1 00:00:02,580 --> 00:00:08,640 - Well good morning church. 2 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:11,040 It's a good day to be in the house of the Lord today 3 00:00:11,040 --> 00:00:13,440 because God is on the throne. 4 00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:16,480 And I prefer it that way 'cause when I get on the throne 5 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:18,320 it doesn't go well for my life. 6 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:21,040 What about you? 7 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:22,840 Well some of you get off of it then. 8 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:27,320 Couple of, just two other things 9 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:29,700 in addition to Katie's announcement. 10 00:00:29,700 --> 00:00:31,320 If you are new to Springhouse, 11 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:33,200 which I did meet a few of you this morning. 12 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:35,200 If you're new to Springhouse or newer to Springhouse, 13 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:37,840 we have a newcomer's lunch on September 8th. 14 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:39,560 We'd like to invite you to be a part of. 15 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:41,740 Our pastoral staff will be there to meet you 16 00:00:41,740 --> 00:00:45,200 and to show you and to tell you about their ministries. 17 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:47,640 And so we'd like to invite you to be a part of that. 18 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:50,000 Now what we want you to do is we want you to register 19 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:52,160 so that we can have enough food, okay? 20 00:00:52,160 --> 00:00:54,180 So you register by that QR code. 21 00:00:54,180 --> 00:00:56,600 There's some placards out in the foyer 22 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:01,700 that you can get the QR code as well 23 00:01:01,700 --> 00:01:03,700 and you can register for the luncheon. 24 00:01:03,700 --> 00:01:05,860 If you don't register and you wanna come, still come. 25 00:01:05,860 --> 00:01:07,040 I'll let you have my sandwich. 26 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:10,420 But I want you to come and let us have an opportunity 27 00:01:10,420 --> 00:01:11,860 to hug your neck and meet you 28 00:01:11,860 --> 00:01:13,200 and tell you about Springhouse. 29 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:16,600 And then second, this seems to be pretty early 30 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:18,160 and seems to be thematic today too. 31 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:19,840 But this is a little early for us to announce this. 32 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:22,520 But I'm doing this because we had to scramble 33 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:23,780 and make room last year 34 00:01:23,780 --> 00:01:26,440 because I was so surprised by the response. 35 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:29,320 But in January, we will be doing a marriage retreat, okay? 36 00:01:29,320 --> 00:01:30,240 For married couples. 37 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:33,560 So you got men's retreat, women's retreat, marriage retreat. 38 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:36,040 Okay, so this will be in January. 39 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:37,480 We're only gonna take 30 couples 40 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:39,400 and the registration's open now. 41 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:41,400 So you can go on the app if you're interested 42 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:44,440 in that more details will come as we get closer to, okay? 43 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:47,360 We are continuing our series, His Church. 44 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:49,360 His Church, guys, are you growing 45 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:52,200 through what you're learning through the Word of God? 46 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:53,160 Well, praise the Lord. 47 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:55,440 I'm glad that we're growing. 48 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:58,240 We're gonna read in just a second, 49 00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:00,480 picking up in Acts chapter five, where we are right now. 50 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:02,640 We talked about last night, last night. 51 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:06,460 I was at the men's retreat last night, 52 00:02:06,460 --> 00:02:07,920 so I'm a little foggy today. 53 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:11,240 Lord, please protect me from just in heaven. 54 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:13,340 Things to write down about what I say today. 55 00:02:13,340 --> 00:02:16,480 Mispronounce words. 56 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:20,320 Ananias and Sapphira. 57 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:23,660 The Lord took Ananias and Sapphira out 58 00:02:23,660 --> 00:02:25,440 because they lied to the Holy Spirit. 59 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:28,640 And we talked about last week that more than ever, 60 00:02:28,640 --> 00:02:32,940 more than ever, God added numbers to His kingdom, 61 00:02:32,940 --> 00:02:35,020 added numbers to His kingdom 62 00:02:35,020 --> 00:02:37,800 after the purification of the house, 63 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:40,000 after the purification of the church. 64 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:43,720 And so we're gonna pick up here where people, 65 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:47,440 the numbers were being added to the kingdom. 66 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:50,780 People were bringing the ones who needed healing 67 00:02:50,780 --> 00:02:51,660 from being sick. 68 00:02:51,660 --> 00:02:54,560 They just said if Peter's shadow would cast, 69 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:57,160 if his shadow would be cast on him, they would be healed. 70 00:02:57,160 --> 00:03:00,440 The Holy Spirit was doing amazing, amazing things 71 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:01,320 among the people. 72 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:04,000 And we're gonna pick up here in verse 17. 73 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:05,480 So would you guys stand with me? 74 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:08,160 And we're gonna read together with some gusto church 75 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:09,520 this morning. 76 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:11,960 And, and we're gonna read a lot. 77 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:12,880 Are you ready? 78 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:14,140 Okay, here we go. 79 00:03:14,140 --> 00:03:18,300 Then the high priest and all his associates 80 00:03:18,300 --> 00:03:21,680 who were members of the party of the Sadducees 81 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:24,020 were filled with jealousy. 82 00:03:24,020 --> 00:03:28,400 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 83 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:31,280 But during the night, an angel of the Lord 84 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:34,740 opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. 85 00:03:34,740 --> 00:03:37,800 Go, stand in the temple courts, he said, 86 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:41,520 and tell the people all about this new life. 87 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:44,360 At daybreak, they entered the temple courts 88 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:48,180 as they had been told and began to teach the people. 89 00:03:48,180 --> 00:03:51,480 When the high priest and his associates arrived, 90 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:53,800 they called together the Sanhedrin, 91 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:56,880 the full assembly of the elders of Israel, 92 00:03:56,880 --> 00:04:00,160 and sent to the jail for the apostles. 93 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:02,080 But on arriving at the jail, 94 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:04,880 the officers did not find them there. 95 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:07,000 So they went back and reported, 96 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:09,560 we found the jail securely locked 97 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:12,080 with the guards standing at the doors, 98 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:16,100 but when we opened them, we found no one inside. 99 00:04:16,100 --> 00:04:19,700 On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard 100 00:04:19,700 --> 00:04:22,320 and the chief priest were at a loss, 101 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:24,860 wondering what this might lead to. 102 00:04:24,860 --> 00:04:27,560 Then someone came and said, look, 103 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:31,240 the men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts 104 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:33,040 teaching the people. 105 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:36,040 At that, the captain went with his officers 106 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:37,960 and brought the apostles. 107 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:40,720 They did not use force because they feared 108 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:43,080 that the people would stone them. 109 00:04:43,080 --> 00:04:46,180 The apostles were brought in and made to appear 110 00:04:46,180 --> 00:04:50,560 before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. 111 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:55,560 We gave you strict orders not to teach in the name, he said. 112 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:59,020 Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching 113 00:04:59,020 --> 00:05:03,320 and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood. 114 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:06,080 Peter and the other apostles replied, 115 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:10,700 we must obey God rather than human beings. 116 00:05:10,700 --> 00:05:14,600 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead, 117 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:18,080 whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. 