1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:00,001 Dr. Gregg Marutzky: 2 00:00:00,001 --> 00:00:01,080 Good morning church. 3 00:00:02,100 --> 00:00:02,370 Good morning. 4 00:00:02,580 --> 00:00:08,520 You know, uh, it is slippery out there, but it always sort of surprises me 5 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:15,780 when we say it's cold here because I lived in Boston, I lived in Nebraska. 6 00:00:16,349 --> 00:00:19,409 If this is cold, that's deep freeze. 7 00:00:20,369 --> 00:00:24,509 It's, but, uh, it is slippery and we have to be very careful. 8 00:00:24,930 --> 00:00:26,700 Thank you for being here this morning. 9 00:00:26,759 --> 00:00:26,819 Yeah. 10 00:00:27,569 --> 00:00:30,240 Thank you for coming to hear the word of God. 11 00:00:30,450 --> 00:00:33,030 We're finishing up our Nehemiah series. 12 00:00:33,030 --> 00:00:37,140 A couple more lessons, but, uh, I believe that God is always 13 00:00:37,140 --> 00:00:40,260 sovereign in, uh, the sermon series. 14 00:00:40,769 --> 00:00:45,120 I love how different subjects come up and I wouldn't have thought to 15 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:49,379 preach those, but it seems like it meets needs and it's important. 16 00:00:49,620 --> 00:00:53,400 Maybe not right at the moment, but down the road for the church. 17 00:00:53,849 --> 00:00:56,099 Uh, these different topics are very important. 18 00:00:56,669 --> 00:01:00,000 But I wanna start off with something humorous. 19 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:04,289 You know, when it's cloudy outside, we can be cloudy inside. 20 00:01:04,289 --> 00:01:08,160 So let's, let's get bright and happy on the inside. 21 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:08,940 All right. 22 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:14,339 So, you know, Easter had an incredible impact on people and, and, uh, there's 23 00:01:14,339 --> 00:01:18,660 this story about a fellow that, that went to the Easter service and was so moved. 24 00:01:18,660 --> 00:01:21,600 So the next morning he, uh, he couldn't, uh. 25 00:01:23,039 --> 00:01:28,410 Uh, just get out of his mind how much he needed to change and be a better husband. 26 00:01:28,975 --> 00:01:33,179 He had, he was just convicted that he was just not that good of a husband. 27 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:38,490 And so he, uh, uh, was working in the morning, but then, uh, he decided 28 00:01:38,490 --> 00:01:42,630 to take the afternoon off and, and pray about things and, and he was 29 00:01:42,630 --> 00:01:46,500 just moved to go and buy his wife some flowers and some chocolates, 30 00:01:46,500 --> 00:01:48,240 and he went and got her a dress. 31 00:01:48,744 --> 00:01:51,295 And he was just gonna come home and surprise her and, 32 00:01:51,535 --> 00:01:53,395 and, and just recommit to her. 33 00:01:53,395 --> 00:01:57,804 Tell her what a a, a, a hu a terrible husband he is been, he was gonna 34 00:01:57,804 --> 00:02:02,035 confess all his, all the things he needed to change and convince her 35 00:02:02,035 --> 00:02:03,565 that he was gonna be a better husband. 36 00:02:05,184 --> 00:02:09,445 And then the other side of the story is he left the water on 37 00:02:09,445 --> 00:02:12,055 in the sink in the kitchen. 38 00:02:12,775 --> 00:02:14,965 They had just gotten new wood floors. 39 00:02:16,230 --> 00:02:22,149 And so his wife came down to go to work and the sink had overflown and it. 40 00:02:22,605 --> 00:02:26,145 Ruin the floors, and she's about to call him. 41 00:02:26,145 --> 00:02:27,345 She's so upset. 42 00:02:27,615 --> 00:02:31,485 But then she gets a call from her mother and her father had just 43 00:02:31,485 --> 00:02:34,935 gotten rushed to the hospital, and so she just forgot about this. 44 00:02:34,970 --> 00:02:37,395 The, the, the floors, she turned off the water. 45 00:02:37,395 --> 00:02:38,715 She went to the hospital. 46 00:02:38,954 --> 00:02:40,155 He had had a stroke. 47 00:02:40,155 --> 00:02:42,645 And so, so, uh, it was, it was serious. 48 00:02:42,645 --> 00:02:46,605 And then when she's at the hospital, it seems like when it rains, it pours. 49 00:02:46,605 --> 00:02:47,745 Things just keep coming. 50 00:02:47,954 --> 00:02:50,655 And so she got a call from school and. 51 00:02:50,925 --> 00:02:56,204 Uh, her, her son was probably a little bit like me when he was in school and 52 00:02:56,204 --> 00:02:59,115 he had got into trouble in PE class. 53 00:02:59,115 --> 00:03:03,495 He got into a scuffle and so he got expelled and so she had to go from the 54 00:03:03,495 --> 00:03:09,045 hospital to the school to take his, the son home, and then she gets home and, 55 00:03:09,045 --> 00:03:13,485 uh, she's just so mad at her husband, but she just doesn't want to talk to him. 56 00:03:13,485 --> 00:03:15,015 She doesn't even call him all day. 57 00:03:15,285 --> 00:03:19,900 And so then he comes home and he rings the doorbell and she comes to the front door. 58 00:03:21,195 --> 00:03:23,715 She's like, why is he ringing the doorbell? 59 00:03:24,255 --> 00:03:27,135 And she opens the door and he gets down on his knees and he 60 00:03:27,135 --> 00:03:29,954 says, honey, I'm just so sorry. 61 00:03:29,954 --> 00:03:31,725 I've been a terrible husband. 62 00:03:31,725 --> 00:03:33,704 I was so convicted of church yesterday. 63 00:03:33,975 --> 00:03:36,105 I just want to your forgiveness. 64 00:03:36,105 --> 00:03:37,095 I want to start over. 65 00:03:37,095 --> 00:03:40,965 Here's, here's some flowers, here's some chocolates, here's a gift. 66 00:03:41,295 --> 00:03:42,670 And, and she goes, just stop. 67 00:03:43,829 --> 00:03:44,670 I can't believe it. 68 00:03:44,670 --> 00:03:47,880 You won't believe the day that I've had you left the water on. 69 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:49,530 You ruined the, the floor. 70 00:03:49,650 --> 00:03:50,820 I had to go to the hospital. 71 00:03:50,820 --> 00:03:52,050 My dad had a stroke. 72 00:03:52,050 --> 00:03:52,860 I had to go to the school. 73 00:03:52,860 --> 00:03:58,170 Our son got expelled and here you come home drunk. 74 00:04:05,305 --> 00:04:08,850 Uh, I wasn't sure whether to tell that story. 