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:33.159
 Judas,

00:13:33.240 --> 00:13:33.700
 he died,

00:13:33.700 --> 00:13:35.799
 give us another Judas Maccabeus,

00:13:35.960 --> 00:13:37.000
 someone who's going to

00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:38.480
 this time destroy the Romans.

00:13:38.659 --> 00:13:38.779
 Okay,

00:13:38.820 --> 00:13:39.600
 the Syrians are done,

00:13:39.679 --> 00:13:40.000
 they've done,

00:13:40.340 --> 00:13:40.960
 the Romans,

00:13:41.200 --> 00:13:42.240
 get rid of the Romans

00:13:42.240 --> 00:13:42.919
 and kill them

00:13:42.919 --> 00:13:45.019
 and restore the glory of Israel.

00:13:45.639 --> 00:13:46.600
 And they're looking for

00:13:46.600 --> 00:13:47.919
 a Messiah like that,

00:13:48.259 --> 00:13:49.419
 a political Messiah,

00:13:49.960 --> 00:13:51.100
 a religious Messiah,

00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:53.379
 a military Messiah.

00:13:54.379 --> 00:13:55.259
 But that's exactly

00:13:55.259 --> 00:13:55.860
 what Jesus

00:13:55.860 --> 00:13:57.100
 has not come to do

00:13:57.100 --> 00:13:59.060
 because that's not

00:13:59.060 --> 00:13:59.960
 who Jesus is.

00:14:01.320 --> 00:14:02.500
 Who is Jesus?

00:14:03.340 --> 00:14:03.800
 Well,

00:14:03.820 --> 00:14:04.580
 look at what he's trying

00:14:04.580 --> 00:14:05.399
 to say here.

00:14:06.180 --> 00:14:07.200
 Jesus says,

00:14:07.300 --> 00:14:08.519
 I'm not just the Messiah

00:14:08.519 --> 00:14:09.920
 that you want.

00:14:10.420 --> 00:14:11.379
 I'm nothing less

00:14:11.379 --> 00:14:13.080
 than God himself.

00:14:13.379 --> 00:14:14.879
 I am the son of God.

00:14:15.620 --> 00:14:16.320
 Jesus says,

00:14:16.379 --> 00:14:17.680
 I'm equal with the father

00:14:17.680 --> 00:14:18.940
 in divine authority,

00:14:19.320 --> 00:14:19.659
 nature,

00:14:19.740 --> 00:14:20.240
 and power.

00:14:21.019 --> 00:14:22.080
 I've come to accomplish

00:14:22.080 --> 00:14:22.840
 the will of God,

00:14:22.899 --> 00:14:23.419
 the father,

00:14:23.639 --> 00:14:23.879
 son,

00:14:23.940 --> 00:14:24.360
 and spirit,

00:14:24.460 --> 00:14:25.799
 which we determined

00:14:25.799 --> 00:14:27.419
 beforehand in eternity

00:14:27.419 --> 00:14:28.799
 to save and rescue

00:14:28.799 --> 00:14:29.440
 for ourselves,

00:14:29.539 --> 00:14:30.840
 those who will trust in him.

00:14:31.320 --> 00:14:33.379
 Look at verse 25 to 29

00:14:33.379 --> 00:14:34.240
 in your Bibles.

00:14:34.759 --> 00:14:35.360
 Jesus says this,

00:14:35.700 --> 00:14:36.840
 the works that I do

00:14:36.840 --> 00:14:37.779
 in my father's name

00:14:37.779 --> 00:14:38.899
 bear witness about me.

00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:39.820
 Verse 27,

00:14:39.940 --> 00:14:40.899
 my sheep hear my voice,

00:14:40.960 --> 00:14:41.480
 I know them

00:14:41.480 --> 00:14:42.139
 and they follow me.

00:14:42.539 --> 00:14:44.379
 I give them eternal life,

00:14:44.720 --> 00:14:45.860
 they will never perish

00:14:45.860 --> 00:14:47.500
 and no one will snatch them

00:14:47.500 --> 00:14:48.279
 out of my hands.

00:14:48.679 --> 00:14:49.579
 My father,

00:14:49.720 --> 00:14:50.639
 who has given them to me,

00:14:50.699 --> 00:14:51.559
 is greater than all

00:14:51.559 --> 00:14:52.439
 and no one is able

00:14:52.439 --> 00:14:53.059
 to snatch them

00:14:53.059 --> 00:14:54.100
 out of his hands.

00:14:54.519 --> 00:14:54.899
 Why?

00:14:55.419 --> 00:14:56.240
 Why does Jesus say,

00:14:56.419 --> 00:14:57.159
 what I do

00:14:57.159 --> 00:14:58.220
 is what the father does.

00:14:58.279 --> 00:14:58.500
 Why?

00:14:58.879 --> 00:15:00.399
 Because I and the father

00:15:00.399 --> 00:15:01.279
 are one.

00:15:02.259 --> 00:15:03.339
 And that's what Jesus is saying.

00:15:03.819 --> 00:15:04.059
 He's saying,

00:15:04.100 --> 00:15:04.919
 I'm not here just to

00:15:04.919 --> 00:15:06.559
 make your lives great again.

00:15:06.620 --> 00:15:07.259
 I'm not here to make

00:15:07.259 --> 00:15:08.500
 your nation great again.

00:15:08.899 --> 00:15:11.159
 I'm here as God himself.

00:15:11.279 --> 00:15:12.360
 I'm here to save you

00:15:12.360 --> 00:15:13.379
 from a far bigger enemy

00:15:13.379 --> 00:15:13.980
 than the Romans.

00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:15.559
 I'm here to save you

00:15:15.559 --> 00:15:16.459
 from your sins.

00:15:17.019 --> 00:15:17.659
 And that's clearly

00:15:17.659 --> 00:15:18.500
 the big idea here

00:15:18.500 --> 00:15:19.819
 because nine times

00:15:19.819 --> 00:15:21.360
 Jesus uses this phrase,

00:15:21.519 --> 00:15:22.980
 my father or the father.

00:15:23.120 --> 00:15:23.740
 Everything is,

00:15:24.039 --> 00:15:24.379
 he says,

00:15:24.539 --> 00:15:25.899
 my will is the father's will.

00:15:26.019 --> 00:15:27.459
 My work is the father's work.

00:15:27.759 --> 00:15:28.339
 What I do

00:15:28.339 --> 00:15:29.219
 is what the father does.

00:15:29.279 --> 00:15:30.039
 What the father says

00:15:30.039 --> 00:15:30.819
 is what I say.

00:15:31.319 --> 00:15:31.939
 Verse 38,

00:15:32.139 --> 00:15:33.120
 the father is in me

00:15:33.120 --> 00:15:33.959
 and I'm in the father.

00:15:34.100 --> 00:15:34.339
 Why?

00:15:34.600 --> 00:15:35.959
 I and the father are one.

00:15:38.360 --> 00:15:38.759
 Now,

00:15:38.939 --> 00:15:39.919
 the people that Jesus

00:15:39.919 --> 00:15:40.679
 is speaking to,

00:15:41.299 --> 00:15:41.519
 they,

00:15:41.819 --> 00:15:42.500
 on one hand,

00:15:42.559 --> 00:15:43.059
 they understand

00:15:43.059 --> 00:15:44.139
 exactly what he's saying,

00:15:44.220 --> 00:15:44.480
 right?

00:15:44.480 --> 00:15:45.680
 Because look at how

00:15:45.680 --> 00:15:46.300
 they respond.

00:15:46.500 --> 00:15:47.019
 Verse 31,

00:15:47.700 --> 00:15:49.240
 the Jews picked up stones

00:15:49.240 --> 00:15:50.300
 to stone him,

00:15:50.700 --> 00:15:50.980
 right?

00:15:51.440 --> 00:15:52.240
 They know exactly

00:15:52.240 --> 00:15:52.800
 what he's saying.

00:15:53.500 --> 00:15:54.159
 Verse 33,

00:15:54.279 --> 00:15:54.860
 I think it is,

00:15:55.220 --> 00:15:55.560
 says,

00:15:56.600 --> 00:15:57.139
 Jesus says,

00:15:57.180 --> 00:15:57.920
 why are you stoning me?

00:15:57.920 --> 00:15:58.700
 Why do you do this?

00:15:58.740 --> 00:15:59.100
 And he says,

00:15:59.539 --> 00:16:00.759
 it's not for good works

00:16:00.759 --> 00:16:01.539
 that we're going to stone you,

00:16:01.600 --> 00:16:02.519
 but for blasphemy

00:16:02.519 --> 00:16:04.779
 because you're making yourself

00:16:04.779 --> 00:16:05.500
 out to be God.

00:16:06.060 --> 00:16:06.759
 They know exactly

00:16:06.759 --> 00:16:07.500
 what Jesus is saying.