118 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:23,080 God exalted him to his own right hand as prince and savior, 119 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:26,180 that he might bring Israel to repentance 120 00:05:26,180 --> 00:05:28,560 and forgive their sins. 121 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:30,940 We are witnesses of these things, 122 00:05:30,940 --> 00:05:33,200 and so is the Holy Spirit, 123 00:05:33,200 --> 00:05:36,220 whom God has given to those who obey him. 124 00:05:36,220 --> 00:05:38,400 Father, I thank you for your word. 125 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:40,460 I thank you that your word brings light 126 00:05:40,460 --> 00:05:41,720 and it brings life. 127 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:44,000 I pray, Lord, that it would change us from the inside out. 128 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:46,520 In Jesus' name, amen. 129 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:47,880 Amen, you may be seated. 130 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:52,560 Today we're gonna talk about persecution. 131 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:53,860 Welcome to Springhouse. 132 00:05:53,860 --> 00:05:57,720 Today we're gonna talk about persecution. 133 00:05:57,720 --> 00:05:59,160 Can I just tell you this morning, 134 00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:01,860 if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, 135 00:06:01,860 --> 00:06:03,420 at some point in your life, 136 00:06:03,420 --> 00:06:06,200 you should be facing some point of persecution. 137 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:08,540 There should be something in your life at times, 138 00:06:08,540 --> 00:06:12,240 not forced, but there should come a point in your life, 139 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:14,180 and probably multiple points, 140 00:06:14,180 --> 00:06:16,300 where you come up against something 141 00:06:16,300 --> 00:06:20,080 that causes you to have to lean further into your faith 142 00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:22,160 as opposed to leaning into the world. 143 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:24,720 As a believer of the Lord Jesus Christ, 144 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:27,040 we are not supposed to look like the world. 145 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:29,860 In other words, if I were to take the population 146 00:06:29,860 --> 00:06:32,040 of Springhouse here and double it, 147 00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:34,460 the double side being of the world, 148 00:06:34,460 --> 00:06:36,440 and everyone in here being believers, 149 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:39,300 we should look different than the world. 150 00:06:39,300 --> 00:06:42,160 We should look different than the world. 151 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:46,020 And so in that, we succumb at times 152 00:06:46,020 --> 00:06:47,800 to moments of persecution, 153 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:51,080 because if we are gonna stand on the truth of God's word, 154 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:53,600 if we are gonna believe what God's word says, 155 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:58,280 then it causes us to react, it causes us to say things, 156 00:06:58,280 --> 00:07:00,100 it causes us to do things 157 00:07:00,100 --> 00:07:03,100 that would not be the choice path of the world. 158 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:06,440 If we really believe what the word of God says, 159 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:08,260 if we really believe in this Jesus 160 00:07:08,260 --> 00:07:10,460 who saved us from our sins, 161 00:07:10,460 --> 00:07:12,540 who was beaten and put on a cross, 162 00:07:12,540 --> 00:07:14,360 and rose again three days later, 163 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:18,340 if we really believe in who we say we believe, 164 00:07:18,340 --> 00:07:21,160 then our lives ought to look completely different 165 00:07:21,160 --> 00:07:23,440 than the world with which we live. 166 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:25,880 The American church, the American Christian 167 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:29,300 has very little clue about real persecution. 168 00:07:29,300 --> 00:07:32,440 The American Christian has very little clue 169 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:33,480 about real persecution. 170 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:34,960 We tend to think that since they don't have 171 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:37,260 our favorite flavor of coffee cream out in the foyer, 172 00:07:37,260 --> 00:07:39,760 that we are being persecuted for Jesus Christ. 173 00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:42,860 We tend to come in and say, 174 00:07:42,860 --> 00:07:46,260 "Man, that air conditioning is working this morning. 175 00:07:46,260 --> 00:07:51,100 "I am being persecuted by being here for Jesus Christ." 176 00:07:51,100 --> 00:07:54,120 We are cushy and comfortable, 177 00:07:54,120 --> 00:07:57,280 but we have really little idea 178 00:07:57,280 --> 00:08:00,100 what it is to truly be persecuted. 179 00:08:00,100 --> 00:08:02,720 I heard a story once, there were about 1,000 people 180 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:05,240 who gathered in the Middle East under a tent, 181 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:07,720 a big tent, actually it was enclosed, an enclosed tent, 182 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:10,080 and they were gathered to worship. 183 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:11,520 They wanted to worship the Lord. 184 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:13,920 And so they get together and the musicians got up 185 00:08:13,920 --> 00:08:16,240 and the worship leaders got up 186 00:08:16,240 --> 00:08:18,720 and they started to worship the Lord, 187 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:21,480 hands raised, reckless abandon. 188 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:23,760 And somewhere in the middle of the service, 189 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:27,980 a mob comes into the tent with automatic rifles. 190 00:08:27,980 --> 00:08:30,240 They come in and they surround all the people 191 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:31,280 and everybody stops. 192 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:33,440 They don't continue to worship, fear took over 193 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:35,020 the whole mass population. 194 00:08:35,020 --> 00:08:36,440 Can you imagine if it happened here? 195 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:38,700 Fear taking over, is this it? 196 00:08:38,700 --> 00:08:41,440 Is this going to be the end of us today? 197 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:42,580 What's going on? 198 00:08:42,580 --> 00:08:43,860 Who sent these people in here? 199 00:08:43,860 --> 00:08:45,600 All the questions. 200 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:47,540 And the leader of the mob said to the group, 201 00:08:47,540 --> 00:08:51,540 "If you are a true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, 202 00:08:51,540 --> 00:08:53,360 "we want you to stay. 203 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:56,120 "But if you are not a believer, you are free to go." 204 00:08:56,120 --> 00:09:00,360 The room cleared all but 50 people, all but 50 people. 205 00:09:01,260 --> 00:09:04,260 Once they closed the tent, the automatic rifles 206 00:09:04,260 --> 00:09:07,320 were pointed into the air and they shot them up in the air. 207 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:08,640 After shooting them up in the air, 208 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:10,280 they laid the automatic rifles down, 209 00:09:10,280 --> 00:09:12,400 they took off their mask and they said to the 50 people, 210 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:13,900 "We just wanted to worship with those 211 00:09:13,900 --> 00:09:15,400 "who were really Christian." 212 00:09:15,400 --> 00:09:22,940 When it comes to your faith in Jesus Christ, 213 00:09:22,940 --> 00:09:26,680 are you willing to put your life on the line 214 00:09:26,680 --> 00:09:28,680 for the one you say you believe in? 215 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:35,740 American Christians, us, we really don't have a clue 216 00:09:35,740 --> 00:09:38,880 when it comes to being truly persecuted. 217 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:41,880 As we read the scripture, 218 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:43,640 we're looking at two different groups 219 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:46,180 and we're looking at the Sadducees here. 220 00:09:46,180 --> 00:09:48,080 And it dawned on me when I was reading this week 221 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:49,280 that there may be people who, 222 00:09:49,280 --> 00:09:51,340 have you ever read the scripture and you look at Pharisees 223 00:09:51,340 --> 00:09:52,180 and you look at Sadducees and you're like, 224 00:09:52,180 --> 00:09:55,180 "I don't really know what the difference is here. 225 00:09:55,180 --> 00:09:56,560 "I know that they are religious leaders." 226 00:09:56,560 --> 00:09:58,360 They are religious leaders. 227 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:00,640 I wanna differentiate because it's important this morning 228 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:01,520 for us to know the difference 229 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:03,440 between a Pharisee and a Sadducee. 230 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:05,800 So a Pharisee, and there's some other differences, 231 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:06,920 but these are core here. 232 00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:10,680 The Pharisees believed in the resurrection of Jesus Christ 233 00:10:10,680 --> 00:10:13,860 and afterlife and spiritual beings. 234 00:10:13,860 --> 00:10:16,200 So the religious people, the Pharisees, 235 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:19,480 they believed that Jesus Christ rose from the dead, 236 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:23,840 the afterlife and spiritual beings such as angels and demons. 237 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:26,000 But the Sadducees in contrast 238 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:28,400 did not believe in the resurrection, 239 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:31,360 did not believe in the afterlife or spiritual beings. 240 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:33,680 They saw Jesus, they acknowledged Jesus, 241 00:10:33,680 --> 00:10:35,900 but they did not acknowledge anything post death. 242 00:10:35,900 --> 00:10:38,220 So can you imagine that all you get 243 00:10:38,220 --> 00:10:40,600 is the 80 years here on earth, 90 years here on earth, 244 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:42,200 and it's over, that's it. 245 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:44,120 Back into the dust, there's nothing left. 246 00:10:44,120 --> 00:10:45,520 Guys, we know that that's not true 247 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:47,920 because Jesus Christ is sitting right hand of God 248 00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:49,880 and we have an eternity that waits for us. 249 00:10:49,880 --> 00:10:52,400 And so the Sadducees were clearly in the wrong, 250 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:54,080 but it's important for us to understand 251 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:55,500 the point of view of the Sadducees 252 00:10:55,500 --> 00:10:56,960 to appreciate what's being written, 253 00:10:56,960 --> 00:10:59,920 what Luke is writing here in the book of Acts. 254 00:10:59,920 --> 00:11:03,080 So the Sadducees are here 255 00:11:03,080 --> 00:11:08,080 and they are noticing that at Solomon's colonnade, 256 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:11,520 thousands upon thousands upon thousands 257 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:16,120 of believers and converts are worshiping Jesus Christ, 258 00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:19,340 are being taught about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 259 00:11:19,340 --> 00:11:20,840 The apostles are teaching. 