1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,939 Well, this morning we're gonna talk about how the gods are the, the gods. 2 00:00:02,939 --> 00:00:03,480 Hello. 3 00:00:07,049 --> 00:00:08,310 We believe in one God here. 4 00:00:08,459 --> 00:00:12,149 Um, this morning we're here to talk about how the odds. 5 00:00:13,590 --> 00:00:17,850 Are always in God's favor, despite contrary appearances, like showing 6 00:00:17,850 --> 00:00:20,460 up to a sermon that's a four point sermon in communion afterwards, 7 00:00:20,460 --> 00:00:21,450 which by the way, I'm aware of. 8 00:00:21,450 --> 00:00:24,689 So if you're like, oh man, this is gonna be a, we're never gonna make lunch. 9 00:00:24,750 --> 00:00:26,640 I'm aware, I, I'm watching, I'm watching. 10 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:29,430 I, I played soccer growing up. 11 00:00:29,430 --> 00:00:32,128 I played soccer in high school, and before that I, I played in elementary school, 12 00:00:32,128 --> 00:00:35,910 but there was one team that almost ruined it for me, uh, because, and all, we were 13 00:00:35,910 --> 00:00:37,470 a brown, I think we were the Wildcats. 14 00:00:37,470 --> 00:00:40,050 It was back in Plano Sports Association growing up out here. 15 00:00:40,410 --> 00:00:43,889 Uh, this team, we won one game all season, and that's because when we 16 00:00:43,889 --> 00:00:45,630 showed up, the other team didn't show up. 17 00:00:46,949 --> 00:00:50,550 So we, we were one in, one in whatever it was because of a forfeit. 18 00:00:51,089 --> 00:00:54,870 Every time we showed up, the odds were against us in that. 19 00:00:55,815 --> 00:00:58,064 And if we're real with ourselves this morning, sometimes it feels 20 00:00:58,064 --> 00:00:59,115 like that in life, doesn't it? 21 00:00:59,469 --> 00:01:02,624 In, in fact, as Christians sometimes we find ourselves in situations 22 00:01:02,624 --> 00:01:05,805 where we, if we can be so bold, we would even suggest that it feels 23 00:01:05,805 --> 00:01:06,914 like the odds are against God. 24 00:01:07,935 --> 00:01:09,824 We're going through a valley, we're going through a trial, we're 25 00:01:09,824 --> 00:01:10,755 going through a difficult time. 26 00:01:10,755 --> 00:01:14,294 Maybe you've lost a, a, a family member, or you've lost your job and you're 27 00:01:14,294 --> 00:01:17,324 watching bills stack up and you've gone to interview after interview after 28 00:01:17,324 --> 00:01:20,445 interview, and you're just not finding work and you're going, okay, God, I don't 29 00:01:20,445 --> 00:01:21,884 know how you're gonna work this one out. 30 00:01:23,865 --> 00:01:27,435 Or you've got an unbelieving spouse and, and you've shared the gospel over 31 00:01:27,435 --> 00:01:31,515 and over and over and over again with that spouse, and yet they have not come 32 00:01:31,515 --> 00:01:35,085 to faith in Christ and they've been seemingly getting harder and harder and 33 00:01:35,085 --> 00:01:39,195 harder towards the gospel and despising your faith more and more and more. 34 00:01:39,345 --> 00:01:41,865 And you sit there and you think to yourself, okay, God, I, I don't know 35 00:01:41,865 --> 00:01:43,035 how you're gonna work this one out. 36 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:48,419 Or maybe there's times where, uh, you've got a wayward child, a a child that you 37 00:01:48,419 --> 00:01:51,359 raised and you raised in the church, and you took them to the church from 38 00:01:51,359 --> 00:01:54,419 the time they were little until the time now that they're older and out of the 39 00:01:54,419 --> 00:01:57,810 house and, and you've been praying for their salvation and you've been thinking, 40 00:01:57,810 --> 00:02:01,740 okay, God, anytime Now, anytime you want to, to bring fruit from the seeds 41 00:02:01,740 --> 00:02:04,710 that were planted while they were in our kids' ministry or in Awana or in 42 00:02:04,710 --> 00:02:08,550 student ministry or at home with family devotions, and yet it's not happening, and 43 00:02:08,550 --> 00:02:11,340 you think to yourself, okay, God, I don't know how you're gonna work this one out. 44 00:02:12,420 --> 00:02:14,460 It is times like that that we have to remember the truth that we're 45 00:02:14,460 --> 00:02:15,660 gonna find in the text this morning. 46 00:02:15,660 --> 00:02:18,870 That despite contrary appearances, the odds are always in God's favor. 47 00:02:20,700 --> 00:02:23,340 Turn to John 18, if you will, starting in verse 12. 48 00:02:25,110 --> 00:02:27,780 We're gonna cover the rest of chapter 18 together this morning. 49 00:02:29,220 --> 00:02:30,375 John 18, verse 12. 50 00:02:30,375 --> 00:02:34,230 It says this, so the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of 51 00:02:34,230 --> 00:02:36,329 the Jews arrested Jesus, inbound him. 52 00:02:36,329 --> 00:02:39,720 Now, remember, this is perhaps up to 600 soldiers. 53 00:02:40,185 --> 00:02:41,685 That's what the word band in the Greek means. 54 00:02:41,685 --> 00:02:46,454 It was a a a A cohort, which could have numbered up to 600 of them. 55 00:02:47,325 --> 00:02:51,225 So these soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews, the, the 56 00:02:51,225 --> 00:02:56,565 officers sent from the Sadducees and the Pharisees arrested Jesus and bound him. 57 00:02:56,565 --> 00:02:59,265 Now, just for our timeframe, this is still Thursday night. 58 00:02:59,295 --> 00:03:02,655 This is the same evening that Jesus was in the upper room with the disciples 59 00:03:02,655 --> 00:03:06,285 eating the Passover meal with them washing their feet, teaching them that 60 00:03:06,285 --> 00:03:08,895 all that he had been teaching them throughout the upper room discourse. 61 00:03:08,895 --> 00:03:10,875 The high priestly prayer from John 17. 62 00:03:11,205 --> 00:03:14,745 All of this is still the same night, Thursday evening. 63 00:03:15,375 --> 00:03:18,285 It says in verse 13, first they led him to Anis, who, for he was 64 00:03:18,285 --> 00:03:21,495 the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year. 65 00:03:22,065 --> 00:03:24,765 Now, you might think to yourself, okay, if Caiaphas is the high 66 00:03:24,765 --> 00:03:28,635 priest, why did they take him to Anis the father-in-law of Caiaphas? 67 00:03:29,505 --> 00:03:32,715 What we have to know about, and, and this is some background to what's 68 00:03:32,715 --> 00:03:36,135 going on here, is that Anis was the high priest before Caiaphas. 69 00:03:36,525 --> 00:03:39,915 In fact, at this time, what had happened was the Romans came in and the Romans 70 00:03:39,915 --> 00:03:44,325 began to depose the the Jewish high priest and install a new high priest. 71 00:03:44,905 --> 00:03:47,725 This is one of the ways that they were exercising authority over the Jewish 72 00:03:47,725 --> 00:03:51,115 people, but for the Jewish people, they looked at the role and office of 73 00:03:51,115 --> 00:03:52,915 High Priest as a lifetime appointment. 74 00:03:53,385 --> 00:03:57,135 There was no being removed from the office of High Priest for them. 75 00:03:57,285 --> 00:04:01,245 And so even though the Romans had removed Anis from being high priest and 76 00:04:01,245 --> 00:04:05,355 it installed his son-in-law, Caiaphas as the high priest at this time in the 77 00:04:05,355 --> 00:04:09,315 Jewish mind, Anis was still the chief high priest, if I can put it that way. 78 00:04:09,464 --> 00:04:11,745 He was the patriarch of the high priestly family. 79 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:16,160 In fact, I believe up to nine other high priests came either from Anis sons or 80 00:04:16,160 --> 00:04:18,410 son-in-laws from this point forward. 81 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:20,990 And so that's why when the Jews are there and they arrest 82 00:04:20,990 --> 00:04:22,340 Jesus, they lead him to Anis. 83 00:04:22,340 --> 00:04:25,280 Now you might think, well, why Anis and why not Pilate immediately? 84 00:04:25,730 --> 00:04:28,610 The answer to that is the Jews were the arresting party here. 85 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:32,070 They had recruited Roman help and as we'll see here, they were gonna 86 00:04:32,070 --> 00:04:35,040 need Romans to get to, to where they ultimately wanted to get. 87 00:04:35,730 --> 00:04:39,750 But the reason they stopped first with Anis is because Anis was the, the high 88 00:04:39,750 --> 00:04:41,790 priest and this was a Jewish matter. 89 00:04:41,790 --> 00:04:43,530 At this point in time, I. 90 00:04:44,430 --> 00:04:48,090 In John's Gospel, we see a few of the trials of Jesus. 91 00:04:48,090 --> 00:04:52,680 But all in all in the gospels, there's six trials that Jesus will 92 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:58,590 stand for, for defense in and I, I use the word trials very loosely. 93 00:04:58,590 --> 00:05:01,320 In fact, even in our text, we're gonna see that these trials were not 94 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:03,600 conducted in accordance with Jewish law. 95 00:05:04,260 --> 00:05:07,380 And so the first, there is this one before Anis that we find in our text. 96 00:05:07,380 --> 00:05:08,730 The next is Caiaphas. 