75 00:04:10,650 --> 00:04:16,050 But I did hear it at a, at a preacher's luncheon, so, uh, it's not original to 76 00:04:16,050 --> 00:04:18,029 me, but I won't tell you who told me it. 77 00:04:18,630 --> 00:04:21,659 Turn your Bibles over to Nehemiah chapter nine, 78 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:26,159 Nia, Nehemiah chapter nine. 79 00:04:27,420 --> 00:04:30,060 And if you wanna raise your Bible or raise your right hand. 80 00:04:31,215 --> 00:04:35,685 I want us to say our form, formative statement of faith, 81 00:04:35,685 --> 00:04:37,125 our confession of faith. 82 00:04:37,125 --> 00:04:42,825 Say it with me, beginning with, uh, Jesus is the son of God 83 00:04:42,825 --> 00:04:43,995 and then Jesus is the Lord. 84 00:04:44,025 --> 00:04:45,075 Let's say it together. 85 00:04:45,615 --> 00:04:48,495 Jesus is the Son of God. 86 00:04:48,825 --> 00:04:50,745 Jesus is Lord. 87 00:04:51,675 --> 00:04:58,695 You know, if that becomes something we just do from now on, it's probably needed. 88 00:05:00,570 --> 00:05:05,010 I've seen other ministers say, have their congregations say different things. 89 00:05:05,010 --> 00:05:07,469 And I've been wrestling with this for years. 90 00:05:07,799 --> 00:05:12,150 And then it just hit me a few weeks ago, a few months ago, I thought, 91 00:05:12,150 --> 00:05:18,330 you know, this is what we need to confirm over and over and over who 92 00:05:18,330 --> 00:05:22,799 we're serving, why we're serving him, that he's Lord, he's son of God. 93 00:05:23,190 --> 00:05:26,969 And so, uh, thank you for indulging me with that, and then 94 00:05:27,210 --> 00:05:28,919 we'll see how it goes in about. 95 00:05:29,265 --> 00:05:32,835 A year or so, I'll write up a research paper on it and say, our 96 00:05:32,835 --> 00:05:34,784 congregation was just transformed. 97 00:05:34,784 --> 00:05:35,804 It was so amazing. 98 00:05:36,195 --> 00:05:37,155 Give glory to God. 99 00:05:37,155 --> 00:05:37,455 Amen. 100 00:05:38,924 --> 00:05:45,135 I want us to understand why we're studying this Old Testament book. 101 00:05:45,135 --> 00:05:47,984 We're moved into the, into our building. 102 00:05:47,984 --> 00:05:49,544 It's a new start for us. 103 00:05:49,544 --> 00:05:51,164 We've had to do physical building. 104 00:05:51,164 --> 00:05:52,724 We're trying to do spiritual building. 105 00:05:53,625 --> 00:05:59,505 It really comes from this verse, a verse like it in, uh, one Corinthians 10, one 106 00:05:59,505 --> 00:06:07,335 through 12, if you'll read with me, these things happen to them as examples, and 107 00:06:07,335 --> 00:06:12,615 were written down as warnings for us on whom the culmination of the ages has 108 00:06:12,615 --> 00:06:17,655 come, so that if you think you're standing firm, be careful that you don't fall. 109 00:06:18,015 --> 00:06:22,245 No temptation is overtaken you except what is common in mankind. 110 00:06:22,619 --> 00:06:23,969 And God is faithful. 111 00:06:23,969 --> 00:06:24,960 Amen Into that. 112 00:06:25,140 --> 00:06:28,439 He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. 113 00:06:28,650 --> 00:06:35,069 But when you are tempted and we're all tempted, he will also provide a 114 00:06:35,069 --> 00:06:38,969 way out so that you can endure it. 115 00:06:38,969 --> 00:06:40,259 I love that verse. 116 00:06:40,830 --> 00:06:42,629 I look for that way out. 117 00:06:42,689 --> 00:06:44,820 Sometimes I don't think it's fair. 118 00:06:44,879 --> 00:06:46,469 I don't know if I can endure this. 119 00:06:46,469 --> 00:06:51,479 This seems like too much, but I claim that promise and I look for the way out. 120 00:06:52,094 --> 00:06:54,585 And there's always one when I look hard enough. 121 00:06:54,585 --> 00:06:55,094 Amen. 122 00:06:56,294 --> 00:07:01,424 But he says, the things that happened in the past to God's people are 123 00:07:01,424 --> 00:07:05,924 examples and their warnings, and I've gotta thread the needle this morning. 124 00:07:05,924 --> 00:07:07,395 Let me just be honest with you. 125 00:07:08,205 --> 00:07:08,594 All right? 126 00:07:08,594 --> 00:07:14,054 We're gonna be talking about repentance and confession and corporate revival. 127 00:07:14,054 --> 00:07:18,254 And corporate spirituality, but in an audience like this, there's 128 00:07:18,254 --> 00:07:21,614 always a, an array of people. 129 00:07:22,005 --> 00:07:24,525 Jesus said, there's four different kinds of hearts. 130 00:07:24,765 --> 00:07:25,425 All right. 131 00:07:25,785 --> 00:07:29,895 You got the, the weedy heart, the thorny heart, the, the, the 132 00:07:29,895 --> 00:07:32,025 rocky heart and the good heart. 133 00:07:32,925 --> 00:07:38,145 And I think in any kind of audience, we have people that are just so good hearted. 134 00:07:38,445 --> 00:07:42,105 I mean, they, they just need to encourage, do so more and more 135 00:07:42,105 --> 00:07:45,585 they're like the thessalonian church, that they were just doing great and 136 00:07:45,585 --> 00:07:48,720 they just needed to be said, told, just keep doing what you're doing. 137 00:07:49,169 --> 00:07:49,319 Amen. 138 00:07:49,739 --> 00:07:53,849 I mean, you're an example and a model to have all the rest of us just do it. 139 00:07:54,629 --> 00:07:58,199 And then there's a lot of us right in between that from being really good 140 00:07:58,199 --> 00:08:06,090 hearted to then this other extreme that we just, we just are sort of dull. 141 00:08:07,409 --> 00:08:10,559 We're a little bit calloused in the heart. 142 00:08:11,669 --> 00:08:14,639 Maybe 'cause of sin, maybe not 'cause of sin, maybe just 143 00:08:14,639 --> 00:08:17,340 because we've just, you know. 144 00:08:18,299 --> 00:08:19,099 Been a Christian A. 145 00:08:19,099 --> 00:08:23,159 Long time and we, we haven't kept growing or just, there's all kinds of reasons. 146 00:08:23,159 --> 00:08:26,820 Or maybe we're going through a crisis of faith, or maybe we're just 147 00:08:26,820 --> 00:08:30,719 stubborn or maybe we're just prideful. 148 00:08:31,769 --> 00:08:35,039 First 20 years of my Christian life, that's what I got 149 00:08:35,039 --> 00:08:36,450 challenged about constantly. 150 00:08:37,710 --> 00:08:38,789 Greg, you're prideful. 151 00:08:39,510 --> 00:08:42,720 In fact, Greg, I think you're the most prideful person I've ever met. 152 00:08:43,409 --> 00:08:45,660 And you know what I'd always think when they'd say that to me? 153 00:08:46,350 --> 00:08:48,360 No, you're the most prideful person. 154 00:08:50,100 --> 00:08:51,900 That's why it took me a while to change. 155 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:54,000 That's why it took me a while to change. 156 00:08:55,410 --> 00:08:57,600 But I want to thread the needle. 