260 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:24,300 And as you remember last week, I told you more than ever, 261 00:11:24,300 --> 00:11:27,000 numbers are being added to their numbers. 262 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:28,760 So much so that they are, like I said before, 263 00:11:28,760 --> 00:11:30,360 they're bringing sick people. 264 00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:33,660 And if Peter's shadow would just be casted on them, 265 00:11:33,660 --> 00:11:35,260 they would be healed. 266 00:11:35,260 --> 00:11:37,440 The Holy Spirit was doing a mighty work. 267 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:39,920 But the word tells us that the Sadducees, 268 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:42,360 the Sadducees who did not believe this, 269 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:45,200 they were caught up in jealousy. 270 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:47,020 It says they became jealous. 271 00:11:47,020 --> 00:11:50,960 Have you ever been jealous of something going on around you? 272 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:53,380 Excuse me, have you ever been jealous of someone 273 00:11:53,380 --> 00:11:55,480 being elevated above you? 274 00:11:55,480 --> 00:11:58,960 Now the Sadducees were not necessarily jealous. 275 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:01,680 They weren't jealous of the people's relationship 276 00:12:01,680 --> 00:12:02,580 with the Lord. 277 00:12:02,580 --> 00:12:04,400 The Sadducees were jealous 278 00:12:04,400 --> 00:12:07,760 of their positional relationship with the people. 279 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:12,000 And so they were seeing all of these masses gather 280 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:14,520 around these apostles and the Sadducees are saying, 281 00:12:14,520 --> 00:12:16,560 wait a second, we're the religious leaders here. 282 00:12:16,560 --> 00:12:18,800 We should be in these high places. 283 00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:21,240 We should be the ones drawing the crowds. 284 00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:24,340 And they got caught up in jealousy. 285 00:12:24,340 --> 00:12:26,980 Jealousy is a byproduct of fear. 286 00:12:26,980 --> 00:12:31,940 It causes one to say, I don't think I'm good enough 287 00:12:31,940 --> 00:12:33,600 or I'm worth enough. 288 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:36,260 It calls into question the relationship. 289 00:12:36,260 --> 00:12:38,260 And like I said, the Sadducees were not concerned 290 00:12:38,260 --> 00:12:39,580 about their relationship with the Lord 291 00:12:39,580 --> 00:12:40,600 as much as they were concerned 292 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:43,560 about their positional relationship with the people. 293 00:12:43,560 --> 00:12:47,680 The mass gathering took attention away from them. 294 00:12:47,680 --> 00:12:49,220 And they wanted the attention. 295 00:12:49,220 --> 00:12:50,660 They wanted the leadership. 296 00:12:50,660 --> 00:12:54,500 So they make a decision to arrest the apostles. 297 00:12:54,500 --> 00:12:57,660 They arrest the apostles and they take the apostles 298 00:12:57,660 --> 00:13:00,120 and they put them in jail. 299 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:02,460 They put them in jail. 300 00:13:02,460 --> 00:13:05,000 And so they're in jail and the apostles are there 301 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:09,380 and in the middle of the night, an angel comes. 302 00:13:09,380 --> 00:13:12,800 An angel comes and unlocks the door. 303 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:15,060 Now guys, I want you to understand something. 304 00:13:15,060 --> 00:13:17,540 God leaves no stone unturned. 305 00:13:17,540 --> 00:13:21,580 He is intentional on everything he does, okay? 306 00:13:21,580 --> 00:13:25,840 An angel comes and unlocks the door, 307 00:13:25,840 --> 00:13:28,080 brings the apostles out. 308 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:30,540 And I wanna stop right there for just a second. 309 00:13:30,540 --> 00:13:33,400 What did we just say the Sadducees did not believe in? 310 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:37,660 The resurrection and spiritual beings. 311 00:13:37,660 --> 00:13:40,620 Isn't God a mastermind? 312 00:13:40,620 --> 00:13:44,060 That something miraculous was going to happen here, 313 00:13:44,060 --> 00:13:47,060 that the Sadducees are gonna happen upon this jail cell 314 00:13:47,060 --> 00:13:49,020 where the apostles have disappeared 315 00:13:49,020 --> 00:13:51,980 and there's no evidence of anything happening 316 00:13:51,980 --> 00:13:53,820 except for you can only explain it 317 00:13:53,820 --> 00:13:56,560 to be supernatural intervention. 318 00:13:56,560 --> 00:13:57,860 God's up to something. 319 00:13:57,860 --> 00:14:00,980 He wants to show these Sadducees his power, 320 00:14:00,980 --> 00:14:04,020 his might, his glory, his supernatural movement. 321 00:14:04,020 --> 00:14:05,620 So an angel pulls them out of jail 322 00:14:05,620 --> 00:14:06,840 and he gives them a directive. 323 00:14:06,840 --> 00:14:10,580 He says, I want you to go back to the colonnade 324 00:14:10,580 --> 00:14:14,020 and I want you to preach out in the open the word of God. 325 00:14:14,020 --> 00:14:16,300 Now I want you to think about that for just a second. 326 00:14:16,300 --> 00:14:19,700 You have just been caught and thrown into jail 327 00:14:19,700 --> 00:14:22,140 for proclaiming the Lord Jesus Christ. 328 00:14:22,140 --> 00:14:24,940 And an angel lets you out of jail and says, 329 00:14:24,940 --> 00:14:26,740 now this is what I want you to do. 330 00:14:26,740 --> 00:14:29,660 I want you to go back into the spotlight again 331 00:14:29,660 --> 00:14:32,760 and I want you to preach the word of God. 332 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:34,500 Now most of us, this is what we like. 333 00:14:34,500 --> 00:14:36,860 God, I need you to free me from my jail. 334 00:14:36,860 --> 00:14:38,140 Okay, jail could be anything. 335 00:14:38,140 --> 00:14:40,900 Lord, I need you to free me from my jail. 336 00:14:40,900 --> 00:14:44,580 And the Lord comes along and he frees you from your jail 337 00:14:44,580 --> 00:14:46,740 and guess what, you take off running. 338 00:14:46,740 --> 00:14:50,220 But here's the thing, anytime God moves in your life, 339 00:14:50,220 --> 00:14:52,540 he always has instructions to follow. 340 00:14:52,540 --> 00:14:55,180 He never is going to free you from something 341 00:14:55,180 --> 00:14:57,780 so that you can be elevated and that you can be lifted up. 342 00:14:57,780 --> 00:15:00,760 He's gonna free you from stuff so that he can be exalted. 343 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:02,260 So when he frees you from stuff, 344 00:15:02,260 --> 00:15:04,800 there's going to be some instructions behind that. 345 00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:07,860 Every single time, he's going to make himself exalted 346 00:15:07,860 --> 00:15:08,820 and acknowledged. 347 00:15:08,820 --> 00:15:11,300 This is why when you have a testimony of God's faithfulness, 348 00:15:11,300 --> 00:15:13,220 you're supposed to share that thing. 349 00:15:13,220 --> 00:15:15,220 It's not because I did anything. 350 00:15:15,220 --> 00:15:16,580 It's not because I'm good enough. 351 00:15:16,580 --> 00:15:18,380 It's because he moved in my life. 352 00:15:18,380 --> 00:15:19,420 He did the thing. 353 00:15:19,420 --> 00:15:21,500 And so he says, I want you to go 354 00:15:21,500 --> 00:15:25,660 and I want you to preach again in the open 355 00:15:25,660 --> 00:15:28,420 and I want you to risk everything. 356 00:15:28,420 --> 00:15:29,260 Can you imagine? 357 00:15:29,260 --> 00:15:32,060 Now, I believe the apostles were filled with faith. 358 00:15:32,060 --> 00:15:34,340 So I can't really imagine them having too much 359 00:15:34,340 --> 00:15:35,340 of a problem going out there, 360 00:15:35,340 --> 00:15:37,480 especially seeing an angel who opens the door. 361 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:39,820 But just let's make them human for just a minute 362 00:15:39,820 --> 00:15:42,520 'cause they were human and think about man. 363 00:15:42,520 --> 00:15:44,840 So wait a minute, you want me to go put myself, 364 00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:48,180 but if I'm in jail now, then it seems to reason 365 00:15:48,180 --> 00:15:50,180 that if I get caught out there again, 366 00:15:50,180 --> 00:15:52,460 the consequences are going to be greater. 367 00:15:52,460 --> 00:15:54,320 Yes, the consequences are going to be, 368 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:55,540 church, I want to ask you today, 369 00:15:55,540 --> 00:15:58,460 are you willing to put your life on the line 370 00:15:58,460 --> 00:16:02,600 when the Holy Spirit asks you to put your life on the line? 371 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:05,800 I want us to understand today that the Holy Spirit of God 372 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:08,180 will always meet you where you are. 373 00:16:08,180 --> 00:16:09,380 If he asks you to do something, 374 00:16:09,380 --> 00:16:10,580 he never sends you out alone. 375 00:16:10,580 --> 00:16:11,980 He'll be right there with you. 376 00:16:11,980 --> 00:16:14,380 You can trust that he will equip you, he will protect you. 377 00:16:14,380 --> 00:16:15,940 He will give you every tool you need 378 00:16:15,940 --> 00:16:17,300 if he asks you to do something. 379 00:16:17,300 --> 00:16:20,240 Guys, are you willing to lean in and obey the Holy Spirit 380 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:22,820 when the Holy Spirit of God asks you to do something? 381 00:16:22,820 --> 00:16:25,000 There's a guy by the name John Bunyan. 382 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:26,780 Some of you may know that name, John Bunyan. 383 00:16:26,780 --> 00:16:28,560 If you're familiar with Pilgrim's Progress, 384 00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:31,200 he is the author of Pilgrim's Progress. 