97 00:05:09,030 --> 00:05:11,490 John alludes to the trial before Caiaphas here, but doesn't 98 00:05:11,490 --> 00:05:12,870 give us any detail about it. 99 00:05:13,350 --> 00:05:16,350 After Caiaphas came to Sanhedrin in Matthew 27. 100 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:19,140 Yeah, and then he sent to Pilate, John 18. 101 00:05:19,140 --> 00:05:21,300 We're gonna get there in our passage from Pilate. 102 00:05:21,300 --> 00:05:24,630 He goes to Herod again, John doesn't record that, but Luke does for us. 103 00:05:24,870 --> 00:05:27,960 And then Herod sends him back to Pilate, and then we'll find that in the end of 104 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:29,820 our passage here in John chapter 18. 105 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:35,760 But six times Jesus is being tried for his apparent guilt. 106 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:38,250 John 1814. 107 00:05:38,250 --> 00:05:41,430 It says this, it was Caiaphas, by the way, who had advised the Jews 108 00:05:41,430 --> 00:05:43,950 that it would be expedient, that one man should die for the people. 109 00:05:43,950 --> 00:05:48,000 That's a callback from John to John chapter 11 verses 49 through 50. 110 00:05:48,510 --> 00:05:51,630 John 1149 through 50 says this, but one of them, Caiaphas, who 111 00:05:51,630 --> 00:05:54,390 was high priest that year, said to them, you know nothing at all. 112 00:05:54,390 --> 00:05:58,800 Nor do you understand it's better for you that one man should die for the people, 113 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:00,510 not the whole nation should perish. 114 00:06:00,885 --> 00:06:01,815 Same Caiaphas here. 115 00:06:01,815 --> 00:06:05,175 John's just framing that for us at this point. 116 00:06:05,175 --> 00:06:08,115 Peter and John, we're gonna find out are at least following Jesus at 117 00:06:08,115 --> 00:06:11,505 a distance, but man, things are not looking good for Jesus right now. 118 00:06:12,495 --> 00:06:14,295 Uh, up to 600 Roman soldiers. 119 00:06:14,295 --> 00:06:17,595 Plus the Sanhedrin officers arrested. 120 00:06:17,595 --> 00:06:22,425 Jesus took him into custody, bound him, led him before anus to be tried. 121 00:06:22,425 --> 00:06:25,095 He's gonna go through six trials, man, talk about the odds being 122 00:06:25,095 --> 00:06:27,225 stacked against someone at this point. 123 00:06:27,465 --> 00:06:31,035 It certainly looks from an earthly perspective, in a worldly perspective 124 00:06:31,035 --> 00:06:33,945 as we look at this, like the odds are stacked against God, like the 125 00:06:33,945 --> 00:06:36,405 odds are stacked against Jesus. 126 00:06:37,605 --> 00:06:39,645 But as I said, the odds are always in God's favor. 127 00:06:40,725 --> 00:06:45,885 In fact, acts chapter two, verse 23 says this, this Jesus delivered up according 128 00:06:45,885 --> 00:06:51,525 to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the 129 00:06:51,525 --> 00:06:54,345 hands of lawless men who killed Jesus. 130 00:06:54,345 --> 00:06:56,745 Did the Jews did the Romans, or did God? 131 00:06:57,375 --> 00:07:01,845 Yes, it was all in accordance with God's perfect plan. 132 00:07:02,669 --> 00:07:04,950 See, the odds are still in God's favor because God is the one that's 133 00:07:04,950 --> 00:07:08,370 orchestrating, like we talked about last week, orchestrating all of the details. 134 00:07:08,370 --> 00:07:11,550 So even here, man, it looks like the odds are against Jesus, but this 135 00:07:11,550 --> 00:07:15,450 is really exactly where God wanted Jesus and where Jesus needed to be. 136 00:07:16,409 --> 00:07:19,770 See, Jesus was arrested, but God's plan wasn't arrested, and that's 137 00:07:19,770 --> 00:07:21,390 point number one before us this week. 138 00:07:21,390 --> 00:07:21,690 It's this. 139 00:07:21,690 --> 00:07:22,440 Rejoice. 140 00:07:22,710 --> 00:07:25,050 God's plan can never be arrested. 141 00:07:26,070 --> 00:07:28,859 Rejoice that God's plan can never be arrested. 142 00:07:30,390 --> 00:07:32,400 What does the word arrest mean? 143 00:07:32,550 --> 00:07:37,770 Outside of the context of law enforcement, it means to stop something, right? 144 00:07:37,770 --> 00:07:39,090 Think cardiac arrest. 145 00:07:39,659 --> 00:07:42,120 Cardiac arrest is when your heart stops. 146 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:48,330 God's plan can never be stopped and, and the reason is, is God 147 00:07:48,330 --> 00:07:50,010 is the divine chess master. 148 00:07:50,460 --> 00:07:55,770 God is always 10 moves ahead, working to set up checkmate even when it might look 149 00:07:55,770 --> 00:07:57,690 like he's losing from our perspective. 150 00:08:00,645 --> 00:08:02,355 Why can God's plan never be arrested? 151 00:08:02,355 --> 00:08:04,245 Well, let's talk about what God's plan actually is. 152 00:08:04,245 --> 00:08:05,595 First Corinthians chapter 15. 153 00:08:05,595 --> 00:08:07,335 If you wanna flip over there real quick in your Bibles, first 154 00:08:07,335 --> 00:08:10,395 Corinthians 15 verses 24 through 28. 155 00:08:11,445 --> 00:08:13,965 First Corinthians 15 verses 24 through 28. 156 00:08:14,685 --> 00:08:16,155 The Apostle Paul, first Corinthians 15. 157 00:08:16,155 --> 00:08:18,135 If you know this chapter, it's the resurrection chapter. 158 00:08:18,585 --> 00:08:19,665 It's the chapter all about. 159 00:08:19,665 --> 00:08:22,665 Our faith is not in vain because in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. 160 00:08:23,175 --> 00:08:28,395 But in this context, he gives us an idea, an understanding of where God's plan is 161 00:08:28,395 --> 00:08:30,374 moving and why it can never be stopped. 162 00:08:31,965 --> 00:08:36,135 Verse 24 of one Corinthians 15 says this, then comes the end when he. 163 00:08:36,433 --> 00:08:41,025 Jesus delivers the kingdom to God the Father, after destroying every 164 00:08:41,025 --> 00:08:46,935 rule and every authority and power for He, Jesus must reign until he has 165 00:08:46,935 --> 00:08:49,185 put all his enemies under his feet. 166 00:08:49,545 --> 00:08:54,584 The last enemy to be destroyed is death For God has put all things in subjection 167 00:08:54,584 --> 00:08:58,635 under his feet, but when it says all things are put in subjection, it's 168 00:08:58,635 --> 00:09:03,645 plain that he is accepted, who put all things in subjection under him, meaning. 169 00:09:03,925 --> 00:09:06,624 The father is not being subjected to Jesus. 170 00:09:06,685 --> 00:09:09,264 The Father is subjecting all things to Jesus. 171 00:09:09,264 --> 00:09:13,614 Think Philippians chapter two, at the name of Jesus Christ, every knee will bow 172 00:09:13,614 --> 00:09:18,384 and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father. 173 00:09:18,384 --> 00:09:22,614 Everything subjected to Christ, but polishing not the Father, 174 00:09:22,614 --> 00:09:24,564 the Father is accepted from that. 175 00:09:25,079 --> 00:09:28,709 Verse 28, when all things are subjected to him, Jesus. 176 00:09:28,980 --> 00:09:34,260 Then the son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things 177 00:09:34,260 --> 00:09:40,530 in subjection under him that is the Father, that God may be all and in awe. 178 00:09:40,890 --> 00:09:42,300 This is the plan of God. 179 00:09:42,990 --> 00:09:46,740 This has been the plan of God as far as redemptive history is concerned. 180 00:09:46,890 --> 00:09:48,420 From the moment he said, let there be light. 181 00:09:49,470 --> 00:09:50,699 This is what God is doing. 182 00:09:51,390 --> 00:09:53,040 This is what God is moving towards. 183 00:09:53,130 --> 00:09:57,359 He's moving towards the culmination of the fact that Jesus Christ is going to be 184 00:09:57,359 --> 00:10:01,859 exalted by every single person in heaven, above on earth and under the earth. 185 00:10:01,890 --> 00:10:05,400 Every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord 186 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:08,250 to the glory of the Father, and then the Son is gonna take everything and 187 00:10:08,250 --> 00:10:12,750 subject it to the Father, including himself, that God in the end may be all 188 00:10:12,750 --> 00:10:16,319 there is, that He is all and in all. 189 00:10:16,950 --> 00:10:19,380 That there's no question about who is to be worshiped. 190 00:10:19,380 --> 00:10:21,720 There's no question about who gets the glory. 191 00:10:22,050 --> 00:10:24,060 That is where everything is moving. 192 00:10:24,210 --> 00:10:29,580 Uh, John puts it this way in Revelation 1115, then the seventh angel blew 193 00:10:29,580 --> 00:10:32,790 his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying The kingdom 194 00:10:32,790 --> 00:10:37,050 of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and 195 00:10:37,050 --> 00:10:39,689 he shall reign forever and ever. 196 00:10:40,620 --> 00:10:41,550 That's where we're moving. 197 00:10:41,910 --> 00:10:45,210 That's where we're going, and that plan can never be stopped, never be arrested. 198 00:10:45,660 --> 00:10:50,220 And that plan is gonna come to fruition through Jesus Christ. 