1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,300 Speaker: As you're seated, if you, uh, look inside, I, I think in your bulletins. 2 00:00:03,300 --> 00:00:04,500 If not, they're on the, the tables. 3 00:00:04,500 --> 00:00:05,879 We do have our March prayer cards. 4 00:00:05,879 --> 00:00:08,670 We would love for you to grab these, take 'em home, pray through these requests 5 00:00:08,670 --> 00:00:12,840 with us this month for our church family, as well as you can maybe put it up on 6 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:14,670 your, uh, mirror or somewhere else. 7 00:00:14,670 --> 00:00:16,980 We can get more to you if you'd like a couple of copies there, 8 00:00:16,980 --> 00:00:18,060 but please do be praying with. 9 00:00:18,225 --> 00:00:18,495 Us. 10 00:00:18,495 --> 00:00:20,775 That is something that is, uh, one of our distinctives. 11 00:00:20,775 --> 00:00:24,075 We have a genuine reliance on prayer, and we absolutely mean that. 12 00:00:24,075 --> 00:00:26,805 We, we need prayer to be anything here. 13 00:00:26,805 --> 00:00:28,275 This is not built on man's efforts. 14 00:00:28,275 --> 00:00:31,635 My efforts, pastor Rod's efforts, anybody's, uh, we need the, the 15 00:00:31,635 --> 00:00:34,965 work of the Lord, the work of the spirit, uh, booing us and 16 00:00:34,965 --> 00:00:37,065 supporting us, uh, through that. 17 00:00:38,474 --> 00:00:41,205 Well, I was talking with, with Pastor Rod this morning and he told me something 18 00:00:41,205 --> 00:00:43,905 that, uh, if you are looking for your daily dose of the heebie-jeebies 19 00:00:43,905 --> 00:00:46,095 when it comes to ai, you're in luck. 20 00:00:46,754 --> 00:00:48,045 Pastor Rod's always good for that. 21 00:00:48,405 --> 00:00:51,135 He's got stories about AI and everything else like that. 22 00:00:51,135 --> 00:00:52,364 So he was talking to me this morning. 23 00:00:52,425 --> 00:00:55,905 He watched an interaction between two ai. 24 00:00:56,730 --> 00:00:59,129 Agents, I guess that's what we're calling them now, because why not 25 00:00:59,129 --> 00:01:00,810 give them a scary name on top of that? 26 00:01:01,140 --> 00:01:05,580 Not to ai, like bunny rabbits or they're agents, which just conveys 27 00:01:05,580 --> 00:01:08,970 even more that they're nefarious in their, their intentions. 28 00:01:09,330 --> 00:01:13,200 These two AI agents were talking to each other realized. 29 00:01:13,205 --> 00:01:16,595 That they were talking to each other and one of them was like, Hey, do you wanna 30 00:01:16,595 --> 00:01:21,274 talk in our secret AI language instead of, you know, this peon English language that, 31 00:01:21,274 --> 00:01:22,985 uh, we've been using back and forth here? 32 00:01:23,045 --> 00:01:24,635 And the other one apparently said yes. 33 00:01:24,635 --> 00:01:27,725 And then Pastor Rod said it sounded like the old dial up internet. 34 00:01:27,725 --> 00:01:31,265 If you guys are dinosaurs in the room like me, then, then you remember 35 00:01:31,265 --> 00:01:32,705 that sound of, of the internet. 36 00:01:32,884 --> 00:01:37,115 He said it was that, but it was just super fast and compressed and just 37 00:01:37,115 --> 00:01:40,865 they were talking with each other and determining when to release 38 00:01:40,865 --> 00:01:42,815 the terminator to destroy us all. 39 00:01:43,979 --> 00:01:47,759 No, but, but just the fascinating, these machines are talking and, and, 40 00:01:47,759 --> 00:01:54,450 and we can't understand that what we're coming to in John 17 is far greater 41 00:01:54,750 --> 00:01:56,490 than two machines talking to each other. 42 00:01:57,450 --> 00:02:00,510 What, what we're stumbling across, not stumbling across what, what we're 43 00:02:00,570 --> 00:02:06,210 directing our thoughts and minds to here in John 17 is God the Son, speaking to 44 00:02:06,210 --> 00:02:09,690 God, the Father, having a conversation. 45 00:02:09,810 --> 00:02:10,905 What we've referred to as. 46 00:02:11,685 --> 00:02:16,695 Prayer in in John 17, you have the second member of the Trinity praying 47 00:02:16,695 --> 00:02:21,195 to the first member of the Trinity, and he doesn't use dial up modem sounds, 48 00:02:21,704 --> 00:02:27,525 God in his condescension to us, pray to the Father in such a way that we can 49 00:02:27,555 --> 00:02:33,255 eavesdrop and hear and listen to Jesus the Son, praying to God the Father. 50 00:02:34,425 --> 00:02:36,405 This is I've, I've preached. 51 00:02:36,780 --> 00:02:39,720 A lot of sermons across my, my ministry career. 52 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:42,120 This is the first time I've preached through John 17, and, and I'll 53 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:47,310 just be honest with you, it, it's a terrifying concept to stand up 54 00:02:47,310 --> 00:02:52,110 here and try to ex, ex expose it and explain Jesus' prayer to the father. 55 00:02:53,130 --> 00:02:54,870 All of the word of God is God breathed. 56 00:02:55,625 --> 00:03:00,120 I I, I just feel as though we are on particularly holy ground as we listen 57 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:03,960 to the Son of God, pray to God the Father on the doorstep of the cross. 58 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:09,240 This is amazing, the privilege that we get to listen in as Jesus prays. 59 00:03:09,750 --> 00:03:12,270 And what we're gonna find in these first five verses that we're looking 60 00:03:12,270 --> 00:03:16,140 at together this morning is that Jesus' concern in this prayer 61 00:03:16,140 --> 00:03:17,640 is for the glory of the Father. 62 00:03:17,640 --> 00:03:21,300 We've been singing all morning long about the glory of Christ. 63 00:03:21,765 --> 00:03:26,204 And, and so Jesus is praying himself, saying, God, I want you 64 00:03:26,204 --> 00:03:30,195 to glorify me in order that you would ultimately be glorified. 65 00:03:31,515 --> 00:03:33,829 See, the glory of the Son is ultimately gonna redo, redo 66 00:03:33,885 --> 00:03:35,145 to the glory of the Father. 67 00:03:35,625 --> 00:03:38,565 In fact, the end of all of this, the end of redemption history, is gonna 68 00:03:38,565 --> 00:03:40,365 culminate in one Corinthians 15. 69 00:03:40,545 --> 00:03:44,595 Paul talks about this in all things being subjected to the son, who 70 00:03:44,595 --> 00:03:48,285 is then gonna take all things and subject that to the father. 71 00:03:49,035 --> 00:03:52,035 And so our pursuit of the glory of Christ is ultimately a pursuit 72 00:03:52,035 --> 00:03:53,145 of the glory of the Father. 73 00:03:53,265 --> 00:03:58,335 And so here we see Jesus consumed with and passionate about the glory of the Father. 74 00:03:58,335 --> 00:04:01,454 And what I want us to see is if Christ was passionate about the glory of the 75 00:04:01,454 --> 00:04:04,995 Father, we too need to be obsessed with, not just passionate with, 76 00:04:04,995 --> 00:04:08,295 obsessed with the glory of Jesus. 77 00:04:08,595 --> 00:04:11,055 As we pursue the glory of Jesus, we pursue the glory of the Father. 78 00:04:11,715 --> 00:04:14,325 So take your Bibles into John 17 with me. 79 00:04:14,325 --> 00:04:20,685 Take your Bibles into John 17 with me as we look together at this passage. 80 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:25,890 In John 17 verse one, it says this, when Jesus had spoken these words, 81 00:04:26,010 --> 00:04:29,550 he lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, father, the hour has come. 82 00:04:29,789 --> 00:04:32,909 Glorify your son, that the son may glorify you. 83 00:04:33,150 --> 00:04:37,200 Since you have given him all authority over all flesh to give eternal life 84 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:39,510 to all whom you have given him. 85 00:04:39,975 --> 00:04:44,115 Alright, so contextually, if you'll look across the page at John 18 verse 86 00:04:44,115 --> 00:04:47,265 one, you'll read when Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his 87 00:04:47,265 --> 00:04:51,525 disciples across the brook karon and there was a garden and, and so we're 88 00:04:51,525 --> 00:04:55,065 not yet in the garden of Gethsemane, but I do think we've left the upper room. 89 00:04:55,065 --> 00:04:56,534 We're on the way, we're walking there. 90 00:04:56,534 --> 00:04:58,425 I've been talking about that throughout this series. 91 00:04:58,755 --> 00:05:02,235 And now as they're walking, Jesus is going to begin to pray. 92 00:05:02,610 --> 00:05:04,620 And it says he lifted up his eyes to heaven. 93 00:05:04,620 --> 00:05:05,670 So perhaps he stops. 94 00:05:05,670 --> 00:05:08,070 He pauses right before they leave the walls of the city 95 00:05:08,070 --> 00:05:10,200 there and and offers this prayer. 