385 00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:35,140 And in the mid 1600s, John Bunyan was confronted 386 00:16:35,140 --> 00:16:36,500 with King Charles II. 387 00:16:38,760 --> 00:16:42,140 And he was confronted because he went out to preach 388 00:16:42,140 --> 00:16:45,100 the gospel and he did not have a license to do so. 389 00:16:45,100 --> 00:16:47,320 And so he's pulled in by the king and the king says, 390 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:48,500 "You don't have a license to do this, 391 00:16:48,500 --> 00:16:49,900 "so you're gonna be thrown into jail." 392 00:16:49,900 --> 00:16:54,900 However, John, I wanna give you an out here. 393 00:16:54,900 --> 00:16:57,060 I wanna give you a way out. 394 00:16:57,060 --> 00:17:00,360 We can either throw you in jail for doing this, 395 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:05,080 or if you promise never to speak that gospel again, 396 00:17:05,080 --> 00:17:06,200 you can be set free. 397 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:09,080 And he looks at those who accuse him 398 00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:10,300 and they're going to throw him in jail and said, 399 00:17:10,300 --> 00:17:12,400 "If you free me right now, I'm going right back out there 400 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:14,500 "to preach the gospel that I know is true." 401 00:17:14,500 --> 00:17:17,880 They throw him in jail for 12 and a half years, 402 00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:19,520 and in 12 and a half years, he writes letters, 403 00:17:19,520 --> 00:17:22,100 he writes Pilgrim's Progress, he writes all of these things. 404 00:17:22,100 --> 00:17:24,920 And guess what happens the day he gets out of jail? 405 00:17:24,920 --> 00:17:26,660 He goes right back out there to start ministering 406 00:17:26,660 --> 00:17:27,960 the gospel of Jesus Christ. 407 00:17:27,960 --> 00:17:32,160 Are you willing to put your life on the line 408 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:34,760 for the one you say you believe in? 409 00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:37,200 The one that we just worshiped for a half hour, 410 00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:38,180 45 minutes. 411 00:17:38,180 --> 00:17:39,920 The one you're throwing your hands up 412 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:41,560 with reckless abandon and saying, 413 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:44,560 heal me, you are the author and the finisher of my faith. 414 00:17:44,560 --> 00:17:47,240 We, I so worship you, God, you're the same God 415 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:48,760 yesterday, today, forevermore. 416 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:50,440 God, I need you, all of this. 417 00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:52,440 We cry out to him because we need him 418 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:54,240 to meet our immediate circumstances, 419 00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:56,740 because we need him to put French vanilla coffee creamer 420 00:17:56,740 --> 00:17:58,080 out there when there is none. 421 00:17:58,080 --> 00:17:59,560 God, would you please move? 422 00:17:59,560 --> 00:18:06,640 Yet, when we are walking by people who on their way to hell, 423 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:08,440 we will not even open our mouth. 424 00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:17,320 Because we are scared, or we're about ourself, 425 00:18:17,320 --> 00:18:18,680 or we're not listening. 426 00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:25,360 Time is of essence, people. 427 00:18:25,360 --> 00:18:28,240 Because there's coming a day where glory to glory, 428 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:30,240 he's gonna split the sky. 429 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:34,520 And God's most favorite resource to use 430 00:18:34,520 --> 00:18:38,680 to advance his kingdom is you, is you. 431 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:41,320 What are you doing with your faith? 432 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:43,920 What are you doing with your walk, with your life? 433 00:18:43,920 --> 00:18:48,920 Is it eternal focus, or is it centered on you? 434 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:53,360 And so they find out that they are preaching the gospel, 435 00:18:53,360 --> 00:18:56,240 again, out in Solomon's colonnade, 436 00:18:56,240 --> 00:18:58,480 and they go out there and notice the, 437 00:18:58,480 --> 00:19:01,320 it says they go out there and they ask them to come back, 438 00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:04,200 and they say, come on, and they don't take them by force, 439 00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:06,360 because they're afraid of the people. 440 00:19:06,360 --> 00:19:09,080 They're afraid of the people. 441 00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:10,560 Now, this tells me a little bit 442 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:12,600 about the character of the apostles, 443 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:14,800 because the apostles could have right then and there 444 00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:17,540 just gone toe to toe with the Sadducees 445 00:19:17,540 --> 00:19:19,800 and said, we're not going anywhere with you. 446 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:22,240 But yet, the Sadducees were in authority. 447 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:23,880 So they responded to the authority, 448 00:19:23,880 --> 00:19:25,080 trusting that the Holy Spirit 449 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:26,900 was gonna work everything out. 450 00:19:26,900 --> 00:19:29,240 So they go back in with the Sadducees, 451 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:32,160 and the Sadducees look at them and they say this, 452 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:36,080 we gave you strict orders not to teach in the name. 453 00:19:36,080 --> 00:19:38,680 What do you notice about this? 454 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:43,560 They do not say the name, just the name. 455 00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:46,480 Can I tell you that there is no greater name 456 00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:49,620 on the face of this planet than the name Jesus Christ? 457 00:19:49,620 --> 00:19:52,560 There is no greater name than the name of Jesus. 458 00:19:52,560 --> 00:19:54,860 And the apostles respond with this, they say, 459 00:19:54,860 --> 00:19:58,520 we must obey God rather than human beings. 460 00:19:58,520 --> 00:20:00,480 Guys, I have to tell you, there are gonna come times 461 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:03,840 when you have a choice to obey a human or obey God, 462 00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:05,700 and I tell you, always go with God. 463 00:20:05,700 --> 00:20:08,440 Make sure it's God, because if it's not God, 464 00:20:08,440 --> 00:20:09,640 it's gonna be a mess. 465 00:20:09,640 --> 00:20:11,920 But if the Holy Spirit's telling you to go left 466 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:13,160 and everybody else telling you to go right, 467 00:20:13,160 --> 00:20:14,720 you better go left and you better trust 468 00:20:14,720 --> 00:20:17,760 that he's gonna meet you right there in your left turn. 469 00:20:17,760 --> 00:20:19,240 There have been moments in my life 470 00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:21,600 where everyone in my ear is saying, you need to do this, 471 00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:23,820 but the Holy Spirit is saying, do this other thing. 472 00:20:23,820 --> 00:20:26,560 And I am so thankful as I look back on some of those times 473 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:29,320 that I chose to go with the Holy Spirit. 474 00:20:29,320 --> 00:20:31,040 I chose to go with the Holy Spirit. 475 00:20:31,040 --> 00:20:33,280 The times when I've missed it and I've gone with humans, 476 00:20:33,280 --> 00:20:35,480 it has always failed. 477 00:20:35,480 --> 00:20:36,680 It has always failed. 478 00:20:36,680 --> 00:20:37,920 This is why it's so important, 479 00:20:37,920 --> 00:20:39,880 if you're in somebody's ear trying to lead them, 480 00:20:39,880 --> 00:20:41,080 you better make sure you're hearing 481 00:20:41,080 --> 00:20:43,080 from the Holy Spirit as well. 482 00:20:43,080 --> 00:20:44,620 Because when you're giving advice 483 00:20:44,620 --> 00:20:46,340 and you're telling people what they ought to do, 484 00:20:46,340 --> 00:20:49,440 because it naturally seems like what you should do, 485 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:52,320 naturally, do you know we serve a supernatural God? 486 00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:54,880 That means beyond the natural. 487 00:20:54,880 --> 00:20:56,440 And so when somebody's saying, 488 00:20:56,440 --> 00:20:57,760 I don't know if you should believe for that, 489 00:20:57,760 --> 00:20:58,600 I don't know if you should do this, 490 00:20:58,600 --> 00:20:59,440 this is what you should do. 491 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:02,120 And the Holy Spirit of God has told you to do something else, 492 00:21:02,120 --> 00:21:03,560 always lean into the Holy Spirit. 493 00:21:03,560 --> 00:21:05,640 He'll meet you every single time. 494 00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:07,320 He'll meet you every single time. 495 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:10,380 So they just say the name. 496 00:21:10,380 --> 00:21:13,840 Listen, the consequences of not obeying man 497 00:21:13,840 --> 00:21:17,840 pale greatly of the consequences of not obeying God. 498 00:21:17,840 --> 00:21:22,400 The apostles were preaching not just in the name, 499 00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:26,180 but in the name of Jesus, the name of Jesus Christ. 500 00:21:26,180 --> 00:21:28,580 The name of Jesus is powerful. 501 00:21:28,580 --> 00:21:30,780 There is nothing greater in this world 502 00:21:30,780 --> 00:21:32,160 than the name of Jesus. 503 00:21:32,160 --> 00:21:35,020 Listen, a believer without the name of Jesus 504 00:21:35,020 --> 00:21:37,060 is no believer at all. 505 00:21:37,060 --> 00:21:40,840 A church without the name of Jesus is no church at all. 506 00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:45,840 A gospel without the name of Jesus is no gospel at all. 507 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:48,740 Jesus, as Paul writes in Philippians, 508 00:21:48,740 --> 00:21:52,100 it says this, God has exalted Jesus to the highest place 509 00:21:52,100 --> 00:21:55,180 and given him the name that is above every other name. 510 00:21:55,180 --> 00:21:57,600 Guys, whatever label the culture has given you, 511 00:21:57,600 --> 00:21:59,520 whatever name it's trying to call you, 512 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:01,180 whatever thing you're trying to lean into 513 00:22:01,180 --> 00:22:02,600 that the culture of the world is saying, 514 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:05,540 God has given Jesus a name above all of those names. 515 00:22:05,540 --> 00:22:07,840 It is the most powerful name on there, 516 00:22:07,840 --> 00:22:09,920 this most powerful name that we lean into. 517 00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:12,200 No other name is above this name 518 00:22:12,200 --> 00:22:14,740 and every knee is going to bow. 519 00:22:14,740 --> 00:22:17,340 Not some knees, not the knees that choose, 520 00:22:17,340 --> 00:22:19,760 not just every single knee is going to bow 521 00:22:19,760 --> 00:22:23,040 and every tongue will confess that he is Lord. 522 00:22:23,040 --> 00:22:24,000 It's going to happen. 