00:16:07.680 --> 00:16:08.580
 In chapter 5,

00:16:08.740 --> 00:16:10.159
 Oscar preached a few weeks ago,

00:16:10.539 --> 00:16:11.300
 says the same thing.

00:16:11.399 --> 00:16:11.940
 Verse 18,

00:16:11.940 --> 00:16:13.260
 this is why the Jews

00:16:13.260 --> 00:16:14.520
 were seeking to kill him

00:16:14.520 --> 00:16:15.740
 because he was calling

00:16:15.740 --> 00:16:16.780
 God his own father,

00:16:16.920 --> 00:16:18.500
 making himself equal to God.

00:16:19.160 --> 00:16:20.180
 They know exactly

00:16:20.180 --> 00:16:20.920
 what Jesus is doing.

00:16:21.020 --> 00:16:21.600
 They understand

00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:22.700
 that Jesus is claiming

00:16:22.700 --> 00:16:24.000
 to be nothing less

00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:25.780
 than the uncreated

00:16:25.780 --> 00:16:27.300
 eternal God,

00:16:27.620 --> 00:16:28.560
 one in nature,

00:16:28.740 --> 00:16:29.160
 power,

00:16:29.240 --> 00:16:29.900
 and authority

00:16:29.900 --> 00:16:31.080
 with God

00:16:31.080 --> 00:16:31.720
 who's considered

00:16:31.720 --> 00:16:32.560
 so holy

00:16:32.560 --> 00:16:34.260
 that to utter his name

00:16:34.260 --> 00:16:34.720
 in those days,

00:16:34.800 --> 00:16:36.020
 to say the name Yahweh

00:16:36.020 --> 00:16:36.580
 on your lips

00:16:36.580 --> 00:16:37.700
 was a capital offense

00:16:37.700 --> 00:16:38.900
 punishable by death.

00:16:39.540 --> 00:16:41.140
 That's how holy God is

00:16:41.139 --> 00:16:41.939
 and they know

00:16:41.939 --> 00:16:42.879
 that Jesus is claiming

00:16:42.879 --> 00:16:43.899
 he and I are one.

00:16:45.080 --> 00:16:46.220
 But on the other hand,

00:16:46.580 --> 00:16:47.059
 they actually

00:16:47.059 --> 00:16:47.899
 don't know

00:16:47.899 --> 00:16:48.860
 what Jesus is saying at all.

00:16:49.759 --> 00:16:50.860
 They completely misunderstand

00:16:50.860 --> 00:16:52.120
 because look at what happens here.

00:16:52.220 --> 00:16:52.879
 Jesus says,

00:16:53.419 --> 00:16:54.519
 I've shown you many good works

00:16:54.519 --> 00:16:55.000
 in the Father.

00:16:55.139 --> 00:16:55.679
 For which of them

00:16:55.679 --> 00:16:56.439
 are you going to stone me?

00:16:56.860 --> 00:16:57.899
 And the Jews answer him

00:16:57.899 --> 00:16:58.100
 saying,

00:16:58.220 --> 00:16:59.259
 it's not for good works

00:16:59.259 --> 00:16:59.980
 we're going to stone you,

00:17:00.080 --> 00:17:00.879
 but for blasphemy

00:17:00.879 --> 00:17:03.659
 because being a man,

00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:06.119
 you make yourself God,

00:17:06.680 --> 00:17:08.019
 which is exactly

00:17:08.019 --> 00:17:09.920
 not what Jesus is doing.

00:17:09.920 --> 00:17:12.560
 Jesus is not a man

00:17:12.560 --> 00:17:13.440
 who's making himself

00:17:13.440 --> 00:17:14.220
 out to be God.

00:17:14.900 --> 00:17:16.100
 Jesus is God

00:17:16.100 --> 00:17:17.480
 who's become man.

00:17:18.400 --> 00:17:20.060
 Jesus is the uncreated one,

00:17:20.140 --> 00:17:21.279
 the God of all creation,

00:17:21.400 --> 00:17:22.240
 who's become man,

00:17:22.259 --> 00:17:23.519
 who took on humanity,

00:17:23.660 --> 00:17:24.200
 who made himself

00:17:24.200 --> 00:17:25.140
 a servant.

00:17:25.400 --> 00:17:25.600
 Why?

00:17:26.140 --> 00:17:26.940
 To go to the cross

00:17:26.940 --> 00:17:27.860
 and lay down his life

00:17:27.860 --> 00:17:28.820
 for you and for me.

00:17:30.120 --> 00:17:30.500
 Friends,

00:17:30.539 --> 00:17:31.000
 what they find

00:17:31.000 --> 00:17:31.880
 so blasphemous

00:17:31.880 --> 00:17:32.460
 and offensive,

00:17:33.000 --> 00:17:34.360
 Jesus claiming to be God

00:17:34.360 --> 00:17:35.360
 is actually

00:17:35.360 --> 00:17:36.720
 such good news for us

00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:38.420
 that God himself

00:17:38.420 --> 00:17:39.819
 became man,

00:17:39.960 --> 00:17:40.819
 took on humanity,

00:17:41.019 --> 00:17:42.079
 took on flesh and blood,

00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:43.299
 took on the nature

00:17:43.299 --> 00:17:43.819
 of a servant,

00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:44.779
 humbled himself

00:17:44.779 --> 00:17:46.240
 to the point of death,

00:17:46.620 --> 00:17:47.519
 death on the cross

00:17:47.519 --> 00:17:48.819
 in order to rescue us

00:17:48.819 --> 00:17:49.799
 and save us

00:17:49.799 --> 00:17:50.519
 from our sins.

00:17:52.299 --> 00:17:52.799
 And so again,

00:17:52.900 --> 00:17:53.700
 Jesus' words

00:17:53.700 --> 00:17:54.600
 in John chapter 5,

00:17:54.720 --> 00:17:55.420
 Jesus said this,

00:17:55.700 --> 00:17:55.980
 he says,

00:17:56.039 --> 00:17:56.839
 truly I say to you,

00:17:56.920 --> 00:17:58.180
 whoever hears my words

00:17:58.180 --> 00:17:59.079
 and believes him

00:17:59.079 --> 00:17:59.860
 who sent me

00:17:59.860 --> 00:18:01.259
 has eternal life.

00:18:01.740 --> 00:18:02.640
 He does not come

00:18:02.640 --> 00:18:03.180
 to judgment,

00:18:03.180 --> 00:18:04.100
 he's passed

00:18:04.100 --> 00:18:05.480
 from death to life.

00:18:05.480 --> 00:18:06.440
 That's what Jesus is saying.

00:18:07.019 --> 00:18:07.299
 Why?

00:18:07.720 --> 00:18:08.720
 Because he's not just

00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:09.220
 a messiah,

00:18:09.339 --> 00:18:10.099
 a political messiah,

00:18:10.160 --> 00:18:10.579
 he's not just

00:18:10.579 --> 00:18:11.380
 a military leader,

00:18:11.880 --> 00:18:12.920
 he is God himself.

00:18:13.620 --> 00:18:14.599
 I and my father

00:18:14.599 --> 00:18:15.440
 are one.

00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:17.240
 I don't know

00:18:17.240 --> 00:18:17.539
 if you know

00:18:17.539 --> 00:18:18.720
 the New City Catechism.

00:18:19.740 --> 00:18:20.620
 Catechism is a way

00:18:20.620 --> 00:18:21.460
 that churches

00:18:21.460 --> 00:18:22.160
 throughout the ages

00:18:22.160 --> 00:18:23.400
 have taught theology

00:18:23.400 --> 00:18:23.839
 and doctrine

00:18:23.839 --> 00:18:25.079
 through question and answer.

00:18:25.599 --> 00:18:27.960
 And so the most famous one

00:18:27.960 --> 00:18:29.039
 is the Westminster Catechism.

00:18:29.140 --> 00:18:29.839
 Question one says,

00:18:29.839 --> 00:18:31.400
 what is the chief end of man?

00:18:31.839 --> 00:18:32.279
 Answer,

00:18:32.440 --> 00:18:33.400
 to glorify God

00:18:33.400 --> 00:18:34.480
 and enjoy him forever.

00:18:35.240 --> 00:18:36.380
 New City Catechism

00:18:36.380 --> 00:18:37.440
 question two says this,

00:18:37.740 --> 00:18:39.160
 what is God?

00:18:39.720 --> 00:18:40.579
 And the answer is this,

00:18:40.700 --> 00:18:41.740
 God is the creator

00:18:41.740 --> 00:18:42.559
 and sustainer

00:18:42.559 --> 00:18:43.339
 of everyone

00:18:43.339 --> 00:18:44.220
 and everything.