199 00:10:50,819 --> 00:10:54,600 And, and so for us, it's one thing for us to think at the, the macro level 200 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:55,800 of that and be like, yes, I get it. 201 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:56,220 Amen. 202 00:10:56,220 --> 00:10:57,960 The, the, the plan of God can never be arrested. 203 00:10:57,960 --> 00:10:58,680 I'm fine with that. 204 00:11:00,540 --> 00:11:02,550 But what about when God medals in our life? 205 00:11:03,449 --> 00:11:04,560 What about on the micro level? 206 00:11:05,699 --> 00:11:09,329 Do you still believe that God's plan for you can never be arrested no 207 00:11:09,329 --> 00:11:10,590 matter what's going on in your life? 208 00:11:12,435 --> 00:11:14,414 This nation looks a lot different than it used to look. 209 00:11:14,414 --> 00:11:16,334 This, this state looks a lot different than it used to look. 210 00:11:16,545 --> 00:11:19,574 I mentioned last week the, the growth of Islam In this state, there's a, a 211 00:11:19,574 --> 00:11:23,324 planned center called Epic Center, east Plano, Islamic Center that's being built 212 00:11:23,564 --> 00:11:25,574 or proposed at least over in Plano. 213 00:11:25,574 --> 00:11:26,414 And there's some legal. 214 00:11:26,560 --> 00:11:30,520 Opposition to it now, but this is supposed to be a, a massive complex, a 215 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:35,949 400 acre Muslim only community that's supposed to feature a K through 12 Islamic 216 00:11:35,949 --> 00:11:38,020 school, as well as a community college. 217 00:11:38,170 --> 00:11:38,770 Mosque. 218 00:11:38,859 --> 00:11:42,819 Sharia law has been associated with this, and the broadcasting of the, the 219 00:11:42,819 --> 00:11:49,239 prayer, the Islamic call to prayer over the loudspeaker speakers in Plano, up 220 00:11:49,239 --> 00:11:53,739 in McKinney, there's a planned 40,000 square foot Islamic center that they're 221 00:11:53,739 --> 00:11:55,359 planning on, including another mosque. 222 00:11:56,834 --> 00:11:59,805 Here in Frisco, we have a 34,000 square foot Hindu temple. 223 00:12:02,655 --> 00:12:05,025 This is not the same Texas that I grew up in, in the nineties. 224 00:12:06,939 --> 00:12:10,244 And, and the question is, what do we do with this? 225 00:12:11,384 --> 00:12:13,214 Do we sit back and say, God, what are you doing? 226 00:12:13,214 --> 00:12:14,055 How can this happen? 227 00:12:14,444 --> 00:12:15,254 What's going on? 228 00:12:17,234 --> 00:12:20,805 But maybe even at that level, we're able to say, okay, God, your plan, not my plan. 229 00:12:22,094 --> 00:12:23,564 Just, just keep it outta my backyard. 230 00:12:26,055 --> 00:12:27,224 What if it comes into your backyard? 231 00:12:30,104 --> 00:12:34,754 What if your neighborhood in 10 years has speakers up on the light poles 232 00:12:34,754 --> 00:12:36,374 broadcasting the Islamic call of prayer? 233 00:12:38,924 --> 00:12:42,734 See, our plans might be arrested, but God's plan never will. 234 00:12:44,109 --> 00:12:47,174 And, and, and that's where it's, the rubber meets the road for us, y'all. 235 00:12:48,180 --> 00:12:51,600 Is when it, it comes out of this ambiguous theological doctrine. 236 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:54,960 God's in control of all things and it gets into our kitchen, into our 237 00:12:54,960 --> 00:12:59,100 life, and, and, and our family's security is now in jeopardy and, and 238 00:12:59,100 --> 00:13:00,900 our plans for our life is in jeopardy. 239 00:13:01,020 --> 00:13:05,370 And, and your spouse is rejecting Christ and your kids are walking away 240 00:13:05,430 --> 00:13:07,890 and you've got marital problems and the diagnosis came back and says, 241 00:13:07,890 --> 00:13:10,080 cancer stage four terminal, sorry. 242 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:11,670 We can't do anything to help you in that. 243 00:13:11,910 --> 00:13:14,790 That's when the question becomes, do you believe that God's plan 244 00:13:14,790 --> 00:13:15,930 can still never be arrested? 245 00:13:18,270 --> 00:13:20,310 Again, our plans can be arrested, but his plan can't. 246 00:13:22,590 --> 00:13:24,180 And so we see our savior arrested. 247 00:13:24,180 --> 00:13:26,520 We see our savior delivered over to the Jews. 248 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:28,740 We see our savior standing trial and we have to ask the question, 249 00:13:28,740 --> 00:13:31,949 do we believe even there that the odds are still in God's favor? 250 00:13:31,980 --> 00:13:33,745 'cause God's plan can never be arrested. 251 00:13:39,510 --> 00:13:41,699 The disciples were gonna learn that lesson, but it was gonna take them 252 00:13:41,699 --> 00:13:43,235 some time verses 15 through 18. 253 00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:47,729 We find what happens in the immediate context here and also in verses 25 254 00:13:47,729 --> 00:13:50,310 through 27, which is what we're gonna cover here in this next section. 255 00:13:51,209 --> 00:13:53,819 Uh, verses 15 through 18, Simon Peter followed Jesus 256 00:13:53,819 --> 00:13:55,109 and so did another disciple. 257 00:13:55,109 --> 00:13:56,219 We believe this is John. 258 00:13:56,699 --> 00:13:59,819 Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus 259 00:13:59,819 --> 00:14:01,619 into the courtyard of the high priest. 260 00:14:01,859 --> 00:14:05,849 But Peter stood outside at the door, so the other disciple who was known 261 00:14:05,849 --> 00:14:09,060 to the high priest went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch 262 00:14:09,060 --> 00:14:11,280 at the door and brought Peter in. 263 00:14:11,639 --> 00:14:14,910 The servant girl out the door said to Peter, you also are not one 264 00:14:14,910 --> 00:14:16,139 of this man's disciples, are you? 265 00:14:16,769 --> 00:14:18,629 He said, I am not. 266 00:14:18,704 --> 00:14:21,944 And now the servants and the officers had made a charcoal fire 267 00:14:21,944 --> 00:14:23,895 because it was cold and they were standing and warming themselves. 268 00:14:23,895 --> 00:14:25,814 And Peter also was with them standing and warming himself. 269 00:14:25,814 --> 00:14:30,435 So what's interesting here, what, what hit me this time reading this is she says, 270 00:14:30,435 --> 00:14:33,764 you also are not one of his disciples. 271 00:14:34,634 --> 00:14:37,035 Meaning they knew John was one of his followers. 272 00:14:38,009 --> 00:14:40,454 And, and so it's not as though Peter and John were both 273 00:14:40,484 --> 00:14:42,194 trying to be incognito here. 274 00:14:43,004 --> 00:14:46,364 Uh, it's not as though anyone was like, Hey, if you're his disciple, 275 00:14:46,364 --> 00:14:47,594 we're gonna kill you on the spot. 276 00:14:48,510 --> 00:14:52,290 John's able to walk right in and then come back and get Peter and bring Peter in. 277 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:56,850 And so really at this point in time, Peter has no reason to deny Jesus other 278 00:14:56,850 --> 00:14:59,670 than I think he's just so discombobulated by everything that's been happening. 279 00:15:00,270 --> 00:15:04,620 He's so thrown off and, and self-preservation is kicking in, but 280 00:15:04,620 --> 00:15:05,910 from here, it's only gonna ratchet up. 281 00:15:05,910 --> 00:15:09,150 If you look at verse 25, now, Simon Peter was standing and warming himself 282 00:15:09,150 --> 00:15:10,890 again with the officers in the servants. 283 00:15:10,890 --> 00:15:12,840 So now the stakes are a little bit higher. 284 00:15:13,470 --> 00:15:16,410 Now, there's some of the officers, the arresting officers that were there. 285 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:21,329 And one of them said to him, you also are not one of his disciples are you? 286 00:15:22,199 --> 00:15:24,420 And he denied it and said, I am not. 287 00:15:25,319 --> 00:15:27,749 And then one of the servants, this is when the stakes reached, the hi reached 288 00:15:27,749 --> 00:15:31,469 the highest for Peter, one of the servants of the high priest, a relative 289 00:15:31,469 --> 00:15:33,540 of the man whose ear Peter had cut off. 290 00:15:33,540 --> 00:15:35,459 This is Malus relative. 291 00:15:36,329 --> 00:15:39,599 He says, didn't I see you in the garden with him? 292 00:15:40,290 --> 00:15:41,400 Peter again denied it. 293 00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:42,630 And at once a rooster crow. 294 00:15:43,140 --> 00:15:43,469 Now. 295 00:15:44,084 --> 00:15:47,354 In these three denials, uh, we don't get all of the detail that 296 00:15:47,354 --> 00:15:48,704 we find in the synoptic gospels. 297 00:15:48,704 --> 00:15:51,374 Like when Peter finished denying him the third time and Jesus turned 298 00:15:51,374 --> 00:15:53,954 and looked at Peter, and Peter went out and whit wept bitterly. 299 00:15:55,394 --> 00:15:58,214 Or when it says that, that Peter was calling down and invoking curses 300 00:15:58,214 --> 00:16:02,354 upon himself as he was denying it the third time saying, if this is 301 00:16:02,354 --> 00:16:04,154 not so, let me basically be damned. 