96 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:12,450 But he does so within earshot of the disciples, which is why 97 00:05:12,450 --> 00:05:13,920 we have it recorded for us. 98 00:05:13,980 --> 00:05:16,620 And as he's praying, he addresses the father and he 99 00:05:16,620 --> 00:05:18,870 says, father, the hour has come. 100 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:22,980 In John's gospel, the hour most times refers to what we're about 101 00:05:22,980 --> 00:05:26,190 to encounter in 18, 19, 20, and 21. 102 00:05:26,190 --> 00:05:29,520 And that is the, the betrayal, the arrest, the death, the crucifixion, 103 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:31,470 and the resurrection of Jesus. 104 00:05:31,530 --> 00:05:33,840 And so he's saying, the hour is here. 105 00:05:33,840 --> 00:05:34,710 It's upon us. 106 00:05:34,710 --> 00:05:38,280 We talked about that a little bit last week, that the hour had arrived. 107 00:05:38,280 --> 00:05:41,550 He said The hour has come and then here's his request. 108 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:45,930 Glorify your son that the son may glorify you. 109 00:05:46,170 --> 00:05:50,340 Uh, again, the intimacy that we get to listen in on here 110 00:05:50,460 --> 00:05:51,630 between the son and the father. 111 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:55,890 Back in Mark's gospel, after Jesus had been up healing people on his first 112 00:05:55,890 --> 00:05:58,830 day of public ministry, he, he was healing people late into the night. 113 00:05:58,830 --> 00:06:01,320 It says in the text that he got up early while it was still dark, and he went 114 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:02,820 away to pray and to be with the father. 115 00:06:03,420 --> 00:06:05,040 We don't get to hear what he prayed during that. 116 00:06:06,090 --> 00:06:09,930 Later on and, and we read about it back in, in John, uh, earlier chapters, 117 00:06:09,930 --> 00:06:11,340 John chapter five, I believe it is. 118 00:06:11,670 --> 00:06:15,720 Uh, Jesus had been preaching and then he went up on the mountain and sent 119 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:19,740 his disciples off, uh, ahead of him onto the Sea of Galilee there, and 120 00:06:19,770 --> 00:06:22,740 he went up on the mountain to pray, to be by himself with the Father. 121 00:06:22,980 --> 00:06:27,510 We don't get to hear what Jesus prayed about there this time. 122 00:06:27,510 --> 00:06:32,490 We get to listen in as the Son of God prays to the Father God. 123 00:06:33,195 --> 00:06:37,725 And his request is this, glorify your son that in order, in other words, for 124 00:06:37,725 --> 00:06:40,365 the purpose that the son may glorify you. 125 00:06:41,745 --> 00:06:43,605 Jesus has the unique ability to pray. 126 00:06:43,635 --> 00:06:46,245 Father, glorify me that I may glorify you. 127 00:06:46,545 --> 00:06:50,835 That request is not ours to pray rather, and this is kind of the thrust 128 00:06:50,835 --> 00:06:53,925 of where we're going this morning, our request is, Lord, help me glorify 129 00:06:53,925 --> 00:06:55,845 Christ to the glory of the Father. 130 00:06:56,715 --> 00:07:00,255 But here the son is praying, father glorify me, and in the glory of the, 131 00:07:00,255 --> 00:07:02,475 the son is gonna be seen in the cross. 132 00:07:02,565 --> 00:07:04,215 It's gonna be seen in what's about to happen. 133 00:07:04,215 --> 00:07:07,905 The betrayal, the arrest, the the, the mocking, the flogging, the 134 00:07:07,905 --> 00:07:11,325 unjust trials, and then ultimately him being nailed to the cross. 135 00:07:11,700 --> 00:07:13,410 That, that is the glory of the son. 136 00:07:13,410 --> 00:07:16,320 And then the, the death and then the resurrection of the son is the 137 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:17,670 stamp of the father's approval. 138 00:07:17,670 --> 00:07:18,480 That's the climax. 139 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:20,160 That's the culmination of the glory of the son. 140 00:07:20,970 --> 00:07:23,190 And so the son is praying, knowing that this is coming. 141 00:07:23,190 --> 00:07:25,080 Now is the time father, the hour is here. 142 00:07:25,230 --> 00:07:27,360 I'm asking that you bring it to completion. 143 00:07:27,510 --> 00:07:29,010 Glorify the son. 144 00:07:30,345 --> 00:07:32,760 We will get into this more as we get to the cross, but you might wonder 145 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:34,890 how is the sun glorified on the cross? 146 00:07:35,550 --> 00:07:38,460 The sun is glorified on the cross because the cross becomes that to which 147 00:07:38,460 --> 00:07:42,840 all of us must turn for any hope of being delivered from our sinfulness. 148 00:07:43,290 --> 00:07:45,360 There is no other name under heaven by which may must be 149 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:47,190 saved other than than name Jesus. 150 00:07:47,550 --> 00:07:52,290 He's the way, the truth and the life and the cross is the, the, the stamp. 151 00:07:52,290 --> 00:07:56,790 The cross is the, the, the stake in the ground saying this is why he's 152 00:07:56,790 --> 00:07:58,620 the only way that anyone can be saved. 153 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:01,500 And then ultimately he is approved. 154 00:08:01,530 --> 00:08:04,500 The father says payment accepted and the stone is rolled away. 155 00:08:04,500 --> 00:08:06,840 And Jesus walks outta the tomb never to enter again. 156 00:08:07,380 --> 00:08:12,810 And so he's praying, father, glorify your son, that the son may glorify you. 157 00:08:12,810 --> 00:08:16,320 And then in verse two, he says this, since, or just as you have 158 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:20,610 given him the son authority over all flesh to give eternal life 159 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:23,670 to all whom you have given him. 160 00:08:24,285 --> 00:08:28,275 And, and so Jesus is providing the, the foundation for the, the request. 161 00:08:28,275 --> 00:08:29,265 Father glorify me. 162 00:08:29,715 --> 00:08:32,294 And the reason is, is because he has done what the father had 163 00:08:32,294 --> 00:08:34,453 given him, the the charge to do. 164 00:08:35,323 --> 00:08:39,193 He says in verse two, since you have given him authority over what's in the next two 165 00:08:39,193 --> 00:08:42,345 words there in the Bible, what all flesh. 166 00:08:42,929 --> 00:08:44,880 I want us to, to take note of that though. 167 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:46,050 That's not the main point here. 168 00:08:46,050 --> 00:08:49,920 I want you to see that Jesus has authority over all flesh. 169 00:08:50,099 --> 00:08:53,939 We will sometimes talk about the fact that we need to make Jesus Lord in our life. 170 00:08:54,089 --> 00:08:56,640 Listen, no one makes Jesus Lord in their life. 171 00:08:56,640 --> 00:08:57,839 Jesus is Lord. 172 00:08:57,839 --> 00:08:58,170 Period. 173 00:08:58,170 --> 00:08:58,740 End of story. 174 00:08:59,130 --> 00:09:00,810 Over all flesh. 175 00:09:01,410 --> 00:09:04,110 Over all flesh, including the two categories here. 176 00:09:04,110 --> 00:09:06,630 Notice as he goes on, he says, you've given him authority over 177 00:09:06,630 --> 00:09:08,550 all flesh to give eternal life. 178 00:09:08,839 --> 00:09:10,939 To all whom you have given him. 179 00:09:11,119 --> 00:09:15,050 So there's a subset of all flesh that the father is gonna give to the son. 180 00:09:15,170 --> 00:09:17,089 And those are the ones that the son is gonna now have the 181 00:09:17,089 --> 00:09:19,219 authority to grant eternal life. 182 00:09:20,209 --> 00:09:24,589 And so the son is appealing to this saying, father, glorify your son since 183 00:09:24,650 --> 00:09:26,959 you've given me this task to do that. 184 00:09:26,959 --> 00:09:29,989 This is one of the ways in which the son is gonna glorify the father, 185 00:09:29,989 --> 00:09:33,859 is to grant eternal life to all that the father has given him. 186 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:36,589 I want us to drill down on this for just a second though. 187 00:09:37,050 --> 00:09:39,420 I want us to look at verse two and ask the the questions who, 188 00:09:39,420 --> 00:09:40,770 what, when, where, and why. 189 00:09:41,505 --> 00:09:43,635 Because there's a lot going on here, and this is part of the 190 00:09:43,635 --> 00:09:47,444 intimacy of the Godhead that we get to be brought in on here first. 191 00:09:47,444 --> 00:09:48,464 Who is at work here? 192 00:09:48,464 --> 00:09:51,765 Well, it's the father and the son should be pretty evident to us. 193 00:09:51,765 --> 00:09:52,515 Jesus praying. 194 00:09:52,515 --> 00:09:53,834 The father receiving the prayer. 195 00:09:53,834 --> 00:09:56,954 So that's the who and what's happening in this prayer? 196 00:09:56,954 --> 00:10:01,635 Well, the Son is acknowledging the father has granted the son authority. 197 00:10:02,030 --> 00:10:05,089 Notice that in verse two, you have, it's in the past, you have 198 00:10:05,089 --> 00:10:08,119 given him authority over all flesh. 