00:18:44.960 --> 00:18:45.900
 He is eternal,

00:18:46.299 --> 00:18:46.599
 infinite,

00:18:46.759 --> 00:18:47.440
 and unchangeable

00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:48.140
 in his power

00:18:48.140 --> 00:18:48.759
 and perfection,

00:18:49.120 --> 00:18:50.079
 goodness and glory,

00:18:50.640 --> 00:18:50.920
 wisdom,

00:18:51.140 --> 00:18:51.380
 justice,

00:18:51.380 --> 00:18:51.839
 and truth.

00:18:52.220 --> 00:18:53.000
 Nothing happens

00:18:53.000 --> 00:18:53.980
 except through him

00:18:53.980 --> 00:18:55.319
 and by his will.

00:18:55.779 --> 00:18:57.420
 This is who God is.

00:18:58.019 --> 00:18:58.599
 And the Jews

00:18:58.599 --> 00:18:58.980
 would have said,

00:18:58.980 --> 00:18:59.220
 yes,

00:18:59.279 --> 00:18:59.819
 that's God,

00:18:59.900 --> 00:19:00.480
 God the Father,

00:19:00.579 --> 00:19:01.140
 no problem.

00:19:01.660 --> 00:19:02.299
 Jesus says,

00:19:02.519 --> 00:19:03.380
 that's me as well.

00:19:03.380 --> 00:19:05.120
 And when they hear

00:19:05.120 --> 00:19:06.060
 what he's saying,

00:19:06.600 --> 00:19:07.720
 they pick up stones

00:19:07.720 --> 00:19:08.880
 to kill him.

00:19:10.280 --> 00:19:11.180
 Just this week,

00:19:11.200 --> 00:19:11.780
 I've been reading

00:19:11.780 --> 00:19:12.560
 the book of Revelation

00:19:12.560 --> 00:19:13.500
 in my devotions,

00:19:13.640 --> 00:19:14.440
 my quiet times,

00:19:14.580 --> 00:19:15.880
 and I got to

00:19:15.880 --> 00:19:18.160
 Revelation 4 and 5,

00:19:18.260 --> 00:19:19.320
 which is the apostle John

00:19:19.320 --> 00:19:19.740
 who writes,

00:19:20.420 --> 00:19:21.040
 and in that,

00:19:21.400 --> 00:19:22.220
 John has a revelation

00:19:22.220 --> 00:19:22.720
 of heaven,

00:19:23.180 --> 00:19:24.100
 and he sees

00:19:24.100 --> 00:19:24.960
 in his revelation

00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:26.260
 God on the throne,

00:19:26.259 --> 00:19:28.180
 and around the throne

00:19:28.180 --> 00:19:29.440
 are these incredible

00:19:29.440 --> 00:19:29.960
 creatures,

00:19:30.059 --> 00:19:31.180
 these amazing creatures

00:19:31.180 --> 00:19:31.740
 and angels,

00:19:31.940 --> 00:19:33.079
 and they are worshiping

00:19:33.079 --> 00:19:34.099
 God the Father on the throne.

00:19:34.200 --> 00:19:34.759
 This is what they say,

00:19:34.879 --> 00:19:35.640
 worthy are you,

00:19:35.720 --> 00:19:36.759
 our Lord and God,

00:19:37.019 --> 00:19:38.079
 to receive glory

00:19:38.079 --> 00:19:39.379
 and honor and power,

00:19:39.539 --> 00:19:40.920
 for you created all things

00:19:40.920 --> 00:19:41.839
 and by your will

00:19:41.839 --> 00:19:42.400
 they existed.

00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:44.039
 But then,

00:19:44.140 --> 00:19:44.779
 after that,

00:19:44.900 --> 00:19:45.940
 all these creatures

00:19:45.940 --> 00:19:47.079
 worship Jesus,

00:19:47.460 --> 00:19:48.299
 and this is what they say

00:19:48.299 --> 00:19:48.819
 about Jesus.

00:19:49.379 --> 00:19:49.819
 They say,

00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:50.779
 next slide,

00:19:52.539 --> 00:19:53.240
 I'll tell you,

00:19:53.460 --> 00:19:54.379
 worthy is the Lamb

00:19:54.380 --> 00:19:55.240
 who was slain,

00:19:55.400 --> 00:19:56.560
 to receive power

00:19:56.560 --> 00:19:57.220
 and wealth

00:19:57.220 --> 00:19:57.860
 and wisdom

00:19:57.860 --> 00:19:58.480
 and might

00:19:58.480 --> 00:19:59.340
 and honor

00:19:59.340 --> 00:19:59.920
 and glory

00:19:59.920 --> 00:20:00.500
 and blessing.

00:20:01.140 --> 00:20:01.480
 And then,

00:20:01.520 --> 00:20:01.960
 after that,

00:20:02.120 --> 00:20:03.000
 all creation,

00:20:03.100 --> 00:20:04.560
 the whole of creation,

00:20:04.740 --> 00:20:05.680
 angels and creatures

00:20:05.680 --> 00:20:06.360
 and people,

00:20:06.660 --> 00:20:07.220
 everything,

00:20:07.380 --> 00:20:08.120
 worship God

00:20:08.120 --> 00:20:09.480
 and Jesus together,

00:20:10.060 --> 00:20:10.440
 saying,

00:20:10.800 --> 00:20:11.580
 to him who sits

00:20:11.580 --> 00:20:12.120
 on the throne

00:20:12.120 --> 00:20:13.920
 and to Jesus the Lamb,

00:20:14.340 --> 00:20:14.940
 be blessing

00:20:14.940 --> 00:20:15.540
 and honor

00:20:15.540 --> 00:20:16.120
 and glory

00:20:16.120 --> 00:20:16.560
 and might

00:20:16.560 --> 00:20:17.060
 forever

00:20:17.060 --> 00:20:18.100
 and ever

00:20:18.100 --> 00:20:18.940
 and ever.

00:20:19.820 --> 00:20:20.160
 Friends,

00:20:20.220 --> 00:20:21.560
 you see the essence

00:20:21.560 --> 00:20:23.180
 of Jesus' claims.

00:20:23.380 --> 00:20:24.180
 Why is Jesus

00:20:24.180 --> 00:20:24.900
 able to say

00:20:24.900 --> 00:20:25.720
 the things that he is?

00:20:25.779 --> 00:20:26.380
 I am the light

00:20:26.380 --> 00:20:26.799
 of the world.

00:20:26.900 --> 00:20:27.980
 I am the living water.

00:20:28.100 --> 00:20:29.140
 I am the bread of life.

00:20:29.420 --> 00:20:30.000
 Why is Jesus

00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:30.980
 able to say these things?

00:20:31.440 --> 00:20:32.480
 Is Jesus very proud

00:20:32.480 --> 00:20:33.100
 and hubris?

00:20:33.700 --> 00:20:35.720
 Is Jesus a great leader

00:20:35.720 --> 00:20:36.480
 that can help us

00:20:36.480 --> 00:20:37.519
 just get ahead in life?

00:20:38.120 --> 00:20:38.279
 No,

00:20:38.400 --> 00:20:39.720
 Jesus wants us to see

00:20:39.720 --> 00:20:41.180
 he is nothing less

00:20:41.180 --> 00:20:42.140
 than God himself.

00:20:42.460 --> 00:20:43.980
 Jesus is not offering himself

00:20:43.980 --> 00:20:45.259
 as one option

00:20:45.259 --> 00:20:45.960
 in a buffet

00:20:45.960 --> 00:20:48.900
 of good things

00:20:48.900 --> 00:20:49.580
 to have in your life.

00:20:49.640 --> 00:20:50.539
 One more guide

00:20:50.539 --> 00:20:51.100
 to help you

00:20:51.100 --> 00:20:52.259
 get ahead in life.

00:20:52.840 --> 00:20:53.259
 So some of us,

00:20:53.320 --> 00:20:54.080
 maybe we've got our

00:20:54.079 --> 00:20:55.619
 finance guru,

00:20:55.740 --> 00:20:56.259
 we're going to speak

00:20:56.259 --> 00:20:57.159
 to him about finances

00:20:57.159 --> 00:20:57.819
 and we've got

00:20:57.819 --> 00:20:59.500
 our mental health expert

00:20:59.500 --> 00:21:00.119
 that helps us

00:21:00.119 --> 00:21:00.699
 with mental health

00:21:00.699 --> 00:21:00.980
 and we've got

00:21:00.980 --> 00:21:02.439
 our career guidance person

00:21:02.439 --> 00:21:03.159
 that helps us

00:21:03.159 --> 00:21:04.199
 with our career guidance

00:21:04.199 --> 00:21:05.399
 and maybe you've got

00:21:05.399 --> 00:21:07.119
 a health and fitness

00:21:07.119 --> 00:21:08.039
 person on the side

00:21:08.039 --> 00:21:08.799
 and then you've got

00:21:08.799 --> 00:21:09.619
 Jesus who's your

00:21:09.619 --> 00:21:10.899
 kind of spiritual coach

00:21:10.899 --> 00:21:11.819
 or your life coach,

00:21:11.859 --> 00:21:12.079
 right?