302 00:16:04,154 --> 00:16:05,175 Let me go to hell. 303 00:16:06,854 --> 00:16:08,084 We don't have that detail. 304 00:16:08,384 --> 00:16:10,124 The other gospels provide that for us. 305 00:16:10,635 --> 00:16:15,495 But before we make Peter the, the, the pin cushion doll for us and be like, I 306 00:16:15,495 --> 00:16:16,515 can't believe Peter would ever do that. 307 00:16:17,595 --> 00:16:20,834 Let's remember the other disciples have also abandoned Jesus. 308 00:16:21,584 --> 00:16:25,395 In fact, in Mark's gospel, we read this Mark 1415, they all left 309 00:16:25,395 --> 00:16:28,605 him and fled in Matthew 26 56. 310 00:16:28,605 --> 00:16:31,035 But all this had taken place that the scriptures of the 311 00:16:31,035 --> 00:16:32,235 prophets might be fulfilled. 312 00:16:32,564 --> 00:16:35,055 Then all the disciples left him and fled. 313 00:16:36,329 --> 00:16:39,180 Jesus had prophesied about this in Matthew 26 31. 314 00:16:39,180 --> 00:16:42,029 Jesus said to them, you will all fall away because of me. 315 00:16:42,029 --> 00:16:45,449 Tonight, for it is written, I will strike the shepherd and the sheep 316 00:16:45,449 --> 00:16:46,920 of the flock will be scattered. 317 00:16:47,790 --> 00:16:50,790 So you see, it wasn't just Peter's denials, albeit they 318 00:16:50,790 --> 00:16:54,300 were perhaps the most grievous example of the disciples failures. 319 00:16:54,779 --> 00:16:56,789 It was the failure of all of them together. 320 00:16:58,589 --> 00:17:02,549 But church, if we're honest with ourselves, we've also 321 00:17:02,549 --> 00:17:04,020 failed Jesus too, haven't we? 322 00:17:05,444 --> 00:17:07,785 We've been ashamed of him, like Peter was ashamed of him. 323 00:17:08,505 --> 00:17:12,464 We've denied him by our actions, by the life that we've lived. 324 00:17:13,244 --> 00:17:14,775 We've sinned against God. 325 00:17:16,575 --> 00:17:19,935 And so metaphorically speaking, we, we are not all that different from Peter 326 00:17:19,935 --> 00:17:22,335 in the, in the 12 Peter in the the 11. 327 00:17:26,055 --> 00:17:28,125 But there's encouragement for us this morning because this, 'cause 328 00:17:28,185 --> 00:17:31,455 remember again, at this point, okay, all his disciples have left him. 329 00:17:32,235 --> 00:17:35,715 His, one of his closest disciples, most ardent defenders, is now denying him. 330 00:17:36,645 --> 00:17:38,475 Again, talk about a situation where it seems like the odds 331 00:17:38,475 --> 00:17:40,035 are stacked against Jesus. 332 00:17:41,715 --> 00:17:42,435 And again, it's true. 333 00:17:42,435 --> 00:17:46,755 The odds are always in God's favor because those disciples failed him. 334 00:17:47,655 --> 00:17:49,005 That doesn't mean that his plan had failed. 335 00:17:49,995 --> 00:17:52,245 Our second point this morning, along those lines is this, praise God, 336 00:17:52,245 --> 00:17:54,075 our failures aren't God's failures. 337 00:17:55,575 --> 00:17:56,115 Praise God. 338 00:17:56,115 --> 00:17:58,905 Our failures aren't God's failures. 339 00:18:01,125 --> 00:18:04,815 That's such good news for all of us this morning because there's only one person to 340 00:18:04,815 --> 00:18:06,795 walk this earth and never fail the Father. 341 00:18:06,795 --> 00:18:07,635 And that's Jesus, 342 00:18:09,975 --> 00:18:10,815 him and him alone. 343 00:18:11,565 --> 00:18:14,295 And so all of us in this room, I, I, I trust have had those moments where 344 00:18:14,295 --> 00:18:19,065 we have felt the, the pain of our sin, the conviction, the guilt of our sin. 345 00:18:20,445 --> 00:18:22,905 And yet the encouragement for you this morning is that doesn't 346 00:18:22,905 --> 00:18:24,495 mean that God has failed. 347 00:18:26,130 --> 00:18:29,400 None of us in this room are important enough that our sin 348 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:30,630 could derail the plan of God. 349 00:18:31,830 --> 00:18:32,790 And that's good news. 350 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:37,140 So then the question becomes, what do I do with this? 351 00:18:37,440 --> 00:18:38,010 I worship him. 352 00:18:38,010 --> 00:18:38,700 I praise him for that. 353 00:18:38,700 --> 00:18:39,330 I'm encouraged by that. 354 00:18:39,330 --> 00:18:39,780 That's great. 355 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:43,110 But then I also want us to think about, so then what do we do with our sin? 356 00:18:43,890 --> 00:18:47,610 Because this point is not licensed to go out and sin boldly, well, if I 357 00:18:47,610 --> 00:18:49,320 can't mess up the plan of God, great. 358 00:18:49,380 --> 00:18:49,890 Let's go. 359 00:18:50,130 --> 00:18:51,570 Let's go eat, drink, and be merry. 360 00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:52,380 'cause why does it matter? 361 00:18:52,935 --> 00:18:53,595 It does matter. 362 00:18:53,805 --> 00:18:54,284 It does matter. 363 00:18:54,284 --> 00:18:56,115 So I want us to talk about what we do when we sin. 364 00:18:56,385 --> 00:19:00,764 Uh, maybe when you've sinned, you've been tempted to retreat inward into that 365 00:19:00,764 --> 00:19:02,445 kind of, that, that ball of self pity. 366 00:19:03,575 --> 00:19:08,070 Where, where you feel like you are unworthy and God would never use you 367 00:19:08,070 --> 00:19:12,420 and you can't go to church or you can't go to community group or you can't, 368 00:19:12,750 --> 00:19:15,090 uh, show up to serve or you can't pray. 369 00:19:15,225 --> 00:19:18,210 And, and, and what you end up doing in that moment is you end 370 00:19:18,210 --> 00:19:22,140 up sidelining yourself from a, a position saying, God, I've failed you 371 00:19:22,140 --> 00:19:25,590 and, and now your plan in my life, obviously you can't use me anymore. 372 00:19:27,210 --> 00:19:31,140 If that were true, you realize we wouldn't have any of the New Testament pretty much. 373 00:19:32,295 --> 00:19:34,545 Because everybody that wrote these books have failed God at 374 00:19:34,545 --> 00:19:35,535 one point in time or another. 375 00:19:37,095 --> 00:19:38,055 I mean, think about Paul. 376 00:19:39,465 --> 00:19:43,035 If God wouldn't use somebody who failed him, do you think he would ever use Paul? 377 00:19:43,965 --> 00:19:44,655 Think about Peter. 378 00:19:46,845 --> 00:19:50,535 Do you think God would ever use Peter if, if, if failure meant that man, 379 00:19:50,985 --> 00:19:55,995 God can't use me now that I failed, or Jesus' own brothers, right? 380 00:19:55,995 --> 00:19:59,505 James Jude, they thought he was crazy early on in his ministry. 381 00:20:00,885 --> 00:20:04,455 If, if our failure means that God's done with us 'cause he can't use us anymore, 382 00:20:04,455 --> 00:20:07,335 his plan for our life has failed, then, then we wouldn't have the Bible. 383 00:20:09,345 --> 00:20:12,135 And so we can't retreat inwards and, and sideline ourselves. 384 00:20:12,135 --> 00:20:15,524 Rather, we need to be quick to repent, but maybe our, our other response 385 00:20:15,524 --> 00:20:16,754 to our sin is we just shrug it off. 386 00:20:16,754 --> 00:20:18,375 Like, okay, well fine then it's no big deal. 387 00:20:19,220 --> 00:20:22,365 If, if my sin, my failure can't cause God to fail, then great. 388 00:20:22,425 --> 00:20:22,875 Awesome. 389 00:20:23,055 --> 00:20:24,645 Then I don't need to really worry about my sin. 390 00:20:24,645 --> 00:20:25,905 My sins not that big of a deal. 391 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:30,750 The danger there is that may reveal that we've got a conscience that's been seared. 392 00:20:32,485 --> 00:20:36,840 That, that we've ignored the spirits pressing in on an area of our life 393 00:20:36,840 --> 00:20:40,440 for so long, that, that we now have a, a calloused conscience to 394 00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:42,990 the spirit's voice in our life. 395 00:20:45,030 --> 00:20:47,909 We're not meant to, to melt into a ball of self pity, but we're 396 00:20:47,909 --> 00:20:51,120 also not meant to rush past the feelings of guilt and conviction. 397 00:20:52,230 --> 00:20:54,990 Those feelings are a mercy and a grace of God in our life. 398 00:20:55,020 --> 00:20:58,740 It meant to drive us to the cross, meant to cause us to go to Jesus. 399 00:20:58,740 --> 00:21:01,470 And remember where our sin can ultimately be aone for where our 400 00:21:01,470 --> 00:21:02,970 sin can ultimately be forgiven. 401 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:06,090 And so we need to not melt into a ball of self pity, but we 402 00:21:06,090 --> 00:21:07,260 also need to not shrug it off. 403 00:21:07,260 --> 00:21:08,310 So then what do we do? 404 00:21:08,310 --> 00:21:12,000 Well, when we feel the weight of our sin, when we feel that conviction, we need 405 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:14,730 to truly repent and put it away from us. 406 00:21:15,420 --> 00:21:17,370 The Apostle Paul helps us understand what that looks like 407 00:21:17,370 --> 00:21:19,230 in second Corinthians seven 11. 408 00:21:19,320 --> 00:21:23,460 Two Corinthians seven 11 talks about what godly repentance looks like. 409 00:21:23,460 --> 00:21:28,290 He says this, foresee what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you. 410 00:21:28,860 --> 00:21:32,850 What eagerness to clear yourself of that sin. 411 00:21:32,850 --> 00:21:35,610 To say that that sins got no claim on me anymore. 