157 00:08:57,690 --> 00:08:59,520 I don't wanna discourage you. 158 00:08:59,820 --> 00:09:04,770 If, if you take things so to heart and you're very soft hearted, I want to 159 00:09:04,770 --> 00:09:09,030 encourage you this morning if you're stubborn and dull and hardhearted. 160 00:09:09,300 --> 00:09:11,580 I wanna, I wanna, I wanna get through to you. 161 00:09:12,330 --> 00:09:14,160 I want the Holy Spirit to get through to you. 162 00:09:14,910 --> 00:09:15,420 All right. 163 00:09:15,990 --> 00:09:18,840 But I, I just want to encourage the church this morning. 164 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:24,690 And so let's begin in verse one of chapter nine on the 24th day of 165 00:09:24,690 --> 00:09:29,370 the same month, so this is right after the, the Feast of Tabernacles. 166 00:09:29,370 --> 00:09:35,040 This is just right after the, the, the, the festivals that they've had, 167 00:09:35,040 --> 00:09:40,710 the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth 168 00:09:40,980 --> 00:09:42,930 and putting dust on their heads. 169 00:09:43,380 --> 00:09:48,630 So right after the feast, these Jews felt like it was time for us 170 00:09:48,930 --> 00:09:54,150 to really dig deep spiritually that we really need to examine ourself. 171 00:09:54,150 --> 00:09:57,960 And there's a, there's just a an amazing thing that happens when 172 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:03,120 there's this corporate movement among the whole church where we're really 173 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:05,010 trying to be as spiritual as we can be. 174 00:10:05,865 --> 00:10:09,555 And, you know, I went to the movie, uh, yesterday evening 175 00:10:09,885 --> 00:10:14,055 'cause uh, Mike and Natalie went to it called The Great Awakening. 176 00:10:14,595 --> 00:10:19,095 And uh, after his buildup on this text, I thought, I gotta go see this thing. 177 00:10:19,095 --> 00:10:24,315 And I asked Kathy if she'd go and she, she, uh, she wasn't inclined, 178 00:10:24,315 --> 00:10:26,775 so I had to go by myself, you know. 179 00:10:27,225 --> 00:10:28,845 But, uh, it was great. 180 00:10:28,845 --> 00:10:30,495 It was about, about, uh. 181 00:10:31,814 --> 00:10:35,805 Benjamin Franklin and what a brilliant person Dr. 182 00:10:35,805 --> 00:10:36,675 Franklin was. 183 00:10:36,675 --> 00:10:43,305 You know, and it was about, uh, George Whitfield and their relationship. 184 00:10:43,365 --> 00:10:48,615 And George was this, uh, this young man that started out to be an actor. 185 00:10:48,765 --> 00:10:50,835 And then he got a scholarship to Oxford. 186 00:10:50,835 --> 00:10:55,395 He met the, the Wesley brothers, Charles and uh, John Wesley. 187 00:10:55,785 --> 00:10:58,064 Uh, they were there at Oxford and. 188 00:10:58,590 --> 00:11:03,300 Then he started preaching in the Church of England and he was just too radical. 189 00:11:03,390 --> 00:11:07,710 He had this deep, booming voice and he, people just felt like he was 190 00:11:07,710 --> 00:11:12,360 screaming and, and he was pretty, uh, negative towards the Church of England. 191 00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:16,470 He called it the, the darkness in a dead church, and he wanted 192 00:11:16,470 --> 00:11:17,580 him to come alive and he. 193 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:21,390 His, his, uh, line was always, oh, wake up. 194 00:11:21,390 --> 00:11:22,110 You sleepers. 195 00:11:22,110 --> 00:11:23,250 Wake up, you sleepers. 196 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:25,439 And, and I mean, that sounded loud to you. 197 00:11:25,439 --> 00:11:26,400 I'm sorry about that. 198 00:11:26,550 --> 00:11:29,610 But I mean, his, even in the movie, I thought, did his, 199 00:11:29,939 --> 00:11:31,680 they got some effect going on. 200 00:11:31,680 --> 00:11:32,760 Boy, that was loud. 201 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:34,410 That sort of shook me in my chair. 202 00:11:34,620 --> 00:11:38,460 But he had this booming voice and he, and he got kicked outta England and 203 00:11:38,460 --> 00:11:43,365 he came to America and he preached in Boston and New York and Philadelphia and. 204 00:11:43,920 --> 00:11:46,260 25, 30 5,000. 205 00:11:46,260 --> 00:11:49,560 35,000 supposedly came out in Philadelphia, and the city 206 00:11:49,560 --> 00:11:51,630 was only 25,000 at the time. 207 00:11:52,170 --> 00:11:56,400 He, and he, he just got up on one of these big balconies with the, the brick 208 00:11:56,400 --> 00:11:58,620 behind him and down just down the street. 209 00:11:58,620 --> 00:12:02,310 And it, and, and, uh, Benjamin Franklin heard him for the first 210 00:12:02,310 --> 00:12:06,960 time and it started a relationship and he asked Franklin to publish 211 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:09,300 his sermons in his newspaper. 212 00:12:09,930 --> 00:12:15,750 They'd go back and forth and Franklin said he wasn't really a, a, a a, a 213 00:12:15,750 --> 00:12:18,450 churchgoing guy or a spiritual guy. 214 00:12:18,450 --> 00:12:19,710 He was a virtue guy. 215 00:12:19,715 --> 00:12:21,600 And he believed, believed in Socrates. 216 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:26,220 He didn't believe in Jesus, but he didn't believe in Be born again. 217 00:12:26,370 --> 00:12:29,520 And Whitfield was always trying to get him to be born again. 218 00:12:30,090 --> 00:12:33,210 And so the, and I, I don't wanna give away too much of the movie though. 219 00:12:33,210 --> 00:12:35,190 I just gave away a lot of it right there. 220 00:12:35,490 --> 00:12:35,880 Right. 221 00:12:37,305 --> 00:12:41,205 But what's beautiful is how it turns out at the end, and some things that you'll 222 00:12:41,205 --> 00:12:44,025 learn about Franklin, but also Whitfield. 223 00:12:44,025 --> 00:12:50,444 He died young, but he initiated, he and Jonathan Edwards, the great awakening, 224 00:12:51,105 --> 00:12:55,305 the first great awakening in America, and we're having a great awakening right 225 00:12:55,305 --> 00:12:57,765 now, especially among young people. 226 00:12:58,395 --> 00:13:01,485 On campuses, the spirit is being poured out and people are 227 00:13:01,485 --> 00:13:03,285 getting fired up and excited. 228 00:13:03,585 --> 00:13:07,845 And, and I've been praying for this for the last 40 years, I felt like 229 00:13:07,845 --> 00:13:11,505 in the seventies when, when I was a college student, there was a great 230 00:13:11,505 --> 00:13:14,115 awakening and the spirit was just moving. 