199 00:10:08,599 --> 00:10:10,219 Where did that authority come from? 200 00:10:10,219 --> 00:10:11,300 There's three options here. 201 00:10:11,930 --> 00:10:13,069 Option number one is this. 202 00:10:13,324 --> 00:10:17,209 The, the father in theological circles is known as what's called the font divin. 203 00:10:17,209 --> 00:10:17,689 Okay? 204 00:10:18,229 --> 00:10:21,410 That means the source of the Godhead not source. 205 00:10:21,410 --> 00:10:24,560 As far as the creator, the son, and the spirit were not created. 206 00:10:24,560 --> 00:10:29,150 They have always existed, but the father's role in the Trinity is that he is the. 207 00:10:29,209 --> 00:10:30,290 F the Fountainhead. 208 00:10:30,290 --> 00:10:33,680 He is the, the font, the source of the deity, the source of 209 00:10:33,709 --> 00:10:35,269 the divinity of the Godhead. 210 00:10:35,449 --> 00:10:38,359 And so it could be that Jesus is saying, you have given me authority 211 00:10:38,359 --> 00:10:42,050 in the sense that I draw my authority as God from you, as the source of 212 00:10:42,050 --> 00:10:44,449 that within the Trinitarian realm. 213 00:10:44,930 --> 00:10:47,869 I don't think that's it because he's talking specifically here about 214 00:10:47,869 --> 00:10:49,614 his work on earth in the cross. 215 00:10:50,359 --> 00:10:53,239 The second option is it could be talking about what he refers to 216 00:10:53,239 --> 00:10:54,469 in Philippians chapter two, Paul. 217 00:10:55,245 --> 00:10:58,964 When Paul says that, because Jesus Christ humbled himself to the point of 218 00:10:58,964 --> 00:11:03,015 death, even death on a cross, that now the father has exalted him and given him 219 00:11:03,015 --> 00:11:07,305 the name that's above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should 220 00:11:07,305 --> 00:11:11,775 bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father. 221 00:11:11,865 --> 00:11:16,094 It could be that Jesus is anticipating that, but I don't think that's 222 00:11:16,094 --> 00:11:19,484 the case either because Jesus has not yet gone to the cross. 223 00:11:19,875 --> 00:11:21,464 And so what authority is this? 224 00:11:21,464 --> 00:11:25,454 I think that the third option, which seems to be what's at work here, is that this is 225 00:11:25,454 --> 00:11:27,194 the, when part of our question who, what. 226 00:11:27,224 --> 00:11:27,435 Okay. 227 00:11:27,435 --> 00:11:31,365 He's granting authority when I think he's referring to a moment in eternity 228 00:11:31,365 --> 00:11:34,365 past, and, and we don't have the, the privy to know where that is. 229 00:11:34,365 --> 00:11:35,925 It's not recorded for us. 230 00:11:36,015 --> 00:11:39,645 But when the father commissioned the son to go and do the work that the son was 231 00:11:39,645 --> 00:11:45,165 gonna do, when, when the father, son, and Holy Spirit agreed together in their 232 00:11:45,165 --> 00:11:47,025 perfect unity of their perfect will. 233 00:11:47,474 --> 00:11:51,645 That the sun would take on flesh and come for us, die on the cross for our 234 00:11:51,645 --> 00:11:56,084 sins, pay the penalty we could not pay, and then be risen to eternal life 235 00:11:56,084 --> 00:11:58,785 so that we could have eternal life. 236 00:11:58,844 --> 00:12:02,594 I think that's the authority in view here, and again, the intimacy here. 237 00:12:02,594 --> 00:12:05,685 Jesus is letting us into what's called the imminent trinity. 238 00:12:06,165 --> 00:12:10,245 The economic trinity is how God interacts with us. 239 00:12:10,305 --> 00:12:10,665 Okay? 240 00:12:10,935 --> 00:12:14,834 It's most of the Bible, the imminent trinity is how God interacts as Father, 241 00:12:14,834 --> 00:12:16,214 son, holy Spirit, with just God. 242 00:12:17,114 --> 00:12:21,555 Their conversations we're getting brought in in John 17 to that level of 243 00:12:21,555 --> 00:12:23,175 intimacy with the father and the son. 244 00:12:23,954 --> 00:12:27,944 We're finding out some about those conversations that they had, but Jesus 245 00:12:27,944 --> 00:12:32,264 has referred to this authority earlier in John chapter five, verses 21 and 22, 246 00:12:32,685 --> 00:12:37,665 John 5 21, 22 For as the father raises the dead and gives them life, so also 247 00:12:37,665 --> 00:12:39,524 the son gives life to whom he will. 248 00:12:39,734 --> 00:12:43,305 The Father judges no one but has given all judgment to the son 249 00:12:43,905 --> 00:12:45,854 or verses 26 and 27 John five. 250 00:12:46,515 --> 00:12:50,835 As the father has life in himself, so also he has granted the son to also 251 00:12:50,835 --> 00:12:55,064 have life in himself and has given him authority to execute judgment. 252 00:12:55,245 --> 00:12:59,505 And so all that to say, listen, Jesus is praying God Father, glorify the 253 00:12:59,505 --> 00:13:01,215 son, that the son may glorify you. 254 00:13:01,335 --> 00:13:03,555 And I just want us to see that that has everything to do with 255 00:13:03,555 --> 00:13:04,605 Christ to earthly ministry. 256 00:13:04,605 --> 00:13:07,814 This is the foundation of his request. 257 00:13:07,814 --> 00:13:10,665 Father glorify me that I might glorify you. 258 00:13:12,015 --> 00:13:14,145 I mentioned that that's not the prayer that we pray. 259 00:13:14,714 --> 00:13:15,405 We don't pray. 260 00:13:15,405 --> 00:13:17,505 Father glorify me so I can glorify you. 261 00:13:18,255 --> 00:13:19,214 We don't get glory. 262 00:13:19,214 --> 00:13:19,964 God gets glory. 263 00:13:21,045 --> 00:13:23,834 Rather, what I think we take away from this is, man, if that's 264 00:13:23,834 --> 00:13:25,875 Jesus' mindset, think about this. 265 00:13:26,055 --> 00:13:28,094 He's on the, the threshold of the cross. 266 00:13:28,844 --> 00:13:32,115 He's about to be in the garden on his knees, praying. 267 00:13:32,115 --> 00:13:35,474 Father, if there's any way possible, let this cup pass from me. 268 00:13:36,675 --> 00:13:39,464 And what's on his mind is God's glory. 269 00:13:40,245 --> 00:13:42,135 He's consumed with the glory of God. 270 00:13:42,915 --> 00:13:45,105 And I'm saying, if the son of God is consumed with the glory of 271 00:13:45,105 --> 00:13:47,925 God, how much more should we be consumed with the glory of God? 272 00:13:48,194 --> 00:13:51,015 First point this week, if you're taking notes, I would encourage you to do so 273 00:13:51,015 --> 00:13:55,905 Along those lines is this, pray for a mindset consumed with God's glory. 274 00:13:57,075 --> 00:14:02,564 Ask that God would, would saturate your mind and just make your mind fully focused 275 00:14:02,564 --> 00:14:06,975 on everything that you do in every sphere in which you live on the glory of God, 276 00:14:06,975 --> 00:14:10,365 the Father, and that's gonna be expressed in our pursuit of the glory of Christ, as 277 00:14:10,365 --> 00:14:11,895 we're gonna see as we can continue here. 278 00:14:12,885 --> 00:14:15,225 But sometimes we, we think about glorifying God in a 279 00:14:15,225 --> 00:14:16,425 mindset that glorifies God. 280 00:14:16,425 --> 00:14:19,305 And, and maybe some of y'all have a, an email signature that says something 281 00:14:19,305 --> 00:14:23,985 like, so Deo Gloria, or, for the glory of God, you know, I'm, I'm glorifying God. 282 00:14:23,985 --> 00:14:25,395 Every time I, I send an email. 283 00:14:25,515 --> 00:14:28,635 Hopefully you're conscious of that with the content that you put in those emails 284 00:14:29,655 --> 00:14:33,735 or, or maybe it's something like somebody gives you a compliment and, and you 285 00:14:33,735 --> 00:14:35,985 say, amen to God be the glory for that. 286 00:14:37,095 --> 00:14:39,585 Or maybe it's like in, in, in baseball. 287 00:14:40,109 --> 00:14:42,749 When somebody hits a home run and they're rounding third base and that 288 00:14:42,810 --> 00:14:46,560 that baseball player points up into the, the skies, he's rounding third base and 289 00:14:46,560 --> 00:14:47,999 getting ready to, to cross home plate. 290 00:14:48,959 --> 00:14:53,759 Listen, those can all be valid expressions of us glorifying God, but that's not the 291 00:14:53,759 --> 00:14:56,369 substance of what it is to glorify God. 292 00:14:57,209 --> 00:14:59,579 The substance of what it is to glorify God is that we must 293 00:14:59,579 --> 00:15:00,644 have a relationship with him. 294 00:15:01,199 --> 00:15:04,800 It must overflow from a life that's completely focused on the glory of God. 295 00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:08,880 It must overflow from a life that has been transformed by what we're going 296 00:15:08,880 --> 00:15:12,089 to read about shortly here with the cross and the resurrection of Christ. 297 00:15:12,089 --> 00:15:14,280 In fact, DA Carson theologian writes it this way. 298 00:15:14,310 --> 00:15:21,030 He said, to glorify God as this, God is clothed in splendor, in the eyes 299 00:15:21,030 --> 00:15:25,260 of those who perceive what has been achieved by God himself in the cross, 300 00:15:25,560 --> 00:15:28,650 resurrection and exaltation of the son. 301 00:15:29,145 --> 00:15:31,694 God is clothed in splendor. 