412 00:21:36,330 --> 00:21:37,140 It's done. 413 00:21:37,140 --> 00:21:42,810 I'm, I'm, I'm putting it behind me, but also what Indignation He says, 414 00:21:42,810 --> 00:21:44,580 indignation at the thought of the sin. 415 00:21:45,300 --> 00:21:47,700 That, that it becomes repulsive to us. 416 00:21:47,820 --> 00:21:48,810 What fear? 417 00:21:49,380 --> 00:21:52,740 Uh, that fear that we should venture back into it, that we should slide 418 00:21:52,740 --> 00:21:56,040 back into that sin what longing? 419 00:21:56,040 --> 00:21:59,640 A, a longing that that would never come back in our life again. 420 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:02,670 A desire that it would never be associated with us ever again. 421 00:22:03,090 --> 00:22:03,870 What zeal? 422 00:22:03,870 --> 00:22:06,240 A passion for godliness and for holiness. 423 00:22:06,630 --> 00:22:09,900 A zeal for that which is the opposite of the, the sin that we've just committed. 424 00:22:10,710 --> 00:22:14,160 What punishment think When Paul says, I discipline my body and make it my 425 00:22:14,160 --> 00:22:17,130 slave, we're gonna do, we're gonna discipline ourselves to make sure that 426 00:22:17,130 --> 00:22:19,140 we're never going to do that sin again. 427 00:22:19,470 --> 00:22:21,840 This is godly repentance when we sin. 428 00:22:25,410 --> 00:22:27,270 And so it's, it's good news. 429 00:22:27,270 --> 00:22:30,390 Back to our point that the carrying out of God's plan in this world 430 00:22:30,390 --> 00:22:31,920 is not dependent on you and me. 431 00:22:33,240 --> 00:22:34,230 That's such good news. 432 00:22:34,380 --> 00:22:36,240 Our failures aren't God's failures, y'all. 433 00:22:36,270 --> 00:22:38,220 That also means that none of us are indispensable to him. 434 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:39,360 Right. 435 00:22:40,230 --> 00:22:43,260 That he doesn't need any of us in this room. 436 00:22:43,950 --> 00:22:46,590 Your existence in this moment isn't because God needs you, 437 00:22:46,590 --> 00:22:47,550 but because he loves you. 438 00:22:51,090 --> 00:22:53,520 That said again, my, my fear with the point like this is that I don't want 439 00:22:53,520 --> 00:22:55,080 us to walk away trivializing our sin. 440 00:22:56,610 --> 00:23:00,540 And so while our sin can't lead to the failure of God's plan, our sin can 441 00:23:00,540 --> 00:23:02,430 lead to the hindrance of God's plan. 442 00:23:04,020 --> 00:23:04,770 Lemme explain what I mean. 443 00:23:04,770 --> 00:23:07,440 Last year, churches in our area, were in the news multiple 444 00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:09,120 times for all the wrong reasons. 445 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:12,360 You had multiple pastors. 446 00:23:12,360 --> 00:23:14,790 I think at, at one count, pastor Rod and I were keeping track. 447 00:23:14,790 --> 00:23:20,760 We had at least eight that we knew of pastors who disqualified themselves 448 00:23:21,030 --> 00:23:25,170 or were even arrested for acts under unbecoming, a, a decent human being, let 449 00:23:25,170 --> 00:23:26,910 alone a, a minister of the word of God. 450 00:23:28,470 --> 00:23:30,300 And that was a black eye to the church. 451 00:23:31,020 --> 00:23:34,560 Social media posts were littered with comments, feigning shock, 452 00:23:34,590 --> 00:23:37,260 saying, well, this is true of every pastor that's out there, so why 453 00:23:37,260 --> 00:23:38,850 should we all be surprised at this? 454 00:23:42,225 --> 00:23:43,275 Lemme ask one question first. 455 00:23:43,275 --> 00:23:45,015 Does that mean that God's plan for reaching people in North 456 00:23:45,015 --> 00:23:48,435 Texas has failed because those pastors disqualified themselves? 457 00:23:49,965 --> 00:23:52,605 No, but let me ask this. 458 00:23:52,605 --> 00:23:53,415 Has it been hindered? 459 00:23:54,435 --> 00:23:56,385 Have there been obstacles put in the way? 460 00:23:57,735 --> 00:24:00,825 Has it become more challenging for us because of the actions of those men? 461 00:24:01,935 --> 00:24:03,855 Undoubtedly, the answer to that question is yes. 462 00:24:05,220 --> 00:24:09,450 So, while our sin doesn't mean that God's plan has failed, our sin can lead to the 463 00:24:09,450 --> 00:24:12,570 hindrance, the obstacle, the the slowing down of the progression of that plan. 464 00:24:13,110 --> 00:24:14,940 And that should, what should that do with us? 465 00:24:14,940 --> 00:24:18,330 That should instill within us a, a fear that we would ever do something that 466 00:24:18,330 --> 00:24:22,350 would lead to God's plan being hindered or slowed down in its accomplishment. 467 00:24:22,830 --> 00:24:27,390 Pastor Ada often cites this quote from DA Carson, and I think it's appropriate here. 468 00:24:27,390 --> 00:24:28,380 Carson said this. 469 00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:31,590 He said, I, I do not know how many times I've sung the words, oh, 470 00:24:31,590 --> 00:24:35,370 let me never, never outlive my love for thee, but I mean them. 471 00:24:35,970 --> 00:24:38,639 I would rather die than end up unfaithful to my wife. 472 00:24:38,639 --> 00:24:43,260 I would rather die than deny by a prolate life what I have taught in my books. 473 00:24:43,320 --> 00:24:47,220 I would rather die than deny or disown the gospel. 474 00:24:47,580 --> 00:24:51,120 God knows there are many things in my past of which I'm deeply ashamed. 475 00:24:51,360 --> 00:24:55,440 I would not want such shame to multiply and bring dishonor 476 00:24:55,530 --> 00:24:57,600 to Christ in years to come. 477 00:24:57,870 --> 00:25:00,240 There are worse things than dying. 478 00:25:01,995 --> 00:25:05,625 And so we, we need that balance with this second point here that 479 00:25:05,625 --> 00:25:08,505 we should praise God that our failures aren't God's failures. 480 00:25:08,985 --> 00:25:11,025 We praise him because that means that, that we're not 481 00:25:11,025 --> 00:25:12,825 gonna ever derail God's plan. 482 00:25:13,035 --> 00:25:16,095 That, that whatever your past looks like, Christian God is 483 00:25:16,095 --> 00:25:17,625 not done with you this morning. 484 00:25:17,970 --> 00:25:20,340 You have not failed your way out of usefulness to him. 485 00:25:20,340 --> 00:25:23,400 You have not sinned your way out of usefulness to him that if there is 486 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:27,570 genuine repentance, then God is delighting in continuing to use broken people 487 00:25:27,570 --> 00:25:29,340 for the accomplishment of his plan. 488 00:25:29,340 --> 00:25:33,630 That's how he gets all the glory, but we have to balance that with 489 00:25:33,630 --> 00:25:37,560 this reality that we should fear ever doing anything that would lead to the 490 00:25:37,560 --> 00:25:41,370 hindrance and obstacle put in the way of the accomplishing of that plan. 491 00:25:43,470 --> 00:25:46,080 We can do a lot of harm. 492 00:25:46,980 --> 00:25:49,560 We can do a lot to make it look like the odds are stacked against God. 493 00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:52,350 But praise God, the odds are always in his favor. 494 00:25:52,770 --> 00:25:56,340 Jump back up in the passage now of verses 19 through 24, which I skipped over here. 495 00:25:57,120 --> 00:25:59,220 Jesus is gonna appear here before anus. 496 00:25:59,220 --> 00:26:00,360 It says there in verse 19. 497 00:26:00,360 --> 00:26:03,780 The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. 498 00:26:04,740 --> 00:26:09,450 And the high priest had had more than a, a passing interest in Jesus' followers here. 499 00:26:09,450 --> 00:26:11,970 And this tells us that, that Jesus was actually. 500 00:26:12,495 --> 00:26:16,095 Insightful and and wise to step forward and say, who do you seek 501 00:26:16,095 --> 00:26:17,385 when he did so in the garden? 502 00:26:18,105 --> 00:26:20,625 Because now Anis is saying, Hey, tell me about your followers. 503 00:26:21,645 --> 00:26:24,615 Jesus is gonna ignore that, and he's gonna go straight to the second 504 00:26:24,615 --> 00:26:25,875 question about his own teaching. 505 00:26:25,875 --> 00:26:26,595 Look at verse 20. 506 00:26:27,764 --> 00:26:32,264 Jesus says here, he says, I have spoken openly to the world. 507 00:26:32,625 --> 00:26:36,615 I've always taught in synagogues and in the temple where all Jews come together. 508 00:26:36,915 --> 00:26:38,535 I've said nothing in secret. 509 00:26:38,535 --> 00:26:42,225 Why then do you ask me, ask those who have heard me what I said to them. 510 00:26:42,405 --> 00:26:44,085 They know what I said. 511 00:26:44,925 --> 00:26:48,195 What's going on here is, is more than what meets the eye on our initial reading 512 00:26:48,195 --> 00:26:52,845 of this, and, and we have to understand the, the procedure in Jewish law, Anis 513 00:26:52,845 --> 00:26:57,015 was not supposed to be interrogating Jesus about his teaching at this point. 