231 00:13:14,475 --> 00:13:16,125 And I believe it's happening again. 232 00:13:16,365 --> 00:13:22,725 And, and Nehemiah talks about it here in chapter nine, and there's such 233 00:13:22,725 --> 00:13:26,415 a power of corporate spirituality. 234 00:13:27,195 --> 00:13:31,995 When a lot of people all of a sudden come alive spiritually 235 00:13:32,564 --> 00:13:35,625 and take God seriously and. 236 00:13:36,675 --> 00:13:39,435 It starts with worship, it starts with repentance. 237 00:13:39,555 --> 00:13:44,475 It's, it includes confession and prayer and praising of 238 00:13:44,475 --> 00:13:47,385 God, and fasting and sacrifice. 239 00:13:47,385 --> 00:13:51,255 We see all these, we're gonna see all these things in these verses and you'll 240 00:13:51,255 --> 00:13:54,705 be encouraged, guys, I, I know you're looking at your Bible and see that there's 241 00:13:54,705 --> 00:13:57,405 40 pa verses almost in this chapter. 242 00:13:57,435 --> 00:13:59,055 We're not gonna go through every one of them. 243 00:13:59,055 --> 00:14:01,605 I, I cut out 21 verses, aren't you? 244 00:14:01,605 --> 00:14:02,385 Aren't you happy? 245 00:14:02,655 --> 00:14:04,335 All right, so we'll get done early. 246 00:14:05,250 --> 00:14:06,900 But some very important stuff. 247 00:14:07,620 --> 00:14:12,210 Verse two, it says, those of the Israeli's descent had separated 248 00:14:12,210 --> 00:14:13,830 themselves from all foreigners. 249 00:14:13,830 --> 00:14:19,020 So they took Ezra as a me message and they stood in their places and confessed their 250 00:14:19,020 --> 00:14:22,410 sins and the sins of their ancestors. 251 00:14:22,410 --> 00:14:26,880 So there's something powerful about, uh, corporate confession, and that's 252 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:30,525 what Benjamin Franklin witnessed after George Whitfield would preach. 253 00:14:31,275 --> 00:14:34,545 All the people would just start confessing their sins and repenting. 254 00:14:34,815 --> 00:14:39,045 And then verse three, they stood where they were and read from the book of the 255 00:14:39,045 --> 00:14:44,895 law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day, and they spent another quarter. 256 00:14:44,895 --> 00:14:51,015 So half the day in confession and in worshiping the Lord their God. 257 00:14:51,675 --> 00:14:52,815 Amen to that. 258 00:14:54,075 --> 00:14:58,605 You know, they've took worship seriously. 259 00:14:59,025 --> 00:15:00,585 I hope you love coming to worship. 260 00:15:01,530 --> 00:15:05,490 You know, I just sort of sit here waiting for the spirit to move on me. 261 00:15:05,490 --> 00:15:11,100 I keep, I, I, I, I, I don't know which song's gonna get sung next, but I think, 262 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:13,500 oh, I hope this is one that gets to me. 263 00:15:14,340 --> 00:15:18,870 I hope this is one of those that has Holy, holy, holy three times, because 264 00:15:18,870 --> 00:15:20,460 those are the ones that always get to me. 265 00:15:20,939 --> 00:15:21,480 All right? 266 00:15:22,050 --> 00:15:24,150 Different songs get to different people. 267 00:15:24,855 --> 00:15:30,555 He says in second Corinthians seven, verses 10 through 13, godly sorrow 268 00:15:30,555 --> 00:15:34,995 brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, 269 00:15:35,415 --> 00:15:37,365 but worldly sorrow brings death. 270 00:15:38,205 --> 00:15:41,715 You know, I've thought a lot about this 'cause I, I believe in positive ministry. 271 00:15:41,715 --> 00:15:46,125 I gave a lesson to the LA leadership at our ministry meeting last Saturday. 272 00:15:46,425 --> 00:15:51,765 On positive ministry, and I really believe that we should be motivated by the mercy 273 00:15:51,765 --> 00:15:55,845 and the grace and the kindness of God, that that's what leads to repentance. 274 00:15:56,085 --> 00:15:59,685 But I also know there's times we need conviction from the Holy Spirit, 275 00:16:00,615 --> 00:16:06,975 and I, and I recognize that until you get serious and get cut to the 276 00:16:06,975 --> 00:16:11,655 heart and have this godly sorrow, you can't really change and repent. 277 00:16:11,715 --> 00:16:11,805 Right. 278 00:16:12,465 --> 00:16:15,705 And there's been times in my life I, God let up. 279 00:16:15,765 --> 00:16:18,585 You seem to be so hard on me. 280 00:16:19,125 --> 00:16:20,985 You know, I repented. 281 00:16:21,405 --> 00:16:23,325 It's time for the rejoicing. 282 00:16:23,325 --> 00:16:26,235 It's time for the forgiveness and the, and the mercy. 283 00:16:26,235 --> 00:16:31,335 But you seem to still be squeezing me, Lord, how long you gonna squeeze me? 284 00:16:31,845 --> 00:16:34,725 And I remember one time thinking, this is too much. 285 00:16:35,295 --> 00:16:38,235 I've repented back off God. 286 00:16:38,835 --> 00:16:42,675 And don't say that to him because he comes on a little 287 00:16:42,675 --> 00:16:45,345 stronger then when you do that. 288 00:16:46,455 --> 00:16:50,925 But then I got to a point that if I need God to squeeze me this much, 289 00:16:50,955 --> 00:16:58,755 this must reveal how stubborn and hardhearted or prideful I am at times. 290 00:16:59,865 --> 00:17:04,733 And so then I finally fully surrendered and then the refreshment come. 291 00:17:05,848 --> 00:17:10,800 It's just this spiritual outpouring from God, and it's this godly 292 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:12,868 sorrow that leaves no regret. 293 00:17:12,868 --> 00:17:16,290 Verse 11, see what this godly sorrow has produced in you. 294 00:17:16,589 --> 00:17:18,000 What earnestness? 295 00:17:18,240 --> 00:17:19,980 What eagerness to clear yourselves. 296 00:17:20,069 --> 00:17:23,368 What indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, 297 00:17:23,638 --> 00:17:24,960 what readiness to see. 298 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:25,378 Justice. 299 00:17:25,378 --> 00:17:25,680 Sun. 300 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:28,980 You're totally surrendered and at every point you proved 301 00:17:28,980 --> 00:17:31,889 yourself innocent in this matter. 302 00:17:33,029 --> 00:17:34,739 I try to look at myself in the mirror. 303 00:17:34,739 --> 00:17:37,259 Greg, do you have godly sorrow or worldly sorrow? 304 00:17:38,039 --> 00:17:43,259 Are you earnest meaning you're, you're, you're really devoted, 305 00:17:43,590 --> 00:17:46,409 committed, earnest to change? 