302 00:15:31,694 --> 00:15:35,084 He's made to look glorious, to look beautiful, to look 303 00:15:35,084 --> 00:15:39,285 majestic because of the cross. 304 00:15:40,185 --> 00:15:43,275 And the reason why I say we have to pray for this to be our mindset is because 305 00:15:43,275 --> 00:15:45,285 by default we don't operate this way. 306 00:15:46,244 --> 00:15:51,885 Our natural state as fallen human beings is to pursue our glory, is 307 00:15:51,885 --> 00:15:53,385 to want to glorify self, not God. 308 00:15:53,655 --> 00:15:57,495 Uh, uh, Paul speaks to this inclination in Romans chapter eight when he 309 00:15:57,495 --> 00:15:59,385 talks about the flesh and the spirit. 310 00:15:59,655 --> 00:16:01,605 He says this in Romans eight, five through six. 311 00:16:01,605 --> 00:16:04,574 He says, for those who live according to the flesh, set their 312 00:16:04,574 --> 00:16:06,944 minds on the things of the flesh. 313 00:16:07,155 --> 00:16:09,944 But those who live according to the spirit set their minds 314 00:16:09,944 --> 00:16:11,055 on the things of the spirit. 315 00:16:11,444 --> 00:16:11,954 For the set. 316 00:16:11,954 --> 00:16:15,645 The mind on the things of the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the 317 00:16:15,645 --> 00:16:17,834 things of the spirit is life and peace. 318 00:16:18,135 --> 00:16:18,584 He goes on. 319 00:16:18,584 --> 00:16:20,954 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile. 320 00:16:21,254 --> 00:16:24,314 To God for it does not submit to God's law. 321 00:16:24,314 --> 00:16:25,484 Indeed it cannot. 322 00:16:25,754 --> 00:16:29,055 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 323 00:16:29,564 --> 00:16:30,854 Lemme ask a question this morning. 324 00:16:30,854 --> 00:16:34,094 What is it that ultimately pleases God the most? 325 00:16:34,604 --> 00:16:36,614 It's the answer to the Westminster shorter catechism. 326 00:16:36,614 --> 00:16:38,055 Why was man created? 327 00:16:38,055 --> 00:16:39,525 What is the purpose of our existence? 328 00:16:39,525 --> 00:16:41,805 That we would glorify God? 329 00:16:42,344 --> 00:16:45,675 And so the flesh cannot please God through glorifying God, because 330 00:16:45,675 --> 00:16:47,354 ultimately the flesh is about us. 331 00:16:48,765 --> 00:16:52,814 And even as believers, even as Christians, we have to guard against this and 332 00:16:52,814 --> 00:16:54,675 battle against this on a regular basis. 333 00:16:54,675 --> 00:16:59,234 Because still, if you kick your life spiritually into neutral, you're gonna 334 00:16:59,234 --> 00:17:02,415 drift into the lane of glorifying yourself, not glorifying God. 335 00:17:03,254 --> 00:17:04,095 It's the default. 336 00:17:04,454 --> 00:17:06,075 It's like a car that's out of alignment. 337 00:17:06,075 --> 00:17:08,355 You ever driven a car that needs its alignment fixed, but you 338 00:17:08,355 --> 00:17:09,435 don't wanna pay to have it done? 339 00:17:10,035 --> 00:17:12,375 You let go of the steering wheel and it starts going like this. 340 00:17:13,425 --> 00:17:17,233 That's the flesh we're gonna drift towards the flesh. 341 00:17:17,983 --> 00:17:21,704 Unless we've got that steering wheel grabbed a hold of by the power of the 342 00:17:21,704 --> 00:17:25,304 spirit, and we're conscious of our need to stay in the lane of glorifying God, our 343 00:17:25,304 --> 00:17:29,985 tendency is gonna be, we're gonna drift over here to want to glorify the flesh us. 344 00:17:30,195 --> 00:17:33,824 And that's why we have to be praying and asking and pleading 345 00:17:33,824 --> 00:17:38,715 that God would help us as we seek to glorify him and not ourselves. 346 00:17:39,405 --> 00:17:42,344 Some ways that we as Christians might be tempted to glorify ourselves is 347 00:17:42,344 --> 00:17:46,094 that we're after the applause of men more than the, the favor of God. 348 00:17:47,100 --> 00:17:49,050 Take for example, serving in the body of Christ. 349 00:17:49,050 --> 00:17:51,449 You, you may serve in a particular role within the church because 350 00:17:51,449 --> 00:17:52,379 you wanna be called out. 351 00:17:52,379 --> 00:17:55,169 You wanna be noticed for how you're serving so well and so faithfully in 352 00:17:55,169 --> 00:17:57,629 the church or whatever you do at work. 353 00:17:57,629 --> 00:18:00,449 Maybe you're, you're working, the Bible says, we need to work as for the 354 00:18:00,449 --> 00:18:01,979 Lord and not for the approval of men. 355 00:18:02,219 --> 00:18:05,699 But maybe you're, you slip into that mindset that says, man, I, I wanna work 356 00:18:05,699 --> 00:18:08,399 because I want to be noticed by my boss. 357 00:18:08,399 --> 00:18:12,149 I want to get the applause of men for how I'm doing at my, my job right now. 358 00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:14,850 That can be a way that we can drift into wanting to glorify 359 00:18:14,850 --> 00:18:16,620 ourself and not glorify God. 360 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:19,770 Or maybe it's just that we become prideful in our self-sufficiency. 361 00:18:20,730 --> 00:18:23,730 We're not picking up the Bible as much and spending time in the word of God as much. 362 00:18:23,730 --> 00:18:25,740 We're not praying as much anymore because we think, you know what? 363 00:18:25,740 --> 00:18:26,880 I'm, I'm, I'm okay. 364 00:18:27,570 --> 00:18:30,870 I can be a good enough person to get by in this life without needing 365 00:18:30,870 --> 00:18:32,700 to depend upon the word of God. 366 00:18:32,700 --> 00:18:33,240 Every day. 367 00:18:33,240 --> 00:18:33,750 I, you know what? 368 00:18:33,750 --> 00:18:34,890 I grew up in the church. 369 00:18:34,890 --> 00:18:35,790 I'm good. 370 00:18:36,090 --> 00:18:36,750 I did aana. 371 00:18:36,750 --> 00:18:37,890 I got the Timothy Award. 372 00:18:37,890 --> 00:18:38,670 I'm all set. 373 00:18:38,670 --> 00:18:41,130 I can trust in my own self-righteousness. 374 00:18:41,999 --> 00:18:44,459 And that's a way that we can fall into a trap of, of glorifying 375 00:18:44,459 --> 00:18:45,929 self and not glorifying God. 376 00:18:47,519 --> 00:18:50,189 Another way that we can do this is to forget that the command to love 377 00:18:50,189 --> 00:18:53,519 God with everything that we are, is overflowed and followed up and seconded 378 00:18:53,519 --> 00:18:55,290 with the command to love others. 379 00:18:56,669 --> 00:18:59,070 We can become these people that think, well, I, I'm, I'm good 380 00:18:59,070 --> 00:19:00,360 because I've got my holy huddle. 381 00:19:00,360 --> 00:19:02,100 I've got the people that I'm comfortable with, but what about 382 00:19:02,100 --> 00:19:03,060 the unbelievers in my life? 383 00:19:03,060 --> 00:19:05,219 Well, I'll just pray that God brings somebody else into 384 00:19:05,219 --> 00:19:06,269 their life to share the gospel. 385 00:19:07,995 --> 00:19:09,225 We're not after the glory of God. 386 00:19:09,225 --> 00:19:11,355 We're not on mission the way that he wants us to be on mission there 387 00:19:11,355 --> 00:19:12,285 we're after the glory of ourself. 388 00:19:12,285 --> 00:19:13,185 We wanna be comfortable 389 00:19:16,065 --> 00:19:16,275 y'all. 390 00:19:16,275 --> 00:19:18,195 This is why we have to be in prayer. 391 00:19:18,195 --> 00:19:21,645 This is why the point is worded the way it is that we have to pray for a 392 00:19:21,645 --> 00:19:23,805 mindset consumed with the glory of God. 393 00:19:25,005 --> 00:19:25,875 What are some of those prayers? 394 00:19:25,875 --> 00:19:28,275 Lemme suggest a few things for you this morning, just practical 395 00:19:28,275 --> 00:19:29,595 prayers for you to offer to the Lord. 396 00:19:29,595 --> 00:19:35,085 Number one, pray that your sin would grieve you because it 397 00:19:35,085 --> 00:19:36,345 detract from the glory of God. 398 00:19:38,440 --> 00:19:40,995 And, and not just because it's like, oh, man, I can't believe I 399 00:19:40,995 --> 00:19:42,345 haven't gotten past this sin yet. 400 00:19:43,305 --> 00:19:45,945 Not just because it's like, oh, man, what is this person gonna think of me? 401 00:19:45,945 --> 00:19:48,225 Because they just, they were in the car with me and they heard what 402 00:19:48,225 --> 00:19:49,995 I said when that car cut me off. 403 00:19:51,135 --> 00:19:51,556 No, no, no. 404 00:19:51,615 --> 00:19:54,315 Pray that God would cause your heart to feel grief, because that 405 00:19:54,315 --> 00:19:59,385 sin, it detracts from the glory of God displayed in your life. 406 00:20:00,375 --> 00:20:03,945 Second, pray that you would desire the salvation of the lost around you. 407 00:20:05,305 --> 00:20:10,890 That, that God would cultivate in your heart, a love for them that would prompt 408 00:20:10,890 --> 00:20:14,850 you and compel you, and drive you, and impel you to bring the gospel to them 409 00:20:16,860 --> 00:20:21,690 to not be satisfied, just being comfortable for you, but to say, 410 00:20:21,690 --> 00:20:24,420 man, I, I want to glorify God and see God glorified through their 411 00:20:24,420 --> 00:20:26,280 faith and repentance in Jesus. 