00:21:12.639 --> 00:21:13.039
 Jesus says,

00:21:13.119 --> 00:21:13.399
 no, no, no,

00:21:13.399 --> 00:21:14.240
 that's not who I am.

00:21:14.839 --> 00:21:15.659
 I'm not one

00:21:15.659 --> 00:21:16.419
 of a buffet

00:21:16.419 --> 00:21:17.359
 of options of things.

00:21:17.500 --> 00:21:20.000
 I am the uncreated God

00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:22.119
 and life is found in me.

00:21:22.119 --> 00:21:24.419
 And Jesus says

00:21:24.419 --> 00:21:25.059
 that if you want

00:21:25.059 --> 00:21:26.119
 to find life,

00:21:26.619 --> 00:21:27.539
 life to the fullness,

00:21:27.779 --> 00:21:29.119
 you have to come to me.

00:21:29.279 --> 00:21:30.299
 You have to accept me

00:21:30.299 --> 00:21:30.759
 as God,

00:21:30.819 --> 00:21:31.299
 as king.

00:21:32.379 --> 00:21:32.919
 So friends,

00:21:32.979 --> 00:21:33.539
 what about you?

00:21:33.599 --> 00:21:34.319
 Is that true of you?

00:21:35.619 --> 00:21:36.279
 What do you make

00:21:36.279 --> 00:21:36.699
 of Jesus?

00:21:37.979 --> 00:21:39.519
 Is Jesus just a wise man

00:21:39.519 --> 00:21:40.059
 that helps you

00:21:40.059 --> 00:21:40.759
 get through life?

00:21:41.279 --> 00:21:41.899
 Someone who gives you

00:21:41.899 --> 00:21:42.399
 good wisdom

00:21:42.399 --> 00:21:43.039
 and advice?

00:21:44.159 --> 00:21:44.719
 Jesus says,

00:21:44.799 --> 00:21:45.500
 that's not who I am.

00:21:45.539 --> 00:21:45.939
 That's not who I've

00:21:45.939 --> 00:21:46.500
 come to be.

00:21:47.079 --> 00:21:48.000
 I've come to be God.

00:21:48.079 --> 00:21:48.799
 I've come to be king.

00:21:48.899 --> 00:21:49.839
 I've come to be a savior.

00:21:49.839 --> 00:21:51.220
 I've come to lay down

00:21:51.220 --> 00:21:52.000
 my life for you.

00:21:52.579 --> 00:21:53.559
 As we often quote

00:21:53.559 --> 00:21:54.139
 C.S. Lewis,

00:21:54.299 --> 00:21:54.599
 he says,

00:21:54.679 --> 00:21:55.139
 Christianity,

00:21:55.759 --> 00:21:57.579
 if false is of no importance,

00:21:57.679 --> 00:21:59.819
 if true is of infinite importance,

00:21:59.939 --> 00:22:00.879
 the only thing it cannot be

00:22:00.879 --> 00:22:02.019
 is moderately important.

00:22:02.779 --> 00:22:03.799
 Jesus' claims

00:22:03.799 --> 00:22:05.720
 are not moderately important.

00:22:06.659 --> 00:22:07.259
 Jesus' claims

00:22:07.259 --> 00:22:07.939
 are either true

00:22:07.939 --> 00:22:09.039
 and of infinite importance

00:22:09.039 --> 00:22:10.079
 or false

00:22:10.079 --> 00:22:10.980
 and of no importance.

00:22:11.480 --> 00:22:12.759
 He will not allow us

00:22:12.759 --> 00:22:13.879
 to consider him

00:22:13.879 --> 00:22:15.079
 moderately important.

00:22:15.539 --> 00:22:15.740
 Now,

00:22:15.899 --> 00:22:16.859
 what are the implications

00:22:16.859 --> 00:22:17.399
 of this?

00:22:17.459 --> 00:22:18.179
 What does this mean

00:22:18.179 --> 00:22:18.959
 for our lives?

00:22:19.620 --> 00:22:19.860
 Well,

00:22:19.900 --> 00:22:20.420
 there's two things.

00:22:20.500 --> 00:22:20.980
 One positive,

00:22:21.100 --> 00:22:21.539
 one negative.

00:22:21.940 --> 00:22:23.059
 One implication is this.

00:22:23.460 --> 00:22:24.340
 If you know

00:22:24.340 --> 00:22:25.400
 and trust Jesus,

00:22:25.620 --> 00:22:27.059
 if you're safe in Jesus,

00:22:27.660 --> 00:22:29.019
 you are safe in God the Father.

00:22:29.299 --> 00:22:29.759
 And that's actually

00:22:29.759 --> 00:22:30.240
 one of the points

00:22:30.240 --> 00:22:31.559
 that Jesus makes here

00:22:31.559 --> 00:22:32.180
 in chapter 10.

00:22:32.259 --> 00:22:32.579
 He says,

00:22:33.039 --> 00:22:33.900
 to know me

00:22:33.900 --> 00:22:35.440
 is to know God.

00:22:35.900 --> 00:22:37.200
 He says here,

00:22:37.559 --> 00:22:38.019
 sorry,

00:22:38.100 --> 00:22:38.840
 wrong book of the Bible.

00:22:40.420 --> 00:22:41.440
 We're in John, right?

00:22:41.860 --> 00:22:42.400
 He says,

00:22:42.559 --> 00:22:43.819
 he says here,

00:22:43.819 --> 00:22:48.179
 I give them eternal life

00:22:48.179 --> 00:22:49.599
 and they will never perish.

00:22:49.799 --> 00:22:50.799
 No one will snatch them

00:22:50.799 --> 00:22:51.539
 out of my hand.

00:22:52.079 --> 00:22:52.740
 My Father,

00:22:52.859 --> 00:22:53.619
 who has given them to me,

00:22:53.659 --> 00:22:54.480
 is greater than all

00:22:54.480 --> 00:22:55.539
 and no one is able

00:22:55.539 --> 00:22:56.179
 to snatch them

00:22:56.179 --> 00:22:57.200
 out of my Father's hands.

00:22:57.659 --> 00:22:58.500
 Jesus gives us

00:22:58.500 --> 00:22:59.759
 this incredible assurance

00:22:59.759 --> 00:23:01.220
 that though your faith

00:23:01.220 --> 00:23:02.279
 may go up and down,

00:23:02.799 --> 00:23:04.500
 though you may be strong

00:23:04.500 --> 00:23:04.939
 at times

00:23:04.939 --> 00:23:05.819
 and weak in times,

00:23:06.279 --> 00:23:07.200
 though at times

00:23:07.200 --> 00:23:09.299
 you may be full of confidence

00:23:09.299 --> 00:23:09.919
 and other times

00:23:09.919 --> 00:23:10.819
 you may have questions,

00:23:10.819 --> 00:23:12.279
 if you are able

00:23:12.279 --> 00:23:13.779
 to hold on to Jesus,

00:23:14.359 --> 00:23:15.379
 Jesus himself

00:23:15.379 --> 00:23:16.879
 and God the Father,

00:23:17.000 --> 00:23:17.899
 the uncreated one,

00:23:18.079 --> 00:23:19.299
 is holding on to you.

00:23:19.960 --> 00:23:20.899
 It's unbelievable assurance

00:23:20.899 --> 00:23:21.779
 that you don't need

00:23:21.779 --> 00:23:22.659
 to know everything,

00:23:22.779 --> 00:23:23.799
 how everything works.

00:23:23.879 --> 00:23:24.419
 You don't need to have

00:23:24.419 --> 00:23:25.439
 every question answered.

00:23:25.779 --> 00:23:27.319
 But if you know Jesus,

00:23:27.439 --> 00:23:28.779
 if you trust in him,

00:23:28.939 --> 00:23:29.740
 if you say,

00:23:29.939 --> 00:23:30.799
 I'm going to try

00:23:30.799 --> 00:23:31.679
 to hold on to him,

00:23:32.079 --> 00:23:32.980
 he and the Father

00:23:32.980 --> 00:23:34.000
 are holding on to you

00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:35.279
 and no one

00:23:35.279 --> 00:23:35.859
 and nothing

00:23:35.859 --> 00:23:36.679
 can let you go.

00:23:37.119 --> 00:23:37.679
 As the song

00:23:37.679 --> 00:23:38.599
 we sometimes sing,

00:23:39.179 --> 00:23:40.220
 when Satan tempts me

00:23:40.220 --> 00:23:40.920
 to despair

00:23:40.920 --> 00:23:42.240
 and tells me

00:23:42.240 --> 00:23:43.279
 of the guilt within,

00:23:43.940 --> 00:23:44.559
 up would I look

00:23:44.559 --> 00:23:45.720
 and see him there

00:23:45.720 --> 00:23:47.140
 who made an end

00:23:47.140 --> 00:23:47.960
 to all my sin.