306 00:17:46,799 --> 00:17:48,029 Are you eager to change? 307 00:17:48,029 --> 00:17:49,649 Are you, I'll get around to it. 308 00:17:50,819 --> 00:17:53,610 Do you have indignation, anger towards what? 309 00:17:53,639 --> 00:17:55,049 Towards sin and Satan. 310 00:17:56,009 --> 00:17:59,309 I get angry at Satan tempting me and dogging me. 311 00:18:00,149 --> 00:18:02,370 That's who I need to say back off. 312 00:18:02,550 --> 00:18:06,030 Not tell God to back off alarm. 313 00:18:06,870 --> 00:18:09,239 You know, there needs to be a time in your life that you're afraid, 314 00:18:09,239 --> 00:18:11,340 Hey, what if I don't change? 315 00:18:12,719 --> 00:18:15,209 I've been there before thought. 316 00:18:15,209 --> 00:18:19,830 Wow, God, if it's taken this much for me to change, can I change? 317 00:18:21,540 --> 00:18:25,350 You know, sometimes God always knows. 318 00:18:25,350 --> 00:18:26,729 So let him work in your life. 319 00:18:27,450 --> 00:18:28,440 Then a longing. 320 00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:32,160 When you start feeling that forgiveness and that change, you want more. 321 00:18:32,220 --> 00:18:37,770 You have that longing, give me more God, and you're concerned, will I get all 322 00:18:37,770 --> 00:18:41,730 the way there, or am I gonna have to go through this again and again and again? 323 00:18:42,660 --> 00:18:43,590 And I've been a Christian A. 324 00:18:43,590 --> 00:18:46,110 Long time, 1977. 325 00:18:46,110 --> 00:18:47,430 I know most of you weren't around. 326 00:18:47,940 --> 00:18:48,390 All right? 327 00:18:50,970 --> 00:18:54,270 And I've had to go through the cycle of godly sorrow many times. 328 00:18:55,919 --> 00:18:57,689 It's always worth it, isn't it? 329 00:18:58,800 --> 00:18:59,939 It's always worth it. 330 00:19:00,810 --> 00:19:04,560 And then you just get to this surrendered point, ready for 331 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:06,270 justice, and you're innocent. 332 00:19:06,659 --> 00:19:08,189 So in verse four, what happens? 333 00:19:08,189 --> 00:19:15,600 You praise says standing on the stairs of the Levites, where Jesu banning cad. 334 00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:21,270 Miel she, AYA Bunny, AYA. 335 00:19:21,689 --> 00:19:23,520 Banney and two of them banies. 336 00:19:23,520 --> 00:19:24,030 All right? 337 00:19:24,300 --> 00:19:26,639 And Ken Ani. 338 00:19:26,669 --> 00:19:31,979 Ken Ani, they cried out with loud voices to their God. 339 00:19:32,399 --> 00:19:37,949 So these are the leaders leading in corporate worship and corporate praise. 340 00:19:38,250 --> 00:19:41,129 And then he goes through the list again of Levites. 341 00:19:41,534 --> 00:19:42,855 And here's what they said. 342 00:19:42,855 --> 00:19:49,455 Stand up and praise the Lord your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting. 343 00:19:49,725 --> 00:19:51,675 Blessed, be your glorious name. 344 00:19:51,675 --> 00:19:58,274 There's our song, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise 345 00:19:58,754 --> 00:20:02,625 when you get to the point where all you do want to do is honor God. 346 00:20:03,615 --> 00:20:05,475 And that's, that's not that easy. 347 00:20:06,165 --> 00:20:08,324 We're pretty focused on ourselves, aren't we? 348 00:20:09,405 --> 00:20:09,945 You know? 349 00:20:10,020 --> 00:20:14,280 It takes a while for us to get to focus off ourselves and onto others, 350 00:20:15,210 --> 00:20:17,070 but listen to how he describes God. 351 00:20:17,070 --> 00:20:18,240 God is eternal. 352 00:20:18,330 --> 00:20:19,650 Stand up and praise God. 353 00:20:19,650 --> 00:20:21,090 Everlasting to everlasting. 354 00:20:21,510 --> 00:20:22,320 God is Lord. 355 00:20:22,320 --> 00:20:23,940 Blessed is his glorious name. 356 00:20:24,570 --> 00:20:25,530 God is creator. 357 00:20:25,530 --> 00:20:29,760 You made the heavens even the highest heavens God is life. 358 00:20:29,820 --> 00:20:32,550 You give life to everything and the multitude. 359 00:20:32,550 --> 00:20:34,590 See, this is why we praise God. 360 00:20:35,520 --> 00:20:37,290 Never forget how great God is. 361 00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:39,480 You take your eyes off of God. 362 00:20:39,485 --> 00:20:39,575 You're just. 363 00:20:40,709 --> 00:20:42,479 Going through the motions of church. 364 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:45,509 You're just going through the motions of that. 365 00:20:45,570 --> 00:20:49,739 Ben Franklin did for a long time of just being a virtuous person. 366 00:20:49,739 --> 00:20:51,360 He thought that was good enough. 367 00:20:52,050 --> 00:20:53,550 Nah, we need God. 368 00:20:53,550 --> 00:20:54,719 We need the Holy Spirit. 369 00:20:54,719 --> 00:20:58,259 We need focused on the almighty, the everlasting. 370 00:20:58,259 --> 00:21:02,489 The everlasting, right, the glorious name. 371 00:21:03,060 --> 00:21:06,419 And then verse six, he says, you alone are the Lord. 372 00:21:06,945 --> 00:21:11,985 You made the heavens and even the highest heavens and all their starry 373 00:21:11,985 --> 00:21:14,475 hosts, the earth and all that is on it. 374 00:21:14,475 --> 00:21:16,395 The seas and all that is in them. 375 00:21:16,725 --> 00:21:22,695 You give life to everything and the multitudes of the heaven worship you. 376 00:21:23,504 --> 00:21:29,385 If all the planets and all the aliens out there, I guess are worshiping 377 00:21:29,385 --> 00:21:31,784 God, then I guess we should amen. 378 00:21:32,264 --> 00:21:35,685 I don't know if Jesus visited them, but he visited us. 379 00:21:35,730 --> 00:21:40,290 Right, and so we need to be worshiping and it says in the 380 00:21:40,290 --> 00:21:44,160 highest heavens, I guess that's way out there in those outer galaxies. 381 00:21:44,460 --> 00:21:49,710 In verse nine, you are the Lord God who chose Abraham and brought him out of 382 00:21:49,710 --> 00:21:52,710 Irv the Chaldeans and named him Abraham. 383 00:21:53,100 --> 00:21:58,890 And now he goes through 20, so 20 or so verses on salvation history. 384 00:21:59,759 --> 00:22:05,039 And what you and I need to learn from this restoration recitation, I mean 385 00:22:05,370 --> 00:22:11,069 of history over and over in the Psalms and here in Nehemiah and a lot of the 386 00:22:11,069 --> 00:22:17,039 prophets, a lot of the books is you need to know your spiritual biography. 387 00:22:18,149 --> 00:22:20,039 You need to know your spiritual story. 