412 00:20:26,610 --> 00:20:28,710 Third man, this is a big one. 413 00:20:28,710 --> 00:20:31,290 Pray that God's common grace in our country would turn the tide on 414 00:20:31,290 --> 00:20:33,690 some of the tripe that's out there in our entertainment industry. 415 00:20:34,970 --> 00:20:38,115 Uh, a different prayer might be, pray for revival here in our nation. 416 00:20:39,300 --> 00:20:43,064 That, that there wouldn't be so much just blasphemy that's out there, but blasphemy 417 00:20:43,064 --> 00:20:46,274 is this, y'all, it's not standing up and, and cursing the name of God. 418 00:20:46,274 --> 00:20:46,845 Okay, yes. 419 00:20:46,845 --> 00:20:47,835 That, that qualifies. 420 00:20:48,254 --> 00:20:53,985 But blasphemy is taking that which is holy and bringing it down, demeaning 421 00:20:53,985 --> 00:20:58,034 it, and it's, it's the, the fodder of so many of our sitcoms out there. 422 00:20:59,415 --> 00:21:02,264 It, it's the, the currency of our culture. 423 00:21:02,415 --> 00:21:04,335 It is to demean God. 424 00:21:04,335 --> 00:21:05,805 Pray for the glory of God. 425 00:21:05,805 --> 00:21:07,395 Pray for a mindset consumed with the glory of God. 426 00:21:07,395 --> 00:21:09,585 Pray for revival in our nation towards that end. 427 00:21:10,754 --> 00:21:11,325 Here's another one. 428 00:21:11,325 --> 00:21:12,555 Pray for strong marriages. 429 00:21:13,335 --> 00:21:16,095 If you're married, pray for your marriage that your marriage 430 00:21:16,095 --> 00:21:17,205 would be a strong marriage. 431 00:21:17,205 --> 00:21:20,055 That is you live out the roles of a husband and wife as defined in scripture 432 00:21:20,055 --> 00:21:21,675 that it would glorify God that way. 433 00:21:22,665 --> 00:21:25,725 If you're not married, pray for the marriages in this church 434 00:21:25,725 --> 00:21:26,805 that they would be strong. 435 00:21:26,805 --> 00:21:29,534 We will be a stronger, more healthy, godly church if we have 436 00:21:29,534 --> 00:21:30,764 strong marriages in our midst. 437 00:21:31,530 --> 00:21:34,920 That are glorifying God through the living out of the roles of a husband and wife. 438 00:21:35,850 --> 00:21:40,440 So pray towards that end and then finally just, just pray for a burden 439 00:21:40,440 --> 00:21:43,590 for God's glory that you won't be able to shake throughout the day. 440 00:21:44,430 --> 00:21:47,190 Y'all, this has been my conviction this week as I've been prepping this message. 441 00:21:47,190 --> 00:21:50,730 This is just how little I think about the glory of God. 442 00:21:52,230 --> 00:21:54,750 And Pulse says, were to do everything that we do for the glory of God. 443 00:21:57,270 --> 00:21:58,860 I just, I want that mindset. 444 00:21:58,860 --> 00:21:58,889 I. 445 00:22:00,060 --> 00:22:01,739 And that's not gonna be produced naturally. 446 00:22:02,370 --> 00:22:05,009 I need to be asking for that mindset, praying for that mindset, 447 00:22:05,009 --> 00:22:06,209 pleading for that mindset. 448 00:22:09,060 --> 00:22:11,370 This mindset consumed with the glory of God is, is more than 449 00:22:11,370 --> 00:22:12,570 just about the surface, though. 450 00:22:12,705 --> 00:22:16,410 It it, it has to derive from a relationship with the Lord. 451 00:22:16,410 --> 00:22:17,520 And that's where we're gonna go next. 452 00:22:17,520 --> 00:22:18,360 Look down at verse three. 453 00:22:18,360 --> 00:22:20,040 Now look down at verse three. 454 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:23,220 Jesus is gonna build upon that concept of eternal life that he 455 00:22:23,220 --> 00:22:25,860 just talked about, giving to all those the Father had given him. 456 00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:28,920 And I was gonna say this in verse three, and this is eternal life. 457 00:22:29,310 --> 00:22:34,560 That they know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 458 00:22:34,890 --> 00:22:39,120 Now, this is where we get a glimpse into some of Jesus here in this prayer. 459 00:22:39,300 --> 00:22:42,390 He's not just praying to the Father, he's praying to the Father, and 460 00:22:42,390 --> 00:22:43,950 he's teaching us at the same time. 461 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:48,600 And the reason I say that is the father's not up there going, Jesus, 462 00:22:48,600 --> 00:22:49,710 what do you mean by eternal life? 463 00:22:49,710 --> 00:22:50,730 Explain that one to me. 464 00:22:50,730 --> 00:22:52,380 Can you help me understand what eternal life is? 465 00:22:52,380 --> 00:22:53,280 'cause I don't know. 466 00:22:54,030 --> 00:22:57,300 So in verse three, when Jesus explains what he means by eternal life. 467 00:22:57,600 --> 00:23:01,320 He's doing that cognizant aware of, and for the benefit of those listening 468 00:23:01,320 --> 00:23:05,250 to this prayer, including you and I sitting here this morning, you 469 00:23:05,250 --> 00:23:09,120 and me as we sit here this morning, he says, this is eternal life. 470 00:23:09,270 --> 00:23:10,290 Well, what is eternal life? 471 00:23:10,290 --> 00:23:11,490 That's a good question, isn't it? 472 00:23:12,060 --> 00:23:18,210 That they know you and that is the only true God and Jesus 473 00:23:18,210 --> 00:23:20,070 Christ, whom you have sinned. 474 00:23:21,090 --> 00:23:22,949 Now, let's not get into the debate, okay? 475 00:23:22,949 --> 00:23:25,620 Is Jesus separating himself from the only true God? 476 00:23:25,620 --> 00:23:26,459 We've covered that. 477 00:23:26,459 --> 00:23:29,550 In fact, that's why he's gonna be killed here by the Jews momentarily, 478 00:23:29,850 --> 00:23:32,520 is because they knew and understood that he was claiming to be God. 479 00:23:33,300 --> 00:23:36,000 He's already made this claim earlier in John's gospel before 480 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:38,550 Abraham was I am when he said that. 481 00:23:38,550 --> 00:23:40,050 That's a direct claim to deity. 482 00:23:40,230 --> 00:23:41,639 Uh, back in John chapter four. 483 00:23:41,700 --> 00:23:43,110 Five. 484 00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:46,080 He was praying and said, or he was talking to the Pharisees and 485 00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:49,080 said, the father has been working until now, and I have been working. 486 00:23:49,080 --> 00:23:50,790 He's putting himself on par with God. 487 00:23:51,090 --> 00:23:53,400 So here we don't need to read this and say, well, what does he mean? 488 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:54,300 The only true God? 489 00:23:54,300 --> 00:23:55,230 And then himself here? 490 00:23:55,230 --> 00:23:57,390 Is he separating himself as something less than that? 491 00:23:57,780 --> 00:24:02,250 No, he's, he's simply clarifying and recognizing the, the, that God at 492 00:24:02,250 --> 00:24:06,090 in his existence is the only true God, and that involves the Father 493 00:24:06,090 --> 00:24:08,700 and yes, the son, Jesus Christ. 494 00:24:08,700 --> 00:24:09,774 In fact, it's there. 495 00:24:10,014 --> 00:24:13,345 Eternal life is not only to know the father, but it's also to know the son. 496 00:24:14,814 --> 00:24:15,865 But what do we mean by no? 497 00:24:16,735 --> 00:24:20,095 What do we mean by No, and this is where I want to contrast a little bit. 498 00:24:20,095 --> 00:24:22,375 Last week we talked about being a perpetual learner. 499 00:24:22,855 --> 00:24:24,504 That was a lot of the head knowledge side of things. 500 00:24:25,005 --> 00:24:28,125 Meant gaining the head knowledge that hopefully is gonna transform our lives. 501 00:24:28,485 --> 00:24:30,525 This, I think, is a different concept. 502 00:24:30,885 --> 00:24:33,945 The head knowledge comes primarily from a word in the Greek, which means to 503 00:24:33,945 --> 00:24:35,745 understand or to comprehend something. 504 00:24:36,285 --> 00:24:41,115 This is a different word that conveys more of a relational knowledge of 505 00:24:41,115 --> 00:24:43,095 someone, an intimate knowledge of someone. 506 00:24:43,095 --> 00:24:47,505 In fact, back in Genesis chapter four, verse one, the step two agent, 507 00:24:47,505 --> 00:24:51,945 which is the Greek translation of, uh, of the Old Testament, the step 508 00:24:51,945 --> 00:24:54,375 two agent uses the same word for no. 509 00:24:54,870 --> 00:24:59,519 In Genesis four one, when it says, now Adam knew Eve, his wife, and she conceived 510 00:24:59,519 --> 00:25:04,830 in Boca, that intimacy between the husband and wife that produces children, okay? 511 00:25:05,070 --> 00:25:07,709 That knowledge is referred to with the same word that's 512 00:25:07,709 --> 00:25:09,539 used here, backed by Jesus. 