00:23:48.480 --> 00:23:48.759
 Friends,

00:23:48.819 --> 00:23:49.319
 this week,

00:23:49.519 --> 00:23:50.360
 you're going to find

00:23:50.360 --> 00:23:50.920
 lots of reasons

00:23:50.920 --> 00:23:51.480
 to despair.

00:23:52.160 --> 00:23:52.579
 This week,

00:23:52.620 --> 00:23:52.960
 you're going to find

00:23:52.960 --> 00:23:53.660
 lots of reasons

00:23:53.660 --> 00:23:54.279
 to doubt.

00:23:55.279 --> 00:23:56.160
 Christ Jesus,

00:23:56.299 --> 00:23:57.019
 the one that you're

00:23:57.019 --> 00:23:57.660
 holding on to,

00:23:57.940 --> 00:23:58.900
 is holding on to you

00:23:58.900 --> 00:23:59.539
 and more than that,

00:23:59.600 --> 00:24:00.200
 God the Father

00:24:00.200 --> 00:24:01.120
 is holding on to you.

00:24:01.819 --> 00:24:02.600
 But here's the second

00:24:02.600 --> 00:24:03.120
 implication.

00:24:04.039 --> 00:24:05.200
 To reject Jesus

00:24:05.200 --> 00:24:06.460
 means to reject

00:24:06.460 --> 00:24:07.559
 God himself.

00:24:08.279 --> 00:24:08.920
 Jesus says,

00:24:09.039 --> 00:24:10.019
 I am the Father,

00:24:10.220 --> 00:24:11.140
 are one.

00:24:12.259 --> 00:24:13.039
 And there's two ways

00:24:13.039 --> 00:24:13.539
 we can do that.

00:24:13.600 --> 00:24:14.620
 We can do that outright

00:24:14.620 --> 00:24:15.799
 as the people in Jesus'

00:24:15.940 --> 00:24:16.480
 day did that.

00:24:16.620 --> 00:24:17.380
 Remember when Jesus

00:24:17.380 --> 00:24:17.940
 on trial,

00:24:18.079 --> 00:24:18.920
 Pilate says,

00:24:19.059 --> 00:24:19.640
 what should I do

00:24:19.640 --> 00:24:20.100
 with this man

00:24:20.100 --> 00:24:20.660
 called Jesus?

00:24:21.100 --> 00:24:21.860
 And what do they say?

00:24:22.700 --> 00:24:23.339
 Crucify him.

00:24:23.680 --> 00:24:24.420
 Get rid of him.

00:24:24.839 --> 00:24:25.839
 Get this man out of here.

00:24:25.880 --> 00:24:26.539
 We want nothing

00:24:26.539 --> 00:24:27.200
 to do with him.

00:24:27.500 --> 00:24:28.620
 And they cast him out.

00:24:29.259 --> 00:24:30.019
 Maybe that's you.

00:24:30.120 --> 00:24:30.700
 Maybe you feel like,

00:24:30.759 --> 00:24:31.140
 I want nothing

00:24:31.140 --> 00:24:32.299
 to do with this Jesus guy.

00:24:33.000 --> 00:24:33.600
 But actually,

00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:34.319
 there's another way

00:24:34.319 --> 00:24:35.059
 that we can do that

00:24:35.059 --> 00:24:36.019
 and we can far more

00:24:36.019 --> 00:24:37.500
 subtly reject Jesus.

00:24:37.660 --> 00:24:38.480
 And by doing that,

00:24:38.920 --> 00:24:39.960
 we're rejecting God.

00:24:40.700 --> 00:24:41.700
 Without even almost

00:24:41.700 --> 00:24:42.779
 realizing it.

00:24:43.259 --> 00:24:44.480
 And that's by not quite

00:24:44.480 --> 00:24:45.960
 following Jesus entirely

00:24:45.960 --> 00:24:46.880
 in all the areas

00:24:46.880 --> 00:24:47.319
 of our lives.

00:24:47.380 --> 00:24:48.180
 So we tell ourselves,

00:24:48.500 --> 00:24:48.660
 yes,

00:24:48.680 --> 00:24:49.160
 I'm a Christian.

00:24:49.279 --> 00:24:50.120
 I believe in Jesus.

00:24:50.680 --> 00:24:52.120
 I'm just not really

00:24:52.120 --> 00:24:52.860
 willing to forgive

00:24:52.860 --> 00:24:53.440
 that friend.

00:24:54.200 --> 00:24:54.400
 Yes,

00:24:54.400 --> 00:24:55.380
 I believe in Jesus.

00:24:55.380 --> 00:24:56.880
 I'm just not willing

00:24:56.880 --> 00:24:57.800
 to honor Christ

00:24:57.800 --> 00:24:58.760
 with my sexuality,

00:24:59.100 --> 00:24:59.840
 with my money,

00:25:00.260 --> 00:25:01.220
 with my career,

00:25:01.400 --> 00:25:02.380
 with my relationships,

00:25:02.540 --> 00:25:03.260
 with my time.

00:25:03.760 --> 00:25:05.140
 And we can shut the door

00:25:05.140 --> 00:25:06.300
 on God himself,

00:25:06.460 --> 00:25:07.900
 the creator and sustainer

00:25:07.900 --> 00:25:09.180
 of everyone and everything.

00:25:09.660 --> 00:25:10.440
 The one who is

00:25:10.440 --> 00:25:11.920
 eternal,

00:25:12.120 --> 00:25:12.360
 infinite,

00:25:12.480 --> 00:25:13.160
 and unchangeable

00:25:13.160 --> 00:25:14.660
 in his goodness and grace,

00:25:14.780 --> 00:25:15.560
 power and perfection,

00:25:15.780 --> 00:25:16.040
 wisdom,

00:25:16.220 --> 00:25:16.460
 justice,

00:25:16.540 --> 00:25:16.820
 and truth.

00:25:16.820 --> 00:25:17.620
 We shut him out

00:25:17.620 --> 00:25:18.240
 of our lives

00:25:18.240 --> 00:25:19.000
 and we say,

00:25:19.100 --> 00:25:19.300
 God,

00:25:19.400 --> 00:25:20.400
 take a step back.

00:25:20.480 --> 00:25:21.440
 I won't have you

00:25:21.440 --> 00:25:22.460
 because we don't

00:25:22.460 --> 00:25:23.780
 want to trust Jesus' words.

00:25:24.720 --> 00:25:26.040
 And so when we reject Jesus,

00:25:26.140 --> 00:25:27.259
 we're actually rejecting

00:25:27.259 --> 00:25:28.680
 the God of all creation

00:25:28.680 --> 00:25:29.640
 and cutting him out

00:25:29.640 --> 00:25:30.259
 of those areas

00:25:30.259 --> 00:25:30.940
 of our lives,

00:25:31.180 --> 00:25:33.100
 which is a very sad

00:25:33.100 --> 00:25:33.640
 thing to do.

00:25:34.300 --> 00:25:34.660
 Friends,

00:25:34.720 --> 00:25:35.120
 this week,

00:25:35.160 --> 00:25:35.800
 all of us are going

00:25:35.800 --> 00:25:36.400
 to be tempted

00:25:36.400 --> 00:25:37.620
 to treat Jesus

00:25:37.620 --> 00:25:38.720
 in some area

00:25:38.720 --> 00:25:39.240
 of our lives

00:25:39.240 --> 00:25:40.259
 as just a man

00:25:40.259 --> 00:25:41.380
 trying to make him

00:25:41.380 --> 00:25:43.000
 out to be God.

00:25:43.759 --> 00:25:44.560
 And when we say

00:25:44.560 --> 00:25:45.880
 no to him,

00:25:46.320 --> 00:25:47.100
 we say no

00:25:47.100 --> 00:25:48.080
 to all the grace

00:25:48.080 --> 00:25:48.700
 that God wants

00:25:48.700 --> 00:25:49.720
 to give us through him.

00:25:50.400 --> 00:25:52.000
 Friends,

00:25:52.040 --> 00:25:52.440
 it's important

00:25:52.440 --> 00:25:53.320
 we take this in,

00:25:53.420 --> 00:25:54.400
 that Jesus says,

00:25:54.500 --> 00:25:55.420
 I am one of the Father.

00:25:55.600 --> 00:25:57.360
 And when you accept me,

00:25:57.780 --> 00:25:58.600
 you get the Father.

00:25:58.680 --> 00:25:59.480
 When you reject me,

00:25:59.540 --> 00:26:00.340
 you reject the Father.

00:26:00.840 --> 00:26:01.240
 Now,

00:26:01.400 --> 00:26:02.560
 look at what happens here

00:26:02.560 --> 00:26:03.740
 in verse 34

00:26:03.740 --> 00:26:04.360
 and 37.