388 00:22:20,100 --> 00:22:22,199 When did God initially reach out to you? 389 00:22:23,340 --> 00:22:26,489 When did God try to change your mind? 390 00:22:26,564 --> 00:22:26,624 Yeah. 391 00:22:27,824 --> 00:22:31,424 When did your heart begin to get softened and get filled? 392 00:22:32,414 --> 00:22:35,114 When did you start falling in love with other people? 393 00:22:35,894 --> 00:22:40,844 When did you start wanting to serve and give to others and you need to 394 00:22:40,844 --> 00:22:42,975 figure out your spiritual biography? 395 00:22:42,975 --> 00:22:47,894 When I was training as a chaplain, they made us write pages and pages, 396 00:22:47,894 --> 00:22:52,695 like the 20 page paper on our spiritual biography, and I thought, that's too long. 397 00:22:53,205 --> 00:22:54,254 How about five pages? 398 00:22:55,845 --> 00:22:56,505 Nope. 399 00:22:56,565 --> 00:23:00,015 Not gonna pass you if you don't tell us your whole story. 400 00:23:00,585 --> 00:23:02,565 You mean I gotta tell the bad stuff too? 401 00:23:02,895 --> 00:23:04,425 Yeah, the whole story. 402 00:23:04,845 --> 00:23:06,015 I don't even know you guys. 403 00:23:06,015 --> 00:23:07,125 You don't go to my church. 404 00:23:07,125 --> 00:23:08,865 I don't want to tell you that stuff. 405 00:23:08,955 --> 00:23:10,545 I'll tell the brothers that love me. 406 00:23:11,325 --> 00:23:12,225 Oh, gotta tell us. 407 00:23:13,155 --> 00:23:18,765 And so it was pretty interesting and I could tell, you know, that we're 408 00:23:18,855 --> 00:23:21,315 open people here in our church. 409 00:23:22,229 --> 00:23:23,999 We share our lives. 410 00:23:24,330 --> 00:23:27,989 I, some of the other chaplains I didn't think should have passed. 411 00:23:27,989 --> 00:23:30,179 Anyway, that's, that's a long time ago. 412 00:23:30,870 --> 00:23:31,679 Long time ago. 413 00:23:32,729 --> 00:23:33,719 And then verse eight, 414 00:23:35,999 --> 00:23:37,169 this promised land. 415 00:23:37,919 --> 00:23:41,669 You found his heart faithful talking about Abraham again, and you made a 416 00:23:41,669 --> 00:23:44,820 covenant, a promise God did with him. 417 00:23:45,225 --> 00:23:48,375 To give his descendants the promised land, the land of the 418 00:23:48,375 --> 00:23:54,585 Canaanites Hitite, Amorites, pre parasites, uh, BB sights and gsites. 419 00:23:55,365 --> 00:23:56,025 All right. 420 00:23:56,085 --> 00:23:56,565 Why? 421 00:23:56,625 --> 00:24:00,014 Because you have kept your promise, because you're righteous. 422 00:24:00,105 --> 00:24:01,575 I love the song on Caleb. 423 00:24:01,575 --> 00:24:03,465 Love that you forgive me. 424 00:24:03,465 --> 00:24:09,465 Not because I'm good, because you're good God, because of your righteousness. 425 00:24:09,705 --> 00:24:10,875 What a great song. 426 00:24:11,295 --> 00:24:14,445 I sing it out not for anybody to hear, but. 427 00:24:14,730 --> 00:24:15,570 But for God. 428 00:24:16,680 --> 00:24:21,240 So salvation history, and if you read those verses, you'll see the 429 00:24:21,240 --> 00:24:24,900 parting, the red sea, the giving of the commandments, the giving of the 430 00:24:24,900 --> 00:24:30,360 man and the quell, the pillar filer, the sacred cloud, the water coming in 431 00:24:30,360 --> 00:24:32,280 the desert, and so many other things. 432 00:24:32,280 --> 00:24:33,600 It's a great salvation. 433 00:24:33,630 --> 00:24:36,030 Salvific, history of the Jews. 434 00:24:36,210 --> 00:24:39,900 And then verse 90 in nine 30, let's pick it up there again. 435 00:24:40,260 --> 00:24:42,450 For many years you were patient with them. 436 00:24:43,544 --> 00:24:46,814 By your spirit, you warn them through your prophets. 437 00:24:47,054 --> 00:24:51,854 Yet they paid no attention, so you gave them into the hands 438 00:24:51,915 --> 00:24:53,625 of the neighboring people. 439 00:24:53,625 --> 00:24:55,004 Now, why does God do that? 440 00:24:55,004 --> 00:24:56,445 Why does he discipline us? 441 00:24:56,685 --> 00:25:01,485 According to Hebrews chapter 12, it says He disciplines those he loves. 442 00:25:01,514 --> 00:25:03,620 He's treating us as sons and daughters. 443 00:25:04,455 --> 00:25:09,254 So when I've felt like God needed to back off of me, that's because 444 00:25:09,254 --> 00:25:11,239 God cared about me and loved me. 445 00:25:12,225 --> 00:25:13,094 All right. 446 00:25:13,634 --> 00:25:14,804 They've done research. 447 00:25:14,804 --> 00:25:17,654 Parents just let their kids do whatever they want. 448 00:25:18,524 --> 00:25:22,544 Unfortunately, some of the worst kids are produced in those kinds of homes, 449 00:25:23,114 --> 00:25:25,245 and parents can be too overbearing. 450 00:25:25,394 --> 00:25:27,975 And some of the worst kids are produced in those homes too. 451 00:25:27,975 --> 00:25:31,124 You gotta strike that balance and thread that needle. 452 00:25:31,334 --> 00:25:32,534 It's not that easy. 453 00:25:32,534 --> 00:25:34,334 I'm not down on any parents. 454 00:25:34,604 --> 00:25:39,644 It's an on the job, uh, on the learning, on the job situation. 455 00:25:39,675 --> 00:25:40,544 Verse 31. 456 00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:46,050 But in your great mercy, there's a key word. 457 00:25:46,469 --> 00:25:51,810 You did not put an end to them or abandon them, and he won't do it to us either. 458 00:25:53,219 --> 00:26:00,750 Stay in there 'cause of his great mercy for you are a gracious and merciful God. 459 00:26:00,750 --> 00:26:05,975 When we read this history and we see that people are so prone to sin. 460 00:26:07,709 --> 00:26:11,699 When we look at ourselves in the mirror, unfortunately we're prone to sin. 461 00:26:12,780 --> 00:26:17,340 Even religious people, even Christians, even disciples, you sin more 462 00:26:17,340 --> 00:26:19,320 than you probably want to, right? 463 00:26:20,100 --> 00:26:21,300 At least if you're good hearted. 464 00:26:21,300 --> 00:26:23,699 If you're not good hearted, you think, nah, I don't sin. 465 00:26:24,209 --> 00:26:24,990 I'm good. 466 00:26:25,709 --> 00:26:26,520 I'm so good. 467 00:26:28,799 --> 00:26:30,389 Compare yourself to Jesus. 468 00:26:30,389 --> 00:26:30,840 All right? 469 00:26:30,840 --> 00:26:33,209 Not to your friends or to your family. 470 00:26:33,209 --> 00:26:34,769 Compare yourself to Jesus. 471 00:26:34,769 --> 00:26:35,279 All right? 472 00:26:35,580 --> 00:26:37,830 And you can't say that you can't. 473 00:26:37,830 --> 00:26:39,029 Please don't say that. 474 00:26:39,629 --> 00:26:40,169 All right? 