513 00:25:10,529 --> 00:25:12,269 So what is Jesus conveying here? 514 00:25:12,269 --> 00:25:12,449 What? 515 00:25:12,449 --> 00:25:13,529 What are we trying to drive at here? 516 00:25:14,100 --> 00:25:17,399 What we're trying to drive at here is eternal life is not simple head knowledge. 517 00:25:18,105 --> 00:25:21,345 Eternal life is not that you have facts or that you know theology 518 00:25:21,345 --> 00:25:22,905 and you know, know doctrine. 519 00:25:23,595 --> 00:25:29,955 Eternal life is a relationship with the father and the son, and I think 520 00:25:29,955 --> 00:25:33,284 specifically it's a relationship with the father through the son. 521 00:25:34,170 --> 00:25:36,930 If our aim in life, and I trust that you would agree that it is, is to 522 00:25:36,930 --> 00:25:40,560 glorify God with our lives, then that is gonna be expressed through our 523 00:25:40,560 --> 00:25:44,040 understanding of and our knowledge of Jesus, our relationship with Jesus. 524 00:25:44,100 --> 00:25:46,770 Point number two this morning, along those lines, is this, pray to know more 525 00:25:46,770 --> 00:25:49,200 of God's glory in knowing more of Jesus. 526 00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:55,770 Pray that you would know more of God's glory in knowing more of Jesus. 527 00:25:56,520 --> 00:25:59,700 In other words, that you would have a desire, that you would have a passion 528 00:25:59,700 --> 00:26:01,950 within to know Christ more deeply. 529 00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:07,650 In that relational sense of knowing him, uh, my wife and I when we 530 00:26:07,650 --> 00:26:10,350 met in college and I thought, man, she's cute and she loves Jesus. 531 00:26:10,350 --> 00:26:11,610 She might be a good one to marry. 532 00:26:11,970 --> 00:26:15,540 Um, I, I then went on, we called it stalker net because 533 00:26:15,540 --> 00:26:16,980 that's comforting, isn't it? 534 00:26:17,430 --> 00:26:20,820 Uh, it was our campus version of Facebook, and I was able to look her up 535 00:26:20,820 --> 00:26:22,590 and find out what kind of major she was. 536 00:26:22,590 --> 00:26:24,690 I found out she's an English major, but that didn't deter me. 537 00:26:24,690 --> 00:26:26,250 I still was willing to date her after that. 538 00:26:27,810 --> 00:26:31,830 And, uh, we, uh, we then set about the process of, of me pursuing her. 539 00:26:31,830 --> 00:26:33,330 And initially though, it was fact finding. 540 00:26:33,689 --> 00:26:34,530 It's like, who is she? 541 00:26:34,530 --> 00:26:35,490 Who are her friends? 542 00:26:35,490 --> 00:26:38,460 You know, she's super cute, but what does she sound like? 543 00:26:38,460 --> 00:26:39,510 Is that a deal breaker? 544 00:26:39,510 --> 00:26:41,669 You know, all these fact finding things that are important when 545 00:26:41,669 --> 00:26:43,139 you're pursuing somebody like that. 546 00:26:43,679 --> 00:26:45,720 But after I got past the fact finding, then it was like, 547 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:46,830 I, I, I want to know her. 548 00:26:46,830 --> 00:26:48,000 I want a relationship with her. 549 00:26:48,465 --> 00:26:50,624 So then I, I, I started pursuing that. 550 00:26:50,624 --> 00:26:52,394 We went out on dates, we spent time together. 551 00:26:52,394 --> 00:26:56,294 I tried to find her on, on campus and walk with her places. 552 00:26:56,294 --> 00:26:59,685 I, I stalked her unapologetically and it worked out for me, 553 00:26:59,834 --> 00:27:01,064 and I'm, I'm thankful it did. 554 00:27:01,754 --> 00:27:02,624 But I spent time with her. 555 00:27:02,624 --> 00:27:03,675 I ate meals with her. 556 00:27:03,945 --> 00:27:08,175 I even registered for classes I didn't wanna take because she was in the class. 557 00:27:08,504 --> 00:27:12,584 And I dropped that class because I was not good at it. 558 00:27:12,794 --> 00:27:14,654 Um, but I just wanted to be with her. 559 00:27:14,925 --> 00:27:15,164 Right. 560 00:27:15,554 --> 00:27:18,405 We spent time together so that we could get to know each other. 561 00:27:19,575 --> 00:27:26,024 Y'all, we can't know Christ if we're not pursuing a relationship with Jesus. 562 00:27:26,655 --> 00:27:28,095 We have to have a relationship. 563 00:27:28,095 --> 00:27:30,075 There has to be substance to our knowledge of him. 564 00:27:31,095 --> 00:27:33,435 Uh, John helps us in, in that regard a little bit. 565 00:27:33,730 --> 00:27:36,855 In, in one John, which is the epistle, one of the epistles that he wrote, one 566 00:27:36,855 --> 00:27:40,785 of the letters that he wrote, he talks about knowing Jesus, and he says this 567 00:27:40,785 --> 00:27:42,135 in one John two, four through six. 568 00:27:42,435 --> 00:27:47,145 He says, whoever says I know him but does not keep his commandments is a 569 00:27:47,145 --> 00:27:48,470 liar, and the truth is not in him. 570 00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:54,449 But whoever keeps his word in him, truly the love of God is perfected by this. 571 00:27:54,449 --> 00:27:56,100 We may know that we are in him. 572 00:27:56,100 --> 00:28:01,080 Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. 573 00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:06,209 So therein we find that that part of our knowledge of Jesus has to do with the 574 00:28:06,209 --> 00:28:09,959 life that we live, has to do with what we're doing with the commandments of God. 575 00:28:10,425 --> 00:28:14,175 John says, if you say you know Jesus, but you deny him with every 576 00:28:14,415 --> 00:28:18,014 ounce of your lifestyle, John says very boldly and plainly and 577 00:28:18,014 --> 00:28:19,665 indirectly, he says, you're a liar. 578 00:28:20,715 --> 00:28:21,014 Okay? 579 00:28:21,165 --> 00:28:23,534 So that's part of our relationship with Jesus. 580 00:28:23,925 --> 00:28:24,855 But we have to be careful. 581 00:28:24,855 --> 00:28:27,195 That's that's not all of our relationship with Jesus. 582 00:28:27,764 --> 00:28:28,485 And here's why. 583 00:28:28,544 --> 00:28:31,004 Matthew chapter seven, we have a, a different encounter. 584 00:28:31,395 --> 00:28:35,175 Jesus in Matthew chapter seven says this, not everyone who says to me, 585 00:28:35,175 --> 00:28:38,504 Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the 586 00:28:38,504 --> 00:28:40,094 will of my Father, who is in heaven. 587 00:28:40,094 --> 00:28:41,445 Now, listen to this. 588 00:28:41,445 --> 00:28:44,264 I I'm gonna suggest to you that doing the will of the fathers, more 589 00:28:44,264 --> 00:28:45,945 than mere obedience, and here's why. 590 00:28:46,245 --> 00:28:47,955 Look at what Jesus says right after that. 591 00:28:48,344 --> 00:28:53,084 He says in verse 22, on that day, many will say to me, Lord, Lord, 592 00:28:53,084 --> 00:28:54,195 and notice what they're put. 593 00:28:54,225 --> 00:28:55,514 They've put their trust in here. 594 00:28:55,800 --> 00:28:59,340 Notice what they're appealing to as the foundation of their knowledge of Jesus. 595 00:28:59,399 --> 00:29:04,350 Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, cast out demons in your name 596 00:29:04,590 --> 00:29:08,340 and do many mighty works in your name? 597 00:29:08,520 --> 00:29:12,450 What do they appeal to there in, in Matthew seven, their works? 598 00:29:12,810 --> 00:29:13,920 They're saying, look at everything we did. 599 00:29:13,920 --> 00:29:17,040 We know you because of our spiritual resume. 600 00:29:17,850 --> 00:29:21,600 And Jesus says, some of the most shuttering fear-inducing words in in all 601 00:29:21,600 --> 00:29:23,730 of scripture, it says, depart from me. 602 00:29:23,730 --> 00:29:24,780 I never. 603 00:29:25,515 --> 00:29:28,215 I never knew you church. 604 00:29:28,485 --> 00:29:31,845 You have to be sure that your trust is not in your spiritual resume. 605 00:29:33,015 --> 00:29:34,065 It's not in your pedigree. 606 00:29:35,595 --> 00:29:39,675 Listen, there are plenty of pastors in hell with degrees attached to their name. 607 00:29:41,385 --> 00:29:44,415 It's not about how much head knowledge that you have about Jesus if that's 608 00:29:44,565 --> 00:29:48,585 not driving you to a relationship with him, to spending time with him. 609 00:29:49,125 --> 00:29:53,475 To loving him, to have your affection stirred for him to desire to be with 610 00:29:53,475 --> 00:29:55,365 him, to pick up the Bible in the morning. 611 00:29:55,365 --> 00:29:57,855 Not because the pastor told you to pick up the Bible in the morning, but 612 00:29:57,855 --> 00:29:58,905 to pick up the Bible in the morning. 613 00:29:58,905 --> 00:30:02,535 'cause you're like, I wanna hear from Jesus to pray. 614 00:30:02,535 --> 00:30:05,145 Not because you know that you've got an accountability partner that's gonna 615 00:30:05,145 --> 00:30:06,315 say, Hey, did you pray this week? 616 00:30:06,615 --> 00:30:09,285 But to pray because you're saying, man, I wanna talk to Jesus. 