523 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:25,780 And so here's the tension. 524 00:22:25,780 --> 00:22:28,440 We either, we either are going to, 525 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:32,460 we're either gonna bow willfully in submission 526 00:22:32,460 --> 00:22:35,060 or we're gonna be forced in confession, 527 00:22:35,060 --> 00:22:35,900 one way or the other. 528 00:22:35,900 --> 00:22:38,580 And I wanna be on the side of willful submission 529 00:22:38,580 --> 00:22:40,940 because when I bow my knee in willful submission, 530 00:22:40,940 --> 00:22:43,320 I get to exalt the king and I get to see him 531 00:22:43,320 --> 00:22:46,200 for the mercy and grace he gives instead of being condemned. 532 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:49,300 Let me tell you something, every knee is gonna bow. 533 00:22:49,300 --> 00:22:52,760 Every tongue is going, that is the bottom line period 534 00:22:52,760 --> 00:22:55,220 at the end of sentence, every knee is going to bow. 535 00:22:55,220 --> 00:22:59,020 Every tongue is going to confess that he is Lord, 536 00:22:59,020 --> 00:23:01,180 that he is Lord. 537 00:23:01,180 --> 00:23:05,940 You belong to a kingdom and you have a king. 538 00:23:05,940 --> 00:23:08,020 This is not a democracy. 539 00:23:08,020 --> 00:23:10,340 As much as you might not like some of the things 540 00:23:10,340 --> 00:23:13,680 that the Lord has put in his word, it is not a democracy. 541 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:18,680 We serve a king and he is a sovereign, just king. 542 00:23:18,680 --> 00:23:22,460 A sovereign, just king who loves you. 543 00:23:22,460 --> 00:23:24,460 The word, we talked about this before, 544 00:23:24,460 --> 00:23:28,080 the word is the constitution of the kingdom. 545 00:23:28,080 --> 00:23:30,540 It is what we look at to order our life. 546 00:23:30,540 --> 00:23:33,400 It's where we go to get the answers that we need 547 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:34,740 to life's problems. 548 00:23:34,740 --> 00:23:36,500 The Lord is never going to go against his word. 549 00:23:36,500 --> 00:23:38,720 Well, the Holy Spirit told me to do X, 550 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:39,680 but it's not in God's word. 551 00:23:39,680 --> 00:23:40,840 It doesn't line up with God's word. 552 00:23:40,840 --> 00:23:42,840 The Holy Spirit didn't tell you to do that. 553 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:45,600 It will always line up with his word. 554 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:49,720 It always, he doesn't change, he's flawless in his character. 555 00:23:51,120 --> 00:23:52,780 He's flawless in his character. 556 00:23:52,780 --> 00:23:56,500 He doesn't make mistakes and you're not a mistake. 557 00:23:56,500 --> 00:24:05,720 So the enemy is working tirelessly right now, today. 558 00:24:05,720 --> 00:24:09,540 The enemy of your soul, the enemy of your life 559 00:24:09,540 --> 00:24:14,540 is working tirelessly to denounce the name of Jesus. 560 00:24:14,540 --> 00:24:18,100 But every time he tries, he fails 561 00:24:18,100 --> 00:24:21,000 because the enemy has his plan, 562 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:23,740 but God's plan will always prevail. 563 00:24:23,740 --> 00:24:26,820 The enemy has his plan, whatever it is in your life 564 00:24:26,820 --> 00:24:27,960 that you're looking at and you're like, 565 00:24:27,960 --> 00:24:30,000 I don't understand, the enemy is messing with me, 566 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:31,840 this is going on, the thoughts that are produced 567 00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:35,960 in your mind, God has a plan that will always prevail. 568 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:38,200 But God, Kevin, I've messed up the plan. 569 00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:40,780 You don't know, he told me to do this, I did this, 570 00:24:40,780 --> 00:24:42,400 I messed up this, I did all this. 571 00:24:42,400 --> 00:24:43,920 You know what, God is a genius. 572 00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:45,180 He's able to come right back around 573 00:24:45,180 --> 00:24:48,740 and take an ashy situation and make it beautiful. 574 00:24:48,740 --> 00:24:51,200 God's word will always stand. 575 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:55,600 His word, his plan will always prevail 576 00:24:55,600 --> 00:24:58,480 every single time, every single time. 577 00:24:58,480 --> 00:25:01,220 So the job of the Holy Spirit, 578 00:25:01,220 --> 00:25:02,520 what is the job of the Holy Spirit? 579 00:25:02,520 --> 00:25:04,780 It is to point people to? 580 00:25:04,780 --> 00:25:06,420 Point people to? 581 00:25:06,420 --> 00:25:08,580 The job of the Holy Spirit is to point people to Jesus. 582 00:25:08,580 --> 00:25:11,520 So when he tells you to go somewhere, 583 00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:15,000 to witness to someone, to pray for someone, 584 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:18,360 it's always about exalting the name of Jesus. 585 00:25:18,360 --> 00:25:22,520 It's always about ultimately pointing people to Jesus. 586 00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:24,760 There were three guys in the book of Daniel, chapter three, 587 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:27,320 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, what wonderful names. 588 00:25:27,320 --> 00:25:29,300 Some of you should adopt those names 589 00:25:29,300 --> 00:25:31,040 into your babies as they're coming, okay? 590 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:33,080 Shadrach, Meshach, I would love a little Meshach 591 00:25:33,080 --> 00:25:34,040 running around here, okay? 592 00:25:34,040 --> 00:25:35,640 Abednego, okay? 593 00:25:35,640 --> 00:25:40,640 And these three guys are willing, 594 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:42,360 they are willing, listen to me, 595 00:25:42,360 --> 00:25:45,800 they're willing to obey, listen, 596 00:25:45,800 --> 00:25:49,300 they're willing to obey the king Nebuchadnezzar 597 00:25:49,300 --> 00:25:53,100 up to the point when he says, bow down and worship me. 598 00:25:53,100 --> 00:25:56,480 And Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego say, 599 00:25:56,480 --> 00:25:57,600 whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, 600 00:25:57,600 --> 00:25:59,920 their ear days lay long, they have been drawn. 601 00:25:59,920 --> 00:26:01,960 We will do what you ask us to do, 602 00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:06,000 but we will bow to no man because we serve a glorious God. 603 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:08,720 And they have a fiery furnace in front of them, 604 00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:10,400 and they are threatened with their lives. 605 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:12,440 And Nebuchadnezzar says, if you do not bow down 606 00:26:12,440 --> 00:26:14,960 and worship me, I'm gonna throw you into this fire. 607 00:26:14,960 --> 00:26:17,480 And Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego say, 608 00:26:17,480 --> 00:26:20,840 put me in there, put me in there. 609 00:26:20,840 --> 00:26:23,460 I'm gonna turn it up, I'm gonna turn up the heat. 610 00:26:23,460 --> 00:26:26,300 They say, we will not bow down, put us in there. 611 00:26:26,300 --> 00:26:30,000 But can I tell you that when Shadrach, Meshach, 612 00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:31,400 and Abednego were put in the fire, 613 00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:34,500 there was a fourth man in that fire. 614 00:26:34,500 --> 00:26:37,900 There was a holy God that was waiting 615 00:26:37,900 --> 00:26:39,640 in the midst of that circumstance 616 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:43,920 that no man is going to prevail over my plan, says the Lord. 617 00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:48,640 If you will choose the Lord, even in the midst of tension, 618 00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:51,200 even in the midst whenever there is something in front of you 619 00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:53,640 that doesn't seem comfortable, that doesn't seem right, 620 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:55,360 that seems to be a consequence for you, 621 00:26:55,360 --> 00:26:57,320 turning your back on the world and going to God, 622 00:26:57,320 --> 00:26:59,120 he will always meet you right there. 623 00:26:59,120 --> 00:27:01,000 There was a fourth man in the fire. 624 00:27:01,000 --> 00:27:03,800 There was a fourth man in the fire. 625 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:06,960 Guys, I'm asking you today, are you willing, 626 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:09,960 are you willing to put your life on the line? 627 00:27:09,960 --> 00:27:11,640 And so today, here's the point, 628 00:27:11,640 --> 00:27:13,440 here's the crux of my message today. 629 00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:15,720 This is a fundamental question I wanna ask you, 630 00:27:15,720 --> 00:27:17,040 and it's a sobering question. 631 00:27:17,040 --> 00:27:19,520 I don't want everyone to take it seriously in this place. 632 00:27:19,520 --> 00:27:22,200 Here's the question I have for you, Springhouse Church. 633 00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:24,340 Are you ashamed of Jesus? 634 00:27:36,840 --> 00:27:38,540 Are you ashamed of Jesus? 635 00:27:38,540 --> 00:27:45,560 In order to not be ashamed of Jesus, 636 00:27:45,560 --> 00:27:50,280 the very first step is you have to unquestionably 637 00:27:50,280 --> 00:27:53,640 acknowledge the reality of his existence. 638 00:27:53,640 --> 00:28:00,600 I was 16 years old when I wanted, 639 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:02,560 there are times still even in my life 640 00:28:02,560 --> 00:28:05,840 as a flawed 40-year-old, there are times in my life 641 00:28:05,840 --> 00:28:07,200 when I wake up and I ask God, 642 00:28:07,200 --> 00:28:09,840 I say, why am I even alive today? 643 00:28:09,840 --> 00:28:12,560 Why would you even have me here today? 644 00:28:12,560 --> 00:28:15,440 God, I am not worth anything being here on this earth. 645 00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:17,040 Take my life. 646 00:28:17,040 --> 00:28:20,160 And 16, I decided to take that in my own hands, 647 00:28:20,160 --> 00:28:23,840 and I took my car on Old Nashville Highway up to the hill, 648 00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:27,720 and my plan was to ram my car into a newly built CVS wall 649 00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:29,960 that was going up right next door to the church. 650 00:28:29,960 --> 00:28:32,360 And so I got up to that hill, and I turned around, 651 00:28:32,360 --> 00:28:34,280 and tears just streaming down my eyes, 652 00:28:34,280 --> 00:28:37,160 90 miles an hour I start to take off toward this wall, 653 00:28:37,160 --> 00:28:39,580 and something happened to me that has never happened 654 00:28:39,580 --> 00:28:41,200 in the other decades of my life. 655 00:28:41,200 --> 00:28:43,600 Never has this happened except for this one moment, guys, 656 00:28:43,600 --> 00:28:46,700 when I hit that bank, I heard the audible voice of God say, 657 00:28:46,700 --> 00:28:48,660 I'm not finished with you yet. 658 00:28:48,660 --> 00:28:54,840 And because of that experience with the Holy Spirit, 659 00:28:54,840 --> 00:28:57,760 every one of you have the ability 660 00:28:57,760 --> 00:28:59,840 to turn around and deny this God, 661 00:28:59,840 --> 00:29:03,400 but I do not get that privilege because I know he is real. 662 00:29:03,400 --> 00:29:05,240 I know that he is alive. 