475 00:26:41,100 --> 00:26:42,840 You may get an awakening. 476 00:26:44,310 --> 00:26:45,389 Verse 32. 477 00:26:46,049 --> 00:26:50,129 Now, therefore our God, the great God mighty and awesome 478 00:26:50,159 --> 00:26:51,719 who keeps his covenant of love. 479 00:26:52,814 --> 00:26:57,915 Do not let all this hardship seem trifling in your eyes, the hardship 480 00:26:57,915 --> 00:27:01,995 that has come on us, or our kings and leaders, or our priests and our 481 00:27:01,995 --> 00:27:06,435 prophets, or our ancestors, or all your people from the days of the 482 00:27:06,435 --> 00:27:10,784 kings of, uh, Assyria until today. 483 00:27:11,445 --> 00:27:15,975 They decide that God is good and they're gonna renew their commitment to him. 484 00:27:16,185 --> 00:27:20,685 So it's a covenant renewal, and this is what causes these reawakening, 485 00:27:20,685 --> 00:27:23,985 these great awakenings in verse 33. 486 00:27:24,225 --> 00:27:28,455 In all that has surpassed, uh, has happened to us. 487 00:27:28,515 --> 00:27:30,015 You have remained righteous. 488 00:27:30,045 --> 00:27:34,005 You have acted faithfully while we acted wickedly. 489 00:27:34,005 --> 00:27:38,535 So always keep in mind God's good and God's faithful. 490 00:27:39,135 --> 00:27:42,255 If you don't keep those two things in mind, God, you'll, 491 00:27:42,255 --> 00:27:43,845 you'll never make it spiritually. 492 00:27:44,955 --> 00:27:48,135 But every once in a while, we all need reawakening. 493 00:27:49,245 --> 00:27:54,435 You know, the, the Stone Campbell heritage or the Restoration churches, it went, it 494 00:27:54,435 --> 00:27:58,665 was a part of the second grade Awakening, not the first one with John Whitfield, 495 00:27:58,665 --> 00:28:04,575 but the second one with, uh, Campbell Brothers and Barton W Stone and others. 496 00:28:05,565 --> 00:28:07,875 And the emphasis with, with, uh. 497 00:28:08,580 --> 00:28:11,009 The first great awakening was God loves you. 498 00:28:11,819 --> 00:28:17,039 I mean, the people had just felt like God was an angry God and not a loving God. 499 00:28:17,429 --> 00:28:20,039 And so Whitfield's message was one of grace. 500 00:28:20,429 --> 00:28:24,809 Well, the Second Great awakening really took off because it was about 501 00:28:24,809 --> 00:28:29,699 letting the Holy Spirit transform you, and so they'd have these revivals. 502 00:28:30,044 --> 00:28:34,034 Until they just, the spirit would move and they'd all repent and 503 00:28:34,034 --> 00:28:35,534 they'd all want get baptized. 504 00:28:35,534 --> 00:28:38,504 And that's how our movement, the restoration movement started. 505 00:28:39,014 --> 00:28:45,554 And so these covenant renewals are so very important and I, I want our church 506 00:28:45,554 --> 00:28:47,354 to have the spirit poured out on us. 507 00:28:47,354 --> 00:28:47,715 Don't you? 508 00:28:48,615 --> 00:28:53,115 Don't you want to have a corporate revival and have a corporate spirituality? 509 00:28:53,475 --> 00:28:54,824 I wanna be able to tell people. 510 00:28:54,824 --> 00:28:59,235 In fact, in the, in the little luncheon afterwards today, I, uh, 511 00:29:00,554 --> 00:29:05,534 uh, Marcel asked me talk about our church culture and our church culture. 512 00:29:05,534 --> 00:29:09,824 I'm gonna tell the guy here you, I don't wanna say too much 'cause I want you 513 00:29:09,824 --> 00:29:11,925 to come to the luncheon, but, but, uh. 514 00:29:12,660 --> 00:29:17,070 Our, our, our corporate identity is that we're scriptural. 515 00:29:17,100 --> 00:29:20,340 We're Bible based and spiritual. 516 00:29:21,780 --> 00:29:26,280 We really do take sin seriously and really believe in the power of the Holy Spirit. 517 00:29:26,970 --> 00:29:32,940 So it says in verse 35, even while they were in their kingdom, and join 518 00:29:33,030 --> 00:29:37,020 your great goodness to them in the spacious and fertile land you gave 519 00:29:37,020 --> 00:29:40,020 them, they did not serve you or turn. 520 00:29:40,350 --> 00:29:41,730 From their evil ways. 521 00:29:41,730 --> 00:29:45,870 So this is a lesson guys Always turn to God when God's being good to you. 522 00:29:46,530 --> 00:29:48,929 Otherwise he's gonna have to discipline you. 523 00:29:48,929 --> 00:29:49,830 Verse 36. 524 00:29:49,830 --> 00:29:51,659 But see, we are slaves today. 525 00:29:51,659 --> 00:29:56,220 Slaves in the land you gave our ancestors so that they could eat its fruit. 526 00:29:56,460 --> 00:30:00,570 And the other good things that produces, they came to the realization they weren't 527 00:30:00,570 --> 00:30:05,639 blame shifting, that it was their fault that the walls had been broken down and 528 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:07,770 spiritually they were where they're at. 529 00:30:07,770 --> 00:30:08,970 And then verse 37. 530 00:30:09,300 --> 00:30:10,530 Because of our sins. 531 00:30:10,530 --> 00:30:12,480 It's uh, it's abundant. 532 00:30:12,480 --> 00:30:14,550 Harvest goes to the kings. 533 00:30:14,850 --> 00:30:16,200 You have placed over us. 534 00:30:16,379 --> 00:30:20,070 They rule over our bodies and our catalysts as they please. 535 00:30:20,370 --> 00:30:22,889 We are in great distress. 536 00:30:23,340 --> 00:30:24,120 Taxes. 537 00:30:24,270 --> 00:30:25,530 Let's not talk about it. 538 00:30:25,530 --> 00:30:26,370 Verse 38. 539 00:30:27,210 --> 00:30:32,754 In view of all this, we're making a binding agreement, putting it in writing. 540 00:30:33,435 --> 00:30:39,375 And our leaders, our Levites and our priests are affixing their seals. 541 00:30:39,825 --> 00:30:41,685 We haven't made an Orange County seal yet. 542 00:30:41,715 --> 00:30:44,895 We got a new logo, but I, I want us to make a seal. 543 00:30:44,955 --> 00:30:50,355 And when you get baptized, I wanna put a gold seal on there and then stamp it, you 544 00:30:50,355 --> 00:30:53,774 know, and, and those of you that didn't get a gold seal when you got baptized, 545 00:30:53,940 --> 00:30:56,085 we, we, we will make it retroactive. 546 00:30:57,135 --> 00:31:00,879 You tell us the date, Kathy and I assign it, and we'll give you your seal. 547 00:31:01,980 --> 00:31:03,480 But this was an oath. 548 00:31:03,870 --> 00:31:08,010 This was a vow to God that all the leaders, all the levies 549 00:31:08,010 --> 00:31:11,250 said, we are not gonna wander. 550 00:31:11,940 --> 00:31:13,379 We're not gonna be hard hearted. 551 00:31:13,379 --> 00:31:14,850 We're gonna be soft hearted. 