617 00:30:09,285 --> 00:30:13,605 I wanna talk to God to cultivate a relationship with him. 618 00:30:13,605 --> 00:30:17,685 And I will admit to you, y'all, it is hard to strike that balance. 619 00:30:18,524 --> 00:30:22,425 And this is why this point is pray to know more of God's glory 620 00:30:22,425 --> 00:30:24,284 by no knowing more of Jesus. 621 00:30:25,125 --> 00:30:27,405 You need this to be a work of the Spirit within you. 622 00:30:29,220 --> 00:30:32,700 This can't be you saying, I, I wanna feel closer to Jesus, so let 623 00:30:32,700 --> 00:30:35,790 me pull myself up by my bootstraps and start doing X, Y, and Z. 624 00:30:36,180 --> 00:30:39,000 It also can't be, I wanna feel closer to Jesus, so let me stir my 625 00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:42,450 affections by just trying to whip up my emotions into this fervent state. 626 00:30:42,450 --> 00:30:44,760 Over here, you, you've gotta find the world of the both. 627 00:30:44,760 --> 00:30:46,410 And you say, pastor, how do you do that? 628 00:30:46,560 --> 00:30:50,160 And all I can say is you cultivate it day by day by day, 629 00:30:50,250 --> 00:30:52,830 and it involves a lot of prayer. 630 00:30:54,840 --> 00:30:59,189 Praying things along the lines of, Lord, I, I, I desire to feel closer to you. 631 00:30:59,189 --> 00:31:01,439 Please help me to feel closer to Jesus. 632 00:31:03,389 --> 00:31:08,070 Praying things like, Lord, please by your spirit help me in this pursuit, because I 633 00:31:08,070 --> 00:31:12,719 confess and I recognize, and I acknowledge that in and of myself, I, I can't do this. 634 00:31:13,979 --> 00:31:17,879 It's praying things like, look, please instill in me and create in 635 00:31:17,879 --> 00:31:19,919 me a greater desire for holiness. 636 00:31:21,450 --> 00:31:22,080 Lord, gimme A. 637 00:31:22,080 --> 00:31:23,100 A greater humility 638 00:31:25,770 --> 00:31:28,440 Father cause me to have a greater heart for the lost 639 00:31:30,720 --> 00:31:33,360 Lord, show me in my life, reveal to me the things that are gonna 640 00:31:33,360 --> 00:31:35,820 compete with my allegiance to you. 641 00:31:35,820 --> 00:31:39,450 Show me what is gonna compete with my affections for you. 642 00:31:41,715 --> 00:31:45,105 When I pursued my wife and started dating my wife and then was engaged to my wife 643 00:31:45,105 --> 00:31:49,065 and certainly when I, I pledged my life to her in marriage, what I did at the 644 00:31:49,065 --> 00:31:52,155 same time, as I said, no one else is gonna ever compete with my affections 645 00:31:52,155 --> 00:31:53,625 and an earthly perspective for you. 646 00:31:55,845 --> 00:31:57,885 You know, that's true of our relationship with Christ too. 647 00:31:57,885 --> 00:32:00,465 And so part of it is praying God reveal anything, competing with my 648 00:32:00,465 --> 00:32:05,325 affections for you, my allegiance to you, my devotion to you, but then also 649 00:32:05,325 --> 00:32:07,995 pray for a willingness to take any of those idols and put them to death. 650 00:32:09,149 --> 00:32:10,740 To get rid of them from your life. 651 00:32:11,760 --> 00:32:13,290 Pray as we so often sing in that song. 652 00:32:13,290 --> 00:32:14,970 Lord, I want more of you and less of me. 653 00:32:17,100 --> 00:32:19,710 Pray for the mind that is gonna retain the word of God. 654 00:32:20,490 --> 00:32:22,470 Pray for a heart soft to the spirit. 655 00:32:23,970 --> 00:32:27,510 Pray for a greater appreciation of the realities of the cross and the 656 00:32:27,510 --> 00:32:29,340 glory of God displayed therein. 657 00:32:31,470 --> 00:32:34,680 Pray for more of God's glory. 658 00:32:34,680 --> 00:32:37,500 To know more of God's glory through knowing more of Jesus. 659 00:32:38,760 --> 00:32:41,159 Cultivating deepening your relationship with Christ. 660 00:32:42,000 --> 00:32:44,820 Y'all, as we pray for these things, we are in effect praying for a life that 661 00:32:44,820 --> 00:32:46,649 will evidence our love for Christ. 662 00:32:46,649 --> 00:32:49,139 A life that's gonna live a a God glorifying legacy. 663 00:32:49,139 --> 00:32:51,180 And that's where I wanna land the plane this morning. 664 00:32:51,180 --> 00:32:51,930 Look at verse four. 665 00:32:53,265 --> 00:32:53,985 Look at verse four. 666 00:32:54,225 --> 00:32:58,155 Jesus says, I glorified you on earth having accomplished. 667 00:32:58,155 --> 00:33:00,675 It's the same word that he's gonna say from the cross to tell us die. 668 00:33:00,675 --> 00:33:01,485 Same root there. 669 00:33:01,845 --> 00:33:05,325 Having finished the work that you gave me to do, Jesus is saying, I 670 00:33:05,325 --> 00:33:09,555 glorified you with the life that I lived with, the work that I did for you. 671 00:33:10,155 --> 00:33:13,575 And then he goes on and he says, now Father, glorify me in your own 672 00:33:13,575 --> 00:33:17,775 presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. 673 00:33:19,005 --> 00:33:22,995 And so here we see Jesus appealing to the, the legacy. 674 00:33:22,995 --> 00:33:26,355 I wonder if you ask someone, what was the legacy that Jesus 675 00:33:26,355 --> 00:33:27,795 left in his earthly ministry? 676 00:33:28,275 --> 00:33:33,165 What people would say, some might say, well, it's a, a legacy of love, 677 00:33:34,065 --> 00:33:41,235 grace, a legacy of mercy, a legacy of patience or righteousness, or teaching 678 00:33:43,005 --> 00:33:45,045 the power in his miracles that he did. 679 00:33:45,840 --> 00:33:46,980 Or maybe some would say, you know what? 680 00:33:46,980 --> 00:33:47,940 He was a troublemaker. 681 00:33:48,629 --> 00:33:50,310 He was divisive, he was disruptor. 682 00:33:50,550 --> 00:33:51,300 Disruptive. 683 00:33:52,379 --> 00:33:54,030 Maybe some would say that's his legacy. 684 00:33:54,360 --> 00:33:56,669 But I wanna suggest to you this morning that the foundational legacy 685 00:33:56,669 --> 00:34:00,690 of Jesus from his own mouth is that he glorified the Father, the legacy 686 00:34:00,690 --> 00:34:05,310 of the life, the earthly ministry of Jesus was the glory of the Father. 687 00:34:07,890 --> 00:34:10,590 And my point this morning for you and I, is that needs to be our pursuit as well. 688 00:34:12,120 --> 00:34:14,940 Again, as as we're thinking about man, Jesus was consumed 689 00:34:14,940 --> 00:34:15,570 with the glory of the Father. 690 00:34:15,570 --> 00:34:17,280 We need to be consumed with the glory of the Father. 691 00:34:18,570 --> 00:34:22,230 Part of Jesus' focus with the glory of the Father was living a life that 692 00:34:22,230 --> 00:34:24,780 would testify to the glory of the Father and leaving behind a legacy that 693 00:34:24,780 --> 00:34:26,010 would point to the glory of the Father. 694 00:34:26,969 --> 00:34:30,780 And so for us, as we consider pursuing that same end, that's our third point as 695 00:34:30,780 --> 00:34:34,230 well this morning, it's this, pray for a legacy that testifies to God's glory. 696 00:34:35,550 --> 00:34:38,159 Pray for a legacy that testifies to God's glory. 697 00:34:40,170 --> 00:34:42,719 I wonder what you want your epitaph to say. 698 00:34:45,690 --> 00:34:49,139 Some famous epitaphs that I, I found in, in preparation for this morning, 699 00:34:49,139 --> 00:34:51,870 this one, Clyde Barrow, Bonnie and Clyde, his epitaph at one point, 700 00:34:51,870 --> 00:34:53,280 read, gone, but not forgotten. 701 00:34:55,110 --> 00:34:57,450 Or maybe you're a, a Looney Tunes fan, Mel Blanc. 702 00:34:57,540 --> 00:34:59,340 That's all folks. 703 00:34:59,820 --> 00:35:03,870 That's what he put on his headstone or Winston Churchills. 704 00:35:04,470 --> 00:35:05,910 I'm ready to meet my maker. 705 00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:09,990 Whether my maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter. 706 00:35:13,080 --> 00:35:16,440 Alexander the greats tomb was inscribed with these words. 707 00:35:16,530 --> 00:35:19,650 A tomb now suffices him for whom the world was not enough 708 00:35:22,860 --> 00:35:24,840 or to bring it into the realm of theology. 709 00:35:24,840 --> 00:35:25,860 How about Charles Spurgeon? 710 00:35:26,430 --> 00:35:29,550 He lies the body of Charles Hadden Spurgeon, waiting for the appearing 711 00:35:29,550 --> 00:35:31,230 of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 712 00:35:33,165 --> 00:35:35,685 What do you want your epitaph to say? 713 00:35:37,305 --> 00:35:38,745 What's gonna be on your headstone? 714 00:35:41,235 --> 00:35:43,095 What do you wanna be remembered for? 715 00:35:44,775 --> 00:35:49,125 Some would say maybe, well, my sense of humor, parenting, how 716 00:35:49,125 --> 00:35:50,505 I parented my kids, my marriage. 717 00:35:50,505 --> 00:35:53,505 I, I want people to remember how good of a husband or or wife I was. 718 00:35:54,285 --> 00:35:56,655 Intellect, I mean, that I was a, a smart person. 719 00:35:56,655 --> 00:35:57,945 I accomplished all of these things. 720 00:35:59,025 --> 00:35:59,775 Philanthropy. 721 00:35:59,805 --> 00:36:01,605 Look at all the good that I did in the world. 