00:26:06.300 --> 00:26:07.259
 Jesus throws a bit

00:26:07.259 --> 00:26:08.500
 of a theological spanner

00:26:08.500 --> 00:26:09.180
 in their works.

00:26:09.480 --> 00:26:10.300
 Do you know that phrase?

00:26:10.660 --> 00:26:11.060
 I was thinking about

00:26:11.060 --> 00:26:11.600
 that this morning.

00:26:11.680 --> 00:26:12.060
 Do you know that,

00:26:12.240 --> 00:26:12.940
 to throw a spanner

00:26:12.940 --> 00:26:13.420
 in the works?

00:26:13.960 --> 00:26:14.460
 Is that a very

00:26:14.460 --> 00:26:15.480
 South African thing to say?

00:26:15.960 --> 00:26:16.320
 No?

00:26:16.940 --> 00:26:17.560
 So think about

00:26:17.560 --> 00:26:18.019
 if you've got this

00:26:18.019 --> 00:26:18.720
 big machinery,

00:26:18.980 --> 00:26:19.140
 right?

00:26:19.360 --> 00:26:20.080
 These big engines

00:26:20.079 --> 00:26:21.559
 and someone throws

00:26:21.559 --> 00:26:22.720
 a metal spanner in it

00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:23.599
 is going to mess up

00:26:23.599 --> 00:26:24.199
 the whole machinery,

00:26:24.399 --> 00:26:24.579
 right?

00:26:25.019 --> 00:26:26.000
 Jesus throws

00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:27.339
 a theological spanner

00:26:27.339 --> 00:26:28.679
 in their thinking here

00:26:28.679 --> 00:26:30.039
 because they

00:26:30.039 --> 00:26:31.259
 want to kill him,

00:26:31.359 --> 00:26:31.659
 right?

00:26:32.179 --> 00:26:33.960
 And so Jesus

00:26:33.960 --> 00:26:34.740
 says something

00:26:34.740 --> 00:26:35.599
 to get them

00:26:35.599 --> 00:26:36.339
 scratching their heads

00:26:36.339 --> 00:26:37.059
 just to pause

00:26:37.059 --> 00:26:37.899
 and to kind of like

00:26:37.899 --> 00:26:39.339
 to throw them off

00:26:39.339 --> 00:26:40.519
 their thinking a bit

00:26:40.519 --> 00:26:42.759
 because they say to him,

00:26:42.799 --> 00:26:43.419
 we're going to kill you

00:26:43.419 --> 00:26:44.319
 because you're blaspheming

00:26:44.319 --> 00:26:45.799
 and Jesus quotes Psalm 82.

00:26:46.439 --> 00:26:46.579
 He says,

00:26:46.679 --> 00:26:46.759
 well,

00:26:46.819 --> 00:26:47.460
 in the Psalms,

00:26:47.460 --> 00:26:47.660
 you know,

00:26:47.700 --> 00:26:48.279
 the Psalmist

00:26:48.279 --> 00:26:48.759
 talks about

00:26:48.759 --> 00:26:49.840
 all God's people

00:26:49.840 --> 00:26:50.559
 being gods.

00:26:51.000 --> 00:26:51.680
 So why do you

00:26:51.680 --> 00:26:52.340
 criticize me

00:26:52.340 --> 00:26:52.799
 when I say

00:26:52.799 --> 00:26:53.559
 I'm a son of God?

00:26:53.980 --> 00:26:55.079
 And why does Jesus

00:26:55.079 --> 00:26:55.620
 do that?

00:26:56.019 --> 00:26:56.799
 He's kind of getting

00:26:56.799 --> 00:26:57.539
 them just to like

00:26:57.539 --> 00:26:58.519
 drop their stones

00:26:58.519 --> 00:26:58.840
 for a bit

00:26:58.840 --> 00:26:59.100
 and say,

00:26:59.180 --> 00:26:59.900
 that's a good question.

00:26:59.980 --> 00:27:00.920
 Let's think about that

00:27:00.920 --> 00:27:02.140
 so that he can escape

00:27:02.140 --> 00:27:02.720
 from their hands.

00:27:02.779 --> 00:27:03.700
 And the reason is

00:27:03.700 --> 00:27:05.259
 because Jesus' time

00:27:05.259 --> 00:27:06.079
 has not yet come.

00:27:06.840 --> 00:27:07.579
 Jesus is going

00:27:07.579 --> 00:27:08.200
 to be crucified

00:27:08.200 --> 00:27:09.640
 over Passover weekend

00:27:09.640 --> 00:27:10.779
 in a few months time,

00:27:10.860 --> 00:27:11.920
 but it's not Passover yet.

00:27:12.019 --> 00:27:13.220
 His time has not yet come.

00:27:13.819 --> 00:27:14.600
 And Jesus wants

00:27:14.600 --> 00:27:16.259
 to make one final appeal,

00:27:16.819 --> 00:27:18.120
 one more appeal

00:27:18.120 --> 00:27:18.980
 to get them

00:27:18.980 --> 00:27:19.900
 to trust him.

00:27:20.960 --> 00:27:22.259
 Jesus is wanting,

00:27:22.539 --> 00:27:23.019
 he's not wanting

00:27:23.019 --> 00:27:23.839
 to confuse us.

00:27:23.900 --> 00:27:24.700
 He's wanting to help

00:27:24.700 --> 00:27:25.620
 them to see and believe.

00:27:25.700 --> 00:27:26.400
 And so look what he says

00:27:26.400 --> 00:27:27.200
 in verse 37.

00:27:27.740 --> 00:27:29.079
 And as I read this,

00:27:29.160 --> 00:27:29.920
 I want you to listen

00:27:29.920 --> 00:27:30.740
 to the tone

00:27:30.740 --> 00:27:31.539
 of Jesus' words.

00:27:31.640 --> 00:27:33.019
 Listen to Jesus

00:27:33.019 --> 00:27:34.400
 almost employing,

00:27:34.460 --> 00:27:35.680
 he's begging us,

00:27:36.039 --> 00:27:36.660
 he's saying,

00:27:37.860 --> 00:27:38.960
 he's employing us

00:27:38.960 --> 00:27:40.120
 to come and listen to him.

00:27:40.400 --> 00:27:41.819
 I find these verses amazing.

00:27:41.819 --> 00:27:43.599
 his final plea

00:27:43.599 --> 00:27:44.720
 to them and to us.

00:27:44.919 --> 00:27:45.439
 Verse 37.

00:27:46.359 --> 00:27:47.019
 If I'm not doing

00:27:47.019 --> 00:27:48.079
 the works of my Father,

00:27:48.539 --> 00:27:49.599
 then don't believe me.

00:27:50.319 --> 00:27:51.419
 But if I do them,

00:27:51.960 --> 00:27:53.039
 even if you do not

00:27:53.039 --> 00:27:53.939
 believe me,

00:27:54.579 --> 00:27:55.659
 believe the works

00:27:55.659 --> 00:27:57.339
 that you may know

00:27:57.339 --> 00:27:58.039
 and understand

00:27:58.039 --> 00:27:59.539
 that the Father

00:27:59.539 --> 00:28:00.279
 is in me

00:28:00.279 --> 00:28:01.939
 and I am in the Father.

00:28:03.240 --> 00:28:03.980
 Jesus is saying,

00:28:04.079 --> 00:28:05.220
 you may not like me,

00:28:05.740 --> 00:28:07.319
 but I want you to see

00:28:07.319 --> 00:28:09.079
 that I am the Savior

00:28:09.079 --> 00:28:10.259
 that God has sent to you.

00:28:10.259 --> 00:28:11.779
 You may not like

00:28:11.779 --> 00:28:13.059
 what I have to say,

00:28:13.200 --> 00:28:14.740
 but look at my works.

00:28:14.900 --> 00:28:15.900
 Don't ignore it.

00:28:15.960 --> 00:28:16.740
 Don't walk away

00:28:16.740 --> 00:28:17.920
 for one more day.

00:28:18.319 --> 00:28:19.640
 You need to see

00:28:19.640 --> 00:28:20.160
 who I am

00:28:20.160 --> 00:28:21.400
 because only by seeing

00:28:21.400 --> 00:28:21.980
 who I am

00:28:21.980 --> 00:28:23.319
 can you be saved.

00:28:24.140 --> 00:28:25.420
 Jesus is employing them.

00:28:25.640 --> 00:28:25.900
 He says,

00:28:26.220 --> 00:28:29.079
 even if you don't believe me,

00:28:29.140 --> 00:28:29.839
 that's fine,

00:28:30.119 --> 00:28:31.039
 but please,

00:28:31.220 --> 00:28:32.099
 look at the evidence.

00:28:32.379 --> 00:28:33.420
 Believe the works

00:28:33.420 --> 00:28:34.879
 that you may know

00:28:34.879 --> 00:28:35.779
 and understand.