514 00:26:57,525 --> 00:27:00,435 The way that the Jewish law system was set up was Anis was supposed to 515 00:27:00,435 --> 00:27:04,845 be talking to those that were bringing charges against Jesus, not to Jesus. 516 00:27:05,325 --> 00:27:09,105 And so when Jesus says that to Anis, Jesus is not just appealing to the 517 00:27:09,105 --> 00:27:14,235 integrity of his ministry, which he was, but more so, Jesus is issuing a 518 00:27:14,235 --> 00:27:18,345 tacit rebuke to Anis the high priest who should have known better that annis. 519 00:27:18,345 --> 00:27:21,075 You are not doing things in accordance with the law right now. 520 00:27:21,675 --> 00:27:23,445 Why are you talking to me? 521 00:27:23,505 --> 00:27:24,345 Is his question. 522 00:27:24,810 --> 00:27:28,500 Talk to the ones that you are looking to for charges against me. 523 00:27:28,680 --> 00:27:31,830 Now, the reason Annis couldn't do that is because at this point they didn't 524 00:27:31,830 --> 00:27:33,540 have anything to charge Jesus with. 525 00:27:34,170 --> 00:27:38,490 They're scrambling still trying to fi find even lying testimony to agree. 526 00:27:38,520 --> 00:27:40,050 'cause you need two or more witnesses. 527 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:42,360 They can't find people to agree together. 528 00:27:42,764 --> 00:27:45,945 And so at this point in time, anus is only left to talk to Jesus. 529 00:27:45,975 --> 00:27:49,995 But that's why in verse 22, it says, when he said these things, one of the officers 530 00:27:49,995 --> 00:27:54,285 standing by struck Jesus with his hand. 531 00:27:54,285 --> 00:27:56,595 Man, that jumped off the page at me this week too, thinking about 532 00:27:56,595 --> 00:28:02,264 that to strike the son of God at all, but let alone with your hand. 533 00:28:04,785 --> 00:28:08,170 But the reason he does this is because he picks up on what Jesus has just done. 534 00:28:09,030 --> 00:28:12,780 That Jesus has just called out anus for not doing things in accordance with 535 00:28:12,780 --> 00:28:18,030 what the law was supposed to be, and so that's why Jesus responds when he says, 536 00:28:18,030 --> 00:28:19,410 is that how you answer the high priest? 537 00:28:19,410 --> 00:28:21,570 Jesus says, if what I said is wrong, tell me. 538 00:28:21,840 --> 00:28:24,060 Show me bear witness about the wrong. 539 00:28:24,540 --> 00:28:25,770 But what I said is right. 540 00:28:26,070 --> 00:28:27,450 Why do you strike me? 541 00:28:29,655 --> 00:28:35,430 In this context, what we see is, is Jesus is unashamed to stand by his word. 542 00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:38,520 He knows that his word is impugn. 543 00:28:39,060 --> 00:28:43,980 He knows that everything that he's taught is is completely true. 544 00:28:43,980 --> 00:28:46,470 He knows that there's nothing that they can charge him with 545 00:28:46,470 --> 00:28:48,270 as far as wrongdoing or error. 546 00:28:49,965 --> 00:28:52,590 It says in verse 28, then they led Jesus from the House of Caiaphas 547 00:28:52,590 --> 00:28:53,580 to the governor's headquarters. 548 00:28:53,580 --> 00:28:54,629 And it was early morning. 549 00:28:55,050 --> 00:28:57,389 They themselves did not enter the governor's headquarters so that they would 550 00:28:57,389 --> 00:28:59,310 not be defi, but could eat the Passover. 551 00:28:59,669 --> 00:29:01,649 There is so much going on here, and that's what I get for 552 00:29:01,649 --> 00:29:03,000 choosing such a large passage. 553 00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:04,110 I, I wish I had more time. 554 00:29:04,440 --> 00:29:05,970 Can I commend something to you? 555 00:29:06,300 --> 00:29:11,159 Uh, there's a, a, a channel on YouTube called Expedition Bible Expedition Bible. 556 00:29:11,159 --> 00:29:11,879 Great channel. 557 00:29:11,879 --> 00:29:13,230 So many great videos on there. 558 00:29:13,710 --> 00:29:17,190 Uh, there's a video called, is this where Jesus was tried by Pilate. 559 00:29:17,820 --> 00:29:19,440 Is this where Jesus was tried by Pilate? 560 00:29:19,440 --> 00:29:21,690 It's worth watching 'cause it's talking about this exact scene. 561 00:29:21,690 --> 00:29:24,450 It's gonna give you a whole nother layer of what's going on here that I just 562 00:29:24,450 --> 00:29:25,800 don't have time to get into this morning. 563 00:29:26,250 --> 00:29:28,830 But lemme just say this, the reason they didn't want to enter into the 564 00:29:28,830 --> 00:29:32,639 governor's headquarters, which I believe was the Ian Palace at this time, was 565 00:29:32,639 --> 00:29:36,764 there were probably, according to Josephus, at least statutes, statutes 566 00:29:36,764 --> 00:29:38,070 to fault gods in the courtyard. 567 00:29:38,475 --> 00:29:41,925 And so if they were to enter in there, that would've been defiling themselves by 568 00:29:41,925 --> 00:29:45,045 entering into the presence of these false gods that were in the courtyard there. 569 00:29:45,105 --> 00:29:47,715 And it says that they wanted to be able to keep the Passover. 570 00:29:47,925 --> 00:29:51,135 Now, you may be thinking, didn't they already have the Passover meal? 571 00:29:51,135 --> 00:29:53,565 Isn't that what Jesus ate in the upper room with his disciples? 572 00:29:53,775 --> 00:29:56,055 In fact, Mark's gospel says as much and Mark. 573 00:29:56,055 --> 00:30:00,930 1412, it says, on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed 574 00:30:00,930 --> 00:30:05,160 the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, where will you have us go and 575 00:30:05,160 --> 00:30:07,140 prepare for you to eat the Passover? 576 00:30:07,470 --> 00:30:10,020 So it's unquestionable that the meal they had during the upper 577 00:30:10,020 --> 00:30:11,730 room was the Passover meal. 578 00:30:12,030 --> 00:30:15,330 And so what's happening here is we have to remember that the Passover 579 00:30:15,330 --> 00:30:18,750 meal kicked off what's known as the Feast of Unleavened bread. 580 00:30:19,110 --> 00:30:23,010 And sometimes the whole thing was referred to as the Passover, so the Jews 581 00:30:23,010 --> 00:30:26,790 didn't wanna become defiled so that they could continue to remember, continue to 582 00:30:26,790 --> 00:30:30,900 celebrate, continue to observe the feast of unleavened bread, the whole thing. 583 00:30:31,170 --> 00:30:35,790 That's why they're not gonna enter into the courtyard there of the governor's. 584 00:30:35,865 --> 00:30:41,715 Headquarters of, of Herod's palace Pilate takes Jesus and says, take him 585 00:30:41,715 --> 00:30:43,575 yourselves and judge him by your own law. 586 00:30:43,575 --> 00:30:45,855 And the Jews said, it's not lawful for us to put anyone to death. 587 00:30:46,155 --> 00:30:47,835 And so here's what I want you to see here. 588 00:30:48,045 --> 00:30:50,475 They can't find anything to stick to Jesus. 589 00:30:51,195 --> 00:30:52,965 Pilate can't find anything to stick to Jesus. 590 00:30:53,205 --> 00:30:54,645 Anis can't find anything to stick to. 591 00:30:54,645 --> 00:30:57,555 Jesus doesn't find anything to stick to Jesus. 592 00:30:58,455 --> 00:31:01,245 And the reason is, is because of the unquestionable truth of 593 00:31:01,305 --> 00:31:03,345 Jesus' ministry in his word. 594 00:31:04,815 --> 00:31:06,255 Our third point this week is this. 595 00:31:06,255 --> 00:31:10,935 Along those lines, we need to act on the unquestionable truth of God's word. 596 00:31:12,435 --> 00:31:16,275 We've got a tall order, a, a mission that in some regards can seem like we 597 00:31:16,275 --> 00:31:20,385 are up against it, like the odds are stacked against us as a church to take 598 00:31:20,385 --> 00:31:22,335 the gospel to a lost and dying world. 599 00:31:23,145 --> 00:31:26,985 And yet we need to remember in that moment that we have the unquestionable 600 00:31:26,985 --> 00:31:29,745 truth of God's word, the, the, the word that Jesus was able to say, 601 00:31:29,925 --> 00:31:31,455 show me what I've said That's wrong. 602 00:31:32,595 --> 00:31:35,355 We have the message, we have the truth of the word of God to be able 603 00:31:35,355 --> 00:31:38,595 to act on, to be able to take, to lost and dying people, to be able to call 604 00:31:38,595 --> 00:31:39,945 them to faith and repentance in him. 605 00:31:40,035 --> 00:31:43,004 And so even though we look at the mission and say, this seems like a tall order, 606 00:31:43,155 --> 00:31:46,305 like the odds might be stacked against God, the odds are always in God's favor. 607 00:31:46,545 --> 00:31:49,665 And that shows up for us as we seek to, to, to reach the loss by 608 00:31:49,665 --> 00:31:54,135 knowing that we have the impugn word of God, which is able to save. 609 00:31:55,305 --> 00:31:58,935 The question under this point for you this morning is, do you believe that? 610 00:32:00,495 --> 00:32:01,575 Do you believe that? 611 00:32:03,495 --> 00:32:06,015 Again, outside of these four walls, do you believe that? 612 00:32:08,475 --> 00:32:09,765 Do you believe in God? 613 00:32:09,765 --> 00:32:10,995 Father, son and Holy Spirit? 614 00:32:12,405 --> 00:32:16,935 Do you believe in the realities of sin and the realities of eternal judgment 615 00:32:16,965 --> 00:32:19,125 for that sin suffering under God's wrath? 