552 00:31:15,210 --> 00:31:19,620 And we want the spirit to be moving and God to be blessing us. 553 00:31:19,830 --> 00:31:25,620 And so, God, we're making an oath today to be pleasing to you, and 554 00:31:25,620 --> 00:31:30,420 you already made it when you said, Jesus', Lord, you made that oath. 555 00:31:31,230 --> 00:31:34,710 When you said Jesus son of God, I'm not trying to trick you, all 556 00:31:34,710 --> 00:31:37,080 right, but you already made it. 557 00:31:37,200 --> 00:31:42,540 That's the oath of Christians, that Jesus is Lord. 558 00:31:42,930 --> 00:31:43,380 Amen. 559 00:31:44,520 --> 00:31:45,870 Salvation history. 560 00:31:46,410 --> 00:31:48,030 What's my salvation History? 561 00:31:48,030 --> 00:31:51,810 Your salvation history, sin and separation. 562 00:31:53,070 --> 00:31:53,970 Lostness. 563 00:31:55,830 --> 00:31:58,860 I don't know how much of my story my daughter knows. 564 00:32:01,155 --> 00:32:04,545 You know, I've been pretty open in sermons, but we haven't sat 565 00:32:04,545 --> 00:32:07,575 down and had one of those talks where I confess my sin to her. 566 00:32:08,085 --> 00:32:13,305 That would be so heartbreaking, you know, to have to do that. 567 00:32:14,475 --> 00:32:18,435 But she probably knows she's lived with me a long time. 568 00:32:20,024 --> 00:32:21,524 But that's your story too. 569 00:32:22,815 --> 00:32:23,835 And I don't know her story. 570 00:32:23,835 --> 00:32:27,945 I don't want to know her, hers or the other daughter, or definitely. 571 00:32:28,485 --> 00:32:31,844 No Uhuh Senate separation, 572 00:32:33,915 --> 00:32:36,495 but then faith came along in conversion. 573 00:32:38,145 --> 00:32:42,524 I remember the night I got baptized, I was at a camp and the 574 00:32:42,584 --> 00:32:47,415 counselor in my cabin said, we got a newborn baby in here tonight. 575 00:32:48,314 --> 00:32:51,344 He's pure as it driven snow. 576 00:32:51,735 --> 00:32:52,784 How's it feel, Greg? 577 00:32:53,864 --> 00:32:58,694 You're gonna go to sleep totally pure tonight, and that has stuck 578 00:32:58,694 --> 00:33:00,524 in my mind all these years. 579 00:33:01,455 --> 00:33:02,414 I'm so grateful. 580 00:33:02,414 --> 00:33:10,394 He said that Conversion Discipleship Church mission, trying to grow in the 581 00:33:10,394 --> 00:33:12,314 fruits of the spirit transformation. 582 00:33:12,314 --> 00:33:14,144 That's your story and my story. 583 00:33:14,144 --> 00:33:14,894 Let's close. 584 00:33:14,894 --> 00:33:17,205 What are the morals of this story? 585 00:33:18,434 --> 00:33:19,725 God's faithful. 586 00:33:20,654 --> 00:33:25,185 Even when we're di disobedient and unfaithful, God is faithful. 587 00:33:25,185 --> 00:33:28,064 God is righteous, God is everlasting. 588 00:33:28,124 --> 00:33:32,534 All those things we just read, God provides provision for us 589 00:33:32,564 --> 00:33:34,485 even when we're rebellious. 590 00:33:34,485 --> 00:33:38,114 That's the whole story of the wander wandering in the wilderness. 591 00:33:38,114 --> 00:33:40,604 God still takes care of evil people. 592 00:33:41,715 --> 00:33:42,794 God is so good. 593 00:33:43,245 --> 00:33:44,415 God is patient. 594 00:33:44,654 --> 00:33:48,014 When we go astray to wait for us to return. 595 00:33:48,330 --> 00:33:48,389 Yeah. 596 00:33:49,470 --> 00:33:50,010 You know, 597 00:33:52,530 --> 00:33:55,110 my dad left the church for 35 years. 598 00:33:55,860 --> 00:34:00,990 My first memory in life was his baptism at a gospel meeting. 599 00:34:02,250 --> 00:34:04,199 Just vaguely have this memory. 600 00:34:04,889 --> 00:34:06,870 I was only about four or five. 601 00:34:06,875 --> 00:34:10,259 I, I, I don't even remember how old I was, but that's my first memory. 602 00:34:11,340 --> 00:34:16,770 And then when I was in junior high, he quit going and he didn't go for 35 years. 603 00:34:18,690 --> 00:34:24,810 Then he came back three years before he died of cancer and he totally changed. 604 00:34:25,590 --> 00:34:29,520 And I sat there with my brother who's an elder in the church during that 605 00:34:29,520 --> 00:34:34,139 funeral, and I turned to him and said, we're both tears rolling down our eyes. 606 00:34:35,250 --> 00:34:36,330 And I said, Sam? 607 00:34:36,330 --> 00:34:39,090 I said, Sam, is this surreal to you? 608 00:34:39,090 --> 00:34:39,480 It's sure. 609 00:34:39,480 --> 00:34:40,230 Surreal to me. 610 00:34:40,230 --> 00:34:44,460 I never thought this would be dad's funeral where we'd be so happy. 611 00:34:45,840 --> 00:34:48,090 It's not over till it's over, guys. 612 00:34:48,179 --> 00:34:49,199 God will wait. 613 00:34:49,800 --> 00:34:50,550 God will wait. 614 00:34:50,550 --> 00:34:54,360 God disciplines us in love to help us come to our sense. 615 00:34:55,020 --> 00:35:00,180 God recognizes our cycle of rebellion, regret, repentance, and revival. 616 00:35:00,600 --> 00:35:04,590 God maintains a remnant of followers throughout every generation. 617 00:35:04,590 --> 00:35:09,030 There's those George Whitfield that call us back and keep working on the 618 00:35:09,030 --> 00:35:13,650 Ben Franklins until they come around, but you gotta go to the movie to see it. 619 00:35:14,595 --> 00:35:19,455 God desires a covenant with his people for a continuous relationship. 620 00:35:19,455 --> 00:35:24,735 He makes his promises that we can claim and then God chooses a group of people. 621 00:35:24,735 --> 00:35:32,565 May he choose the OC church who seeks spiritual spirituality and not profanity. 622 00:35:32,565 --> 00:35:33,825 What is profanity? 623 00:35:34,365 --> 00:35:36,765 Taking the sacred and making it common. 624 00:35:39,330 --> 00:35:42,270 Syncretism just blending into the world. 625 00:35:42,300 --> 00:35:45,720 You gotta be a counter-cultural to be a Christian. 626 00:35:45,720 --> 00:35:45,840 Amen. 627 00:35:47,310 --> 00:35:52,410 You're not gonna be the most popular worldly guy at your church, I mean at 628 00:35:52,410 --> 00:35:54,120 your school, not hopefully at church. 629 00:35:54,120 --> 00:35:57,360 You're not gonna be worldly either, but you can't be popular here. 630 00:35:57,420 --> 00:35:57,840 Amen. 631 00:35:58,620 --> 00:35:59,670 Just be spiritual. 632 00:36:00,509 --> 00:36:00,960 Amen. 633 00:36:02,220 --> 00:36:04,050 Corporate spirituality. 634 00:36:04,710 --> 00:36:08,580 May that be what the OC Church is known for. 635 00:36:08,730 --> 00:36:09,480 God bless you. 636 00:36:09,690 --> 00:36:10,140 Amen.