663 00:29:05,240 --> 00:29:07,600 I know that he has a plan for my life. 664 00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:10,720 I don't have the ability to deny Christ. 665 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:11,800 I don't, because he's real. 666 00:29:11,800 --> 00:29:13,520 I would be lying to myself. 667 00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:15,840 I'd be lying to you if I turned my back and said, 668 00:29:15,840 --> 00:29:18,320 he doesn't exist, because I know he does. 669 00:29:18,320 --> 00:29:21,560 And in order for us to be in a place 670 00:29:21,560 --> 00:29:23,200 where we are not ashamed of Jesus, 671 00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:26,840 we have to be in a place where we undeniably 672 00:29:26,840 --> 00:29:30,620 don't question but acknowledge his existence. 673 00:29:32,740 --> 00:29:37,320 Church, are you ashamed of Jesus? 674 00:29:37,320 --> 00:29:38,980 I remember a time at Chick-fil-A, 675 00:29:38,980 --> 00:29:40,580 I used to work at Chick-fil-A eight years, 676 00:29:40,580 --> 00:29:41,660 and there was this guy, 677 00:29:41,660 --> 00:29:44,140 it was my second half of those eight years, 678 00:29:44,140 --> 00:29:46,560 I was at this store, and this guy comes in, 679 00:29:46,560 --> 00:29:48,120 and he wants to introduce me to his friend. 680 00:29:48,120 --> 00:29:50,160 One of my employees wanted to introduce me to his friend. 681 00:29:50,160 --> 00:29:51,240 I think his name was Jeff. 682 00:29:51,240 --> 00:29:54,560 And he walks in, and I get out behind the counter, 683 00:29:54,560 --> 00:29:57,440 and I go shake his hand, and the employee says, 684 00:29:57,440 --> 00:29:58,880 hey, Jeff, this is Kevin O'Day. 685 00:29:58,880 --> 00:30:00,640 He says, I've heard of you. 686 00:30:00,640 --> 00:30:02,380 You're that Jesus guy. 687 00:30:03,280 --> 00:30:05,380 And I immediately thought to myself, 688 00:30:05,380 --> 00:30:09,660 how embarrassing that I would be called that Jesus guy. 689 00:30:09,660 --> 00:30:13,220 Do you know that there is no better higher compliment 690 00:30:13,220 --> 00:30:15,640 to be called than that Jesus guy? 691 00:30:15,640 --> 00:30:18,340 There is no better thing to be pegged for 692 00:30:18,340 --> 00:30:20,400 than to wear the name of Jesus Christ, 693 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:22,720 the name above every other name on your sleeve, 694 00:30:22,720 --> 00:30:25,840 that when people see you, they know you because of him. 695 00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:27,440 They know you as Jesus. 696 00:30:27,440 --> 00:30:30,620 And I was so embarrassed, Lord, forgive me even today 697 00:30:30,620 --> 00:30:32,480 as I think about it and tell the story again, 698 00:30:32,480 --> 00:30:34,560 that I would deny your existence, 699 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:38,320 that I would be embarrassed by the one who saved my life, 700 00:30:38,320 --> 00:30:40,600 who took me out of the muck and mire, 701 00:30:40,600 --> 00:30:44,080 the one who I cannot deny his existence. 702 00:30:44,080 --> 00:30:47,120 Guys, this is why Ruby can be on the verge of death, 703 00:30:47,120 --> 00:30:49,400 and all I can say is you're sovereign, God. 704 00:30:49,400 --> 00:30:51,220 Do your will, but I know that you're real. 705 00:30:51,220 --> 00:30:53,200 I'm not gonna question your reality. 706 00:30:53,200 --> 00:30:55,560 This is why when my wife is having her first baby, 707 00:30:55,560 --> 00:30:57,520 and she's losing the blood and could lose her life, 708 00:30:57,520 --> 00:30:59,640 God, I cannot deny your reality. 709 00:30:59,640 --> 00:31:00,480 You are sovereign. 710 00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:03,140 I might not know why, I might not understand it, 711 00:31:03,140 --> 00:31:05,660 but I'm not gonna question whether you are real. 712 00:31:05,660 --> 00:31:09,680 I'm not gonna question whether you are real. 713 00:31:09,680 --> 00:31:15,280 Are you ashamed of Jesus? 714 00:31:15,280 --> 00:31:20,900 Paul says this over in the book of Romans. 715 00:31:20,900 --> 00:31:24,860 It says, I am not ashamed of the gospel 716 00:31:24,860 --> 00:31:27,300 because it is the power of God that brings salvation 717 00:31:27,300 --> 00:31:29,020 to everyone who believes. 718 00:31:29,020 --> 00:31:30,940 This is not just a verse of comfort. 719 00:31:30,940 --> 00:31:33,060 This is a verse declaring war on the world. 720 00:31:33,060 --> 00:31:35,760 This is a verse that says, whatever you throw my way, 721 00:31:35,760 --> 00:31:38,580 I am not ashamed of the God of this universe. 722 00:31:38,580 --> 00:31:41,720 I am not ashamed of anything that is standing before me. 723 00:31:41,720 --> 00:31:45,140 I'm going to stand firm in my foundation of the truth. 724 00:31:45,140 --> 00:31:45,980 Now, here's the thing. 725 00:31:45,980 --> 00:31:47,160 If you don't know the truth, 726 00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:49,020 then it's very hard not to be ashamed 727 00:31:49,020 --> 00:31:52,580 because you don't know who you believe in. 728 00:31:52,580 --> 00:31:56,680 So it's so important that you have a relationship 729 00:31:56,680 --> 00:31:59,740 with the word of God so that you understand 730 00:31:59,740 --> 00:32:02,760 who it is that you say you believe in. 731 00:32:02,760 --> 00:32:05,680 Otherwise, it's very confusing. 732 00:32:05,680 --> 00:32:08,140 And when we get doubled up with the world, guess what? 733 00:32:08,140 --> 00:32:10,960 You smell like the world, you look like the world, 734 00:32:10,960 --> 00:32:12,360 you sound like the world. 735 00:32:12,360 --> 00:32:14,840 Are you a Christian really? 736 00:32:14,840 --> 00:32:17,680 Are you a believer really? 737 00:32:17,680 --> 00:32:20,920 Not everyone who says to me, says Jesus, Lord, Lord, 738 00:32:20,920 --> 00:32:22,540 will enter the kingdom of heaven, 739 00:32:22,540 --> 00:32:24,880 but only the one who does the will of my Father 740 00:32:24,880 --> 00:32:25,700 who's in heaven. 741 00:32:25,700 --> 00:32:26,860 How do we know the will of God? 742 00:32:26,860 --> 00:32:27,740 The word of God. 743 00:32:27,740 --> 00:32:30,000 The word of God. 744 00:32:30,000 --> 00:32:32,980 The Holy Spirit gives us the strength. 745 00:32:32,980 --> 00:32:35,860 Am I 100% in obeying the will of God? 746 00:32:35,860 --> 00:32:38,240 Guys, you better betcha I'm the most flawed person 747 00:32:38,240 --> 00:32:41,020 in the room, but I have this Holy Spirit, 748 00:32:41,020 --> 00:32:43,020 this gift who's walking beside me, 749 00:32:43,020 --> 00:32:44,820 this gift of the Holy Spirit. 750 00:32:44,820 --> 00:32:46,020 When I start going this way, he says, 751 00:32:46,020 --> 00:32:48,280 ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah. 752 00:32:48,280 --> 00:32:49,980 Turn around and go this way. 753 00:32:49,980 --> 00:32:53,800 Turn around and go this way, Kev. 754 00:32:55,040 --> 00:32:58,120 I want to make Jesus famous through your life. 755 00:32:58,120 --> 00:33:02,220 I want to tell people I wanna advance my kingdom. 756 00:33:02,220 --> 00:33:04,940 You need to put down those drugs. 757 00:33:04,940 --> 00:33:06,480 You need to put down that pride. 758 00:33:06,480 --> 00:33:09,760 You need to stop going back to those old vices, 759 00:33:09,760 --> 00:33:11,300 those old things that formed, 760 00:33:11,300 --> 00:33:14,520 the reason Christ liberated you from your sin, 761 00:33:14,520 --> 00:33:17,760 the reason he liberated you from your sin 762 00:33:17,760 --> 00:33:19,220 is so that you could be free. 763 00:33:19,220 --> 00:33:22,620 And with your freedom, you would proclaim 764 00:33:22,620 --> 00:33:24,020 the gospel of Jesus Christ 765 00:33:24,020 --> 00:33:26,360 and lead people into his kingdom. 766 00:33:26,360 --> 00:33:28,660 Are you ashamed of the gospel? 767 00:33:28,660 --> 00:33:32,840 Jesus says, whoever acknowledges me, 768 00:33:32,840 --> 00:33:35,080 this is so sobering, before others, 769 00:33:35,080 --> 00:33:37,240 I will acknowledge before my Father in heaven, 770 00:33:37,240 --> 00:33:41,380 looks into this, but whoever disowns me before others, 771 00:33:41,380 --> 00:33:45,160 I will disown before my Father in heaven. 772 00:33:45,160 --> 00:33:47,080 Guys, I wish sometimes we could only believe 773 00:33:47,080 --> 00:33:50,880 some of the Bible, but we actually have to believe 774 00:33:50,880 --> 00:33:51,860 the entire thing. 775 00:33:52,400 --> 00:33:54,120 (congregation murmuring) 776 00:33:54,120 --> 00:33:55,440 This is Jesus Christ. 777 00:33:55,440 --> 00:33:58,780 This is Jesus Christ. 778 00:33:58,780 --> 00:34:04,240 Are you ashamed of Jesus? 779 00:34:04,240 --> 00:34:08,260 Part of the reason why I think we get hung up 780 00:34:08,260 --> 00:34:11,020 is because we don't really lean in and understand 781 00:34:11,020 --> 00:34:15,060 the reality of how limited our life is here on earth 782 00:34:15,060 --> 00:34:17,860 compared to our overall existence. 783 00:34:17,860 --> 00:34:20,160 I've shared this before, 784 00:34:20,160 --> 00:34:23,820 but your life is so much more 785 00:34:23,820 --> 00:34:26,880 than just this little time on earth. 786 00:34:26,880 --> 00:34:29,680 Your existence goes on and on and on and on and on 787 00:34:29,680 --> 00:34:31,600 and on and on and on and on and on and on. 788 00:34:31,600 --> 00:34:35,000 It just continues and continues and continues. 789 00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:37,520 This is your existence, this is your being. 790 00:34:37,520 --> 00:34:39,700 This part is how much we spend on earth. 791 00:34:39,700 --> 00:34:43,320 And whatever you choose to do with this part 792 00:34:43,320 --> 00:34:45,800 has everything to do with what's gonna happen 793 00:34:45,800 --> 00:34:46,640 with this part. 794 00:34:46,640 --> 00:34:50,060 (congregation murmuring) 795 00:34:50,060 --> 00:34:53,840 Here's the glorious thing. 796 00:34:53,840 --> 00:34:56,540 From the moment of your death here on earth, 797 00:34:56,540 --> 00:34:58,240 there's no more persecution. 798 00:34:58,240 --> 00:35:03,320 There's no more trial, there's no more brokenness. 799 00:35:03,320 --> 00:35:06,300 The Bible tells us he's gonna wipe every single tear 800 00:35:06,300 --> 00:35:07,200 from every eye. 801 00:35:07,200 --> 00:35:09,920 Some of you have been contending with brokenness and pain 802 00:35:09,920 --> 00:35:12,100 and all of the things that are going on in your life, 803 00:35:12,100 --> 00:35:14,500 not understanding a promise that was not fulfilled, 804 00:35:14,500 --> 00:35:16,600 all of these things, that all ends 805 00:35:16,600 --> 00:35:18,680 when you enter into eternity. 