616 00:32:21,770 --> 00:32:25,215 Do you believe that if your lost neighbors don't repent and believe in 617 00:32:25,215 --> 00:32:28,395 Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins, that that they will go to hell? 618 00:32:31,185 --> 00:32:34,155 Do you believe that if your lost coworkers don't do that, that they will go to hell? 619 00:32:36,135 --> 00:32:38,445 Do you believe if your lost family members don't repent and believe 620 00:32:38,445 --> 00:32:40,125 in Jesus that they will go to hell? 621 00:32:43,245 --> 00:32:47,595 Do you believe in the power of the gospel to change that reality? 622 00:32:52,665 --> 00:32:54,885 If so, have you shown it? 623 00:32:57,615 --> 00:33:01,395 See my, my concern, my, my, and I'm preaching to myself here, church, and 624 00:33:01,395 --> 00:33:05,595 I have been all week long in this, is that we say we believe all these things 625 00:33:05,595 --> 00:33:07,305 here, and that's super easy to do, 626 00:33:11,505 --> 00:33:14,115 but I think what shows whether or not we really believe this is whether or not 627 00:33:14,115 --> 00:33:16,005 we're actually acting upon these beliefs. 628 00:33:21,255 --> 00:33:22,605 Are we sharing the gospel with people? 629 00:33:23,955 --> 00:33:29,685 If we have the, the, the unquestionable word of God that contains all of these 630 00:33:29,685 --> 00:33:32,925 realities that I just mentioned, and you're living next door to somebody 631 00:33:32,925 --> 00:33:37,875 who is a, an, an aneurysm, a heart attack, a a car accident away from 632 00:33:37,875 --> 00:33:41,835 dying and going to hell, and you're content to just let it happen. 633 00:33:43,815 --> 00:33:44,895 Do you really believe it? 634 00:33:47,205 --> 00:33:47,775 Do I believe it? 635 00:33:49,875 --> 00:33:51,345 How many of your neighbors do you know? 636 00:33:54,090 --> 00:33:54,780 Actually no, 637 00:34:02,340 --> 00:34:04,950 we're, we're, we're trying to get people to put a yard sign in the front yard 638 00:34:09,060 --> 00:34:12,899 in some, I, I, I, not thinking of anyone specific in this room, honestly, but, 639 00:34:12,899 --> 00:34:15,899 but some may be sitting out here this morning, even embarrassed to do that. 640 00:34:20,370 --> 00:34:21,750 Y'all eternity's at stake. 641 00:34:24,630 --> 00:34:28,500 And if we believe what we say we believe about what's in this book, 642 00:34:29,639 --> 00:34:30,690 are we doing anything about it? 643 00:34:31,620 --> 00:34:32,429 Are we acting on it 644 00:34:34,739 --> 00:34:35,400 when we get to heaven? 645 00:34:35,400 --> 00:34:37,320 God's not gonna be impressed with our doctrine in theology. 646 00:34:38,010 --> 00:34:41,580 You know, my greatest fear is that we would end up as the Church of Ephesus. 647 00:34:42,960 --> 00:34:45,659 A church that's got all the doctrine, all the theology that we're here, 648 00:34:45,659 --> 00:34:48,629 that we're, we're strong internally, that we've got great ministries, 649 00:34:48,629 --> 00:34:51,060 that people are growing in their strong marriages and everything else. 650 00:34:51,060 --> 00:34:52,799 And yet we've forgotten our first love. 651 00:34:54,690 --> 00:34:57,930 God told that church, Hey, if you don't repent, I'm gonna remove the lampstand. 652 00:34:58,740 --> 00:35:01,290 I'm firmly convinced church that if we don't get after reaching 653 00:35:01,290 --> 00:35:03,960 lost people for Christ, that this church will absolutely fail. 654 00:35:05,580 --> 00:35:10,230 It doesn't matter how strong the pulpit is, 'cause we're not here. 655 00:35:12,990 --> 00:35:16,770 To get spiritually sw for us to just look in the spiritual mirror 656 00:35:16,770 --> 00:35:18,120 and be like, look how great we are. 657 00:35:20,190 --> 00:35:21,870 We're here on Mission for Jesus. 658 00:35:26,940 --> 00:35:29,250 Act on the unquestionable truth of God's word. 659 00:35:30,029 --> 00:35:33,930 I get that the difficulty there, that that's hard and 660 00:35:33,930 --> 00:35:35,670 that's frightening sometimes. 661 00:35:37,210 --> 00:35:38,625 I, I love what Ray Comfort says. 662 00:35:38,654 --> 00:35:40,995 He says, look, if you're fearful about sharing those realities with 663 00:35:40,995 --> 00:35:42,195 people, don't pray for less fear. 664 00:35:42,195 --> 00:35:43,065 Pray for more love. 665 00:35:44,985 --> 00:35:45,585 I love that. 666 00:35:46,154 --> 00:35:46,725 Love for who. 667 00:35:47,775 --> 00:35:48,525 Love for the lost. 668 00:35:49,904 --> 00:35:53,055 Pray that God would cause you to love them more, such that you're like, 669 00:35:53,955 --> 00:35:57,975 if I don't share the gospel with them, I know where they're going. 670 00:35:58,904 --> 00:35:59,895 So woe to me if I don't. 671 00:36:02,384 --> 00:36:05,685 Act on the unconquerable unquestionable truth of God's word. 672 00:36:05,685 --> 00:36:06,884 Verses 33 and following. 673 00:36:07,694 --> 00:36:10,845 So Pilate Enters, entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to 674 00:36:10,845 --> 00:36:12,975 him, are you the king of the Jews? 675 00:36:13,365 --> 00:36:15,944 Pilate's perking up now because this is threatening him politically. 676 00:36:16,484 --> 00:36:19,544 Because if Rome catches word that in Pilate's district, there's a king of 677 00:36:19,544 --> 00:36:22,124 the Jews, Rome's not gonna like that. 678 00:36:22,439 --> 00:36:24,390 And so Pilate's, a little nervous at this point. 679 00:36:24,390 --> 00:36:25,770 He's gonna get more nervous next week. 680 00:36:26,100 --> 00:36:26,879 Jesus answered. 681 00:36:26,879 --> 00:36:30,210 Do you say this of your own accord or did others say it to you about me? 682 00:36:30,509 --> 00:36:32,700 He's trying to fish for what's going on here with Pilate. 683 00:36:33,240 --> 00:36:34,470 Pilate answered, am I a Jew? 684 00:36:34,770 --> 00:36:37,109 Your own nation and the chief priest have delivered you over to me? 685 00:36:37,379 --> 00:36:38,759 What have you done? 686 00:36:39,149 --> 00:36:41,250 So Pilate's saying, why are you here? 687 00:36:41,310 --> 00:36:42,480 Tell me what's going on here. 688 00:36:43,529 --> 00:36:44,129 Verse 36. 689 00:36:44,129 --> 00:36:44,759 Jesus answered. 690 00:36:44,759 --> 00:36:45,750 He says, my kingdom. 691 00:36:46,634 --> 00:36:47,415 Yes, I am a king. 692 00:36:47,714 --> 00:36:49,095 My kingdom, it's not of this world. 693 00:36:49,455 --> 00:36:52,185 If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would've been fighting 694 00:36:52,185 --> 00:36:55,125 that I might not be delivered over to the Jews, but my kingdom 695 00:36:55,335 --> 00:36:59,745 is not from this world, y'all. 696 00:36:59,745 --> 00:37:02,595 This is why in John chapter six, Jesus didn't allow them to seize him and make 697 00:37:02,595 --> 00:37:04,214 him king after the feeding of the 5,000. 698 00:37:05,145 --> 00:37:08,025 This is why last week when we looked at it, Jesus said to Peter, 699 00:37:08,025 --> 00:37:09,555 put your sword back in its sheath. 700 00:37:09,615 --> 00:37:13,095 And he healed malus because his kingdom wasn't gonna be a kingdom 701 00:37:13,185 --> 00:37:14,924 earthly, but a kingdom to come. 702 00:37:15,990 --> 00:37:18,090 Pilate says in verse 37, so you are a king. 703 00:37:18,090 --> 00:37:18,930 Jesus answered. 704 00:37:18,960 --> 00:37:20,160 You say that I'm a king. 705 00:37:20,160 --> 00:37:21,840 That's a way of him saying yes. 706 00:37:21,900 --> 00:37:25,620 Basically for this purpose, I was born and for this purpose, I have come into 707 00:37:25,620 --> 00:37:27,600 the world to bear witness to the truth. 708 00:37:27,840 --> 00:37:30,060 Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice. 709 00:37:30,330 --> 00:37:34,200 Jesus is inviting Pilate to understand and acknowledge this truth at this 710 00:37:34,200 --> 00:37:40,290 point, but Pilate in an act of cynicism, utters the famous phrase, what is truth? 711 00:37:41,984 --> 00:37:44,115 After he had said this, he went back outside of the Jews and told 712 00:37:44,115 --> 00:37:46,845 them, I find no guilt in him. 713 00:37:47,504 --> 00:37:49,424 What I want us to see in this last point this morning is this. 714 00:37:49,604 --> 00:37:51,975 I want us to notice what Jesus says about his kingdom. 715 00:37:52,214 --> 00:37:54,645 My kingdom is not of this earth. 716 00:37:55,154 --> 00:37:57,674 If it were of this earth, my servants would've been, would've been fighting. 717 00:37:57,674 --> 00:38:03,044 Now, if my kingdom is of another nature, it's a kingdom that's that's yet to come. 718 00:38:03,960 --> 00:38:04,259 Church. 719 00:38:04,529 --> 00:38:07,859 When we look around at this earthly world, the earthly kingdoms in this world, we 720 00:38:07,859 --> 00:38:10,799 can be tempted to think that the odds are stacked against God's kingdom. 721 00:38:10,799 --> 00:38:13,740 But the reality is God's kingdom is yet coming, and it's the kingdom 722 00:38:13,740 --> 00:38:15,750 that will never end, and that's the kingdom that we need to be 723 00:38:15,750 --> 00:38:17,040 ultimately focused on this morning. 724 00:38:17,040 --> 00:38:19,350 Fourth and finally, be committed to God's kingdom agenda. 