00:28:36.660 --> 00:28:37.980
 The Father is in me

00:28:37.980 --> 00:28:39.480
 and I am in the Father.

00:28:40.319 --> 00:28:41.319
 And if you walk away

00:28:41.319 --> 00:28:42.460
 from me and reject me,

00:28:42.539 --> 00:28:43.259
 you're walking away

00:28:43.259 --> 00:28:43.940
 from the Father.

00:28:44.680 --> 00:28:44.960
 Friends,

00:28:45.000 --> 00:28:45.880
 you hear the tenderness

00:28:45.880 --> 00:28:46.740
 of his appeal?

00:28:47.559 --> 00:28:48.039
 It's almost like

00:28:48.039 --> 00:28:49.120
 Jesus begging them

00:28:49.120 --> 00:28:50.019
 not to walk away

00:28:50.019 --> 00:28:51.000
 from what he's offering

00:28:51.000 --> 00:28:52.480
 them one last time.

00:28:53.880 --> 00:28:55.319
 In just a couple of months' time,

00:28:55.460 --> 00:28:56.519
 Jesus will come back

00:28:56.519 --> 00:28:57.180
 to Jerusalem,

00:28:57.680 --> 00:28:58.480
 but this time

00:28:58.480 --> 00:28:59.360
 to die on a cross.

00:29:00.299 --> 00:29:00.819
 He wants them

00:29:00.819 --> 00:29:01.740
 to believe in him

00:29:01.740 --> 00:29:02.779
 before that happens

00:29:02.779 --> 00:29:03.960
 that they may receive

00:29:03.960 --> 00:29:05.400
 the life that he offers.

00:29:05.400 --> 00:29:06.600
 So,

00:29:06.800 --> 00:29:07.980
 how should we respond?

00:29:08.900 --> 00:29:09.220
 Well,

00:29:09.780 --> 00:29:11.040
 John is a master writer

00:29:11.040 --> 00:29:11.759
 of his gospel

00:29:11.759 --> 00:29:13.600
 and John wants us

00:29:13.600 --> 00:29:14.900
 to see how they respond

00:29:14.900 --> 00:29:15.800
 because he wants us

00:29:15.800 --> 00:29:17.740
 to respond appropriately.

00:29:18.320 --> 00:29:18.540
 And so,

00:29:18.580 --> 00:29:19.060
 John gives us

00:29:19.060 --> 00:29:19.780
 two responses.

00:29:20.560 --> 00:29:22.100
 In verses 31 and 39,

00:29:22.259 --> 00:29:22.780
 he shows us

00:29:22.780 --> 00:29:23.340
 how the Jews

00:29:23.340 --> 00:29:24.460
 in Jerusalem respond.

00:29:24.560 --> 00:29:25.320
 And how do they respond?

00:29:25.480 --> 00:29:25.980
 Verse 31,

00:29:26.420 --> 00:29:27.360
 they pick up stones

00:29:27.360 --> 00:29:28.420
 to kill him.

00:29:29.120 --> 00:29:29.900
 In verse 39,

00:29:30.480 --> 00:29:31.480
 not killing him,

00:29:31.620 --> 00:29:33.120
 they seek to arrest him.

00:29:33.600 --> 00:29:34.800
 They want to get rid of him.

00:29:35.399 --> 00:29:35.839
 But then,

00:29:36.039 --> 00:29:36.659
 John gives us

00:29:36.659 --> 00:29:37.279
 an alternative.

00:29:38.099 --> 00:29:38.799
 And John shows us

00:29:38.799 --> 00:29:39.659
 there's another way

00:29:39.659 --> 00:29:40.359
 to respond.

00:29:41.099 --> 00:29:41.940
 There's two responses.

00:29:42.119 --> 00:29:42.940
 You can reject him

00:29:42.940 --> 00:29:44.460
 or you can receive him.

00:29:44.519 --> 00:29:44.680
 And so,

00:29:44.720 --> 00:29:45.220
 look what happens

00:29:45.220 --> 00:29:46.559
 in verse 40 to 42.

00:29:47.299 --> 00:29:47.819
 Verse 40,

00:29:47.919 --> 00:29:49.079
 Jesus went away again

00:29:49.079 --> 00:29:50.119
 across the Jordan

00:29:50.119 --> 00:29:51.159
 to the place

00:29:51.159 --> 00:29:51.799
 where John

00:29:51.799 --> 00:29:53.000
 had been baptizing

00:29:53.000 --> 00:29:53.639
 at first

00:29:53.639 --> 00:29:54.819
 and there he remained.

00:29:55.519 --> 00:29:55.759
 So,

00:29:55.919 --> 00:29:56.519
 John the author

00:29:56.519 --> 00:29:57.259
 takes us back

00:29:57.259 --> 00:29:58.200
 to John chapter 1,

00:29:58.700 --> 00:29:59.779
 back to John the Baptist,

00:29:59.899 --> 00:30:00.059
 right?

00:30:00.180 --> 00:30:01.079
 I know it's confusing,

00:30:01.200 --> 00:30:01.899
 two different Johns.

00:30:02.779 --> 00:30:04.599
 And what is John's witness

00:30:04.599 --> 00:30:04.980
 about him?

00:30:05.019 --> 00:30:05.519
 John the Baptist.

00:30:05.639 --> 00:30:06.699
 Remember what John the Baptist says?

00:30:07.139 --> 00:30:07.579
 He says,

00:30:07.679 --> 00:30:08.319
 there is a man

00:30:08.319 --> 00:30:09.099
 coming after me

00:30:09.099 --> 00:30:10.199
 whose sandals

00:30:10.199 --> 00:30:11.119
 I'm not worthy

00:30:11.119 --> 00:30:12.079
 to untie.

00:30:12.579 --> 00:30:13.459
 A man who ranks

00:30:13.459 --> 00:30:14.039
 before me

00:30:14.039 --> 00:30:15.119
 because he has always

00:30:15.119 --> 00:30:16.419
 existed before me.

00:30:17.199 --> 00:30:17.459
 And so,

00:30:17.699 --> 00:30:18.819
 John's taking us back

00:30:18.819 --> 00:30:20.199
 to John the Baptist's testimony

00:30:20.199 --> 00:30:21.519
 and he's telling us

00:30:21.519 --> 00:30:22.459
 about John the Baptist

00:30:22.459 --> 00:30:24.019
 and what John the Baptist said.

00:30:24.119 --> 00:30:24.759
 And then he says,

00:30:25.099 --> 00:30:26.299
 many came to him

00:30:26.299 --> 00:30:27.079
 and they said,

00:30:27.399 --> 00:30:28.759
 John did no sign,

00:30:28.879 --> 00:30:30.019
 but everything that John said

00:30:30.019 --> 00:30:31.019
 about this man is true.

00:30:31.019 --> 00:30:33.859
 And many believed in him.

00:30:35.400 --> 00:30:36.259
 John the Baptist

00:30:36.259 --> 00:30:37.359
 did no signs,

00:30:37.859 --> 00:30:38.700
 no wonders,

00:30:39.220 --> 00:30:39.980
 no miracles.

00:30:40.480 --> 00:30:41.559
 He just told them

00:30:41.559 --> 00:30:42.139
 about Jesus.

00:30:42.299 --> 00:30:42.779
 He told them

00:30:42.779 --> 00:30:43.700
 that he was the Christ.

00:30:44.160 --> 00:30:44.700
 He told them

00:30:44.700 --> 00:30:45.700
 that he was the son of God.

00:30:46.059 --> 00:30:46.819
 He told them

00:30:46.819 --> 00:30:48.079
 that he was the lamb of God

00:30:48.079 --> 00:30:48.779
 who would die

00:30:48.779 --> 00:30:50.559
 for the sins of the world.

00:30:51.279 --> 00:30:52.240
 And that Jesus

00:30:52.240 --> 00:30:53.139
 would baptize them

00:30:53.139 --> 00:30:53.639
 in the spirit

00:30:53.639 --> 00:30:54.279
 and bring them

00:30:54.279 --> 00:30:55.019
 into God's kingdom.

00:30:55.019 --> 00:30:56.240
 And now,

00:30:56.359 --> 00:30:57.660
 having seen Jesus,

00:30:57.879 --> 00:30:58.799
 they believe.

00:30:59.339 --> 00:31:00.039
 They believe.

00:31:00.539 --> 00:31:01.220
 And they experience

00:31:01.220 --> 00:31:02.240
 life in his name.