806 00:35:18,680 --> 00:35:23,260 But what you do with that during this part 807 00:35:23,260 --> 00:35:25,880 determines what this part's gonna look like. 808 00:35:25,880 --> 00:35:29,280 And it also determines other people 809 00:35:29,280 --> 00:35:31,880 who are watching you say, I believe 810 00:35:31,880 --> 00:35:33,500 who I say I believe in. 811 00:35:33,500 --> 00:35:36,760 I don't understand, you should be really upset with God. 812 00:35:36,760 --> 00:35:39,360 You should be really mad at God for X, Y, and Z. 813 00:35:39,360 --> 00:35:41,420 Man, I don't understand why you're going back to church 814 00:35:41,420 --> 00:35:42,260 and worship it. 815 00:35:42,260 --> 00:35:43,080 Didn't he say he was gonna do that 816 00:35:43,080 --> 00:35:44,280 and he didn't do yada, yada, yada? 817 00:35:44,280 --> 00:35:46,880 And you watch that person pull up 818 00:35:46,880 --> 00:35:48,700 because of the power of the Holy Spirit, 819 00:35:48,700 --> 00:35:50,560 because of the peace that the Holy Spirit gives, 820 00:35:50,560 --> 00:35:54,000 and all of a sudden you've got people just rallying around 821 00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:56,900 and numbers more than ever are added to the kingdom. 822 00:35:56,900 --> 00:36:01,480 And you say, I don't understand why I had to go there. 823 00:36:01,480 --> 00:36:04,100 And the Lord Almighty says, son, daughter, 824 00:36:04,100 --> 00:36:07,500 just wait and see, you are part of my bigger plan. 825 00:36:07,500 --> 00:36:12,100 Christ died on the cross for you. 826 00:36:14,160 --> 00:36:16,280 He was not in the wrong. 827 00:36:16,280 --> 00:36:24,400 The righteousness of God nailed to a tree. 828 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:26,440 We must understand that our existence 829 00:36:26,440 --> 00:36:28,480 is so much more than the red part. 830 00:36:28,480 --> 00:36:31,000 So what is the barometer or the litmus test 831 00:36:31,000 --> 00:36:33,840 of whether or not we are truly ashamed of Jesus? 832 00:36:33,840 --> 00:36:36,000 What's the litmus, what are we supposed to look at? 833 00:36:36,000 --> 00:36:36,840 Like, what do we see? 834 00:36:36,840 --> 00:36:39,720 Like, how do I know, like, am I ashamed, not ashamed? 835 00:36:39,720 --> 00:36:43,600 All of these things, I can sum it up in one word. 836 00:36:43,600 --> 00:36:44,440 Love. 837 00:36:44,440 --> 00:36:49,960 The barometer and the litmus test 838 00:36:49,960 --> 00:36:53,200 of whether or not you are ashamed of Jesus Christ 839 00:36:53,200 --> 00:36:58,200 is you looking like and acting like Him on earth, on earth. 840 00:36:58,200 --> 00:37:05,760 I say this with such humility, 841 00:37:05,760 --> 00:37:09,560 but I have been so ridiculed and made fun of in my life 842 00:37:09,560 --> 00:37:11,680 for the deep way I love people. 843 00:37:11,680 --> 00:37:13,140 I have been so made fun of. 844 00:37:13,140 --> 00:37:14,400 I've been so ridiculed. 845 00:37:14,400 --> 00:37:16,500 Again, I say this with such humility 846 00:37:16,500 --> 00:37:18,660 because they say it's so weird the way you love. 847 00:37:18,660 --> 00:37:19,760 It's so weird, it's so strange. 848 00:37:19,760 --> 00:37:21,840 You know what, it is weird. 849 00:37:21,840 --> 00:37:25,040 Because it's not like the culture, it's not like the world. 850 00:37:25,040 --> 00:37:26,820 It should look like the kingdom. 851 00:37:26,820 --> 00:37:29,760 Because this is what Christ says. 852 00:37:29,760 --> 00:37:33,060 He says this, He says, love one another, what? 853 00:37:33,060 --> 00:37:35,360 As I have loved you. 854 00:37:35,360 --> 00:37:39,420 Jesus Christ loved you to the point of death on the cross. 855 00:37:39,420 --> 00:37:41,440 There is no more selfless act 856 00:37:41,440 --> 00:37:44,380 than Jesus dying on a holy perfect God 857 00:37:44,380 --> 00:37:45,780 dying on a cross for you. 858 00:37:45,780 --> 00:37:47,860 There's no more selfless act. 859 00:37:47,860 --> 00:37:50,820 So guys, every single one, who here every day 860 00:37:50,820 --> 00:37:53,700 needs to be reminded by God that He loves you? 861 00:37:53,700 --> 00:37:54,540 Raise your hand. 862 00:37:54,540 --> 00:37:55,700 I need to be reminded by God. 863 00:37:55,700 --> 00:37:58,820 Okay, if it's true that we are to love one another 864 00:37:58,820 --> 00:38:01,740 as He has loved us, then that tells me 865 00:38:01,740 --> 00:38:04,340 if every day I need to be reminded from Him, 866 00:38:04,340 --> 00:38:06,240 then you better, I love you. 867 00:38:06,240 --> 00:38:07,260 I love you. 868 00:38:07,260 --> 00:38:08,440 Kurt, I love you. 869 00:38:08,440 --> 00:38:09,440 Hannah, I love you. 870 00:38:09,440 --> 00:38:10,500 Do you have anything? 871 00:38:10,500 --> 00:38:11,340 Is there anything I can do for you? 872 00:38:11,340 --> 00:38:12,500 Do you need anything? 873 00:38:12,500 --> 00:38:13,320 What can I do? 874 00:38:13,320 --> 00:38:14,160 How can I serve you? 875 00:38:14,160 --> 00:38:15,380 How can I be less of me? 876 00:38:15,380 --> 00:38:16,540 How can I, Dave, I love you. 877 00:38:16,540 --> 00:38:17,360 How can I serve you? 878 00:38:17,360 --> 00:38:18,360 What can I do to wash your feet? 879 00:38:18,360 --> 00:38:20,320 Jesus washed people's feet. 880 00:38:20,320 --> 00:38:23,440 How can I serve? 881 00:38:23,440 --> 00:38:25,840 Every day. 882 00:38:25,840 --> 00:38:27,580 Man, you told me you loved me five days ago. 883 00:38:27,580 --> 00:38:28,660 You don't need to tell me for another month. 884 00:38:28,660 --> 00:38:29,580 No, every day. 885 00:38:29,580 --> 00:38:32,140 Moment by moment, I'm gonna tell you again. 886 00:38:32,140 --> 00:38:32,980 I'm gonna tell you again. 887 00:38:32,980 --> 00:38:33,800 I'm gonna tell you again. 888 00:38:33,800 --> 00:38:34,680 That's so weird. 889 00:38:34,680 --> 00:38:35,520 Here's the thing. 890 00:38:35,520 --> 00:38:37,140 You know what's crazy about this weird love? 891 00:38:37,140 --> 00:38:39,000 When it's removed, you miss it. 892 00:38:39,120 --> 00:38:40,940 - Yeah. - Yeah. 893 00:38:40,940 --> 00:38:43,660 - When it goes away, you go, whoa, whoa, whoa. 894 00:38:43,660 --> 00:38:46,340 I didn't realize I had something really, really good. 895 00:38:46,340 --> 00:38:47,800 And that's why the love of Christ 896 00:38:47,800 --> 00:38:49,780 is so attractive to a world. 897 00:38:49,780 --> 00:38:51,880 That's why instead of looking at the world and saying, 898 00:38:51,880 --> 00:38:53,260 this is what you've done wrong, 899 00:38:53,260 --> 00:38:55,240 we showed them the love of Christ 900 00:38:55,240 --> 00:38:57,420 and they are drawn into the kingdom. 901 00:38:57,420 --> 00:39:00,580 I am not ashamed of Jesus Christ and his love for me. 902 00:39:00,580 --> 00:39:02,100 I'm not ashamed to love you 903 00:39:02,100 --> 00:39:03,660 even though you smack me in the face, 904 00:39:03,660 --> 00:39:04,940 even though you put me down, 905 00:39:04,940 --> 00:39:07,500 even though you got a fiery furnace waiting for me. 906 00:39:07,500 --> 00:39:09,020 I'm here, I'm gonna love you. 907 00:39:09,020 --> 00:39:10,660 - Yeah. - Yeah. 908 00:39:10,660 --> 00:39:11,500 - I'm gonna love you. 909 00:39:11,500 --> 00:39:13,480 I'm gonna see you the way that Christ sees you. 910 00:39:13,480 --> 00:39:15,240 I'm gonna turn the other cheek. 911 00:39:15,240 --> 00:39:18,320 I'm gonna, I'm not ashamed. 912 00:39:18,320 --> 00:39:21,080 I'm not ashamed. 913 00:39:21,080 --> 00:39:26,200 There were two primary things that people accused Jesus of 914 00:39:26,200 --> 00:39:27,620 that got him on that cross. 915 00:39:27,620 --> 00:39:29,380 The first one was being God. 916 00:39:29,380 --> 00:39:32,020 The second one was how big he loved. 917 00:39:36,320 --> 00:39:39,100 The emptiness and void that every single one of us 918 00:39:39,100 --> 00:39:43,000 have in our life can only be filled by the love 919 00:39:43,000 --> 00:39:44,700 of the God of the universe. 920 00:39:44,700 --> 00:39:49,120 And he chooses his people, his most precious resource is you 921 00:39:49,120 --> 00:39:51,520 to help fill those gaps through the Holy Spirit. 922 00:39:51,520 --> 00:39:56,220 Are you ashamed of Jesus? 923 00:39:56,220 --> 00:40:00,660 More than what's coming out of your mouth, 924 00:40:00,660 --> 00:40:02,400 I'm talking about your actions. 925 00:40:02,400 --> 00:40:03,500 Are you ashamed? 926 00:40:03,500 --> 00:40:05,460 Does your life speak or shout, 927 00:40:05,460 --> 00:40:08,580 I'm ashamed of the King of kings and Lord of lords. 928 00:40:08,580 --> 00:40:21,680 You have the answer for a dying world. 929 00:40:21,680 --> 00:40:26,920 Not an answer, you have the answer. 930 00:40:26,920 --> 00:40:30,880 Jesus said, I am the way. 931 00:40:30,880 --> 00:40:32,780 I am the truth. 932 00:40:32,780 --> 00:40:34,500 I am the life. 933 00:40:35,500 --> 00:40:40,500 If I hold in my hand, if I hold in my hand the antidote 934 00:40:40,500 --> 00:40:45,300 for Dana's life, and I know that if all I have to do, 935 00:40:45,300 --> 00:40:47,460 she's dying, and if I hand this to her, 936 00:40:47,460 --> 00:40:50,220 go and take this, if I hand this to her and she takes it, 937 00:40:50,220 --> 00:40:51,440 she's alive. 938 00:40:51,440 --> 00:40:55,640 Why in the world would I not want to make sure Dana has that? 939 00:40:55,640 --> 00:40:59,460 And you all have been equipped with every, 940 00:40:59,460 --> 00:41:02,320 you have the answer to dying world. 941 00:41:02,320 --> 00:41:05,600 You have the answer even within the church. 942 00:41:05,600 --> 00:41:10,040 People who say, I believe, you have the answer 943 00:41:10,040 --> 00:41:11,800 for people who need healing, 944 00:41:11,800 --> 00:41:17,220 who need a move and a touch from God, you have the answer. 945 00:41:17,220 --> 00:41:19,280 You've been equipped. 946 00:41:19,280 --> 00:41:23,440 Why would we not, why would we hold on to what we have? 947 00:41:23,440 --> 00:41:30,200 Is this good this morning or no? 948 00:41:30,240 --> 00:41:33,940 (congregation cheering) 949 00:41:33,940 --> 00:41:34,780 Listen. 950 00:41:34,780 --> 00:41:40,260 Worship team, you can make your way back out. 951 00:41:40,260 --> 00:41:46,420 How we love the dying world around us, it matters. 952 00:41:46,420 --> 00:41:50,780 How we love one another, it actually, it matters. 953 00:41:50,780 --> 00:41:57,380 If you're going to be persecuted in this life, 954 00:41:57,380 --> 00:42:01,340 let it be because you loved too big. 955 00:42:01,340 --> 00:42:04,600 If you're going to be persecuted in this life, 956 00:42:04,600 --> 00:42:07,140 let it be because you loved too big. 957 00:42:07,140 --> 00:42:10,200 Later in the scripture, after what we read, 958 00:42:10,200 --> 00:42:16,760 Gamaliel comes around because they brought these guys 959 00:42:16,760 --> 00:42:20,220 into the Sanhedrin and they've arrested them again. 960 00:42:20,220 --> 00:42:23,900 But you know something different about Gamaliel? 961 00:42:23,900 --> 00:42:26,240 Gamaliel is a Pharisee. 962 00:42:27,200 --> 00:42:29,000 Remember we talked about Pharisees, Sadducees? 963 00:42:29,000 --> 00:42:29,940 Think about this. 964 00:42:29,940 --> 00:42:37,040 In the midst of trial, we threw you in jail 965 00:42:37,040 --> 00:42:38,820 and you went back and did the exact same thing 966 00:42:38,820 --> 00:42:40,520 we told you not to do? 967 00:42:40,520 --> 00:42:42,940 Oh, y'all are about to suffer this. 968 00:42:42,940 --> 00:42:47,940 And the Lord raises up a Pharisee named Gamaliel, yeah. 969 00:42:47,940 --> 00:42:51,320 I call him G, he raises up G. 970 00:42:51,320 --> 00:42:53,940 Everybody needs a G in their life. 971 00:42:57,060 --> 00:42:58,720 And he says, wait a minute, guys. 972 00:42:58,720 --> 00:43:02,280 You've seen how this works out. 973 00:43:02,280 --> 00:43:06,180 If what these guys, if what these apostles are saying 974 00:43:06,180 --> 00:43:08,580 is of man's hands, it's gonna fail. 975 00:43:08,580 --> 00:43:13,180 But if it's God, you can't do anything about it anyway. 