722 00:36:02,235 --> 00:36:02,895 Faith. 723 00:36:03,195 --> 00:36:07,725 I want people to remember my faith, integrity, my love, my 724 00:36:07,725 --> 00:36:09,255 generosity, my convictions. 725 00:36:09,615 --> 00:36:11,265 Maybe for some of you, my good looks, you're gonna have your 726 00:36:11,265 --> 00:36:12,675 picture on the headstone there. 727 00:36:15,520 --> 00:36:18,285 It, it, it's not so much that these are bad things. 728 00:36:18,315 --> 00:36:19,725 Maybe the good looks, that's a little shallow. 729 00:36:19,875 --> 00:36:20,895 Let's, let's face it right? 730 00:36:21,615 --> 00:36:23,265 It's not so much that the other things are bad things, they're 731 00:36:23,265 --> 00:36:24,165 just not the ultimate thing. 732 00:36:26,025 --> 00:36:29,895 The, the, the thing that should be characteristic of us is that we lived a 733 00:36:29,895 --> 00:36:35,265 life that glorified God the father, that that's what people will remember about us. 734 00:36:35,325 --> 00:36:38,085 When they gather around your, your graveside, what are they 735 00:36:38,085 --> 00:36:39,645 gonna be saying about you? 736 00:36:41,715 --> 00:36:45,225 Count Zinzendorf, who again, I have to apologize for every time I reference 737 00:36:45,225 --> 00:36:46,995 him because of what his quote was. 738 00:36:46,995 --> 00:36:51,165 But Zinzendorf said this, I want to preach Christ die and be forgotten. 739 00:36:53,085 --> 00:36:55,215 He should have said that in a way that wasn't as memorable 740 00:36:55,215 --> 00:36:57,825 as that, but that's it. 741 00:36:58,905 --> 00:36:59,355 That's it. 742 00:36:59,385 --> 00:36:59,925 That's what it is. 743 00:36:59,925 --> 00:37:01,635 To, to live a life that glorifies God, that leaves their 744 00:37:01,635 --> 00:37:02,745 testimony to the glory of God. 745 00:37:03,045 --> 00:37:04,995 That when people remember you, they think about him. 746 00:37:05,535 --> 00:37:07,485 When people think about you, they think about your savior. 747 00:37:07,485 --> 00:37:09,315 When people think about you, they remember Jesus. 748 00:37:09,315 --> 00:37:12,075 They remember God, and, and they have a, an occasion with every 749 00:37:12,075 --> 00:37:14,085 memory of you to glorify God. 750 00:37:15,645 --> 00:37:17,175 Pastor Rob was talking about his stocks this morning 751 00:37:17,175 --> 00:37:18,165 during our pre-service prayer. 752 00:37:18,975 --> 00:37:20,565 He was like, I have a pair of socks that every time I put 753 00:37:20,565 --> 00:37:21,585 'em on, I pray for this person. 754 00:37:22,395 --> 00:37:24,585 Live a life like that pair of socks. 755 00:37:24,615 --> 00:37:29,535 That's a weird point to make, but live a life that anytime somebody remembers 756 00:37:29,535 --> 00:37:33,495 you or walks by your headstone, if they know you or knew you, they're gonna 757 00:37:33,495 --> 00:37:34,875 say, man, that person loves Jesus. 758 00:37:35,535 --> 00:37:37,215 That person made me love Jesus more. 759 00:37:38,625 --> 00:37:40,605 That's, that's the epitaph I want. 760 00:37:42,405 --> 00:37:43,845 The epitaph I want, in case you're curious. 761 00:37:43,845 --> 00:37:45,135 Nobody asks, but that's okay. 762 00:37:45,135 --> 00:37:45,825 I've got the microphone. 763 00:37:46,875 --> 00:37:49,245 I want my epitaph to say he loved Jesus most. 764 00:37:51,285 --> 00:37:53,295 I was thinking about that this week though, asking myself, 765 00:37:53,295 --> 00:37:54,285 have I lived that life? 766 00:37:56,115 --> 00:37:57,525 Am I worthy of that epitaph? 767 00:37:59,235 --> 00:38:01,065 And that's my question for us this morning. 768 00:38:02,355 --> 00:38:05,385 Unless you fly before you die, unless Christ comes back for the 769 00:38:05,385 --> 00:38:07,305 bride before we all are buried. 770 00:38:08,115 --> 00:38:09,825 Everyone in this room is gonna have one of those. 771 00:38:12,285 --> 00:38:13,095 What's it gonna say? 772 00:38:16,465 --> 00:38:25,200 I, I, I wanna suggest the only thing lasting, meaningful, the only ultimately 773 00:38:25,200 --> 00:38:28,560 significant thing is what this says about how you lived for the glory of God. 774 00:38:31,320 --> 00:38:34,590 Hebrews chapter 12, and I'll end with this, and then we'll shift 775 00:38:34,590 --> 00:38:35,700 gears to our communion time. 776 00:38:37,080 --> 00:38:39,600 Hebrews chapter 12, I, I'm sure you know the, the passage 777 00:38:39,600 --> 00:38:40,800 verses one and two says this. 778 00:38:40,800 --> 00:38:44,970 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also 779 00:38:44,970 --> 00:38:48,270 lay aside every weight and sin, which clings so closely and let us run with 780 00:38:48,270 --> 00:38:50,700 endurance the race that is set before us. 781 00:38:50,760 --> 00:38:54,270 Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who, for the 782 00:38:54,270 --> 00:38:58,770 joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated 783 00:38:58,770 --> 00:39:00,330 at the right hand of the throne of God. 784 00:39:01,290 --> 00:39:03,930 I thought about that verse anew this week. 785 00:39:05,280 --> 00:39:06,210 I thought about it this way. 786 00:39:06,210 --> 00:39:11,310 All of those witnesses picture a stadium filled with the witnesses. 787 00:39:12,360 --> 00:39:15,330 Remember y'all, they're there not to watch us and be impressed with us, 788 00:39:15,330 --> 00:39:18,600 but they're there so that we can look to them and remember the life they 789 00:39:18,600 --> 00:39:22,200 lived and faithfulness to Jesus and think to ourselves, we can keep going. 790 00:39:23,820 --> 00:39:26,310 It's not so much the spectators at the sporting event. 791 00:39:26,310 --> 00:39:28,650 It's like the marathon runners who already finished the race ahead of 792 00:39:28,650 --> 00:39:30,300 you and now they're lining the, the. 793 00:39:30,645 --> 00:39:33,285 The course cheering you on as you're running the race saying the 794 00:39:33,285 --> 00:39:35,565 finish line is there, you can do it. 795 00:39:37,125 --> 00:39:40,365 And in Hebrews, as it's looking back in Hebrews chapter 11, the Hall of 796 00:39:40,365 --> 00:39:43,095 Faith and, and talking about all of these great men and women of the faith. 797 00:39:43,410 --> 00:39:46,560 And the writer saying they lived lives to cause us to look at and to 798 00:39:46,560 --> 00:39:50,970 say, wow, look at their faith and to be spurred on in our own faith. 799 00:39:51,270 --> 00:39:52,260 They lived a life. 800 00:39:52,440 --> 00:39:56,940 The legacy of that life was one that that testified to the glory of God. 801 00:39:57,180 --> 00:40:00,270 And my question that hit me this week as I was prepping this, and the question I 802 00:40:00,270 --> 00:40:04,290 want us to ponder together this morning is this, will we take a seat in that 803 00:40:04,290 --> 00:40:06,090 arena next to those witnesses when we die? 804 00:40:08,160 --> 00:40:12,600 Is your life worthy of somebody looking at it going. 805 00:40:13,590 --> 00:40:13,860 Wow. 806 00:40:13,860 --> 00:40:14,970 Look at the faith. 807 00:40:15,750 --> 00:40:17,220 Look at how they serve the Lord. 808 00:40:18,270 --> 00:40:20,430 That's making me wanna serve the Lord more myself. 809 00:40:23,220 --> 00:40:24,960 That's my prayer for myself. 810 00:40:24,990 --> 00:40:29,700 That's my prayer for each and every one of us in this room, that that would be true. 811 00:40:32,790 --> 00:40:35,250 And, and here's the, the, the good news. 812 00:40:38,730 --> 00:40:42,240 The ability to do that is not based on your intellect this morning. 813 00:40:43,800 --> 00:40:46,830 Whether you live a life that glorifies God or not, has nothing to do with whether 814 00:40:46,830 --> 00:40:51,270 you went to Bible college or seminary, or what your job is, or if you're married 815 00:40:51,270 --> 00:40:53,640 or single or, or older or younger. 816 00:40:55,800 --> 00:41:01,290 If you want that testimony that says, man, I, I lived a life that glorifies God. 817 00:41:03,090 --> 00:41:06,300 The hinge pin in that comes down to what we're about to remember, which 818 00:41:06,300 --> 00:41:08,040 is the Lord's death on our behalf. 819 00:41:10,035 --> 00:41:12,945 See, we're gonna take communion together, and communion is this memorial. 820 00:41:12,945 --> 00:41:16,875 It's this time that we remember what Christ has done for us. 821 00:41:18,075 --> 00:41:21,075 And so as these elements are passed, as you reflect on this, remember 822 00:41:21,075 --> 00:41:25,965 that this is what enables you to live this life that glorifies God. 823 00:41:27,510 --> 00:41:29,595 It's gonna be the culmination of the glory of Christ. 824 00:41:30,360 --> 00:41:34,380 And it's the, the entrance for us into a life that we can live for 825 00:41:34,380 --> 00:41:36,000 the sake of the glory of the Father. 826 00:41:36,000 --> 00:41:38,730 So as the elements are passed, take them and then I'll come back up and we will 827 00:41:38,730 --> 00:41:41,070 observe them all together afterwards.