725 00:38:20,160 --> 00:38:22,350 Be committed to God's kingdom agenda. 726 00:38:22,589 --> 00:38:25,890 There's a greater prize coming than any kingdom here on earth. 727 00:38:26,580 --> 00:38:29,850 Spring training's over regular season has started Rangers first place in the Al. 728 00:38:30,930 --> 00:38:32,010 Excited about that. 729 00:38:32,040 --> 00:38:33,300 Go baseball, go Rangers. 730 00:38:33,990 --> 00:38:38,040 But spring training there, there's a, there's always a team that 731 00:38:38,040 --> 00:38:40,680 wins that, that has like the best record in spring training to let 732 00:38:40,680 --> 00:38:42,000 you know how little that matters. 733 00:38:42,000 --> 00:38:44,550 It's been the angels for like the last four or five years. 734 00:38:44,940 --> 00:38:45,240 Right. 735 00:38:45,240 --> 00:38:47,370 Where have they finished in the standings recently? 736 00:38:47,730 --> 00:38:49,050 They're doing better this year, but they'll fade. 737 00:38:49,080 --> 00:38:49,770 I'm not worried about it. 738 00:38:51,120 --> 00:38:52,800 Spring training doesn't matter. 739 00:38:52,830 --> 00:38:55,500 What matters is regular season playoffs. 740 00:38:57,119 --> 00:38:57,419 Y'all. 741 00:38:57,419 --> 00:38:59,039 The kingdoms of this world don't matter. 742 00:38:59,430 --> 00:39:00,509 What matters is the kingdom. 743 00:39:00,599 --> 00:39:02,160 What matters is the kingdom that's coming 744 00:39:04,259 --> 00:39:05,249 real fast. 745 00:39:05,970 --> 00:39:07,799 We're right now between the cross and the rapture. 746 00:39:08,399 --> 00:39:08,789 Okay? 747 00:39:08,894 --> 00:39:11,519 I, I admit and, and agree, there are differences of opinion as 748 00:39:11,519 --> 00:39:14,579 far as eschatology, but my job as your pastor is to interpret 749 00:39:14,579 --> 00:39:15,930 the word into land on it, okay? 750 00:39:16,529 --> 00:39:18,990 And so it doesn't help you, for me to say whatever you wanna 751 00:39:18,990 --> 00:39:19,859 believe about the end times. 752 00:39:19,859 --> 00:39:20,999 Believe about the end times. 753 00:39:21,029 --> 00:39:21,899 Nobody understands it. 754 00:39:22,139 --> 00:39:23,399 That's a, that's a horrible take. 755 00:39:24,149 --> 00:39:24,390 There. 756 00:39:24,569 --> 00:39:25,799 Don't be a pan millennialist. 757 00:39:25,799 --> 00:39:27,089 That'll all pan out in the end. 758 00:39:27,480 --> 00:39:27,810 Okay? 759 00:39:28,169 --> 00:39:29,609 Read your Bibles, do some work. 760 00:39:29,910 --> 00:39:30,930 You may be confused. 761 00:39:30,930 --> 00:39:34,379 Ask the questions, do a little digging, but this is where all 762 00:39:34,379 --> 00:39:35,609 of human history is headed. 763 00:39:35,609 --> 00:39:36,629 We should care about that. 764 00:39:37,020 --> 00:39:37,980 Our conviction is this. 765 00:39:37,980 --> 00:39:39,419 We're between the cross and the rapture. 766 00:39:39,810 --> 00:39:40,140 Okay. 767 00:39:40,740 --> 00:39:44,879 In light of that, the next thing after the rapture is the tribulation period. 768 00:39:44,879 --> 00:39:49,080 That's seven years where God is going to bring wrath upon the, the earth. 769 00:39:49,080 --> 00:39:50,910 The antichrist is gonna rise to power. 770 00:39:50,910 --> 00:39:54,839 During that time, at the end of the tribulation, God comes back, deals 771 00:39:54,839 --> 00:39:56,460 with the antichrist, bind Satan. 772 00:39:56,460 --> 00:39:59,250 There's a millennial kingdom, the kingdom that's coming, that's gonna 773 00:39:59,250 --> 00:40:00,839 be a literal thousand years on earth. 774 00:40:01,330 --> 00:40:04,480 At the end of the millennial kingdom, Satan is defeated once and for all. 775 00:40:04,630 --> 00:40:07,420 The great white throne happens, and then the new heavens and the new earth. 776 00:40:07,420 --> 00:40:08,380 In the eternal state. 777 00:40:08,799 --> 00:40:10,120 That's where we're headed. 778 00:40:10,299 --> 00:40:13,120 We're about that kingdom agenda, which means this, y'all. 779 00:40:13,270 --> 00:40:15,640 We need to be about the message of the kingdom. 780 00:40:15,640 --> 00:40:17,110 This is building on this last point. 781 00:40:17,380 --> 00:40:19,839 If you wanna be committed to the kingdom agenda, be committed to the 782 00:40:19,839 --> 00:40:23,710 kingdom message, which Jesus says time and time again in the gospels 783 00:40:23,710 --> 00:40:27,520 is the good news of the kingdom of God, the gospel of the kingdom. 784 00:40:27,774 --> 00:40:28,464 Of God. 785 00:40:28,464 --> 00:40:31,764 And so this final point is all about, hey, if you wanna be committed to the 786 00:40:31,764 --> 00:40:35,305 kingdom agenda, then then be committed to the good news of the kingdom. 787 00:40:35,305 --> 00:40:37,854 And the good news of the kingdom that's coming is not about what's 788 00:40:37,854 --> 00:40:39,414 going on politically here and now. 789 00:40:39,564 --> 00:40:41,634 It's about what Jesus is gonna be doing then and there. 790 00:40:41,814 --> 00:40:44,694 And to get there, we need to have repentant from our sins and put our trust 791 00:40:44,694 --> 00:40:46,224 in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. 792 00:40:46,345 --> 00:40:48,174 And so that's what he's doing this whole time, y'all. 793 00:40:48,174 --> 00:40:50,184 That's why the odds are never against God. 794 00:40:50,904 --> 00:40:54,115 That's why the God odds are always in his favor. 795 00:40:54,660 --> 00:40:55,950 Because that's what he's moving to. 796 00:40:55,950 --> 00:40:59,370 Like we talked about in one Corinthians 15, this is all part of his plan to bring 797 00:40:59,370 --> 00:41:01,229 it to that fullness in that culmination. 798 00:41:01,410 --> 00:41:04,979 But it's all gonna pivot around the cross. 799 00:41:05,309 --> 00:41:07,349 It's all gonna pivot around the cross. 800 00:41:07,620 --> 00:41:08,910 The cross is necessary. 801 00:41:08,910 --> 00:41:09,990 The cross had to happen. 802 00:41:09,990 --> 00:41:10,859 Without the cross. 803 00:41:11,069 --> 00:41:17,640 None of his plan happens, and so that's why the cross matters most to us. 804 00:41:19,035 --> 00:41:22,154 We're fortunate as we study the gospel of John, that Easter is 805 00:41:22,154 --> 00:41:24,974 also approaching and we're right here at the doorstep of the cross. 806 00:41:26,654 --> 00:41:30,434 See, God's plan was not arrested when Jesus was arrested, because God 807 00:41:30,434 --> 00:41:35,264 was leading Jesus before Pilates and before Herod, and before Anus, and 808 00:41:35,264 --> 00:41:39,615 before Caiaphas, all the way to the point that Kyiv has, or that that 809 00:41:39,615 --> 00:41:43,124 pilot ultimately is gonna deliver him over to be crucified, because why? 810 00:41:43,124 --> 00:41:44,654 Because that's necessary. 811 00:41:45,990 --> 00:41:49,379 Without the crucifixion, our sins are still here. 812 00:41:49,620 --> 00:41:50,640 None of us are forgiven. 813 00:41:51,240 --> 00:41:55,290 Without Jesus dying, God's plan that all of us would be reconciled to him. 814 00:41:55,589 --> 00:41:57,899 If we are in Christ, that doesn't happen. 815 00:41:59,040 --> 00:42:05,009 And so it all turns on the cross, which is why, as I read in one 816 00:42:05,009 --> 00:42:07,980 Corinthians, God uses the weak. 817 00:42:08,040 --> 00:42:10,950 God uses the, the, the foolishness in this world. 818 00:42:12,644 --> 00:42:17,115 Because if you tell someone you worship a crucified savior, they're gonna look 819 00:42:17,115 --> 00:42:19,095 at you like you're from planet Mars. 820 00:42:20,685 --> 00:42:21,794 A savior doesn't die. 821 00:42:22,754 --> 00:42:23,924 A savior saves the day. 822 00:42:25,785 --> 00:42:27,944 But when we understand the gospel, we understand that he did 823 00:42:27,944 --> 00:42:29,144 save the day through his death. 824 00:42:31,394 --> 00:42:34,664 And so in just a moment here when the music plays, after I pray, our 825 00:42:34,664 --> 00:42:37,305 ushers are gonna pass the elements as we observe communion together. 826 00:42:38,370 --> 00:42:42,000 And as you look at these elements, there's, as Thomas Watson once said, a 827 00:42:42,000 --> 00:42:44,370 sermon being preached in these elements. 828 00:42:46,140 --> 00:42:50,910 In fact, we made a shift this week away from those chalky wafer cook crackers. 829 00:42:50,910 --> 00:42:56,700 You're welcome to actual broken pieces of matza because of 830 00:42:56,700 --> 00:42:58,200 what took place on the cross. 831 00:42:59,370 --> 00:43:03,600 When Jesus said, my body broken for you, my blood poured out for you. 832 00:43:04,290 --> 00:43:06,960 So as you look at these things, look at these things and realize the world 833 00:43:06,960 --> 00:43:11,490 looked at this and thought, man, God's plan has done, and God has 834 00:43:11,490 --> 00:43:15,629 given us these things to remember that God's plan has not been defeated. 835 00:43:15,960 --> 00:43:18,720 It's ongoing, and it will ultimately come to full fruition 836 00:43:18,720 --> 00:43:19,830 when we are together with him. 837 00:43:19,859 --> 00:43:21,810 And so as the music will play, the uns will pass. 838 00:43:22,049 --> 00:43:22,710 I'll come back up. 839 00:43:22,710 --> 00:43:24,600 We'll take them together here in just a moment.