976 00:43:13,180 --> 00:43:17,020 So let's just take our hands off of this 977 00:43:17,020 --> 00:43:20,180 and let it play out the way it's going to play out. 978 00:43:20,180 --> 00:43:23,380 Isn't it interesting? 979 00:43:23,380 --> 00:43:26,860 The Sadducees have to contend with the gospel. 980 00:43:26,860 --> 00:43:30,720 They have to contend with a mysterious angel that comes in 981 00:43:30,720 --> 00:43:34,900 and the Lord's gonna raise up a Pharisee in the same story. 982 00:43:34,900 --> 00:43:37,480 The one who does believe in the resurrection to say, 983 00:43:37,480 --> 00:43:40,360 hey, let's leave these guys alone 984 00:43:40,360 --> 00:43:41,900 and see how this plays out. 985 00:43:41,900 --> 00:43:45,840 And so you know what they did to the apostles? 986 00:43:45,840 --> 00:43:47,920 They pulled them in and they beat them. 987 00:43:47,920 --> 00:43:51,340 They did, they beat them. 988 00:43:51,340 --> 00:43:53,140 They didn't slap them on the hand. 989 00:43:53,140 --> 00:43:54,840 They beat them, okay? 990 00:43:55,920 --> 00:43:57,920 Let's look at their response, shall we? 991 00:43:57,920 --> 00:44:01,220 The apostles left the Sanhedrin. 992 00:44:01,220 --> 00:44:02,080 What's the next word? 993 00:44:02,080 --> 00:44:02,920 Say it loudly. 994 00:44:02,920 --> 00:44:04,860 Say it again. 995 00:44:04,860 --> 00:44:08,300 Because they have been counted worthy 996 00:44:08,300 --> 00:44:10,560 of suffering disgrace for Jesus. 997 00:44:10,560 --> 00:44:13,240 Guys, when have you been in a situation? 998 00:44:13,240 --> 00:44:16,300 Guys, not everything that bad happens to your life 999 00:44:16,300 --> 00:44:17,920 is of the enemy. 1000 00:44:17,920 --> 00:44:20,500 Sometimes you're in situations that God is saying, 1001 00:44:20,500 --> 00:44:22,860 if you'll just wait on me, I'm right there with you. 1002 00:44:22,860 --> 00:44:24,640 I've taken you through this thing 1003 00:44:24,640 --> 00:44:27,900 because I wanna do something powerful through you. 1004 00:44:27,900 --> 00:44:29,900 And if we could get to a place 1005 00:44:29,900 --> 00:44:31,900 where when we suffer for Christ Jesus, 1006 00:44:31,900 --> 00:44:34,740 we could say, I counted such a joy 1007 00:44:34,740 --> 00:44:36,660 that you counted me worthy enough 1008 00:44:36,660 --> 00:44:39,020 to suffer for you, Christ Jesus. 1009 00:44:39,020 --> 00:44:41,300 Forgive me when I put myself in the center 1010 00:44:41,300 --> 00:44:42,780 and it's all about my comfort 1011 00:44:42,780 --> 00:44:45,200 and what I wanted and the peace that I needed. 1012 00:44:45,200 --> 00:44:47,500 But God, that you would choose to use me 1013 00:44:47,500 --> 00:44:49,400 so that others would know you. 1014 00:44:50,980 --> 00:44:54,800 It says they were beaten and they left rejoicing. 1015 00:44:54,800 --> 00:44:57,200 They were beaten and they left rejoicing. 1016 00:44:57,200 --> 00:45:00,520 And day after day, this is after they've been beat. 1017 00:45:00,520 --> 00:45:01,800 We have a saying over at school that says, 1018 00:45:01,800 --> 00:45:03,920 when you know better, you do better. 1019 00:45:03,920 --> 00:45:04,740 Okay? 1020 00:45:04,740 --> 00:45:07,480 There would be a lot of us say, 1021 00:45:07,480 --> 00:45:09,760 that beating did not feel good. 1022 00:45:09,760 --> 00:45:11,480 So I'm not doing this anymore. 1023 00:45:11,480 --> 00:45:15,560 Day after day in the temple courts and from house to house, 1024 00:45:15,560 --> 00:45:19,780 they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news 1025 00:45:19,780 --> 00:45:22,060 that Jesus was the Messiah. 1026 00:45:22,060 --> 00:45:26,200 Church, you have a choice. 1027 00:45:26,200 --> 00:45:28,580 It is a day by day choice. 1028 00:45:28,580 --> 00:45:33,400 Christ Jesus, Lord, I need your reminder every day 1029 00:45:33,400 --> 00:45:34,500 that you love me. 1030 00:45:34,500 --> 00:45:39,560 But I also understand that your call for me today 1031 00:45:39,560 --> 00:45:41,680 is to pick up my cross and follow you. 1032 00:45:41,680 --> 00:45:46,460 Christ, I understand that you're actually not saying 1033 00:45:46,460 --> 00:45:49,600 that you saved me so that I could try to get as much riches 1034 00:45:49,600 --> 00:45:51,840 as I can accumulate here on earth. 1035 00:45:51,840 --> 00:45:55,800 But that actually, God, that you wanna put me in position 1036 00:45:55,800 --> 00:45:59,120 because of the gifts that you've given me. 1037 00:45:59,120 --> 00:46:01,720 You wanna leverage the gifts, the anointing of the gifts 1038 00:46:01,720 --> 00:46:05,480 that you placed in my life so that I might be leveraged 1039 00:46:05,480 --> 00:46:07,220 to advance your kingdom. 1040 00:46:07,220 --> 00:46:09,480 Glory to glory. 1041 00:46:09,480 --> 00:46:14,300 You wanna use pitiful, broken, a shameful me to do that? 1042 00:46:14,300 --> 00:46:16,480 He says, absolutely. 1043 00:46:16,480 --> 00:46:17,320 You know why? 1044 00:46:17,320 --> 00:46:20,280 Because you're willing to trust me. 1045 00:46:20,280 --> 00:46:21,920 You're willing to trust me. 1046 00:46:21,920 --> 00:46:25,300 Church, are you ashamed of Jesus? 1047 00:46:25,300 --> 00:46:30,000 Because boy, if we could become unashamed 1048 00:46:30,000 --> 00:46:33,080 of the one that we worship, and if we could start to love 1049 00:46:33,080 --> 00:46:35,040 the way that he loves, do you wanna talk about, 1050 00:46:35,040 --> 00:46:36,800 guys, I'm already to a point saying some of you 1051 00:46:36,800 --> 00:46:38,280 need to start coming into early gatherings, 1052 00:46:38,280 --> 00:46:39,940 but this place is gonna be packed. 1053 00:46:39,940 --> 00:46:44,940 This place would be packed because of him. 1054 00:46:46,760 --> 00:46:48,100 Because of him. 1055 00:46:48,100 --> 00:46:51,120 It's no coincidence that Ananias and Sapphira 1056 00:46:51,120 --> 00:46:53,080 are right before this story because it starts 1057 00:46:53,080 --> 00:46:55,960 with the recognition that he is a holy God. 1058 00:46:55,960 --> 00:46:57,680 There are some things I need to clean up in my, 1059 00:46:57,680 --> 00:47:00,120 oh, oh, I'm not supposed to, oh, there's boundaries. 1060 00:47:00,120 --> 00:47:02,340 Oh, I actually gotta, oh, I need to live a life 1061 00:47:02,340 --> 00:47:03,900 that, Lord, is pleasing to you. 1062 00:47:03,900 --> 00:47:04,740 Why? 1063 00:47:04,740 --> 00:47:06,160 Because if you're not doing that, 1064 00:47:06,160 --> 00:47:08,680 then it's a hypocrisy thing that happens 1065 00:47:08,680 --> 00:47:10,600 when you're trying to dish out the Lord. 1066 00:47:10,600 --> 00:47:13,440 Here, I wanna show you Jesus, but I'm not living like him. 1067 00:47:15,720 --> 00:47:18,720 I'm not ashamed of Jesus, I just wanna live for him. 1068 00:47:18,720 --> 00:47:21,120 I'm not ashamed for Jesus, I don't wanna look like him. 1069 00:47:21,120 --> 00:47:24,800 No, we need to look like our savior, God, 1070 00:47:24,800 --> 00:47:28,160 and it's only this, it's right here. 1071 00:47:28,160 --> 00:47:29,760 It's gonna be over soon. 1072 00:47:29,760 --> 00:47:34,060 This tension, this war, this daily struggle 1073 00:47:34,060 --> 00:47:36,600 of getting up every day and deciding, 1074 00:47:36,600 --> 00:47:38,480 I'm gonna pick up my cross and follow him, 1075 00:47:38,480 --> 00:47:40,080 and he never meant for us to do it alone. 1076 00:47:40,080 --> 00:47:42,480 He gives us the power of the Holy Spirit to do it. 1077 00:47:42,480 --> 00:47:45,100 So here's the deal. 1078 00:47:45,100 --> 00:47:46,580 You have good news. 1079 00:47:46,580 --> 00:47:48,660 Share it. 1080 00:47:48,660 --> 00:47:50,820 Share it. 1081 00:47:50,820 --> 00:47:54,440 At the grocery near the clerk, 1082 00:47:54,440 --> 00:47:56,600 with the person who cuts you off in traffic, 1083 00:47:56,600 --> 00:47:58,420 with that person you can't stand, 1084 00:47:58,420 --> 00:48:01,620 the people with bad breath. 1085 00:48:01,620 --> 00:48:12,160 Because there's coming a day he's gonna split the sky. 1086 00:48:14,560 --> 00:48:16,940 Well done, good and faithful servant. 1087 00:48:16,940 --> 00:48:21,780 Well done, good and faithful servant. 1088 00:48:21,780 --> 00:48:23,820 Don't you want him to say that to you? 1089 00:48:23,820 --> 00:48:26,100 Can you imagine the God of the universe 1090 00:48:26,100 --> 00:48:27,800 looking at you, Dave, and saying, 1091 00:48:27,800 --> 00:48:30,140 well done, good and faithful. 1092 00:48:30,140 --> 00:48:32,500 You raised your boys well. 1093 00:48:32,500 --> 00:48:34,500 You did everything that you're supposed to do. 1094 00:48:34,500 --> 00:48:36,380 You supported your wife. 1095 00:48:36,380 --> 00:48:38,260 You got in there and you served when you didn't. 1096 00:48:38,260 --> 00:48:39,780 When nobody looked at you and thanked you, 1097 00:48:39,780 --> 00:48:40,940 you continued to serve. 1098 00:48:40,940 --> 00:48:42,900 Well done, good and faithful servant. 1099 00:48:42,900 --> 00:48:44,500 Thank you for being a conduit of grace 1100 00:48:44,500 --> 00:48:45,340 because guess what? 1101 00:48:45,340 --> 00:48:46,160 There are people over here 1102 00:48:46,160 --> 00:48:47,140 that you weren't paying attention to. 1103 00:48:47,140 --> 00:48:48,660 They were looking at you. 1104 00:48:48,660 --> 00:48:50,300 They were watching your life. 1105 00:48:50,300 --> 00:48:52,760 And you didn't get mad when that person did that thing 1106 00:48:52,760 --> 00:48:53,600 or said that thing. 1107 00:48:53,600 --> 00:48:55,560 They'd say, watch that, and they didn't understand that. 1108 00:48:55,560 --> 00:48:56,400 But guess what? 1109 00:48:56,400 --> 00:48:57,500 It nudged them along toward me 1110 00:48:57,500 --> 00:48:59,740 and now there are multitudes in the kingdom 1111 00:48:59,740 --> 00:49:00,780 because you're faithfulness. 1112 00:49:00,780 --> 00:49:04,940 Well done, good and faithful servant. 1113 00:49:04,940 --> 00:49:07,220 Are you ashamed of Jesus Christ? 1114 00:49:07,220 --> 00:49:09,020 Stand with me, church, today. 1115 00:49:09,020 --> 00:49:13,020 We're gonna close out with this worship song 1116 00:49:13,020 --> 00:49:14,700 and here's the call today. 1117 00:49:14,700 --> 00:49:16,700 Once again, these are some hard words and acts 1118 00:49:16,700 --> 00:49:18,320 I told the staff this week. 1119 00:49:18,320 --> 00:49:21,380 Acts is a tremendous book for us to be going through. 1120 00:49:21,380 --> 00:49:22,900 But it calls into question, 1121 00:49:22,900 --> 00:49:24,660 do you really wanna be a Christian? 1122 00:49:24,660 --> 00:49:28,700 Do you really want to do this thing? 1123 00:49:28,700 --> 00:49:31,140 And so this morning, again, I wanna invite you, 1124 00:49:31,140 --> 00:49:32,760 if you want to, you can stay in your seats 1125 00:49:32,760 --> 00:49:34,220 or you can come to the altar space 1126 00:49:34,220 --> 00:49:36,420 if there is a call to surrender, 1127 00:49:36,420 --> 00:49:38,860 if there's a call that you need to say, Lord, forgive me, 1128 00:49:38,860 --> 00:49:41,540 because I at times have been ashamed of you 1129 00:49:41,540 --> 00:49:43,260 and I no longer wanna be ashamed, 1130 00:49:43,260 --> 00:49:44,980 I wanna be used by you, 1131 00:49:44,980 --> 00:49:47,480 I wanna be used for your glory, God. 1132 00:49:47,480 --> 00:49:49,020 Would you choose me, would you use me 1133 00:49:49,020 --> 00:49:52,320 because I understand what you did for me in my life. 1134 00:49:52,320 --> 00:49:53,740 I wanna spend my eternity with you. 1135 00:49:53,740 --> 00:49:55,180 If that is you and you wanna come 1136 00:49:55,180 --> 00:49:57,420 and you wanna worship and make that proclamation, 1137 00:49:57,420 --> 00:49:59,780 come now, let's worship together, worship team.