00:31:02.940 --> 00:31:03.740
 But others,

00:31:03.859 --> 00:31:04.400
 in Jerusalem,

00:31:04.579 --> 00:31:05.500
 they see Jesus

00:31:05.500 --> 00:31:06.500
 and they saw the miracles

00:31:06.500 --> 00:31:07.920
 and they saw the signs

00:31:07.920 --> 00:31:08.379
 and wonders

00:31:08.379 --> 00:31:10.160
 and they saw everything

00:31:10.160 --> 00:31:11.099
 that Jesus did

00:31:11.099 --> 00:31:12.180
 and still,

00:31:12.420 --> 00:31:13.359
 they would not believe.

00:31:14.480 --> 00:31:14.960
 Do you remember

00:31:14.960 --> 00:31:16.220
 what the Apostle John said

00:31:16.220 --> 00:31:16.839
 right at the beginning?

00:31:17.279 --> 00:31:17.579
 He said,

00:31:17.680 --> 00:31:18.879
 Jesus came to his own

00:31:18.879 --> 00:31:20.480
 and his own did not receive him.

00:31:20.960 --> 00:31:22.599
 But to all who did receive him,

00:31:22.660 --> 00:31:23.660
 who believed in his name,

00:31:23.660 --> 00:31:24.360
 he gave the right

00:31:24.360 --> 00:31:25.400
 to become children of God.

00:31:25.840 --> 00:31:27.019
 And at the end of the section,

00:31:27.100 --> 00:31:27.960
 these two bookends

00:31:27.960 --> 00:31:29.400
 of chapter 5 to chapter 10,

00:31:29.560 --> 00:31:31.400
 John ends with this question.

00:31:32.180 --> 00:31:33.100
 Which one are you going to be?

00:31:33.720 --> 00:31:34.200
 Are you going to be

00:31:34.200 --> 00:31:35.019
 the Jews in Jerusalem

00:31:35.019 --> 00:31:36.259
 that reject him?

00:31:36.640 --> 00:31:37.420
 Or are you going to be

00:31:37.420 --> 00:31:38.880
 like those that believe?

00:31:40.200 --> 00:31:41.019
 And that makes

00:31:41.019 --> 00:31:41.700
 all the difference.

00:31:42.620 --> 00:31:43.820
 That makes all the difference.

00:31:44.880 --> 00:31:45.720
 John closes off

00:31:45.720 --> 00:31:46.540
 this first half

00:31:46.540 --> 00:31:47.800
 of his biography of Jesus,

00:31:47.940 --> 00:31:49.220
 giving us multiple instances

00:31:49.220 --> 00:31:50.220
 of religious leaders

00:31:50.220 --> 00:31:51.500
 who refuse to believe

00:31:51.500 --> 00:31:52.980
 and now points us

00:31:52.980 --> 00:31:53.600
 to people that are

00:31:53.599 --> 00:31:54.779
 on the outskirts of Israel,

00:31:54.859 --> 00:31:55.980
 the backwaters of Israel.

00:31:56.079 --> 00:31:56.519
 And he says,

00:31:56.599 --> 00:31:57.339
 they believed.

00:31:57.779 --> 00:31:58.819
 Will you be like them?

00:31:59.519 --> 00:32:00.259
 So friends,

00:32:00.299 --> 00:32:02.059
 as we come to a conclusion here,

00:32:02.139 --> 00:32:04.219
 for 18 weeks this year,

00:32:04.459 --> 00:32:05.359
 18 Sundays,

00:32:06.000 --> 00:32:06.679
 we've been looking

00:32:06.679 --> 00:32:07.480
 at John's gospel.

00:32:07.980 --> 00:32:09.159
 And for 18 weeks

00:32:09.159 --> 00:32:10.319
 this year,

00:32:10.619 --> 00:32:11.339
 we've been listening

00:32:11.339 --> 00:32:12.240
 to John's testimony

00:32:12.240 --> 00:32:12.879
 about Jesus,

00:32:13.059 --> 00:32:13.759
 about who he is,

00:32:14.219 --> 00:32:15.099
 that he is the Christ,

00:32:15.519 --> 00:32:16.679
 the son of the living God,

00:32:17.059 --> 00:32:18.240
 that those who believe in him

00:32:18.240 --> 00:32:19.559
 will find life in his name.

00:32:20.000 --> 00:32:20.980
 We've heard the words,

00:32:21.699 --> 00:32:22.679
 we've seen the signs,

00:32:23.279 --> 00:32:24.320
 we've listened to the miracles,

00:32:24.900 --> 00:32:26.400
 we've considered Jesus teaching,

00:32:26.980 --> 00:32:27.920
 we've heard John's witness,

00:32:28.740 --> 00:32:30.840
 we've seen how he fulfills scripture,

00:32:31.420 --> 00:32:32.440
 we've seen that Jesus

00:32:32.440 --> 00:32:33.920
 is one with the father.

00:32:34.340 --> 00:32:36.120
 And now John ends off asking us,

00:32:36.420 --> 00:32:37.740
 what are you going to do with this?

00:32:38.320 --> 00:32:38.980
 Will you believe

00:32:38.980 --> 00:32:40.660
 or will you reject him

00:32:40.660 --> 00:32:42.279
 like the people of his day?

00:32:43.019 --> 00:32:44.039
 These things are written

00:32:44.039 --> 00:32:44.900
 that you may believe

00:32:44.900 --> 00:32:46.160
 that Jesus is the Christ,

00:32:46.620 --> 00:32:47.640
 the son of the living God,

00:32:47.640 --> 00:32:48.860
 and by believing

00:32:48.860 --> 00:32:50.600
 receive life in his name.

00:32:51.259 --> 00:32:51.560
 Friends,

00:32:51.660 --> 00:32:52.420
 Jesus sends us

00:32:52.420 --> 00:32:53.259
 that final letter.

00:32:53.780 --> 00:32:54.920
 Don't keep on ignoring it.

00:32:55.380 --> 00:32:56.320
 Don't keep on rejecting.

00:32:57.240 --> 00:32:57.680
 Respond

00:32:57.680 --> 00:32:59.720
 and let him help you

00:32:59.720 --> 00:33:00.660
 find life in his name.

00:33:00.920 --> 00:33:01.700
 Let's pray together.

00:33:03.520 --> 00:33:04.259
 Lord Jesus,

00:33:04.820 --> 00:33:05.740
 sometimes,

00:33:06.880 --> 00:33:07.580
 God,

00:33:07.640 --> 00:33:08.040
 we confess

00:33:08.040 --> 00:33:09.480
 our hearts can be very hard.

00:33:09.600 --> 00:33:10.340
 We can be dull

00:33:10.340 --> 00:33:12.000
 and slow to listen,

00:33:12.420 --> 00:33:13.220
 slow to hear.

00:33:14.060 --> 00:33:14.440
 But God,

00:33:14.500 --> 00:33:15.200
 you're so gracious,

00:33:15.360 --> 00:33:15.920
 you're so patient.

00:33:15.920 --> 00:33:16.279
 Jesus,

00:33:16.420 --> 00:33:17.380
 even these people

00:33:17.380 --> 00:33:19.180
 that they want to stone you

00:33:19.180 --> 00:33:20.200
 and kill you

00:33:20.200 --> 00:33:21.640
 and be done with you,

00:33:22.039 --> 00:33:23.080
 you are so patient

00:33:23.080 --> 00:33:23.900
 that you keep on

00:33:23.900 --> 00:33:24.519
 employing them

00:33:24.519 --> 00:33:25.640
 and you come back to them

00:33:25.640 --> 00:33:26.560
 another time

00:33:26.560 --> 00:33:27.240
 and you say,

00:33:27.840 --> 00:33:28.880
 even if you don't

00:33:28.880 --> 00:33:30.539
 like what I have to say,

00:33:30.920 --> 00:33:32.039
 believe my works

00:33:32.039 --> 00:33:34.320
 that you may receive life.

00:33:36.320 --> 00:33:36.720
 Jesus,

00:33:36.880 --> 00:33:38.320
 help us to believe your works.

00:33:38.440 --> 00:33:39.120
 Help us to believe,

00:33:39.240 --> 00:33:39.320
 Lord,

00:33:39.380 --> 00:33:40.220
 the death and resurrection.

00:33:40.420 --> 00:33:41.080
 Help us to believe

00:33:41.080 --> 00:33:41.820
 the empty tomb

00:33:41.820 --> 00:33:43.720
 and help us to find life

00:33:43.720 --> 00:33:44.220
 in your name.

00:33:44.220 --> 00:33:45.880
 God,

00:33:45.940 --> 00:33:46.900
 in you there is life

00:33:46.900 --> 00:33:48.319
 and apart from you

00:33:48.319 --> 00:33:49.100
 there is no life.

00:33:49.700 --> 00:33:50.279
 So help us,

00:33:50.360 --> 00:33:50.720
 we pray.

00:33:51.200 --> 00:33:52.100
 In your wonderful name,

00:33:52.839 --> 00:33:53.120
 Amen.

00:33:53.579 --> 00:33:53.839
 Amen.

00:33:53.839 --> 00:33:53.980
 Amen.